Miami-Dade Legislative Item
File Number: 111822
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File Number: 111822 File Type: Resolution Status: Adopted
Version: 0 Reference: R-884-11 Control: County Commission
File Name: POLICY WITH RESPECT TO FUNDRAISING BY ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY Introduced: 8/29/2011
Requester: NONE Cost: Final Action: 10/4/2011
Agenda Date: 10/4/2011 Agenda Item Number: 11A15
Notes: Title: RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING COUNTY POLICY WITH RESPECT TO FUNDRAISING BY ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF FLORIDA AND PROVIDING THAT NO DEADLINE OR MINIMUM DOLLAR AMOUNT OBLIGATIONS EXIST WITH RESPECT TO SUCH FUNDRAISING EFFORTS
Indexes: ZONING ORDINANCE
  ZOO
Sponsors: Dennis C. Moss, Prime Sponsor
  Sally A. Heyman, Co-Sponsor
Sunset Provision: No Effective Date: Expiration Date:
Registered Lobbyist: None Listed


Legislative History

Acting Body Date Agenda Item Action Sent To Due Date Returned Pass/Fail

Board of County Commissioners 10/4/2011 11A15 Adopted P
REPORT: Hearing no objections or comments, the Board members proceeded to vote on the foregoing proposed resolution

Recreation & Cultural Affairs Committee 9/12/2011 2A Forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation P
REPORT: Assistant County Attorney Rizo read the foregoing resolution into the record. Commissioner Moss explained the intent of the foregoing proposed resolution. He noted the Zoological Society of Florida (ZSF) was a partner of Miami-Dade County and raised in excess of $36 million for projects at Zoo Miami. During the construction of the Amazon & Beyond Project, it was agreed that this should be an extraordinary attraction, the commissioner noted. He also noted $18 million of the allocation to the Lakes of Australia funding was subsequently dedicated to the Amazon & Beyond project. The ZSF agreed to raise the $18 million over a certain period of time; however, this goal was unrealistic considering the economic downturn. Consequently, this proposed resolution removes the commitment from the ZSF to raise $18 million over a specific period of time, Commissioner Moss noted. The funding for the Lakes of Australia has been reallocated to the Amazon & Beyond and the Florida Exhibit, and the ZSF would continue its fundraisings efforts.

County Attorney 8/29/2011 Referred Recreation, Culture & Tourism Committee 9/12/2011

County Attorney 8/29/2011 Assigned Monica Rizo 9/6/2011

Legislative Text


TITLE
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING COUNTY POLICY WITH RESPECT TO FUNDRAISING BY ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF FLORIDA AND PROVIDING THAT NO DEADLINE OR MINIMUM DOLLAR AMOUNT OBLIGATIONS EXIST WITH RESPECT TO SUCH FUNDRAISING EFFORTS

BODY

WHEREAS, the Zoological Society of Florida (�ZSF�) is the non-profit support arm of Zoo Miami and was founded in 1956; and
WHEREAS, over the past 30 years, ZSF has raised more than $36 million for Zoo Miami; and
WHEREAS, ZSF raised over $11 million for the Amazon and Beyond exhibit at Zoo Miami; and
WHEREAS, because the Amazon and Beyond exhibit at Zoo Miami had a shortfall of approximately $18 million, the governing board of ZSF, in consultation with the then-Director of the Park and Recreation Department and with the Zoo Director, approved a resolution (Exhibit �A�) on September 21, 2006, whereby ZSF stated that it was its intent to use its best efforts to raise $18 million by a to-be-determined target date in order to ensure that there would be sufficient funds for the Lakes and Australia exhibit after the significant modification to Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond (�BBC GOB�) Program Project No. 46 � �Miami Metrozoo�, with an original project description of �Construction of Phase IV � Lakes and Australia Exhibit,�, to include the Amazon and Beyond exhibit in the project description and funding therefore in the amount of approximately $18 million (Exhibit �B�); and
WHEREAS, ZSF�s resolution also provided that ZSF was committed to use its best efforts to raise the $18 million but that if a different amount of funds were raised, the BBC GOB Project No. 46 scope would be altered accordingly; and
WHEREAS, it appears that at some later date, County representatives and ZSF agreed that 2014 would be the target date by which ZSF would endeavor to raise the $18 million; and
WHEREAS, ZSF�s 2006 resolution was incorporated into the recital clauses of the BBC GOB Grant Agreement for the funding of the Amazon and Beyond project; and
WHEREAS, ultimately, the Amazon and Beyond exhibit was funded with $18.719 million of BBC GOB Project No. 46 funds; and
WHEREAS, in December of 2010, the County Manager reported to this Board (Exhibit �C�) that due to the difficult economic situation over the last several years, ZSF would be unable to raise $18.7 million by 2014; and
WHEREAS, instead, the County Manager reported, ZSF would raise $3 million for the Florida Exhibit at Zoo Miami by the time it is ready to open, and the remaining $15.7 million over time for other Zoo Miami capital projects; and
WHEREAS, the scope of BBC GOB Project No. 46 was reduced accordingly to eliminate the Lakes and Australia exhibit project, and a second significant modification to Project No. 46 was approved by this Board in December of 2010 to reallocate any remaining funds to Project No. 47, the Florida Exhibit at Zoo Miami; and
WHEREAS, the operating agreement between the County and ZSF (�Operating Agreement�) does not contain any obligation that requires ZSF to meet minimum fundraising thresholds; and
WHEREAS, instead, the Operating Agreement provides that fundraising shall be performed for activities approved by this Board in Zoo Miami�s master strategic plan and �goals� will be established for fundraising; and
WHEREAS, the Operating Agreement further provides that ZSF shall be the primary non-profit organization with which the County shall contract to promote, sponsor and support activities of Zoo Miami and to solicit corporate, foundation and individual donors; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Board to welcome and support any and all fundraising efforts by ZSF for the benefit of Zoo Miami and the Miami-Dade County community as a whole; and
WHEREAS, while the Board accepts that ZSF has developed timelines and monetary goals with respect to its fundraising efforts, and the Board encourages it continue to do so, it is the policy of this Board not to impose any obligation on, and to recognize that no obligation currently exists for, ZSF to raise a specific dollar amount by a specific deadline for Zoo Miami; and
WHEREAS, rather, it is the policy of this Board to encourage ZSF to continue to use its best efforts to raise the greatest sum of dollars possible for the benefit of Zoo Miami,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
Section 1. The recitals contained in the foregoing �WHEREAS� clauses are incorporated as part of this Resolution.
Section 2. It shall be the policy of this Board to (i) welcome and support any and all fundraising efforts by ZSF for the benefit of Zoo Miami, (ii) not to impose any obligation on, and to recognize that no obligation currently exists for, ZSF to raise a specific dollar amount by a specific deadline for Zoo Miami, and (iii) encourage ZSF to continue to use its best efforts to raise the greatest sum of dollars possible for the benefit of Zoo Miami.



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