HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-98-0353J-98-401
4/14/98
RESOLUTION NO. 9 8- 3 6 3
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY CLERK TO
FORMALLY SUBMIT WRITTEN NOTIFICATION TO THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, OFFICE OF PASSPORT
SERVICES, OF THE CITY OF MIAMI'S EXPRESSED
INTEREST IN BECOMING AN AUTHORIZED PASSPORT
ACCEPTANCE FACILITY.
WHEREAS, Section 51.21, Title 22, of the Code of Federal
Regulations provides that a clerk any federal court, a clerk of
any state court of record, a postal employee designated by a
postmaster at a post office, and any other person specifically
designated by the Secretary of State of the United States to
accept passport applications; and
WHEREAS, the City Clerk previously informally inquired
through written communications to the U.S. Department of State,
Office of Passport Services, as to the possibility of the City of
Miami becoming an authorized Passport Acceptance Facility; and
WHEREAS, the Secretary of State of the United States, in
response to Vice -President Al Gore's proposal for more efficient
government, has provided for local government agencies to service
as authorized passport acceptance agents; and
WHEREAS, the Miami Region (which comprises Florida, Georgia,
South Carolina and the U.S. Virgin Islands), is one of the
regional passport agencies in the United States, and maintains
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only one municipality - through its City Clerk's Office - that
services as an authorized Passport Acceptance Facility; and
WHEREAS, effective April 16, 1998, the U.S. Department of
State, Office of Passport Services, will institute a policy
change, from walk-in service to an automated appointment system
for passports, thereby requiring an increase in the number of
authorized passport acceptance facilities; and
WHEREAS, the responsibility of the City Clerk, as well as
those employees who would be officially deputized by the City
Clerk as acceptance agents, would be to: examine applications,
screen for citizenship evidence and photographs, record
identifications proffered; collect fees; administer an oath to
applicants, sign applications, authorize the seal of the
acceptance facility, as well transmit same to the passport
agency; and
WHEREAS, said process shall provide the City of Miami with a
recurring revenue source, as a $15.00 processing fee shall be
collected and retained by the City Clerk for each passport
application accepted; and
WHEREAS, as an authorized Passport Acceptance Facility, the
City will provide a positive community service by providing a
local source for residents to easily obtain and process passport
applications, as well as promote sound public relations with the
realization that government recognizes the importance of its
citizens in making additional services and opportunities
available to the public;
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98- 313
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the
Preamble to this Resolution are hereby adopted by reference
thereto and incorporated herein as if fully set forth in this
Section.
Section 2. The City Clerk is hereby authorized to
formally submit written notification to the U.S. Department of
State, Office of Passport Services, of the City of Miami's
expressed interest in becoming an authorized Passport Acceptance
Facility.
Section 3. This Resolution shall become effective
immediately upon its adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 14th day of April 1998.
JOE CAROLLO, MAYOR
In accordance with Miami Code Sec. 2-36, since the Mayor did not indicate approval of
this legislation by signing it in the designated place provided, sa;d iegisiat;on riow
becomes effective with the elapse of ten (10) days from the date of Commissicri
regarding same, without the Mayor exercisia veto.
ATTEST:
City Clerk J. Foeman,rk
WALTER J. FOEMAN
CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND/CORRECTNESS:
L EDWARD MA
ERIM CITY A
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CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and DATE March 18, 1998 FILE
Members of the City Commission
SUBJECT Proposed Resolution: Authorize
City Clerk to express interest in
City of Miami becoming an
Authorized Passport Acceptance
FROM: REFERENCES Facility.
Walter J. Fo ENCLOSURES:
City Clerk
RECOMMENDATION:
It is respectfully recommended that the City Commission adopt the attached resolution
authorizing the City Clerk to formally correspond in writing to the U.S. Department of State
Office of Passport Services, expressing the City of Miami's interest in becoming an authorized
passport acceptance facility.
BACKGROUND:
Currently, citizens desiring to obtain passports must submit their applications in person to the
Office of Passport Services, U.S. Department of State, Federal Building (Monday through Friday
between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.).
Section 51.21, Title 22 of the Federal Code of Regulations provides for additional designations
for authorized passport acceptance facilities. To this end, the U.S. Secretary of State, in
response to Vice President Gore's proposal for more efficient government, has provided for
municipal clerks (through the governing bodies of their respective municipalities) and other local
government agencies to serve as authorized passport acceptance agents.
Because of the increased volume of over the counter requests for passports, there is a need to
increase the number of acceptance facilities. The aforementioned Miami office processes
approximately 350,000 applications annually or approximately 350-400 a day. Because of a
change in policy (effective April 20, 1998, the Office of Passport Services will move toward an
automatic appointment system), there is an increase need for an acceptance facility south of the
(Circuit Court) downtown area. The Cutler Ridge location is the nearest passport acceptance
facility (which is approximately 25 miles south of downtown) south of the downtown area (south
of Flagler Street).
Based on the projected number of referrals from the main processing office, it is estimated that
between 100 and 200 referrals (during the normal business cycle) a day can be forwarded to the
City Clerk's Office. [Note: It is estimated that during peak season (March -July), and on
Naturalization days (when the Immigration and Naturalization Service swears in new U.S.
citizens) as many as 500 passport applicants may appear at the City Clerk's Office]. Effective
February 1, 1998, for each passport application accepted, a $15 processing fee is collected
which the City of Miami would be permitted to retain. This will become a recurring revenue
source. Based on the preliminary projections provided by the Customer Service Manager of the
Miami Region, the City could realize between approximately $380,000 and $780,000 annually.
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Two employees in the City Clerk's Office will be officially deputized by the Clerk as acceptance
agents. Their responsibilities will be as follows:
-Examine the application and ensure that it is completed in full by the
applicant
-Screen the citizenship evidence and photographs for acceptability
•Record the identification fully and accurately
-Collect required fees and make sure the check or money order is in the
correct amount and payable to the U.S. Passport Service
-Execute the application by having the applicant swear or affirm as to the
truth of the statements given and witness the applicants signature on the
application
-Sign the application and place the authorized seal of the acceptance facility
in the execution section of the application
-Ensure, the passport applications are forwarded to the passport agency or
the contracted bank for the deposit of the fees on a daily basis
I
c: Jose Garcia -Pedrosa, City Manager
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