PC Latest Update

Presidents Council Members,
Meeting Announcements (all meetings via Zoom)
July 21st – Guest speaker Kate Cotner, FPL External Affairs. See below for more information.
August 18th - Guest speaker Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, SFWMD Governing Board Member. See below for more information.
September 15th – tentatively scheduled
More information will be distributed on upcoming meetings as arrangements are finalized.

Presidents Council July 21st Membership Meeting
Guest speaker for this meeting is Kate Cotner, Senior External Affairs Advisor Florida Power and Light. Ms Cotner will explain how FPL is preparing for the hurricane season in this new Covid environment and what customers will need to do differently. This will be timely information for all of us. Also, as time permits, other topics of interest relating to the SLC plant and its impact on us will be discussed.

Presidents Council August 18th Membership Meeting
Guest speaker for this meeting is Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, Governing Board Member South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). She is an At Large Member representing an area that includes St Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward and Monroe Counties. For more information on SFWMD see their website: sfwmd.gov.

Please send by July 28th, all discussion topics or questions of interest to you. The list of topics will be compiled and forwarded to Ms Thurlow-Lippisch.

Summary of the Membership Meeting June 17th
Senator Gayle Harrell, Florida State Senator District 25, provided a very informative presentation identifying some of the key legislation passed in the last session and other issues currently impacting the state. Highlights of the discussion:

• The opening of the 2020 session in January was filled with optimism and plans to continue the focus on education, clean water and Everglades restoration.
  
• Covid-19 changed that. In February, Senator Harrell, Chair Health Policy Committee, met with committee members to review the budget in anticipation of the impacts of the virus. Additional funds were placed in the current year budget ($58M) and next year’s ($300M). However, the impact has been greater than anticipated at the time.
  
• Current initiatives in the budget: education including funds for safe schools and mental health resources in the schools; record funds focused on environmental issues including Legacy Florida funds for the Everglades to stop releases, Forever Florida funds for land conservation efforts including land buying programs, such as rights of way for public beach access points.
  
• State revenue is reduced dramatically ($878M in April), mostly due to reduction in sales tax receipts.
  
• The Governor will be reviewing the budget, but at this time it is not anticipated that a special session will be called.
  
• Bills passed in last session impacting Condo Associations: SB#476 cannot prohibit law enforcement vehicles parking on property; SB#1084 Emotional support animals must be permitted provided required documents from a physician are presented.
  
• CARES (Corona virus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) has dispersed federal funds to counties with a population over 500,000. However, local counties are less than 500,000 and do not qualify for these federal funds. Local counties may submit separately to gain additional funds.
  
• The State has addressed the virus through many initiatives primarily protecting the most vulnerable individuals: five Covid-19 only nursing homes have been set up throughout the state; established testing criteria for nursing home admittance; ensured adequate hospital beds and equipment; prepared to address “hotspots” when they develop, as demonstrated in Indiantown. The basics are essential: wear masks and wash hands.
  
• Discussed the killing of George Floyd and the response throughout the country. The senator indicated that we must engage in deeper conversation and listen to each other to come up with solutions to increase our cultural awareness. Major conversations in the state will continue.
  

We thank the Senator for her time with us and appreciate her efforts on our behalf in the State government. We gained increased awareness of the issues impacting our area, which were made apparent as Senator Harrell was asked to leave the meeting early to address the Roosevelt bridge closure.

Beach Project Update

As Harvey Alligood, Chair Beach & Dune Committee, indicated at the June membership meeting, the County has changed its position regarding compensation to property owners in the identified “gap” areas, who provide easements for public beach access points. These additional access points will increase the federal cost share for the project.  More information will be forthcoming, however, Harvey encouraged Associations in the gap areas to contact Joshua Revord SLC (772/462-1269) to better understand both the impact and compensation.
Following the June 9th Informal SLC BOCC meeting regarding funding for the Federal Beach Project, there have been separate individual meetings with Commissioners and the County Assistant Administrator as the PC Board works to clarify the funding plans.  The current “plan” continues to be finetuned and updated by the County.  The current draft version will be placed on the website for information and will be updated as subsequent versions are received.  
It is recognized the impact of additional beach access points on the project funding is significant.  The PC Board has taken additional steps to help coordinate communication between the County and the property owners to help ensure clarity, so that decisions can be finalized before the deadline.

Stay safe and stay well!