City Manager's Annual Report 2017 | A Year In Review | Page 18

18 |
7.
UTILITY
OUTREACH IN
SCHOOLS
Port St. Lucie has made great
strides in its effort to protect
the rivers that run through the
Treasure Coast. The City is
committed to educating about
the importance of not only
keeping water clean, but also
conserving it, and has dedicated
#IAMPSL
C O M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T
an outreach employee to raise
awareness in the younger
generation.
Last year, 1,200 St. Lucie County
children, ages three to ten,
participated in the City’s water
conservation presentation.
Presentations were made to
Voluntar y Pre -Kindergar ten,
Summer Tot Camp, Elementary
and K-8 Schools, and the Boys &
Girls Club of St. Lucie County to
give children the opportunity to
learn about the many ways they
can help to save water.
INFORMATION IN A TIME OF NEED:
PSL RESIDENTS TURN TO CITY’S SOCIAL MEDIA DURING HURRICANE
As Hurricane Irma took aim at Florida
in September 2017, Ken Clark worried
from his home in New Jersey as his
elderly parents in Port St. Lucie tried
to prepare for the storm. He didn’t
want them to brave evacuation traffic
to drive up to his home, and he was
afraid an airline flight would be too
chaotic and confusing for them.
So instead, he told them to stay put
as he followed the constant updates
and information posted on the City’s
website and social media pages.
“The updates the City provided on
the CityofPSL website allowed me to
phone them frequently and tell them
about the plans the City had made
and the shelters being provided,”
CITY OF PORT ST. LUCIE
Clark later wrote to City officials. “I
told them about the different shelters
being set up and what times they
opened.”
His parents safely rode out the
hurricane at the shelter at Treasure
Coast High School. He said volunteers
at the shelter took excellent care of
the evacuees --- one young volunteer
kept a special eye out for them.
“Absolutely amazing job by all, I
know it takes a lot to be prepared
for storms, last minute organization
and planning and then executing
the plan,” Clark wrote. “Thank you so
much for caring for them and all the
people in the community!”

A N N U A L R E P O R T 2017