Council Highlights – March 14, 2022
Last updated on March 14, 2022
Council Update – March 14, 2022
Awards/Presentations/Recognitions
Celebrating the 2021 Mayor's Leadership Award
- Lynne Banks, Labor Relations
- Craig Borkon, Venues
MAYOR’S UPDATE
General Items
Redistricting Meetings
Last month City Council appointed the 2022 Redistricting Advisory Board to begin the process of determining changes needed to the boundaries of the City of Orlando’s six commission districts.
There are several ways residents can participate in the redistricting process, including submitting a feedback form, attending an in-person or remote meeting, and drawing your own district map. Today until 8 p.m. at the Beardall Senior Center there is an open house that provides an opportunity for residents to learn more.
Residents can also visit orlando.gov/redistricting for the meeting schedule and to learn more about how they can help shape Orlando for the next decade.
Women’s History Month and Staff Honors
March is Women’s History Month and I am proud that our community is working together to create an environment that advances opportunities for women to achieve their dreams. We are also proud to serve alongside Commissioners Sheehan and Hill, and so many City employees who are making and shaping our city’s history.
We also want to recognize two of our team members who recently received professional accolades. Fiscal manager Carmen Rasnick was selected to the Orlando Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list. And Deputy Chief Financial Officer Rosa Akhtarkhavari was recognized by Florida CIO as a Chief Information Officer of the Year in our state.
Mike Carroll Retirement
Speaking of employee achievements, after thirty-six years with the City of Orlando, this will be the final City Council meeting for Mike Carroll. Mike has served as the Solid Waste Division manager for more than 25 years and is known for his passion about garbage and recycling collection.
Mike we are looking forward to presenting you with your retirement proclamation at a staff celebration later this month. But we understand that your daughters have described you as the “Head Garbage Man” at the city. So your team at Solid Waste has asked us to proclaim you as “Honorary Head Garbage Man” and present you with a key.... to the city’s dumpsters. Mike, please come on down for a photo with the entire City Council.
Items of Note
EDV #9 Building Permit Fee Rebate for Certified Affordable Housing Project Pilot Program
Switching over to items of note, one of the city’s top priorities is to ensure anyone who wants to call Orlando home has access to safe, quality housing they can afford.
As a city, we’ve made great strides in increasing our inventory of affordable housing in recent years by investing $43 million toward the construction or rehabilitation of more than 1,700 multi-family units and more than 150 new residences.
We are always looking to explore additional ways to encourage the development of additional affordable housing in our city.
On today’s agenda is a pilot program to use portions of our building fund revenues to provide a rebate or reduction in building-code related permit fees for certified affordable housing developments.
The proposed pilot program is just one approach to incentivizing and promoting affordable housing units in Orlando and we will continue to forge partnerships with our regional government partners, state and federal government and private sector partners to increase our housing inventory.
EDV#12 & CRA#4 Iron Galaxy STRIVE/ High Wage High Value Agreements
Lastly, also on today’s agenda is an item that will further our efforts to diversify downtown Orlando’s economy and accelerate Orlando’s reputation as a national epicenter for game design and development.
Today, we seek to approve a package of actions to support the relocation of Iron Galaxy Orlando and 90 jobs to downtown Orlando. With their headquarters located in Chicago, Iron Galaxy Orlando is the second largest privately held video game developer in North America that helps other game developers create their games through their services division. Innovative companies like Iron Galaxy are essential to strong demand growth and growing a healthy economy.