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2009 Awards
Florida Bicycle Association Annual Awards Presentation
Mount Dora October 10, 2009
Florida Bicycle Association annual awards are presented to worthy recipients for their contributions to bicycling. The purpose of the awards is to bring attention to the efforts and achievements of groups, organizations and individuals that help deliver our mission to inspire and support people and communities to enjoy greater freedom and well being through bicycling. Nominations are solicited from FBA members, however, anyone can submit a nomination for a wide variety of categories.
Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC): Volusia County MPO BPAC, Stephan Harris, Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator
The Volusia County BPAC is comprised of 16 citizen members, six non-voting members from various agencies and a coordinator, Stephan C. Harris. Accomplishments over the past year include: publishing the “Volusia County Bicycling Map for the Experienced Cyclist”, “It’s The Law” (3’ space) bumper stickers (by arrangement with the county, the sticker is placed on all county vehicles when serviced and on all Votran buses), “Bicycle and Pedestrian Child Safety” video to be shown in schools and other community outlets. The school safety studies program is a continuing subcontracted study analyses for both pedestrian and cycling routes to Volusia County schools making recommendations for improvements. The BPAC helps fund such improvements such as feeder trails and sidewalks. The BPAC and staff participate in helmet fittings at various events, averaging about 900 per year for children and adults. These events include local festivals, the National Trails Day event and Port Orange Family Day (300 at this event alone). The BPAC is a major participant in the MPO’s Safety Awareness Day, performs feasibility studies on proposed recreational trail projects, grades proposals and provides funding of up to 75% of recreational trail and sidewalk projects, and is beginning a signage project for trails and various feeders and sidewalks. Congratulations to the Volusia County BPAC and Stephen Harris for a job well done.
Volunteer: Libby Harrow, Indian River County MPO BAC Chair, Vero Beach
Libby has been chairperson of the county’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory (BAC) since its inception in 1993. During that time, under the guidance of the BAC, the MPO has completed two full Bicycle/Pedestrian Plans, pioneered the use of the Bike/Ped Level of Service methodology (as a pilot community and client for Sprinkle Consulting) , completed two Greenways Plans and a number of Safe Routes to Schools studies. In fact, the MPO has completed more bike/ped studies than traffic studies. During the period of 1994-present under Libby’s tenure as BAC chair, the County has constructed over 76 miles of bike lanes, 57 miles of sidewalk, as well as several miles of unpaved trails according to the County’s Comprehensive Plan. Since the time of Libby’s involvement, Indian River County has gone from a single-mode (auto) oriented community to a true multi-modal community. While reliable bike/ped counts are not routinely made by FDOT, the percent of trips carried by transit and other modes exceeds 7% on some corridors in Indian River County, a remarkable statistic for a small county. Awareness has also risen steadily, and bike/ped improvements routinely outrank roadway improvements as the citizens’ preference for the expenditure of transportation funding. Libby is the quintessential athlete-advocate who has worked tirelessly to promote bicycling in Indian River County and adjacent counties while establishing national benchmarks in the world of cycling and triathlons. She is a two-time XTERRA world champion, as well as a multiple-time national champion. Libby has contributed thousands of hours of her own time to the cause of the BAC while training for worldwide competitive events and working fulltime in the local bicycle industry (in bike stores and as St. Lucie County Bike/Ped Coordinator). She is a cheerful, enthusiastic and cooperative member of the MPO community.
Trail Promoter: Steve Stackhouse, Office of Greenways & Trails, Manager, Withlacoochee State Trail, Inverness
Steve started working for the Florida Park Service in 2000 as the Assistant Park Manager of the Rainbow Springs State Park. He then transferred to the Paynes Prairie State Park, which includes the popular Gainesville – Hawthorne State Trail. He began working for the Florida Office of Greenways and Trails (OGT) in January of 2006 as the Trail Manager of the Withlacoochee State Trail, which is currently Florida’s longest open rail-trail. The trail also has one of the largest Citizen Support Organizations in the State with approximately 400 devoted volunteers.
Educator/Regional Trainer: Kim Smith, Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization, Viera
Kim Smith has been the Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Coordinator for the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization, formerly Brevard County MPO. for ten years. Since taking on this position, Kim has created a wonderful working relationship with teachers, community members, bike shops, law enforcement officers and other educators in Brevard County. Kim has a great system for implementing bike rodeos for children and even has a portable pack PA system so she can communicate with the kids as they pedal through the stations. As a former law enforcement officer, Kim understands the importance of laws and teaching students at an early age the advantage of obeying laws and the safety behind them. The Brevard County program has grown under Kim’s diligent coordination and is a model for other communities. Kim is a Regional Trainer with the FTBSEP and a Helmet Fitting Trainer for the Florida Department of Health. Kim has been a volunteer for Bike Florida for many years and has helped coach the new Support and Gear (SAG) drivers in their duties. Kim is worthy of this award for her dedication to bicycle/pedestrian safety for children and their families.
Enforcement Officer: Lt. Pete Kelting, Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, Sanford
Lt. Pete Kelting of the Seminole County Sheriff's Office is a friend of cyclists. As a former Orlando Police Department bike patrol officer, he understands cyclists' safety concerns. Facing a challenge from several groups of pack riders in March 2008, Lt. Kelting sat down with bicycle community leaders and sought common ground. With a desire to correct the problems of motorist hostility and unsafe passing, Lt. Kelting is serving on FBA's Civility Coalition (a citizens' strategy group sponsored by the Winter Park Health Foundation). He also serves as an adviser for the development of FBA's Bicycle Law Enforcement Tool Kit. While many departments shrug and say "there's nothing we can do," Lt. Kelting has stated to cyclists and the news media that his department takes abuse of cyclists seriously and will follow up on reports. A cooperative relationship between cyclists and law enforcement are essential to making Florida roads safer and more welcoming for human-powered vehicle drivers. Many thanks go to Lt. Pete Kelting for his leadership in strengthening this relationship.
Citizen Bike Advocate: Kimber Heddon, Florida Department of Corrections, Gainesville
The Florida Department of Corrections is currently assisting offenders in a re-entry program, helping them adjust into their community. In true re-entry spirit, Corrections Probation Specialist, Officer Kimber Heddon of Circuit 8, Gainesville West office, is assisting offenders with transportation difficulties through her brainstorm, “Bikin’ for Life.” Realizing that an offender needing employment is unlikely to get and keep a job without any form of transportation, she came up with a brilliant idea. Through her experience as a veteran officer, she knows that an offender with transportation is more likely to succeed, so she asked friends, co-workers and associates if they had any bicycles they no longer needed. She even picked up the unwanted/damaged bicycles using her own truck. Being somewhat of a Jill-of-all-trades, she make minor repairs herself, and then created a partnership with a local bicycle shop. Officer Heddon donates bicycles to the shop and they give her a voucher for a used one that has been repaired and is in good working order. Although it may take a few donated bikes, depending on their condition, to receive one voucher, her efforts have been amply rewarded. The “Bikin’ for Life” program has been in operation for about four months and seven offenders are now the proud and grateful recipients of bikes! The offenders are very appreciative of the bikes and get a sense of pride by owning them. These bicycles are a gift to the offenders in more than one way. Officer Heddon currently has several bicycles available for distribution. She is to be commended for taking the re-entry concept to heart by recognizing an impediment to an offender succeeding in bettering their life and rising to the occasion by coming up with a solution in the Gainesville area.
Program or Event: Cristina Cruz and Charles Brown, City of Orlando: Community Education Program
Christina Cruz and Charles Brown developed an innovative approach to community education to attract children and new riders to bicycling. A power point presentation that covered the history of bicycling along with famous African American and Hispanic riders and places to ride was one of their methods of delivery. So children could relate to speeds that bicycles can attain, they used animals (chickens, squirrels, etc) and the speeds they move as comparisons. The kids loved it! These presentations and demonstrations were offered in four different city commissioners’ districts of Orlando during Florida Bike Month, March 2009, at the community centers. Children from 4 – 16 (and some parents) learned about bicycle safety and places to ride, about helmets and how they work, bike fit and other components of bicycle safety. At the end of each presentation, several bicycles with helmets were given to lucky winners. The March presentations were so popular that commissioners from other areas of the city asked for presentations in THEIR communities. These additional presentations were done in May during National Bike Month. Children, commissioners, citizens and communities all benefitted from these one-hour evenings together.
Program or Event: Mayor Manny Diaz and Kathryn Moore, City of Miami: Bike Miami Days
In 2008 the City of Miami began to develop and implement an ambitious Bicycle Action Plan. The BAP included the usual program areas: engineering, education, and enforcement. The key to making the plan a success was showing that bicycling was popular among City residents and that investing in bicycling would bring substantial returns. The Bike Miami Days events were an ambitious strategy that proved that Miamians wanted safe opportunities to ride their bikes and helped build support for the other elements in the Action Plan. The seven BMD events closed over two miles of streets in downtown Miami to motorized traffic (one event took place in Coconut Grove) and were attended by over 10,000 participants. The closed streets allowed families, new cyclists, frequent riders and those that had not been on their bikes in years to experience on-road riding. In addition to the usual partners that are brought into a bicycling event, the City included artists, environmentalists, yoga teachers, fixed-gear riders, and the Dutch Consulate in Bike Miami Days. When the weather got too hot for a half-day street closure, Bike Miami Days were transformed into Bike Miami Rides: 8-10 mile explorations of the city that emphasized inclusiveness, vehicular-style riding and basic bicycle safety education. The four Bike Miami Rides held since June have each attracted 30-50 riders. BMD resumed October 4, 2009. It is not an exaggeration to say that Mayor Diaz’ vision and leadership were essential for the existence, of the Bike Miami Day and Bike Miami Ride events. Essential cooperation from the Police and Sanitation Departments, merchants, residents and property owners would not have been forthcoming without the Mayor’s direct involvement. Kathryn Moore coordinated each of the events and used her organizational skill and personal charisma to make each one a success. All of the Bike Miami Days and Bike Miami Rides events are documented at: http://bikemiamiblog.wordpress.com.
Supporting Agency: Mayor Stacy Ritter, Broward County Board of County Commissioners; Commissioner Daniel Stermer, Chair, Broward MPO, Ft. Lauderdale
Support for bicycling can really only be demonstrated over time indicating true support and not just support of a few well positioned individuals. Causes often die when an individual leaves an organization, but sometimes they live on because of organizational support and this is the case with the Broward County Board of County Commissioners and Broward MPO. Since 1981 with the creation of its Bicycling Advisory Committee to providing over $30 million dollars in 2008 to fund the design and construction of a greenway network, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners have shown unwavering support for bicycling and provided agencies with the direction to improve bicycling throughout the county. Milestones include: 1981-one of the first, if not the only county commission in the state to establish a bicycle advisory committee; 1986-amended the county’s land development code to include wide curb lanes as a requirement for roadway design which opened the door to the development of over 250 miles of on-road bicycle facilities countywide; 1987-accepted a grant to create a full time bicycle coordinator position; 1989-provided land and fully funded $1.2 million to build the velodrome at Brian Picollo Park, the only velodrome in Florida; moved the bicycle coordinator from a grant position to a fully funded county position not funded (like most bike/ped positions in Florida) by the MPO; 1995-approved the Broward County Bicycle Facilities Network Plan which required bike lanes on all county owned collectors and arterials; 1997-approved opening its first mountain bike trails in Markham Park; 1998-funded the Broward County Greenways Master Plan; provided $3.2 million to design five greenways for about 80 miles of multi-purpose path; approved $27 million for construction of the greenway system and approved the purchase of bike racks for its fleet of busses. Today, rack usage is estimated at 68,000/month; 2000-present-supported production of two bicycle suitability maps, the bicyclist/drivers education video “Everyone has a Story”, display of the BPAC’s Share the Road bumper sticker and its three foot passing law sticker on county fleet vehicles; entered into an agreement with FDOT to provide bicycle parking countywide, development of a bicycle commuter station and to provide bicycle parking at bus stops.
Bicycle Professional: Cheryl Stacks, P.E., Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator, City of St. Petersburg
Cheryl is an enthusiastic, energetic advocate for bicycling in the City of St. Petersburg and beyond. She began her post “in the big ring” and has been gaining speed ever since. Cheryl served as liaison to FBA for the 2008 ProBike/ProWalk Florida conference, gave several presentations, plus served as the local liaison for the City Safe Routes to School workshop presented by the National Center for Bicycling and Walking as a pre-conference event. A sampling of her accomplishments over the past year include: completed the League of American Bicyclist’s Traffic Skills 101 course; coordinated the installation of 5.65 miles of bicycle facilities, including on-street bike lane and shared-use trails; was central in the evaluation of several innovative bicycle facility design and/or marking treatments; conducted four bicycle rodeos, and several additional bicycle safety presentations that saw nearly 500 children complete the skills section of the rodeos, and over 850 helmets properly fitted and distributed; participated in the Great American Teach In to present bicycling safety to 150 students at North Shore Elementary School; served as the chairperson for the Suncoast Safe Kids Coalition Bicycle Pedestrian Safety Committee, and chaired the Walk this Way! Walk and Roll to School Day event that saw 30 Pinellas County elementary schools participate in International Walk to School Day; coordinated a partnership with the City’s School Crossing Guard program to train guards on the importance of bicycle helmet use and how to properly fit a bicycle helmet. Cheryl is an asset not only for St. Petersburg, but for the entire Tampa Bay area, and the rest of Florida. She is a tireless worker for bicyclists’ safety and mobility. She truly deserves to be recognized for the work she has done, her attitude, and her continued efforts.
Bike Store Advocate: Mary Jane Mark, Mack Cycle and Fitness, Miami
As the owner of one of the largest, oldest and most profitable bike stores in Florida, Mary Jane carries a lot of clout, not only with her customers but with the dealers she does business. Perhaps it’s in her blood since this family owned business has been operational since 1957. And it’s not just about sales. Mary Jane understands the value of advocacy having attended three National Bike Summits in Washington DC, as a long time supporter of FBA, plus local initiatives in Miami. FBA’s bike store hang tag promotion was Mary Jane’s idea and together with a group of South Florida bike dealers, hang tags will be distributed throughout the state in nearly 300 bike stores to promote FBA and the Share the Road license plate. Mary Jane and her staff are not timid about leaving the store to promote advocacy at events like the Bike MS Rides, Bike Miami Days events, and numerous bicycle and triathlon events including the Mack Cycle and Fitness Miami Man Triathlon. Her staff is like family with very little turn-over which speaks loudly of how she does business. Among other national awards, Bicycle Retailer & Industry News has named Mack Cycle and Fitness as Florida's 5-Star Retailer for 2009. In you’re in Miami, stop by and visit her store located at 5995 Sunset Drive.
Special Recognition: Ken Bryan, Rails to Trails Conservancy, Florida Field Office, Tallahassee
Ken has led the RTC office in Florida since its inception more than a decade ago. He has been the state’s most consistent and effective non-governmental leader in the advancement of multi-use trails. During the 2009 legislative session, the Office of Greenways and Trails was threatened with elimination of its funding and absorption into the state parks department. Everyone in the trails movement saw this as a potentially ruinous setback. Ken led the task to convince the Legislature to desist from its course. Almost single-handedly he prevailed, with the result that OGT continues with its trail-building and management tasks only minimally affected. OGT has given vital support to some of the most sought bicycling trails in Florida, including the Overseas Heritage Trail through the Florida Keys and the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST). Rail-trails in particular are critical components in the popularly forming St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop. Ken himself is a well-known touring cyclist, who keeps almost wholly out of the spotlight.
Special Recognition: Raphael Clemente, Florida Bicycle Association, West Palm Beach
Raphael joined the board in April 2007 bringing his skills as the Palm Beach County bicycle/pedestrian coordinator, urban planner and bike racer. Later he shifted his career path and joined the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority. This position allowed his advocacy efforts to expand without judgment from county government personnel. As an educator, bicycle/pedestrian professional, advocate and bike racer, Raphael brought energy and passion to the organization. He stared and provided narrative in the Group Riding: A Cycling Public Awareness Program DVD featuring eight 30-second public service announcements. His dedication to events like CycleFest, the Frank Stark Ride and many other bicycle events and races was tireless. Often Raphael would serve as the announcer at a race and then take a break to compete as a Category 1-2 professional. Then he’d be back to the announcer’s booth ready to resume his duties. Raphael is a genuine urban, utilitarian cyclist. Raphael, his wife Lois and daughter Kaia live blocks from downtown West Palm Beach so they can use their bikes for transportation and recreation as often as possible. Raphael may still look and ride like a racer, but he always wears his advocate hat by being a positive role model to all cyclists and encourages others to follow the rules of the road. Raphael will stay active with FBA as a member of the Advisory Board. We wouldn’t allow this one from getting away so easily.
*Share the Road License Plate Sales: Von Fraser, Alachua County Tax Collector
*Share the Road License Plate 2nd Place Sales: Dennis W. Hollingsworth, St. Johns County Collector
*Share the Road License Plate 3rd Place Sales: Doris Maloy, Leon County Tax Collector
*Share the Road License Plate 4th Place Sales: Diane Nelson, Pinellas County Tax Collector
*Share the Road License Plate 5th Place Sales: Earl K. Wood, Orange County Tax Collector
* Rankings according to STR plates sold during calendar year 2008 versus all specialty plates sold. Awards presented 9/14/09 at the Florida Tax Collectors Fall Conference in Orlando
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