News Briefs

+ Town’s fiscal transparency tool receives more praise
The Florida League of Cities Innovation Showcase has featured the town of Longboat Key’s Fiscal Transparency Module.

The Innovation Showcase was created to feature innovative uses of technology within Florida’s local governments. The town’s Fiscal Transparency website module also received a 2013-14 Solutions Award from the Public Technology Institute in the Web management and e-government category.

The module went live in February and uses fiscal data that feed directly from the finance department’s database to display revenue and expenses to the public.

The tool also includes five years of current historical expenditure data, plus graphing tools and the ability to export data for further analysis.

In April, it was featured in Government Technology Magazine. To use the module, visit longboatkey.org and click on the “fiscal transparency” tab on the right side of the town’s website, www.longboatkey.org.

+ Evacuation program available for residents with speical needs
The town is encouraging residents with special needs to register for a voluntary program to assist them with evacuation during hurricanes and other emergencies.

Residents with medical conditions that limit their mobility, require assistance with daily living or have life-saving medical equipment that’s dependent on electricity should register for the People With Special Needs Program (PSN) in the county where they reside. The program is designed for individuals who have no other evacuation plan and need government shelter and/or transportation assistance during an evacuation or other emergency.

Upon qualifying for the program, residents will receive a letter of confirmation that identifies their evacuation destination. During an actual evacuation, special needs operators will notify residents of the evacuation order, confirm current medical and transportation information, and request that the resident be ready for transportation at a certain time.

Longboat Key Fire Rescue and county personnel will coordinate the evacuation of registered individuals.
For more information, call Longboat Key Fire Rescue at 316-1945.

+ Mote’s turtle walks aim to educate the community
Interested in learning about sea turtles and the life behind the tracks? Look no further than Mote Marine Laboratory’s free turtle walks Saturdays throughout June and July.

Educational walks begin at 6:45 a.m. at the public beach access point at 4795 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Led by a Mote-trained volunteer, participants will learn how Mote’s Sea Turtle Patrol find nests during season as well as discuss the life of a sea turtle and other local wildlife.

No reservation is required and all ages are welcome.

+ Meetings & Agendas
• Town Commission Budget Workshop — 10 a.m. Monday, June 16
• Town Commission Regular Workshop — 1 p.m. Monday, June 16
• Town Commission Budget Workshop — 10 a.m. Monday, June 30
All meetings take place at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road, unless otherwise noted.