TITLE
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR HIS DESIGNEE TO APPLY FOR RECEIVE, AND EXPEND FLORIDA INLAND NAVIGATION DISTRICT WATERWAYS GRANT FUNDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FLOATING DOCK AND BOAT LIFT AT THE PORT OF MIAMI FOR MIAMI-DADE FIRE RESCUE MARINE OPERATIONS BUREAU; AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO MODIFY OR AMEND THE APPLICATIONS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS OR TO EXTEND THE PERFORMANCE PERIOD

BODY
WHEREAS, Florida Legislature developed the Florida Inland Navigation District under Florida Statue 374.976; and

WHEREAS, this Board desires to accomplish the purposes outlined in the accompanying memorandum and attachments, copies of which are incorporated
here in by reference.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board authorizes the Mayor or his designee to apply for, receive, and expend grant funds from the Fiscal Year 2007- 2008 grant application for Florida Inland Navigation Waterways Assistance to be used to construct a floating dock and boat lift at the Port of Miami for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Marine Operations Bureau; and authorizing the Mayor or his designee to modify or amend the applications in order to receive additional funds or to extend the performance period.

HEADER
Date:

To: Honorable Chairman Bruno A. Barreiro
and Members, Board of County Commissioners

From: George M. Burgess
County Manager

Subject: Resolution for the Application of Funds for
Florida Inland Navigation District Waterways
Program for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Board approve the attached resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to apply for $111,150.00 in grant funds from the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) Waterways Assistance Grant Program. The grant will assist in funding the construction of a Floating Dock and Boat Lift at the Port of Miami to facilitate the placement of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) Fire Boats.

Scope
Florida Legislature created F.S 374.976 F.S. which authorizes and empowers each inland navigation district to fund and undertake programs intended to alleviate the problems associated with its waterways. The Florida Inland Navigation District receives its operational funding through ad-valorem taxes levied on property within the eleven Florida counties that border the Intra-Coastal Waterway, from Duval County to Miami-Dade County. These funds are made available to eligible local governments, member counties and navigation districts for waterways related projects.

Fiscal Impact/Funding Source
The grant is a matching grant that requires a fifty percent match from the applicant. The total cost of the Floating Dock and Boatlift Project is $273,882.50. MDFR will provide an approximate sixty percent match or $162,732.50 which encompasses $51,582.50 that has already been expended for Geotechnical Testing and Permit Applications for this project. These items are not reimbursable under the grant program. FIND will fund approximately forty percent or $111,150.00. This project has been approved by MDFR�s Marine Operations Bureau operating budget, and is currently in the competitive bidding stage. The grant will allow the Marine Operations Bureau to supplement the cost of this valuable project and reduce the financial impact to the Bureau�s operating budget.

Track Record/Monitor
MDFR Marine Operations Bureau will administer this grant. This award will be tracked and monitored by MDFR Grants Management Bureau for consistency with applicable OMB Circulars, audit requirements and award directives.

MANAGER'S BACKGROUND
Background
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Marine Operations Bureau has developed an all inclusive, all threat, marine waterways fire rescue response plan. This plan addresses the fire rescue needs on the entire waterways of Miami-Dade County. Miami-Dade County is home to more than fifty public and private marinas, numerous public boat ramps and thousands of private docks. In addition to recent maritime incidents such as the marina fire at Miami Beach, plane crashes in Government Cut and Maule Lake, the SS Norway explosion at the Port of Miami and the MV Ecstasy fire, the county experiences countless other waterway fire or EMS-related incidents on a daily basis.�

MDFR�s emergency response plan encompasses the Port of Miami and areas of Biscayne Bay and adjacent waterways, public beaches and off shore areas up to 20 miles. Components of the plan includes serving more than 2 million residents, eighty-four (84) miles of Oceanside coastline, twenty-two (22) miles of beaches, sixty-seven (67) miles of inland waterways, and 5.5 miles of the Miami River commercial waterway.

MDFR�s emergency response plan addresses the need for centrally located emergency response and fire suppression vessels. The central placement of the Floating Dock and Boat lift may also prevent and minimize navigational emergencies as required by the grant guidelines.

The immediate advantage gained from constructing a Floating Dock and Boat Lift at the Port of Miami is the accessibility, efficiency and speed in which MDFR fireboats can be deployed to waterway incidents across Miami-Dade County Waterways. The project will provide a critical vantage point for a more effective deployment of MDFR�s fire boats by enabling MDFR to provide prompt response to boat fires, trauma and medical emergency occurring on the County�s waterways. An effective response time to incidents on the waterways is essential to preventing the escalation of fire, medical, homeland security and environmental emergencies.




_________________________
Alina T. Hudak
Assistant County Manager