Monroe County Facts for 2006

Through the hard work of Monroe County staff many positive outcomes were accomplished in 2006 on behalf of Monroe County citizens. The mission of Monroe County is to provide outstanding public service responsive to the needs of our citizens, our unique community, and our environment.

Did you know that over the past year . .

The Community Services Division:

· Provided over 4,500 meals per month or 54,000 meals for the year.

• Health Education services; Osteoporosis Screenings, Safety Training for Seniors, Epilepsy Education, Nutrition Education, Project Hope(Hurricane Wilma recovery program), Flu and Pneumonia Shots, Cardiac Care education, Phones for the Hearing Impaired.
• Informational and enrichment programs: Black History Education, Preparing for Emergencies, Hurricane Education, Senior Lunchtime Music Concert Series, Art for Older Adults, Nutrition Sites/Senior Centers Holiday celebrations.
• In-home Services served over 225 clients.
• Monroe County Transit (MCT) served 31,862 clients. MCT has a newer fleet of vehicles which are better maintained with less downtime, with new features, more comfort and efficient for a greater level of service to clients.
• Community Support Services (CSS) served over 700 clients. LIHEAP guidelines changed and increased the amount of money for all residents under 150% of poverty level. The increased funds available to clients enabled eligible residents the opportunity to get their electric bills completely paid during crisis periods.

• Bayshore Manor (BSM) the County’s assisted living facility serves 16 full time residents and 6-8 respite clients in a completely re-painted facility with all new furniture and Art in Public Places art displays.
• Libraries welcomed 490,455 visitors to the five Libraries countywide. Added 4,084 registered borrowers for a total of 40,514. Logged 93,081 users of the in-house internet computer access. Enabled 128,252 off-site searches of the Horizon catalog portal.
• Extension Services served residents through 2,463 phone calls, 747 office visits, 410 site/client visits, 632 group teaching events, 455 media materials, and 11,970 bulletins distributed. Assisted in conducting First Annual Florida Keys Seafood Festival in Key West, approximately 5,000 people attended. rain barrel project, 21 insect fact sheets of common insect pests, The 4-H Agent expanded the Seasons of Service (SOS) 4-H Club to include several new high school and middle school members in the Upper Keys and Marathon areas.          
• Animal Control: Florida Keys SPCA adopted out 387 animals and spayed/neutered 986 animals. Implemented PetPoint, enabling staff to track animals, provide more accurate reporting, share data within the shelter and externally, and operate more efficiently. Stand Up for Animals, Inc. (SUFA) adopted out 267 animals and spayed/neutered 510 animals. Established a micro-chipping program for cats. Received two grants from PetSmart Charities helping to cover veterinary costs. Humane Animal Care Coalition (HACC) Adopted out 100% of adoptable dogs and 99% of adoptable cats. Realized a 51% reduction of animals coming into the shelter, which is attributed to this success to the free spay/neuter program that is provided by HACC at no cost to Monroe County.

Employee Services Division:

• Revised the Safety Manual, Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual and Health Plan Document.
• Training:  Safety Workshops for supervisors and safety representatives, Supervisor Training on policies and procedures and Sensitivity Disability Training for all employees.
• In July 2006 finalized the Teamsters Contract.
• Mission, Vision and Values became part of New Employee Orientation and made available in Spanish to the Spanish speaking workforce.  The Division also updated its Mission Statement.
• 676 applications and 111 New Hires were processed for employment.

Engineering:

• Design, construction, completion and grand opening of the Key Largo Skate Park,
• Managed in various stages of completion, 50+ Capital Improvement Projects worth over $100 million, including roads and bridges, parks, buildings, and wastewater projects throughout Monroe County.
• Construction of the Duck Key recreational pathway.
• Hurricane response – inspection and repair of county roads after hurricane Wilma; overseeing debris collection and disposal.
• Completion of Big Pine X paving project – major road project that included resurfacing roads, widening, improving drainage.
• Engineering is fully staffed for the first time in a couple of years!

Wastewater project:

· Interlocal Agreements with the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority for wastewater treatment systems in the Big Coppitt Key, Duck Key, and Cudjoe Summerland Service Areas were executed.

· Received $225K in grant funding from the South Florida Water Management District for stormwater management improvements on Big Pine and Duck Keys.

· The County has made great progress in wastewater projects. As of December 12, 2006, the total existing equivalent dwelling units (EDUs) in the Phase 1-3 expanded area on Stock Island equaled 1066 resulting in 55% connection.

Budget and Finance:

• Received Distinguished Budget Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the current fiscal year. This makes the eighth consecutive year that Monroe County has received this award. The award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting.

Growth Management

Planning Department

• Completed the Stock Island CommuniKeys Master Plan
• Completed the Stock Island Corridor Enhancement Plan
• Completed the Key Largo CommuniKeys Master Plan
• Completed the Key Largo Corridor Enhancement Plan
• Completed the Scenic Highway Interpretive Master Plan
• Completed the Tier System
• Completed the correction and conversion to electronic format of the Lower Keys Land Use District (zoning) Map
• In conjunction with the Department of Environmental Protection, office of Greenway and Trails, completed the safety improvement of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Path
• Initiated the corridor enhancement concept plan to improve aesthetics and traffic flow in Key Largo
• Started the Lower Keys Communikeys Master Plan process
• Created and distributed the handouts for permitting (including ROGO and NROGO) process to assist and educate the lay person
• In conjunction with the Marine Resources Department, initiated the Working Waterfront Master Planning process.

Code Enforcement

• Assisted with assessment of County wide ADA compliance inspections of County facilities
• Had 255 Abandoned vehicle cases brought into compliance
• Had 115 Abandoned Vessel cases brought into compliance
• Had 105 Unsafe Structure cases brought into compliance
• Completed 482 Flood Plane Compliance inspections
• Rewrote and Implemented new ordinance regarding Unlicensed Contractors

Marine Resources

• Hurricane Wilma Clean-up complete

§ 45,129 lobster/stone crab traps removal

§ 436 + Vessels removed

§ All storm damaged Aids to Navigation replaced

§ Canal clean-up occurring on 20 + sites

• Pump-out vessel

§ 600 + vessels pump-out

§ 17,475 gallons (estimated) pumped

• 3 “Vessel Be Gone” Days held
• 1^st Phase of Working Waterfront project complete
• 2^nd Phase of Working Waterfront project well underway

§ Marine facilities survey

§ Marina siting / Working Waterfront preservation plans well underway

GIS

· Aerial Photos of the Keys complete

· Tier layer  complete

· Lower Keys Zoning Layer complete

· Pre 1986 Zoning/ Pattison Zoning  / Craig Zoning maps and FLUM maps scanned and available on-line

Building dept

• Issued 6244 Permits
• Completed 29,974 Inspections

Monroe County Fire Rescue:

· Answered over 3,458 calls for service.  Approximately 182 Fire related calls, 2439 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) calls, 649 Service calls (Public Assists) and 99 false alarms.

Public Works:

• Completed replacement of Harry Harris Park culverts (partially funded w/$32,000 from TDC capital improvement grant);
• Replaced and surplused approx. 35 storm-damaged vehicles;
• Implemented new in-house generator maintenance program;
• Replaced four tiki huts at Veteran’s Park that were destroyed by Hurricane Wilma;
• Repaired sod at KL and Bernstein Park (total re-sod would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars);
• Had five sewer plant tanks removed from the Stock Island Detention Facility, at no-cost to the County;
• Relocated Plantation Key Public Works to the Spottswood Substation;
• Replaced the scales at the Long Key Transfer Station;
• The Solid Waste Department transferred 104,112 tons of trash and garbage; 5,100 tons of recyclables; and 5,350,018 gallons of sludge/septage out of the Keys over the past year.
• Implemented free residential hurricane dumping program from January ’06 to 3/3/06;
• Paving Crew paved the following roads in Key Largo:  Ocean View, Trinidad, Palm, Seaside, Bonito, Snapper, Lobster; the following roads in Key Largo Trailer Court:  Buttonwood, West 2^nd Court, West 1^st Court, Allen, James, Park; the intersections of US 1 and Bonito, Lobster & Snapper; Burton. Drive and Harry Harris Park Wilma repairs.

Technical Services:

· New Technical Services Division Director hired

· Completed Wireless Internet Project for Libraries – Public WiFi available in all Libraries.

· Implemented new County Intranet page

· Implemented Live Streaming Video and Video On Demand services available through County website.

· Comprehensive networking monitoring system installed that predicatively notifies technicians of potential failures.

· The County switchboard receives 1,100 calls for information a day or approximately 286,000 calls a year.

· The Monroe County website receives over 1 million hits a month.

Veterans Affairs assisted over 13,000 clients, including 115 homeless veterans.

Key West International Airport terminal accommodates over 563,000 passengers annually.  This amounts to processing the entire population of Key West through the terminal every 16 days.