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Item P08 Sep 13 00 12:04p Commissioner Williams (305) 289-6306 p. 1 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ADD ON Meeting Date:_9120/00 Division:_BOCC Bulk Item: Yes No_x_ Department_Commissioner Williams AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of a resolution in support of keeping the Keys' South Florida Water Management Service Center. ITEM BACKGROUND: It is imperative that SFWMD continue local representation in the Keys by maintaining a service center. We need a local representative to assist with planning and implementation efforts. PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: F"f 1- STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approval. TOTAL COST: BUDGETED: Yes:_ No: COST TO COUNTY: REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes:_ No: AMOUNT PER MONTH YEAR APPROVED BY: County Attomey_ OMBlPuccbasing Risk Management DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL: W \. Nora A. Williams DOCUMENTATION: Included:_x_ DISPOSITION: Agenda Item #: p. 8 S~p 13 00 12:04p Commission~r Williams (305) 289-6306 p.2 COIM'issioNr Nora WilliamS RESOUITION NO. -2000 A RESOlU1'1ON OF THE 8OARI) OF COUN1'Y COMMI$SXOfIIERS OF MONROE COUNlV. FLOItlIM IN SUI'PORT OF KEeIN& THE KEYS SOUTH FLORIOA WAl"St ~ SIiRYICE t:9ITER WHEREAS. Morro<< County is dd4gnated by the State as 4" Area of Critical State Concern due to our e.rlrctMly sensitiV8 marine envirorllMnt: and WHEREAS. the State has mon~&d the County. with SFWMD os 0 project pGrtner. to fully impletMnf stormwotcr cmd WCl$tCWGter projects by ~he year 2010: and WHEREAS, the County is JUSt eomplcting Q wastewater master plan. is in the lI\icbt of comple1irg a stormwGter master plan and is ift desperate need of local represetltcrtiGn from the SFWMD to ossist in implementing 'these master plans: and WHEREAS, SFWMO witt be collecting opprolfilt\Gfely $6 million in toJces this yetJI' from Monroe County eitlzens with on increase of approximate 10% each year: and WHEREAS. no orea of the SFWMD district if further from the West Palm Beach hcodqugrtus than the AoridG Keys. but N area Is more directly dependent on the hcoIth af the Everglades; now, therefore 8E IT RESOlVEE> THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FlORIDA strongly ~s tha South Florida Water Management Distrie't to consider the above in the 8voluot'Ion of the impoMonce of the Keys' service c:enter, and in evaluating the amount of funding thot is returned to the citizens of the Keys. PASSED AND AD0P'l1:0 by the Bocrd of County Commi$$ionerS of ~ County. Florida, at a rcgutor meeting of $Qi~ 80Grd heW en the day of SIpttInbc.., 2000. Mayor Shirley Freeman Commissioner Wilhelmina Harwy Commissioner 6eorge Neugent Commissioner Mary lCoy Qeich Cotfttl\issiOPler Nora Williams (SEAL) Attest: DANNY LK01.HAGE. Cluk BOARD Of CO UN,..., COMMISSIONERS OF MONftOE COUNlY. FLORIDA 8y, By, MayorfChairpenon .~ _., N nr tr . '.. ~^>>Mn~'wn~~ R~'~l 00-~I-d~S Deputyctuk Jdt'UIflllllld Sep 13 00 12:04p Commissioner Williams (305) 289-6306 p.3 August 12, 2000 South Florida Water Management District Attn: Mr, James Blount. Chief of Staff P.D.Box 24680 West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680 Re: Consideration of Area Service Centers Dear Mr. Blount: Thank you so much for taking time to let me introduce myself during the recent Board Meeting of the South Florida Water Management District. Governing Board. It was genuinely a pleasure to meet you and I very much look forward to working with you. It is my understanding that the District is performing an analysis of the area service centers, and may be considering closing one or more of those centers. As a Monroe County Commissioner and the Liaison to the SFWMD. this greatly concerns me. Several months ago, when the District was considering closing tne Keys' service center, I contacted your chairman ofthe board to voice my concerns. Monroe County is designated by the State a... an Area of Critical State Concern, due to our extremely sensitive marine enviTOnment. The County is just completing a wastewater master plan and is in the midst of completing a stormwater master plan, Weare in desperate need of local representation from the SFWMD to assist us in implementing these master plans. 1 was therefore greatly relieved when your governing board voted to keep the office open, and thought the matter had been settled. Our Work Program, again mandated by the State, requires us to fully implement stonnwater and wastewater projects by the year 2010. The SFWMD is listed as a mandatory partner on several of our projects, including the wastewater and stonnwaler projects. In addition, the SFWMD will be collecting approximately $6 mi\1ion in taxes this year from Monroe County citizens, Each additional year is expected to bring in an additional 10% in funding. due to the steadily rising property values in the Keys. OVer the course onlle nextlO years, that is well in excess of $60,000,000. This is at a time when Monroe County is facing hundreds of millions of dollars of costs for constructing the required wastewater and stonnwater treatment projects. No area of your district is further from your West Palm headquarters, and the idea that we would no longer have a locany available full SFWMD service center. particularly as we begin implementation of the biggest projects in our history for water quality impacts is simply untenable. My concerns are twofold at this time. First, it is absolutely imperative tnat SFWMD continue local representation in the Keys by maintaining a service center, We need a local representative to assist us with our planning and implementation efforts. Your currenl service center director, with her contracting background, has been very helpful to US in helping move the wastewater and stonnwater projects along. We need to have her stay to assist the county and various municipalities with their stormwater and wastewater contracting efforts. Second, the levels of funding given back to the citizens of Monroe County by the SFWMD must be increased. While we appreciate the hard work being undertaken for Everglades Restoration, our County can no longer afford to donate our tax funds at such a poor rate of return to our area, particularly when the projects we are proposing (and required by law to complete) arc also necessary to the restoration of the health of the Everglades. Monroe County receives no flood control benefit from the District, and is only minimally included in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project (CERP), Since we are under severe growth restrictions, we also use only minimal regulatory assistance, In addition to the ad valorem taxes. I understand the District collects approximately $2 million per year from Alligator Alley toll funds. These funds are required to be spent on Everglades and Florida Keys projects. To this date, the Keys have not been receiving a representative amount of this funding. I would like to see a larger portion of these Alligator Alley funds directed to Keys' wastewater projects. I understand the District is under an important mandate by our Governor to fund the District's share of the Everglades restoration project. However, please remember that we all live downstream, and that the health Sep 13 00 12:05p Commissioner Williams (305) 289-6306 p.4 of the Florida Keys is directly connected to the health of the Everglades. I sirn;erely hope that you consider this in your evaluation of the importance of your Keys' service center. and in evaluating the amount of funding that is returned to the citizens of the Keys. 1 am available to discuss my concerns and wishes with you at any time. or to be of assistance in any way I can, and can be reached at (305) 289-6000. Sincerely, Nora WiJliams Monroe County Liaison to the South Florida Water Management District Monroe County Commissioner, District IV Cc: South Florida Water Management Governing Board South Florida Water Management District Executive Director Frank Finch