Pinellas residents have another chance to tell county commissioners how to spend $7.1 million in BP settlement money.
The county has created a website, pinellascounty.org/BPideas, to gather ideas. The site, which will be available until the end of June, has a short survey for residents to fill out.
In July 2015, the county accepted a settlement from BP of $7.1 million. The agreement represents a one-time revenue source. Once these funds are expended, there will not be any additional related monies.
This is not the first time the county has asked residents for their thoughts on spending the money. Commissioners received more than 800 responses from a citizen engagement survey. Now they hope to get more defined ideas with this second survey.
Project ideas should be closely tied to these following guiding principles:
- Funded projects should be aligned with the commission’s “Doing Things Strategic Plan,“ and should be planned or funded by Dec. 31, 2017.
- BP funds will be used for one-time-only expenditures that have a substantial and visible community impact.
- Funded projects should support Pinellas’ economic and environmental sustainability, and/or create a sense of place.
- Unincorporated area projects throughout the county will be given priority.
- Use of county funding for projects within a city will require city participation.
