September 21, 2007 - City News

Mayor's Message

Dear Friend,


On Thursday, I officially launched our new city-wide environmental action agenda, Green Works Orlando, at the dedication of the Savannah Park Fire Station in Lake Nona. This Fire Station is an example of that commitment. In addition to providing fire and rescue services for the Lake Nona area, the station was built to be energy efficient. In fact, it is the first “green” fire station, or LEED certified, in the state of Florida. LEED certification is a national standard for environmentally friendly buildings.

Green Works Orlando is the City’s first comprehensive plan to protect our natural resources, encourage environmentally-friendly lifestyles and business practices and engage everyone who lives, works and visits Central Florida in the effort to “go
green.” In order to achieve this ambitious goal, our plan focuses on immediate and dramatic actions to:
 

Green Works Orlando also represents the commitment of the Orlando City Council to utilizing the City’s regional leadership position to build partnerships and share resources that will foster positive, environmental changes. It’s our opportunity to lead by example and promote environmental stewardship. It’s our chance to educate people about “going green” and encourage others to incorporate a concern for the environment into the everyday workings of government and private business.

On a personal level, I am passionate about this plan because the ultimate beneficiaries of our work will be our children and grandchildren. These first important steps we are pursuing will be the catalyst for a host of important changes that puts Orlando on a course toward long-term sustainability.

The month of October will be “Green Month” in the City of Orlando. Over the course of Green Month, we’re going to spotlight specific areas where we believe we can make immediate and dramatic changes to help the environment. We’ll also take a look at some of our already successful green programs.

Working together, I know we can make a cleaner, greener and better Orlando for
generations to come.
 

Sincerely,

Buddy Dyer
Mayor


 

This section of City News provides public safety updates on new and ongoing City initiatives and opportunities for citizens to become engaged.

Savannah Park Fire Station   Mayor Buddy Dyer and Fire Chief Jim Reynolds officially opened Florida’s first green fire station in a public unveiling ceremony of the Savannah Park Fire Station in Lake Nona. The new fire station is one of three planned as part of Mayor Dyer’s three-year public safety initiative. This expansion will mean faster response times to fires and will help raise the City’s ISO rating. The higher the rating, the lower the home insurance rates for residents. The Savannah Park Station is the first of these fire stations to become operational and is the only completed fire station in the state of Florida to apply for LEED certification, the national standard for green buildings.   Citizen Police Academy The Orlando Police Department will host a Citizen Police Academy starting on September 25, 2007. Open to Orlando residents, the 12-week class, is held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at OPD Headquarters, 100 South Hughey Avenue. The classes provide detailed information on such topics as uniformed patrol, special operations, criminal investigations and many other interesting topics. Also available are elective field trips to the Orlando International Airport, the 33rd Street Jail and a ride-a-long with a patrol officer. If you are interested, please download an application and fax it to the Community Involvement Office at 407-246-4227. For more information, call Sonya Robinson at 407-246-2461. National Preparedness Month During September, City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, the Office of Emergency Management and other local government agencies and non-profit organizations have been highlighting the importance of emergency preparedness. Preparing for an emergency involves the entire community. The City of Orlando provides emergency preparedness information in both English and Spanish in its brochures and on the City’s website. This year, the City also participated in a Spanish version of “Mission Possible,” a full-day event teaching residents how to be prepared for an emergency. This bilingual outreach is designed to make sure all residents are prepared should a disaster occur. For more information on National Preparedness Month, visit the Office of Emergency Management’s web page at CityofOrlando.net/emergency OPD Receives $156,000 for Gang Prevention As the City continues its effort to strike at the root causes of crime, the Orlando Police Department has been awarded a $156,000 federal grant to expand the Gang Resistance Education and Training program (G.R.E.A.T). G.R.E.A.T is a school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum, with prevention as its primary objective. The program is intended as an immunization against delinquency, youth violence and gang membership. For more information, visit: www.great-online.org. Work Where the Heroes Work The Orlando Police Department is actively recruiting for qualified candidates. Information on qualifications and benefits, plus the application and a short recruitment video is available online at the police recruiting page . Thank you for your interest in the Orlando Police Department where Courage, Pride and Commitment is more than a motto, it is our way of life.

Mayor in the Community

On Saturday, September 15, Mayor Buddy Dyer participated in the American Lung Association’s Asthma Walk at Blue Jacket Park to help raise awareness on asthma. After participating in the walk, he attended the inaugural home football game at UCF’s new football stadium.

On Wednesday, Mayor Dyer attended the Life Project event to recognize the Seniors Meal Program as a best practice model in the senior community.

Also on Wednesday, Mayor Dyer attended the kickoff of the 2008 City of Orlando Employee Workplace Giving Campaign.

On Thursday, Mayor Dyer attended the Nap Ford Community School Fundraiser Luncheon. The Nap Ford Community School provides educational programs and services which foster academic success, health and wellness. Later on Thursday, the Mayor also attended the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Annual Recognition Luncheon recognizing the hundreds of senior volunteers in the community. RSVP has been operating for 34 years to provide valuable service to the citizens of Orlando through engagement of older Americans in meaningful volunteer service, thereby enhancing their lives and the lives of our citizens.

In addition, Mayor Dyer attended the closing reception of the Parramore League of Artistic Youth (PLAY) art exhibition. During the summer, youth in the Parramore Kidz Zone produced paintings and drawings to display at Johnson’s Diner, the Downtown Recreation Center and the J.B. Callahan Neighborhood Center.
 

As part of national POW-MIA Day, Mayor Dyer and his Veterans Advisory Council hosted an official POW-MIA ceremony on Friday to honor those United States Military prisoners of war and those still missing in action. Also on Friday, Mayor Dyer attended the Dedication Ceremony for the George C. Young U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building Annex.

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City Hall
400 South Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: 407.246.2221
Fax: 407.246.2842
Email:
buddy.dyer@cityoforlando.net