New Happenings in our Economic Development Office

• Our Economic Development Department recognizes the value of our employees and our citizens in helping to identify business prospects. They are focusing on the local connection with the slogan “We mean business”. Bringing new business to Lee County benefits all of us, and everybody knows somebody who would enjoy the benefits of doing business here. More information on this issue will be posted to the County Manager blog in the near future, in the mean time please see the attached link:

http://www.leecountybusiness.com/HelpUsGrow.aspx

Our Facilities Management Department is busy with implementing energy resource management.

• Since the BoCC approved the Guideline for Developing Facility Specific Energy/Resource Management Plans in Lee County Owned or Leased Properties, Facilities Management has met with individual customers, reviewed their energy/resource usage with them and worked cooperatively to customize plans which meet their individual operational needs. This team approach was decided upon rather than issuing a “one size fits all” mandated plan which would have been very difficult to implement and almost impossible to enforce. By letting each group play an active part in the design of their own energy/resource reduction plan and then sending out monthly updates of their progress, customers become proactive, knowledgeable consumers. They see how changes to their operation can have a cumulative impact in the overall consumption of energy/resources and in most cases, after the initial implementation of the Plan, they come up with additional more aggressive ideas as they see the real cost savings grow from their efforts.

Since implementation of the Plan in 2007, Lee County has seen a drop from the highest annual cost of electricity from $17.6 million dollars to the just completed year, 2009 of $14.2 million. This decrease is even more significant when realized that it was accomplished while the amount of square feet did not decrease or even remain constant but grew from 2,525,248 square feet in 2006 (the year prior to plan approval) to 3,611,922 in 2009, an increase of over 1 million square feet. As proof that the dollars saved are not a result of decreased energy cost (which have actually increased), Lee County reduced its electric consumption during the last calendar year by 1.8 million KWh compared to the previous year, this is the energy consumed by approximately 180 homes in a year.

 

We are on the move……………….

• Watch for our New LeeTran gasoline-electric hybrid bus. This is new innovative technology, which uses no transmission and produces close to zero emissions.

Congratulations to our Solid Waste Department

• On January 12, 2010, Governor Charlie Christ and the Florida Cabinet recognized Lee County, by resolution, as a recipient of a Sustainable Florida Best Practice Award. Lee County received one of nine, state-wide awards, as determined by the Florida Sustainable - Collins Center. All award recipients were recognized by the Governor and Cabinet during their regular meeting this past Tuesday.

Lee County’s award is in the category of “Sustainable Florida Business Partnership”, along with Covanta Energy, Inc., for the recent expansion of the County’s Waste-To-Energy Facility. The “Best Practice” award recognizes the project for its positive role and commitment to blending environmental respect with economic growth and equity in opportunities.

The Sustainable Florida Collins Center’s mission is to advance the vision of sustainability by identifying, supporting and communicating best management practices — those which protect and preserve Florida's environment while building markets for Florida's businesses by enhancing their competitive advantages today. For more than 15 years, Sustainable Florida - Collins Center has served as the premier statewide champion for sustainability.

 

Special Thanks to our Volunteer Drivers serving our local Veterans ….

• The Lee County Veterans Service Office provides van service from their office in Fort Myers to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Bay Pines, FL. The van runs Monday through Friday, departing at 6:45am from the Veterans Service Office and the drivers are volunteers.

The volunteer van drivers were recognized on Saturday, January 9 at the VFW Post 8463 in Cape Coral. In 2009 the van service transported 2,493 Veterans from Fort Myers to St. Petersburg. A total of 228 trips were made, driving 57,570 miles during the year with no accidents.

 

• There will be a soft opening of the Art of the Olympians museum on January 29th. The Art of the Olympians promotional 1 hour video featuring Olympic Gold Medalist Peggy Fleming will be televised on public television stations nation wide within the next few months.