BY CAROL MOSLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
BROOKER — The Town of Brooker has been updating its Comprehensive Plan It’s required every seven years, but hasn’t been done since 2015 due to COVID delays.
Some of the amendments are merely required by law to reflect any state and federal changes. But, it also lays out a plan for accomplishing the town’s goals over the next five years. The plans outlined are then implemented through “adoption and enforcement” of the land development regulations.
Attorney John Maines detailed the procedure ahead: The clerk will submit the comprehensive plan to the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council, which will transmit it to the state for approval. That will take 4-6 months to determine that it meets all statutory requirements. Then, a “second reading” will take place at a town council meeting to make it a part of the LDRs.
Maines praised the NCFPC for its work in gathering the data and putting together the documentation required, which would have been a burden and expense to the town otherwise.
The town’s population in 2022 was determined to be 329 persons, representing 1.2 percent of the county’s total population. The total acreage is 393 acres, or 0.61 square miles. But, the small town has big dreams for the near future.
Community charter school enrollment
Of course, the opening of the new Brooker Community Charter School is on everyone’s mind. The council’s responsibility is to the infrastructure aspect, so having a local school affects future planning as well. The school is open to students from anywhere and is a public charter school, so it does not charge tuition. Applications, and other details, are available online.
Planning for “down the road”
There were no new candidates for the recent election, so the council members, who will remain, were sworn in. Mayor Gene Melvin will serve another term after 38 years’ experience in the position. Steve Acree was nominated to another term as vice mayor. He nominated Councilwoman Sue Bennett “in the interest of diversity,” but she declined and Acree was voted to serve again.
Mayor Melvin said his main focus for the year ahead needs to be the roads and water. Both of these are major projects already in the works. The new digital radar signs are alerting drivers to their speed. The contractor has been selected to begin the FDOT roadwork on 21 streets beginning in April. This was made possible by a Small Cities Outreach Program grant. Melvin said he thinks there should be a ribbon cutting ceremony with the FDOT to celebrate the new roads upon completion.
The plan is in place for the non-potable water well. This water can be used for fire hydrants and “gray water” purposes, such as lawn watering, saving the treated potable water for home uses.
Clerk Suzanne McCree will be contacting the Florida Rural Water Association for assistance with mapping of the town’s water lines. One possibility is to use a waterline tracer to accurately identify all the lines using GIS technology. Another option is to walk the town using the existing maps.
Around the Town Hall/Community Center
Lots of smaller, yet important, projects are taking place around the Town Hall. The work on the playground is moving forward and Treasurer Charlene Thomas had high praise for Bradford County for allowing Jason Dodds, of the road department, to bring needed soil and perform leveling. She said the county’s contribution saved Brooker substantial time and expense, allowing the project to move forward promptly.
The playground will need to be closed during construction. Apparently, some pranksters have been wrapping the swings around the frame, rendering them inaccessible to younger kids. Some age limit to use of the playground may need to be implemented if the behavior continues to be a problem.
The single bid from Hamilton Custom Services LLC will be accepted for grading and placing of asphalt millings in the Town Hall parking area. In addition to providing a defined parking area, the grading will prevent the kind of flooding that has been problematic in the past.
