HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-82-0501e
Honorable Mayor and Members
of the City Commission
Funding S.F.E.T.C.
legal counsel
Howard V. Gary
City Manager
This is to inform you that the South Florida Employment and
Training Consortium (SFETC)- members have decided to take
legal steps against the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services in an effort to obtain reimbursement for services
provided to refugees. The SFETC expended $1,776,000 in
serving Cuban and Haitian entrants. It is seeking reimburse-
ment under the Fascell-Stone Amendment to the Refugee Education
Assistance Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-422).
The Consortium's request for reimbursement was denied based on
grounds that (1) it was filed late and that (2) it would dupli-
cate the reimbursement of CETA funds by the U.S. Department of
Labor. The SFETC contends that (1) the application deadline
was waived and that (2) the funds used to serve refugees were
diverted from their original objective of serving long-time
South Florida residents.
The Consortium may not legally use CETA funds to litigate against
the federal government. It will, therefore, be necessary for the
jurisdictions to provide a fund for this litigation. It is
estimated that the total amount needed will not exceed $10,000.
The City's contribution is estimated at approximately $2,500.
It is not likely that it will exceed $4,500, but there is a pos-
sibility that it could. It is recommended that this Commission
authorize the City Manager to expend its pro-rata share of the
cost associated with this action.
82-501'