City Commission Regular Meeting Brief for April 26, 2022

COMMISSION BRIEF FOR APRIL 26, 2022

City Commission Appoints Director, Alternate and Second Alternate to the Broward League of Cities Board of Directors
The City Commission has appointed Commissioner Howard Meltzer as a Director to the Broward League of Cities’ Board of Directors, Commissioner Ryan Shrouder as an Alternate and Commissioner Jeff Green as Second Alternate for 2022-2023. The term will begin May 2022 and will end in May 2023.

City Commission Approves the Second Amendment to the Agreement with Gehring Group
During the City Commission Regular Meeting on April 12, 2022, the City Commission directed staff to revisit needs and options related to the City’s employee benefit plans and insurance.  During the City Commission Regular Meeting on April 26, 2022, staff presented the City Commission with the option to renew an agreement to maintain Gehring Group as the City’s Agent of Record for insurance coverage.  The City Commission has now approved this one-year renewal.  This renewal has an indirect fiscal impact on the City’s budget, as commission for their services are rendered through the secured premiums from each medical insurance group.

City Commission Approves Real-Time-Crime Center Buildout
During the City Commission Regular Meeting on October 26, 2021, the City Commission approved a list of proposed projects to be funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), which will provide the City of Cooper City with a total of $17,930,000 in federal funding.  The City Commission’s approval on a list of projects allowed staff to initiate a procurement process on multiple projects, which included the establishment of a Real-Time-Crime Center (RTCC).  Initially, a total of $320,000, from ARPA funding, was budgeted for the RTCC’s buildout and furnishings.  The City Commission has now approved a $266,668.28 quote from Vetted Security Solutions (VSS) to provide a full buildout of the RTCC.  There will be no recurring costs and the City of Cooper City will own the RTCC.  The purpose of the RTCC is to centralize and integrate current and evolving technologies into a highly interactive video wall in order to more effectively and efficiently coordinate the public safety response, to include traffic management. The video wall will be powered by Hiperwall, which would allow the law enforcement team to keep critical information about ongoing events before them in a highly customizable and user-friendly way. A video wall combines information from a wide array of sources, such as: video feeds, sensors, alarms, crime databases, news feeds and social media. This display of cameras, reporting dashboards, and analytics tools in one location helps the law enforcement team to create a real-time dashboard, where operators can better visualize and predict crime patterns, monitor ongoing incidents, and process important data to assist and coordinate the public safety response.  In summary, the RTCC will maximize the likelihood that law enforcement can respond to crimes occurring in real-time and do so effectively, while simultaneously providing a historical information hub that will aid in future crime prevention and investigation efforts. The RTCC may also be utilized to help address traffic management and large-scale community or city events. Lastly, it is important to note that this project is in line with the city’s five year strategic plan, as it pertains to proactive public safety, and will help to meet key objectives within that plan.  The Cooper City Real-Time-Crime Center will be built with the BSO Cooper City District headquarters’ former records room, which would provide adequate and ideal space, as it is both near the district’s dispatch center and server rooms. The buildout includes the entire project from start to finish except the furnishings: permitting, design, and construction; hardware and required software, to include installation and programming; the Hiperwall, licensing and associated accessories and installation; and services. In short, the approval of this proposal will provide Cooper City with a fully functioning RTCC.    

City Commission Approves Real-Time-Crime Center Furnishings
The City Commission has approved a companion quote of $19,292.34 from JC White for furnishings needed to outfit the Real-Time-Crime Center (RTCC).  Furnishings are needed to provide functional work stations and equipment that more apt for the needed mission.  In total, the proposal includes four work stations/desks, a conference table, and fifteen chairs to fully outfit the areas associated with the RTCC buildout and command/control locations, to include delivery, assembly and installation.  The total amount of $285,960.62, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), for the buildout and furnishings of the RTCC have been approved significantly below the initial budget of $320,000.

City Commission Approves Purchase of Automated License Plate Reader
The City Commission approved the purchase of an automated license plate reader (ALPR), to be funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA).  Staff was provided with direction to purchase an ALPR by using dollars, which were budgeted but not needed, for the buildout and furnishing of the Real-Time-Crime Center.  This total comes to $34,039.38.  City staff can now use up to $34,039.38 for the purchase of an ALPR.  If the cost of an ALPR surpasses that amount, it will require further City Commission approval.   

City Commission Approves Hiring of District Fire Chief
The City Commission has approved the hiring of Gary Harrington as District Fire Chief.  Newly-hired Chief Harrington brings nearly 40 years of expertise in the fire service to Cooper City.  He has extensive technical experience in the application of emergency medical care, prevention, control and suppression of fire, and response to natural and man-made disasters.  Chief Harrington has provided wide-ranging leadership and has served as a mentor to young officers.  He most recently worked for the Broward Sheriff’s Office Fire Emergency Services’ Fire Prevention Bureau Dania Beach and Port Everglades districts.  Prior to working with BSO, Chief Harrington rose through the ranks to Battalion Chief in Fire Operations for the Miramar Fire Rescue Department, where he served from 1983 through 2013.  The City looks forward to working with Chief Harrington, especially in regard to improving fire emergency response times, purchasing new fire apparatus, and budget considerations. 

City Commission Approves Hiring of Utilities Director
The City Commission has approved the hiring of Raj Verma as Utilities Director.  Mr. Verma brings a wealth of knowledge and skills accumulated over 30 years, including 28 years of senior administrative and professional work in planning, directing and supervising various operations of public services in management, finance, human resources, information technology, public safety, capital projects, project management, design, permitting, transportation, traffic, water, wastewater, storm water, grant management, building maintenance, fleet, and solid waste.  In the public sector, he most recently served as the Public Works Director for the City of Fort Lauderdale and has worked for multiple local governments including the City of Deerfield Beach, City of Coconut Creek, and the City of Tamarac.     

City Commission Amends and Approves Ordinance 22-6 on First Reading
The City Commission amended and approved Ordinance 22-6 on first reading, during the regular meeting on April 26, 2022.  Ordinance 22-6 would amend Chamber 25, Article I of the City’s Code of Ordinances by specifically amending Section 25-5, entitled “Design of Off-Street Parking.”  This amendment would prohibit parking on unpaved surfaces visible from the public right-of-way in residential areas.  The City Commission acknowledged that language in the proposed amendment could lead to an interpretation that the ordinance would prohibit parking on grass swales, which is not the City Commission’s intention.  Language will be clarified and brought forward for second reading during the City Commission Regular Meeting scheduled for May 10, 2022.

City Commission Amends and Approves Ordinance 22-7 on First Reading
The City Commission approved the repeal of Chapter 11, Section 11-2 of the City’s Code of Ordinances, entitled “Fishing from Bridges” on first reading.  This amendment to the ordinance would eliminate the prohibition of fishing on city bridges.  This ordinance will be brought forward for a second reading during the City Commission Regular Meeting scheduled for May 10, 2022.

City Commission Approves Ordinance 22-8 on First Reading
The City Commission approved the potential submission to a Charter referendum on whether to eliminate Cooper City’s election districts.  During the April 12, 2022 City Commission Regular Meeting, the City Commission approved having an ordinance drafted in regard to the elimination of election districts.  This ordinance will now be heard on second reading during the City Commission Regular Meeting scheduled for May 10, 2022. If approved on second reading, the ordinance, with ballot language, will then be forwarded to the Supervisor of Elections of Broward County Office for inclusion on the November 2022 general election ballot.

City Commission Amends and Approves Ordinance 22-5 on Second Reading
The City Commission approved an amendment, on first reading, to the City’s Code of Ordinances, by amending Chapter 2, Article VII, Section 2-206, entitled “Appropriations for Outstanding Purchase Orders.”  This amendment to the ordinance implements a procedural policy regarding budget transfers.  As such, a duly authorized appropriation of any given fiscal year shall not continue to be a valid appropriation of a subsequent fiscal year, unless re-appropriated by the City Commission in the next annual budget.  A list of all rollover appropriations and amounts shall be provided to the City Commission for adoption consideration in the subsequent fiscal year budget, prior to the adoption of the subsequent fiscal year budget.  All rollover appropriations and amounts shall be clearly delineated in the adopted budget.

City Commission Approves 3% Cost of Living Adjustment
The City Commission approved a 3% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for full-time and part-time staff.

More Information
For more information related to items on the April 26, 2022 agenda, please visit the City’s website at: https://meetings.municode.com/adaHtmlDocument/index?cc=COOPERCITY&me=540dd0e7180a435ea5b7406507c74989&ip=true.

The next City Commission Regular Meeting is scheduled for May 10, 2022 at 6:30 PM at Cooper City Hall at 9090 SW 50 Place, Cooper City, FL 33328.