Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Leonard Vialpando
Department: Resilient Environment Division: Natural Resources
Information
Requested Action
title
MOTION TO APPROVE Interlocal Agreements between Broward County and partner municipalities substantially in the form of Exhibit 1, providing for cost share support retroactive from October 1, 2021, in a regional Water Conservation Incentives Program to be coordinated by Broward County within the water utility service area, and reimbursing Broward County for specific activities associated with program administration, promotion, and implementation; subject to partner execution and review for legal sufficiency and approval as to form by the Office of the County Attorney; and authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute same.
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Why Action is Necessary
Action is required by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners to approve an interlocal agreement between Broward County and its partners.
What Action Accomplishes
Approves interlocal agreements between Broward County and its partners.
Is this Action Goal Related
Yes
Previous Action Taken
On May 18, 2021 (Item No. 21) the Board adopted Resolution 2021-282 urging current and potential partners to pursue and prioritize continued participation and increased financial support for the regional Broward Water Partnership and the Conservation Pays Program in 2022-2027.
Summary Explanation/Background
THE RESILIENT ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT (RED) AND THE NATURAL RESOUCES DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
This item supports the Board’s Value of “Encouraging investments in renewable energy, sustainable practices and environmental protection,” and Goal 3: Increase water quality protection efforts, and Goal 4: Educate about the fragile South Florida ecosystems and impacts of climate change on the region with coordinated delivery of a regional water conservation and incentives program.
Support for this item provides for continued implementation of the county-wide water conservation and incentives program under the auspices of the Broward Water Partnership and the Conservation Pays Program. The program is administered by the County’s Natural Resources Division in collaboration with 16 municipal and water utility program partners representing the Broward Water Partnership, with cost share reimbursement to the County for program and administrative services provided. The program delivers comprehensive and uniform water conservation messaging through program branding, media messaging, and diverse communication tools and the delivery of rebates and retrofits for high-efficiency plumbing devices for residential and commercial sectors. The goals of the Broward Water Partnership are to achieve a prominent ethic of water conservation throughout the community, and to realize measured water savings through individual and commercial participation in the rebate and incentives program. Delivery of the program on a regional basis serves to maximize program benefits through broad and uniform messaging and the efficient leveraging of funds in all program expenditures.
History
Water conservation is recognized to offer the lowest cost means of meeting future water supply needs and has been identified as a vital and integral part of a regional strategy to ensure adequate water supplies for Broward County’s residents and visitors. The Broward Water Resources Task Force identified delivery of a county-wide water conservation and incentives program as a priority recommendation in their final report adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on September 14, 2010 (Item 50). The Conservation Pays program was launched in 2011 under an initial five-year program agreement and renewed for an additional five years on December 13, 2016 (Item 11).
Since commencement, the Conservation Pays program has distributed 32,600 water saving devices and 17,500 rebates to Broward residents, for a water savings of 3.35 billion gallons. In addition, program dollars have been leveraged to gain an additional $377,000 in cost share support from the South Florida Water Management District to advance the rebate program. The program has received numerous awards including NACo and NACIO awards, recognition by the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association and EPA’s Water Sense program, and six nationally communications awards. Based on these shared achievements, program partners have opted to renew the program partnership for an additional five years.
Subject Agreement
Plans for this second program renewal were presented to the Joint Water Advisory Board (WAB) and its Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting on January 15, 2021. The presentation highlighted a Fiscal Year 2021 pilot project focused on delivery of a turn-key toilet replacement/rebate program for low- and middle- income households, intended to serve as model for a permanent component in the current contract renewal. This pilot project is currently underway.
Under the terms of the proposed renewal, Broward County will provide cost-share in the amount of $125,000 per year for professional marketing services. Program partners will provide a combined $284,036 annually (with an annual 3% increase) for program, media, and administrative costs. In addition, partners commit varying levels of funding for the distribution of toilet rebates and high efficiency plumbing devices, for a combined maximum reimbursement of $299,544 to the County. The total maximum program cost is $3,630,706 over the five-year term.
This budget reflects a $50,000 annual increase in program cost-share (50% county/50% partners) above the 2011 and 2016 base budget for consultant services and media buys. This budget adjustment will support more targeted delivery of program benefits within underserved communities with turnkey services coupling high efficiency toilet rebates with toilet installation. This direction was supported by the WAB which voted on March 12, 2021, to transmit to the Board of County Commissioners a resolution recommending renewed and increased financial support for the Broward Water Partnership. A resolution of support was subsequently adopted by the Board on May 18, 2021 (Item 21).
The Agreement is retroactive to October 1, 2021 to provide the County with reimbursement for program delivery services which continued uninterrupted while renewal agreements were being processed by individual municipal partners. Upon receipt, executed partner agreements will be provided final legal review and submitted for execution by the County.
Budget Detail
Individual partner cost share is based on the population served in each partner’s water utility service area and is provided for under individual Interlocal Agreements (see summary bullets below):
• City of Cooper City, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $129,552 (Commission District 5)
• Town of Davie, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $129,552 (Commission Districts 5, 7)
• City of Fort Lauderdale, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $365,497 (Commission Districts 4, 7, 9)
• City of Margate, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $159,979 (Commission Districts 1, 2)
• City of Pembroke Pines, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $306,813 (Commission District 8)
• City of Sunrise, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $521,344 (Commission Districts 1, 3, 5, 9)
• City of Coconut Creek, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $159,979 (Commission District 2)
• City of Coral Springs, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $159,979 (Commission Districts 1, 3)
• City of Deerfield Beach, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $159,979 (Commission Districts 2, 4)
• City of Hallandale Beach, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $130,879 (Commission Districts 6, 8)
• City of Hollywood, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $107,531 (Commission Districts 5, 6, 7)
• City of Lauderhill, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $159,979 (Commission Districts 1, 9)
• City of Miramar, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $173,853 (Commission District 8)
• City of Plantation, at a total cost to the City not-to-exceed $218,180 (Commission Districts 1, 5, 7, 9)
Broward County’s Water and Wastewater Services participates in the Conservation Pays program via an Interagency Agreement with support for the media portion of the program and a separate toilet rebate program.
Source of Additional Information
Dr. Stephanie Molloy, Director, Natural Resources Division, (954) 519-1436.
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
Resolution No. 2021-282 adopted on May 18, 2021, urged the continued commitment of financial support by program partners to support the continuation of the regional Conservation Pays Program Fiscal Years 2022-2027, and an annual budget increase of 25% for consultant services and media messaging. Currently, municipal partners contribute $100,000 annually to the media portion of the program and the County contributes $100,000 to fund a consultant services agreement. Additional municipal cost share includes reimbursement to the County for program administration and the actual cost of toilet rebates and high efficiency plumbing devices distributed by the County on behalf of partners. With this adjusted budget, the County would receive a combined additional $25,000 annually from program partners to support the program’s media budget and the County would provide an additional $25,000 annually for consultant services supporting program delivery, promotions, education, and outreach ($125,000 annually). These funds are budgeted for in the agency’s Fiscal Year 2022 core budget.