FREE • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2023
VOLUME 10, NO. 61
COMMISSIONER HONORED/PROJECT BIDS ACCEPTED/FINAL PLATS APPROVED AT PLANT CITY COMMISSION MEETING MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER
While last week’s Plant City City Commission meeting included recognizing Commissioner Michael Sparkman for his 30 years of service as a commissioner, they quickly got down to discussing city business.
As part of the city’s consent agenda, commissioners approved a contract with Accretive Global Insurance Services LLC for its property, casualty and excess workers compensation insurance program for $1,007,956, approved to renew an inter-local agreement with the Hillsborough
County Sheriff’s Office to provide crossing guards at 13 Plant City public schools and approved a resolution accepting an easement from AMQ International Corporation to maintain meters and backfl w preventer assemblies.
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CITY FIRE RESCUE AWARDED COMMISSIONER MICHAEL SPARKMAN PLANT GRANT FROM FIREHOUSE SUBS RECOGNIZED BY FL LEAGUE OF CITIES PUBLIC SAFETY FOUNDATION
The $45,000 windfall was used to purchase state-of-the-art equipment for one of the department’s fi etrucks.
MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER
For 30 years, Commissioner Sparkman has served as an elected municipal officia MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER
The Florida League of Cities presented Commissioner Michael Sparkman with the Mayor John Land Years of Service Award at last week’s city commission meeting. The award, named in honor of long-time Apopka Mayor John Land, who served his city for more than 60 years, recognizes elected municipal officials or their 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 or 50 years of dedicated public service. Awardees receive a framed resolution and a lapel pin that reflec s their years of service.
Sparkman, a fifth eneration Hillsborough County resident, successful businessman and entrepreneur, has been a city commissioner for three decades, from 1989 to 2005 and from 2008 to the present. League ambassador Eryn Russell presented the award. “The reason why we at the Florida League of Cities want to recognize our elected officials is l al government is the government closest to the people.” She said. “Through your service as an elected municipal officia you have touched countless lives in this community through your work and that’s what we want to recognize.”
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tools, including a spreader, Plant City Fire Rescue has cutter and ram, replacing new state-of-the-art extrication equipment that will better clunky and outdated gaspowered equipment that was allow it to “strive to provide slowing them down and creatan exceptional level of service ing unnecessary risk. to the citizens they serve”, “These battery-powered thanks to grant money from tools cut stronger, thicker and the Firehouse Subs Public faster and can also be subSafety Foundation, founded in merged in water and continue 2005 in the aftermath of Hurto operate up to 11 feet deep,” ricane Katrina whose mission said Plant City Fire Rescue is to provide lifesaving equipDeputy Chief James Maxwell. ment and prevention educa“These tools will help us for tion tools to fi st responders and public safety organization. the now and helps us pave the way for what we’re going to be The $45,000 Firehouse able to do in the future.” Subs’ Public Safety Foundation grant was used to purchase a new set of Hurst Jaws of Life extrication CONTINUED ON PAGE 6