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Item P01 O,~~,IY ~a~~~~E (105f 2'l4-4l:41 OfFte.. of" EMERCiENCY SERVICES 490 6yd Street Marathon, FI. 33050 PHONE: (305) 2119-60 J() F..\X: (305) 289-6336 DATE:I To:1 FROM:I BOARD OF COUNTY COMMlSSlONERS Mayor Chilrlt><. "Sonny" Mr{oy. Distnct 3 Mayor Pro Tem, M,Jrr~y E. Ne!S0n, DIstrict 5 George Nel.l'\jcnt, Dlstnct 2 DIxie M. Splmar, Dlstnct 1 DilVIl1 P RICC, Dlscrlct 4 MEMORANDUM March 20, 2006 Thomas J,IWilli, County Administrator Clark O. Martin, Jr., Fire Chiefltii(' c Emergency Services I Absence of Fire Chief RE: I w;U be out of the county from 1200 on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 until 20UU on t-nday, March 24, 2006. During my absence, Battalion Chief Rob Low will have full authority to act on my behalf including approval of appropriate fiscal documents. cc Shift Battalion Chiefs Battalion Chief Robert Low Assistant Fire Marshal Arthur Romero Captain Steve Zavalney Captain Pete Lubert Billy Wagner, Senior Director, Emergency Management Irene Toner, Director, Emergency Management All Volunteer Chiefs Brenda Beckmann, UKHCTD Division Directors Purchasing Department Finance Department Sheriff's Department MEMORANDUM Office of the County Administrator TO: Board of County Commissioners FROM: Thomas J. Willi County Administrator DATE: April 7, 2006 SUBJECT: County Divisions' Monthly Activity Report for March, 2006 MONTHL Y ACTIVITY REPORT - MARCH. 2006 KEY WEST AIRPORT . New project management team was approved by the BOCC. Sixty-four million dollars of airport capital improvements are scheduled for Key West and Marathon during the next four years . The Runway Safety Area Project has entered the permitting phase . New Air Traffic Control procedures have been implemented concerning runway use and arriving and departing aircraft . No web site updates were required for this period HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND MARATHON AIRPORT . Completed revisions to the Florida Keys Marathon Airport Emergency Plan and submitted to FAA . Completed Florida Housing Finance Corporation's Affordable Housing core curriculum program on Homebuyer Counseling and Education . Participated in joint special meeting with Monroe County Planning Commission and Workforce Housing Committee/Task Force regarding Committee/Task Force recommendations and resolutions, and the coordination of Affordable/Employee Housing Initiatives . Participated in Florida Keys Marathon Airport Task Force Meeting regarding Commercial Air Service Initiative . Prepared Mission Statement for Housing and Community Development Division 1 EMPLOYEE SERVICES Website Updates: (other than normal position vacancy updates, etc.): Benefits: Updates of KPHA Provider Directory Turnover Numbers to Date: March turnover: .73 % Terminations: none Retired: 0 Deceased: none Resi nations: 4 Activities: . Disability Training held for employees in upper keys-March 29th. Approximately 15 employees attended . Risk Management is in process of analysis/updating of all County building addresses with County's Wind/Flood Policies and the recent appraisals . RFP in process for Workers' Compensation Third Party Administrator and Excess Insurance Carrier. Bids expected to be distributed in May . Two Workers' Compensation cases settled (2001 & 1987) . Interviews for vacant positions held and filled: Risk Management (1) and Benefits (2). Currently holding interviews for two other vacant positions . Safety Administrator chaired the Process Improvement Program - Employee of the Month Committee. Committee discussed and will provide a draft of the program in the next few weeks . Met with Teamsters to negotiate outstanding items of proposed contract . Meeting with County Attorney on public records. Release of records, charges, etc. Discussed the establishment of a standard policy county-wide . Division Director attended organization Site Visit with Sterling Team (1 week). Confirmed as a Florida Sterling Council Examiner BUDGET & FINANCE . Continuing Disaster recovery services with Adjuster's International. Project worksheets have been written for DENNIS, KATRINA, RITA. There are additional PW's that will need to be written for WILMA as damages continue to be assessed. See Below for Hurricane Financial Summary. Under FEMA regulation Proj ected Obligated 12.5% Eligible Total Proj ect Payments Estimated Actual to date Actual Proj ect Worksheets Recei ved County Expenditures County Contrib. Hurricane Worksheets To Date To Date Contribution Per Finance System To Date Dennis 3,986,441 3,112,684 1,893,378.00 498,305 2,457,874 564,496 Katrina 1,527,259 1,092,159 615,172.00 190,907 1,183,929 568,757** Rita* 1,470,104 975,664 542,547.00 183,763 1,347,061 804,514** Wilma *** 32,53 1,768 15280295 3,322,153.00 4,066,471 8,1 75,620 4,853,467 Totals $ 35,960,507 $ 20,460,802 $ 6,373,250.00 $ 6,083,686 $13,164,484 $ 6,791,234 * Hurricane Rita was declared for categories A & B only, which are Debris Removal and Emergency Protective measures. 2 * * Certain projects for Katrina and Rita were under estimated, and will be reopened for additional reimbursement once actual costs have been determined. *** Hurricane WILMA projected eligible project total includes projects that have not yet been sent to FEMA. . At the March 15, 2006 BOCC meeting, the Board granted approval and authorized execution of Letter dated February 22, 2006 from Don Carter Senior Manager of KPMG LLP concerning an Addendum to Cost allocation Engagement letter dated July 21,2004 to increase the Contract in the amount of $17,640 for KPMG to update the fiscal year 2003 & 2004 Full cost Allocation plans and the OMB A-87 Cost allocation plan. This amendment was as a result of the extra field and office work that is required in order to address the Clerk's Finance department questions and concerns regarding the draft plan. It is the intention of OMB to use the final updated plans for fiscal 03' and 04'as the plans to reimburse the General Fund for indirect costs for fiscal years 06' and 07.' This was discussed and approved by KPMG. . The Financing Plan for the Terminal at the Key West International Airport has changed considerably and will be discussed in detail at the April 19th 2006 BOCC meeting. In summary, Airport Revenues plus Passenger Facility charges do not generate sufficient coverage (Ix) to qualify for the minimum investment grade rating ofBBB+ as per Standard & Poor's Rating group. As a result, the bonds are uninsurable. The County has obtained a commitment from the Bank of America to provide a direct pay Letter of Credit (LOC) at 81bps, which expires on May 31, 2006. Under this scenario, the County will issue Variable Rate Demand Obligations, (VRDO's) which are short-term, tax exempt instruments whose yield will be reset weekly as remarketed by UBS Capital Markets. Although VRDO securities are issued with long-term final maturities, they are considered short-term instruments, since the liquidity is provided via a put feature that coincides with the timing of the weekly yield reset. The (LOC) provides an unconditional liquidity demand feature, which would redeem the investor's bonds in the event the (VRDO) cannot be remarketed at the interest rate reset date. With this structure, Bank of America's credit ratings, are substituted for the County's, and the Bank would be looked to first for the payment of Principal and Interest. Additionally, in this financing plan, the County will purchase and interest rate cap of 5.5% to hedge some of the risk inherent in variable rate debt. . In conjunction with the summary of the Airport Bonds, we have finalized the Debt Management Policy. Debt Management policies are written guidelines and restrictions that affect the amount and type of debt issued by a state or local government, the issuance process, and the management of the debt portfolio. The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) recommends that all state and local governments adopt comprehensive written debt management policies and that governments review them at least annually and revise them as necessary. The policy which was written as a j oint effort between OMB and the Clerk's office, with the assistance of our financial advisor PFM addresses all of the concerns outlined in the (GFOA) recommended practice. . As a result of the board approving activation of the 6 new MSTU's set up during fiscal year 2005, for taxation during the fiscal year 2007 budget, OMB has contacted the County Attorney regarding the removal of the Marathon MSTU from the county's millage sheet, for 3 inclusion of the MSTU on the City of Marathons T.R.I.M. and tax bills. The City of Marathon is not part of the inter-local agreement between the County and the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, and should collect its own assessment for wastewater projects. The current ordinance which created the Marathon MSTU 035-2002 to fund the provision of services associated with administration, planning of wastewater projects within the MSTD. The ordinance as amended by 017-2003 to correct a scrivener's error relating to legal description of the boundaries. While the county has levied the .77 mil ad valorem tax as per the ordinance for fiscal years 2004 thru 2006, it appears there is no other agreement in place with the City of Marathon, and as a policy decision, an additional ordinance could be written to repeal the effective dates specified in 035-2002 Section 4.(B). This would greatly reduce our "aggregate" millage rate over rolled-back, which is a point of contention every budget cycle. . Despite action taken by the BOCC on July 24, 2004 to adopt the Stock Island Wastewater Assessment Program Initial Assessment Resolution, ; describing the property electing to pay annual wastewater assessments to fund the deferred wastewater capacity fee and related costs; Determining the deferred capacity fee, interest rate and other costs to be assessed. Establishing the amount and term of the annual wastewater assessment of each parcel of property to be assessed; directing preparation of the initial non-ad valorem assessment roll; establishing a public hearing to consider imposition of the proposed wastewater assessments and the method of their collection; directing the provision of notice in connection therewith; and providing an effective date, there are a number of properties that were not included in this resolution. (GSG) has provided two proposals, the first of which relates to this issue. The proposal titled "Monroe County Scope of Services: Stock Island Utility Assessment Program Phase Two Area" is a proposal which as per appendix A work order 2006-01 includes a scope of services addressing properties left out of the original assessment area. The second proposal titled "Monroe County Scope of Services: Utility Assessment Programs" is written to assist the County and it's staffing the development and implementation of the proposed special assessment programs to fund wastewater services within the unincorporated areas of the County over the next several years, to be funded by special assessments using the tax bill collection method. Camille Tharpe of GSG will be at the BOCC meeting in the event there are questions regarding approval of these proposals at the April meeting. . During the Month of March, OMB prepared a schedule for the first quarter of Constitutional Gas tax receipts. In accordance with the executed Gas Tax Sharing Inter-local agreement, for distributions of the Constitutional Gas tax in years subsequent to fiscal year 2005. The first quarter of 2006, total gas taxes of $40,037.48 for the Village of Islamorada, $9,896.07 for Key Colony Beach, $3,079.81 for Layton and $74,474.14 for Marathon were distributed. . At a meeting on 3/30/2006 it was determined that although 120 mobile homes were tagged "unsafe" by code enforcement, the property owners of these units were in the process of obtaining permits to repair or demolish their units. It will not be known for a few more months if the County will need to get involved in the removal of Derelict Mobile Homes. As per Suzanne Hutton, and Pedro Mercado of the County Attorney's Office, in order for the County to condemn a structure, which is required in order to get FEMA to fund this project, the County would have to have title to the property via foreclosure, which in many cases 4 includes the land on which the mobile home owners paid lot rent. Additional information will become available after the special magistrate hearings in April and May have made a determination. . During March, The office of Management and Budget held it's annual Budget Workshop for the BOCC, which is a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the current year budget and requesting guidance for the 2007 proposed budget. In addition, as per the request of the commission, a Fund Balance presentation of the County's fund balances at 9/30/2005 was gIven. Purchasing . At the March 15, 2006 BOCC meeting, approval was granted to execute a contract between Monroe County and Bank of America using the State of Florida Contract in accordance with the provision set forth in FL statute 287.056. As a result of this action, policies and procedures were developed in a joint effort by OMB, the County Attorney and the Clerk of the Circuit Court. These will be added to the Monroe County Purchasing Policy upon approval by the BOCC. Once Bank of America determines the County's credit limit, an implementation team will be sent to install the tracking software and provide the actual purchasing cards. As a result of the complexity of the new policies and procedures with respect to the purchasing cards, the program will be limited in the beginning to Commissioners and limited County employees until the systems put in place are fully tested. . March brought a substantial increase in the number of purchase orders, bids processed and department mailings. There were 652 purchase orders processed as of mid afternoon on March 31, 2006. A significant number of these purchase orders were for new vehicles that were damaged/destroyed as a result of Hurricane WILMA. There were 6 bids opened for March, with another 11 due in the next few months. There were (8) addendums updated on the Demandstar website pertaining to bids. There were (9) contract summaries reviewed three vendor letters sent out and 1,246 pieces of mail sent out. Grants Acquisition/Administration . Abstracted and distributed twenty Notices of Funding Availability (NOVA's) including, but not limited to funding for: Historical Records Preservation, Reuse of Defense Equipment for Law. . Enforcement Agencies, Green Spaces for Affordable Housing, and Wetland Program Development Grant for EP A Region #4. . Added three more names to the grant notification distribution lists covering: Division Heads, Non-profits, Government Entities of Monroe County and Interested For-Profit organizations. 5 . Organized and implemented interviews between Langton Associates, Inc. and the Divisions to assess the grant needs of Monroe County and to gather the information to construct a strategic plan of action for grants. Art in Public Places: Gato Exhibition . Presented the Gato Arts Affair, attended by over two-hundred and fifty residents and visitors, to highlight the visual art in the Historic Gato Building in collaboration with the Florida Keys Council of the Arts. Celebrated the exhibition of over one hundred pieces of art from sixty-one local artists combined with performing arts and documentary films demonstrating one of the many ways Monroe County supports the arts in their Art in Public Places Program. Grants Administration . Announced Human Services Advisory Board funding availability through newspaper ads, email, and regular mail; distributed application. . Held applicant workshops in Key West, Marathon, and Tavernier regarding Human Services Advisory Board funding process and application. . Held Human Services Advisory Board meeting at which FY07 funding was discussed. Meeting included election of officers. Next HSAB meeting scheduled for May 26, 2006. . Continued to gather information and maintain files for FEMA project worksheets for Hurricane Wilma. . Filed several Requests for Reimbursement and processed revenue received for Dennis, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. . Assisted In Home and Nutrition programs in creation of unit cost worksheets and agenda items for Older Americans Act grant proposal. . Assisted new Grants Accountant hired for In Home and Nutrition programs. COMMUNITY SERVICES . Updated the Florida Keys Council for People with Disabilities web site and Channel 76 Power Point Presentation. Continued working on the upcoming ADA Seminar that will be held on April 17, 2006 in Key West. Analyzed availability of Signers, closed captioning and subtitling of taped programs. Attended the Florida Keys Council for People with Disabilities meeting in Marathon . Attended Budget Workshop in Key West with commissioners and budget training in Marathon by budget staf. . Attended NIMS training and Mitigation planning in Marathon 6 Nutrition . Eight concerts were provided at the Nutrition Sites/Senior Centers and Bayshore Manor by local artists through the NACo award winning Senior Lunchtime Concert Series . Priscilla London, Monroe County Safety Officer, presented excellent programs on "Senior Safety" at all four Nutrition Sites. Nutrition Consultant, Norene Sofranac, taught a class at the Key West Site on the benefits of cruciferous vegetables . The Nutrition Program was awarded an Older Americans' Act Grant in response to the application submitted in February. This funding will provide for nutrition education, home-delivered meals and lunches served at the Nutrition Sites In-Home Services . Submitted February's OAA Report to the Alliance for Aging,_CCDA/MW reports to the Alliance for Aging, and Children & Families and HCE Reports to the Alliance for Aging . Meeting with Children & Families to discuss the Community Care for Disabled Adults (CCDA) grant . New Grant Accountant started for In-Home Services and Nutrition Programs . Arranged CPR classes for Upper Keys In-Home Services Personnel Social Services . Transit implemented "hands-free" wireless Plantronics phone systems for our Reservationists and Dispatchers. This will allow them to gain greater utilization using the reservation software on their computers since they are not physically tied down to their phones . Transit's Reservation and Dispatching system experienced a hard drive failure that resulted in the loss of data from November 18, 1997 through March 6, 2006. We are pleased to announce that an upgraded latest version of the Trapeze system software came back online March 2ih. We are reloading all of our clients as they call in . Our Special Needs Registry is still in the process of renewing all clients for the 2006 season. Currently we have 367 clients of which approximately 220 have renewed their information . Letters were recently sent to all the Veterinarians and businesses that deal with pets to ask for their help in operating our Special Needs Pet Friendly Shelter. To date the response overall has been poor, however, one Veterinarian office in Marathon has wholeheartedly accepted the challenge and we plan on working with them for this upcoming hurricane season Welfare Program . The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant year ends March 31, 2006 and we are finishing the budget and getting ready for the new year which starts on April 18t . Two staff members attended the monthly meeting of the Interagency Council, and shared a lot of information about LlliEAP and Welfare Services. Pamphlets explaining both of the programs were disseminated. Details about Bayshore Manor 7 and the services provided were discussed. The group was very receptive and asked several questions . Staff from the Plantation Key Office attended the Disability Awareness Seminar on March 29,2006 at the Key Largo Library Bayshore Manor . Welcomed Veronica Taylor to our staff. She is the new afternoon Respite Worker and the residents and staff are very pleased to have her with us . Key West Women's Club provided a wonderful afternoon social with refreshments and entertainment on March 16, 2006. Planning has begun for next month's Annual Volunteer Party on April 26, 2006. This is Bayshore Manor's party to show appreciation to our dedicated volunteers . Bayshore Manor finally received its new Ford 2006 full-sized van, a replacement for the mini-van that was lost due to Hurricane Wilma. Public Works continues to replace all baseboards damaged from the flooding due to Hurricane Wilma Libraries Web site Updates: . The Key West Library network was down for much of February. Customers were understandably frustrated that we could not use our Horizon software to circulate library books and materials, that they could not be issued new library cards, that our Information Portal was not available in-house to search for library books and materials, and that internet access was not available. Service has been restored . The February VTH hit count for the Library pages was down 75% from our Dec 2005 high of 10,643 hits. We are analyzing influencing factors of this significant drop. One possibility is the lengthy time during which we were unable to access and update these pages. We have received many comments and questions via the VTH "Comments to..." page . Through the VTH site, we have implemented a "Request a Purchase" form for book- lovers to recommend titles for purchase and an Interlibrary Loan Request form for customers to request titles for borrowing from mainland libraries. Both of these forms provide our library staff immediate feedback on customer needs. . We will also be providing a "Long Range Planning" page to solicit comments from the community regarding library services. Additionally, we are using the VTH site to publicize our "E-book of the Month" partnership with NetLibrary Activities and Events: . County-wide circulation numbers were 6% higher than February 2005. There was a significant increase (26%) in circulation of audio-visual materials, such as Books on CD and DVDs . Subscription database usage was 130% higher over February 2005. This increase continues the upward trend seen in recent months and is due to the new online resources we are providing our customers and publicity efforts from our website 8 . 10,202 PC sessions were provided to the public in February. This is a 4.2% drop from a year ago. Key West Library showed a sharp decrease in PC usage (-143%) due to network problems. (Noted above.) . The Libraries welcomed 51,579 customers in February 2006. This number is nearly equal to February 2005. 472 new library cards were issued in the month . All five branches celebrated Black History Month with special posters and displays of available materials pertinent to the occasion . The Library Director received notification of the award of the State Aid to Libraries Grant in the amount of $ 107,885.00, a decrease of $30,000.00 from last year . The State University System (SUS) has released 2005 usage numbers for its digital collections. Monroe County's partner project with the SUS, "Mile Markers: Linking Key's History" at www.mile-markers.org, had the 3rd highest usage of the SUS's 30 projects. Our newest SUS partner project, "Ephemeral Cities", was funded by a National Endowment for the Humanities grant. This ambitious project incorporates GIS technology to build a historical digital atlas of 3 Florida cities: Tampa, Gainesville and Key West. Ephemeral Cities will debut this spring . The Library Board and Friends of the Library groups held their annual meeting and get-together on March 21. Two County Commissioners attended, and answered questions from the group about funding, Library building proj ects, etc. Sondra Taylor-Furbee, the liaison from the State Library, was the guest speaker, addressing the forthcoming long-range planning process that will be implemented locally over the next several months, as well as Library issues on a State level Extension Services . The Marine Agent participated at a meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee meeting in Mobile Alabama to discuss scientific review procedures and proposed red snapper regulations . The Marine Agent met with Drs. Chuck Adams (UF), Manoj Shivlani (UM), George Garrett (MC Marine Resource Department), and Ralph Boragine (MC Commercial Fishermen) to discuss the potential for pre-hurricane waterfront mitigation surveys to assess business locations and value to aid in after storm recovery . The Marine Agent was selected to serve on the Green Living and Energy Education Board of Directors. . The Horticulture Agent hosted Dr. Monica Elliott, Professor at the UF/IFAS/Fort Lauderdale Research Center at a three hour workshop on Palm anatomy, palm nutrition, palm diseases and salt tolerant palms for thirty-one lower Keys landscapers, Master Gardeners and local residents. Continuing Education units were available for landscapers with pesticide licensing and certified arborists . The Horticulture Agent received a $1000 grant from the 2006 Florida Soybean rust monitoring program. The agent will monitor a spore trap once per week for the 9 duration of the growing season . The 4-H Agent worked with Monroe County Emergency Management, and the NOAA Weather Station in Key West to conduct a hurricane simulation event. This event gave 18 youth (ages 13-18 years old) the opportunity to role play the various emergency management and meteorologist roles necessary during an approaching hurricane. This program was developed as part of the 4-H Seasons of Service (SOS) program which trains and prepares youth to make a difference during emergency/disaster situations . The Family and Community Development Agent began researching program areas for Monroe County. This included compiling community needs assessment information and developing focus areas for advisory representation. The Family and Community Agent worked with two groups to help guide interfaith and interagency network development. The agent provided: program development resources, volunteer development resources, and strategic planning models. The agent collaborated with community leaders from social services, churches and non-profit organizations to help build county-wide interfaith-interagency networks addressing wellness and long term disaster recovery EMERGENCY SERVICES . After overcoming several technical and procedural problems, Calendar Year 2005 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) data was electronically submitted to the State Fire Marshal's Office . Ninety percent of the ESF group debriefings of the 2005 hurricane season have been completed in an effort to refine procedures for the 2006 hurricane season . Emergency Management hosted a NIMS Compliance workshop for county and municipal elected officials and government staff to assist them in meeting the deadlines . Piloted a new county-wide fire hose testing procedure which is some 60% complete. The result will be standardized annual testing and inventory of fire hose and redistribution where needed Web site Updates: . Fire Training Bureau continued to migrate functionality from a privately owned and developed website to the County web site PUBLIC WORKS . Free residential hurricane dumping program officially ended 3/3/06 . Continued w/hurricane repair projects . Continued to order, process and receive hurricane replacement vehicles and equipment . Moved County Health Department into the Roth Building 10 . Fabricated and Installed skate park rules signage, ordered/received skate park waiver form, and assisted with grand opening at Key Largo Skate Park . Made practice run to FlU w/special needs cot trailer . Completed grade corrections and resurfaced Ivanhoe Court, Hammer Point, Key Largo . Submitted proposed projects for Hazardous Mitigation Grant Program . Met w/ City ofKW Landscaper regarding shade trees and landscaping improvements at Astro City, and landscaping improvements at the Key West Courthouse . Started FY07 budget and planning process ENGINEERING . Key Largo Skate Park- Grand opening occurred on April 25th . North Key Largo Fire Station - The contractor has poured the ground slab and is erecting the walls . Big Coppitt Park - Bids opened on March 23rd with Toppino's being low bidder. Recommending award at the April 19th BOCC meeting. . Big Pine Key Park Demolition- Bids opened on March 23rd with Toppino's being low bidder. Recommending award at the April 19th BOCC meeting. . Big Coppitt Sewer-Monroe County has requested funding from the SFWMD for the Big Coppitt Sewer Project. As a result the SFWMD is seeking $400,000 from the state ad valorem fund and $400,000 from the SWIM program should any funding be made available. . Hurricane Debris- Completed haul out of hurricane debris. TECHNICAL SERVICES . Network Administrator position is filled . Staff is installing the new 100 computers under the technology fund 67 have been installed as of 3/31/06 . Closed over 160 work orders this month . MCTV has held 14 live broadcast meeting this month. . Installed new ISA server . Installed two new Anti-Virus servers . Installed windows update server . Rolled out the new Systematic virus on all computers 11 PROJECT MANAGER TO CO. ADMINISTRATOR . Liaison activities with Langton Associates relative to grants/development . South Florida Workforce Investment Board (SFWIB) involvement and meeting . Reviewed NACo Prescription Drug Discount Program and recommended implementation; agenda item submitted for BOCC action on 4/19 . Attended regular Southernmost Homeless Assistance League (SHAL) board meeting on 3/1 and funding workshop on 3/22. 12