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RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO IMMEDIATELY ALLOW COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO CONTRIBUTE THE MONETARY VALUE OF ACCRUED HOLIDAY AND ANNUAL LEAVE TIME TO THE COUNTY�S EMERGENCY DISASTER RELIEF FUND ESTABLISHED BY RESOLUTION NO. R-1071-05 FOR THE PURPOSE OF DONATING TO HURRICANES HARVEY, IRMA, AND MARIA RELIEF EFFORTS; SETTING THE CAP OF SUCH CONTRIBUTIONS AT $250,000.00 PER HURRICANE; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO EVALUATE DONATION OPTIONS AND PURSUANT TO ORDINANCE NO. 14-65, PROVIDE A REPORT TO THIS BOARD WITH THE MAYOR�S RECOMMENDATION WITHIN 30 DAYS [SEE ORIGINAL ITEM UNDER FILE NO. 172089]

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WHEREAS, on August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas as a major Category 4 hurricane; and
WHEREAS, Hurricane Harvey has already caused and will continue to cause significant damage and extensive flooding in several parts of Texas, including Houston, America�s fourth largest city; and
WHEREAS, President Donald J. Trump has already declared a state of emergency in 18 counties in Texas while Texas Governor Greg Abbott has activated all 12,000 members of the Texas National Guard to assist with relief efforts; and
WHEREAS, at least 30 people have been reported dead since Hurricane Harvey made landfall due to unprecedented levels of flooding in southeast Texas; and
WHEREAS, there are significant emergency relief needs throughout Texas as a result of Hurricane Harvey; and
WHEREAS, residents of Miami-Dade County have family members, friends and business relationships with our neighbors in Texas; and
WHEREAS, on September 10 and 11, 2017, Hurricane Irma made impact throughout Florida and caused loss of life; and
WHEREAS, on September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria impacted Puerto Rico as the strongest storm to hit the island in 85; and
WHEREAS, residents and employees of Miami-Dade County have family members and friends throughout the Caribbean and Florida that have been affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria and generous County employees have expressed a desire to aid in the ongoing relief efforts; and
WHEREAS, to provide a mechanism for providing assistance to other communities, the Board of County Commissioners adopted Resolution No. R-1071-05 for the purpose of establishing an Emergency Disaster Relief Fund so that County employees may contribute earned annual and holiday leave time to benefit victims of natural disasters and in rebuilding communities affected by natural disasters; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County has previously adopted resolutions to assist other communities devastated by natural disasters, including communities in: Colombia (Resolution No. 460-17), Ecuador (Resolution No. 531-16), the Bahamas (Resolution No. 956-15), Louisiana, New Jersey, and New York (Resolution No. 977-12), Texas (Resolution No. 1103-08), various Caribbean countries (Resolution No. 972-08), and Jamaica (Resolution No. 1031-07); and
WHEREAS, generous County employees took advantage of the fund established by Resolution No. R-1071-05 and contributed their earned holiday and annual leave to the victims of these natural disasters; and
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners wishes to permit contributions towards recovery and reconstruction efforts undertaken as a result of the impacts of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria,�
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
Section 1. This Board hereby authorizes and directs the County Mayor or Mayor�s designee to immediately allow County employees to contribute the monetary value of accrued holiday and annual leave time to the County�s Emergency Disaster Relief Fund authorized by Resolution No. R-1071-05 for the purpose of donating to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, or Maria relief efforts. Employees may donate the value of leave time up to a maximum of $250,000 per hurricane identified in this resolution.
Section 2. The County Mayor or Mayor�s designee shall publicize and make available forms for employees to complete in order to authorize said earned annual and holiday leave contributions. The authorization forms to be distributed by the County Mayor or Mayor�s designee shall include a statement that the Board of County Commissioners has approved contributions of earned annual and holiday leave time for the purpose of donating to Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, or Hurricane Maria relief efforts. The authorization forms must require employee leave time contributors to identify the specific hurricane relief effort to which their donation will be associated.
Section 3. This Board directs the County Mayor or Mayor�s designee to evaluate options for the donation of funds contributed pursuant to this resolution in order to assist recovery efforts in the hardest-hit communities in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the islands of the Caribbean in response to the impacts of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Pursuant to Ordinance No. 14-65, the County Mayor or Mayor�s designee shall provide the report to this Board with the Mayor�s recommendation within 60 days, and shall place the completed report on the next available agenda.