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| August 18, 2006- City News |
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Dear friends,
Last week, I discussed the City’s plans to combat the rise in homicides through enforcement, education and engagement. Since then, the City has continued its commitment to public safety by appointing our Neighborhood Safety Task Force. This group will work in tandem with the Orlando Police Department to tackle crime-related issues and education, and to help develop a strategic action plan using police, volunteer and community resources.
The benefits of this type of task force to the community are twofold. First and foremost, the community becomes active participants in identifying crime concerns in specific areas of the community, and secondly the committee provides an opportunity for active participation in the process of developing both short-term and long-term strategies.
Take a moment to read more about this program and this year’s Neighborhood Night Out below.
Please feel free to contact me if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Buddy Dyer
Mayor
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Public safety has always been a top priority of Mayor Buddy Dyer and the Orlando City Council. While Orlando is not alone in the recent escalation of violent crime, cities across the country are facing similar challenges, and this is a great concern for the Dyer administration and the Orlando Police Department (OPD).
As a continuum to the City’s recently announced 3-year Public Safety Initiative, Mayor Dyer has established the Mayor’s Neighborhood Safety Task Force, composed of representatives from the entire community, to work in tandem with OPD to tackle crime-related issues and education, and to help develop a strategic action plan using police, volunteer and community resources.
"Ultimately, we want to create safe communities for each of our neighborhoods, for our visitors and for our business sector,” said Mayor Dyer. “We want to achieve that by empowering the entire community to play an active role in crime reduction initiatives and programs."
The Mayor’s Neighborhood Safety Task Force, chaired by Dr. Stanley Stone, the Vice-President of Human Resources and Diversity at Valencia Community College, will meet over a 120-day period to recommend proactive initiatives to the Mayor, City Council, the Orlando Police Department and other City departments and local agencies. These recommended initiatives will focus on reversing the current trend of rising violent crime rates and enhancing community safety; discussing ways to reduce crime in Orlando; and empowering the entire community to play an active role in crime reduction initiatives.
Mayor’s Neighborhood Safety Task Force Objectives:
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Analyze current crime data and concerns in specific areas of the community
- Review of best practices proven successful in other communities
- Define the community "call to action" and develop action plan to increase and promote community education/engagement
- Identify available community resources, any gaps and disconnects
- Make recommendations for proper allocation of community-based resources, services and programs, or creation of additional ones if needed
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On Tuesday, August 1, neighborhoods across Orlando participated in National Night Out, a crime and safety event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW).
As part of National Night Out, a competition is sponsored by NATW and the City of Orlando that encourages neighborhoods to organize events promoting police-community partnerships, crime prevention and neighborhood safety.
The City of Orlando has participated in National Night Out since its inception, consistently placing in the top 15 among cities in its population category. This year, 6,430 residents participated at 45 neighborhood block parties in the Orlando community.
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City Council
 At the August 14 Orlando City Council meeting, the Council approved a number of new exciting developments. The first approved project was the IKEA furniture store near the Mall of Millenia, the second, a 27-story mixed used residential and office condo just south of the Orange County Courthouse, and the third project approved was the historic Carver Theatre in Parramore, which will include the corporate headquarters of the Black Business Investment Fund along with residential units.
Orlando Housing Task Force
Mayor Dyer formed the City of Orlando Housing Task Force in June 2006. The Task Force consists of nine professionals with various expertise or unique perspectives in the field of housing. Under the leadership and guidance of its chairman, Wayne Rich, the task force will develop recommendations toward creating new and innovative programs that will offer Orlando residents an opportunity to live and work in Orlando. These recommendations will be completed by November 2006. The challenge for the Task Force is to make recommendations that will address the attainable housing need in Downtown Orlando as well as throughout the City. Prior to completing its recommendations to the City Council, the Housing Task Force will hold meetings in the community to solicit comments from the public.
The Housing Task Force members are: Wayne Rich, Sandy Hostetler, Craig Ustler, Judith Kovisars, Joyce Savage-Gaston, Bob Ansley, Owen Beitsch, Ed Carson and Tony Martin.
Creative Village Concept Team
On Tuesday, August 15, the Creative Village Concept Team held its first meeting. The group of 15 digital media leaders, real estate and construction experts and other community partners will provide recommendations to the City for the development of the Downtown Orlando Creative Village on the existing Centroplex property.
The Downtown Orlando Creative Village will build on the significant investment made by the City of Orlando in bringing Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA) and the UCF School of Film and Digital Media to the renovated Expo Center. The Downtown Orlando Creative Village will provide opportunities for digital media and creative firms to locate in Downtown Orlando and locate in close proximity to UCF and FIEA. The concept team will meet over the next six weeks.
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Recently, the City of Orlando was recognized by the Orlando Sentinel as one of the “Top 100 Companies for Working Families.” This year, the City moved up in the rankings to number 7 and was the only government listed in the Top 25.
The City of Orlando strives to continue being a family-friendly organization, recognizing that appreciated and respected employees are happier in the workplace.
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Mayor Buddy Dyer and City Commissioners are hosting a series of neighborhood meetings for residents to discuss how new and updated community venues can enhance our City neighborhoods and where the City is in the process. The neighborhood meetings also offer opportunities for residents to get engaged in these projects.
The Orlando City Council made a bold decision to move forward to meet our City’s need for creating a regional economic hub with world-class community venues—performing arts center, events center and Citrus Bowl. At that time, the City Council decided not just to build buildings, but also to embark on a process to transform neighborhoods through master planning. The City is working to build a community that celebrates its neighborhoods and its people, while also providing things like entertainment venues, roads and parks that meet residents’ needs.
It is essential that as City and County leaders continue to discuss the potential funding structure and master planning for these community venues, residents are given opportunities to become engaged in this exciting planning process. Below please find the remaining neighborhood meeting that is being held.
August 29, 2006 at 6:45 a.m.
Engelwood Community Center
6123 La Costa Drive
(This meeting is presented in Spanish)
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Mayor's Message
