Pinellas. (ollnt OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MEMORANDUM

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1 Pinellas (ollnt WORK SESSION AGENDA J.J~.IO ~ J OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MEMORANDUM TO: Honorable Chair and Members 0 h Board of County Commissioners FROM: Robert S LaSala, County Adm' I tor DATE: SUBJECT:,January 6, 2010 Board of County Commissions Work Session January 12, 2010 Proposed Federal Legislative Program Each year the Board adopts a Federal Legislative Program which includes federal appropriation requests and policy recommendations The attached document which includes appropriation requests submitted by departments is a work-in-progress There may be additional proposals and others may be eliminated Projects will be subject to further refinement pending consultation with the Board's federal consultants and Congressional staff The Federal Legislative Program will be returned to the Board for action in February. With final action by the Senate on December 2009, Congress passed the Consolidate Appropriations Act for FY Results for Pinellas County include: Attachment $300,000 for the At-Risk Youth Diversion Project $262,000 for the Business Assistance Partnership $300,000 for the Chronic Minor Offender Program $200,000 for STARS $300,000 for Beckett Bridge $1 million for the Airport

2 PINELLAS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SUMMARY OF PROJECTS UNDER CONSIDERATION FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS REQUESTS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Appropriation Amendment: Seek a technical amendment to reallocate funds directly to the Board of County Commission that was released by a community organization in which the BCC served as the grantee. Funds may be used to assist with a capital project that serves or is used by the community.. Request: $250,000 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Primary Care - Behavioral Health Care Integration: Provide a pilot project to colocate mental health services at three primary care medical homes. Request: $145,000 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Beach Erosion Control: Conduct periodic renourishment of nine miles of critically eroded beach from Clearwater to North Redington (Sand Key Beach). Request: $11.3 million or $3.5 million (The cost differential is based on the sand source) Ft. Desoto Park Ecological Enhancement Phase II: Enhance the ecology of the marine area by removal of causeways and restoring historic tidal flow between the bays.. Request: $700,000 Joe's Creek Greenway Pedestrian Crossing: Provide a pedestrian crossing of the creek to provide access to both sides of the Greenway for park users. Request: $370,000

3 PUBLIC SAFETY Ex-Offender Project: Implement a Phase II component of the ex-offender re-entry efforts which would expand on the strategic planning partnerships by engaging additional organizations, implementing additional reentry strategies such as electronic monitoring, and establishing a service location in direct proximity to the jail Request: $300,000 Pinellas County Pre-Arrest, Central Triage for Adults: Develop a second phase of chronic offender diversion through the establishment of a central triage structure as an alternative to the jail. Similar to the existing juvenile assessment center, the triage will allow Pinellas to pilot a coordinated adult approach. Request: $500,000 At-Risk Youth Diversion and Recidivism Prevention Program: Partner with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, and community agencies to provide community assessment services, case management, and aftercare to steer low-risk youth towards productive activities and redirect high-risk youth into more stable community engagement Request: $300,000 TRANSPORTATION Beckett Bascule Bridge Replacement: Support project development and engineering study. Request: $500,000 ITS Phase II Component: Installation of fiber optic cable and ancillary ITS devices for a corridor of the County.. Request: $3 million TRANSPORTATION REAUTHORIZATION PROJECTS PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED U.S. 19/Enterprise Road Safety Improvements: Design and construct safety improvements of the middle gap of partially controlled access on the US Highway 19 corridor Request $15 million 11sth Avenue Expressway: Construct a limited access road from US Highway 19 to State Road 686 Connector with a grade separated interchange at 49 th Street and a southbound to eastbound flyover from U.. S.. Highway 19. Request: $30 million ITS Phase II Implementation: Complete implementation of Phase II of the Countywide Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) which includes completion of Belcher Road, all of Starkey Road and 34 th Street Request: $16 million A Tiger Grant application for $46.3 million was submitted for completion of Phase /I of ITS and a component of Phase III. 2

4 PINELLAS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION FEDERAL POLICY ISSUES Aviation. Support Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization that includes a well-funded Airport Improvement Program with guaranteed funding from the Aviation Trust Fund Beach Nourishment: Support current legislation and appropriation that ensures continued federal participation, in partnership with state and local governments, in beach management, harbors, navigation, and flow control projects Clean Water Act: Supports federal funding to meet all Clean Water Act (CWA) mandates imposed on counties and opposes federal efforts to change the definition of the Clean Water Act from navigable waters to "waters of the United States," and the expansion of federal agencies' authority and responsibilities in regard to these waters. Climate Change: Support immediate and long-range efforts by the federal government to involve all levels of stakeholders to mitigate possible actual sources of climate change and reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change (adaptation) through a series of practical incentives Support increased federal funding for all means of emissions reductions and adaptation strategies Emergency Preparedness: Support the provision of adequate and consistent resources for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure rapid federal response and reimbursements to local governments Support efforts to ensure counties included in a presidential disaster declaration are reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for debris removal from both public and private property Homeland Security: Support the Tampa Bay region's continued designation on the funding list for the Urban Areas Security Initiative to ensure our ability to mitigate the higher risk levels of our community Support amendments to the criteria for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program to allow local governments that coordinate fire and emergency medical services to be an eligible applicant. Homelessness: Support consolidation of the programs under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act into a single block grant program to streamline program rules into one set of requirements and increase the flexibility to administer homeless assistance based on local need Housing: Protect funding for the Community Development Block Grant program and preserve it within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Support full funding of the Section-8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and reforms that will enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the program to expand affordable housing alternatives 3

5 Support revision of the recapture and reuse language in the HOME Investment Partnerships Program to distinguish between "any" funds and a "participating jurisdiction's annual allocation." Off Shore Drilling: Maintain the current moratorium on drilling within the Eastern Planning Area of the Gulf of Mexico off the state of Florida. Sales Tax Reform: Support legislation that will authorize states to participate in an interstate sales tax compact and require remote sellers to collect existing state and local sales and uses taxes. Surface Transportation Reauthorization: Support a comprehensive legislative effort to reauthorize the highway, transit, and safety programs with a particular emphasis on funding that meets the growing transportation needs Telecommunications. Support rewriting provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which include protecting existing authorities and revenues, and addressing issues of convergence across a broad range of communications and technology platforms. Support maintaining local control over the siting of wireless towers and antennas and zoning of digital television towers Monitor proposed changes in law and FCC regulations that may affect E 911, franchising, interoperability, public channel broad based signal capacity, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), and communication services fees Transit: Support efforts to secure additional federal capital and operating dollars for transit services Provide states with dedicated funding to build on efforts to provide access to quality community information and referral services through nationwide implementation of Unfunded Mandates and Preemption: Oppose any federal action that implements unfunded mandates on a local government's fiscal and public policy. Oppose legislation or regulations that preempt county authority, such as land-use regulatory authorities, telecommunications and cable rights of way, and other locally-based functions 4