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February 2015

Greetings,

Orange County's mission is to serve the public with fairness, integrity and character, excellence and innovation, professionalism and accountability, and a strong work ethic. This set of personal and professional values is in keeping with the legacy of service and citizenship embraced by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who envisioned our nation as the preeminent living model for civil rights, equality and dignity for all.

To celebrate our African-American heritage, and in tribute to the tremendous contributions of Dr. King and so many other legendary African-American citizens to our nation's history, every year Orange County Government proudly joins in celebrating Black History Month.

In January, I joined Florida Sen. Geraldine Thompson and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to honor the legacy of local aviation pioneer Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman with an official street designation ceremony. Bessie overcame many barriers, including poverty and racial and gender discrimination, to become the first African-American woman to receive a pilot's license and fly a plane. She died in 1926, but remains a national symbol of perseverance and reminds us of the pioneering American spirit.

For the fifth year, I spoke at the 24th annual "Pappy" Kennedy Prayer Breakfast, honoring the legacy of Dr. King and Arthur Kennedy, Orlando's first African-American elected city official who passed away in 2000. Mr. Kennedy served on the Orlando City Council from 1972-1980. The breakfast is presented annually by the YMCA of Central Florida.

This year, the YMCA partnered with the Southwest Orlando Jaycees and featured guest speaker retired Rear Admiral Barry C. Black, U.S. Navy, the 62nd Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, who previously served as Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Navy. West Orange County celebrity Sisaundra Lewis, a finalist on NBC's singing contest "The Voice," also shared her talents with the capacity crowd. Following the breakfast, I joined hundreds of citizens at the City of Ocoee's annual Unity Day Parade, which honors Dr. King's dream of equality and opportunity for all.

I was honored to again speak at Eatonville's Zora! Festival, which celebrates the life and work of writer, folklorist and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston. I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to festival organizers and all of the volunteers that helped make this important community event a great success. And special thanks to Mayor Bruce B. Mount for presenting me with a key to the Town of Eatonville!

Most recently, I spoke at Orange County's Annual Black History Month Celebration Luncheon, held annually on the lawn of the Orange County Administration Building to honor the contributions of our African-American employees, leaders and organizations. The festivities included delicious food, live music and information booths. The event was coordinated by the Black History Committee of Orange County, which has worked for many years to develop programs and activities to support the goals and achievement of our forefathers.

The diversity of our community and culture helps to make Orange County one of the best places in which to live, work and learn. Thank you to our dedicated employees and community partners for organizing another wonderful celebration of Black History Month, and as always, for staying connected with your Orange County Government.

Sincerely,

Teresa Jacobs

Orange County Mayor

Orlando City's #FillTheBowl Campaign Launches

(L-R) Lions' Head Coach Adrian Heath, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Team Captain Ricardo Kak�, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, Mayor Jacobs and Orlando City Soccer President Phil Rawlins.

The 2015 Major League Soccer season kicks off at the Orlando Citrus Bowl as the Lions host New York City Football Club on March 8 at 5 p.m. Soccer fever has taken over the region and the ticket numbers are already incredible as the region makes significant progress toward the goal to #FillTheBowl.

"Orange County's extraordinary transformation has moved our region to the national and international stage for arts, sports, recreation and culture, and I am so pleased to see our goal of creating a richer future for our children and future generations come to life," Mayor Jacobs said. "I am deeply proud of how we've embraced the opportunity for major league sports in Central Florida, and how well Orlando City Soccer Club's #FillTheBowl campaign has progressed."

For season, group or single-game tickets, please visit www.OrlandoCitySC.com.

A New Step in Helping Homeless Men

Mayor Jacobs along with community dignitaries and leaders celebrate the opening of the Men's Service Center at Coalition for the Homeless.

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs recently joined more than 200 members of the community to celebrate the grand opening of the Men's Service Center at Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida. The new two-story, 32,000-suare-foot residential facility will be able to accommodate up to 250 homeless men.

At this new residential facility, the non-profit - which serves more than 600 men, women and children on an average night - will be able to provide homeless men with case management, access to mental-health services, job-skills training, education and life skills, along with an initiative directed to homeless veterans. In addition, there are beds for the physically disabled, with 50 beds dedicated to substance- and alcohol-abuse recovery.

Conveying Orange County's backing of the project, Mayor Jacobs said, "This is going to be more than just a shelter where men can sleep for the night. This will be a full-service center that will help these men transition to self-sufficiency."

Mayor Jacobs considers homelessness in the community a priority and is working with the Board of County Commissioners and a wide network of community partners to boost funding and expand initiatives to impact homelessness, including housing, prevention and related family programs.

The opening of the Men's Service Center represents a dramatic shift in how the region provides homeless services. The bold step is due in part to the leadership of Mayor Jacobs in helping to secure more than $5 million in support from Orange County Government through the federally-funded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. In addition, the City of Orlando provided $1.6 million in capital campaign support through the CDBG program. Due to these efforts, the Coalition was able to move forward with this critically needed project.

For details on this story, visit Orange County's online Newsroom.

Strong Growth Forecasted at 2015 Economic Summit

(L-R) Manuel Mencia, senior vice president with Enterprise Florida; Ken Potrock, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Vacation Club & Adventures by Disney; Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs; Rick Weddle, the CEO of the Orlando Economic Development Commission; Economist Sean Snaith, Ph.D., director of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Economic Competitiveness; and James Bacchus, global practice chair of the Greenberg Traurig law firm.

Economists and distinguished panelists who spoke at Mayor Teresa Jacobs' 2015 Orange County Economic Summit are optimistic that the region's economic ascent will continue in 2015.

The Summit, now in its third year, was held at the Orange County Convention Center and attended by more than 600 citizens. Buoyed by rising property values, exceptional job growth and the region's world-class hospitality and tourism sector, Orange County's unemployment has dropped from 11.3 percent in November 2010 to the current 5.2 percent.

"When I was first elected Mayor in 2010, our region was grappling with serious economic concerns, from challenges associated with the financial meltdown and global recession to fears about balancing our Orange County budget without cutting crucial services," Mayor Jacobs said during her remarks to the capacity crowd. "Thanks to an incredible amount of hard work from our workforce, education, and public and private-sector partners, we've rebuilt. Not just figuratively, but literally. From our brand new Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts to SunRail, the newly reopened Citrus Bowl and our new, under-construction MLS soccer stadium, we are the envy of the world."

Nationally recognized economist Sean Snaith, Ph.D., director of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Economic Competitiveness, provided his annual economic forecast at the Summit.

"It may not be morning in America as the U.S. economic recovery remains in a pre-dawn twilight, but the sun is shining on Florida's economy and it is shining even more brightly on Orange County," Snaith said.

National Entrepreneur Center (NEC) President Jerry Ross presided as the event's Master of Ceremonies. Guest speakers James Bacchus, global practice chair of the Greenberg Traurig law firm, and Manuel Mencia, senior vice president of international trade and business development with Enterprise Florida, Inc., discussed future trends in international trade.

In addition to panel discussions on the burgeoning opportunity for international trade, an update on the region's branding initiative - "Orlando. You don't know the half of it." - was provided by the Orlando Economic Development Commission's leadership team.

For details on this story, visit Orange County's online Newsroom.

Year in Review Chronicles Year of Transformation

To commemorate and celebrate our community achievements, every year we compile an annual "Year In Review" report. The 2014 "Year in Review" has just been published, and is filled with news of the many historic events and celebrations that marked Orange County's extraordinary "Year of Transformation."

Among the milestone events, our breathtaking, new state-of-the-art Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts opened; the remarkable commuter train system SunRail launched; the extraordinary re-built Orlando Citrus Bowl opened; a new MLS soccer team was born and the construction of a new soccer stadium for the team and our community kicked off late last year.

Orange County also welcomed a record-breaking 59 million visitors and guests, and the region's successful economic development strategies have led to a full six-percent drop in unemployment since 2011. Orange County Government's fiscal budget is again balanced with no tax increases. In fact, the countywide millage rate has not increased in 25 years.

Be sure to visit our website to read Mayor Jacobs's Year in Review in its entirety, and to learn about how we've built upon our historic roots as a global leader of agriculture, citrus and tourism, transforming to a mecca for global innovation, gaming, digital media, simulation and modeling technologies, bio-medical excellence and more.

Conference Showcases Impact of Dr. Phillips Center

(L-R) Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs is joined by former Orlando Mayor and Secretary of State of Florida Glenda Hood; Linda Landman Gonzalez, vice president of community relations and government affairs at the Orlando Magic and Carolyn Fennell, director of public affairs at the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs welcomed nationally recognized leaders to a recent statewide cultural conference held in the new, beautiful and awe-inspiring Dr. Phillips Center. The conference brought together individuals who work in Florida's cultural community for a day of meaningful professional development, networking and collaboration focused on the powerful role arts and culture plays in the overall health of communities and states.

"The Dr. Phillips Center is much more than a breathtaking addition to our skyline and downtown core. This is a place where learning, exploration and creativity will happen," Mayor Jacobs said. "This is our cultural heartbeat."

Participants in the day-long conference - Convening Culture 2015: Building a Healthier Florida through Arts and Culture - explored sessions ranging from arts and healthcare initiatives to roundtables on sustaining a healthy funding environment. Presentations were made by nationally recognized leaders in the fields of arts and culture, healthcare, the environment, research and advocacy.

During her remarks, Mayor Jacobs also emphasized the importance of arts and culture, the impact the Dr. Phillips Center has on future generations, tourism and hospitality and Orange County as a premier destination for performing arts. Speakers included Mayor Jacobs, the Conference Co-Chair Sibille Pritchard, Frank Billingsley, Chief of Staff to City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, and Florida's Secretary of State Ken Detzner.

Honoring Orlando Aviation Pioneer Bessie Coleman

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs with Florida Sen. Geraldine Thompson and City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer at the Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman street designation ceremony.

Mayor Teresa Jacobs joined state and community leaders in the official street designation ceremony for aviation pioneer Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman, the first African-American woman to earn a pilot's license and fly a plane.

The event was held at the Orlando Executive Airport to honor Coleman for pursuing her dream to fly, and recognized how she overcame the obstacles of poverty and racial and gender discrimination during the early 1900s.

"Bessie Coleman stands as a national symbol of perseverance and reminds us all of the power of the human spirit," Mayor Jacobs said.

Coleman was born in 1892 and as a young woman was denied entry to flight schools. To pursue her dreams, she taught herself French and moved to France to attend the well-known Caudron Brothers' School of Aviation. Earning her license in just seven months, she returned back to the United States and was able to make living doing aerial tricks, specializing in stunt flying and parachuting.

The Texas native eventually opened a business in Orlando to help finance her career and fulfill her dream of establishing a school for young aviators. She often gave inspiring speeches and lectures during her travels to encourage individuals to pursue their dreams.

Coleman died tragically in 1926 at the age of 34 during a rehearsal for an air show in Jacksonville. A memorial service was held for Coleman in Orlando before she was brought by train to her final resting place in Chicago.

For details on this story, visit Orange County's online Newsroom.

News Worth Noting ...

- Orange County congratulates the Apopka High School Blue Darters on their 2014 Class 8A State High School Football Championship! The team played a fantastic season and the entire team was recognized by the Orange County's Board of County Commissioners in January.

- Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs recently attended the graduation ceremony of the third and largest class of the Orange County Experience at the Board of County Commissioners Chambers. The 12-week educational program kicked off last fall and provides citizens and community leaders the opportunity to learn more about Orange County Government and the vital services that the County provides to the region.

- Orange County Utilities was awarded the 2014 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA). The utility, which was one of four recipients across the nation, was recognized for its efforts and achievement at Orange County's Board of County Commissioners meeting held in early January.

- This year, more citizens than ever received their news and information through Orange County Government's new Online Newsroom, social media and Orange County's unique OCFL Alert, OCFL 311 and OCFL News mobile applications. This fall, Orange County Government also received the first place award for Best Community Engagement from Ragan's PR Daily, recognizing the groundbreaking success of online outreach efforts with citizens through its Social Media Ambassadors program during Mayor Teresa Jacobs' 2014 State of the County address. To learn more about joining the digital conversation, visit the County's website.

- Forbes has ranked our region No. 4 as one of the nation's happiest cities to work.

- Mayor Jacobs spoke at the 7th Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Day event to increase public awareness and support the perseverance and dedication of all of those involved in protecting human rights and the fight against forced labor and human trafficking.

- In January, Mayor Jacobs provided the welcome remarks at the TEAMFL/ FTC Annual Joint Meeting co-hosted by CFX. The meeting included updates from the Florida Department of Transportation and our partners on Central Florida's roadways.

- The Central Florida Brazilian American Chamber of Commerce recently presented Mayor Jacobs with a special award from FENACTUR, the Brazilian National Federation of Tourism, recognizing Orange County's dynamic economic partnership with Brazil.