VCC Approves ECHO Items On Consent Agenda

DeLand, FL – Today’s (August 17) Volusia County Council agenda had several items on the consent portion pertaining to the county’s ECHO program. All were pulled from the consent agenda for discussion with three of them being voted on. The first item, letter H on the agenda, was a request from the ECHO Advisory Committee for a waiver of the annual requirement for the annual goal setting and reporting to the county council for the calendar year 2021.  Because several new members were appointed to the committee this year, Director of Resource Stewardship Brad Burbaugh said the members were getting up to speed and working on grant applications already received. The request was approved. Item I was a request for approval of recommended changes to the grant application guidebook. The request was approved with the caveat of modifying the book with information on the ‘Living Shoreline.’ There was a long discussion over Item J,  a request to fund ECHO Program staff from the ECHO ad valorem tax. County Chair Jeff Brower said that pay for ECHO staff was not part of the language in last year’s referendum for the program.  County Manager George Recktenwald told council members that approval of the request could be reviewed in a year’s time.  "What we’re proposing here is that with what comes in within a year, we think that three percent can manage it. I think, right now, it’s a very safe and prudent way of getting this thing going."  The request was approved. The ECHO Advisory Committee also asked for an increase in funding for "the trail set aside," which currently is funded at $1,000,000 annually. Item K requested an additional $500,000  that would be used to purchase connecting portions that are not covered by the Sun Trail program.  The extra money could be used for things like restrooms, parking lots, trailheads, way-finding signs, and maps. The increase was approved.