Okaloosa County BOCC — October 4, 2016 — Letters Requesting Support for the Okaloosa County Hurricane and Storm — agenda request

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST DATE: October 4, 2016 TO: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board FROM: Darrel Jones SUBJECT: Letters Requesting Support for the Okaloosa County Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Project DEPARTMENT: Tourist Development Department BCC DISTRICT: 2,4,5 STATEMENT OF ISSUE: Request approval of letters of support for the Okaloosa County Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Project. BACKGROUND: Okaloosa County has been pursuing a Federal Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction project since 2006. Then U.S. Representative Alan Boyd assisted the County in securing a resolution adopted on June 28, 2006 by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to authorize the Secretary of the Army to conduct a study for a potential water resources project for Okaloosa County, Florida. In 2009, U.S. Representative Jeff Miller secured approximately $100,000 in Federal funds for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a reconnaissance study of Okaloosa County to determine if there was Federal interest in proceeding with a Federal Hurricane and Shore Protection project for the County. The reconnaissance study showed strong Federal interest to proceed to the next step, which is a feasibility study. Staff requests approval of letters of support for federal funding to be allocated to the Okaloosa County Storm Damage Reduction, Beach Protection and Restoration Project for the purpose of conducting a feasibility study. The letters will be sent to The Honorable Jo-Ellen Darcy, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works; U.S. Senator Marco Rubio; U.S. Senator Bill Nelson; and U.S. Representative Jeff Miller. OPTIONS: Approve or Deny RECOMMENDATION: Approve letters of support for the Okaloosa County Federal Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction, and authorize the Chairman to sign. RECOMMENDED BY: APPROVED BY: John Hofstad, County Administrator