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| September 1, 2006- City News |
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Dear friends,
This week, just a day after the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Orlando had it’s own tropical visitor, Ernesto. While Ernesto turned out to be little more than a rainy day for our City, it was a reminder that we are in the most active period of hurricane season, and we should all be prepared. If you have not already made a family emergency plan or an emergency kit, information on both is included in this week’s City News.
Fortunately, Ernesto didn’t ruin the Labor Day weekend. Seen by many as the signal of the end of summer, Labor Day is a celebration of America’s workers, the people that make our companies and factories run and our economy grow.
Labor Day has its roots in the labor unions of the late 1800s. The Central Labor Union is reported to have held the first Labor Day holiday on September 5, 1882 in New York City. The early celebrations included parades followed by picnics or festivals for the workers and their families. Oregon was the first state to recognize the holiday in 1887, and in 1894 it was made a national holiday, only 12 years after the first celebration.
Our country’s high standard of living and strong economic base is firmly connected to our workers. The Labor Day holiday recognizes this contribution that has made our country prosperous. The City of Orlando was recently recognized by the Orlando Sentinel as seventh among the Top 100 Companies for Working Families. I am very proud of our city employees who work hard to provide services to you, our residents and businesses everyday. Their hard work makes our City great. I wish our City family and your family a safe and joyous Labor Day weekend.
As always, please feel free to contact me if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Buddy Dyer
Mayor
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At Monday’s City Council meeting, the Council approved the Minority/Women Entrepreneur Business Assistance Program (MEBA) which Mayor Buddy Dyer unveiled earlier this year at his State of the City address.
The MEBA Program is a pilot program that will focus on small business retention and creation in the Parramore Town Center within the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) boundaries. It will provide both non-monetary and financial incentives to qualified new and existing businesses within the target area, and businesses wishing to relocate to the target area. These incentives can be used for business retention and relocation expenses, purchase of capital equipment, marketing of business and services and business start-up expenses.
As the City continues its revitalization efforts in the Parramore community, this is yet another important component to spur economic development in the neighborhood. For more information, contact the Community Redevelopment Agency at 407-246-3359.
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 September is National Preparedness Month, and the City of Orlando’s Office of Emergency Management has taken proactive steps, working with various local, volunteer, state and federal organizations, to ensure Orlando citizens and all of Central Florida is prepared for a hurricane. With hurricane season upon us, it’s a good reminder to make sure you are prepared with a disaster kit and plan.
Family Disaster Kit
Here are six basics you should stock for your home:
- Water (one gallon per person per day for drinking/washing)
- Food (a three day supply of non-perishable items that require no or little cooking)
- First Aid Supplies
- Clothing and Bedding
- Tools and Emergency Supplies
- Special Items (Medication and Personal Items)
- Batteries
- Batterypowered Radio
Keep the items that you would most likely need during an evacuation in an easy-to-carry container.
Possible Containers include:
- A large, covered trash container
- A camping backpack
- A duffle bag
Store your kit in a convenient place known to all family members and keep a smaller version of the in the trunk of your car.
Family Disaster Plan
The following items can be part of your family disaster plan:
- Discuss how to respond to each disaster that could occur.
- Discuss what to do about power outages and personal injuries.
- Draw a floor plan of your home and mark two escape routes from each room.
- Learn how to turn off the water, gas and electricity at main switches.
- Post emergency telephone numbers near telephones.
- Teach children how and when to call 911.
- Instruct household members to turn on the radio for emergency information.
- Pick one out-of-state and one local friend or relative for family members to call if separated by disaster (it is often easier to call out-of-state than within the affected area).
- Teach children how to make long distance telephone calls.
- Pick two meeting places.
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A place near your home in case of a fire.
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A place outside your neighborhood in case you cannot return home after a disaster.
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- Listen to and follow all advisories from local emergency management offices.
- Don’t forget to make arrangements for pets.
For a more detailed list and further information, see
http://cityoforlando.net/fire/emergency_management/kit.htm
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The City will be picking up trash, yard waste and recycling on Labor Day, Monday, September 4, for residents who have Monday collection days.
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 On Saturday, August 26 Kansas played at the WMMO Downtown Concert Series on South Orange Avenue. The concert’s new location adjacent to City Hall has attracted large crowds to these free downtown events. Join us at the next Downtown Concert on November 11 featuring Cheap Trick.
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Mayor's Message
