LEGISLATIVE ACTION ITEM
SPONSOR: City Council President Gerald Wingate
SUBJECT:
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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM
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RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
That City Council adopt Resolution No. 17-83:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA IN SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND ENCOURAGING CONGRESS TO CREATE A RELIABLE, PREDICTABLE STREAM OF RESOURCES TO ADDRESS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE NEEDS IN AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.
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HEARING REQUIRED: No Hearing Required
SUMMARY:
The National Parks System plays an integral role in the economy and tourism industry of Florida. In 2016, more than 10 million people visited a National Park in Florida, which added a cumulative benefit of $949.1 million to the state economy and supported almost 10,000 jobs. The City of Pensacola almost certainly benefits from having the Gulf Islands National Seashore within such close proximity. It is imperative that the national parks, including Gulf Islands National Seashore are preserved and maintained for the continued economic health of the state and the city, but also for environmental as well as ecological benefits that it provides.
In 2016 the National Park Service estimated a deferred maintenance backlog of nearly $11.3 billion, with Florida experiencing a $253.7 million dollar backlog and the Gulf Islands National Seashore seeing an approximately $58 million dollar backlog. Deferred maintenance is work that is not completed at required intervals to ensure acceptable facility conditions. If work is delayed for more than a year, it is typically considered deferred. Examples of repairs are crumbling roads and bridges, unsound buildings, including historic structures, outdated wastewater and electrical systems, neglected military sites, and deteriorating monuments and memorials.
This Resolution provides for the City Council’s support of the National Parks System while encouraging Congress to create a reliable, predictable stream of resources to address deferred maintenance needs within the park system.
PRIOR ACTION:
None
FUNDING:
N/A
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None
STAFF CONTACT:
Don Kraher, Council Executive
ATTACHMENTS:
1) Resolution No. 17-83 - Support of National Park System
2) State Fact Sheet Florida - Restore America’s Parks Initiative
3) Gulf Islands NS Deferred Maintenance
PRESENTATION: No