February 2013 Orange County Connect

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February 2013

Greetings,

Orange County proudly joins our nation in observing Black History Month, a celebration of the achievements and the rich heritage of African-Americans.

I commemorated the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by attending several special events marking the 50th anniversary of his historic "I have a dream" speech, delivered during the 1963 Great March on Washington.

For the third year, I spoke at the Annual "Pappy" Kennedy Prayer Breakfast, which honored the legacy of Arthur Kennedy, Orlando's first African-American elected city official. I also joined downtown Orlando, the Town of Eatonville, and the City of Ocoee for their parades honoring the late Dr. King.

In this issue, you will learn more about the reconvening of the Domestic Violence Commission, Orange County's Economic Summit, a redeveloped affordable housing community in Pine Hills, and our drawings for free tickets to concerts like Taylor Swift and Maroon 5 at the Amway Center.

As always, I thank you for your continued support and for staying connected with your government.

Sincerely,

Teresa Jacobs

Orange County Mayor

Commission Reconvenes

Orange County Domestic Violence Commission Reconvenes

Domestic Violence Commission press conference.

I have reconvened the Orange County Domestic Violence Commission to develop strategies and solutions addressing the rise in domestic violence incidents in our region.

I am proud of the support we have received from a broad coalition of supporters, including Orange County Chief Judge Belvin Perry, Clerk of Courts Lydia Gardner, Sheriff Jerry Demings, State Attorney Jeff Ashton and other stakeholders, like Harbor House CEO Carol Wick. I am also pleased that community leaders Dick Batchelor and Judge Alice Blackwell have agreed to co-chair this endeavor.

The commission will thoroughly examine the issue and determine what additional steps can be taken to provide protection and resources for the victims of domestic violence.

The commission held its first meeting in February and plans to issue a preliminary report to me within 90 days of that date.

Pine Hills

Orange County Celebrates the Grand Opening of Emerald Villas in Pine Hills

Mitch Glasser, Orange County's director of Housing and Community Development Division; Mayor Jacobs; Bob Ansley, president of the Orlando Neighborhood Improvement Corp.; and Doug Gaither, Management Consultant, Southern District for NeighborWorks America at the Emerald Villas grand opening.

In February, Orange County celebrated the official grand opening of a redeveloped affordable housing community in Pine Hills during a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by members of the Board of County Commissioners and several community leaders.

Emerald Villas, formerly known as Seville Place, is a new housing development which was transformed from a blighted neighborhood into a community with improved living-conditions. Emerald Villas consists of 264 rental units, a clubhouse complete with classrooms, a business center, fitness room, and pool. The floor plans include studio and one, two and three-bedroom units with new roofs, flooring, plumbing, appliances and windows.

Work on the project began after the Seville Place property fell into disrepair and foreclosure. Orange County Government, along with partners Related Urban Development Group and the Orlando Neighborhood Improvement Corporation, bought the land through funds available from a Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).

Orange County contributed $7 million from the NSP to help fund the project, while another $1.6 million came from a state-funded affordable housing program.

Economic Summit

Business Leaders and Community Discuss Strategy at Economic Summit

I recently hosted the 2013 Orange County Economic Summit at the Orange County Convention Center, bringing together business leaders and community stakeholders to discuss economic development opportunities and strategies in our region.

Dr. Sean Snaith, director of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Economic Competitiveness, delivered his annual economic overview and reported that our region would be one of the top job growth areas in Florida.

When I took office in January 2011, we had an 11% unemployment rate. The rate dropped to 9.8% a year ago and, most recently, stood at 7.7%. Additionally, we have assisted in 11 economic development projects that promise to bring almost 1,200 new jobs to Orange County. These are high-wage, high-value jobs within targeted industries.

The summit also featured informational sessions from the leadership teams at the Florida Health Care Coalition and the National Center for Simulation. Our panelists of top leaders from the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, the Florida Realtors, Workforce Central Florida, the University of Central Florida, and Valencia College, provided an engaging discussion that was followed by an extensive question and answer session with audience members.

I wish to thank all summit participants and attendees for coming to the event and look forward to moving Orange County's economy forward in 2013.

Amway Center Tickets

Amway Center Concert Ticket Giveaways Provides Free Tickets to Citizens

Orange County residents have the opportunity to win skybox tickets to several sold-out concerts at the Amway Center in the coming months.

In December, Orange County launched its first online concert giveaway where two randomly selected residents received a pair of skybox tickets to Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away" concert in Orlando. In January, two other elated residents won a pair of tickets to Justin Beiber's sold out "Believe Tour," which was held in January at the Amway Center.

Since 2011, Orange County has received 4,188 Amway Center skybox tickets, with 77% of them going to non-profit charities.

Ticket drawings to musical artists Maroon 5, and Taylor Swift will follow this Spring. Drawing information and winners will be featured on the official Facebook and Twitter pages of Orange County and Orange County's Office of the Mayor Teresa Jacobs.

Helping Our Neighbors

Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Kelly Noe's Dedication to Furry Friends Recognized

Animal Services' Administrative specialist James Canty and Kelly Noe with Toula.

As a former clinic assistant at Orange County Animal Services, Kelly Noe has saved dozens of lives. I was so impressed to learn that in her personal time, Kelly has also fostered more than 300 local animals through her work at Orange County's Animal Services shelter.

While Kelly has cared for all types of sick and injured furry friends, her specialty is caring for emaciated dogs. She's an expert at nursing them back to health so that they are ready for adoption and their forever homes.

When Toula, a Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever mix, arrived at the shelter at only 26 pounds, Kelly immediately volunteered as a foster caregiver. Toula was confiscated from her former owners for cruelty reasons and had multiple health and weight issues.

Kelly took Toula home and brought her back to work daily, so that she could be fed frequently and monitored by the clinic staff. Slowly, but surely, Toula began to gain weight and eventually regained her full strength and energy. Kelly fostered Toula for eight weeks, and at her final clinical exam, Toula weighed a hefty 50 pounds before she was adopted by her new loving family last fall.

Recently, Kelly has taken a new role at Orange County's Fire Rescue Department. She's still saving lives, but in a different capacity as a dispatcher for the department.

Thank you, Kelly, for giving so generously of your time and for your dedication to our animals in Orange County.

News Worth Noting ...

- Last month, I met with Girl Scout Troop 967, from Cypress Springs Elementary School and Andover Elementary School. The group and their parents requested a traffic study to install a traffic signal at an intersection near their schools. They accomplished their goal, and I proudly congratulated the group for a job well done.
- Six dignitaries from China visited my office to celebrate the official signing of a sister region agreement that Orange County has developed with the City of Taizhou.
- I met with Karen Hagan, the regional CEO of the American Red Cross Mid-Florida Region, and donated a box of teddy bears to be used by the organization to comfort children in times of a disaster.
- I attended the John Land Apopka Expressway Phase II Ribbon Cutting ceremony for State Road 429/414 in Apopka.
- I was honored to welcome the 3,500 attendees of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) at the Orange County Convention Center. PCMA is a non-profit international association of professionals in the meetings and convention industry.
- It was my pleasure speaking at Orange County's Arbor Day commemoration ceremony. The Board of County Commissioners observed Florida Arbor Day by planting a native tree outside the County Administration Center near the Florida Friendly Landscaping Demonstration Garden.
- I was honored to speak at the Central Florida Employment Council's 12th Annual Mayor's Job Fair, which connected hundreds of job seekers with employers from various industries in Central Florida.
- The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) and I issued a proclamation affirming February as Black History Month in Orange County at the BCC Chambers.
- I enjoyed my tour of the National House of Hope in Orlando, a non-denominational, not-for-profit organization established to provide residential programs for troubled teenagers, across the country and internationally.
- I joined the Town of Eatonville in their annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. parade. Incorporated in 1887, Eatonville is the oldest African-American incorporated municipality in America.
- It was my pleasure to attend and give the welcoming remarks at the International Economic Development Council Leadership Summit at Rosen Shingle Creek.