HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-2012-137 - Adoption of a Plan for Cooperative Countywide Consolidation of E-911 Communications and Dispatch to be Wholly Funded through County Ad Valorem Taxes RESOLUTION NO. 2012-137
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DANIA
BEACH, FLORIDA, EXPRESSING THE CITY'S SUPPORT FOR THE
ADOPTION OF A PLAN FOR COOPERATIVE COUNTYWIDE
CONSOLIDATION OF E-911 COMMUNICATIONS AND DISPATCH TO BE
WHOLLY FUNDED THROUGH COUNTY AD VALOREM TAXES;
PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; FURTHER, 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 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
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 fire providers; and
WHEREAS, notwithstanding the 2002 amendment to the County Charter, there
continues to be ten(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
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 ten (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 responses, 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
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
2 RESOLUTION#2012-137
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 any 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 the
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 "IBoard"), for the purpose of reviewing, considering and making 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 IBoard 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
3 RESOLUTION#2012-137
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, police 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
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 IBoard 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 finds it to be in the best interest of the residents of the
City of Dania Beach, 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 DANIA BEACH,FLORIDA:
Section 1. The foregoing recitals contained in the preamble to this Resolution are
incorporated by this reference.
4 RESOLUTION#2012-137
Section 2. The City Commission supports the adoption of a cooperative consolidation
of E-911 communications and dispatch.
Section 3. The City Commission 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 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. The appropriate City officials are authorized to execute all necessary
documents to effectuate the intent of this Resolution.
Section 6. That all resolutions or parts of resolutions in conflict with this Resolution
are repealed to the extent of such conflict.
Section 7. That this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage
and adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED on October 9, 2012.
ATTEST:
1 y
LOUISE STILSON, CMC PATRICIA A. FLURY
CITY CLERK MAYOR
o�pFtD'S F��r
APPROVED A TO F AND CORRECTNESS:
THONIAS J4iEY
NS RO
CITY ATT ' aho
5 RESOLUTION#2012-137