THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIVISION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
This item supports the Board’s value of encouraging investments in renewable energy, sustainable practices, and environmental protection; specifically, the goal to seek funding for, implement policies and pursue projects promoting, the use of alternative energies and sustainable practices. Participation in the FWC Program will assist the County in managing natural areas, and the State-contracted work will augment current sustainable practices, assist in conservation of natural resources, and promote protection of the environment through the removal of invasive plants in natural areas.
The Parks and Recreation Division (“Division”) is responsible for managing many of the County’s natural areas. Invasive plants are one of the biggest threats to such natural areas and managing such natural areas is expensive. The County would benefit financially and otherwise from participation in the Program. Approval of this agenda item will authorize the Division to participate in the Program for five years. If participation in the Program is deemed successful, the Division will seek Board approval for additional five-year periods. FWC’s criteria for participation in the Program may vary from Fiscal Year to Fiscal Year. The criteria for participating in the Program is included in Exhibit 1 - Program Handbook.
The State-funded Program was established to assist land management agencies (including, but not limited to, state, county, and city agencies) with managing priority invasive plants that are disruptive to natural areas. This Program is not a grant program and no monies are provided to participating agencies. To participate in the Program, agencies submit a project(s) based on criteria established by FWC. All projects submitted within Southeast Florida are reviewed and ranked by the participating agencies within Southeast Florida. The projects are selected based on their ranking and limited by the amount of money FWC receives from the State for the applicable Fiscal Year. FWC selects contractors through the state procurement process and pays for the contracted invasive plant project. The agency that submitted the project assists with monitoring the work, with FWC acting as the contract administrator. The efficiencies that are created by the FWC procuring contracts statewide increases the amount of work completed and the speed in which the contracts are initiated.
Site Access Agreements will be prepared by and approved as to form by the Office of the County Attorney for execution by the County Administrator and the respective FWC-selected contractor(s) performing FWC approved project(s) on County property, prior to any such FWC-selected contractor(s) commencing any project activities on County property. |