- April 26, 2024
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Volusia Forever and the county's ECHO program are continuing their journey to the 2020 ballot, with the Volusia County Council hammering down wording for the future referendum at the council meeting on Tuesday, March 3.
The programs were first implemented in the county back in 2000, after residents voted to tax themselves .2 mils for each program for 20 years. Volusia Forever was formed to finance the acquisition and improvements of conservation and outdoor recreation lands. ECHO, which provides grants to organizations and municipalities to help with acquisition, restoration, construction or improvements of environmental, cultural historical and outdoor recreational facilities, aided with over $3 million in grant funding for fiscal year 2019-2020; this was approved at the March 3 meeting as well.
Two Ormond Beach projects are benefitting from ECHO funding this year: the Nova Tennis Complex lighting project and the restoration of the MacDonald House.
For Volusia Forever, the council decided to increase the program's bond amount to $60 million (the 2000 referendum's bond amount was $40 million) and leave in the original acquisition goals. Specifics regarding resiliency and sustainability goals, as well as setting aside 15% of the appropriated funds for the program, will be discussed in a future resolution since the council is hoping to get citizen opinions on these two factors.
The council wanted to keep the ballot language lean.
“I’m just cautious about adding anything we don’t have to have," Councilwoman Deb Denys said.
That also applied to the ECHO program. The council decided to keep the 2000 referendum's $40 million bond amount and not add operating expenses as an allowable use of ECHO funds.
If approved, ECHO grant applicants could see a little flexibility in the future though. The County Council discussed lowering the grant match requirement from 50%, and approach it on a case by case basis to give more grant opportunities to smaller organizations and cities.
“We want to make it more readily available for those people who are needing it," Councilwoman Billie Wheeler said.
County Council Chair Ed Kelley cautioned against lowering the 50% match requirement, insisting applicants should have "skin in the game." Councilman Ben Johnson said it wouldn't be a "giveaway" program, and that applicants would still need approval by the ECHO Board and council before grants are awarded. He suggested a lower match could be 30%.
Resolutions to place the program referendums on the ballot could come back to the council sometime in April.
