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MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
c/o Rosenstiel School
4600 Rickenbacker Cswy,
Miami, Fl. 33149
305-361-4850
Fax: 305-361-4755
  e-mail: mrc@rsmas.miami.edu

The Stormwater subcommittee unanimously agreed to meet the first Wednesday of every month, 10 am, in the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Service Center, 172-A Flagler Street, video conference linking with the SFWMD’s West Palm Office.

Brett Bibeau reported the Miami River Commission approved the Stormwater Subcommittee’s Miami River Water Quality Improvement Plan on February 4, 2002.  Therefore, the Stormwater subcommittee initiated the Plan’s implementation with a discussion of “Action Plan Item 1 A, Pinehurst Stormwater system retrofit, $1,450,000.”  Deborah Drum, SFWMD, stated the Florida Legislature has allocated $225,000, and the SFWMD Governing Board approved $225,000 for the Pinehurst Stormwater retrofitting project.  The Legislature and SFWMD’s allocations require a $1,050,000 match, in order to fund the $1,450,000 project.  Drum stated the Honorable Mayor Diaz’s Office was working towards having the City’s required $1,050,000 match, for the available $450,000 (from the Legislature and SFWMD) budgeted during a hearing in late February 2002.  Bibeau noted the summary of available unallocated City of Miami CIP budget items for stormwater improvements on pg. 16 of the Stormwater Subcommittee’s report.  Bibeau suggested the 2002 City of Miami Budget, page 143, Capital Improvement Project # 399001, 1976 and 1978 Storm Sewer Bonds have $4,790,474 of unallocated funds, is a possible source for the City’s required Pinehurst match.

David Miller stated the City of Miami’s Public Works Department previous MRC Stormwater Subcommittee representative, Hector Badia, has transferred to the City’s Parks Department.  Miller has requested a meeting with John Jackson, City of Miami’s Director of Public Works, regarding the appointment of a new representative.

The Miami River Water Quality Improvement Plan’s “Action Plan Matrix” lists “lead agencies” responsible for individual action tasks. All the lead agencies, which have representatives on the MRC’s Stormwater subcommittee, unanimously agreed 

to provide quarterly progress reports for all action items, which list them as the lead agency.  Furthermore, the subcommittee unanimously agreed to follow the calendar’s quarters, therefore the first report is due for the April Stormwater subcommittee meeting, now regularly scheduled for the first Wednesday of the month, April 3, 2002.

Sean Sculley, SFWMD, reported that in regards to Action Plan item 4 A, “Continue monthly monitoring for water quality of Wagner Creek, Miami River and adjoining Biscayne Bay”, the legislature had allocated a $200,000 match for DERM’s water quality testing budget.  Tim McIntosh and Sculley stated they would provide the subcommittee with an estimate of how much funding is currently available for water quality testing within the Miami River water shed.  In addition, Sculley stated funding for Action Plan item 4 d “Research to determine the source of e-coli bacteria in Wagner Creek”, would be requested for in the SFWMD’s 2003 budget.  McIntosh stated he would include summaries of all monthly water quality testing in DERM’s quarterly reports to the subcommittee.

Arsenio Milian asked about available funding for Action Plan item 3F, “Provide Environmental Education”.  Deborah Drum stated SFWMD’s Environmental Education grant program application will be released in March 2002.

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