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qq FF'_ 'I BOOK M PAGE 533 In June, 1997, at the request of TCRPC staff, the Board of County Commissioners considered participating in the Treasure Coast EDD and voted 5-0 to not participate in the district. At that time, the Board was concerned that Palm Beach County would dominate membership of the regional OEDP Committee, and therefore dominate the activities of the Economic Development District. At its October 26, 1999 meeting, the Indian River County Economic Development Council (EDC) was informed by TCRPC staff that the EDD membership composition had been revised so that participating counties would have equal representation. Based on that change, EDC voted 9-1 to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners reconsider participating in the Treasure Coast Economic Development District by appointing five members to the regional OEDP committee to represent Indian River County. As defined by the EDA, an EDD is a group of adjacent counties or areas that will work together on a cooperative economic development program and through joint economic development planning can make more effective use of their resources than could each county acting independently. For official EDA designation and to become eligible for EDA funding, an EDD must form an OEDP Committee and prepare an initial OEDP. An OEDP has been prepared by TCRPC staff and an OEDP committee consisting of five members from each of the participating counties (St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach Counties) has been formed. As members of the EDD, those counties are eligible to apply for EDA grants. Membership in an EDD is not a necessity to being eligible to apply for EDA grants. Indian River County became eligible to apply for EDA grants in 1985. Eligibility was the result of the county forming a local OEDP Committee and preparing an OEDP. Since 1985, the county has updated its OEDP every five years and has submitted annual OEDP reports to EDA in order to remain eligible for EDA assistance. Since becoming eligible to apply for EDA assistance, Indian River County has applied for and been awarded two planning grants. An EDD does not affect future Indian River County EDA applications. Future grant applications will continue to compete with other applications from the entire eight -state Southeast Region as defined by the EDA. The county will not have to compete separately with other local governments within the EDD for EDA funds. Additionally, future EDA applications will continue to be processed in the same manner as applications were processed prior to the formation of a regional EDD. Proposed projects, however, will have to be consistent with the regional OEDP. At the December 7, 1999 Board of County Commissioners meeting, TCRPC staff members Greg Vaday and Terry Hess will make a presentation and answer any questions regarding the EDD. If Indian River County decided to join the Treasure Coast EDD, the Board of County Commissioners would be required to appoint five members to the regional OEDP Committee. The OEDP Committee sets goals and objectives, identifies actions, and sets priorities to foster economic development and determine appropriate programs and projects to be implemented. EDA guidelines indicate that OEDP Committee members must represent diverse interests to ensure that viewpoints of all sectors of the community are considered in the decision making process. Committee membership should include representatives of- local flocal government ► industry December 7, 1999 80