Item Q10
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: December 18. 2002
Division:
County Administrator
Bulk Item: Yes ~
No
Department: County Administrator
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Approval to inform the State of Florida that Monroe County will not be utilizing fees from the Choose
Life specialty license plates.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
The State of Florida provides for the return of fees of specialty license plates to local jurisdictions. As
included in the memorandum from Ms. Barker, in over two years, the accumulation has been under
$1,300. In order to utilize this small amount of funds, the County must undertake to distribute the
funds to organizations with very specific objectives. In addition, for a small amount of money, those
organizations must prepare an annual audit prepared by a certified public accountant. Since the amount
of funds involved is so small and the obligation to utilize those funds quite onerous, it is recommended
that the State be informed that the County will not utilize these funds.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
N/A
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
N/A
ST AFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Approval.
TOTAL COST: -0-
COST TO COUNTY: -0-
BUDGETED: Yes
No
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes
No
AMOUNTPERMONTH_ Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty _
DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL:
OMB/Purchasing ----X- Risk Management _
~~~J
James L. Roberts
DOCUMENTATION:
Included
x
To Follow_
Not Required_
DISPOSITION:
AGENDA ITEM #-D1D
OKl!~ErY ~o~~~~E
(305) 294-4641
Administrative Services Departrr
1100 Simonton
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 292-4537
(-.'-
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Mayor Dixie M. Spehar, District I
Mayor Pro Tern Murray E. Nelson, District 5
Charles "Sonny" McCoy, District 3
George Neugent, District 2
David Rice, District 4
MEMORANDUM
Date:
Wednesday, December 04,2002
Subject:
James L. Roberts
/1 ~
Sheila A. Barker i. ; I
Director - Ad . I
(
Choose Life'L,
To:
From:
...............................................................................
We have discussed the above subject on several occasions in the past. In November 2001, you
said to let the amount build because we really didn't have a mechanism to handle the distribution
of such limited funds.
Attached you will find a copy of a letter from the state advising us that they will discontinue
issuing the proceeds of this plate revenue if we fail to comply with their requirements. To date
(since mid 2000), Monroe County has accumulated $1,281.31 in revenue from the sale of these
plates.
On page 11 of 14 of the statutes regarding these specialized plates, I have highlighted the uses of
these monies. It is quite restricted.
They will start to withhold this money from us if we do not comply with their requirements. If
we do not comply with the requirements within 12 months, future monies will be released to the
Highway Safety Operation Trust fund. This quite possibly will be the easiest solution.
Handling such small sums of money will be a very intensive use of manpower. If you choose
to distribute it, I would suggest the Resolution creating the HSAB be modified to task them with
this item.
State of Florida
DEPARTMENT OF
IDGHWAY SAFETY AND MOTOR VEIDCLES
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32399-0500
FRED O. DICKINSON
Executive Director
October 25, 2002
.....," ..
Y:l \::, 0:
c..~ ',-
Dear Choose Life Funds Recipient:
Please be advised that pursuant to section 320.08062, Florida Statutes, this office will
have no choice in the near future but to withhold any future warrants to your organization for.
sale of Choose Life specialty license plates. This action is necessary due to your organizations'
failure to meet the statutory deadline for filing a completed and approved annual audit for the
2000/ 2001 fiscal year with this agency.
Ail accrued revenues that may be withheld by this Department will be forwarded to you
at such time you meet the audit requirements of 320.08062(30)(3) Florida Statutes. However, if
you do not meet these requirements within 12 months from the date the proceeds are withheld
the withheld proceeds will be permanently deposited into the Highway Safety Operating Trust
fund.
8917.
If you have any questions regarding this matter please call Ken Stivers or me at 805-414-
(J:~
Palmer Brand
Bureau of Titles and Registrations
KLS :ks
DlYISJO:\Si FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL. DRIVER LICENSES · MOTOR VEHICL~ . ADM~'\ISTRATIVE SERVICF~'i
2'JOO\palachee I"ark"a~. "Ieil Kirkman Building. Tallahassee, flOrida 32399.(bOO
http://www.hsmv.state.n.us
ANNUAL CHOOSE LIFE SPECIAL TV LICENSE PLATE REPORT
TO DHSMV BY COUNTY
County
Fiscal Year Ending
Annual Plate Fees Received From State $
Interest Earned on Fees $
Total $
Annual Plate Fees Distributed to Agencies $
Interest Earned By Agency on Fees $
Total $
Annual Plate Fee Expenditures By Agencies
Primary:
Clothing
Housing
Medical Care
Food
Utilities
Transportation
Total
Women
Infants
Sub-total $
Percentage of Distributed Fees Utilized-_%
Secondary:
Counseling
Training
Advertising
Adoption
Sub-total $
Percentage of Distributed Fees Utilized-_%
Total Plate Fee Expenditures 1$
Total Percent of Plate Fees Distributions Utilized %
Based on an audit by the County or an Independent CPA Firm, we certify that all recipient
agencies and the County have complied with Florida Statutes, 320.08056 and 320.08058.
Chair, Board of County Commissioners
statutes->View Statutes: flsenate.gov
Page 11 of 14
1. The first $50,000 collected annually shall be deposited in the State Homes for Veterans Trust
Fund and must be used solely for the purpose of constructing, operating, and maintaining
domiciliary and nursing homes for veterans subject to the requirements of chapter 216.
2. Any additional fees collected annually shall be deposited in the Marine Corps Scholarship
Foundation, Inc., successor to the USMC Tag/Scholarship Fund, Inc., which shall use the fees to
fund scholarships and assist Marine Corps Junior ROTC and Young Marine programs of this state.
The foundation shall develop a plan to distribute the funds to recipients nominated by residents of
the state to receive scholarships, and to the Marine Corps Junior ROTC and Young Marine
programs in the state.
(30) CHOOSE LIFE LICENSE PLATES.--
(a) The department shall develop a Choose Life license plate as provided in this section. The word
"Florida" must appear at the bottom of the plate, and the words "Choose Life" must appear at the
top of the plate.
(b) The annual use fees shall be distributed annually to each county in the ratio that the annual
use fees collected by each county bears to the total fees collected for the plates within the state.
Each county shall distribute the funds to nongovernmental, not-for-profit agencies within the
county, which agencies' services are limited to counseling and meeting the physical needs of
pregnant women who are committed to placing their children for adoption. Funds may not be
distributed to any agency that is involved or associated with abortion activities, including
counseling for or referrals to abortion clinics, providing medical abortion-related procedures, or
proabortion advertising, and funds may not be distributed to any agency that charges women for
services received.
1. Agencies that receive the funds must use at least 70 percent of the funds to provide for the
material needs of pregnant women who are committed to placing their children for adoption,
including clothing, housing, medical care, food, utilities, and transportation. Such funds may also
be expended on infants awaiting placement with adoptive parents.
2. The remaining funds may be used for adoption, counseling, training, or advertising, but may
not be used for administrative expenses, legal expenses, or capital expenditures.
3. Each agency that receives such funds must submit a annual audit, p epared by a certified
public accountant, to the county. The county may conduc . a audit in lieu of the
annual audit. Any unused funds that exceed 10 percent of the funds received by an agency during
its fiscal year must be returned to the county, which shall distribute them to other qualified
agencies.
(31) SHARE THE ROAD LICENSE PLATES.--
(a) The department shall develop a Share the Road license plate as provided in this section. The
word "Florida" must appear at the top of the plate, and the words "Share the Road" must appear
at the bottom of the plate.
(b) The annual use fees shall be distributed to Bike Florida, Inc., up to 25 percent of which shall
be used for marketing and promotion of the "Share the Road" concept and license plate. The
remaining funds shall be divided equally between Bike Florida, Inc., and the Florida Bicycle
Association, Inc., to be used for:
1. Education and awareness programs, for bicycle safety and motorist safety, with emphasis on
sharing the roadway by all users.
2. Training, workshops, educational materials, and media events.
3. The promotion of safe bicycling.
http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/index.cfm?App _ mode=Display _ Statute&Search_ String=&... 12'.:1-102