Grant application information

SECTION I CREATION OF THE VOLUSIA ECHO ADVISORY COMMITTEE

There is hereby created and established the Volusia ECHO Advisory Committee, (hereinafter “committee”) which shall be appointed by the county council.

SECTION II PURPOSE

The following are the stated purposes of the committee:

1. To oversee review of the applications from not-for-profits, municipalities, and county departments (hereinafter “entities”) for grants in aid of projects and to ensure that such requests meet the objectives, criteria, procedures, and guidelines of the Volusia ECHO program;
    

2. To make recommendations on awarding of grants in aid by the county council to eligible entities through the program;
    

3. To periodically review the criteria, procedures, and guidelines of the Volusia ECHO program as established by the county council and to make recommendations for modification;
    

4. To promote a fair and objective distribution of Volusia ECHO program proceeds to eligible and viable entities;
    

5. To encourage financially responsible investments in ECHO opportunities for the advancement of the quality of life of Volusia’s residents and visitors;
    

6. To review and/or assess the ECHO needs of the Volusia County community and make recommendations on how the Volusia ECHO program can best address them.

SECTION III MEMBERSHIP

The county council shall appoint 9 registered electors as members of the committee, who shall be nominated as follows:

1. One elector residing in a council district as nominated by the district council member;
    

2. Two electors residing in the county nominated each by the at-large council member and the County Chair; one elector from the west side of the county and one elector from the east side of the county.

Committee members shall remain in office only so long as they are qualified registered electors and residents of the county council district, as to those nominated pursuant to subsection A above, or residents of the county, as to those nominated pursuant to subsection B above, and so long as not removed in accordance with Section IV below.

SECTION IV TERMS OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS

1. Members of the committee shall be appointed to serve at the pleasure of the county council for two (2) year terms expiring on March 31 of odd numbered years or until their successors are duly appointed and qualified if that be later.
    

2. If any member fails to attend two (2) meetings, during any calendar year, ending December 31, regardless of the reason, the member’s seat shall be deemed vacant.

SECTION V ORIENTATION

The county manager or designee will conduct a committee orientation in the first quarter of the year in which appointments are to be made. The orientation will acquaint committee members with parliamentary procedures, sunshine law, public records law, appropriate program resolutions and policies, and county personnel that will be assigned to the committee.

SECTION VI GOAL SETTING

The committee shall conduct an annual goal setting session where it will outline its work-plan for the year. The committee will make an annual report to the county council on accomplishment of the committee’s work-plan.

SECTION VII VACANCIES

A committee vacancy shall be filled upon nomination by the council member who shall have made the nomination to the vacated position or the successor to that council member. Appointments to fill any vacancy shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term.

SECTION VIII MEMBERSHIP RESTRICTIONS

No committee member who is a board member, officer, employee, consultant, advisor, or has a contractual or beneficial relationship with any entity that is an applicant for or grantee of funds from the Volusia ECHO program shall participate in consideration of or vote on any matter concerning that entity. A person may only serve on two (2) Volusia County boards or committees at a time, and no elected official or employee of the county government shall be appointed to serve on the Volusia ECHO Advisory Committee.

SECTION IX MEETINGS, OFFICERS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

1. The committee will meet not more than six (6) times annually, unless otherwise needed in order to accomplish those issues outlined in its county council approved work-plan. Meetings may be called by the chair of the committee or the county manager or designee.
    

2. The committee shall annually elect by a majority vote a chair and vice-chair. No committee member may serve more than two (2) consecutive years as chair or vice-chair.
    

3. The county manager shall assign personnel appropriate to provide administrative support to the committee including staff processing and analysis of applications, and preparation and retention of committee records including notices, agendas, minutes, and correspondence to the county council in accordance with the Florida public records law.

SECTION X PROHIBITIONS

At other than committee meetings, the committee and each member thereof are prohibited from soliciting applications from people or other entities which maybe considered under the Volusia ECHO program. Members of the committee may answer questions about ECHO by providing information which is otherwise available to the public. The responsibility for publicizing the program and soliciting and reviewing applications is the sole responsibility of the county manager or designee. Members of the committee are prohibited from representing the Volusia ECHO program or county interests to any public or private support entity including the State of Florida and the United States of America unless otherwise directed by the county council or county manager or designee.

SECTION XI CONFLICTING RESOLUTIONS AND BY-LAWS

Resolution 2001-70 is hereby repealed and this Resolution shall prevail over any other conflicting resolution or Volusia ECHO Advisory Committee By-Laws.

SECTION XII EFFECTIVE DATE

This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.

DONE AND ORDERED IN OPEN MEETING OF THE VOLUSIA COUNTY COUNCIL AS DULY ASSEMBLED IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS IN THOMAS C. KELLY ADMINISTRATION CENTER, DELAND, FLORIDA, THIS 19th DAY OF February, 2009.

ATTEST: COUNTY COUNCIL
VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA
JAMES T. DINNEEN, COUNTY MANAGER
FRANK T. BRUNO, JR., COUNTY CHAIR