Broward County Budget 2010 Information Available Online

Residents can access information for the County’s fiscal year 2010 Budget online. The Web site includes presentations from the budget planning workshops, most frequently asked questions and answers, a review of the budget process and more. Public hearings offering opportunity for the public to comment on the budget will be held on September 10 and September 22, 2009 at 5:01 p.m. Hearings will be televised on participating cable channels and visit the budget Web site at www.broward.org/2010Budget.

Port Everglades Gets “Green Light” to Explore “Cold Ironing”

Port Everglades has gotten the “green light” from the Broward County Commission to explore the possibility of installing shore-side power, commonly called “cold ironing,” at the new Cruise Terminal 18, which will be the year-round homeport terminal for Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis-class ships. If deemed fiscally and operationally feasible, Port Everglades will become the first seaport on the East Coast of the United States to install cold ironing.

Cold ironing allows a ship to shut off its engines and operate with shore-side electrical power as opposed to burning diesel fuel while the ship is docked in the port. The Oasis-class ships, the two largest cruise ships in the world, would experience annual reductions of 40.9 percent less CO2 emissions, 97.7 percent less nitrogen oxide emissions, 95.2 percent less sulfur dioxide emissions, and 88.1 percent less particulate matter.

County Gets Ready for Census 2010

Every 10 years since 1790, the U.S. Bureau of the Census counts residents across the country. All residents are counted, including citizens, non-citizens, mobile families, the homeless, people of all ages and all ethnicities. A complete count for Broward County is critical as Census numbers are used to determine Congressional representation and funding for important projects in the local community.

A Broward County Complete Count Committee has been formed with broad representation from businesses, the media, human service agencies, not-for-profit agencies, community groups and government. The purpose of this committee is to raise awareness about the importance of Census 2010, reach out to hard-to-enumerate groups, and encourage participation in the Census.

Census forms will be mailed to every household in March 2010 and Census Day is April 1, 2010. The brief questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete, and asks for the name, gender, age, race, ethnicity and relationship to the householder, and whether the householder owns or rents their home. Information is completely confidential and cannot be shared with any government agency – not law enforcement, welfare agencies, the IRS, FBI or Immigration.

You should fill out your census form wherever you are on the day you receive it, regardless of where you live at other times of the year.

For more information, visit www.broward.org/census2010. Representatives from the Complete Count Committee are available to speak to community groups and associations. Email census2010@broward.org to request a speaker.

State Implements New License Requirement for Shoreline Anglers

Beginning August 1, 2009, Broward County resident saltwater anglers who fish from shore or a structure affixed to shore are now required to purchase a shoreline fishing license, unless they have a regular resident saltwater fishing license. The new license goes on sale July 15.

Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury Division, working in conjunction with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), is responsible for the sale of the fishing licenses, which are valid for one year from date of issue. They can be purchased at the Broward County Governmental Center, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Room A100, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or online at www.broward.org. Click on “Purchase Hunting/Fishing License” under Top Online Services. The cost of the shoreline fishing license is $7.50, plus administrative and handling fees. See Licenses.

For more information about outdoor recreation and FWC programs, go to MyFWC.com.

Twenty-Six New Florida Master Gardeners to Serve Broward County

Twenty-six Florida Master Gardeners recently passed a three-hour written and a two-hour laboratory exam at the University of Florida-Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences/Broward County Extension Office, 3245 College Ave., Davie. The exam was the culmination of the 14-week, 112-hour intensive lecture, laboratory, and field Master Gardener training course.

These 26 join the ranks of 157 active Florida Master Gardeners, bringing the total serving Broward County residents to 183. Florida Master Gardeners of Broward County are guided by 34 Local Master Gardener Coordinators in charge of activities in 28 cities. This class is represented by students from Cooper City, Coral Springs, Davie, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Sunrise, and Southwest Ranches. The two students from Miramar, Anthony Harvey and Tony Dubon, are the first Master Gardeners ever trained from that city, and they will be leading a significant campaign to bring sustainable, Florida-Friendly™ landscaping to their community, in partnership with the City of Miramar, local homeowners associations, and others.

The next Master Gardener training course will begin on September 9, with applications and interviews scheduled for late August. For information about the Florida Master Gardeners, call the Extension Education Office at 954-370-3725. For information regarding the next class, contact Brenda Roby or visit Master Gardener.

To Receive Community Update Please Send Email to Us

Community Update, a monthly newsletter from the Board of County Commissioners, is produced by the Office of Public Communications. Address questions concerning articles to 954-357-6990. To receive Community Update electronically, send an email to publicinfo@broward.org. Please include your first and last name and email address. Hearing impaired residents can call the TTY line at 954-831-3940 for additional information.