December 2006

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The Charlotte E-News is distributed by the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners. If you have any questions or comments please direct them to the Communications & Marketing Department ENEWS@charlottecountyfl.com or call 623.1092.

HOT TOPICS

Conservation Charlotte - Conservation Charlotte is looking for seven volunteers to serve on the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Oversight Committee. The membership shall be as follows:  Two members with expertise in business, real estate or land development, three members with expertise relating to environment or in one of the natural sciences; and two members representing civic, charitable or homeowners groups or recreational users of lands or other community interests. In November citizens approved a referendum that set aside funding for the purchase of environmentally sensitive lands.  This committee will be reviewing properties and making recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners for purchase.

Comprehensive Plan Updates - Charlotte Count has recently given approval that Comp Plan amendments be transmitted to the Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for further review.  The Evaluation and Appraisal Reports (EAR) are available for viewing on-line. The 2006 proposed amendments have involved a series of community reviews and workshops which are also available  for viewing on-line via CCTV Video On Demand. 

Charlotte Sports Park Renovations and the Devil Rays are one step closer -  Charlotte County has been notified by the Florida Sports Foundation that the Charlotte County grant request for stadium improvements ($15 million) will be forwarded to the Office of Tourism and Economic Development (OTED) for approval. The Sports Foundation's role is to make a recommendation to OTED for OTED's review.  The final outcome of the grant awards will be announced in early January 2007.

County Courthouse Construction Celebration -  The Board of County Commissioners held a pre-construction ceremony on Wednesday, December 20th.  The historic Courthouse, located in downtown Punta Gorda,  will undergo renovations over the next several months.  Construction is expected to be completed in the Fall of 2007 at a cost of $5.9 million.  The main tenant in the new space will be the Supervisor of Elections.  Additional space is being prepared for courtrooms and additional County office space.

Charlotte County Receives Four Awards - The Florida Government Communicators Association has recognized two County departments for excellence in communications.  The IT Department received a first place trophy as well as a Judges Award for ELMO, the Emergency Management software program they developed to track resources, staffing and information during emergency activations.  The Communications & Marketing Department won two awards for CCTV programming.  Third place in Video Graphics or Animation was awarded for the video Your County/Your Money - What are MSBU's/TU's and another prestigious Judges Award for Charlotte Showcase, the County's monthly news magazine show.  The Judges Award is given to recognize significant accomplishments at low cost.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Summer in the Parks Job Fair - Get a jump on your 2007 summer employment.  The County's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department will be hosting a Summer in the Parks Job Fair at the Port Charlotte Beach Recreation Center on Thursday, December 28 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Information will be available about summer job opportunities in our camp programs. Meet with staff members and find out about this fun, enriching and lucrative way to spend your summer break.  Open to anyone 17 years of age and older (by August 31) who enjoys working with children.  For more information contact Sue Dowling at 627.1628.

Nature Walk - Join a guided nature walk at Oyster Creek Regional Park West on Saturday, January 6, 2007 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.  Join the Environmental Specialists for a walk through the pine flatwoods and explore the mangrove fringe along Oyster Creek.  Oyster Creek Regional Park West is located east of Lemon Bay High School.  Meet at the end of Shadow Lane south off of S.R. 776.  Sturdy walking shoes, sunscreen and drinking water are recommended.  For more information call 941.625.7529.

Yard Sale'n by the Beach - Charlotte County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department will be hosting Yard Sale'n by the Beach on January 21, 2007, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  This community yard sale will take place at the Port Charlotte Beach Recreation center, 4500 Harbor Blvd. Port Charlotte.  Vendors are encouraged to reserve their space by January 19.  Space is limited, so reserve now.  There is no admission charge to shoppers.  For further information call 941.627.1628

MEETINGS

The Board of County Commissioners hold their regular meetings at 9:00 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.  Land use issues are addressed the third Tuesday of each month. (Due to the holidays, the December 26 meeting has been canceled.)

To view the agenda for the Board meetings click here: Commission Agenda.  The meetings can also be viewed live on CCTV20, (Comcast Channel 20) or can be viewed via live stream on our website - Streaming Video 

A variety of government meetings are archived for on-demand viewing. Check out our inventory here: On Demand Video

Charlotte County has dozens of official meetings and activities each month.  For an itemized listing click here: Meeting Calendars

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