City Council Highlights – October 8, 2018

Last updated on October 08, 2018

CITY COUNCIL

Watch the City Council meeting online.

GENERAL

Breast Cancer Awareness Month 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so you are probably seeing a lot of pink in our community. Prevention and early detection are the key to winning the fight against breast cancer and we are proud to partner with Florida Hospital and UF Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health to help raise awareness. In the last few weeks, we’ve unveiled a pink swan boat at Lake Eola Park, and a pink Orlando Fire Department vehicle.

Come Out With Pride Parade

Next Saturday, October 13, our city family will walk in the annual “Come Out With Pride” Parade and Festival, which includes a one-mile walk at Lake Eola Park. The city is proud to welcome more than 140,000 people to our downtown to enjoy this event as well as a variety of other festivities occurring this week including a 5K, brunch, block party and film screening.

We hope you’re able to join us for one, or a few, of these events to celebrate our differences and spirit of inclusion.

Human Rights Campaign – Municipal Equality Index

For the fifth year in a row, the City of Orlando has received a highest score of 100 on the 2018 Municipal Equality Index (MEI), validating our commitment to an inclusive government that promotes diversity and benefits all sectors of society, including the LGBTQ+ Community. The Municipal Equality Index evaluates 506 cities in the United States on 49 different criteria regarding how inclusive the city’s laws and policies are for the LGBTQ Plus Community.

Orlando is one of a few major cities in Florida and the country to receive a top score of 100.

ITEMS OF NOTE

A # 1, A # 3 – Funding Agreements and Distribution of Community Service Organization Grants/Arts and Cultural Organization Grants

We are awarding grant funds to Community Service and Arts & Cultural organizations that partner with our city to serve our residents. These organizations provide essential services, programs and experiences that improve our quality of life throughout the year, from working to address homelessness in our community to working with our local animal shelters.

This year, due to a reduction in state funding, the city is providing a one-time funding increase to the arts and cultural organizations located in the city limits that were impacted by the state cuts.

Representatives of some of these organizations are here. Please stand as we recognize your organization’s important contributions to our city.

C # 18 – Curry Ford West Main Street 

Council voted on an item that will play an important role in continuing to define and strengthen the neighborhood commercial corridors within the City of Orlando.

They voted to renew the agreements for the existing nine districts in the Orlando Main Streets Program and voted to approve funding for the 10th district, Curry Ford West.

They also voted to approve funding for the addition of a tenth district – Curry Ford West – to the Orlando Main Streets program. Curry Ford West will be the second Market Street in the program, joining Gateway Orlando. Market Streets are specifically designated for the City of Orlando for neighborhood commercial districts that do not meet the criteria outlined by Main Street America to qualify for historic preservation.

Mayor Buddy Dyer congratulated each board member and business involved in Curry Ford West for their hard work and dedication to raising their first-year match and becoming officially incorporated with the State of Florida.