Census Day is April 1 – Your Community is Counting on You!

Many Broward County residents have already received a 2010 Census Form in the mail. Please take 10 minutes to complete your form and mail it back. A complete and accurate count helps ensure our local community receives a fair share of funding for important programs and services.

Don’t be concerned if your Census form contains a pre-printed home mailing address different from what you are accustomed to seeing or using. The 20-digit identification number on your individual form links back to the U.S. Census Bureau’s master address and geographic files, which were physically verified by on-the-ground census workers who located each housing unit. The pre-printed address is the result of a cost-saving measure that streamlines how the forms are sorted and delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Completing your Census form with this information on it will not affect which city, town or block your household’s responses will be assigned to when the census results are tabulated.

If you have not received a Census Form by April 12, call the Bureau’s toll-free help line at 1-866-872-6868 or visit www.2010.census.gov/2010census.

County Opens Satellite Recording Office in Plantation

The Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury Division has opened a new satellite Recording Office located at 1800 N.W. 66th Ave., Suite 101, in Plantation. Hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

With the exception of plats, all other recording services are available at this new location. Documents are returned to the customer immediately upon completion of the recording. The County will maintain its main location in the Governmental Center, Room 114, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale.

The Recording Office records such items as deeds, declarations of domicile, foreign judgments, domestic partnership registration and offers several forms on their Web site at www.broward.org/records. For more information, call 954-831-4000 or 3-1-1.

Port Everglades Offers More Summer Cruise Vacations Than Ever Before

Anyone interested in cruise vacations will have more summer sailing options than ever before with five multi-day cruise ships and one daily cruise ship sailing from Broward County’s Port Everglades.

Cruise ships sailing from Port Everglades this summer include: Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Freedom, Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Solstice, Princess Cruises’ Emerald Princess, Royal Caribbean International’s Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas and day-cruise Discovery Cruises’ Discovery Sun. Details on the latest cruise offerings are available at www.porteverglades.net.

Airport Launches New Web Site

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) has a brand new Web site that is more user friendly, easier to navigate, and available in 56 languages. Access to flight information and traveler tips is easier than ever. The site also offers current weather information. Every page has a printer-friendly option. More...

Make a Splash at a Broward County Water Park

Three of the County’s four aquatics facilities are now open for the season on weekends only, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Paradise Cove at C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines; Tropical Splash at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill; and Castaway Island at T.Y. Park in Hollywood. No sessions will be in effect. Splash Adventure at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach is undergoing renovations and will reopen later in the season.

For specific information, call the park of your choice: C.B. Smith Park, 900 N. Flamingo Road, 954-437-2650; Central Broward Regional Park, 3700 N.W. 11th Place, 954-321-1170; and T.Y. Park, 3300 N. Park Road, 954-357-8811, or visit www.broward.org/parks.

365 Food Drive Exceeds 1 Ton of Food; Pasta Items Sought During April

During the first two months of Broward County’s 365 Food Drive, residents and employees donated 2,392 pounds of food and toiletries. The donations benefit the Million Meals Committee, which distributes food to local food pantries and social services agencies throughout Broward County. The 365 Food Drive began in January as a year-round effort to help meet the increased need of local food banks caused by the economic downturn.

The campaign continues in April, when it’s “raining pasta” with an emphasis on donations of pasta, macaroni and cheese and canned pasta sauce. Small toiletry items and other types of non-perishable food items are always appreciated. Collection boxes are available at the Governmental Center, Government Center West, main and regional courthouses, all Broward County libraries, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Administration building, and Port Everglades Administration building. More...

Broward MPO Offers Grants for Bike Racks

The Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization has announced that the Bicycle Parking Facilities Project will provide funds for the purchase of bicycle racks to such eligible applicants as commercial property owners, local governments and businesses within Broward County.

The purpose of this project is to encourage the use of bicycles for personal transportation as an alternative to motor vehicles. Bicyclists also need the assurance that their bicycle can be placed in a secure manner when they arrive at their destination. Eligible applicants seeking to acquire funds for a bicycle rack can call Mark Horowitz, Broward MPO Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator, for more information at 954-357-6641.

95 Express Bus Pass can be Purchased Online

New, premium 31-Day bus passes can now be purchased online for $85. The pass allows unlimited rides for 31 consecutive days on the new 95 Express bus service, and is also accepted on all regular fixed route buses. Also available is a premium 10-Ride bus pass for $23, good for up to 10 rides at any time. To purchase online, visit www.broward.org/bct and click PURCHASE BUS PASS.

Property Tax Exemption Filing Dates Announced For April 2010

The Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office hosts a series of community outreach events each month throughout Broward County. Deputy Appraisers will be available to assist with Homestead, Senior and other property tax exemption applications, as well as answer questions on property taxes. The outreach program is designed to provide convenient and accessible service to the residents of Broward County. For further information, visit www.bcpa.net or contact the Outreach Department by phone at 954-357-5579 or email at kbrown@bcpa.net.

Stimulus Grant Provides Life Line for Broward’s Cultural Arts

Fourteen cultural organizations in Broward County received a lifeline in the form of a federal grant administered through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Forty-three jobs were directly saved by this program.

Through this economic stimulus package, Broward Cultural Division received a $250,000 grant, and in turn, re-granted the funds, through an NEA Life Line application process. These funds were specifically directed to save existing jobs in the arts. Arts organizations had the opportunity to apply for funds to provide salary support for an existing staff member who would otherwise have been laid off; or to re-engage artistic/contracted services. More...

Get Money Back When You Buy Energy Star

Saving energy without spending too much money just got easier. The State of Florida will offer a 20 percent rebate off the retail price of a new qualified ENERGY STAR appliance from April 16 to 25. Rebates shall be available only for the following ENERGY STAR certified appliances and products: gas tank-less water heaters, clothes washers, refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, and room air-conditioners. Rebates only apply to the purchase of the appliance and not to delivery or installation costs. This program is available to all Florida residents through a mail-in rebate application and it is timed to coincide with Florida Earth Day Activities.

In addition to the rebate for purchasing the ENERGY STAR appliance, consumers will also receive an additional $75 if they provide evidence of having recycled the old appliance. That evidence may consist of a statement on the retailer receipt indicating pick-up of the old appliance or a receipt from the local public or private landfill of delivery of the old appliance.

Broward County’s Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department encourages the use of energy efficient appliances in our community. For more information, visit www.broward.org/air/energyefficiency for helpful tips on how to save energy at home, in the office and on the road.

Community Update, a monthly newsletter from the Board of County Commissioners, is produced by the Office of Public Communications. Address questions concerning articles to 954-357-6990. To receive Community Update electronically, send an email to publicinfo@broward.org. Please include your first and last name and email address. Hearing impaired residents can call the TTY line at 954-831-3940 for additional information.