Only 6-months into his new position, Jim Hartmann, Seminole County government manager, is launching a new chapter in the county’s attention to the needs of its homeless population. He’s about to spend $900,000 of your tax funds to support enhancements to services provided to local homeless people and he’s hired his first senior level executive — Val Marie Turner, as his community service director — to be in charge of amping-up this nascent homeless initiative Length- 27:09

After the recent “60 Minutes” segment on homeless school students in Seminole County, the uniformed could easily get the impression that homeless students are the only homeless issue in the county. Understandable, but far from reality. There are homeless single women, homeless military veterans of both genders, homeless seniors and the addicted and mentally ill homeless, each needing care and attention. And the recession is only adding to their numbers.

While the public school district and faith based organizations in the county are focusing on the homeless students – there is much energy and attention being directed to the remainder of the homeless population. It’s this bigger picture that Hartmann and Turner are starting to write.

Val Marie Turner is not yet on staff – that won’t happen until the first of the year — but we ask Hartman to tell us who she is, how she got hired and what he expects of her. And we ask for an update on the issues surrounding the $900,000 which the county, Hartmann and Turner are getting set to appropriate.

Additional Feature Information

• Val Marie Turner bio
• CBS - “60 Minutes: Hard Times Generation – Families Livin in Cars
• CBS – “60 Minutes: Hard Times Generation - Homeless Kids

Links to other podcasts produced by CMF Public Media featuring issues related to being homeless in Seminole County

• Children that are Hurting
• Homeless Senior Citizens
• Faith Community’s Conversation on Homelessness
• Homelessness — Sidebar
• Homelessness: A Community Conversation #6
• Homelessness: A Community Conversation #5
• Fallout and Followup
• Homelessness: A Community Conversation #4
• Homelessness: A Community Conversation #3
• Homelessness: A Community Conversation #2
• Homeless Forum (#1) Followup (12/9/2010)
• On Being… Homeless in Seminole County: The Problem & the Players
• On Being… Homeless in Seminole County: The People
• On Being… Homeless in Seminole County: The Possibilities
• Kids of HOPE
• Coping with the Economy in Seminole County: Shepherd’s Hope Health Clinic
• Coping with the Economy in Seminole County: Sonshine Food Pantry
• Homeless Students in Seminole County – Families in Transition
• Commentary: Feeding the Hungry
• Commentary: Homeless Issues in Seminole County
• Commentary: Ending Homelessness
• Commentary: Affordable Health Care Services for the Homeless

Extended Interview & Pictures

After you launch the slideshow below, click “Next” and “Previous” to rotate through the photos.

	Jim Hartmann and Stephen McKenney Steck Manager, Seminole county government Length – 44:45