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ORDINANCE CREATING A TASK FORCE ON URBAN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION; PROVIDING DEFINITIONS; ESTABLISHING QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP ON THE TASK FORCE; ESTABLISHING TERMS OF OFFICE; SETTING FORTH THE ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURE OF THE TASK FORCE; ESTABLISHING THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE TASK FORCE; REQUIRING THE TASK FORCE TO REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD RELATING TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDING; REQUIRING ALL EXPENDITURES OF COUNTY FUNDS WITHIN TARGETED AREAS FOR URBAN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION PURPOSES TO BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRIORITIES ESTABLISHED BY THE PLAN TO BE DEVELOPED BY THE TASK FORCE; PROVIDING SEVERABILITY, INCLUSION IN THE CODE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE

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WHEREAS, this Task Force on Urban Economic Revitalization (the "Task Force") is modeled after the Dade County Homeless Trust, the highly successful and nationally acclaimed County board, which has placed Dade County in the forefront in its fight against homelessness; and
WHEREAS, the most severely and traditionally undeserved and underdeveloped neighborhoods in Dade County are in areas that are currently and which have historically been populated by Blacks; and

WHEREAS, in 1994 Dade County implemented a comprehensive empowerment zone strategies planning process in its effort to prepare an application for participation the federal government's empowerment zone and enterprise community program; and
WHEREAS, Dade County's proposed program anticipated Dade County's designation as a federal empowerment zone and the receipt of a $100 million federal grant, to facilitate implementation of its strategic plan; and
WHEREAS, Dade County's application for an empowerment zone designation was not approved,
WHEREAS, alternative funding sources must be explored to achieve the long term goals set forth in the community's strategic plan established during the empowerment zone application process,
WHEREAS, similar to the haphazard funding processes utilized by the County for funding homeless projects prior to creating the Homeless Trust, the funding of urban economic development projects in the Targeted Urban Areas (as defined below) is without focus and often, is subject to the machinations of politics; and
WHEREAS, Dade County provides funding to numerous organizations which endeavor to implement urban economic development projects; and
WHEREAS, there needs to be a mechanism in place by which a plan could be developed, so that less economic development funding would be spent on salaries and administration of community based organizations and more would be spent directly on projects which the communities have studied and endorsed as the projects which would improve the condition of the Targeted Urban Areas; and

WHEREAS, this Task Force on Urban Economic Revitalization will only be successful if its focus is community based, and the community places a dominant role in the formation of the Plan which the Task Force is required to develop pursuant to this ordinance; and
WHEREAS, it is the intent of this ordinance that this Task Force on Urban Economic Revitalization, among other things, should (1) help to focus Dade County's economic development funding process; (2) encourage the formation of public/private partnership (s) working to revitalize the Targeted Urban Areas through economic development; and (3) place significant control over the funding of economic development projects in Targeted Urban Areas in the hands of a community based County board,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA:
Section 1. Creation of the Task Force on Urban Economic Revitalization. There is hereby created and established as an agency and instrumentality of Dade County a revocable trust which shall be named and known as a Task Force on Urban Economic Revitalization hereinafter referred to as "the Task Force." The Task Force shall be a public body through which its governing body may exercise all those powers either specifically granted herein or necessary in the exercise of the powers herein enumerated.
Section 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this section the following definitions shall be effective:
(1) "Urban Economic Revitalization" means the undertakings and activities of Dade County and its residents in implementing comprehensive economic development strategies to create jobs, cause an increase in the tax base, and promote business activity in Targeted Urban Areas located in Dade County.
(2) "Targeted Urban Areas" means those geographical areas commonly known as: Liberty City/Model City, Carol City, Goulds, Overtown, Little Haiti, Brownsville, Opa-Locka, Richmond Heights, Homestead/Florida City, Coconut Grove, Northwest 27th Avenue Corridor, Northwest 183rd Street Corridor, West Little River, Princeton/Naranja, Leisure City, South Miami and Perrine. Any geographic locations in Dade County which are designated by the federal government as empowerment zones shall be included in the definition of Targeted Urban Areas at the time of such designation. Upon recommendation of the Task Force and approval by ordinance of this Board, other geographic areas within Dade County may be included in the definition of Targeted Urban Areas provided, however, that no additional areas may be added until such time as at least 60% of the projects which the Task Force is required to develop pursuant to this ordinance shall have been completed and 60% of the value of the projects proposed to be undertaken has been spent for purposes of urban economic revitalization within targeted urban areas. Maps or street descriptions setting forth the contiguous boundaries of the Targeted Urban Areas, which are attached to this ordinance as Exhibit A and on file with the Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners, are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
(3) "County Funds" means funds received by the County from any source, and shall include but not be limited to, general funds, omnibus reserve funds, state or federal grant funds, and any empowerment zone funding granted to Dade County before and after the effective date of this ordinance.

Section 3. Governing body.
(a) Membership; compensation. The governing body of the Task Force shall be a board of directors composed of twenty-three (23) voting members. Members shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties.
(b) Composition. The voting membership of the board of directors shall be ethnically, racially, geographically and gender balanced and shall be composed of the following members:
(1) One (1) member representing the financial or banking community;
(2) One (1) member representing the legal community;
(3) One (1) member nominated by the Chairperson of the Board of County Commissioner's Committee which has jurisdiction over community and economic development;
(4) One (1) member with a background in public sector budgeting and finance;
(5) One (1) member nominated by the Beacon Council;
(6) One (1) member representing the civic and private sector business community which shall be nominated by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce;
(7) One (1) member representing the civic and private sector business community which shall be nominated by the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce;
(8) One (1) member nominated by the Metro-Miami Action Plan Trust ("MMAP");
(9) Two members of the Florida Legislature, one (1) from the House and one (1) from the Senate, who were elected from districts which are located, wholly or partially, within a Targeted Urban Areas;
(10) One (1) member nominated by the Urban Bankers Association, Inc.;
(11) One (1) member nominated by the Black Lawyers Association Inc.;
(12) One (1) member nominated by the Black Business Association;
(13) One (1) member nominated by Tools for Change;
(14) One (1) member nominated by a community development organization which allows the community to vote on its board membership;.
(15) Four (4) members of the Board of County Commissioners whose districts constitute the largest part of the Targeted Urban Areas shall each designate one (1) member of the Task Force who shall be residents of Targeted Urban Areas or who are business owners who have places of business within Targeted Urban Areas.
(16) One member representing the Commercial/Industrial Development Community;
(17) One member nominated by the Coalition of Community Development Corporations;
(18) One (1) member representing the investment banking community;
(19) One (1) member representing the insurance community;
Members of the Board of County Commissioners who were elected from districts which are located, wholly or partially, in the Targeted Urban Areas, shall serve as ex-officio, non-voting advisors to the Task Force. These advisors shall not count towards a quorum.
Vacancies on the board of directors shall be filled in the same manner by which the original members were appointed, with a special emphasis on choosing persons representative of the gender, racial and ethnic composition of the entire community.
Section 4. Terms of Office, tenure and removal of directors. All non-ex officio members shall serve staggered terms of three (3) years each; provided, however, of the original board of directors, the Mayor of Metropolitan Dade County shall select five (5) members for a term of one (1) year, and five (5) members for a term of two (2) years and the remaining non-ex officio members for a term of three (3) years. No member, with the exception of ex-officio members and advisors, shall be permitted to serve more than two (2) consecutive and complete terms of three (3) years each unless so authorized by the Mayor of Metropolitan Dade County. Members may be removed in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 2-11.38 of the Code of Metropolitan Dade County.
Section 5. Qualifications. Each member of the Task Force must comply with the requirements of Chapter 2-11.38 of the Code of Metropolitan Dade County.
Section 6. Organization and procedure.
(1) Officers. The Task Force shall organize after the members thereof have qualified to serve. The Mayor shall appoint the initial Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson and officers of the Task Force as necessary. These officers shall hold such offices for an initial one year term. After expiration of the initial term of office of such officers, the Task Force shall elect its officers from among its members. In addition, the Task Force shall make, adopt and amend bylaws, rules and regulations for its own governance.
(2) Meetings. The Task Force shall hold regular meetings and such other meetings as it deems necessary. A majority of the members of the Task Force shall constitute a quorum. Minutes shall be kept of all meetings of the Task Force and all meetings shall be public.
(3) Committees. The Task Force shall appoint any committees it deems necessary.
(4) Applicability of County rules and procedures. The trust shall at all times operate under the Florida Open Government laws, including the "Sunshine Law," public meeting laws and public records laws and shall be governed by all State and County conflict of interest laws, as applicable, including the Metropolitan Dade County Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance, Section 2-11.1 of the Code of Metropolitan Dade County.
(5) Voting requirements. Trustees may designate in writing alternates to attend meetings and/or vote on their behalf.
Section 7. Powers and duties.
The powers and duties of the Task Force shall be as follows:
(a) To serve in an advisory capacity to the Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners with respect to all issues affecting urban economic revitalization related to Targeted Urban Areas;
(b) To develop and present to the Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners within 90-120 days from the first meeting of the Task Force, a "Plan" which shall:
(1) identify the goals of the Plan and identify specific, focused, achievable economic development projects and/or programs to be carried out wholly or partially within the Targeted Urban Areas,
(2) delineate the action steps necessary or desirable to accomplish goals of the Plan,
(3) develop a plan for private sector fundraising to benefit urban economic development within Targeted Urban Areas; such plan should (1) identify persons and/or private entities to engage in fundraising to benefit urban economic development within Targeted Urban Areas and may propose to Dade County a contract with such persons and/or entities which would establish a public/private partnership, the goal of which would be to benefit urban economic development within Targeted Urban Areas; (2) include a component to involve residents of the Targeted Urban Areas in fundraising in order to promote a sense of community ownership in the economic revitalization of the Targeted Urban Areas, and (3) allow an opportunity for capital investment by residents of the Targeted Urban Areas.
In order to develop the Plan, the Task Force shall:
(1) Review, analyze and evaluate the funding expended in the Targeted Urban Areas for economic development over the past ten (10) years.
(2) Review, analyze and evaluate existing economic development plans and/or studies prepared on behalf of Dade County and prepared by community development corporations or community based organizations to determine which projects are achievable and feasible, including but not limited to plans and/or studies related to projects such as the Poinciana Industrial Park, the Seventh Avenue Corridor, Northside Shopping Center, the Northwest 183rd Street Shopping Center, the Community Development Bank, the Richmond Heights Old Shopping Center Project, the Perrine/Homestead Avenue Corridor, and the Goulds Shopping Center; provided, such plans or studies shall relate to projects or programs wholly or partially within Targeted Urban Areas;
(3) Review, analyze and evaluate successful urban economic revitalization programs from other major urban areas, including but not limited to programs in Baltimore, Maryland, Harlem, New York; Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, Georgia;
(4) Review, analyze and evaluate the Community and Individual Investment Corporation Guide published by USHUD September, 1996;
(5) Hold community meetings, coordinated by MMAP, to encourage public input in developing a focused, achievable and feasible plan and disseminate information regarding existing programs which aid the urban economic revitalization effort. The community input process utilized in the empowerment zone process may be used as a guide ;
(6) Identify new and existing federal, state and local sources of funding, if any, which could provide funding for urban economic revitalization.
(c) To update the Plan on an annual basis;
(d) To study the feasibility of community based development entities' consolidating and forming alliances which could take advantage of economies of scale and promote efficiency in service delivery; and to recommend incentives to encourage the formation of such consolidations and alliances;
(e) To encourage employment of Targeted Urban Area residents in major downtown developments, such as the Maritime Park Project and the Performing Arts Center;
(f) To encourage and promote the development and growth of the new and existing businesses in the Targeted Urban Areas; and
(g) To review the Office of Community Development's ("O.C.D.'s") recommendations for Dade County Community Development Block Grant economic development category funding and Community Based Organization Funding, related to economic development, for the purpose of assuring that O.C.D.'s staff recommendations are in accordance with priorities established by the Plan and require O.C.D. to report the dollar amount being spent in Targeted Urban Areas. To the extent the Board expends County Funds for economic development in Targeted Urban Areas, recommendations of the Task Force made pursuant to this subsection shall be accepted and implemented by the Board of County Commissioners, unless the recommendation is disapproved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire membership of the Board of County Commissioners.
(h) Work with the Mayor to identify and propose to the Board of County Commissioners a dedicated source of funding to implement the Urban Economic Revitalization Plan.
Section 8. County Spending in Targeted Urban Areas to be in Accordance with the Plan. All County funds expended for urban economic revitalization purposes on projects to be implemented partially or wholly within Targeted Urban Areas, shall be spent in accordance with the priorities established by the Plan.
Any expenditures for urban economic revitalization purposes made by Dade County in an incorporated municipality shall be made only pursuant to an inter-local agreement approved by the municipalities and the Board.
Section 9. County Spending in Non-Targeted Urban Areas Not Affected by Ordinance. It is the intention of the Board that areas which are not within the boundaries of Targeted Urban Areas shall not be prejudiced with respect to the allocation of County Funds by virtue of the operation of this ordinance. The Board reserves its discretion to allocate County Funds to areas inside and outside Targeted Urban Areas.
Section 10. Staff Support. The Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners shall record all meetings of the Task Force. The County Manager and the County Attorney shall provide to the Task Force adequate staff and support services to enable the Task Force to carry out its duties and responsibilities.
Section 11. Liberal Construction to effectuate public purpose. This article, being for public purpose and for the welfare of the citizens of Dade County, Florida, shall be liberally construed to effect the purposes hereof.
Section 12. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or provision of this ordinance is held invalid, the remainder of this ordinance shall not be affected by such invalidity.
Section 13. It is the intention of the Board of County Commissioners, and it is hereby ordained that the provisions of this ordinance, including any sunset provision, shall become and be made a part of the Code of Metropolitan Dade County, Florida. The sections of this ordinance may be renumbered or relettered to accomplish such intention, and the word "ordinance" may be changed to "section," "article," or other appropriate word.
Section 14. This ordinance shall become effective ten (10) days after the date of enactment unless vetoed by the Mayor, and if vetoed, shall become effective only upon an override by this Board.
Section 15. This ordinance does not contain a sunset provision.