HomeMy WebLinkAboutDocumentation_Regular_Tab 10C_7/24/1997 Memorandum
To: Village Council
From: Thomas G. Bradford, Village Manager %,Z
%7
Date: July 17, 1997
Subject: Resolution Expressing Support for Statewide Referendum
on Proposed Wildlife Unification Amendment; Agenda Item
Councilmember Capretta has asked that I bring this forward for
Village Council consideration. The Wildlife Unification
Amendment would combine the existing Game and Freshwater Fish
Commission and the Marine Fisheries Commissions to form the new
constitutionally-empowered Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission. The Referendum is targeting the November 1998
Ballot.
I have prepared the attached Resolution to offer the Village
Council ' s support for a statewide referendum for a proposed
Constitutional Amendment. If the Village Council wishes to go a
step further and actually support the Constitutional Amendment,
as was done by the City of Sanibel, the Resolution can be amended
accordingly.
It is recommended that the Village Council adopt the Resolution
as originally drafted.
TGB/krb
Attachment
council\071797-5.sam
RESOLUTION NO. 27-96/97
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A RESOLUTION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE
VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, PALM BEACH COUNTY,
FLORIDA, EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR A STATEWIDE
REFERENDUM ON A PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT KNOWN AS THE WILDLIFE UNIFICATION
AMENDMENT.
WHEREAS, the marine, freshwater, and wildlife resources of
the State of Florida belong to all of the people of the
State and should be conserved and managed for the benefit of
the State, its people, and future generations; and
WHEREAS, there is a proposed Constitutional Amendment known
as the Wildlife Unification Amendment which would unify the
Marine Fisheries Commission and the Game and Fresh Water
Fish Commission to form the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission; and
WHEREAS, the Amendment authorizes the Commission to exercise
executive and regulatory powers of the State pertaining to
conservation of freshwater and marine aquatic life and wild
animal life; and
WHEREAS, the Amendment allows for legislation in certain
areas and provides for appropriations of license fees to the
Commission.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE
VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Village Council of the Village of Tequesta
hereby expresses its support for a statewide referendum for
a proposed Constitutional Amendment known as the Wildlife
Unification Amendment and urges the Secretary of State to
place the Amendment on the ballot in the November, 1998
General Election.
Section 2. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take
effect immediately upon adoption.
THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION WAS OFFERED by Councilmember
, who moved its adoption. The motion was seconded by
Councilmember , and upon being put to a vote, the
vote was as follows:
FOR ADOPTION AGAINST ADOPTION
� I
I I
i I
1
The Mayor thereupon declared the Resolution duly passed and
adopted this 24th day of July, A.D. , 1997 .
MAYOR OF TEQUESTA
Elizabeth A. Schauer
ATTEST:
Joann Manganiello
Village Clerk
wp60\res\27-97
2
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Robert A. Huttemeyer
81 Fairview East
Tequesta, FL 33469
Tel.&Fax 746-8101
May 14, 1997
Mr. Joseph N. Capretta
Tequesta Town Council
P.O.Box 3273
Tequesta, FL 33469
Dear Joe:
Since you are our representative to the Loxahatchee River Management Coordinating
Council I thought you would be the proper person to address regarding my request.I will also
send a copy of this letter to Carl Hansen.
Enclosed are a copy of a resolution from the City of Sanibel sent to the Secretary of State
in Tallahassee, and some informational pieces regarding the subject of the petition I would lilce
The Village of Tequesta to send to Tallahassee in behalf of the Wildlife Unification
Amendment.
Those of us whose main interest is recreational fishing have been thoroughly frustrated
by the commercial fishing interests that have the ear of Governor Chiles and some members of
the State Legislature. The unification of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission
and those parts of the Department of Environmental Protection having to do with wildlife and
the Marine Patrol would not only save taxpayers' money but, more important, would go a long
way toward helping preserve the wildlife resources of Florida.
One small specific case in point. Try to get a lawbreaker apprehended on the
Loxahatchee River and you run into the perpetual roadblock of"that's not my department." The
freshwater people say it's up to the Marine Patrol, who, in turn, either claim it's not their baby or
they don't have the manpower to spare. Putting both organizations under one tent would stop the
buck-passing and get existing laws enforced.
Since you live on the river you have probably experienced incidents on which you were
not able to get law enforcement officers to do their job.
Thank you for your help. If you require additional information please call me.
Sincerely,
Ro ert A. Huttemeyer
111,
CITY OF SANIBEL
RESOLUTION NO. 97 --
A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF SANIBEL FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT KNOWN AS THE WILDLIFE
UNIFICATION AMENDMENT; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the marine, freshwater and wildlife resources of the
State of Florida belong to all of the people of the state and
should be conserved and managed for the benefit of the state, its
people and future generations; and
WHEREAS, there is a proposed Constitutional Amendment known as
the Wildlife Unification Amendment which would unify the Marine
Fisheries Commission and the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission
to form the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; and
WHEREAS, the amendment authorizes the Commission to exercise
executive and regulatory powers of the state pertaining to
conservation of freshwater and marine aquatic life and wild animal
life; and
WHEREAS, the amendment allows for legislation in certain areas
and provides for appropriations of license fees to the Commission;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City
of Sanibel, Lee County, Florida:
Section 1 . The City Council of the City of Sanibel hereby
expresses its support for a constitutional amendment known as the
Wildlife Unification Amendment and urges the Secretary of State to
place the amendment on the ballot in the November, 1998 general
election. .
Y U�r/�/r�* Ai ithI Volume I No. 1 •
PIaA dr Wila • Cbeservclian
+ Spring 1997
"rig:[ .�r:t.or[, nru u:t cfa Cinr. NEWS
A periodic update from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee
Since last July,when the campaign to unify Florida's fisheries and wildlife management
^-�- officially got under way,the public response has been tremendous.Fishing and hunting clubs,
environmental organizations and individual conservationists have taken up pens and stacks of
1 �jFY ..,•�` •
• petitions to gather signatures for the proposed ballot initiative at every opportunity imaginable.
-' -.. 1111V The Wildlife Unification Amendment would combine the existing Game and Fresh Water
Fish Commission and the Marine Fisheries Commission to form the new,constitutionally-
empowered Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.The referendum is targeting the
November 1998 ballot.
Petitioning Efforts
Nearly 1,000 volunteers across the state manned voting precincts during the general election on
November 5, 1996,to petition registered voters as they arrived at the polls.The positive response was very
• encouraging and the overall collection effort received a major boost as thousands of petitions were gath-
ered on this single day.
Volunteers have also collected petition signatures at local elections,an environmental fair in Gaines-
ville,Florida Sportsman Fishing Shows,charity banquets,fishing and golf tournaments,South Florida Fair,
Bradenton Fishing College,Tampa Outdoor Expo,Florida Outdoor Writers Association annual conference
and the Miami International Boat Show.In addition to targeting public events such as these,Unification:_
supporters have been circulating petitions to family members,friends,business associates
and condominium residents.The campaign is rapidly approaching the 50,000+
• •:, signatures needed to trigger the mandatory Florida Supreme Court review;a
• '` grand total of more than 500,000 signatures will have to be collected and
verified before August 1, 1998 in order to ensure ballot placement.
The Growing Coalition
-
The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee is merely the legal organization ` -_
required by the State of Florida to run a constitutional amendment campaign.The real \��
strength and backbone of this citizens' grassroots effort is the supporting coalition...and I''f
it's grown significantly since the campaign began. •
The Florida Wildlife Federation is leading the merger charge,but there are many other ; e
organizations equally involved.Among those who have endorsed so far:Florida Audubon
Society,Coastal Conservation Association Florida,Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club, i t+,
Florida Consumers Action Network,Save the St.Johns River,Florida League of Anglers,
Homestead Fish and Game Unlimited,Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation,Florida
Sport Fishing Association,the Florida Chapter of the Wilderness Society,the Safari Club .
Central and South Florida Chapters, and more than 200 other fishing,hunting,environ- !
mental and animal welfare organizations throughout the state.
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee • P.O.Box 5848 • Tallahassee.FL 32314 • 1-800-647-9912
NIFlr
Fish & Wildlife Conservation
ONE MISSION, ONE COMMISSION
MAY 8, 1997 FOR MORE INFORMATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Dave Lear
(800)647-9912
Political Maneuvers Underscore the Need
for Unified Fish and Wildlife Management
The 1997 Florida Legislative session which ended last week has again demonstrated why Florida's
game and non-game wildlife species,freshwater and saltwater fish,and aquatic marine life should be
managed within a single commission with constitutional authority.A few positive statutory provisions for
safeguarding marine resources were approved on the last day of the session but only after intense public
pressure.An amendment to give the Marine Fisheries Commission(MFC)final rule-making authority was
stopped in early committee meetings and never considered byithe full Senate or House of Representatives.
Other proposed damaging amendments which were heard in committee hearings but not adopted
included a stacking provision to guarantee commercial fishing representation on the MFC(which would have
required financial conflicts of interest),reduced penalties for poachers violating marine net fishing laws,and
mandatory legislative oversight on all rules promulgated by the MFC regarding the 1994 constitutional .
amendment to limit net fishing.
"While it's heartening to see the stronger enforcement and compliance measures adopted by the 1997
Legislature,and we appreciate the dedicated work of leading sponsors such as Senator Jack Latvala and
Representative R.Z. Safley,it's still crucial that the marine resources of Florida be given the same
constitutional protection as our freshwater fish and wildlife species,"said Manley K. Fuller,president of the
Florida Wildlife Federation.
"MORE"
Fish & Wildlife Conservation Committee
P.O. BOX 5848 • Tallahassee, FL 32314 • (800) 647-9912 Pd.PoI.Ad