Air Conditioning
Story & Photo by Kristen Toney
During last year’s hurricane season, many of us experienced the Florida-style anguish of being without our air conditioning. Once the power came back online, we all rushed to crank our thermostats down. “In Florida, when someone calls with an air conditioning problem, they don’t want to hear anything but when you’re gonna be there and when you’re gonna fix it,” said Roy Cheatwood, Vice President of Payne Air Conditioning and Heating. “We make sure they are taken care of as quickly as possible. No one wants to suffer in the heat, especially this time of year.” The air conditioning in your grocery store, your bank or your home does not function on its own. Each time you feel that rush of a cold breeze after the stifling heat of the day nearly brings you to your knees, it’s because of those who are on the clock for your coolness.
Bus Driver
The staff of Payne Air Conditioning and Heating is “there when you need them.”
Story & Photo by Sophia Dedon The responsibility of a bus driver is not to simply steer the wheel. Above all, drivers are to look out for children’s safety, which can be very difficult when driving in the rain with 30 shouting children behind you while cars fly past you on the interstate. Parents often get annoyed with noisy, fighting children in the backseat, much less having to be the sole adult supervisor for dozens of children simultaneously. Clarice Redden has been a magnet school bus driver since 1999. “I love my job,” said Redden, “had I known what I know now, I would have been a bus driver a long time ago.” Her reasons are you get to go home for the middle of the day, not to mention you don’t have a boss standing over you. But most of all, she enjoys the time she gets to spend with the kids. your coolness. Clarice Redden has been driving buses since 1999.
City Landscaping
Story & Photo by Kristen Toney
You may pay a yard service to handle your lawn, or you may do it yourself. But what if you were personally responsible for the grounds maintenance on all the city properties in Plant City? Not to mention things you may notice but never give a second thought to: medians, I-4 entrance ramps, your neighborhood park… With 43 people in the Parks Division making up seven crews, their normal locations include cemeteries, tree-trimming, the Stadium and all of downtown, just to name a few areas. After mowing, edging, weeding and finally blowing away all excess trimmings, working along with those at Storm Water, these individuals keep Plant City the beautiful town we know and love. “We have to give credit to those crews who work out there every day,” said supervisor Emilio Mendoza. “The city has been very supportive of the Parks and Recreation Division, and we all appreciate that.”
Construction
Elton “Butch” Giddens, Field Supervisor (left) and Emilio Mendoza, Superintendent of Parks Department.
Story & Photo by Kristen Toney Central Florida Custom Homes and Millennium Homes and Development, Inc. make up some of the construction community here in Plant City. However, before they are able to begin a project for a resident of our town, they must first have the approval of the Plant City Building Department. Jesse Carr is the head of the department, and he says the amount of growth in the city just within the past ten years is incredible. “There’s a major housing boom right now,” he commented. “We also just got the plans for the new Wal-Mart...I’m sure they’ll break ground by the end of the year.” Carr wants Plant City to know he and his staff are available to anyone. “If you come in and need to talk with one of us, you’ll see us. If you call us and leave a message, you’ll get a call back. It’s that small-town courtesy and friendliness we believe in, and that’s how we work.”
The staff of the building department is here to serve the people of Plant City.
FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • August 15 • 2006 - September 15 • 2006 PG 41