Fiscal Year 2013 Recommended Budget Book - Lake County

Conservation and ComplianceMission Statement:To guarantee the fair and equitable enforcement of the Lake County Land Development Regulations, the Animal ControlOrdinance and other elements of the Lake County Code for the citizens of Lake County; act as an adjunct to the JudicialSystem and law enforcement by providing supervision and oversight of individuals sentenced to probation for misdemeanoroffenses; act as the County’s liaison on water-related issues to ensure future accessibility of this essential resource to currentand future generations; and to enforce any violations in order to protect property rights and value, and to ensure the healthand safety of its citizens that they may maintain a higher quality of life.Program Descriptions:• The Code Enforcement Services Division guarantees fair and equitable enforcement of Lake County LandDevelopment Regulations to all citizens of Lake County. This protects property rights and value, ensures health andsafety, and encourages citizens to see and maintain a higher quality of life.• The Probation Services Division provides supervision to offenders placed on probation and Pre-trial Intervention forcriminal traffic and misdemeanor offenses and ensures their compliance with Court-ordered sanctions in accordance withChapter 948 of Florida Statutes. The Division helps promote a crime free lifestyle by requiring offenders to be employed,perform community service, make restitution, attend counseling and remain substance free as appropriate.The Probation Division also provides the following services: Teen Court andWork In Lieu of Arrest (WILA) Diversion Programs for juveniles identifiedby the Juvenile Court, Department of Juvenile Justice, and Office of the StateAttorney, Electronically monitored house arrest supervision of sentencedmisdemeanor offenders identified by the Courts and Office of the StateAttorney as an alternative to incarceration, Placement and monitoring ofmisdemeanor offenders sentenced to perform community service throughnonprofit community agencies, Enforcement of restitution orders requiring offenders to pay victimsfor losses as directed by the court, Vehicle Immobilization enforcement services for offendersconvicted of Driving Under the Influence of drugs or alcohol.• The Animal Services Division provides for public safety and animal welfare, and enforces local ordinances and statestatutes. The Division promotes responsible pet ownership, helps reunite lost pets with their families and helps peopleselect a new furry friend. Animal Services is the countywide receiving facility for housing thousands of strays, animalsin quarantine and unwanted domestic animals as well as providing full service to all unincorporated areas and twelvemunicipalities within Lake County. The Division’s shelter operations had more than 36,000visitors to the facility and the staff cared for over 18,000 animals. Dispatchers fielded morethan 44,000 telephone inquiries from the public and local law enforcement. Each AnimalControl Officer served 17,790 households in our County and traveled hundreds of miles perweek. The Animal Services Division is committed to providing a safe community andquality service to the citizens of Lake County.Department Goals and Objectives:Lake County is a High Performance Organization:• The Animal Services Division is working to improve its pet licensing program through the addition of a new web-basedprogram for veterinarians to log rabies vaccinations through the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) website andfield operations enforcement. An increase of $78,000 in additional revenue to support the operational budget is expected.The Divisions’ recycled pet product program, with its continued support from private donors and the BCC to offset theexpenses for the spay/neuter clinic, expects to receive $8,980 in donations from recycled pet products. The AnimalServices Division will continue to work on its animal shelter volunteer program, which currently has 21 active members.With the addition of promotional signage in all of the County’s departments and divisions, an increase in media stories,F - 21