Subject:
Title
Cooperative Funding Initiative Recommendation Letter and Grant Application for the Countywide Coastal Real-Time Flood Forecasting Project with the Southwest Florida Water Management District for Fiscal Year 2027 Projects.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the Public Works Director of the Cooperative Funding Initiative Recommendation Letter and Grant Application for the Countywide Coastal Real-Time Flood Forecasting project with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Projects.
- The Recommendation Letter is an annual requirement and must accompany each project grant application funding request.
- The signed approval letter indicates the County’s approval of the CFI grant application for funding assistance for FY27.
- Grant application is for County Wide Coastal Real-Time Flood Forecasting project and will be submitted by Public Works staff.
- County match will be derived from Public Works Department Operating Budget: Surface Water Utility.
- The grant will be expended in future fiscal years. As such, it will be included in the applicable fiscal year proposed budgets FY2027-FY2029. The first-year cost (FY2027) will be $200,000.00, the second-year cost (FY2028) will be $123,100.00, and the third-year cost (FY2029) will be $30,000.00. The department has indicated funding would be included in the Public Works Surface Water Utility Fund budget.
Total grant funding application amount requested is $176,550.00; Total County match proposed is $176,550.00; Approval amount grant application submittal is $353,100.00.
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Strategic Priorities:
Resilient Infrastructure and Environment
1.5 Strengthen resilience and adaptation
Healthy and Safe Communities
2.2 Enhance community safety
Smart Service Delivery
4.3 Improve efficiency of service delivery through technology.
4.4 Pursue continuous improvement
Summary:
The grant recommendation letter to the SWFWMD is a requirement for CFI funding assistance. The letter must be included with each Cooperative Funding Initiative project application. The Countywide Coastal Real-Time Flood Forecasting will develop a coastal surge and tidal condition real-time flood forecasting model and dashboard system that will serve as an early flood warning system and allow Pinellas County to predict the flood levels impacting streets and structures throughout the county. The overarching purpose of the system is to minimize risk to lives (relocate/evacuate people at risk) and mitigate potential flood damage (e.g., prioritize sandbagging structures, protect lift stations, and electrical facilities, relocate equipment and valuable property to higher elevations, move vehicles, etc.)
Background/Explanation:
This correspondence is an annual SWFWMD requirement and has no bearing on the agency’s ranking process. Funding assistance from the SWFWMD is contingent upon concurrent project action and commitment of matching funds by the County to ensure project goals will be implemented. Each project request should address one (1) or more of the SWFWMD’s four (4) areas of responsibility including water supply, flood protection, water quality, and natural systems
Fiscal Impact:
Total grant funding amount requested is $176,550.00. Total County match proposed is $176,550.00. Total grant application approval amount is $353,100.00.
Funding for this grant must be included in the applicable fiscal year Annual Budgets for FY 2027-FY2029. Total cost of the project is expected to be $353,100.00 over three (3) fiscal years. The first-year cost (FY2027) is expected to be $200,000.00; the second-year cost (FY2028) is expected to be $123,100.00, and the third-year cost (FY2029) is excepted to be $30,000.00. Funding would be included in the Public Works Department Surface Water Utility Fund budget.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the Public Works Director to approve grant application and execute recommendation letter is granted under Code Section 2-62(a)(4) and the Memorandum of Delegated Grant Authority dated March 28, 2016.
Staff Member Responsible:
Kelli Hammer Levy, Director, Public Works
Partners:
SWFWMD
Attachments:
Public Works Director Recommendation Memo
CFI Grant Application
Project Location Map
OMB Approval
Delegation of Grant Application Approval Authority