February 26, 2010 - City News

Mayor's Message

Dear Friend,

One of the goals of our Strengthen Orlando initiative is to partner with local non-profit organizations to provide assistance to people in need in our community. I am proud that our City employees have, once again, supported this effort by donating to area charities through our Work Place Giving Campaign.

Even in difficult economic times, our employees surpassed our goal and contributed $344,000 to numerous organizations in our community. Our City family members recognize that now is the time when help is needed the most. They were generous in their donations.

I am honored to be Mayor of a City that not only serves the public during work hours, but also makes personal contributions that help others. In addition to our Workplace Giving campaign, employees donate their time for volunteer projects, such as mentoring at schools and youth groups, assisting with youth sports teams and helping at neighborhood cleanups.

Whether you have the opportunity to make a donation or volunteer your time, I strongly encourage you to support our local non-profit organizations. During these challenging times, their services are needed more than ever.

Sincerely,

Buddy Dyer
Mayor

Buy Local Orlando Highlight

Buy Local Orlando is under way and each week we want to make sure you know that you can get great deals, discounts and offers. There are more than 300 merchant members participating in the Buy Local Orlando campaign offering special offers and discounts exclusively to Buy Local Orlando consumers.

Buy Local Orlando consumers receive 10% off their entire purchase of more than $10 at Nora’s Lake Ivanhoe Wine & Cigars (1407 North Orange Avenue). Call 407.447.5885 or visit noraswinecigars.com for more information.

Show your Buy Local Orlando card at Magic Auto Spa LLC (618 West Church Street) to receive 10% off any service. Call 407.802.9099 or visit orlandomagicautospa.com for more information.

Buy Local Orlando consumers receive $5 off any regular-priced purchase of more than $50 at N’Styl Dancewear (4632 Millenia Plaza Way). Call 407.345.9441 or visit nstyldancewear.com for more information. Offer not valid with any other sale, discount or coupons.

For information on how you can get your Buy Local Orlando card or how your business can be a part of this program, visit buylocalorlando.net.

Earned Income Tax Credit

This year, hard-working Central Floridians may qualify for a tax refund of up to $5,657 through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Get the tax refund you deserve – for free. Claim the EITC and file your taxes at one of more than 30 free tax preparation sites located throughout Central Florida. Don’t spend hundreds of dollars filing your taxes when you can file for free and receive 100 percent of your refund quickly and easily – usually in just 10 days or less. For additional information on the program, visit the Heart of Central Florida’s United Way.

OPD Using Innovation to Increase Safety

The Orlando Police Department (OPD) presented a workshop to the Orlando City Council on February 22 showcasing several steps they have taken to make the department more efficient and allow officers to work smarter.

*Mobile reporting has allowed officers to create reports in the field on their laptops since October, 2009.

*Online reporting has allowed residents the convenience of reporting non-violent crimes and receiving a case number over the computer. For officers, this allows them to respond to more calls and spend more time patrolling our streets.

*OPD will soon add online traffic crash reports, allowing officers to directly enter reports through the web and allow people to purchase copies online instead of coming to Orlando Police Department headquarters. The service would be provided at no cost to the City.

*The City’s I.R.I.S. camera system has helped call in 341 crimes, including 26 felonies.

*The City’s use of mobile fingerprint I.D.s and car license plate readers have allowed officers to quickly get the information they need in the field.

For more information on OPD's presentation, watch the workshop online or view the PowerPoint presentation.

Keep Orlando Beautiful Volunteer Opportunities

Keep Orlando Beautiful holds several service projects throughout the year. The following are two opportunities for volunteers to help clean up Orlando.

The Ivanhoe Village Main Street Cleanup occurs Saturday, February 27, from 9 to 11 a.m. Keep Orlando Beautiful will meet at the intersection of East Yale Street and Cornell Avenue, off Orange Avenue near Princeton Street. If you would like to attend, please email or call Charles at 407.484.5839.

On Saturday, March 6, at 9 a.m., join Keep Orlando Beautiful for their pre-Easter Scrub Down at Greenwood Cemetery. Every year, Keep Orlando Beautiful partners with the City of Orlando's owned and operated cemetery to help spruce up headstones. Please join us as we aid in making loved one's markers more presentable for their family and friends who may be visiting for the Easter holiday or any other occasion. We utilize only biodegradable products such as vinegar and water. Snacks and bottled water will be provided. Greenwood Cemetery is located at 1603 Greenwood Street off South Mills Avenue. Please email Jody.Goostree@cityoforlando.net or call 407.246.2752 to sign up.

• At Monday’s meeting, the City Council renewed the City’s annual agreement as a Main Street Coordinating Program through the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Orlando was the first citywide urban program in the Southeast United States and joins seven other cities nationwide, including Baltimore, Washington DC, Boston and Portland, as “brand holders” of the Main Street trademark. In 2009 alone, the five Main Street districts welcomed nearly 500 new employees and 82 new businesses.
   
• The City Council also approved a Qualified Target Industry incentive for iGPS (Intelligent Global Pooling Systems), a Downtown Orlando company. iGPS has revolutionized the pallet rental industry by installing radio frequency identification tracking devices in their standard-sized, plastic pallets so that goods can be traced throughout the entire transportation process.
  
  iGPS is growing rapidly with plans to expand to a larger facility in Downtown Orlando. Through the expansion, the company expects to create 85 new jobs with an average annual wage of $44,800 and a capital investment of $200,000 including construction and investment.
   
• The City Council approved two Housing Department items that support the City’s continued efforts to Strengthen Orlando. These included a Community Development Block Grant to the Center for Drug Free Living to expand their services to the Hispanic community and a Housing and Urban Development grant that supports the City’s goal of encouraging redevelopment to strengthen the Parramore community.

Mayor in the Community

On Tuesday, Mayor Buddy Dyer joined District 5 Commissioner Daisy W. Lynum, Magic COO Alex Martins and Kia Motors to unveil Central Florida’s seventh Reading and Learning Center at the Nap Ford Community Center.

On Wednesday, Mayor Dyer joined City employees and residents for the Black History Month Celebration in the rotunda of City Hall.

Did You Know?

Hosted by Mayor Buddy Dyer, this annual summit offers a variety of workshops, resources, best practices and networking opportunities for neighborhood, arts & cultural, civic, community and faith-based leaders and volunteers. Join Mayor Dyer and other neighborhood and community leaders to learn how together, we can build on a decade of success and move our community forward.

This year’s summit will be held on Saturday, April 10, from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Marriott Downtown Orlando. Workshops, continental breakfast and lunch are included in the registration fee. Registration will be available soon at CityofOrlando.net. Register by March 26 and save!

The 5th annual Mayor's Neighborhood & Community Summit is put on in partnership between the City of Orlando's Office of Communications & Neighborhood Relations and the Office of Community Affairs.

For more information, you may contact the Office of Communications & Neighborhood Relations, 407.246.2169.

City’s Facebook Page Tops 1,000 Fans

This Tuesday, the City’s Facebook page topped 1,000 fans as more people signed up to get information from the City using this social media tool. Some of the recent posts on the City’s Facebook page include links to videos highlighting Black History Month, reminders of early voting, promotions for Blues B-Q and information on how to see the State of the City Address.

If you use Facebook, become a fan of the City at facebook.com/cityoforlando and suggest it to your friends. You can also become a fan of the Mayor’s Office at facebook.com/orlandomayor to hear special announcements and see photos and videos from community events.

Upcoming Events

City Hall
400 South Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: 407.246.2221 buddy.dyer@cityoforlando.net