The City of Palatka Newsletter – June 20, 2023
Employee Spotlight – Meet Christy Lowe
Christy Lowe has worked for The City of Palatka as a Code Enforcement Officer since December of 2022 after a 30-year career in law enforcement, first as a Palatka Police Officer and then as an officer with the Putnam County School District.
As a Code Enforcement Officer, Christy and her colleagues work to protect the health and safety of city residents by making sure city codes are enforced.
“People think we are just about enforcing the rules, but the rules are there to protect people and their property, and that is what we do,” said Christy.
“I feel good about being part of making the City a better place for the people who live here.” she said, “I like to think we are making a difference.”
Christy is a lifelong resident of Palatka and is a foster parent who currently has seven children at home.
“I love it here,” Christy said, “My advice to my children is that you don’t have to let your roots here in town hold you, but never forget where you came from because this town is special.”
Learning While You Work – Palatka’s Summer Interns
The City of Palatka is excited to announce the appointment of a group of talented high school students as summer interns for various departments within the city. These interns will be given the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience, contribute to the community, and develop essential skills for their future careers.
These high school students have demonstrated a strong commitment to academic excellence, community service, and personal growth. The City of Palatka is proud to provide them with the chance to apply their knowledge and talents in real-world scenarios.
Throughout their internship, these students will work alongside city staff in departments such as Community Affairs, Planning and Zoning, City Administration, Human resources, and the Police Department.
The City of Palatka is pleased to welcome interns Jalia Miles, Chloe Dasher, Riley Blackmer, Reagan Blackmer, Marshall Yelvington, Daunte Wilkerson, Kyun Session and Trenton Williams to the team this summer.
City Looking for Volunteers for Riverfront Center
Eddie Cutwright, Director of Community Affairs for Palatka, recently met with a group of residents interested in volunteering to be docents at the City’s St. Johns River Wetlands Center on the riverfront when the building reopens renovations later this summer.
The education center is a joint effort between the City of Palatka and Georgia-Pacific's Palatka Pulp and Paper Operations that focuses on the wetlands areas associated with the St. Johns River system.
“We are looking for people with knowledge of Palatka, the St. Johns River and Florida’s ecosystem,” said Cutwright, “But most of all, we are looking for people who like teaching children and know how to smile.”
Cutwright expects the center to reopen in July.
People interested in volunteering should call Community Affairs at (386) 329-0100 extension 311 or 325.
All volunteers must pass a background check.
Commission Meeting
The next Palatka City Commission meeting with be held on June 22 at 6 p.m. in City Commission Chambers at City Hall, 201 N 2nd Street Palatka, FL 32177. Visit Palatka-fl.gov for more information.
Advisory Board vacancies
Planning Board - 2 vacancies
Police Officers' Pension Board - 1 vacancy
Zoning Board of Appeals - 3 vacancies
If you are interested, please fill out an application and email it to Sunni Krantz, City Clerk at skrantz@palatka-fl.gov. The application can be found at https://palatka-fl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1764/Advisory-Board-Application
Opportunities for a new career with The City of Palatka
Job openings with the City include,
- Planner 1
- Firefighter
- Police Officer
- Equipment Operator (Driver)
- Sanitation Equipment Operator (Driver)
- Equipment Operator (Driver)
- Refuse Collector
- Utility Maintenance Worker-Trainee
- Water Plant Mechanic
Please visit Palatka-fl.gov for more information and to apply.
Did you know? Palatka Public Works
Public Works is the largest department in the City of Palatka, with 41 employees
The department’s divisions are:
- Water & Sewer
- Sanitation
- Parks Maintenance
- Facilities Maintenance
- Streets Maintenance
- Stormwater Maintenance
- Cemetery Administration
Water & Sewer maintains:
- 100+ miles of water mains
- 70+ miles of sewer mains
- 1000+ manholes
- 2000+ distribution valves
- ~500 Hydrants
- 5000+ water meters
Sanitation customers:
- 3734 residential customers
- 184 commercial customers
Sanitation Volume per month:
- ~500 Tons of Commercial Waste
- ~280 Tons of Residential Waste
Parks Maintenance Public Works maintains 68 acres of City parks
Facilities Maintenance: Public Works maintains 33 city-owned buildings
Streets Maintenance: Public Works maintains 81 Miles of roads in the City
Stormwater Maintenance: Public Works maintains 1000+ catch basins
Cemetery Administration: Public Works maintains three city-owned cemeteries.
- Oak Hill East Cemetery, 2900 Crill Ave., 19.76 acres
- Oak Hill West Cemetery, at 712 South Palm Ave., 12.2 acres
- Westview Cemetery, 317 Osceola St., 8 acres