OUC decreasing fuel rates According to a release, Orlando Utilities Commission, the primary power provider in St. Cloud, has voted to decrease passthrough fuel charges by 18% to lower electric rates for all OUC customers.
The average residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours will see savings of $13.52 a month in St. Cloud/Osceola County, per the release.
Effective June 1, residential and small commercial customers can expect to see a nearly 9% reduction in their overall electric bill. Mid to large commercial customers will see a decrease between nearly 9% to 11%. The base energy portion of an electric bill, which includes non-fuel OUC expenses, will remain the same.
“At OUC, as a hometown utility, we’re committed to providing not only reliable but also affordable electric and water services for our customers,” said Clint Bullock, OUC General Manager & CEO. “We told customers we’d lower rates when we could, and we’re doing it. We thank them for their patience and understanding as we worked together through these challenging times. For 100 years, our customers have relied on us to deliver results and provide exceptional value, and OUC offers customers paymentmanagement options, such as the Power Pass prepaid program and Budget Billing, as well as payment plans. To learn more, visit www.OUC. com/assistance.
New I-4 East auxiliary lane opened Monday; westbound work ongoing A new auxiliary lane on eastbound Interstate 4 between County Road (C.R.) 532 and State Road (S.R.) 429 opened early Monday morning.
An auxiliary lane is an extra lane connecting the on and off ramps between two consecutive interchanges. The additional lane allows drivers wanting to merge onto the interstate a longer distance to do so, designed to help reduce bottlenecks caused by drivers attempting to enter or exit the interstate. This improvement is anticipated to increase capacity and improve traffic flow in the area.
The project – part of the FDOT’s I-4 Beyond the Ultimate program – also includes the construction of an auxiliary lane on westbound I-4 between the ramps of S.R. 429 and C.R 532, as well as an auxiliary lane on northbound S.R. 429 between I-4 and Sinclair Road. The goal is to have the westbound I-4 auxiliary lane open to the traveling public this spring, FDOT said in a release this week.
Kissimmee Parks & Recreation seeks Program Instructors
The City of Kissimmee Parks & Recreation Department is seeking qualified individuals or businesses that are interested in conducting aquatic, athletic, recreational and/ or enrichment programs (ex. fine arts, arts and crafts, language, fitness/ health, financial literacy, homeschool, senior programs, etc.) for all ages from Oct. 1, 2023 – Sept. 30, 2024. Anyone interested must notify the Recreation & Leisure Services Assistant Manager no later than May 26 to receive the proposal requirements.
The Proposal Packets will include a list of all requirements, terms, and conditions. Packets will be available on May 27, and all proposals must be submitted no later than 5 p.m., Friday, June 16, 2023, to the following address or via email: Jeff Pon, Recreation & Leisure Services Assistant Manager, City of Kissimmee, 717 N. Palm Avenue, Kissimmee, FL 34741, Jeff. Pon@kissimmee.gov.
The Parks & Recreation Department will review, evaluate, and score each submitted proposal by the criteria included in the RFP Packet. The contract will be awarded by the end of July 2023.
Kissimmee’s Spencer a Washington Crossing scholarship winner
The Washington Crossing Foundation announced the 2023 winners of its scholarships for high school seniors planning careers in government service.
Sarah Spencer, a senior at Heritage Christian School in Kissimmee, received the T. Carter Hagaman Memorial Scholarship. Sarah is the daughter of Bill and Jill Spencer. She will attend the University of North Florida.
The Washington Crossing Foundation awarded $79,000 in scholarships bringing the total amount to $2 million since 1970 and continue in honor of the late Ann Hawkes Hutton, Founding Chairman of the Washington Crossing Foundation. The scholarships are awarded annually to patriotic high school seniors dedicated to serving their school, their community and their country. This quality of service is exemplified by General Washington and his men in their heroic Crossing of the Delaware on Christmas night 1776.
Amanda Maggard named AdventHealth Celebration CEO As part of AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division strengthening its presence and expanding its reach in Osceola County, one of its leadership changes has been to name Amanda Maggard AdventHealth Celebration CEO. Maggard will join AdventHealth Celebration as CEO on June 4 and will oversee capital investments, service line expansion and quality of care, while continuing to grow AdventHealth’s footprint in Osceola County.
Maggard currently serves as president/CEO of AdventHealth Zephyrhills and AdventHealth Dade City, overseeing strategic development and day-today operations. She helped to lead the acquisition of AdventHealth Dade City in April 2018 and its subsequent financial and clinical turnaround. Earlier this year, Maggard also took on executive leadership for AdventHealth Connerton, a long-term acute care facility.
