HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-10-18 - City Commission Emergency workshop Meeting MinutesCITY OF TAMARAC
EMERGENCY COMMISSION WORKSHOP
OCTOBER 18, 1999
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Schreiber called the Emergency Commission
Workshop to order at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, October 18, 1999, in Conference
Room #1, Tamarac City Hall, 7525 NW 88 Avenue, Tamarac, FL.
PRESENT: Mayor Schreiber, Vice Mayor Mishkin, Commissioner Portner,
Commissioner Sultanof and Commissioner Roberts.
ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Miller, City Attorney Kraft, Assistant City
Manager/Interim Finance Director Hemstreet, and City Clerk Gold.
City Manager Miller reported on the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and
complemented the staff for a job well done.
Commissioner Sultanof thanked Chief Goldstein of Broward Sheriffs Office for
traffic control, and Commissioner Roberts said there was an accident at which
she did not see Broward Sheriffs Officers patrolling. Mayor Schreiber said they
were there but not in the road at that time.
Fire Chief Budzinski said there was difficulty in predicting the storm. He gave a
report on the Emergency Coordinating Council, and said there were minimal
structural damages as a result of the storm.
Vice Mayor Mishkin said a curfew should have been set for residents and
citizens.
Commissioner Roberts commended City Manager Miller on closing Tamarac
early on Friday. Vice Mayor Mishkin asked if there was a dollar amount
assessed to the damage, and Fire Chief Budzinski said not at this time. Fire
Chief Budzinski acknowledged Jim terry and Jim Berkman, who were an integral
part of the communication system during the storm.
Public Works Director Verma spoke about lack of leadership on the part of South
Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), and the resulting flooding.
Commissioner Roberts said she lives in Heathgate on a canal, and Public Works
did a great job. Public Works Operations Manager Greenspan spoke about
leadership on Tamarac's part, and Mayor Schreiber said Tamarac did the right
thing.
At 10:00 A.M., Mayor Schreiber passed the gavel to Vice Mayor Mishkin and left
the meeting.
Commissioner Roberts said she would like to see those employees who worked
through the Hurricane acknowledged at a Commission Meeting. City Manager
Miller said he is looking into giving those employees who worked 24 hours
straight a day off between now and December 31st. Commissioner Portner
asked if the City has any representatives at the SFWMD, and Public Works
Director Verma responded we do not. Commissioner Roberts asked why the
floodgates were opened for Hurricane Floyd but not for this Hurricane, and Public
Works Operations Manager Greenspan responded there was no time. Vice
Mayor Mishkin requested that City Manager Miller invite someone from the
SFWMD to meet with the Commission to discuss and clarify the issues.
Public Works Director Verma discussed debris clearance, and said the City
would, at no cost to residents, pick up vegetation debris that was caused by
Hurricane Irene, if the residents were to get the debris to the swale. There will be
a time limit on this pickup. Vice Mayor Mishkin asked City Manager Miller to
publicize this and put in an emergency number for people to call.
Utilities Director Woika reported on the water and wastewater situation. Vice
Mayor Mishkin asked if the City has enough generators for this kind of
emergency and Utilities Director Woika responded that we do. City Manager
Miller said Utilities Director Woika and his department did a great job. Utilities
Director Woika acknowledged Scott London and John Harvey of his department.
Building Official Gioia gave a report on inspections. Two commercial buildings
were damaged in Tamarac, the Methodist Church lost a roof, and the new City
Annex at Sunshine Plaza had water damage. The owner of Sunshine Plaza will
repair the damage. Commissioner Roberts said she did not see any
announcement or any numbers to call for the Building Department. City Manager
Miller said a release was sent to the media. Commissioner Portner asked how
much of a delay this will cause the Satellite City Hall and Building Official Gioia
responded. Commissioner Sultanof asked why Tamarac was not advertised on
Channel 19, and City Manager Miller said the same release was sent to all the
media, including Channel 19.
Chief Goldstein gave a report on Broward Sheriff's participation. The phones
went down at the Broward Sheriff's office, but because they had City radios, they
were able to coordinate through Public Works. Chief Goldstein said he would
like to use LETF funds to purchase radios for this type of situation in the future
and Vice Mayor Mishkin asked City Manager Miller to make provisions for
backup from that fund. Chief Goldstein said no crimes were reported, save 1
theft at a gas station. Chief Goldstein also addressed traffic control, and said
most intersections in Tamarac regained power at about 6:15 A.M.
City Manager Miller said that when the City prepares its engineering study for the
new fire station and the City Hall Annex, an Emergency Operations Center
(EOC) room would be included.
There being no further business, Vice Mayor Mishkin adjourned the meeting at
10:25 A.M.
CAROL GOL , CMC/AAE
CITY CLERK