Leesburg Current Newsletter April - June 2024 Edition
Office of the City Manager
Leesburg Electric adds text-based outage reporting
In an effort to better communicate with customers, Leesburg Electric now has a text-based outage alert system. Using mobile phones, customers can text "OUT" to 352-728-9830 to report a power outage. 
Once an outage has been reported, Leesburg Electric will text back an estimated time of restoration, if one is available. A text will also be sent once power has been restored. Customers can text “STATUS” at any time during an outage event to request an update.
Customers can opt-in by texting “POWER” to 352-728-9830. Those who do not wish to receive text alerts for outages can simply text “QUIT” to opt out of the system. Texts received from a phone number not associated with an account will be prompted to contact the City for assistance.
Since this system uses data derived from the phone number associated with the utility account it is important for customers to ensure their account is current. Account information can be updated on-line through the Customer Service Utility Account FAQ webpage at www.LeesburgFlorida.gov or by calling Customer Service at 352-728-9800 option 2.
Customers can continue to report outages by telephone by calling the Trouble Reporting System at 1-833-223-1313. This system also uses the phone number associated with your account.
For more information, please visit the Power Outage page from the Popular Links menu on the City website.
Leesburg Bikefest set for April 26-28
Leesburg Bikefest 2024 roars into historic downtown Leesburg the weekend of Friday, April 26 through Sunday, April 28.
Motorcycle enthusiasts, music lovers and visitors from around the country will fill the streets of the Lakefront City to enjoy live music, bike shows, drill teams and vendors. Performances are scheduled throughout the weekend. Entertainment headliners for this year are LOCASH on Friday, Sugar Ray on Saturday and Austin Snell on Sunday.
Downtown City of Leesburg offices and facilities, including City Hall and the Municipal Services Center, will be closed on Friday, April 26th due to Bikefest activities. The Leesburg Public Library will be closed April 26-April 28. All offices will open with regular hours on Monday, April 29.
For more information on Bikefest, including the concert lineup, please visit www.LeesburgBikefest.com and follow Leesburg Bikefest on Facebook.
Senior Programs at the Leesburg Resource Center
Senior citizens are encouraged to stop by the Leesburg Resource Center on Mondays from 1:30pm to 2:30pm to meet with Mobile Access of Florida and take part in free senior health and wellness workshops. 
They offer help with many programs including Medicare, Medicaid and food assistance. Referral resources for utilities and housing aid are also available. Participants can enjoy fun activities such as bingo and arts & crafts or join an Educational Doc Talk on subjects such as diabetes or heart health. For more information follow Mobile Access Assistance on Facebook. You can also follow the Leesburg Resource Center’s Facebook page for the monthly calendar or stop by the Center located at 1041 CR 468, Leesburg, to pick up a calendar.
Summer fun at the Leesburg Public Library
Summer adventures await you at the Leesburg Public Library. We have a variety of programs featuring interactive fun-filled events for all ages.
Ages: Babies through age 18
Dates: June 3rd – July 27th, 2024
Registration: No registration required. Pick up your passport to adventure. All programs are always FREE!
Summer Program Highlights:
- Professional performers every Wednesday at 11:00am
- Reading challenges for prizes
- Weekly prize drawings
- Weekly Story Times for babies and for up to age 5 with special Story Time guests: Leesburg Fire Dept. and Leesburg Police Dept.
- Tiny Explorers drop-in program every Monday
- Weekly Family Crafters craft kits
- PAWS Therapy dogs events
- Gaming events
- LIVE Escape rooms
- Scavenger hunts
For more details, visit us in person (100 E. Main Street) or online at www.LeesburgFlorida.gov/Library
Leesburg Building Department News 
Should an unlicensed contractor build your project? If it requires a building permit, the answer is usually NO. Yet, some home and business owners obtain an owner-builder permit, then hire unlicensed contractors to do the work. With the money they save, they may conclude a little lie won’t matter. However, many quickly realize the quality of construction falls short, and in some cases, the person they hire collects their money and disappears. The City and State’s ability to protect you and your investment is eliminated if you do not hire a qualified contractor.
Congratulations to Building Official, Ann Kinsey. She has achieved the ICC’s Master Code Professional certification, the highest level of Code Council certification for demonstrating proficiency in the code profession. Fewer than 1% of all certified members achieve this status and there are fewer than 1,000 certified MCP’s in the world.
Recreation Programs
The Leesburg Recreation Department offers a variety of sports and activities for all ages and interests. For information on upcoming programs, please visit the website at www.LeesburgFlorida.gov/Recreation or call the office at 352-728-9885.
Splash into Summer - The H.O. Dabney Aquatic Center and Rogers Park Splash Pad are open in April and May for weekend hours. Hours are extended to include weekdays during the summer. Swim lessons are offered at the pool in four separate sessions from May to July. Please call the Recreation Department for more information on operating hours and aquatic programs. 
