STATEMENT OF ISSUE
This item presents to the City Commission the Wakulla Springshed Regional Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for your support and approval (Attachment 1). This agreement expresses willingness and commitment on behalf of the City of Tallahassee and our regional partners, which include Leon and Wakulla Counties, to explore recommendations from the upcoming City co-sponsored 2009 Wakulla Springs Restoration Workshop to be held here in Tallahassee on February 25 and 26, 2009. The workshop sponsor, 1000 Friends of Florida, also respectfully requests that the City designate a representative to symbolically ratify the agreement in public at the conclusion of the workshop. The Wakulla County Commission unanimously passed the MOU on January 6, 2009.

RECOMMENDED ACTION
Option 1: Approve the Wakulla Springshed Regional Partnership Memorandum of Understanding and authorize Commissioner Lightsey to sign the Agreement on behalf of the City of Tallahassee and commit to work cooperatively with Leon County and Wakulla County to protect the shared regional Wakulla Springshed water resources.

FISCAL IMPACT
No funding is requested from the Commission.
Funding ($5000) toward the workshop was previously provided by the City through the Underground Utilities Department, Project #S490201.

Mike Tadros, General Manager, Underground Utilities

Anita Favors Thompson, City Manager

For information, please contact: John Buss, Water Resources Engineering, 891-6852

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL/ISSUE ANALYSIS

HISTORY/FACTS & ISSUES

1. The 2009 Wakulla Spring Restoration Workshop is scheduled for February 25-26 and will be held at the Antique Car Museum near US 90 and I-10. Registration cost is $30. A website page has been set up by the workshop organizer, 1000 Friends of Florida. For information and to register online, go to
http://www.1000fof.org/water/Wakulla%20Restoration%20Workshpasp.asp

2. Recommendations in 2005 were for Leon and Wakulla counties to continue to reduce nutrient loading to the aquifer from wastewater disposal activities and to work toward establishing a management entity for all onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS). The objectives of the 2009 workshop are to bring local governments together to discuss and commit to exploring solutions and finding opportunities to reduce impacts from wastewater systems and other nutrient pollution sources affecting the Wakulla springshed.

3. The 2009 workshop is being co-sponsored by 1000 Friends of Florida, the City of Tallahassee, Leon County, Wakulla County and the Department of Environmental Protection. Four panels are planned to discuss Wastewater Management, Land Use Planning, Septic Tank Effectiveness, Efficiencies and Pricing, and Septic Tank Management (RME). Panel members and moderators include stakeholders from the local governments, industry, citizens, academia, and experienced consultants from other communities. The panel sessions will conclude with summary comments from each panel that will provide recommendations and action items to be compiled in a paper following the workshop.

4. At the conclusion of the workshop, the goal is to have representatives from the local commissions (Leon County, Wakulla County, and the City of Tallahassee) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (Attachment 1) that has been previously approved by the commissions to demonstrate agreement and continued cooperation to pursue the recommendations from the workshop.

5. On January 6, 2009, the Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners passed the MOU. Commissioner Brock made a motion to approve the MOU, Commissioner Stewart seconded and the motion passed 5/0.

CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
N/A

OPTIONS

Option 1: Approve the Wakulla Springshed Regional Partnership Memorandum of Understanding and authorize Commissioner Lightsey to sign the Agreement on behalf of the City of Tallahassee and commit to work cooperatively with Leon County and Wakulla County to protect the shared regional Wakulla Springshed water resources.

Option 2: Do not approve the MOU and provide alternative direction.

ATTACHMENTS/REFERENCES

Attachment 1: Wakulla Springshed Regional Partnership: Memorandum of Understanding