Familiar Faces in Old Places ...
Several City staff members are back in familiar surroundings as the Apalachicola City Administration, planning and building department and grants administration staff recently relocated to the former City Hall location at the corner of Water Street and Avenue E. According to City officials, the move will provide better public access to the high-profile departments. The move follows renovation work to the City-owned building which was damaged during Hurricane Dennis in 2005. Other city services, including the City Clerk’s office and water and sewer bill collections, continue to be located at the City’s Community Center office complex in Battery Park.

The following departments and employees are now located at the Apalachicola Administrative and Community Development Offices at 1 Avenue E:   Betty Taylor  Webb, City Administrator bettywebb@cityofapalachicola.com; Gene Osburn, Building Official geneosburn@cityofapalachicola.com; Cindi Giametta, Grants Manager cindigiametta@cityofapalachicola.com and  Cindy Summerhill, Deputy Clerk/Special Projects Manager  cindysummerhill@cityofapalachicola.com.  Telephone numbers for the relocated offices remain the same: 850-653-8222 and 850-653-9319 with the new fax number: 850-653-1529.

Golf Carts Officially Allowed, Regulated
Apalachicola City Commissioners approved an ordinance recently that will allow golf carts to be used in certain areas of the City. The ordinance provides for the registration of golf carts along with regulations restricting speed, areas of use and other conditions. You can register your cart by contacting City Hall 850-653-8222.

ACF Water Wars Update
Negotiations between Florida, Georgia and Alabama over how to use water from the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee Flint River system may move forward in secret. A Federal District Court judge ruled January 7 that the three states can negotiate in secret and also don’t have to disclose any documents they use during the negotiations. According to local news reports, the action was taken at the request of the three governors on January the 4th. A ruling was issued on the 7th.

The debate over water sharing and its effect on the Apalachicola Seafood Industry has been going on since the early 1990’s.  The City of Apalachicola continue legal efforts to thwart a State of Georgia proposal to divert water from the Apalachicola River for Atlanta water supply needs. In addition, City Administrator Betty Webb and Apalachicola Riverkeeper Dan Tonsmiere have been selected to represent the area on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee/Flint (ACF) governing board established in 2008 to help resolve the 20 year old conflict.  You can follow the ACF Stakeholders progress at www.acfstakeholders.org . Visit www.apalachicolariverkeeper.org  to follow the most updates on this issue as reported by the Apalachicola Riverkeeper organization.  Visit http://www.protectingourwater.org to learn about the ACF watershed.

The Franklin County Tourist Development Council (FCTDC), of which the City is represented, is currently working with local business and seafood leaders to formulate a countywide marketing campaign designed to promote Franklin County seafood as “caught wild and kept fresh.”  The FCTDC has already produced a documentary-style video about the area’s seafood industry and heritage. It can be viewed at www.anaturalescape.com. 

"Deadliest Catch" Captains Promote Area Fishing Industry
They may never have navigated Apalachicola Bay but three of the world’s most recognizable commercial fishing personalities are promoting Apalachicola’s Working Waterfront and Florida’s commercial fishing industry as part of a new statewide campaign to increase awareness of Florida’s fishing heritage. 

Captains Sig Hansen and Johnathan and Andy Hillstrand -- well known to viewers of the Discovery Channel’s wildly popular “Deadliest Catch” series about Alaskan crab fishing in the Bering Sea – began appearing in television spots and other media this month promoting Florida’s fishing industry.

In addition to promotions featuring the three fishing celebrities, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is producing a series of documentaries about Apalachicola and several of Florida’s other working waterfronts.  The videos will detail the historical development of each area’s commercial fishing industry, promote tourism, and spotlight the fishermen who bring home Florida’s “Tastiest Catch.”  The first video, titled “Florida’s Fishing Traditions: Sebastian,” was released late last year. Future videos will feature Apalachicola/Destin, Miami/Keys, Cortez, Tarpon Springs, and Jacksonville.

Apalachicola is one of eight Working Waterfront communities to be highlighted in the statewide promotion. Apalachicola is the state’s first Working Waterfront Community to be funded out of a new program created to preserve those working waterfronts. The city will use an $800,000 grant from the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Stan Mayfield Working Waterfront Program to purchase waterfront land for an educational commercial seafood boat building and restoration facility in the community. To learn more about the State’s Working Waterfront Program, visit www.workingwaterfronts.com.