>> GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
[00:00:01]
AND WELCOME TO OUR 5 O'CLOCK WORKSHOP.[Call to Order]
IT IS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9TH, AND IT IS CURRENTLY 5:00 PM.CITY CLERK, PLEASE CALL US TO ORDER.
CALL THE ROLL, EITHER ONE OF THEM, IT'S FINE. [LAUGHTER].
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. COMMISSIONER BOLTON?
>> COMMISSIONER GELIN. COMMISSIONER PLACKO?
>> NOW WE WILL HAVE OUR VICE MAYOR.
MR. VICE MAYOR, VILLALOBOS, LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, WITH EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE STAND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY.
NOW, I'M GOING TO HAND THE PROCEEDINGS OVER TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, KATHLEEN GUNN FOR A FEW OPENING COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMISSION.
TONIGHT WE WILL START WITH A PRESENTATION ON REVENUES THAT I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BEGIN,
[1. FY2022 Revenues]
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE SEVERAL OTHER OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS MAKING PRESENTATIONS.WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WILL JUST GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. I NEED THE CLICKER.
>> MS. JENIFER, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER GELIN LOGGED IN, I SAW HIS FACE.
>> [INAUDIBLE] REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER GELIN IS ATTENDING VIA TEAMS. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSION.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT REVENUES THIS EVENING.
I WILL GIVE A BROAD OVERVIEW ABOUT REVENUES AND THE GENERAL FUND.
THIS PRESENTATION SERVES TO PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT INTO HOW THE CITY HAS DEALT WITH AND CONTINUES TO DEAL WITH THE DISRUPTIONS CAUSED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
I WILL THEN TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF SALES AND BUILDING OFFICIAL GEORGE FOLLES TO DISCUSS TWO METHODS OF REVENUE COST RECOVERY OUTSIDE OF THE GENERAL FUND, NAMELY FIRE ASSESSMENT FEES AND BUILDING PERMIT FEES.
FUNDAMENTALLY, AND THIS IS VERY BASIC, REVENUES DRIVE EXPENDITURES.
HOWEVER, WE TALK AT LENGTH ABOUT EXPENDITURES DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
THIS IS A TARGETED REVENUE DISCUSSION.
WE KNOW THIS FROM OUR PERSONAL LIVES.
WE PURCHASE WHAT WE CAN AFFORD BASED ON OUR INCOME.
THIS IS NO DIFFERENT FOR THE CITY.
ON THIS CHART HERE, YOU'LL SEE IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2021, THE ALL FUNDS REVENUE WAS $184 MILLION.
AD VALOREM TAXES MAKE UP 17 PERCENT OF THE ALL FUNDS BUDGET.
THEN YOU'LL SEE THE SALES AND USE TAXES, WHICH IS 5.4 PERCENT, PERMIT FEES AND ASSESSMENTS, WHICH IS 14.7 PERCENT, INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE, INTERNAL SERVICES CHARGE, CHARGES FOR SERVICES, WHICH IS 23.5 PERCENT, JUDGMENT FUNDS AND FORFEITURES AT 0.4 PERCENT, MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE, TRANSFERS IN, AND THE FUND BALANCE.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SHOW UP UNDER PERMIT FEES AND SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS ARE THE FIRE FEES AND THE BUILDING PERMIT FEES WHICH YOU'LL BE HEARING ABOUT.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL INCLUDES; FEDERAL STATE, COUNTY GRANTS.
CHARGES FOR SERVICES INCLUDE THINGS SUCH AS THE PARKS AND RECREATION FEES.
JUDGMENT FINES AND FORFEITURES ARE JUST WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE FINES FOR NOT COMPLYING, AND THEN THERE'S MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE.
WE ALSO HAVE INTERNAL SERVICES CHARGE, WHEREBY 6 PERCENT IS CHARGED TO UTILITIES AND STORMWATER FUNDS FOR COST RECOVERY TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THEN WE HAVE THE FUND BALANCE, AS YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF WHAT THE CITY HAS AVAILABLE FOR EMERGENCIES AND TRANSFERS IN.
THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES IS ABOUT $71 MILLION.
GENERAL FUND REVENUE IS LESS THAN 40 PERCENT OF ALL FUNDS REVENUE.
OF THE GENERAL FUND, THE AD VALOREM IS 43 PERCENT.
AS YOU'RE AWARE, AD VALOREM TAXES PAY FOR POLICE, THEY PAY FOR PART OF THE COST OF FIRE AND PUBLIC SERVICES, PARKS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE BUDGET, THE CITY COMMISSION BUDGETS, CITY CLERK, FINANCE, IT, AND HUMAN RESOURCES.
[00:05:02]
FOR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT THE CITY COLLECTS IN AD VALOREM TAXES IS LESS THAN THE COST TO PROVIDE POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES IN THE CITY.THE CITY OF TAMARAC ENJOYS AA BOND RATING.
THE RATING AGENCY, FITCH, SAYS THE CITY HAS STRONG FINANCIAL RESILIENCE AND SUPERIOR INHERENT BUDGET FLEXIBILITY.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT DEMONSTRATES THAT WE CAN PAY OUR BILLS, WITHSTAND DOWNTURNS, AND BORROW FUNDING AT LOWER COSTS.
THIS TRANSLATES INTO WEATHERING THE COSTS IMPOSED BY HURRICANES AND PANDEMICS, ALLOWS US TO PAY STAFF TO KEEP OPERATIONS GOING, AND IT SIGNIFICANT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF CAPITAL PROJECTS TO BE ABLE TO BORROW MONEY AT A LOW COST.
HOW DOES THE CITY ACHIEVE THE AA RATING? FIRSTLY, IT'S BY HAVING A STABLE AD VALOREM RATE.
THIS LETS THE FINANCIAL COMMUNITY KNOW THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND WE UNDERSTAND THE NUANCES OF OUR COMMUNITY.
NAMELY, THE AD VALOREM IS DRIVEN BY THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT'S DESIRED BY THE COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY, AND A BASE LEVEL INCLUDES WHAT WE DO FOR POLICE, FIRE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES.
WE ALSO HAVE DISCRETIONARY EXPENSES AND WE KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE; EVENTS, TRAVEL, AND TRAINING, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CUT BACK ON WHEN WE WERE HAVING THE ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE PAST YEAR.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND WITH THE CITY IS THAT TAMARAC'S TAX BASES OVERWHELMINGLY RESIDENTIAL.
OUR TAXABLE VALUES ARE NOT AS HIGH AS SOME OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, AND THE CITY NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE REDEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO DIVERSIFY THE TAX BASE.
ANOTHER REASON THAT WE HAVE THIS AA RATING IS BECAUSE EACH YEAR AS PART OF THE BUDGET, THE CITY COMMISSION ADOPTS FINANCIAL POLICIES.
WE BUDGET AT A 95 PERCENT OF REVENUE ESTIMATES, WHICH IS A CONSERVATIVE AND FIDUCIARILY RESPONSIBLE WAY OF APPROACHING THINGS.
WE MANAGE THE BUDGET TO CREATE A POSITIVE CASH BALANCE AT YEAR END.
WE HAVE PRUDENT CASH MANAGEMENT AND INVESTMENT PROGRAM.
WE MAINTAIN AN UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE OF 16.67 PERCENT OR TWO MONTHS OF ANNUAL EXPENDITURES.
WE ALSO MAINTAIN COST ALLOCATION PROCESS TO REIMBURSE THE GENERAL FUND FOR OVERHEAD EXPENSES ADMINISTRATIVELY TO THE UTILITY FUNDS AND THE STORE MORTAR FUNDS.
WE ALWAYS ARE REVIEWING OUR USER FEES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ADEQUATE FOR COST RECOVERY SO THAT THE GENERAL FUND ISN'T UNNECESSARILY SUBSIDIZING THINGS THAT SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY THE END USER.
IN 2021, OUR REVENUES ARE DOWN IN CERTAIN AREAS.
WHAT I SHARED WITH YOU EARLIER IS THAT CHARGES FOR SERVICES ARE OUR LARGEST REVENUE TO ALL FUNDS.
THE CHARGES FOR SERVICES INCLUDE RECREATION FEES, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH ARE DOWN AS MUCH AS 50 PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR.
WE CORRECTED THIS YEAR, ANTICIPATING THAT OUR REVENUES WOULD BE DOWN, BUT THERE AGAIN, LOWER THAN WE EXPECTED.
COVID IMPACTED REVENUES FOR LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, WE'RE NOT UNIQUE.
THE SALES AND USE TAX OR THROUGH THE STATE AND THE STATE REVENUE SHARING, OUR SHARES OF THOSE TWO THINGS ARE DOWN AS WELL.
THE AMERICAN RESCUE FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED TO HELP STABILIZE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND TO ASSIST WITH PAST REVENUE LOSSES AND PERSPECTIVE REVENUE IMPACTS AS WELL.
WE'RE NOW WORKING THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THOSE FUNDS AND WE'LL HAVE MORE DETAILED TO YOU WHEN WE MEET FOR THE BUDGET WORKSHOP.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THERE ARE MANY RULES SURROUNDING HOW WE USE THE MONEY FROM ARF, WHICH IS THE AMERICAN RESCUE FUNDS, AND WE CANNOT USE THEM NOT TO INCREASE USER FEES OR AD VALOREM TAXES.
THERE'S SPECIFIC PROVISIONS PROHIBITING THAT.
THERE CONTINUES TO BE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY.
IN SOUTH FLORIDA WE'RE USED TO THE VOLATILITY OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKET AND WE'VE SEEN THE RESIDENTIAL MARKET IS SUPER HOT RIGHT NOW.
[00:10:04]
INDUSTRIAL AND WAREHOUSE IS PRETTY HIGH, AND THE OFFICE MARKET IS BASICALLY THE BOTTOM IS FALLING OUT OF IT BECAUSE OF THE WAY PEOPLE ARE WORKING AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.THERE'S A LOT OF UNPREDICTABILITY THERE.
WE ALSO DON'T KNOW YET WHAT THE IMPACT OF LIFTING THE RENT AND MORTGAGE MORATORIUM WILL HAPPEN WHEN THOSE THINGS ARE LIFTED, AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO PEOPLE AND WHEN THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING AND THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO GO.
WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THERE.
THERE HAVE BEEN SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES THROUGHOUT SEVERAL INDUSTRIES.
WE ALSO HAVEN'T COMPLETELY SEEN HOW BUSINESS RECOVERY AND THE FALLOUT HAPPENS IN OUR TAMARAC LOCAL BUSINESSES, SO WE'RE JUST WAITING TO SEE HOW ALL OF THESE SHAKE OUT.
HOW PEOPLE ARE RECREATING, WILL THEY COME BACK TO OUR FACILITIES IN THE WAY THAT THEY WERE IN THE PAST? WE HAVE INCREASED COSTS AS A RESULT OF DOING THINGS BOTH ONLINE AND IN-PERSON.
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP IN CONSIDERATION, THAT WE'RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET AS WE MOVE INTO THE BUDGET SEASON AND CONSIDER WHAT OUR REVENUES MAY LOOK LIKE.
TAMARAC IS FISCALLY RESILIENT, AND WE NEED TO BE.
THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT YOU ALL, AS THE CITY LEADERS, HAD BEEN DELIBERATE AND METHODICAL IN MAKING FINANCIAL DECISIONS.
YOUR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY HAS ALLOWED US TO MANAGE OPERATIONS, PROVIDE SERVICES, AND KEEP BUSINESS AS USUAL THROUGH A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC AND WE FARED FAR BETTER THAN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
THE FISCAL DISCIPLINE CONTINUES TO BE NECESSARY.
IT SERVES US WELL AS WE NAVIGATE MURKY AND UNKNOWN ECONOMIC CONDITIONS.
THIS IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO STAY THE COURSE, EXERCISE PRUDENCE, AND CONTINUALLY REEVALUATE THE FINANCIAL POSITION.
AT THIS POINT, WE JUST WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU A BRIEFING ON THE CITY'S REVENUES, HOW WE'RE DOING IN COLLECTING THEM, AND WHY CONSISTENCY IS IMPORTANT TO THE OVERALL FINANCIAL HEALTH IN THE CITY.
WE'RE CONTINUING OUR BUDGET ANALYSIS AS WE SPEAK, AND WE'LL BE BRINGING THE BUDGET TO YOU IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
CHRISTINE CAJUSTE, OUR FINANCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND AS IS JEFF STREDER, OUR BUDGET MANAGER.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER THEM.
>> ARE WE DOING SOME SORT COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF HOW WELL THE CITY IS BEING RUN, OPERATED FINANCIALLY, THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA OR OTHER MEANS? IS THAT IMPORTANT OR IT THAT SOMETHING THAT WE DO, DO NOT DO, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN DOING? I JUST WANT TO GET FEEDBACK ON THAT.
>> I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CERTAINLY DO.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THAT, BUT IT'S A GOOD STORY AND IT'S WORTH TELLING.
THE CITY, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE ECONOMIC BASE, DOES QUITE WELL FINANCIALLY, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A HUGE COMMERCIAL SECTOR THAT OFFSET SOME OF OUR COSTS.
BECAUSE OF THIS DELIBERATE, CONSISTENT, METHODICAL APPROACH TO BUDGETING, THE CITY IS IN A GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN CERTAINLY UNDERTAKE.
>> IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT DOING AND ACCORDING TO THE [INAUDIBLE] , I KNOW THE CITY IS BEING RUN IRRESPONSIBLY AND OUT OF CONTROL, AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING GOING FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GELIN. THANK YOU, OUR VICE MAYOR.
YES. ACTUALLY, THE CITY HAS RUN PIECES IN OUR TAMAGRAM AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME POSTINGS.
BUT MAYBE AS WE GO THROUGH BUDGET SEASON, THE CITY COULD PUT A FEW MORE THINGS OUT WITH, I THINK THE EXPLANATIONS OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION.
I THINK LAST YEAR'S BUDGET PRESENTATION CLEARLY SHOWED THE MECHANISMS IN WHICH WE CALCULATE WHERE WE ARE AND HOW WE POSITION OURSELVES IN THE CITY.
I THINK SOME OF THOSE MAYBE WE COULD PUT IT THROUGH SOME POSTS AS A SERIES ON CITY TAMARAC'S FINANCIAL STABILITY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? JOIN US FOR MORE CONTINUED INFORMATION.
SO WE DON'T GIVE IT ALL AT ONE TIME, GIVE IT OUT IN SIZABLE BITS THAT ARE UNDERSTANDABLE, AND THEN LEADING UP AND WELCOMING EVERYBODY TO EITHER COME TO OUR BUDGET MEETINGS BEFOREHAND WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR PREP IN JUNE, AND THE NEXT TIME WE HAVE THEM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DATES WERE SET, BUT DEFINITELY FOR SEPTEMBER FOR BUDGET HEARINGS AS WELL.
BUT THEY CAN KNOW ABOUT THINGS
[00:15:02]
SOONER THAN LATER AND WE CAN GET INPUTS SOONER THAN LATER TOO.>> I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
WE CAN REALLY USE THE SUMMER TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE PROJECT.
>> THAT'LL BE GREAT. THANK YOU.
SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS, THEN WE SHALL GO OVER TO YOUR FIRE ASSESSMENTS.
>> YES. WE HAVE CHIEF SAYLES HERE TO PRESENT SOME INFORMATION ON OUR FIRE ASSESSMENT FEES.
>> THAT WORKED. WHO KNEW? [LAUGHTER] WELL, ALL GOOD.
THAT'S MUCH BETTER TO I CAN HEAR MYSELF.
WELL, IT'S GOOD THAT AT LEAST WE WON'T HAVE ANY TECHNICAL ISSUES TONIGHT.
I'M HERE IN PERSON, NO GLITCHING, NOTHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
I'M GLAD TO SEE EVERYBODY AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THESE IN-PERSON MEETINGS.
WE'RE UP AND READY TO GET GOING.
THE FIRE ASSESSMENT KATHLEEN IS THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS IS 100 PERCENT CORRECT WHEN SHE STARTS TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF COVID BECAUSE IT'S HAD IMPACTS WITH US AS WELL, INCLUDING THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
BUT AS YOU GUYS ALL KNOW, AS A PART OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS, YOU ALL APPROVE THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE EACH YEAR.
WE BRING THAT FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE TO YOU, AND THAT'S PART OF THAT BUDGETING PROCESS.
YOU GET A CHANCE TO VOTE ON WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF FAR ASSESSMENT FEE. IN 2015.
I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT BEFORE I GET INTO THE SLIDE.
THE LAST TIME WE DID A FIRE ASSESSMENT STUDY.
WE SET A RATE WHICH IS $350, I'M SURE YOU ALL REMEMBER FOR RESIDENTIAL, AND THEN FOR THE NON RESIDENTIAL, THERE'S A SLIDING SCALE WILL SHOW THAT LITTLE BIT LATER.
BUT AT THAT TIME, WE TOLD YOU ALL THAT WHAT WE WOULD DO IS THIS A FIVE-YEAR PLAN AND A PART OF THAT FIRE ASSESSMENT FEES IS WE PUT ALL OF OUR CAPITAL COSTS AND THINGS LIKE FIRE STATIONS AND EVERYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH FIRE FIGHTING, AND WE USE THE CONTRACTOR OR A CONSULTANT TO SAY, "HEY, THIS IS A PROJECTION, THIS IS WHAT IT WILL COST MOVING FORWARD." WE DID THAT FIVE YEARS AGO, 2015, AND WE SAID WE WOULDN'T RAISE THE FEE OR COME BACK TO YOU UNTIL 2020, WHICH WAS COVID YEAR.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED ON IT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION NOW BECAUSE NOW, AS PROMISED, WE HAVE DONE THE FIRE ASSESSMENT STUDY AND NOW WE NEED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
>> DID YOU TURN IT OFF ANTHONY?
[LAUGHTER] DID I SAY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE NO TECHNICAL ISSUES? I DIDN'T REALLY MEAN THAT [LAUGHTER].
THAT BEING SAID, FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE HISTORY ON AND THEN WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SOME DETAILS.
BUT THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE FROM AN OVERVIEW PERSPECTIVE IS USED TO PAY THE COSTS AND EXPENSES INCURRED BY THE CITY EACH YEAR TO PROVIDE FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES, FACILITIES, AND THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER.
AS I SAID, EACH YEAR AS A PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE APPROVE THAT FEE.
THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE, JUST TO BE CLEAR, CANNOT BE UTILIZED FOR EMS PROVISION.
IT'S STRICTLY FOR FIRE SERVICES ONLY.
THAT'S A TWO DISTINCT THINGS AND THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THAT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, EACH YEAR WE TALK ABOUT THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE AND PARTIAL PART OF THAT FUNDS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
BUT WHAT IT DOESN'T SAY HERE IS AND I WANT WANT TO MAKE CLARITY IS THERE'S A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER, ROUGHLY $7 BILLION A YEAR IN ORDER TO COVER THE COST FOR THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FOR THE FIRE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED THROUGHOUT CITY.
THE SERVICES INCLUDE IN TERMS OF THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE, IS A FIRE STATION EQUIPMENT, APPARATUS, TRAINING AND STAFFING AND FACILITIES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH FIRE SUPPRESSION.
THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE IT PROVIDES A SPECIAL BENEFITS TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF THESE PROGRAMS, WHICH IS THAT VALUE THAT IS PROVIDES US PROTECTING VALUE OF THE PROPERTY, PROTECTING LIFE AND SAFETY OF OCCUPANTS,
[00:20:01]
LOWERING THE COST OF FIRE INSURANCE.AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE TALK ABOUT OUR ISO RATING QUITE A BIT, AND I KNOW WE'RE ALL PROUD OF THAT ISO RATING.
BUT ONE THING THAT ISO RATING DOES, WHICH WE HAD THE BEST, LOWEST IOS ALREADY YOU CAN HAVE, IS WHEN INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE LOOKING TO PROVIDE INSURANCE IN AN AREA, THEY'RE LOOKING TO SEE WHAT THE PART OF THAT DETERMINING FACTOR IS, WHAT FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES THAT YOU HAVE.
IN OUR CITY, WE HAVE A CLASS 1 RATING, SO IT'S LOWEST POSSIBLE.
IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THAT, RATE SO BY THE PROVISION OF OUR SERVICES, IT IN TURN LOWERS INSURANCE COSTS.
ALSO, CONTAINING THE SPREAD OF FIRE INCIDENTS OCCURRED AT A PROPERTY THAT COULD POTENTIALLY ENDANGER THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S A PUBLIC PURPOSE IN TERMS OF FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE, THAT'S WHY IT'S A FEE THAT YOU CAN CHARGE THROUGH EVERYONE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
FIRE ASSESSMENT FEES IN THIS CITY WERE ESTABLISHED IN 1996, AND THAT WAS JUST WHEN WE WENT ALS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN WE WENT FROM A BLS DEPARTMENT TO ACTUALLY FULL-SERVICE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, FEES ARE ASSESSED TO ALL PROPERTIES AND IT'S IN FOUR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
RESIDENTIAL IS WHAT WE MOST OFTEN TALK ABOUT, AND THAT RESIDENTIAL FEE IS THAT $350.
BUT THERE'S THREE MORE CATEGORIES THAT ARE NON RESIDENTIAL THAT ALSO PAY A FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE AND THAT'S COMMERCIAL.
WE BREAK THEM DOWN INTO INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSES ONE, AND THEN THE THIRD CATEGORY IS INSTITUTIONAL PROPERTY, AND LIKE I SAID, THE LAST FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN 2015 WITH THE AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD KEEP THAT RATE THE SAME AND RE-EVALUATED IN 2020.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
WHAT HAPPENED IN 2020 IS THE FIRE ASSESSMENTS FEE STUDY IS UPDATED PERIODICALLY.
YOU NEED TO DO THAT TO REFLECT WHAT CHANGES ARE IN THE CALLS AND THE CITIES COMPOSITION AND THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES, AND THOSE THINGS CHANGE PERIODICALLY, SO YOU WANT TO DO THAT FOR OUR ASSESSMENT FEE TO MAKE SURE FEES HAVE BEEN CHARGED FAIRLY TO EVERYONE.
WE CONTRACTED WITH A GROUP CALLED GOVERNMENT SERVICES GROUP, GSG FOR SHORT TO ASSIST IN UPDATING THIS FEE.
THAT WAS FOR OUR PROGRAM FROM FISCAL YEAR 20 - 21.
DUE TO COVID, WHICH KATHLEEN ALLUDED TO, WE COVID CREATED SOME ISSUES WITH DATA PROCESSING.
IF YOU KNOW A LOT OF THINGS THAT THROUGHOUT THAT YEAR OFF CALLS WERE DIFFERENT.
RESPONSE TIMES WITH DIFFERENT PATTERNS WERE DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER TIME.
IT REALLY WASN'T A GOOD YEAR TO DO THAT, AND THEN TALKING ABOUT FEE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE MIDST OF COVID, I'M SURE WAS NOT ON THE TOP OF YOUR AGENDA.
WE HELD THAT OFF AND NOW WE CONTACT THE GSE AGAIN, THAT CONSULTANT FIRM THAT SPECIALIZES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE AND IN TAXATION AND ISSUES WORKING WITH CITIES AND COUNTIES AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND STATES, AND THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR SURVEY FORCE, AND AT THIS TIME, WERE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF ANALYZING ALL THAT DATA BECAUSE IT'S QUITE LENGTHY AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T DO VERY OFTEN.
BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AND WE'LL ACTUALLY BRING THAT BACK TO YOU ON JUNE 29TH AT OUR NEXT BUDGET MEETING.
THIS IS WHAT OUR CURRENT FIRE ASSESSMENT FEES LOOK LIKE.
JUST TO REMIND YOU OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
OUR RESIDENTIAL FEES ARE AT THE TOP, WHICH IS WHAT PEOPLE GENERALLY FOCUS ON BECAUSE WE HAVE 31,000 RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE PAID OUT EACH.
THEN THOSE OTHER THREE CATEGORIES THAT I MENTIONED TO YOU, WHICH ARE COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, WAREHOUSE, AND INSTITUTIONAL.
THERE'S LISTED IN THE COLUMN RIGHT THERE, AND IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IS BASED ON YOUR PRICE AND NET PRICE IN TAMARAC HAS BEEN THE SAME SINCE 2015.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IN SUMMARY, THE REPORT ITSELF IS PROBABLY 30-40 PAGES LONG.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THAT MYSELF AND THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, CHRISTINE GAJUS AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE LOOK AND DO THAT REPORT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE GOING TO BE RIGHT NOW.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S YET TO BE DETERMINED IMPACTS TO BUSINESS COMMUNITY, SO WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO LOOK AT THAT.
WE'RE CONTEMPLATING A SLIGHT RESIDENTIAL FEE INCREASE, ROUGHLY $10 OR LESS THE YEAR AND WE'LL HAVE MUCH MORE DETAILS FOR YOU IN OUR 29TH BUDGET MEETING, BUT WE WANTED TO JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS HAS COME IN AND OBVIOUSLY THIS IS PART OF THAT BUDGETING PROCESS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS ARE AWARE WHAT'S GOING ON AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DATA AND THAT WOULD HAVE RECEIVED WHAT IS CALLED A FIRE RESCUE ASSESSMENT MEMORANDUM, AND WE'RE JUST ANALYZING THAT RIGHT NOW. QUESTIONS FOR ME?
>> WHAT ARE INSTITUTIONAL PROPERTIES?
>> DEFINITION WISE? WELL, THE PROPERTIES INSTITUTIONAL, EACH ONE OF THESE PROPERTIES.
LET ME JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF AN INSTITUTIONAL PROPERTY.
[00:25:03]
IT'D BE LIKE THE HOSPITAL.>> GOOD. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE 29TH.
>> WELL LISTEN, I WILL BE MUCH MORE PROFICIENT WITH THE MICROPHONE AND THE [OVERLAPPING] CLICK LIQUOR.
>> WE WILL HOLD ON TO IT JUST IN CASE.
ARE YOU HANDING OVER THE BATON?
>> WELL, THIS IS HIS FIRST MEETING FOR THIS RIGHT? [LAUGHTER] KATHLEEN DO YOU ANY INTRODUCTIONS OR?
>> YES. I THINK THIS IS OUR FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING WITH GEORGE AS OUR BUILDING OFFICIAL.
HE'S BEEN WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY SINCE HE'S ARRIVED.
HE GAVE A VIRTUAL PRESENTATION [OVERLAPPING] ABOUT ALL OF THE ALPHABETS HE'S GOT UNDERWAY.
TODAY YOU'LL GET TO HEAR FROM HIM ABOUT THE BUILDING PERMIT FEES AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I GIVE YOU GEORGE WALLACE.
>> GOOD TO SEE, I MIGHT HAVE TURNED YOU OFF, SORRY.
>> THE LITTLE TWO TABS ON THE BOTTOM.
>> YOU HAVE TO SQUEEZE IT, [INAUDIBLE] ON THE BOTTOM.
>> OH, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT ONE THAN WE DO?
>> HE BROKE IT. [LAUGHTER] GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.
THANK FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT TWO OF THE MAJOR GOALS I'VE HAD SINCE I'VE BEEN THE BUILDING OFFICIAL.
ONE IS THAT SINCE CATALINA SAID BEFORE WAS, MY GOAL WAS THE CUSTOMER SERVICE WE'VE BROUGHT YOU THAT WAS VIRTUALLY.
JUST TO GO OVER IT QUICKLY, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHAT WE HAVE, I HAVE IT UP THERE AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU HAVE THE POWERPOINT.
WE'VE UPLOADED TO THE BUILDING'S WEBSITE, SAMPLE APPLICATIONS TO HELP PEOPLE CUT DOWN ON MISTAKES.
WE ACTUALLY EVEN DID A VIDEO, HOW TO DO A BUILDING APPLICATION VIDEO.
WE STREAMLINED OUR PROCESS FOR PERMITS BEING SENT IN, SO THEY'RE NOT TURNED DOWN, SAY, TWICE, BUT ONLY ONCE, SO ANY OF THE COMMON MISTAKES, RATHER THAN BEING TURNED DOWN AND SENT BACK TO THEM, THOSE MISTAKES WAS SENT TO THE PLAN REVIEWERS, WHO ADDED THEIR CRITIQUE TO IT, SO IT DEFINITELY HELPED PLANS GO OUT THE DOOR QUICKER, SO IT DEFINITELY IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE.
PERMITS DENIED TWICE, APPLICANTS WERE EITHER CALLED OR EMAILED OR, MYSELF, I GAVE THEM MY EMAIL TO HELP THEM AND TO ASSIST THEM, TO HELP SOMEONE WITH THEIR PROCESS IF THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE WITH IT.
REMEMBER, WE'RE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.
IF THE INSPECTION FAILED DURING THE DAY, IF THEY RECTIFIED THE PROBLEM, CALLED THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, THE INSPECTOR WENT OUT THE SAME DAY TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
THIS IS A LOT MORE WORK FOR OUR INSPECTORS, BUT IT IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND IF A HOMEOWNER TOOK THE DAY OFF FOR IT, NOW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE AN ADDITIONAL DAY OFF, SO THIS DEFINITELY IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE.
WE STARTED AN EXPIRED PERMIT LIST CALLING CONTRACTORS AND HOMEOWNERS WHO HAD PERMITS THAT EXPIRED, TELLING THEM THAT IF THEY EXTENDED THE PERMIT, CALLING THEIR INSPECTIONS, THEN WE CAN FINALIZE THE INSPECTIONS.
THIS WAY, I WOULD CUT DOWN THE AMOUNT OF CALLS I HAVE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CLOSING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THEY REALIZE THEY HAVE AN OPEN PERMIT, AND THEY CAN'T GO TO CLOSING, SO THIS HAS DEFINITELY IMPROVED OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE.
NOW, WE'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SINCE MAY 24TH.
BETWEEN THIS AND OUR PROGRAM, I KNOW WE'RE LEAVING [INAUDIBLE] CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN MORE.
THE OTHER PROBLEM OR GOAL THAT I HAD WAS THE BUDGET, AND I HAD TO LOOK AT OUR REVENUE IN 2020; A SHORTFALL, SO I HAD TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM AND HOW TO RECTIFY IT.
SOURCES FOR THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT'S MONEY.
WHERE DO THEY GET THE MONEY FROM? PERMITS. BUILDING PERMITS, SPECIAL MAGISTRATE, REDUCTION OF OUTSTANDING FINES FROM VIOLATIONS WHERE WE REDUCED IT, AND FEES.
EXPIRED PERMITS, REINSPECTION FEES, SCANNING FEES, AND REVISION FEES.
THIS IS THE SOURCE OF THE INCOME FOR THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
THIS I LOOKED AT REVENUE AND JUST A REMINDER,
[00:30:01]
THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT'S REVENUE IS SEPARATE FROM THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND.THIS IS A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND FOR THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, AND THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT IS SELF-SUFFICIENT.
TWO OF THE ITEMS I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THAT I ADDRESSED WAS LOOK AT 2017.
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS BROUGHT IN AND THE PERMITS THAT WAS ISSUED, AND LAST YEAR, 2020.
NOW, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO IS 400 PERMITS, BUT IT WAS $900,000.
THIS IS WHY I TRIED TO FIND OUT, TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT SOURCES, WHY? WHY DO WE HAVE THAT DISCREPANCY? THEN I LOOKED AT INSPECTIONS.
IN 2019, WE HAD ABOUT 23,528 INSPECTIONS.
THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 15,170 TO DATE.
NOW, THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2019 AND 2020, THAT WAS TAMARAC VILLAGE.
THAT WAS MOST OF THE WORK DONE ON TAMARAC VILLAGE.
EACH BUILDING IN TAMARAC VILLAGE, THOSE FOUR-STORY BUILDINGS, THEY GET, APPROXIMATELY, OVER 200 INSPECTIONS FOR EACH FOUR-STORY BUILDING.
THAT WAS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE INSPECTIONS.
THEN I TRIED TO LOOK AT COVID, IF THAT WAS A REASON.
HOW DID IT AFFECT MY REVENUE? WE WERE CLOSED FROM THE PUBLIC FROM MARCH 17TH, THE LAST YEAR, TO THIS YEAR, MAY 24TH.
WE HAD NO SPECIAL MAGISTRATE HEARING FOR THREE MONTHS AND EVEN DURING A TIME WHEN WE DID HAVE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE, WE GAVE PEOPLE LONGER TIME TO BRING THEIR CASES IN THE COMPLIANCE BECAUSE OF COVID.
PERMIT EXTENSIONS, RENEWALS DUE TO THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS, THEY WERE FREE.
WE COULD NOT CHARGE FOR THEM, SO THOSE PERMITS WERE RENEWED AUTOMATICALLY.
SCANNING FEES AND OUR BUDGET, WE ESTIMATED $100,000 FOR OUR SCANNING FEES, JUST TO SHOW YOU, THIS YEAR, AS OF FRIDAY, THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT HAVE $822.
A BIG DIFFERENCE IN REVENUE THERE.
AFTER LOOKING AT EVERYTHING, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IN REVENUE WAS THE PERMIT FEE SCHEDULE, SO WE LOOKED AT OLD ONES, AND WE REALIZED THAT IN 2017, THERE WERE REVISION OF THE BUILDING PERMIT FEES SCHEDULE.
I IMAGINE IT WAS DONE TO ENTICE MORE BUILDING COMING INTO THE CITY.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT REDUCED TO SUCH A GREAT AMOUNT THAT IT MADE THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT REALLY DIFFICULT TO EVEN COVER ITS COSTS.
WHAT WE DID, WE HIRED AN ANALYST, A FIRM, TO GO OVER OUR SCHEDULE, TO LOOK AT WHAT WE HAD.
WE GAVE THEM OUR PERMIT FEE SCHEDULE WE HAVE NOW, OUR PAST PERMIT FEE SCHEDULES.
THEY'VE GONE OVER OUR CONSTRUCTION COSTS TO COME UP WITH A MORE FAIR WAY FOR CONTRACTORS, DEVELOPERS, AND THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
NOW, THERE'S USUALLY EASY THREE WAYS WHERE CITY FIGURES OUT THEIR PERMIT FEES: ONE IS A STRAIGHT SQUARE FOOT METHOD WHICH WE'RE USING NOW, THEN THERE'S THE SQUARE FOOT PLUS METHOD WHICH WE USED TO DO PRIOR TO 2017, AND THEN THERE'S THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION.
NOW, THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION IS USED, I HAVE SEVEN CITIES THERE: CORAL SPRINGS, PLANTATION, SUNRISE, COCONUT CREEK, PEMBROKE PINES, DAVIE, AND HOLLYWOOD.
YOU CAN ALSO ADD MARGATE, COOPER CITY, AND MIRAMAR.
THEY ALL BASED THEIR PRICES FOR THEIR PERMITS ON COST OF CONSTRUCTION.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS COME BACK TO YOU IN AUGUST WITH THE ANALYSIS DONE TO SHOW YOU THE DIFFERENT METHODS AND WHAT'S THE MOST FAIR METHODS FOR EVERYONE.
[NOISE] OUR PROJECTIONS FROM FISCAL YEAR 22 THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 24, THE CITY'S BUILDING DEPARTMENT DOES NOT ANTICIPATE MANY NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS BASED ON THE LIMITED PARCELS OF VACANT LAND.
NOW, WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING LIKE EDEN, WHERE WE TEAR DOWN OTHER BUILDINGS TO PUT UP EDEN, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, I DON'T SEE ANY OF THOSE GONE TO DRC.
MOST NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WERE ALTERATIONS.
NOW, CURRENT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN PROGRESS WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY ANY CHANGE IN FEES BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T CHANGED THEM, BUT JUST TO NAME A FEW: EDEN WEST, BAILEY ROAD APARTMENTS, UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, THE SELF-STORAGE FACILITY AT MCNAB ROAD, AND TAMARAC VILLAGE PHASE II.
THESE WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY ANYTHING THAT COMES FORWARD NOR ANYTHING THAT'S IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME THAT PERMIT FEES DO EVENTUALLY COME AND REVISED.
I DO PLAN TO PRESENT A NEW PERMIT FEE SCHEDULE TO THE CITY COMMISSION IN AUGUST.
HOPEFULLY, IT'LL BECOME EFFECTIVE IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2022. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT GEORGE HAS BEEN DOING A PHENOMENON JOB.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH GEORGE SINCE, I THINK, I GOT IN THE COMMISSION FROM VARIOUS EMAILS, VARIOUS HOMEOWNERS AND STUFF, AND THEY'D BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB, SO I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE THEM ON THEIR WORK ON THAT. THANK YOU, GEORGE.
>> AGREED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> SEEING THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, YOU SURVIVED YOUR FIRST IN-PERSON PRESENTATION TO US.
[00:35:01]
>> THANK YOU. YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT IN TIME OF WHERE WE WERE WITH REVENUE AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AS A RESULT OF COVID AND RECOGNIZING THE IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT AND HOW IT HAS A RIPPLE EFFECT ACROSS NOT ONLY THE GENERAL FUND, BUT ALSO THE BUILDING FUND AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO YOU JUST HAVE A SENSE OF THINGS.
WHEN WE COME BACK WITH THESE STUDIES AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU'LL KNOW WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.
AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE CAPTAIN JEFF CIRMINIELLO TO TALK
[2. BSO Staffing]
ABOUT BSO STAFFING AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH POLICE.WE REGULARLY HEAR ABOUT EVERYBODY WANTS MORE POLICE PRESENCE, SO THAT'S A COST; THAT'S NOT A, "I WANT TO HAVE," IT'S A MUST.
IT'S JUST THE LEVEL AT WHICH WE FUND THE POLICE.
JEFF IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND COMPARING US TO SOME OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. WILL YOU BE INTRODUCING OUR NEW XO? I KNOW HE'S BEEN HERE AT THIS POINT FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD A MEETING WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INTRODUCE HIM, AND I'M NOT SURE IF HE'LL BE AT OUR COMMISSION MEETING THIS EVENT, SO AT LEAST FOR THIS MEETING, WILL YOU INTRODUCE, OR SHALL I?
>> I NEVER HAVE TO RAISE THESE MICROPHONES UP.
IT'S ALWAYS DOWN. HOLD ON A SECOND.
FIRST OF ALL, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, AND STAFF.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY NEW MAIN MAN.
MY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, JEREMIAH COOPER.
HE'S BEEN WITH OUR AGENCY FOR ABOUT 19 YEARS.
HE'S WORKED HIS WAY ALL THROUGHOUT OUR AGENCY IN VARIOUS POSITIONS, AND WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SNAG HIM FROM OUR OLD EXECUTIVE OFFICER WHO IS NOW A CAPTAIN IN CENTRAL BROWARD, WARNELL PHILLIPS.
HE'S BEEN DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB SO FAR WITH US AND WE GOT A BRIGHT FUTURE WITH HIM AT THE HELM.
>> EXCELLENT, WELCOME. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AND MAYBE SOME FUTURE INITIATIVES.
RIGHT NOW, JUST A QUICK VIEW OF WHAT OUR HIERARCHY IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET AT THE TAMARAC DISTRICT WHERE THE CAPTAIN TO OUR LIEUTENANTS, ONE OF THEM BEING THE LIEUTENANT COOPER, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DIVISIONS.
WE HAVE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS WITH SIX DETECTIVES AND A SERGEANT.
WE'VE A CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAM, OUR TRAFFIC UNIT WHICH HAS BEEN USED EXTREMELY A LOT LATELY.
OUR CRIME PREVENTION TEAM, WHICH IS JEN MARION, JARED, AND CAITLIN, WHICH YOU'RE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH, AND THE LAST FOUR ARE OUR SHIFTS.
THEY WORK 24 HOURS A DAY, AND IT'S FOUR DIFFERENT SHIFTS DAYS AND NIGHTS.
OVERALL, WE HAVE 101 PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO THE DISTRICT.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE AT 99 WITH TWO VACANCIES.
THE FBI CONDUCTS DATA AND THEY GO THROUGH THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS TO SEE WHAT AGENCIES ARE DOING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
NOT ONLY DO THEY LOOK AT CRIMES IN DIFFERENT VARIATIONS, BUT THEY ALSO LOOK AT PERSONNEL.
ONE OF THE LAST STUDIES THEY DID ON PERSONNEL, THEY DID IT PER 1,000 INHABITANTS, AND THE RATE OF OFFICERS WAS 2.4 PER 1,000 INHABITANTS IN THE NATION.
RIGHT NOW, TAMARAC, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE 101 ASSIGNED PERSONNEL, WE HAVE 83 SWORN DEPUTIES.
THE RATE FOR US IS 1.3 DEPUTIES PER 1,000 INHABITANTS.
WE JUST TOOK A LITTLE SHOT OF SOME OF OUR AREA'S POLICE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE CLOSEST TO US.
COCONUT CREEK REALLY REPLICATES TAMARAC BECAUSE THEY'RE ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 12 SQUARE MILES, WE'RE JUST A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN THEM.
AS YOU SEE, THEY ARE 1.9 PER 1,000, AND CORAL SPRINGS, WHICH IS A LARGER AREA.
YOU CAN SEE THE ASSOCIATED BUDGETS ON EACH OF THEM.
WE'RE JUST A LITTLE UNDER $18 MILLION.
CREEK IS AT $25 MILLION, AND CORAL SPRINGS IS AT $55 MILLION.
WHAT DO WE DO? WE'RE AT ABOUT 100 CALLS A DAY.
THE DEPUTIES AND CSAS THAT WORK THIS DISTRICT ARE QUITE BUSY.
WE LOOK AT RESPONSE TIMES, AND COMMISSIONER BOLTON LAST YEAR ASKED US TO LOOK AT SOME OF OUR RESPONSE TIMES AND SEE IF IT WAS A GOOD TIME RANGE, WHICH WE BELIEVE IT IS.
THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT TIMES. THERE IS THE RESPONSE TIME FROM WHEN A DEPUTY GETS A CALL, FROM THE DISPATCHER ACTUALLY GIVES IT TO HIM AND WHEN HE SHOWS UP, AND WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND 47 SECONDS.
NOW, THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION TIME IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
THAT'S WHEN SOMEONE CALLS 911, FROM THE MINUTE THEY CALL, BY THE TIME DISPATCH GETS IT AND SENDS IT TO US. THAT'S DIFFERENT.
THAT TIME IS NINE MINUTES AND 49 SECONDS.
WE DON'T WANT TO CONFUSE THIS.
WHEN WE GET AN EMERGENCY, WE GET A SHOOTING, A STABBING, A VIOLENT CALL, THAT IS NOT FIVE MINUTES.
[00:40:03]
THE NUMBER IS DRASTICALLY LOWER.THIS TAKES ALL THE CALLS, ESPECIALLY CALLS THAT ARE BACKED UP.
YOU GET A BARKING DOG CALL THAT'S BEEN HOLD, BUT WE HAVE A MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT WITH OUR RESOURCES ARE THERE.
IT REALLY SLOWS DOWN THE SYSTEM.
THESE NUMBERS TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THOSE NUMBERS.
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT ZONE RESTRUCTURING AS COMMISSIONER BOLTON ASKED LAST YEAR.
BUT WE'RE WAITING FOR THIS YEAR'S CENSUS.
THE NUMBERS THAT WE LOOKED AT RIGHT NOW, DON'T WANT IT AT THIS TIME WHEN WE LOOKED AT RESPONSE TIMES AND CALLS PER AREA.
THE WEST IS A LITTLE BIGGER AREA, HARDER TO GET TO SOME OF THE AREAS.
THE EAST IS LITTLE MORE COMPACT, BUT IT HAS MORE PEOPLE.
WE'RE WAITING FOR THESE RESULTS TO COME OUT THIS YEAR, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE ALL SHOULD LOOK AT WHEN IT COMES TO MAYBE INCREASING OR KEEPING OUR STAFFING AT A STATIC RATE.
HOPEFULLY, WE'LL GET THAT IN THE FALL.
WE HAD AN ONE-PERCENT INCREASE IN CALLS FOR SERVICE FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, WHICH IS INTRIGUING BECAUSE WE WENT THROUGH COVID.
WE THOUGHT 19 WOULD DROP IT ALL UP.
WE REALLY DIDN'T. IT'S BUMPED UP AGAIN THIS YEAR.
TRAFFIC-RELATED CALLS; IT SEEMS LIKE THAT IS MY NUMBER 1 COMPLAINT.
I KNOW, COMMISSIONERS, YOU GET THEM DAILY.
WE DO TOO, AND IT'S A REAL ISSUE.
WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE TRAVELING TO THE CITY.
WE ACTUALLY HAD A DECREASE IN CALLS AND WE WERE REALLY ATTRIBUTING THAT PART TO COVID BECAUSE LOT OF PEOPLE WERE STAYING HOME.
WE DID HAVE A BIG SPAN OF TIME WHERE PEOPLE WEREN'T ON THE ROADS.
I REALLY TAKE THAT NUMBER AND THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW, BUT IT WAS THERE.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THE TRAFFIC IS PRETTY CHAOTIC.
WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT TRAFFIC? YOU'LL SEE SOME OF OUR STATS; 2019-20, WE HAD A 27-PERCENT DECREASE.
BUT '18 AND '19, THERE WAS A 25-PERCENT INCREASE.
THERE WAS A 52-POINT SWING WHEN YOU INCLUDE COVID, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE KNOCKING THAT NUMBER OUT.
OUR MOTOR UNIT LAST YEAR, WE PUT A SERGEANT IN CHARGE, MIKE PIANELLI, WHO WAS WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] FOR OVER 18 YEARS, ANOTHER GUY WE STOLE TO BRING TO OUR DISTRICT, AND HE'S BEEN INVALUABLE, JUST THE HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE CITY IS UNBELIEVABLE.
WE WERE REALLY WENT FROM A REACTIVE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT TO A PROACTIVE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT.
WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE CRASH REDUCTION STUDIES DONE.
PROBLEM IS, WE ONLY HAVE FOUR DEDICATED MOTORMEN, SO IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE'RE HAVING.
WE JUST CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE, AND THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE COMPLAINTS ARE DURING THE DAY TIME.
WHAT SERGEANT PIANELLI DID WAS HE LOOKED FOR AGGRESSIVE DRIVING GRANTS, CRASH AWARENESS AND REDUCTION EFFORT PROGRAMS, AND PEDESTRIAN GRANTS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, SPECIFICALLY ON 441.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES, WE WORRY ABOUT OUR PEDESTRIANS, AND IT DOESN'T COST THE CITY ANYTHING.
WHAT WE'RE ALSO DOING IS WE'RE BRINGING IN A REGIONAL TRAFFIC UNIT THROUGH SERGEANT PIANELLI AGAIN, WHO GIVES US FREE RESOURCES.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'VE DONE AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVING GRANT ON BAILEY ROAD LEFT AND RIGHT.
WE DID NUMEROUS HOURS ON THERE.
IS IT WORKING? I'M NOT SURE, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT STOP SPEEDING.
I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY TICKETS WE'VE WRITTEN THERE WITHOUT SEEING MUCH OF AN IMPACT.
BUT WE'RE DOING JOINT OPERATIONS WITH REGIONAL TRAFFIC, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO TALK TO THE CITY ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO SOME PHYSICAL, MAYBE, IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ROADWAY, TO REDUCE SOME OF THESE CRASHES.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE ONLY OWN OR ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CITY OF TAMARAC, ABOUT ONE-QUARTER OF BAILEY ROAD AND WE GET A TON OF COMPLAINTS ON IT.
WE'VE MET WITH NORTH LAUDERDALE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE INVOLVED.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE VERY AGGRESSIVE NOW WITH SOME OF THEIR ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY IN THAT CITY.
YOU'LL SEE SOME COMBINED EFFORTS IN THAT AREA FROM THAT ONE SPOT.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO ALL OF THESE, BUT YOU JUST SEE THAT WE HAVE A TON OF TICKETS CITATIONS, AND WE'RE TRYING NOW TO DO AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY OUT EAST WITH OUR RESIDENTS.
WE JUST HAD A MEETING A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO AND I WANT TO KNOW, ARE THESE TAMARAC RESIDENTS MEETINGS AT NORTH LAUDERDALE RESIDENCE, OR IS IT OUTSIDERS COMING IN? WE KNOW THEY ALLOW PEOPLE TO USE THAT ROAD AS A CUT-OFF ROAD.
ACCORDING TO SERGEANT PIANELLI, IT'S MOSTLY TAMARAC AND NORTH LAUDERDALE RESIDENTS.
WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE, WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT TO LET THEM KNOW THAT IT'S A ZERO-TOLERANCE ROADWAY WHEN IT COMES TO SPEEDING AND THE WARNINGS ARE OUT THE WINDOW.
JUST TO COMPARE COCONUT CREEK AND US WHEN IT COMES TO PERSONNEL, THEY HAVE SIX OFFICERS, AND THEY'RE 12.01 SQUARE MILES, WE'RE 12.15.
WE HANDLE 360 HIT AND RUN ACCIDENTS PER YEAR, ABOUT AVERAGE OF OUR MOTOR DEPUTIES NOT ONLY DOING THEIR WORK, BUT THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THESE HIT AND RUNS; 360, THAT'S 90 PER DEPUTY.
CREEK IS IN 316. THEY HAVE ABOUT 52 PER OFFICER.
BUT ALSO WHAT THESE MOTORMEN DO IS THEY DO TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, AGGRESSIVE DRIVING, TRAFFIC CONTROL,
[00:45:01]
SCHOOL ZONES, ALL TRAILER AND THE LPR, LICENSE PLATE READERS.THEY'RE MOVING AROUND ALL DAY LONG.
THEY DEAL WITH THEIR ESCORTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS.
THEY'RE NOT JUST THERE FOR CITATIONS.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES.
INTERESTING, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW SINCE WE GET SO MANY COMPLAINTS, THAT'S WHY I'M SPENDING SOME TIME ON SPEEDING, WE LOOKED AT WHERE THE CRASHES WERE ACTUALLY OCCURRING IN TAMARAC, WHICH YOU JUST SEE HIGHLIGHTED IN THOSE RED AREAS; THERE ARE TOP COMPLAINTS.
THE YELLOW STARS ARE WHERE OUR TOP FIVE CRASHES ARE.
YOU SEE THAT THEY DON'T CORRELATE.
A LOT OF TIMES, THE FIRST THING WE DO IS WE LOOK AT THESE AREAS AND SEE IF THERE'S SPEEDING AND THERE'S CRASHES INVOLVED IN IT, AND IT'S NOT REALLY MATCHING UP.
SO WE HAVE TO DEPLOY DEPUTIES FOR THE CRASH SPOTS AND THE SPEEDING SPOTS, WHICH SPREADS THEM OUT A LITTLE THIN ALSO.
MOST OF OUR CRASHES ARE DISTRACTION CRASHES.
WE'RE FINDING OUT THAT CELL PHONES AND REAR-END CRASHES ARE THE MAJORITY OF OUR CRASHES RIGHT NOW. THAT'S INTERESTING.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE STUDIES WITH THAT TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON.
AGAIN, IT'S ANOTHER EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT, TEXTING AND DRIVING AND DISTRACTED DRIVING.
WHAT WE DO WITH THESE TRAFFIC, BECAUSE WE'RE SO INUNDATED WITH TRAFFIC IS WE'RE CONSTANTLY ANALYZING HOW DO WE UTILIZE OUR RESOURCES THE BEST? HOW DO WE MAKE THE MOST OUT OF OUR FOUR DEPUTIES AND ONE SERGEANT? WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY, AND WE'VE BEEN USING.
I'VE SENT REPORTS TO SEVERAL OF YOU.
WE PURCHASED THOSE TRAFFIC ANALYZING TOOLS WHICH YOU CAN'T SEE IN THE ROAD.
WE HAVE TO DRILL THEM INTO THE ROADWAY, BUT THEY USE BLUETOOTH TECHNOLOGY, AND THEY COUNT EVERY VEHICLE, THE AVERAGE SPEED, AND THEY GIVE US SUCH DATA.
WHEN RESIDENTS HAVE AN ISSUE, WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE THEM FACTUAL DATA BECAUSE VEHICLES ARE GETTING BIGGER.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE SPEEDING ON SOME OF THEM, SOME OF THEM LEMMA WAS, AND SOMETIMES THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT THE CASE.
BUT WE'RE ABLE TO TALK TO THE RESIDENTS AND ACTUALLY SHOW THEM IT'S NOT THE ISSUE.
OUR MOTOR UNIT, ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMEONE'S REALLY COMPLAINING, WE HAVE THEM GO OUT WITH THE MOTOR UNIT AND DO RADAR WITH OUR MOTOR DEPUTIES SO THEY CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES WHEN THEY THINK IT'S SPEEDING, AND THEN SOMETIMES IT'S NOT, AND MOST OF THE TIME THAT'S THE CASE.
IT'S A GOOD EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THAT ALSO.
CONSTANTLY RESEARCH NEW TECHNIQUES.
I KNOW IN THE WOODLANDS WE WERE GETTING COMPLAINTS ABOUT SPEED AND LOUD VEHICLES, AND I ALSO GOT IT ACTUALLY OUT NEAR BAILEY ROAD ABOUT THE LOUD VEHICLES AND THE SPEEDING.
INTERESTING ONE IN THE WOODLANDS, WE'VE GOT A VERY DECENT COMPLAIN.
KEVIN WARWICK ACTUALLY CALLED, AND HE MADE A VALID COMPLAINT.
HE SAID, "TWO, THREE IN THE MORNING, WE'RE GETTING COMPLAINTS OF THESE CAUSE FLYING WHILE THEY'RE SPEEDING DOWN, UP AND DOWN." WE THINK IT'S COMMERCIAL, HE COULDN'T TARGET WHERE IT WAS.
SERGEANT PIANELLI, THREE IN THE MORNING WAS STANDING OUT THERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE IT CAME FROM.
CHECKS THROUGH OUR COUNTY, CHECKS COMMERCIAL.
IT TURNS OUT HE'S HEARING ALL THE SPEEDING, IT WAS COMING FROM THE TURNPIKE.
WE GOT WITH FHP, WE HAD MEETINGS WITH FHP.
THEY'RE HAVING A TON OF PROBLEMS WITH MOTORCYCLES RACING, THESE CARS ARE RACING.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE BIGGEST STAFF THERE, BUT THEY AGREED TO WORK WITH US.
THEY'RE GOING TO INCREASE THEIR AGGRESSIVE DRIVING IN OUR AREA TO HELP COMBAT THAT, BUT IT WASN'T REALLY A TAMARAC ISSUE.
ALSO BAILEY ROAD, WE REALIZE THAT SOME OF THESE ROADS HAVE THESE, AND ALSO THEY'LL PUT UP A SOUND BARRIER WALL.
WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW, WHICH IS NOT HELPING OUR ISSUE IS THE NOISE IS GOING OFF THE BARRIER WALL AND GOING TO THE CONDORS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
WE WENT OUT THERE AND TRIED TO PUT OUR SOUND METERS, AND WE'RE REALIZING THAT, YEAH, THE SOUND IS NOW BOUNCING OVER.
WE TALK ABOUT PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENT SOMETIMES.
WE HAVE TO NOW LOOK AT THE FUTURE SCENE, AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO HANDLE SOME OF THESE COMPLAINTS, BECAUSE THEY'RE LEGITIMATE COMPLAINTS WITH PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS DOWN THE ROAD ABOUT TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS OUT EAST WITH SOME OF THESE ISSUES WITH NOISE.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO TOO FAR INTO DETAIL.
WE ALL KNOW SHERIFF TONY IS BIG ON COMMUNITY POLICING AND SO IS OUR TAMARAC DISTRICT.
THAT'S WHAT WE BELIEVE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY.
WE HAVE OUR ZONE TEAMS. IT'S WORKING REALLY WELL.
OUR GOAL IS FOR DEPUTIES AND OUR RESIDENTS TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER SO WE HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION.
WE REALLY LIKE TO HANDLE THESE ISSUES AND JUMP ON THEM VERY QUICKLY.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT GOING FORWARD.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT MORE DURING THE BUDGET.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THE BUILDING TRUST THROUGH ENGAGEMENT.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE OUR DEPUTIES AT THESE HOMEOWNERS MEETINGS.
IT'S NICE TO SEE SOME OF THE COMMAND, BUT REALLY, THE RESIDENTS WANT TO SEE THE DEPUTIES, THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO UP AND SAY HELLO TO DEPUTY JOHNSON AND DEPUTY WISE, AND HAVE A PERSONAL CONNECTION.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT THIS YEAR NOW THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TALK TO PEOPLE IN PERSON, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE DEPUTIES NEED TO KNOW ON A MICRO LEVEL WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
WE EXPECT THEM TO KNOW WHEN THE BUSINESSES CLOSE, MAYBE SIT THERE WITH THEIR LIGHTS FLASHING WHEN NOW THE LADIES LEAVE TO GO TO THEIR CAUSE, KEEP THEM SAFE WHEN THEY CAN.
THEY HAVE TO KNOW WHAT SEXUAL PREDATORS ARE IN THEIR ZONE.
THEY NEED TO KNOW WHEN SOMEONE WAS RELEASED FROM PRISON.
THEY NEED ALL THIS DATA, THERE'S SO MUCH DATA LIKE MORE OF AN HOUR.
BUT WE CREATED A SHAREPOINT SITE WHERE EACH DEPUTY IN EACH ZONE HAS BROKEN DOWN TO WHO IS YOUR CRITICAL PEOPLE AND YOUR STAKEHOLDERS IN YOUR ZONE? THEY'RE LEARNING THAT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUNG GUYS THAT ARE NOW INPUTTING THIS DATA,
[00:50:01]
MAKING EACH ONE OF THE DEPUTIES THAT WORKS THAT ZONE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE.BUT WE'RE KEEPING THEM STATIC, THE SAME DEPUTY IN THE SAME ZONE SO YOU GET TO HAVE A FAMILIAR FACE.
WHAT ARE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS COMMAND AND AS LEADERS IS WE JUST GOT TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE OUR DEPUTIES THE ABILITY TO DO THIS, WOULD GIVE US MUCH RESOURCES BECAUSE WE HAVE A HIGH CALL VOLUME, IT IS HARD TO BREAK THEM OFF TO A LOT OF THESE OTHER EVENTS THAT WE WANT THEM TO DO.
WE'RE DOING WITH THE BEST WE CAN NOW, AND WE'LL BE FINE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THIS BUDGET YEAR.
BUT HERE'S JUST SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE DO THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE GOING FORWARD.
>> COMMISSIONER PLACKO, THANK YOU.
I LOOKED AT THE CHART WHERE YOU SHOWED TRAFFIC AND ACCIDENTS.
WHAT ABOUT SOUTH GATE? SOUTH GATE BOULEVARD IS A SPEEDING MAKEUP.
WE CAN HEAR IT AT NIGHT ALL THROUGH WOODMOUNT.
I KNOW YOU'VE HAD DEPUTIES OUT THERE, AND I REALIZE WE CAN'T STATION THEM OUT THERE CONSTANTLY.
BUT IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO, AND HAS THAT BEEN CAUSE OF CRASHES OR JUST SPEEDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?
>> IT'S NOT A BIG CRASH SITE, BUT IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO.
WE PUT THAT ONE IN THE ROTATION.
>> MY BUDDY RON WASSERMAN, HE CALLS ME ALL THE TIME WHEN HE HEARS IT. YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T MIND BECAUSE IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, AND THESE ISSUES, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, MOST OF THEM HAVEN'T BEEN VALID.
A FEW OF THEM THAT JUST WEREN'T VALID, WELL, WE PUT OUR ANALYZER OUT AND WE VETTED IT OUT.
BUT SOUTH GATE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD SEE.
I CAN'T PUT A MOTOR MAN OUT THERE ALL DAY LONG, IT'S JUST NOT FEASIBLE.
BUT WE CAN LOOK AND GET WITH THE CITY, SEE IF THERE'S ANY PHYSICAL ROAD IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN DO.
BUT THAT TAKES SOME STUDIES, AND TAKES SOME MONEY TO DO THESE STUDIES.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO THE FUTURE.
>> I DO REALIZE TOO THAT SOUTH GATE EXTENDS PAST OUR CITY, SO IT'S NOT JUST WITHIN US.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU, I KNOW I HAVE BOTHERED YOU SEVERAL TIMES WITH SPEEDING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND YOU HAVE ACTUALLY SENT SOME OF YOUR DEPUTIES OUT THERE, AND THEY HAVE CLOCKED THE SPEED JUST TO SHOW RESIDENTS THAT WHEN A CAR'S COMING AT YOU, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING A LOT FASTER THAN IT REALLY IS.
I APPRECIATE THE EXTRA EFFORT IN THE COMMUNITY. THANKS.
>> I JUST HAD A QUESTION. I KNOW SOME CITIES, I BELIEVE, ARE DOING DRONE UNITS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO FOR A FASTER RESPONSE TIME.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A DEPUTY OF MOTOR MAN, BUT YOU CAN HAVE A DRONE JUST FLYING OUT THAT SOMEONE CAN MAN, AND JUST FLY IT AROUND THE AREAS THAT ARE VERY HOT.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO, I ACTUALLY DEVELOPED A DRONE HERE FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BEFORE I CAME TO TAMARAC.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE FAA RULES, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO.
I WOULD LOVE TO. ITS VERY SPECIFIC WHAT WE CAN USE THE DRONES FOR.
RIGHT NOW, FIRST OF ALL, IT HAS TO BE WITHIN LINE OF SIGHT OF THE REMOTE OPERATOR.
IT HAS TO BE, REALLY, WITHIN THE SIGHTS.
YOU CAN'T GO TOO FAR WITH THEM AT THIS POINT.
ON TOP OF IT, IT'S VERY SPECIFIC USES.
AS THE GOVERNMENTS ARE REALIZING THAT WE'RE NOT USING IT AS SURVEILLANCE ITEMS BECAUSE THERE IS A BIG PRIVACY ISSUE THAT WE HAD TO CONTEND WITH.
IT'S A REAL ISSUE BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING OVER PEOPLE'S HOMES AND BACKYARDS, AND I BELIEVE WE HAD AN ISSUE HERE IN TAMARAC A FEW YEARS AGO WITH ROGUE DRONES.
WE'RE NOT THERE YET, WELL, LEGALITIES.
I THINK IN THE FUTURE YOU'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO SEE THAT.
WE HAVE DRONE OPERATORS IN TAMARAC.
WHEN WE HAVE A BURGLARY IN PROGRESS OR A VIOLENT CALL, WE CAN USE IT FOR THOSE, AND WE DO USE IT.
IT'S A LOT QUICKER AND CHEAPER THAN RUNNING THE HELICOPTER.
>> THEN A SECOND QUESTION. SCHOOL ZONES, SO I DRIVE THROUGH CHALLENGER AND DISCOVERY EVERY SINGLE MORNING, AND EVERY SINGLE MORNING, I DO MY 15-17 MILES PER HOUR.
AS YOU'RE DRIVING INTO THE SCHOOL ZONE, YOU'RE GETTING ALERTED, "HEY, THERE'S A SCHOOL ZONE HERE." IT SAYS SCHOOL ZONE, THE FLASHLIGHTS ARE ON.
BUT WHEN WE GET TO THE RED LIGHT, AND BESIDES THAT, SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T EVEN CARE.
I'M NOT KIDDING YOU. I CAN PROMISE YOU, IT'S EVERY MORNING.
THEY'RE FLYING, THEY'RE SWERVING.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS, WHEN WE GET TO THE RED LIGHTS, WE'RE TEXTING OR ON A CALL WHERE OUR MINDS ARE BLOCKED.
AS SOON AS THAT HITS THE GREEN LIGHT, THEY FORGET THEY'RE IN A SCHOOL ZONE BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TELLING YOU YOU'RE IN A SCHOOL ZONE BESIDES THE FIRST ONE YOU JUST PASSED, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING.
[00:55:01]
>> I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
>> IS THAT A BSO SITUATION OR IS THAT A SCHOOL BOARD SITUATION WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO SOMEHOW REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SAY, "HEY, WE NEED SOME MORE DEVICES FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD UNTIL IT SAYS, END SCHOOL ZONE AREA." DOES THAT MAKES SENSE?
>> LIKE ANOTHER REMINDER THAT YOU'RE STILL IN A SCHOOL ZONE.
>> I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE THE COUNTY.
I'M ACTUALLY NOT SURE WHO WOULD HANDLE THAT. I KNOW IS NOT US.
WE DON'T PUT SIGNS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EITHER THE COUNTY, AND THE SCHOOL DOESN'T REALLY DO THAT.
IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE COUNTY.
>> I BELIEVE JACK STRAIN WOULD LIKE TO HELP ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. [OVERLAPPING] YEAH.
WE WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT THROUGH THE COUNTY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SCHOOLS.
BUT THE COUNTY TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT CONTROLS ALL TRAFFIC SIGNS.
BASICALLY, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE A REQUEST SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING, OUR CAPTAIN AT THE SCHOOLS AT CHALLENGER WITH THE PERMANENT RECONFIGURATION OF THE DIVIDERS FOR TRAFFIC, ETC, SO PEOPLE WILL DROP OFF PROPERLY.
I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO GET AN IDEA OF EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND STUFF, AND MAKE THAT REQUEST TO THE COUNTY.
I WOULD ASSUME UNLESS IT'S VIOLATING SOME NATIONAL REQUIREMENT OR WHATEVER, THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL SIGNS.
BUT I'M SURE THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS AT HOW FAR AWAY THEY CAN BE FROM AN INTERSECTION, ETC.
BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN, IF YOU LET US KNOW WHAT AREAS THE ADDITIONAL SIGNS ARE NEEDED, WE CAN MAKE REQUEST.
>> IT WAS A LITTLE HARD TO HEAR YOU, BUT I THINK WE GOT IT.
[LAUGHTER] YES. THANK YOU, JACK. [OVERLAPPING]
>> NO. WE'VE HEARD YOU JUST FINE.
>> JUST A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION, JACK.
IF CITATIONS ARE ISSUED, ARE THOSE CITATIONS THE REVENUE THAT'S BEING BROUGHT IN FROM THAT, CAN THAT BE PUT BACK INTO THE SCHOOLS OR THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY OR THE CITY WOULD BE THE ONE BENEFITING FROM?
>> THE CAPTAIN WOULD BE THE PERSON TO ANSWER THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT REVENUE GOES.
>> THERE'S A SPLIT BETWEEN THE COUNTY, AND THEN THE CITY TAKES A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THAT BACK.
HOW THE CITY DIVIDES THAT UP, I DON'T KNOW THE RULES ARE ONCE IT HITS THE CITY, IT'S NOT MUCH.
THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BOLTON.
GOOD EVENING, CAPTAIN, I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAVE DATA ON THE SPEEDING TICKETS IN THAT AREA.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE A COPY OF THAT DATA? BASED ON HOW MANY TAMARAC RESIDENTS, HOW MANY NORTH LAUDERDALE RESIDENTS ACTUALLY GETS TICKET IT IN THAT AREA, WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE? I'LL SPEAK WITH [INAUDIBLE] WHO CONTROLS ALL THAT DATA.
ALSO, IF WE COULD GET A COPY OF THIS SCHEDULE THAT BSO HAS I KNOW THAT NOT ONLY TAMARAC BSO IS OUT THERE, BUT NORTH LAUDERDALE AND YOU'RE TAPPING INTO THE COUNTY OTHER DEPUTIES AND THAT'S THE STUFF.
IF WE COULD JUST GET A SCHEDULE MAYBE FOR THE PAST THREE MONTHS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THIS QUESTION MAY NOT BE FOR YOU, BUT IT COULD BE FOR JACK.
JACK, CAN YOU TELL US THE CHALLENGES THAT THE CITY WOULD FACE WITH PUTTING RIGHT TURNING SIGNALS AT ROCK HIGHLAND AND BAILEY ROAD? AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, CAPTAIN [INAUDIBLE] FOUR PEOPLE DIED AT ROCK ISLAND AND BAILEY ROAD JUST THE OTHER DAY.
THE MOTORIST THAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT IS STILL ALIVE WITH MINOR INJURIES.
BUT THOSE WHO ARE NOT AT FAULT DIED FOUR PEOPLE, AND THERE CONTINUES TO BE ACCIDENTS ALONG ROCK ISLAND AND BAILEY ROAD.
JACK, WHAT WOULD BE THE CHALLENGES TO ADD TURNING SIGNALS TO GO EAST AND WEST ONTO BAILEY ROAD FROM ROCK ISLAND ROAD.
[01:00:02]
I UNDERSTAND THAT ROCK ISLAND IS A COUNTY ROAD.BUT WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT? THE CHALLENGES COMMISSIONER WOULD BASICALLY BE THAT WE'D HAVE TO MAKE THE REQUEST, AND WHAT THE REQUEST DOES IS THAT BASICALLY WILL INITIATE A STUDY AND THEY'LL TAKE IT.
THEY HAVE A CRITERIA FOR THOSE TYPE OF REQUESTS, AND IT WOULD BE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF TURNING MOVEMENTS THAT OCCUR AT THAT INTERSECTION, AND IF THERE'S ENOUGH RIGHT-HAND TURNS OR LEFT-HAND TURNS, ETC, FROM ROCK ISLAND, I ASSUME YOU'RE GOING FROM ROCK ISLAND TO BAILEY OR IS IT BAILEY TO ROCK ISLAND? YOU'D BE TURNING RIGHT ONTO BAILEY ROAD GOING WEST, OFF OF ROCK ISLAND, AND THEN YOU WILL ALSO BE TURNING RIGHT ONTO BAILEY ROAD GOING EAST OFF OF ROCK ISLAND.
THEN I CAN MAKE THAT REQUEST, AND THAT WOULD INITIATE A STUDY OF THAT INTERSECTION.
THEY WOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ANY ACCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, ETC.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN, I CAN GO AHEAD AND INITIATE THAT PROCESS.
BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'LL JUST INITIATE THE STUDY, THEY'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT IT, REVIEW IT, AND IF THE COUNTS, ETC, WILL SUPPORT A RIGHT-HAND TURN LANE OR MAYBE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE LIGHTS.
WE HAD A REQUEST RECENTLY FROM MAINLAND SIX TO PUT A NO U-TURN SIGN ON ROCK ISLAND JUST SOUTH OF COMMERCIAL BOULEVARD.
I THINK WHAT THE COUNTY ULTIMATELY DECIDED IS THAT IF THEY PUT A NO U-TURN SIGN THERE, THAT THE PEOPLE WILL JUST GO TO THE NEXT CUTOFF AND DO A U-TURN.
THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE TIMING OF THAT INTERSECTION AND MAYBE INCREASE THE LEFT-HAND TURN SIGNAL TIMING BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GETTING FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO TURN LEFT TO GO EAST ON COMMERCIAL OFF OF ROCK ISLAND, AND SO THEY'RE GOING SOUTH AND PROBABLY MAKING A U-TURN AND THEN GOING UP NORTH AGAIN AND TURNING RIGHT ON TO COMMERCIAL.
IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO MAKE A REQUEST, I CAN DO THAT.
YES, AND YOU'D MAKE THE REQUEST TO THE ENGINEERS AT THE COUNTY, CORRECT? YES. THAT WOULD BE BROWARD COUNTY TRAFFIC AND ENGINEERING. YES.
WOULD THE BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSION BE ABLE TO OVERRIDE THE ENGINEER'S DECISION IF THEY FEEL THAT RIGHT-TURNING SIGNALS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE? I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
I WOULD ASSUME, BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU ASSUME.
I THINK THAT USUALLY THEIR DECISIONS ARE FINAL, BUT THEY DO WORK FOR THE COUNTY AND SO MAYBE I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE COMMISSIONERS IF THEY'RE ABLE TO INFLUENCE THAT DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
BUT I KNOW THAT FROM OUR STANDPOINT, IT'S USUALLY BASED ON WHATEVER THE NATIONAL STANDARDS AND THE TRAFFIC COUNTS AND ACCIDENT COUNTS, ETC TO JUSTIFY AN ADDITIONAL TURN SIGNAL ETC.
THEY HAVE INSTALLED THEM IN AREAS WHERE THE INCREASE OR THERE'S A PROJECT GOING ON, IT WAS DELAYED DUE TO COVID, BUT THERE'S A TURN SIGNAL BEING ADDED TO NOB HILL AND SOUTH GATE, WHICH WE HAD BEEN ASKING FOR, I WANTED TO SAY THE FIRST REQUESTS WAS PROBABLY FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, AND FINALLY THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING THERE.
I THINK THE BEST THING TO DO IS ASK AND LET'S FIND OUT WHAT THEY SAY.
IF WE DON'T GET THE ANSWER, WE DON'T LIKE THEN YOU CAN CERTAINLY TRY TO INFLUENCE FROM ANOTHER DIRECTION.
OKAY. JACK, HAVE WE IN THE PAST OF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD REQUESTED ANY TURNING SIGNALS THERE, DEDICATED RIGHT-TURNING LANE SIGNALS? NO, NOT AT ROCK ISLAND BAILEY, I DON'T REMEMBER ONE.
WE CAN INVESTIGATE OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE LOOKED THROUGH OUR RECORDS IS UP, BUT THAT INTERSECTION.
I DON'T REMEMBER HAVING A REQUEST FOR A TURN SIGNAL THERE.
[01:05:01]
CAPTAIN [INAUDIBLE] IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR RESIDENTS OUT EAST TO MAKE SURE THAT BSO CONTINUES TO BE ON THAT CORRIDOR.I LIVE IN THE AREA AND I DO SEE BSO AND I'M NOT DIMINISHING YOUR EFFORTS.
I THINK THAT BEFORE WE STARTED THE ADVOCACY FOR MORE OFFICERS, THERE WERE LESS OFFICERS, NOW THEY'RE ARE MORE.
BUT I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO PLEASE KEEP THE PRESSURE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A PRESENCE IN THE AREA AND TO HAVE MORE PRESENCE.
TAKE THEM FROM WOODMONT, AND SAY THAT LIGHTLY.
BUT WHEREVER YOU CAN GET MORE RESOURCES, MAYBE FROM THE COUNTY, ASK NORTH LAUDERDALE.
A RESIDENT REACHED OUT TO ME JUST THE OTHER DAY AND SHE HAS PICTURES OF HER BEST FRIEND THAT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH HER LEG TURNED UPSIDE DOWN WITH THE BONES STICKING OUT.
THE FRIEND IS COMING TO A FUTURE COMMISSION MEETING.
KEEP THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND AS YOU ARE ASKING FOR MORE RESOURCES IN THAT AREA.
PEOPLE ARE DYING, DO NOT TAKE THIS LIGHTLY.
I WOULD SO APPRECIATE IF YOU SEND THE SPEEDING DATA AS WELL AS ANY OTHER DATA OUT THERE WITH THE SCHEDULES FOR THE BSO OFFICERS AND NOT JUST TO GIVE TICKETS, BUT JUST TO BE THERE.
I THINK THAT WHEN PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE IS A PRESENCE THERE, THEY'LL STOP.
BUT JUST KEEP THE PRESSURE, PLEASE.
APPRECIATE THAT THE PRESENCE IS THERE.
JUST LIKE THE COMMISSION, BEEN RECEIVING TONS OF CALLS, THERE ARE NUMEROUS ROADWAYS THAT WE CAN TELL YOU THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THE SPEEDING.
PERSONALLY, I PREFER A PERSON THERE THAN A DRONE BECAUSE THAT PERSON CAN BE THERE TO GIVE THAT TICKET.
I WILL HOPE THAT OUR COMMISSION WILL SUPPORT ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO HELP WITH THE SPEEDING AND TO GET THE PRESENCE THAT WAS NEEDED IN ALL AREAS OF OUR CITY BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS ARE COMPLAINING FOR QUALITY OF LIFE, FOR ISSUES THAT THEY'RE AFRAID.
I DO AGREE WITH THE EDUCATION.
YESTERDAY, DRIVING ON COMMERCIAL BOULEVARD, GOING TO GRADUATION IN THE MORNING FOR ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
WE WERE SLOWING UP FOR TRAFFIC, AND BAM, CAR RIGHT NEXT TO ME WENT RIGHT INTO THE CAR THAT WAS ALREADY STOPPED FOR TRAFFIC, BUT THE CAR NEXT TO ME WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION.
OR AT LEAST IT APPEARED, BECAUSE IT WAS GOING WAY TOO FAST.
FRONT END IN I DON'T KNOW ANY INJURIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE ANYWAY, PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION.
ALSO WHILE WE MAY ASK FOR MORE SIGNS, IT'S A PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY ATTENTION WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING.
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE PHONE, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DISTRACTED.
IT IS A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT TO DRIVE A VEHICLE IN OUR COUNTRY.
IF WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE STOP SIGN OR IF WE'RE GOING THROUGH OUR SCHOOL ZONES WAY TOO FAST AND WE FORGET IT'S ON US TO GET THAT TICKET.
I'M SORRY, THE WARNINGS THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE HELPING, ESPECIALLY ON BAILEY FROM WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
IF IT'S NOT HELPING GIVE THE TICKETS, MAYBE THAT'LL FINALLY START MAKING PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION FOR THE SAFETY AROUND THEM, NOT JUST FOR THE PEOPLE IN THEIR VEHICLE, BUT JUST LIKE COMMISSIONER BOLTON JUST SAID, THE PERSON WHO RAN THE LIGHT IS FINE, MINOR CUTS AND BRUISES, WHATEVER IT IS, THE OTHER FOUR PEOPLE ARE DECEASED.
THAT'S WHAT UNFORTUNATELY SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN MANY TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS.
THE PERSON DOING THE HIT IS USUALLY FINE.
THE OTHER ONES ARE LEFT FOR INJURIES OR NO LONGER HERE.
I WOULD GREATLY SUPPORT ANY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM WHERE MAYBE WE CAN HELP OUT TO GET PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE SPEEDING THROUGH OUR CITY CAN'T BE TOLERATED ANYMORE.
THE LAB MUFFLERS AND THE DRAG RACING AT ALL HOURS IS NOT APPRECIATED AND WON'T BE TOLERATED ANY MORE, WHICH TAKES PERSONNEL TO BE ON THE ROADS TO GET IT STOPPED.
[01:10:02]
MAYBE YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME PLAN AND QUITE HONESTLY, I DON'T THINK IT'S A PLAN THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD KNOW ABOUT.IT SHOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THAT WE SAY, "HEY, EVERYBODY WATCH, THERE'S GOING TO BE A DWI CHECKPOINTS, [NOISE] GO FIND A DIFFERENT ROAD.
[OVERLAPPING] I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THAT? I GUESS NOTHING. BUT I THINK THAT IT ALSO DOES MAKE OUR PERSONNEL HAVE TO SWITCH FROM THE MAJOR ROADS TO THE LESSOR ARTERIAL ROADS THAT ARE BEING USED FOR CUT-THROUGH CONSTANTLY THAT ARE ALSO SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE HAVING.
YOU KNOW YOU'RE ON TOP OF IT, APPRECIATE IT, AND HOPEFULLY THE 29TH AT OUR BUDGET MEETING, WE WILL ABLE TO SEE SOMETHING TO SUPPORT SOME MORE PERSONNEL.
THANK YOU. I SEE THAT THE VICE MAYOR WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.
>> JUST A QUICK QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED WARNINGS.
REGARDING SPEEDING TICKETS, WE ISSUE WARNINGS IF YOU'RE GETTING A TICKET?
>> WE DO BOTH. FOR A WHILE, WE DO SOME WARNINGS.
NOW, CERTAIN SPOTS WE DON'T GET WARNINGS.
IT'S UP TO THE DEPUTY OR MOTORMAN RUNNING BUT BAILEY ROAD HAS TON OF TICKETS, CITATIONS THAT WERE WRITTEN, NOT JUST WARNINGS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
ALSO ACTUALLY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, KATHLEEN GUNN, PENNY SURTAX.
IS THERE ANY MONEY FROM THAT THAT WE CAN UTILIZE FOR SOME ASSISTANCE FOR ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS TO BLOCK SOUND AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER NOW, MAYBE IF THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT COULD BE LOOKED INTO FOR FUTURE.
>> THERE IS MONEY AVAILABLE FOR SILENT BARRIER WALLS, BUT THERE ARE VERY STRINGENT GUIDELINES THAT NEED TO BE MET, AND IT'S A HIGH BAR.
BUT WE CAN GET YOU A DETAILED INFORMATION ON EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR IN ORDER TO FUND THOSE PROJECTS.
>> THIS ONE, LAST ONE. WHAT ABOUT DECOY VEHICLES? DO WE HAVE ANY OF THAT THAT'S DISPOSABLE?
>> WE DO, BUT NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS YOU WOULD THINK.
I'LL SEE YOU IN THE SEVEN O'CLOCK MEETING. THANK YOU.
>> MOVING RIGHT ALONG ON THE AGENDA.
>> THANK YOU, CAPTAIN SERMONELLO AND NEXT WE HAVE LORENZO CALHOUN,
[3. Domestic Partnership Benefits]
OUR DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES TO SPEAK ABOUT DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS.>> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR.
MR. VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, LORENZO CALHOUN, HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
DURING TONIGHT'S REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO CONSIDER TEMPORARY RESOLUTION 13581.
IT'S A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF INSURANCE AND BENEFITS FOR DOMESTIC PARTNERS OF EMPLOYEES.
DURING OUR FEBRUARY 24TH, 2021 COMMISSION MEETING, COMMISSIONER BOLTON REQUESTED THAT STAFF BRING A DOMESTIC PARTNER RESOLUTION FORWARD.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS.
BROWARD COUNTY LEAD THE WAY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THEY ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE FOR UNMARRIED COUPLES IN 1999, SAME SEX OR OPPOSITE SEX TO CREATE A PARTNERSHIP WHICH IS RECOGNIZED BY THE COUNTY IN GRANT AT CERTAIN BENEFITS, PRIVILEGES, AND CERTAIN RIGHTS TO AUTHORIZE DOMESTIC PARTNERS.
THAT TOOK EFFECT FEBRUARY 4TH OF 1999.
WHAT IS A DOMESTIC PARTNER? A DOMESTIC PARTNER IS DEFINED IN BROWARD COUNTY IS TWO ADULTS WHO ARE PARTIES TO EVALUATE DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP AND WHO MEET THE REQUISITES FOR VALID DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP UNDER THE COUNTIES ACT.
THE REQUIREMENTS ARE, THE TWO INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO BE 18 YEARS OF AGE AND COMPETENT TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT, UNMARRIED AND NOT INVOLVED IN ANOTHER DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP RELATIONSHIP.
THEY'RE NOT BLOOD-RELATED, THAT THEY CAN CONSENT TO THE DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP WITHOUT UNDUE INFLUENCE, AND THEY'LL BE JOINTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR EACH OTHER'S FOOD AND SHELTER.
THE CASE OBERGEFELL VERSUS HODGES IS A LANDMARK CIVIL RIGHTS CASE IN THE SECOND BULLET POINT, IN WHICH THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT RULED THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO MARRY IS GUARANTEED TO SAME-SEX COUPLES BY THE DUE PROCESS CLAUSE AND THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT.
ESSENTIALLY, THAT CASE OVERTURN THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT,
[01:15:04]
WHICH WAS SIGNED IN 1996 AND ESSENTIALLY, IT PROHIBITED SAME-SEX COUPLES FROM RECEIVING BENEFITS THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO OTHER MARRIED COUPLES UNDER FEDERAL LAW.THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION SEEKS TO ESTABLISH SUPPORT OF DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS AND IN TURN OFFER BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES AND THEIR PARTNERS OR DEPENDENCE IN A REGISTERED DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP.
THE CITY'S BENEFIT TEAM IS WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BENEFITS CONSULTANT AND WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF NEGOTIATING INSURANCE RENEWALS FOR 2022.
ONCE WE ESTABLISH A PROVIDER, RIGHT NOW AT CIGNA, IF WE CONTINUE WITH THEM, IT WILL BE THOUGH.
OTHERWISE IF WE DO BUSINESS OR WE'RE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE BETTER RATES WITH ANOTHER COMPANY, WILL BE ANOTHER PROVIDER, AND ONCE WE NEGOTIATE COVERAGE AND RATES, OPEN ENROLLMENT WILL BEGIN IN NOVEMBER OF 2021 FOR BENEFIT COVERAGE THAT WILL TAKE EFFECT ON JANUARY 1ST OF 2022.
ELIGIBILITY FOR COVERAGE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ENGAGED IN A DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP, THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO SATISFY THE REQUISITES.
THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR TO THOSE OUTLINE IN THE BROWARD COUNTY DOMESTIC PARTNER ACT.
NOW, YOU MAY BE THINKING, WHAT IS THIS COST? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? I'M GLAD YOU ASKED, THEY'RE PROJECTIONS.
WE WORKED WITH OUR INSURANCE ACTUARY, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH OUR PENSION ACTUARY, AND BASED ON WORKING WITH OUR INSURANCE ACTUARY, HE WAS ABLE TO GLEAN THAT WE HAVE 205 SINGLE EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE INVOLVED IN DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP.
WE DO NOT ASK AT THIS POINT BECAUSE WE HAVE NO NEED TO COLLECT THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION.
OUT OF THOSE 205 EMPLOYEES IS CITY'S INSURANCE ACTUARY RANDOM PROJECTIONS YOU'LL SEE HERE IN THIS CHART, AND BASED ON THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE ADDED TO THE PLAN.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE COLUMN TO THE FAR LEFT, THE COST PER INDIVIDUAL WOULD BE $8,000 PER MEMBER PER YEAR, COMMENCING IN 2022.
FOR EXAMPLE, ON THAT FIRST COLUMN, IF TEN PARTNERS OR DEPENDENTS WERE ADDED TO THE PLAN, WHICH IS REPRESENTED AGAIN IN THAT FIRST COLUMN, IT WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL $80,000 BUT THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE CLAIMS. THAT'S JUST A COST OF ADDING THE DEPENDENCE OR THE PARTNER.
ANY ALTERNATIVE IS ILLUSTRATED IN THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN.
IF 103 PARTICIPANTS WERE ADDED TO THE PLAN, IT WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL $824,000 PER YEAR.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THE NUMBERS IN THE PROJECTED FISCAL IMPACT ARE BROAD ESTIMATES ARE BASED ON ENROLLMENT AS OF JANUARY 2021.
THAT IS A SYNOPSIS OF DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP AND THE RESOLUTION THAT WILL BE BEFORE YOU AT THE REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER PLACKO.
>> I HAVE TO MOVE AWAY FROM MY HEATER, I'M FREEZING UP HERE.
LORENZO, WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE THIS IN PLACE?
>> I WAS ABLE TO DO SOME QUICK RESEARCH, RIGHT NOW THE COUNTY OBVIOUSLY HAS IT.
THE CITY OF MARGATE, FORT LAUDERDALE, MIRAMAR, PEMBROKE PINES, THE CITY OF HOLLYWOOD, WILTON MANORS.
I'M CERTAIN THERE ARE OTHERS, BUT THAT WAS WHAT I WAS ABLE TO GLEAN FROM MY QUICK RESEARCH.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT A NUMBER OF CITIES BACKED OFF FROM DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP AFTER THE LANDMARK CIVIL RIGHTS CASE BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO EXTEND BENEFITS TO SAME-SEX COUPLES, AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM AT THE TIME.
>> MR. CALHOUN, DO YOU KNOW WHO THE INSURANCE PROVIDER IS FOR THE CITIES WHO HAVE THE COVERAGE?
>> I DO NOT. I COULD FIND THAT OUT FOR YOU AND GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT INFORMATION.
>> OKAY. THE NUMBERS THAT YOU PROVIDED ARE BASED ON 100 PERCENT OF THE 205 EMPLOYEES ENROLLING, BUT YOU DO NOT FORESEE THAT 205 EMPLOYEES WOULD ENROLL BECAUSE MAYBE ARE JUST SINGLE, THEY'RE NOT IN A DOMESTIC RELATIONSHIP?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. THEY'RE JUST PROJECTIONS BASED ON IF THEY'RE 10 VERSUS A 103, DID NOT COST OUT ALL EMPLOYEES UP TO 205, BUT YOU ARE CORRECT.
>> OKAY. THE PROJECTED AMOUNT IS 800,000 OR SO FOR 205 PEOPLE ONLY.
>> I'M SORRY, DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF.
IT'S $824,000 IF 103 PARTICIPANTS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT.
[01:20:06]
>> OKAY. IF IT COSTS $800,000 FOR A 103 PEOPLE, BUT ONLY 10 PEOPLE SIGNS UP BECAUSE THEY ARE IN A RELATIONSHIP, THEN THE COST OF THE CITY WOULD ONLY BE 80,000.
>> SINCE THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED SEVERAL TIMES OR BROUGHT OUT THAT WE WERE GOING TO DISCUSS THIS TOPIC, HAVE YOU HAD ANY EMPLOYEES COME TO YOU THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED SAYING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE COMMISSION TO DO THIS, NOT DO THIS, HAS THERE BEEN INQUIRY?
>> I DID NOT HAVE EMPLOYEES APPROACH ME PERSONALLY, BUT I DID HAVE MEMBERS OF MY STAFF SPEAK WITH A COUPLE OF EMPLOYEES WHO WERE INTERESTED IN THIS. THREE TO BE EXACT.
>> OUT OF THOSE THREE, I MEAN, I DON'T RESEARCH THIS STUFF.
THIS PARTNERSHIP THING IS JUST SAYING, HEY, WE'RE GOING INTO A CONTRACT, WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO A PARTNERSHIP, LIVE TOGETHER, SHARE THE COST OF LIVING.
THERE'S NO COMMITMENTS HERE BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY I'M PERCEIVING IT THAT I CAN'T AFFORD X, Y, Z SO IF WE GET INTO A PARTNERSHIP, IS THERE A TIME FRAME WHERE WE JUST GO INTO A PARTNERSHIP NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET FULL BENEFITS IF WE DO IT.
I THINK I'M GETTING LOST IN MY OWN THOUGHTS HERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE THREE, HAVE THEY BEEN IN A PARTNERSHIP FOR A VERY LONG TIME? IS IT A ONE WEEK ORDEAL? HOW DO WE KNOW THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION?
>> I DID NOT ASK THAT SPECIFIC INFORMATION AT THE TIME OR NEITHER DID MY EMPLOYEES WHO WERE APPROACHED.
WHAT NORMALLY HAPPENS IS THE COUNTY REQUIRES THAT TWO INDIVIDUALS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN ANOTHER DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP 30 DAYS PRIOR TO ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT.
THERE ARE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, OR I CAN SAY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE NOT EMPLOYEES WHO JOKINGLY DO NOT FOLLOW THE BEYOND SAID METHOD.
THEY DON'T PUT A RING ON IT AND THEY DECIDE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT AND BE A COUPLE INSTEAD OF TAKING A MORE FORMAL APPROACH TO BEING MARRIED.
>> OH, YEAH. SO 18 YEARS WITH THE SAME PERSON [LAUGHTER] , SO YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I HAVE RING ON IT [OVERLAPPING].
>> I WASN'T SPEAKING OF YOU MADAM MAYOR.
>> NO. THAT'S OKAY. I KNOW THIS WASN'T BROUGHT UP FOR ME, BUT I GUESS I DO RESEMBLE SOME OF THAT, [LAUGHTER] SO IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
RELATIONSHIPS ARE RELATIONSHIPS AND WE DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THEM IN THIS DAY AND AGE. IT'S ALL GOOD.
MY QUESTION IS GOING TO GO ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT THE VICE MAYOR I THINK WAS ASKING.
FOR EXAMPLE, MY FIANCE AND I ARE TOGETHER 18 YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN IN A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP, WE LIVE TOGETHER, WE SHARE EVERYTHING, SO IS THERE ANYTHING CONTEMPLATED IN THIS PROPOSAL THAT YOU HAVE TO BE TOGETHER FOR SOME CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME? THEN ALSO, I GUESS THE QUESTION FOR THE ALTERNATIVE IS, WE FILED A PIECE OF PAPER WITH BROWARD COUNTY, WE'RE SAYING WE'RE DOMESTIC PARTNERS, SOMETHING HAPPENS AND WE BREAK UP.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A RULE THAT YOU HAVE TO FILE A PIECE OF PAPER TO ANNOUNCE THAT YOU'RE NO LONGER DOMESTIC PARTNERS.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE INSURANCE?
>> TWO ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST ANSWER IS THERE IS NOT A LENGTH OF TIME REQUIREMENT PER SAY.
GEOM WILL PROBABLY GET ME LATER ON, BUT I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A DISCRIMINATORY IMPACT IF WE DEFERRED OR PUT A DIFFERENCE IN PLACE A MARRIED COUPLE WHO WAS MARRIED YESTERDAY VERSUS THE DOMESTIC PARTNER WHO ENTERED INTO A RELATIONSHIP THAT SAME DAY, AND THEY HAD A WAITING PERIOD VERSUS THE MARRIED COUPLE WHO HAD NO WAITING PERIOD.
OUR INSURANCE REQUIRES A CHANGE OR MAJOR CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE CIRCUMSTANCE AND I THINK THAT THAT WOULD EXEMPLIFY LIFE CHANGING SITUATION THAT WOULD MAKE THEM ELIGIBLE FOR INSURANCE.
AS TO THE QUESTION OF A TIME FRAME, THERE IS NO TIME FRAME IN TERMS OF A WAITING PERIOD OR HOW LONG THEY HAD TO HAVE BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP.
AS TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION, I FORGOT YOUR SECOND QUESTION.
I'VE PROBABLY TALKED TOO LONG [LAUGHTER].
>> BASICALLY, I THINK YOU ANSWERED IT WITHIN.
IF THE RELATIONSHIP BREAKS UP, THERE'S AN OBLIGATION TO CUT OFF THE INSURANCE,
[01:25:02]
BUT THEN I'LL ADD ANOTHER STEP.>> THERE IS TWOFOLD ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
THERE IS A PROCESS FOR SEVERING THE RELATIONSHIP THAT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE WAY THEY GOT INTO IT.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE COUNTY AND I NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO LIVE IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA.
IF THEY DECIDE TO ENTER INTO THIS DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP IN MONROE COUNTY OR IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, IT MAY BE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S REQUIRED ON BROWARD, BUT WE WOULD RECOGNIZE THAT.
BECAUSE IT IS A NOTARIZED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE, THAT IS A CONTRACT, SO WE WOULD RECOGNIZE THAT.
BUT YES, THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE WHERE THEY WOULD SEVER THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THEY WOULD LIKELY BE ELIGIBLE FOR COBRA.
>> COMMISSIONER, YOU HAD A QUESTION, YOU TAKE IT AWAY?
>> NO, I HAVE A DIFFERENT QUESTION.
YOU ANSWERED ONE OF MY QUESTIONS, BUT WOULD THEIR CHILDREN BE ELIGIBLE FOR INSURANCE UNDER THIS PLAN?
>> YOU'RE WELCOME. YES, IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE MORE OR LESS. WE DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S WHY WE WORK WITH THE ACTUARY.
THEY'RE GOOD AT COMING TOGETHER WITH A FORMULA OF POTENTIAL WHAT IF SCENARIOS FOR US.
>> TAKING IT WITH THE QUESTIONS ASKED, IT'S SAID SOMEWHERE ON YOUR SLIDE ABOUT THAT'S WITHOUT CLAIMS.
>> THE CLAIMS ARE ON THE DOMESTIC PARTNER IN THE FAMILY, NOT THE CITY OR IS IT ON THE CITY?
>> IT'S ON THE CITY. OKAY. THANK YOU.
>> WE ARE SELF-INSURED, SO WE HANDLE THE CLAIMS UP TO A CERTAIN POINT BEFORE OUR STOP LOSS INSURANCE KICKS IN.
WE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MEDICAL CLAIMS AS WELL IF THERE ARE ANY.
>> WELL, IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION ON THIS MATTER.
>> SEEING NONE, AND SEEING THAT IT IS 6:28, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS WORKSHOP IS ADJOURNED.
WE WILL SEE YOU BACK HERE AT 7:00 P.M.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.