THE CITY

ON OCTOBER 19, 2016, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED RESOLUTION NO. 146-16 SUPPORTING PALM BEACH COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY'S PLAN TO ENACT A ONE-CENT SALES SURTAX TO PAY FOR NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS TO PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, PARKS, PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES AND TO PLACE A REFERENDUM ON THE NOVEMBER 8, 2016, BALLOT FOR VOTERS’ APPROVAL.  THE CITY STAFF IDENTIFIED APPROXIMATELY $39,000,000 IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNFUNDED AND CAN BE FUNDED BY THE PASSING OF THE ONE-CENT SALES SURTAX.

THE VOTERS

THE VOTERS APPROVED THE ONE-CENT SALES SURTAX ON NOVEMBER 8, 2016, AND THE SURTAX SHALL COMMENCE ON JANUARY 1, 2017 AND AUTOMATICALLY SUNSET ON DECEMBER 31, 2026, UNLESS SUNSETTED EARLIER PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF COUNTY ORDINANCE NO. 2016-032.

THE COUNTY

PURSUANT TO THE COUNTY ORDINANCE AND THE BALLOT LANGUAGE APPROVED BY THE VOTERS, CITY EXPENDITURES OF THE SURTAX PROCEEDS SHALL BE SUBJECT TO INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT BY CITIZEN COMMITTEES.

THE COUNTY ORDINANCE FURTHER PROVIDES THAT EACH CITY MUST PARTICIPATE IN A CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND EACH CITY HAS THE CHOICE OF EITHER CREATING ITS OWN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE OR PARTICIPATING IN ONE CREATED BY THE PBC LEAGUE OF CITIES.

PALM BEACH COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES, INC.

PURSUANT TO THE COUNTY ORDINANCE, THE PALM BEACH COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES, INC. HAS PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS FOR A CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE:

A.    THE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MUST BE CREATED, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AFTER THE SURTAX BECOMES EFFECTIVE, JANUARY 1, 2017, BUT NOT LATER THAN THE DATE ON WHICH THE SURTAX FUNDS ARE FIRST EXPENDED. (THE COUNTY EXPECTS THAT FUNDS MAY START BEING RECEIVED IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH 2017);

B.    THE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SHALL SERVE AS ADVISORY AND REPORTING BODIES TO THE CREATING ENTITY.  EACH CREATING ENTITY SHALL ESTABLISH SPECIFIC DUTIES AND MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS GOVERNING COMMITTEE OPERATIONS AND PARTICIPATION;

C.    EACH COMMITTEE SHALL HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO REVIEW THE EXPENDITURE OF THE SURTAX PROCEEDS BY THE ENTITY WHICH CREATED IT;

D.    THE COMMITTEE SHALL MEET MONTHLY OR AS OTHERWISE NEEDED TO FULFILL THEIR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES;

E.    THE COMMITTEE SHALL PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE ENTITY WHICH CREATED IT;

F.     COMMITTEE MEMBERS SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES;

G.    THE COMMITTEE, ITS MEMBERS AND ALL PROCEEDINGS SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE FLORIDA SUNSHINE LAW, CHAPTER 286, FLORIDA STATUTES, THE FLORIDA PUBLIC RECORDS LAW, CHAPTER 119, FLORIDA STATUTES AND THE FLORIDA ETHICS CODE, CHAPTER 112, FLORIDA STATUTES AND ALL OTHER APPLICABLE LOCAL OR STATE STATUTES, ORDINANCES OR RULES; AND

H.    DUE TO THE CITY ENTERING INTO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE CITY MAY HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT MUST BE MET, I.E., CREATING A PROJECT LIST THAT WILL BE FUNDED FROM THE SURTAX PROCEEDS, PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED BUT, SUBJECT TO FUTURE REVISIONS BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF SAID ENTITY AND SUBJECT TO ANY ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.

THE PALM BEACH COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES IS WORKING ON A DRAFT RESOLUTION CREATING ITS CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL BE VETTED BY THE LEAGUE FINANCE COMMITTEE WHO WILL MEET IN LATE DECEMBER 2016 OR EARLY JANUARY 2017 TO FINALIZE THE RESOLUTION.  THEREAFTER, THE LEAGUE WILL ADVERTISE FOR OPEN COMMITTEE SEATS AND APPOINTMENTS ARE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED TO BE MADE BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT ITS FEBRUARY 22, 2017 MEETING.  FURTHER, THE LEAGUE WILL ENDEAVOR TO HAVE THE FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING IN MARCH OF 2017.