The City has requested and received individual Delegation of Authority resolutions for reimbursement requests for protective measures and response projects such as Hurricane Irma and the COVID-19 programming. Granting the delegation of authority facilitates the process of receiving funding. The referenced resolution provides authority to the City Manager to accept funding for all declared disasters without the step of requesting Commission approval, streamlining the process.

The City of Miami Beach is typically the subrecipient o Public Assistance(PA), as the State of Florida, Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) serves as the recipient, or “pass-through,” entity for funding. FDEM manages awards under the disaster declaration and disburses funding once the subrecipient is deemed eligible. Emergency Management and other City Staff ensure that all requests for reimbursement meet the requirements set forth by FEMA. FEMA reviews the applications for compliance, then, when deemed eligible, awards the funding to the State, who allocate the funds based on their subsequent review of the applications. The process from application to receipt of the check can take months to years.

The referenced resolution allows the City Manager (or her/his designee(s)) to accept PA funding on behalf of the City without having to bring each reimbursement project before the Mayor and City Commission for approval. Not needing to complete that step can mean receipt of funds months earlier.