FY 2010-11 Adopted Budget - Volusia County Government

The County of Volusia and its ServicesTHE COUNTY OF VOLUSIA AND ITS SERVICESVolusia County was carved from Orange County by the Florida legislature in 1854 and became the 30thof 67 counties in the State of Florida. Geographically, it is located in the eastern part of the State ofFlorida, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Flagler and Putnam Counties to the north, Marionand Lake Counties to the west, and Seminole and Brevard Counties to the south. Its boundaries lieapproximately 40 miles northeast of the city of Orlando, 100 miles south of the city of Jacksonville, 100miles northeast of the city of Tampa, and approximately 200 miles from Tallahassee, the state capital.Volusia County’s historic places reveal a rich and exciting past. The remnants of massive shell heapsalong the Atlantic coast and the St. Johns River tell of numerous bountiful harvests by native people formore than 40 centuries. The name “Volusia” is associated with the community that began as a tradingpost in the early 1800s and developed into an important military supply depot during the SecondSeminole Indian War. The community grew into a prosperous steamboat landing until the introductionof the regional railroad system in the 1880s bypassed the town and ended its era of prosperity.Although historians debate the origin of the word “Volusia”, one theory is that the name is derivedfrom a word meaning “Land of the Euchee.” When the Timucuan Indian cultures died out in the early1700s, the land in the area was uninhabited until some of the Indian tribes to the north began tomigrate into the area. The Euchee Indians were a tribe originally from an area in South Carolina.Early automotive pioneers such as Louis Chevrolet, Ransom Olds, and Henry Ford found that the hardpacked sand, gentle slope and wide expanse of Volusia's beach was the perfect proving ground forearly auto racing. Ormond Beach, in fact, is known as the "Birthplace of Speed."Today, more than 507,105 people call Volusia County home. Our 47 miles of Atlantic Beaches to theeast provide a world class playground for both water and land sports. The Daytona InternationalSpeedway is home to the world-famous Daytona 500 NASCAR race, an event larger than the SuperBowl. The scenic St. Johns River, famed for its bass fishing, links magnificent parks with wildlifepreserves along the County’s western boarder. Volusia County also is headquarters of the LadiesProfessional Golf Association (LPGA), the official American home of the London Symphony Orchestra,and the winter refuge of the endangered Florida manatee. Disney World and the Kennedy SpaceCenter are both about a one hour drive from the County.In June 1970, the electorate abolished the Commission form of government and adopted a Home RuleCharter that was implemented on January 1, 1971. The County operates under a Council/Managerform of government and provides various services including public safety, transportation, health andsocial services, culture/recreation, planning, zoning, environmental, and other community services.Charter amendments approved by the voters in the 2004 election were implemented and changed thecomposition of the seven-member County Council. The County Council now has a Council Chair who iselected countywide and serves a four-year term. One at-large council position, elected countywide,and five district council positions, elected by the voters of their districts, serve four-year terms. TheCouncil is responsible for the promulgation and adoption of policy. The Council-appointed CountyManager is responsible for the execution of said county policy.This document reflects the budgets for those activities, organizations, and functions that are related tothe County and are controlled or dependent upon the County's governing body, the County Council.Control by or dependence on the County is determined on the bases of budget adoption; taxingauthority; authority to establish rates; the County's obligation to finance any deficits that may occur;funding and selection of governing authority and other evidence of financial interdependence; and theability to exercise oversight responsibility.Volusia County Section C - 1