House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #1330 Jacksonville-Duval County Council on Elder Affairs
Requester:	John Danglade		Organization:		Jacksonville-Duval County Council on Elder Affairs
Project Title:	Jacksonville-Duval County Council on Elder Affairs		Date Submitted:		01/26/2000 4:49:19 PM
District Member:	Jim Tullis		Service Area:		Statewide
Counties Affected:	{Statewide}
Recipient:	Jacksonville-Duval County Council on Elder Affairs		Contact:		John Danglade
	150 E. First Street		Contact Phone:		(904) 630-0552
	Jacksonville 32206
Project Description:
The Jacksonville-Duval County Council on Elder Affairs (COEA) is an autonomous, volunteer advocacy group for seniors and the elderly in Jacksonville-Duval County, including the Jacksonville Beaches cities, and a resource on senior matters for the state legislature, local government and business. It has been determined that the Council is unique in Florida and possibly in the United States, in that it reports directly to the Jacksonville City Council and to the Mayor of Jacksonville, independently of any agency providing services or programs to seniors. The requested funds will be used to continue to provide salary and salary-related support for the office of Executive Director of COEA, which was established in 1998. COEA is becoming a model for senior citizen advocacy for other communities, and inquires are received from other states asking for information on COEA's organization, operating structure, and activities. By ordinance of the City of Jacksonville (Ordinance Code Chapter 82.101), COEA is charged to "plan, evalutate, advocate and promote programs and policies that maximize opportunities of self-sufficiency and personal independence for the elders of Jacksonville-Duval County." COEA operates fully under the state's "sunshine" laws. COEA carries out its mission through the use of committees, ad hoc task forces, public hearings, individual contacts, and meetings with groups and organizations. It is a resource for the Mayor and his administrative officers, and for members of the City Council and various city departments and commissions. The Council on Elder Affairs comprises 19 members, five appointed by the Mayor, and one each by the 14 District City Council Members. They serve two-year terms, arranged in such a way that half the terms expire each year. Council Members must be 60 years of age or older, and not an employee of any government agency, or a provider of services to seniors. A COEA chairperson, vice chairperson and secretary are elected each year. The Council employs an Executive Director, who implements the Council's decisions and who carries the dual responsibility of Administrative Assistant to the Mayor. A headquarters office is maintained at the Singleton Senior Center at 150 E. First Street in Jacksonville. COEA conducts public forums to receive information from all segments of the community with respect to the effectiveness of existing services and the need for additional or improved services. It recommends priorities for services provided by city agencies and other organizations, including those in the private sector.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
Almost from the beginning, COEA began taking on the additional role of resource for officials and organizations outside Duval County, and now serves in this capacity to such groups as the Duval County Legislative Delegation, the Florida Council on Aging, the Senior Caucus of the Florida House of Representatives, the Majority Office of the Florida House, the Florida AARP, and others. Each year, COEA studies, investigates and reports on proposed public service grants and block grants requests which affect seniors in the community. These grants are funded by a variety of sources, including tax monies from the State of Florida. COEA makes recommendations for approval, disapproval, or modification of each of these grant requests direct to the Jacksonville City Council and to the Mayor. COEA provides the only independent filter for these funding requests. The current major areas of concern for COEA include legislation on a state and local level, social services, the operation of senior centers, transportation as it affects seniors and the disabled, development of neighborhood initiatives, health and nutrition for seniors, and housing and safety. There are others as well. In addition to the direct grants proposed, a number of these concerns have direct impact on the State of Florida and its funding process. For example, the Council is advocating for improved transportation for the disabled, many (or perhaps the majority) are senior citizens. A task force has been formed, with the approval of the Mayor's Office, to investigate widespread dissatisfaction with this service, and make recommendations for change. Also affecting state funding are operations and maintenance of senior citizen centers, and neighborhood concerns, such as the Governor's "Front Porch Initiative", all of which are looked at as a part of COEA's study and advocacy work. COEA maintains a speaker's bureau. The Executive Director and members of the Council are available to speak to local and state groups on the advocacy work of the organization, and how COEA interacts with the public and private sectors to carry out this mission.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
The outcome of COEA's work remains measurable in the same ways it has since its beginning with state funding assistance. When the state legislature passed the enabling act that permitted communities to offer an additional $25,000 homestead tax exemption to low-income seniors. COEA advocated for this excellent opportunity. After consultation with certain legislative staff, COEA made presentations to various agencies considering an exemption ordinance, presenting the case from the standpoint of the mission to "maximize opportunities of self-sufficiency and personal independence" for senior citizens. After discussion of many amendments, the Council was able to bring the Mayor and the City Council to an agreement to enact the ordinance as originally proposed, that is, with the full $25,000 enacted in the first year. COEA is in process of developing a comprehensive and unique data base on seniors, senior organizations and activities, and related information, for Duval County, which will be sortable by state House and Senate Districts, as well as by other fields. The data will be available to all legislators. It is expected that this program will also become a model for other communities, and COEA will make the process available to any agencies who request it.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$60,000
Total cost of the project:		$85,000

Request has been made to fund:			Operations
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?						Yes
	Cash Amount:	$30,000
Was this project previously funded by the State?						Yes
	Fiscal Year:	1998-1999		Amount:		$50,000
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?						Yes
	Amount:	$60,000
	Purpose for future year funding:				Recurring Operations
	Will this be an annual request?					Yes
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?						No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?						No
Is there a documented need for this project?						Yes
	Documentation:	Independent Living for the Elderly study by the Jacksonville Community Council
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?						Yes
	Hearing Body:	Duval County Legislative Delegation
	Meeting Date:	01/13/2000