Okaloosa County BOCC — April 5, 2016 — RE Citizen Request to Introduce Wildflower Resolution for Okaloosa County

From: Mary Ann Friedman To: Rick Owen Subject: RE: Citizen Request to Introduce Wildflower Resolution for Okaloosa County Date: Monday, March 07, 2016 8:51:27 PM Dear Mr. Owen, Thank you for your time and consideration. If you need any information materials or brochures from other Florida Counties that have enacted the Wildflower Resolution with FDOT I can drop them off at the offices. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, MaryAnn Friedman 807 Weeden Island Drive Niceville, FL 32578 850-729-2893 home 850-496-6846 cell From: rowen@co.okaloosa.fl.us To: marsabones@hotmail.com CC: smack@co.okaloosa.fl.us Subject: RE: Citizen Request to Introduce Wildflower Resolution for Okaloosa County Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2016 17:53:12 +0000 Ms. Friedman – I will bring your request to the County Administrator and let you know if a resolution of this type is permissible and if so, the soonest date we can bring the document before the Board. Thanks, Rick Rick Owen Administrative Manager RESTORE Act Coordinator Okaloosa County Administrator's Office 850-651-7515 (office) 850-855-0589 (cell) “Please note: Due to Florida's very broad public records laws, most written communications to or from County employees regarding County business are public records, available to the public and media upon request. Therefore, this written e-mail communication, including your e-mail address, may be subject to public disclosure.” From: Mary Ann Friedman [mailto:marsabones@hotmail.com] Sent: Saturday, February 27, 2016 11:12 AM To: Sandi Mack <smack@co.okaloosa.fl.us> Cc: Mary Ann Friedman <marsabones@hotmail.com> Subject: Citizen Request to Introduce Wildflower Resolution for Okaloosa County Dear Sandy, I am sending this letter to you to be forwarded to Rick Owen for his consideration and instruction on how to proceed. It concerns the possibility of introducing a Wildflower Resolution for Okaloosa County to the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners. Please find attached a proposed/model resolution. The purpose of the resolution is to create a partnership between Okaloosa County and the Florida Department of Transportation to maintain and enhance existing roadside populations of native wildflowers and to implement and maintain future plantings. Funding for this program is provided by proceeds from the sale of the Florida Wildflower License Plate. Our County is part of FDOT District Three. Of the sixteen counties in our district, nine have already adopted a County Wildflower Resolution by approval of their County Commissioners. They are Walton, Washington, Calhoun, Leon, Franklin, Gadsden, Wakulla, Holmes and Jefferson Counties. Okaloosa County citizens would work with FDOT to identify existing roadway populations of wildflowers for reduced mowing regimens, and would select other roadways for new plantings and enrichment. Here is the website for the Florida Wildflowers Foundation which contains information on the project with FDOT: www.flawildflowers.org In our county we can rely on agreement from local Garden Clubs, Master Gardeners, Civic Organizations and private citizens that using native plants on our roadways would be beneficial in many ways including, but not limited to: Beautification Reduced mowing and manpower costs Tourism Enhancement of natural corridors for migrating fauna Increase in native pollinator species A county resolution would support H.R.2738 - Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment Pollinator Protection Act https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th- congress/house-bill/2738 better known as "The Bee Act." As you know, several new road projects are underway in our county which, when completed, could be enhanced by the addition of swaths of beautiful wildflowers. FDOT will only consider adding wildflower plantings in counties which have a resolution in place. The process for requesting planting areas for consideration is describe