WOW! That is the only way to describe this past year. We began the year with the announcement that QVC was expanding into St. Lucie County creating 1600 jobs. This was followed by the ribbon cutting for the South 25^th Street widening project in February. Also in February was the P2000 celebration at Bear Point. We were then faced with the Port St. Lucie wild fires in April. In June we held the groundbreaking for the long awaited Children’s Environmental Learning Museum. Also in June was the ribbon cutting for the 1.3 mile $9.3 million beach renourishment project. We held the ribbon cutting for the opening of the new Main Library in downtown Ft. Pierce and the Hurricane House at the Agricultural Extension Complex in July. We also closed on the acquisition of the Holiday Pines Water and Wastewater Utility System this month. In September we were faced with the very serious threat of Hurricane Floyd and in October we were hit by Hurricane Irene causing damage to county property exceeding $6 million. At the conclusion of October the Board of County Commissioners held a workshop at the White City Elementary School to once again begin the planning for the White City Historic District improvements. Finally, in November, was the ribbon cutting for QVC’s new office building. Looking back, 1999 was quite a ride. And through all this the county became Y2K compliant!