County management practices adapt to the present and poise for the future
In
a time when bad news is common, the future of Volusia County is
bright, according to Volusia County Chair Frank Bruno in his
recently delivered annual State of the County speech.
The chair
illustrated the point by asking the audience of more than 500 to
look around at the newly expanded Ocean Center, an $81 million
project. He cited vision, commitment and teamwork and said the new
center makes the facility the fifth largest of its kind in Florida
and puts the Ocean Center in position to compete for bigger and more
lucrative meetings, conventions and events.
Bruno
referenced county government’s challenge of increasing demand for
services while revenues continue to decline. As services from
various entities evaporate, people turn to county government, which
has to prioritize what it can afford to offer.
Partnerships
with cities, local agencies and the school board have helped the
county respond to community needs.
Several
projects that enhance the services of county government were cited:
- The new
Beach Lifeguard Headquarters at Sun Splash Park in Daytona Beach
is a 22,000-square-foot building with a community room.
- The
Volusia Forever land acquisition program continues to preserve
environmentally rich lands through the purchase last year of
nearly 2,000 acres at a cost of $9.4 million including about $2
million contributed from the St. Johns Water Management
District. This brings the inventory of publicly-owned
conservation lands to approximately 32,000 acres.
- The
Deltona Regional Library expansion, in partnership with the City
of Deltona, will double the size of the complex and add an
amphitheater and environmental center. It may qualify for the
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
certification.
-
Incentives have been put in place to encourage developers to
conserve green spaces. Additional county green initiatives are
posted at
www.greenvolusia.org.
- The roads
program has been evaluated by the Volusia/Flagler Higher
Education
Consortium, which helped to prioritize projects and identify
additional sources of funding.
- The
county’s economic development program continues to be robust,
even in a
weakened economy. The county is assisting local companies and
attracting new
employers in an effort to facilitate job retention and creation.
This has included helping the high-tech Raydon Corporation
secure a $1.2 million state grant and supporting expansion at
the municipal airports in DeLand and Ormond Beach. Future plans
call for support of the county’s $790 million agriculture
industry.
- An active
partnership with the Volusia County public school system helps
Volusia County respond to significant budget cuts that threaten
programs, curriculum and extra curricular activities.
- Blighted
areas of the community have benefited from $50 million invested
through Community Redevelopment Area funds.
- Volusia
County continues its commitment to veterans, as underscored by
its Veteran’s Division having been named Service Office of the
Year.
- A new
ordinance encouraging responsible pet ownership has been
adopted.
- A program
in partnership with Stewart Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare
enables the county more effectively to serve chronically
homeless and mentally ill people with community-based programs.
- The
county continues to pursue tax reform, as demonstrated by a
savings to taxpayers of $116 million.
