Waiver or Variance of Section IX(H) of the Public Library Construction Grant Guidelines. These Guidelines are incorporated by reference into Rule 1B-2.011, F.A.C., and give a recipient of a Public Library Construction Grant, 540 days from the date ...

 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Departmental

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on March 30, 2006, the Department of State filed the City of North Miami’s initial Petition for Waiver or Variance of Section IX(H) of the Public Library Construction Grant Guidelines. These Guidelines are incorporated by reference into Rule 1B-2.011, F.A.C., and give a recipient of a Public Library Construction Grant, 540 days from the date of the grant award to place the construction project under contract, unless the recipient is involved in litigation.  Notice of the City’s petition was published in the April 28, 2006 issue of the Florida Administrative Weekly.  On August 8, the Department of State entered its order disposing of the City of North Miami’s amended petition by granting the requested variance, and extending the deadline for the City to enter into a construction contract until June 30, 2008. The general basis for the Department of State’s decision is: 1) the City was delayed, in part, by hurricane damage in 2005; and 2) in part by its decision to include its new library as part of a City/County public complex, which maximizes the use of public funds and library services. The City would forfeit a $500,000 library construction grant for its new library if the Department of State strictly applied the subject rule to the petitioner, which would violate principles of fairness.

A copy of the petition and the order of disposition may be obtained from: Lisa Ginn, Agency Clerk, Office of the General Counsel, Department of State, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250.