HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity of Tamarac Resolution R-2012-116TR#12254
September 25, 2012
Page 1
CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA
RESOLUTION NO. 2012- //&
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
TAMARAC, FLORIDA, EXPRESSING THE CITY'S SUPPORT FOR THE
ADOPTION OF A PLAN FOR COOPERATIVE COUNTYWIDE
CONSOLIDATION OF E-911 COMMUNICATIONS AND DISPATCH
WHOLLY FUNDED THROUGH COUNTY AD VALOREM TAXES;
DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO DISTRIBUTE THIS RESOLUTION TO
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR BROWARD
COUNTY, THE BROWARD COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES AND EACH
OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN BROWARD COUNTY; PROVIDING FOR
CONFLICTS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, prior to 1992, there were several E-911 dispatch centers operating
independently in Broward County; and
WHEREAS, in 1992, Broward County created a regional communications
system, fully funded by County revenues, utilizing an 800 MZ system, and offered all
other agencies the opportunity to join the regional system at no charge; and
WHEREAS, some agencies, including the City of Tamarac, joined the regional
communications system and provided their radio frequencies to Broward County for use
by the system, but numerous other agencies continued to operate their own dispatch
systems; and
WHEREAS, following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack, additional
concerns were raised regarding interoperability of the various dispatch systems
operating in Broward County; and
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September 25, 2012
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WHEREAS, in 2002, the electorate of Broward County voted overwhelmingly to
amend Section 5.03(A) of the Broward County Charter to provide for the establishment
and County funding of a communications infrastructure for fire and emergency medical
services, as follows:
The County Commission with cooperation from Municipalities shall
establish a countywide communications infrastructure for fire and
emergency medical services. The County shall provide funding for the
communications infrastructure and all service providers will utilize the
elements of the communications infrastructure. The communications
infrastructure shall facilitate closest unit response for life -threatening
emergencies and support for regional specialty teams; and
WHEREAS, since 2002, through the leadership of the Broward County Board of
County Commissioners, the County has successfully implemented and funded
significant and meaningful advances toward interoperability, including the funding of the
Regional Public Safety Communications Committee (RPSCC) overseeing the
development of County -wide interoperability for CAD, Radio, Law Records and Fire
Records for all cities irrespective of the police and/or fire provider; and
WHEREAS, notwithstanding the 2002 amendment to the County Charter, there
continues to be 10 independent dispatch systems operating in Broward County; and
WHEREAS, since 2010, hundreds of hours have been dedicated to analyzing the
feasibility of cooperative consolidation of the E-911 communications and dispatch
system; and
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September 25, 2012
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WHEREAS, in 2010, the Broward League of Cities initiated a "Public Safety
Answering Points Task Force," a multi -jurisdictional and multi -disciplinary team of public
safety professionals, staff, and elected officials; and
WHEREAS, on October 21, 2010, the Communications Technology Division of
the Broward Sheriff's Office issued an extensive "Consolidation Feasibility Analysis",
which highlighted that there were 10 different Public Safety Answering Points ("PSAPs")
for the purposes of E-911 Communications and Dispatch, which provide differing levels
of performance, costs per call, and equipment utilization; and
WHEREAS, the Consolidation Feasibility Analysis concluded that E-911 Dispatch
operations for all Broward County Police, Fire, EMS and Sheriff agencies should be fully
consolidated into three PSAPs, under a unified organizational structure, which would
improve citizen/officer safety, eliminate call transfers that result in delayed response,
result in significant cost savings, and promote efficient and cost effective migration to
new technologies; and
WHEREAS, the Consolidation Feasibility Analysis study was presented in
November 2010 to the Broward League of Cities, and as a result it was agreed that a
taskforce should be formed to further consider implementation; and
WHEREAS, in 2011, the Public Safety Committee of the Broward League of
Cities, the Fire Chief's Association of Broward County, the Broward County Chiefs of
Police Association, the Fire -Rescue Services Council, the Broward County City
Managers Association, and the Board of Directors of the Broward League of Cities all
adopted and supported resolutions calling for an implementation process for
cooperative consolidation of E-911 communications and dispatch; and
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September 25, 2012
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WHEREAS, on November 1, 2011, through the leadership of the Broward County
Board of County Commissioners, and with the cooperation of the Broward League of
Cities, the County Commission ratified the formation of the Broward County
Consolidated Communications Committee; and
WHEREAS, on March 1, 2012, the Broward County Consolidated
Communications Committee, co-chaired by a representative of the Board of the County
Commissioners and Broward League of Cities, issued a Report and Recommendations
for Cooperative Consolidation of E-911 Communications; and
WHEREAS, the Report and Recommendations of the Broward County
Consolidated Communications Committee recommended the implementation of
cooperative consolidation of E-911 communications and dispatch; and
WHEREAS, the Report and Recommendations of the Broward County
Consolidated Communications Committee provided that funding must be equitable,
stable and predictable; funding must take into account that this is a regional function;
and that an interlocal agreements should provide for equity of funding; and
WHEREAS, the Broward County Consolidated Communications recommended
three potential funding options, including a Municipal Services Taxing Unit Millage set
by Broward County Commission and dedicated to communications only; a service
agreement predicated upon usage, population, taxable value, or some combination of
the three; or County funding through ad valorem taxes; and
WHEREAS, on March 27, 2012, the Broward County Commission adopted a
resolution creating the Broward County Consolidated Communications Implementation
Advisory Board (the "I -Board"), for the purpose of reviewing, considering and making
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September 25, 2012
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recommendations to the Broward County Commission and municipalities relating to the
creation, governance, funding, and operations of a regional and cooperative
consolidated E-911 communications system, and to develop an interlocal agreement to
be utilized by all participants in the regional and cooperative consolidated E-911
System; and
WHEREAS, the I -Board has held numerous meetings, and it has become clear
that the only feasible, truly stable and wholly equitable method of funding a consolidated
communications and dispatch system is through County ad valorem taxes; and
WHEREAS, because the consolidation of 911 communications is a critical public
safety function, stability of funding is a crucial component of any regionalization plan;
and
WHEREAS, uncertainties about the stream of funding, either because of doubts
about any single individual municipality or group of municipalities being able to meet
their financial obligations or the potential implementation of protest strategies
surrounding funding, would destabilize the system and jeopardize the safety of
residents, law enforcement officers, and fire -rescue personnel; and
WHEREAS, because the countywide communications system is a regional
service, analogous to regional libraries and regional parks, Broward County should
operate the system (or contract for its operations) and should fully fund the systems
through County ad valorem taxes; and
WHEREAS, municipalities that are operating their own communications and
dispatch systems would have the option to opt -out of joining the countywide
communications system; and
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September 25, 2012
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WHEREAS, through the leadership of the Broward County Board of
Commissioners, the County has made a significant and meaningful investment in
communications infrastructure and staffing to the betterment of the communications
systems in the County and to the benefit of all of the County's residents; and
WHEREAS, the County is in the process of returning the Communications
Technologies Division to the County Administrator; and
WHEREAS, on September 21, 2012, the I -Board voted 16-2 (with only Broward
County and Coral Springs dissenting), to support this resolution and the adoption of a
plan for cooperative countywide consolidation of E-911 communications and dispatch,
to be operated (or contracted for operation) by Broward County, and to be wholly
funded through County ad valorem taxes; and
WHEREAS. the City Commission of the City of Tamarac deems it to be in the
best interest of the citizens and residents of the City of Tamarac, as well as all of
Broward County, to support the adoption of a cooperative consolidation of E-911
communications and dispatch system fully funded through Broward County ad valorem
taxes.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA, THAT:
Section 1: The foregoing `WHEREAS" clauses are hereby ratified and
confirmed as being true and correct and are hereby made a specific part of this
Resolution. All exhibits attached hereto are incorporated herein and made a specific
part of this Resolution.
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September 25, 2012
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Section 2: The City Commission of the City of Tamarac hereby supports the
adoption of a cooperative consolidation of E-911 communications and dispatch.
Section 3: The City Commission of the City of Tamarac hereby requests the
assistance of the Broward County Board of Commissioners, and seeks the continued
leadership of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners, to continue to fund
regionalization of 911 and dispatch communications and to fully fund the consolidated
communications plan by Broward County through County ad -valorem taxes.
Section 4: The City Clerk is hereby directed to distribute this Resolution to the
Board of County Commissioners for Broward County, the Broward County League of
Cities and each of the municipalities in Broward County.
Section 5: All resolutions or parts of resolutions in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed to the extent of such conflict.
• ,x
Section 6:. If any clause, section, other part or application of this Resolution is
held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or invalid, in part or
application, it shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions or applications of this
Resolution.
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September 25, 2012
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Section 7: This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its
passage and adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC,
FLORIDA, THIS DAY OF , 2012.
CITY F TAMARA , FLORIDA
BETH TALABISCO, MAY
ATTEST:
RECORD OF COMMISSION VOTE:
MAYOR TALABISCO
DIST 1: COMM. BUSHN L
DIST 2: COMM GOMEZ
DIST 3: V/M GLASSER
DIST 4: COMM. DRESSI-n
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT I HAVE
APPROVED THIS RESOLUTION
AS TO FORM.
,SAMUEL S. GOREN
c'ti CITY ATTORNEY