Backed by Mr. Schneck’s institutional knowledge of government, Schneck Legal is well-equipped to handle a public agency’s general and specific legal needs. Mr. Schneck has a broad array of government experience representing local governments and regional agencies in their day-to-day operational matters, which include: drafting or reviewing numerous resolutions, agreements, legal opinions, administrative codes, and policy guidance documents. Additionally, Mr. Schneck authored numerous county and municipal codes, and developed balanced strategies for their implementation and enforcement. Among others, these codes involved the following subject matters: airport rules and regulations, coastal construction standards, construction contractor licensing, flooding and emergency management, hazardous waste & solid waste disposal, land development regulation, landscape and fertilizer use, lot mowing and safe building liens, navigation and vessel restrictions, roadway toll facilities, stormwater management, towing, traffic control, use of right-of-way, utilities, well construction standards, and water shortage.
In addition to drafting and interpreting local regulations, Mr. Schneck has extensive experience in representation of public and private sector clients in judicial and quasi-judicial hearings that include such subject matters as code enforcement, environmental permitting, land use and zoning, professional licensure, unemployment compensation and traffic infractions. Mr. Schneck has both prosecuted code enforcement actions on behalf of local governments, and defended clients in code enforcement proceedings in various counties and municipalities throughout Florida. In particular, Mr. Schneck has appeared before construction licensing boards, environmental boards, adjustment and appeal boards, bid protest panels, zoning boards, county courts, circuit courts and Chapter 120, Fla. Stat., administrative hearing officers. In addition to these appearances, Mr. Schneck has drafted numerous pleadings and submittals for these types of proceedings, including several findings of fact and conclusions of law.
Since 2002, Mr. Schneck has been immersed in the local government setting here in Florida and the related public records, open meeting and ethics laws. At FDOT, Mr. Schneck managed over 1,000 public records request per year from media organizations, private citizens, attorneys, and other professionals. Mr. Schneck ensured compliance with Sunshine laws, including a successful resolution of a citizen complaint through the Attorney General’s Open Government Mediation Program under Section 16.60, Florida Statutes. Since that time, Mr. Schneck has provided numerous legal opinions on Sunshine and ethic laws to agency staff, elected officials, and members of the public, including several public presentations to advisory board members.
Water Policy Support
In Florida, water is everywhere and provides vital natural, economic, recreational, and consumptive use resources for its citizens. Too much water, too little water, and water pollution can pose serious threats to the natural resources and the public health, safety and welfare of every community in Florida. Water and natural resource related issues drive the framework of all local land development regulations in Florida. Mr Schneck’s understanding of environmental law and water policy offers a unique perspective and an enhanced ability as a local government attorney. Mr. Schneck has gained extensive knowledge of local land use and zoning regulations, and state and federal regulatory authorities through project permitting disputes and enforcement actions, and through water policy advocacy in Florida. Mr. Schneck was, and continues to be, deeply engaged in the development and implementation of water policy, programs and initiatives impacting local governments, both at the state and federal levels. These types of policy initiatives often trickle down to the local level resulting in amendments to city and county comprehensive plans, land uses and related codes. Mr. Schneck has a decade’s worth of analyzing the impacts like these to local governments in Florida and developing strategies for their implementation locally.
Project Funding & Financial Support
Whether it is applying for federal or state grants, loans and appropriations, or developing alternative and innovative ways to fund projects, Schneck Legal can assist cities and counties in addressing their budget shortfalls and advancing critical infrastructure projects. Schneck Legal can help agency staff navigate the policy, budgetary, and legislative processes to select the appropriate programs and improve the chances to secure funding and project appropriations. Schneck Legal can provide due diligence, including discussing funding requirements and qualifying the opportunity with the issuing agency. Schneck Legal has several years of experience in assisting local governments by pursuing local, state and federal funds under various programs including, among others:
- FDEP and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) Brownfield Program;
- Clean Water State Revolving Fund (“SRF”) loan program;
- Drinking Water SRF loan program;
- Small Community Wastewater Facilities Grants Program;
- Florida’s Section 319 priority watersheds grant program;
- TMDL programs;
- Community Budget Issue Request (“CBIR”) to the Florida Legislature;
- Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Small Cities Community Development
- Block Grant (“CDBG”) Program;
- Florida Rural Water Association Loan Program;Enterprise Florida;
- SFWMD’s Alternative Water Supply Development and Surface Water Improvement and
- Management (“SWIM”) project program;
- Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (“EDA”) Public Works and Development Facilities Program;
- Department of Agriculture Rural Development Rural Utilities Service (“RUS”) Guaranteed and Direct Loans and Grants;
- Congressional State and Tribal Assistance Grant Program;
- Numerous Federal Transit Authority funding programs;
- Numerous Federal Highway Administration funding programs;
- FDOT’s Local Agency Program
- Florida Navigation District programs;
- Federal Aviation Agency programs;
- BP Oil Spill-Gulf Coast Restoration/RESTORE Act programs;
- Florida’s Community Redevelopment Area (“CRA”) program; and
- Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) emergency management and disaster relief programs.
Moreover, Mr. Schneck’s state and federal grant law and policy experiences are supplemented by his in-depth analysis of the relevant sections of the Code of Federal Regulations for each grant/funding program, including the recently adopted Uniform Guidance on Cost Principles, Audit, and Administrative Requirements for Federal Awards that is designed to consolidate, streamline and supersede previous federal grant policy. Mr. Schneck utilizes this experience to assist local governments navigate through the grant/funding application process and ensure compliance with the respective program’s limiting conditions.