Connection Connection - March 2012

MARION COUNTY’S OFFICIAL NEWS SOURCE
An award-winning publication
County
CONNECTION
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 3 • MARCH 2012
Section
Page(s)
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• Top Story............................................1-2
• Behind the Scenes............................ 2
• News Flash........................................3-4
• County Q&A....................................... 5
• Employee Spotlight.......................... 5
• Pets of the Month............................ 5
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Marion County Commissioners
GOT BIDS?
PROCUREMENT SERVICES WANTS YOU TO…
By Christy Jergens, Marion County Office of Public Information
Mike Amsden, District 1
Kathy Bryant, Vice Chair, District 2
Stan McClain, District 3
Carl Zalak III, District 4
Charlie Stone, Chair, District 5
––––––––––––––––––––––––
Marion County Administrator
CJ: What is Procurement Services
doing to make local vendors more
aware of bid opportunities, ease
any potential hurdles to working
with the county and directly
engage potential vendors?
Find Marion County on: ––––––––––––––––––––––––
Scan the QR
code with your
smart phone
to visit Marion
County online.
Q&A
WITH PROCUREMENT
SERVICES DIRECTOR
SUSAN OLSEN
Dr. Lee A. Niblock
––––––––––––––––––––––––
http://facebook.com/MarionCountyFlorida
http://twitter.com/MarionCountyPIO
PY
TSOTOR
In this Issue
B
everages, fencing services, junk/litter removal, medical
supplies and tire sales/disposal. At first glance, this
seems like a disparate mix of services to group together.
What they have in common, however, is that they’re each one
of the 116 commodity/service areas for which Marion County
Procurement Services (and other county departments) solicit
quotes and proposals.
Marion County reaches out to area businesses on an almost
daily basis to meet departmental needs. The county wants
to have more businesses engaged in the process, though, to
encourage local expenditure of department dollars. This March,
Procurement Services is conducting a monthlong campaign
as part of Procurement Month to increase awareness of
opportunities for local businesses to work with Marion County.
Read our Q&A with Procurement Services Director Susan Olsen
to find out more about the campaign and why local companies
should sign up for the local business directory.
SO: Several things. To make vendors
more aware of opportunities and
directly engage local businesses, we
are hosting a vendor open house
in March that will break down all of
the basics of working with Marion
County. We are also looking to
schedule presentations with local
business and professional groups to
explain in person what they need to
know about working with us and to
sign them up in person for our local
business directory. If that business or
professional group maintains a mailing
list, we would also like to be able to
partner with that group to disseminate
information about opportunities to
work with the county.
Mission Statement
Marion County provides professional and resourceful public services for our citizens through strategic planning
and cost-effective implementation of county initiatives, generating positive results that set the standard for
quality local government.
“Meeting Needs by Exceeding Expectations”
County
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MARION COUNTY’S OFFICIAL NEWS SOURCE
ST
O
TO
RYP
Ocala/Marion County Visitors
& Convention Bureau
To ease potential hurdles, we have
simplified our local business directory
application and are looking at website changes
that will improve information accessibility. If
time or something else is a potential obstacle,
Procurement Services staff is also happy to
assist businesses with filling out a local business
directory application and answer their questions
anytime. In fact, we regularly meet one on one
with vendors to assist in navigating through the
procurement process.
CJ: What are some of the common
misconceptions about doing business with
Marion County?
SO: One of the most common misconceptions is
that we purchase for the School Board, Sheriff’s
Office and City of Ocala. Each of these agencies
has its own purchasing staff and solicits bids for
its respective agency utilizing its own processes.
Another misconception that we encounter is that
we take a long time to pay vendors. We have
purchasing cards in all departments, so vendors
may receive payment immediately if they accept
Visa. If they do not accept Visa, the turnaround
time for payments, other than for construction
projects, is usually two weeks.
CJ: Tell me about the local business
directory. Why is it so important for vendors
to sign up?
SO: This is one of the biggest “perks” that we
have for local vendors. By signing up with the
local business directory, vendors are automatically
notified of quotes and bids specific to the
commodity or service the vendor has chosen on
the application. This is a free service the county
offers to local vendors only. By signing up with our
local business directory, they no longer need to be
a member of DemandStar, which is the service we
currently utilize for automatic notification of bids.
Sharing Marion County
with the world
By Matt Dunn, Ocala/Marion County Visitors & Convention Bureau
Tourism surrounds just about every Florida
resident – visitor spending sustains
thousands of local jobs, enriches our
economy and supports essential services
through sales tax collections. The Ocala/
Marion County Visitors & Convention
Bureau, or VCB, leads this vital industry at
the local level by attracting more travelers
to the community.
the adventure that awaits everyone who’s
lucky enough to enjoy Marion County,
whether for a day, week or lifetime.
Founded in 2006, the VCB brands and
promotes Marion County as a distinctive
vacation and travel destination. Bureau
staff aids that effort by encouraging and
responding to visitor inquiries on a daily basis
and helping to draw large corporate, leisure
and sports events to the county each year.
Looking for something fun to do locally?
Try one of these fun family activities during
spring break (or just about any time thanks
to our region’s fair weather):
Although key efforts focus on attracting visitors
from beyond county lines, the VCB is also
actively involved in promoting local sights and
destinations to county residents. Thousands of
visitors and residents alike access the VCB’s
official website, www.OcalaMarion.com, each
month for ideas on things to see and do in the
area, from outdoor activities to attractions and
special events.
The VCB also staffs a Visitors Center in
downtown Ocala, where guests can find
free vacation information on activities,
accommodations and more. The Visitors
Center is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. and is a perfect place to discover
Learn more about the VCB by visiting www.
OcalaMarion.com or calling 352-438-2800.
VCB’s Sensational Spring
Break Ideas
−Santos Trails (3080 SE 80th St., Ocala)
Hit the trails for some off-road biking
adventure and exercise, or consider
taking some of the other greenway trails
by foot or horseback.
−Rainbow Springs State Park (19158
SW 81st Place Road, Dunnellon)
Swim or snorkel in scenic springs or paddle
and tube the stunning Rainbow River.
−Carney Island Recreation and
Conservation Area (13275 SE 115th
Ave., Ocklawaha) Take a dip along
Marion County’s shoreline beaches
or enjoy a morning or afternoon stroll
through the breathtaking natural scenery
of this conservation area park.
For more information on doing business with Marion
County, contact Procurement Services at 352-6718444 or [email protected].
SAVE THE DATE
for Procurement Services’
Vendor Open House
March 27 – 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For a current listing of Marion County bids,
visit Marion County’s legal notices page.
Did You Know?
−The volunteer Tourist Development Council, −You can find discount coupons for local
appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, attractions at the VCB’s Visitors Center in
provides administrative oversight of the VCB.
downtown Ocala.
−In 2011, more than 100,000 web users visited −VCB efforts have helped attract tournaments
the VCB website, OcalaMarion.com.
such as the USGA Women’s Mid-Amateur
Championship and the Cal Ripken World
Series baseball tournament.
“Meeting Needs by Exceeding Expectations”
2
County
CONNECTION
MARION COUNTY’S OFFICIAL NEWS SOURCE
NEWSFLASH
Spring clean sprucing can have side benefits
By Elaine DeIorio, Marion County Office of Public Information
Maybe it’s the mild weather, open windows and sunshine. Maybe it’s
because a new year means a fresh start. Or maybe it’s just because we
get inspired to de-clutter after packing away our holiday decorations
and winter clothes. Regardless of why, many residents are likely
contemplating a good, deep spring cleaning this time of year. If you’re
joining the thousands of other spring cleaners in this seasonal tradition,
check out the list below to find potential second homes for unneeded
items, money or time savers and more.
– Your child has outgrown his or her
books and you have a shelf of mystery
novels that aren’t quite mysterious
anymore because you already know
whodunit. Donate them to the Marion
County Public Library System and
Friends of the Library groups to help
provide reading material and special
services for Marion residents.
− If new linens and towels would
look better in your home than the ones
currently there, consider donating your
pre-loved towels and blankets to the
homeless cats and dogs at Marion
County Animal Services. With more than
12,000 animals arriving at the facility
each year, the shelter uses a lot of towels
and blankets! On the plus side – the cats and dogs don’t
mind if their blankets are stained or torn a bit.
− If you are getting rid of furniture that’s simply too old to be donated,
you may not have to make the trip to the landfill when getting rid
of that ancient couch. Marion County Solid Waste holds furniture
collection days at various recycling centers throughout the year.
− If your spring cleaning includes the outdoors, keep in mind you can
dispose of two cubic yards (about the size of a standard pick-up
truck bed) of yard waste for free each day at any county recycling
center. Branches should be four feet long (or shorter) and four
inches in diameter (or smaller).
– When trimming trees, be sure no tree
branches or other brush are blocking
your address number on your house.
That’s how emergency responders
locate your house, and it’s the law to
display those numbers clearly. If your
home is 50 feet or more from the road,
post your house numbers at the end of
your driveway – mailboxes don’t count!
– If your clean yard
has you loving the
outdoors again, let
y our green thumb
get a workout by
checking out the
gardening classes,
clinics and free advice
from UF/IFAS Marion
County Extension
Service and UF/
IFAS Marion County
Master Gardeners.
− Perhaps the most
important springtime
practice, however, is
changing the batteries
in your smoke alarms
on March 11 when
daylight saving time
begins. Remember to change your batteries when you change your
clocks (twice a year). Don’t have smoke alarms? Marion County Fire
Rescue provides and installs free of charge one dual-mode smoke
alarm for Marion County residents who cannot afford to purchase
their own.
“Meeting Needs by Exceeding Expectations”
3
County
CONNECTION
Get the VIP
TREATMENT
for your lawn this month
NEWSFLASH
Around
the County
S
pring
has
sprung, and
you may have
already started
planning your lawn
improvements. If so,
you should know that the
Marion County Office of the County Engineer (Stormwater
Section) and UF/IFAS Marion County Extension Service are
partnering to teach homeowners about fertilizer use and
Florida-friendly landscaping.
New flags have been
waving in the wind at
various county facilities.
Rolling Thunder, Inc.
provided these POW/MIA
flags to raise awareness of
and remember our men and
women taken as prisoners
of war or considered
missing in action.
Now in its third year, the “Ask an Expert” program will offer
homeowners an opportunity to talk with a Marion County
Master Gardener in person about proper fertilization, soil
testing and other gardening topics. Booths will be set up
at multiple Lowe’s, Home Depot and Walmart locations
throughout the county on select Saturdays this month.
Can you fill in the blanks when asked the following?
A Florida-friendly plant is _______. Local fertilization
guidelines are ________. The Master Gardeners can. Let
these experts assist you in making the best choices for
your garden during the “Ask An Expert” sessions. In the
process, you will learn just how much fertilizer is really
needed to keep a lawn at its best while preventing excess
nutrients from that fertilizer from leaching or washing into
nearby lakes and springs.
That larger than life presence in the
sky? It’s a blimp from the U.S. Navy,
wintering and testing equipment
at the Marion County Airport in
Dunnellon. This is the second year
that the blimp has come to Marion
County for an extended stay.
Stop by your preferred participating store on a scheduled
day to pick up a few tips and even a free soil test kit to
start giving your lawn the VIP treatment.
“Ask An Expert”
SCHEDULE
March 17 – Home Depot locations
March 24 – Lowe’s locations
After being closed for two months,
one of Marion County Airport’s
two runways is now re-paved and
ready for use. The other runway
was rejuvenated and both received
fresh paint jobs, signaling that the
airport is well-maintained, safe
and able to meet pilot’s needs.
“For pilots, it’s like a billboard
advertisement,” explained John
Helms, the airport’s director.
March 31 – Walmart locations
“Meeting Needs by Exceeding Expectations”
4
County
CONNECTION
MARION COUNTY’S OFFICIAL NEWS SOURCE
County
E M P L O Y E E
SPOTLIGHT
DESI LEIBFRIED
Q&A
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF ASSISTANT
VISITORS & CONVENTION BUREAU
Compiled By Barbra Hernández, Marion County Office of Public Information
What is your educational background?
I graduated from Central Florida Community
College with an associate degree in political
science and then went on to Florida Southern
College and earned my bachelor’s degree in
business with a minor in finance.
When did you start with Marion County?
March 2011
Are you from Marion County originally? If
you’ve lived other places, where have you
lived? I am originally from a Chicago suburb. My
family moved to Marion County when I was in
fifth grade. I have also lived in Orlando and New
York City.
What’s your favorite or most rewarding
part of your job? I enjoy speaking with visitors,
whether over the phone or in person, at our
Visitors & Convention Bureau. I enjoy telling them
about all the fun things we have to do in Marion
County. I am thankful for my coworkers, who are
very supportive, and for the wonderful volunteers
we have working with us!
What would you like for the average
resident to know about your department
or position? I would love for residents to stop
by the Visitors Center located at 112 N. Magnolia
Ave. in Ocala. I am sure they will be surprised to
find an attraction, restaurant, event or fun activity
they didn’t know we had here in Marion County.
I would also like for them to utilize our website,
www.OcalaMarion.com; we are always updating
the current events page, which is a great resource
for local citizens.
What’s the oddest job you’ve ever had?
When I lived in Orlando, I worked backstage at a
runway show at the Orange County Convention
Center. It was fast-paced and exciting, but
definitely an interesting experience.
Tell us a little about your home life. I have
a wonderful husband at home and we share
an English bulldog named Wrigley. We are
expecting our first child in May, and we are both
just thrilled!
Q: What is the relationship between Marion
County and other governments within
the county? Are their services related
somehow, or does the county provide
oversight over any of those areas?
A: There are five municipalities in Marion County
– Ocala, Dunnellon, Belleview, Reddick and
McIntosh. Those areas and their government
and government-provided services operate
independently from Marion County unless there
is a partnership established between one or more
of them and the county for a particular service.
For example, Marion County Fire Rescue provides
ambulance service to all of Marion County
(including the various municipalities) through
various interlocal agreements; several of those
municipalities (Dunnellon and Ocala), however,
prefer to have their own fire departments, which
operate according to policies established by the
cities of Dunnellon and Ocala respectively.
Pets Month
––
of
the
––
By Elaine DeIorio, Marion County Office of Public Information
Blimpy
(A064621)
Chanel
(A066511)
Blimpy (A064621) – Blimpy used to live in
an RV with 45 other dogs, so he’s quite happy
to have some space and food for himself here
at Marion County Animal Services. But this 15pound Dachshund is dreaming of a family and
forever home. He’s only 1 year old and has
plenty of memories to make! Make memories
and Blimpy’s dream come true by adopting
him today.
The adoption fee for Blimpy (A064621) or
Chanel (A066511) is only $40 and includes
their spay/neuter surgeries, county licenses,
current vaccinations and microchips. Call
Marion County Animal Services at 352671-8700 for more information or visit the
department Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m.-5:30
p.m. or Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Chanel (A066511) – Chanel the fashion
house celebrates the classics, and Chanel the
cat is no different. Cat Chanel’s must-have
classics (loving owner, home and care), are
much more attainable, however, and need to
be provided by an area resident. Will you help
this fashion namesake get back to basics?
Calendar of Events
Find out what events
are coming up in Marion
County. Check the online
calendar of events.
“Meeting Needs by Exceeding Expectations”
5