Briefings for Second and Final Public Budget Hearing and City Commission Regular Meeting on September 24, 2024

City Commission Approves Operating Millage Rate of 5.855, Cooper City’s Lowest Since 2011
The City Commission approved Resolution 24-21, which decreased the operating millage rate to 5.855 for Fiscal Year 2025, which is lower than the current year’s operating millage rate of 5.865. Overall, it is estimated that this lower millage rate will save Cooper City taxpayers $44,000. With the approval, Cooper City’s operating millage rate of 5.855 is the lowest since 2011.

City Commission Amends and Approves Budget for Fiscal Year 2025
The City Commission approved Resolution 24-33, a budget that determines and fixes the amounts necessary to carry on the government of Cooper City for the next fiscal year, which will begin October 1, 2024.

City Commission Approves Resolution to Set Commission Meeting Schedule for October and November 2024
The City Commission approved Resolution 24-38, which sets upcoming City Commission Regular Meetings for October 8, October 22, and November 12, 2024. The City Commission agreed to allow the future City Commission, which will be seated following the November 5 General Election, the opportunity to set the remainder of the Commission Meeting calendar for Fiscal Year 2025.

City Commission Approves Piggyback Agreement for Liquid Ferrous and Ferric Sulfate Blend
The City Commission approved a piggyback agreement from the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners with Kemira Water Solutions, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $50,000.00, or as allocated in the upcoming fiscal year's budget for Liquid Ferrous and Ferric Sulfate blend. This agreement will run concurrently with Palm Beach County’s contract, provided that the County extends the agreement under terms and conditions acceptable to the City. In 2018, Cooper City awarded a three-year contract to Kemira Water Solutions, Inc., with two (2) additional one-year renewal options, following Invitation to Bid ITB 2018-7-UTL. The second one-year renewal term concluded on July 17, 2024. Rather than initiating a new ITB process, staff recommended piggybacking the existing Palm Beach County Agreement. The County’s Agreement was renewed on February 8, 2024 and is set to expire on February 7, 2025. There are two (2) additional one-year renewal options remaining. The Utilities Department staff has reviewed the scope of services and pricing in Palm Beach County’s Agreement, and found that the scope and services provide all the required services needed by Cooper City.

City Commission Approves Purchase of Vacuum/Sweeper for Turf Maintenance
The City Commission approved the purchase in the amount of $50,886.76 for a Harper Turbo Vac Tv60 RHD-PTO driven -base unit via National Cooperative Purchasing Alliance Contract for Turf and Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Parts, Supplies, Related Equipment, and Services– Harper Industries Inc. — to be used by the Parks and Recreation Department. With the increasing use of city facilities, The Parks and Recreation Department is looking to improve our turf care capabilities by acquiring the Harper Turbo Vac TV60. The powerful vacuum system is designed for large-scale debris removal and is capable of efficiently collecting grass clippings, leaves, litter, and thatch from expansive areas. Its 60-inch-wide brush head provides comprehensive coverage, allowing for faster maintenance of parks and fields. The TV60 is equipped with a high-velocity suction system and a large debris hopper, making it ideal for maintaining pristine conditions with minimal downtime.

City Commission Approves Purchase of Grounds Maintenance Equipment
The City Commission approve the purchase of a Bunker and Field Rake in the amount of $19,254.60 via Sourcewell Contract for Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services from Deere & Company to be used by the Parks and Recreation Department. As our facilities face growing usage and community engagement, enhancing our maintenance capabilities is crucial to maintaining high-quality recreational areas. Although our current equipment is functional, it no longer meets the demands for timely and effective lawn care. The purchase of an additional bunker and field rake allows City staff to perform field raking operations concurrently, significantly reducing maintenance time. This equipment includes a rake, cultivator, front blades, core removal blade, scarifier, scrapers, and field finisher, which together provide a superior finish for our fields. Additionally, the City Commission approved the purchase in the amount of $30,437.84 for two (2) Toro Workman GTX EFL Lifted via the OMNIA Partners Contract for Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, Parts, and Accessories, Supplies with Related Services and Equipment from The Toro Company. The Workman GTX offers exceptional power and versatility, allowing for the performance of multiple maintenance tasks with fewer resources. The wide range of attachment options, including rakes, sprayers, and utility beds, combined with its powerful engine choices and customizable configurations, would enable staff to handle a variety of jobs—from transporting materials to setting up equipment. The improved power-to-weight ratio boosts payload capacity, while the automotive-grade steering and advanced suspension ensure smoother operation, even under heavy loads. With the Workman GTX, maintenance efforts can be streamlined, allowing staff to cover more ground in less time and focus on delivering a superior finish for our parks and recreational areas. This upgrade will reduce the need for additional manpower, making it a crucial addition to our equipment fleet.

City Commission Approves Amendment for Professional Services Agreement
The City Commission approved an amendment via change order to P.O. 2023-8504, a professional services agreement with Witt O’Brien’s LLC for managing and navigating complex federal assistance programs through the remainder of the fiscal year. Witt O’Brien’s LLC has been providing invaluable support to the city in managing federal assistance programs, including those from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Their expertise and experience have been instrumental in navigating complex federal regulations, maximizing funding opportunities, and streamlining the federal grants management lifecycle. The ARPA consultant position is vacant as of August 16, 2024. For Witt O’Brien to complete the assessment of the eligibility of ARPA projects, a change order will be required in the amount of $170,000. The amount of $30,000 will allow them to provide professional services to the end of the current fiscal year (2024) and $140,000 will allow them to provide professional services for fiscal year 2025, which is included in the fiscal year 2025 budget.

City Commission Approves Amended Agreement for Interim Capital Improvement Project Manager
The City Commission approved the execution of a temporary service agreement with GovTemps for an Interim Capital Improvement Project Manager to be used by the Utilties Department until a permanent employee is hired. The base compensation will be $4,928/week (based on a 40-hour work week at a rate of $123.20/hour) for an eight-week total of $39,424. Compensation assumes the employee will be paid for holidays on the same schedule the client provides to its employees. The client will provide forty (40) hours of personal time off (PTO) to the assigned worker in a Time Bank for use in the contract term, which will be pro-rated if the contract is extended beyond June 14, 2024. At the end of the term, PTO shall not be paid out to worker if not used. The agreement was amended to reflect that Article 3 Section 3.2 of the agreement provides for a 15-day written notice of termination.

City Commission Amends and Approves Ordinance, on First Reading, Regarding Retirement Health Benefits for Certain Former Members of the City Commission
The City Commission approved, on first reading, Ordinance 24-22 which will ratify and confirm a retirement health insurance benefit for certain former members of the Cooper City Commission. Discussion on this ordinance continued the discussion from the City Commission Regular Meeting on September 17, 2024, where the City Commission directed staff to provide a cost analysis for retirement health insurance for past, current, and future members of the Commission who meet enumerated criteria such as being at least 50 years of age and elected to three consecutive terms on the City Commission. Following discussion, the City Commission made the following motions that will need to be embraced in the ordinance for a second reading: elected officials included under the current retirement health benefit plan will remain covered and will also include current Mayor Greg Ross upon the completion of third term, language will be added to ensure that retirement benefits should only be extended to a spouse if married when the benefits begin, and that any future benefits granted must be funded annually in the City’s reserves. This ordinance will be brought forward for a second reading during the City Commission Regular Meeting on October 8, 2024.

More Information
For more information related to items on the September 24, 2024 agenda, please visit: https://meetings.municode.com/adaHtmlDocument/index?cc=COOPERCITY&me=fb2b9ad23a0248ed8d1a2a82731452c8&ip=true.

The next City Commission Regular Meeting will be held at City Hall, located at 9090 SW 50 Place, Cooper City, FL 33328, on October 8, 2024 at 6:30 PM.