Fiscal Year 2013 Recommended Budget Book - Lake County

Public ResourcesMission Statement:To provide and promote life enriching experiences that exceed expectations for Lake County residents and visitors.Program Descriptions:• Administration provides administrative and financial oversight of the department and recommends related policies,goals, objectives and budgets; and coordinates operation and scheduling of the Umatilla and Paisley Community Centers,which serve the local communities and hosts congregate meals for the elderly through Mid-Florida Community Services.The Fairgrounds program, also under Administration, is operated by Lake County, except during the Lake County Fair,when it is operated by the Lake County Fair Association. The Fairground facilities are rented out for special events and alocal Farmer’s Market is held at the Fairgrounds every Thursday.• The Agricultural Education Services Division, also known as Lake County Extension, is a division of the University ofFlorida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) operated in conjunction and cooperation with the LakeCounty Board of County Commissioners. The Division provides research-based information and educational resourcesfrom the University of Florida through various workshops, seminars, individual consultations, agricultural business sitevisits, newsletters, plant clinics and demonstrations. The Lake CountyExtension Program areas of expertise include: Urban Horticulture/MasterGardeners, Family and Consumer Sciences, 4-H Youth Development,Livestock and Natural Resources, Commercial Ornamental HorticultureProduction and Commercial Fruit Production. In addition to numerousprograms and events for commercial agriculture and citizens, the division hostsa successful Annual Farm Tour to introduce citizens to the agriculture in thecounty. The Horticultural Learning Center (HLC) also falls under the Divisionand is an educational resource that supports programs in horticulture,gardening, landscape design, and natural-resource management. The Lake County Water Authority provided a grant toinstall a cistern at the HLC and solar panels as part of a pilot project activity under the Energy Efficiency andConservation Block Grant (EECBG.); these two amenities have increased educational opportunities relating to waterresources and energy efficiency. The Discovery Gardens, covering four acres, are a series of themed demonstrationgardens designed to serve as a hands-on-learning tool. The Mobile Irrigation Lab Program assists commercial citrusgroves and nurseries with conserving water, along with inspecting irrigation systems and recommending enhancementsand efficiencies to save water and money. The Division also provides a staff assistant for the Lake Soil and WaterDistrict Board. Staff works closely with the Mobil Irrigation Lab Program and assists the Soil and Water District withprojects that inform the public about conservation programs. The Lake Soil and Water Conservation District Boardsponsors three educational events annually. The annual Land Judging competition invites student group teams to testtheir knowledge by judging soils. The District sponsors an Envirothon which is a natural resource education programtraditionally held at Hickory Point. The third event is a poster and speech contest with the annual theme selected by theNational Association of Conservation Districts. In addition to the educational events, the District holds an annual treegive away of approximately 1,500 bare root tree seedlings in honor of Florida Arbor Day.• The Library Services Division provides administration for six branch libraries and coordination of the Lake CountyLibrary System. The Lake County Library System is a single-county cooperative public library system with six countybranch libraries and nine municipal member libraries, with the Lake County BCC designated as the administrative headof the system. The Lake County Library System’s mission is “to serve as the gateway tothe world of information, ideas, and entertainment for all county residents”. Themember libraries participate in the system through interlocal agreements between theCounty and municipalities in order to provide citizens with consistency of serviceregardless of location. One of the highlights of the system is the partnership betweenLake County, Lake-Sumter Community College and the University of Central Florida tooperate the Cooper Memorial Library, a branch library in Clermont. The Divisionconsists of Administration, Public Services and Support Services. Administration andF - 111