Long overdue public accountability finally comes to the Broward County Commission: Broward County Commission meetings will FINALLY be available to residents, taxpayers and media online via an archive; no more having to buy DVDs!

When I was at Broward County HQ for various reasons back in February, March and April, nearly every single well-informed County employee I trust and specifically asked about County Manager Bertha Henry's refusal to make video-on-demand happen, this sort of common sense transparency change that many residents assume already exists, told me that they'd "heard" that she was putting her foot down, and would need to be dragged into implementing such a program, no matter how much the elected Commission said they wanted it done or how much concerned citizens like me said we wanted it ASAP, and, by the way, DIDN'T think it was too much to expect in the year 2014.

This didn't surprise me, per se, considering that Ms. Henry -whom I'm no fan of- had previously missed a deadline to inform the Commission and the public about what was going on with this overdue acknowledgement of the 21st Century.

(Dragged because nothing was going on or because she didn't want to appear to be publicly and directly challenging her bosses by refusing to follow their directives???) 

In any case, I was quite surprised to get this bit of positive email today, at bottom. 

Surprised, but pleased.

Take victories where you can find them!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, Feb 6, 2014 at 5:39 PM
Subject: Just another in a long line of reasons to fire her: Broward Bulldog update to Browrad County Administrator Bertha Henry's failure to meet County Comm.'s deadline for video-on-demand service for public

Bertha Henry is the same woman in charge who utterly failed to make sure that 

the Broward County Charter Review Comm.'s minutes and documents were online 

on the county's website before the November 2010 election so that residents/voters 

could actually see the accurate background information on the County's charter 

issues that appeared on the ballot; as well as find out why many others did not 

make the ballot and let the people decide, like the idea of a County-wide elected 

mayor of Broward County, just like in Miami-Dade County and Orange County, 

due to parochialism, power politics and behind-the-scenes lobbying by the Broward 

County League of Cities, and most of the county's elected crew.

Getting that information online in time for people to make informed choices is precisely 

the sort of thing that you'd take for granted if you lived in most parts of the country.

But not here.

For those of you who weren't around then, at the time, I wrote a number of blog posts 

about this issue as well as many emails to elected officials and it took forever to get 

them to do the right thing.

This same sort of thing happened with the so-called Courthouse Taskforce that was 

chaired by a Comm. who owned property in the area, and so, was emblematic of a group

of people who were appointed who only wanted a new courthouse, not anyone in favor of 

another solution.

In that matter, the County consistently failed to have the Task Force agendas and 

background documents online before the meetings they held.

Even with the case of the final meeting, that info, which ought to have been placed online 

days before, instead was placed online after midnight of the day of the meeting -hours after 

it took place.

That's how they do things with Bertha Henry in charge.

Don't hold your breath thinking that anything short of forcing her to walk the plank is going 

to get her properly motivated.

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Broward Bulldog

Broward commissioners tell Henry to come up with a plan for video-on-demand of meetings

By William Hladky, BrowardBulldog.org 

February 5, 2014 at 8:02 p.m.

http://www.browardbulldog.org/2014/02/broward-commissioners-support-video-on-demand-of-meetings-want-a-plan-from-henry/

And now... 

From: Stapleton, Margaret
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2014 1:57 PM
To: Sharief, Barbara; Lamarca, Chip; Holness, Dale; Jacobs, Kristin; Wexler, Lois; Kiar, Martin; Ritter, Stacy; Gunzburger, Suzanne; Ryan, Tim; Scavron, Aaron; Flury, Barbara; Rosenberg, Eric; Fields, Gregory; Beckford, John; Bertino, John; Wesner, Kate; Hall, Kathy; Pierson, Kelly; Pauli, Kenneth; Maroe, Kimberly; Carter, Kristin; Scarlette, Lahoma; Carbonell, Launa; Lynch, Lauraine; Wolter, Margaret; Pryde, Mary; Carreras, Megan; Clark, Michael; Goldstein, Norma; Busey, Philip; Yeager, Sandra; Barrocas, Scott; Popiel, Stephen; Hirschman, William
Cc: Directors; Henry, Bertha; Hernandez, Roberto; Cepero, Monica; Cassini, Gretchen; Jefferson, Alphonso; Maroe, Kimberly
Subject: Commission Meeting Archive and Security Updates
Importance: High

Commissioners,

Broward County will formally announce today that, as part of our ongoing commitment to transparency in government, video recordings of County Commission meetings, including Public Hearings and Good and Welfare, will be posted online beginning with the August 12th meeting, and will typically be available for on-demand viewing by noon each Wednesday.  A new and improved Government website, including a new Agendas and Minutes Archive webpage, has been launched in support of the change.

View  New Government Website Landing Page

View New Agendas and Minutes Archive Webpage

Most of the information on the new website is in “responsive design.” This is a Web best practice that makes content more readily accessible across multiple mobile devices, including Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. Site visitors can:

·         Select a Commission Meeting Viewing Option (live, replay or on-demand)

·         Access New Video Recording Meeting Archive (August 12, 2014 forward) and Action Agenda and Meeting Minutes Archive (from July 23, 1915)

·         View Commission Meeting Agendas and Back-Up Material

·         Subscribe to Receive Agenda Notifications

·         View Current Commission Meeting Schedule

·         Get Information on Signing up to Speak/Requesting Communication Aids

·         Link to Commissioner Websites and/or Find Commission District

·         Access Related Links and Resources

Security Update

Facilities Management is also announcing new security measures beginning August 12^th, including the addition of a walk-through magnetometer, used for metal detection. The magnetometer will significantly enhance overall security, and as an added benefit, is expected to speed the security screening process. Room 422 will open at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

Facilities Management reminds employees that while it is important for them to wear their Broward County ID during the workday, it is especially important for any staff attending the meeting or seeking access to Commission Chambers on a Commission Meeting day, to have their Broward County ID with them and prominently displayed. This helps Security readily identify Broward County employees and expedites the screening process; however, all employees and visitors will be screened.

AED (Automated External Defibrillator) equipment is located near every entrance to the Governmental Center and in the elevator lobby area on every floor. An additional unit has been installed in the Chamber. As you face the dais, it is located on the wall to your left. Security personnel and law enforcement within the building are trained on the operation of AED equipment and to perform CPR.

Margaret Stapleton, Director

Broward County Office of Public Communications

115 S. Andrews Ave., Room 506

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Phone: 954-357-6931

Cell: 954-802-3487

broward.org

Will upcoming NHL owner's lockout affect the $7.7 million loan from Broward County to Florida Panthers owner Michael Yormark, which he's clearly counting on to prop him up?

Below is a slightly-edited version of an email that I sent this afternoon to Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry, along with some other links that some of you may find of use if you are NOT already up-to-speed on the issue at hand, which, long story short, is a very unsuccessful professional sports franchise getting a multi-million dollar loan from a government entity who also happens to be their landlord.

When and if I hear from Ms. Henry in the near-future with respect to some answers to my questions, I'll share here what she had to say about what's going on with Michael R. Yormark and the Florida Panthers at the newly-renamed BB&T Center in suburban Sunrise, far from most of South Florida, out near The Everglades.

The reason I decided to even write the email and post it here is because of the continuing popularity in South Florida and other NHL cities of a February post of mine about some eye-opening video of Florida Panthers CEO Michael Yormark dodging some very reasonable questions by Channel 10's Bob Norman at the Broward County Govt. Center moments after the County Commission meeting, which I watched online.

Some of you who pay attention to such things may well say, correctly, that this video presages the amazing video weeks later in the same building of Broward attorney, flack and lobbyist Bernie Friedman revealing his true nature, and thinking somehow that his clever remarks have more weight than video of what he is doing and saying. 

Yes, the infamous elevator kerfuffle which played out exactly as these things so often do, with the predictable 'kill the messenger ' waterfall of words in the readers comments from staunch liberal Democratic activist and lobbyist Seth Platt, where he posted at least 8 separate posts, as if somehow seven was not enough.

Well, now we now all over again that "Eight is Enough," with Seth Platt in the Grant Goodeve role. Like a certain political commissar here in HB, reading Platt is like water torture. 
Platt seems to be the "Tokyo Rose" of Broward County political social media, at once both everywhere, but also with nothing of substance to say that you're really interested in, instead, also the very picture of a tone-deaf self-promoter.   

If you have not see those two videos, they're really 'must-see' in every respect, and I can tell you with certainty that if Channel 10 embedded their news segments, they'd have been anchors on this blog within minutes of them first airing.
------

Will the upcoming NHL owners lockout affect the $7.7 million loan from Broward County to Florida Panthers owner Michael Yormark, which he's clearly counting on to prop him up?

Dear Ms. Henry:

Are the Florida Panthers and Michael Yormark still legally entitled to the $7.7 million loan from Broward County if, legally, they're NOT a going concern as of the start of the NHL season on October 13th?

During the upcoming strike, which is, of course, more properly called an owner's "lockout," since Mr. Yormark's company will NOT be offering the public a product, service or benefit -or honoring tickets already sold to ticket holders (taxpayers) of this county- if those funds have NOT already been disbursed, wouldn't it be prudent to place them in an escrow account now so that they can't be used to stanch the expected financial bleeding in Plantation once the season comes with no games

being played?

If you have some time this weekend, you might want to peruse his Twitter feed.

http://twitter.com/PanthersYormark

Do you want to know a name that rarely if ever appears on his Twitter feed? 

It's "Broward."

Yes, it's true.

Also rarely appearing there: Ft. Lauderdale or Plantation, where the team plays...

In fact, none of those names have so much as appeared once since July if then.

I stopped looking when they weren't mentioned since at least July 31st.  

When you read it you see rather quickly that his is a lifestyle that's full of trips on private luxury jets and expensive steak houses and reading books on business leadership, as if reading about it was a substitute for doing it.

All this after he asks for a handout of over $7 million from taxpayer's elected officials that in my opinion could have been MUCH better used. 

Say, well, for something that visiting tourists to Broward County would actually benefit from, and tell their friends about so they'd come down for a visit, too.

Look at me and my old-fashioned notions about how tourist bed taxes ought to be used!

No wonder I'm not flying on private jets these days and chowing-down at expensive steak houses in LA, NY and Vegas like Yormark and deducting it as a business expense.

-----
Perhaps you were one of the persons in South Florida who got this email from me seven months ago... All links still work.

Date: Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 2:53 AM
Subject: FYI re WPLG-TV/Miami video: The BankAtlantic shuffle: Florida Panthers president doesn't

want to answer questions about $7.7 million sweetheart loan from Broward County

This video from the Thursday night 6 pm newscast is the perfect follow-up to my previous emails

on this subject, 

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2012/01/broward_gives_panthers_a_win_o.html

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fl-broward-panthers-loan-20120131,0,635932.story

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/florida-panthers/fl-panthers-loan-newdeal-20120130,0,7432033.story

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/fl-arena-waste-watch-broward-20120117,0,7670061.story

My favorite take away is from the last one:

Broward County has gotten the short end of the stick in its financial deal with the Florida Panthers, and a proposed loan would only tip the scales further, the county's auditor charges.

To date, the county has paid more than $90 million for the arena that serves as the Panthers' home, and gotten back just $331,000 in profit-sharing.

The Panthers side of the scoreboard is far brighter, according to county records. Since the doors at BankAtlantic Center opened 13 years ago, Arena Operating Co., the Panthers' sister company that runs the arena, has rung up a reported $117.4 million in profits. That's more than 353 times what the county has banked.

This absurd loan to the Florida Panthers, which is opposed by the Greater Ft. Lauderdale hospitality

industry, a preening, self-important and self-serving group to be sure, but one who has a much better

idea about what tourists do and do not want to do when they visit than the county commission, and

going to a Panthers game on the outskirts of The Everglades near nothing but a huge shopping mall

is NOT one of them.

But first, here's the Florida Panthers' tone-deaf Michael Yormark in a video from Forbes;
Yormark's the clown who who won't answer questions below.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2012/01/12/panthers-skate-towards-more-revenue/

The Channel 10 video, and the antics of the people shown, speaks for itself.

http://www.local10.com/news/blogs/bob-norman/The-BankAtlantic-shuffle/-/3223354/8582968/-/i3du6wz/-/

------------

Also see my post of early February, one of the most-popular of the year:
Bob Norman's must-see video of Florida Panthers president, who DOESN'T want to answer questions about $7.7 million sweetheart loan from Broward County"
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/bob-normans-must-see-video-of-florida.html

as well as these two pieces from Channel 10

Florida Panthers hockey prez a Twitter twit?
By Bob Norman
Published On: Apr 25 2012 08:28:07 AM EDT
http://www.local10.com/news/blogs/bobnorman/Florida-Panthers-hockey-prez-a-Twitter-twit/-/3223354/11810974/-/xg164e/-/index.html

WPLG Editorial: Fla. Panthers' Pres. rantings
Author: Dave Boylan, VP and General Manager of WPLG.

Published On: Apr 26 2012 11:59:27 AM EDT  

Updated On: Apr 26 2012 12:16:46 PM EDT

http://www.local10.com/station/WPLG-Editorial-Fla-Panthers-Pres-rantings/-/1716906/11983462/-/6r7i0rz/-/index.html

-----

Panthers skate on, despite uncertain labor future

By TIM REYNOLDS (AP Sports Writer)

September 14, 2012

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/panthers-skate-despite-uncertain-labor-172909851--nhl.html

http://nhl-red-light.si.com/

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_hockey_panthers/

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/flapanthers/

http://wqam.com/fastfeed/florida-panthers 

Today's Broward County Comm. action on red-light cameras; My take on "Sight distances" of red-light camera signs; county won't be involved the future

Today's Broward County Comm. action on red-light cameras; My take on "Sight distances" of red-light camera warning signs - Agenda Item 33- Allows traffic infraction detection equipment by municipalities to connect to the County’s traffic signal infrastructure

-------

Below is a copy of an email that I sent early Tuesday morning to Hallandale Beach's two representatives on the Broward County Commission, Sue Gunzburger and Barbara Sharief, plus County Administrator Bertha Henry, regarding Agenda item #33 on this morning's schedule. Below it is the response I received from Comm. Gunzburger, the presiding officer.

October 11th, 2011

Dear Commissioners Gunzburger and Sharief:

Despite my longstanding interest in this issue, I will be unable to be present in person for today's, Broward County Commission meeting and therefore am sending this email to you to to represent, my personal thoughts and to share with you some facts that I fear will otherwise NOT come up today, namely, Broward cities taking advantage of their citizens and NOT acting in a manner that's reasonable, prudent or even legal with regard to their use of red-light cameras.

For months I've waited for the opportunity to formally share this bit of information with you, where it would do some public good, and show that not all municipalities in Broward County are eager to comply with the specific standards set to allow red-light camera enforcement to take place in Broward County.

Below are some photos of a self-evident fact that I and many tens of thousands of other Hallandale Beach and Hollywood residents have known about ever since the red-light camera was installed on Hallandale Beach Blvd. & N.W. 10th Terrace, Hallandale Beach, with the so-called warning sign posted a block farther east on the corner of N.W. 9th Terrace, which, as it happens, is also a popular area for dangerous U-turns.

It's here somewhere...

It's right around here somewhere.

In what way, exactly, is the red-light camera warning sign "visible" from this distance?

September 25, 2011

Or this distance? August 19, 2011

Or from this distance? September 25, 2011

Where did it go? Shouldn't we see it by now? September 11, 2011

Oh, there you are, red-light camera warning sign, intentionally placed right between two trees!

You only see the sign above because of the reflection of my camera flash.

You'd almost say they were hiding it, yes?

Looking west on W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. & N.W 10th Terrace, Hallandale Beach, April 24, 2011.

In fact, it's not until you are almost parallel to the sign itself, assuming you notice it among the other signs preceding it, that it's visible to west-bound drivers in the road lane that is actually CLOSEST to the sign. That seems illogical on its face doesn't it?

Shouldn't the lane closest to the sign at least see it at roughly the same instant others do?

Instead, the driver closest to it is the one driver most likely to NEVER see it.

How exactly is that common sense?

The fact that there is no street light there only makes it even worse at night, as this photo below

amply demonstrates.

Above, the red-light camera warning sign on the north-side of west-bound W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. at N.W. 9th Terrace on February 27, 2011 at 6:40 p.m., a bit past sundown.

The ONLY reason that you even see the sign above is because I'm standing on the curb and pointing my camera directly at it, using my camera's flash.

And that assumes that you the driver aren't distracted -and a bit un-nerved- by the sight of the over-grown palm fronds that obstruct the electronic message board directly behind it.

September 11, 2011

Hmm-m... erecting an electronic message board behind a palm tree on a west-bound road where a setting sun is often brutal at times?

No, nothing bad could ever go wrong with that sort of well-organized plan.

Well, unless it rains .. and the palm fronds get larger.

And aren't properly maintained and cut.

Like the reality in Hallandale Beach since that particular red-light cameras went up.

Where's that red-light camera warning sign?
Looking west on W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. approaching N.W 10th Terrace, Hallandale Beach. About 6:50 p.m., April 24, 2011.

Where did you say that red-light camera warning sign was, again?

No, it's not that silver-colored one next to the curb, that the Merge/Bike lane sign. Looking west on W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. & N.W 10th Terrace, Hallandale Beach, April 24, 2011.

That red-light camera is there merely to catch drivers trying to get onto I-95 ASAP, not because of any dangerous safety situation there ever mentioned or disclosed by the City of Hallandale Beach or known by its residents prior to the installation of a camera.

In fact, the last very bad accident near there, in front of the Denny's, was actually caused by a high-speed police pursuit from... the other direction. Yes, a high-speed pursuit approaching slow-moving traffic trying to get onto the I-95 entrance ramps.

Sure, because nothing could go wrong with that sort of strategy.

Proof of the lack of safety concern here is how how many street lights near that area have been out for months or years, and yet the city seems never quite able to make that necessary phone call to FDOT or FP&L.

They act completely oblivious, but the facts are common knowledge.

Going south-bound on N.W. 10th Terrace, as you approach that same intersection at Hallandale

Beach Blvd., the one that the city says is a problem without ever offering a scintilla of proof, tell me, when can you even see the traffic signal because of all the obstructing tree branches?

Answer: When you are one of the first two cars there, maybe, otherwise, forget it.

The traffic signal can barely be seen.

This longstanding safety situation with obstructions as you approach BCTE traffic signals

exists all throughout Hallandale Beach and Hollywood and neither city does a thing about it,

even when they are specifically told about it.

In one ear, out the other.

Rhonda Calhoun of the Broward League of Cities and their counsel, Sam Goren -that is, when he isn't wearing his other hat as Pembroke Pines City Attorney- where so many of his city's red-light cameras cases were dismissed by judges back in January, are saying all the predictable things their bosses, the cities of Broward, want you all to hear, but they are wrong, particularly as it applies to the City of Hallandale Beach.

Here, it's about revenue, not public safety, as red-light cameras were specifically cited by city residents (in a $38,000 City Commission-paid poll) as their number-one complaint about Hallandale Beach.

That's not by accident. That's from personal experience in seeing the city do whatever it wanted even before the state approved the cameras for July of 2010, even to the point of having the one-and-only red-light camera warning sign on U.S.-1 hidden away for months and months by a County Bus shelter. (And even then. unbelievably, the warning sign was on the other side of the sidewalk!)

How, exactly, was that "visible" to drivers and consistent with sight distances?

It wasn't, but the city didn't care.

They did it anyway.

I've got contemporaneous photos of that 'invisible' warning sign from every single angle, having been there when the red-light camera was erected. On purpose!

I even spoke to the engineer/technician installing it and specifically asked him about the fact that

the so-called required 'warning" sign was, for all practical purposes, "hidden" by the bus shelter.

He said that was the city's decision.

And he would know.

The City of Hallandale Beach is NOT trusted by its citizens on this matter, and for very good reason: personal experience.They've even told the city, via the poll conducted by an independent company in Kansas,

http://www.hallandalebeachfl.gov/files/2011-09-07/Item%208G/index.html

but the city STILL refuses to listen because it doesn't care.

Pages 11, 68, 106 and 135 deals with red-light cameras.

Question (Q6) Satisfaction with Various Aspect of Public Safety ranked the use of red light cameras at an “unsatisfied” rating of 45%. According to ETC Institute, the entity administering the survey, any rating above 20% requires the City’s immediate attention.
The Public Safety Importance-Satisfaction Analysis (Section 3, page 4) red-light cameras rates “High Priority” ahead of visibility of police and crime prevention.

Therefore, in my opinion, based on the preceding facts, the county-wide policy you should adopt is a simple one: "Trust but verify."

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http://205.166.161.204/agenda_publish.cfm?mt=ALL&get_month=10&get_year=2011&dsp=agm&seq=9448&rev=0&ag=269&ln=45252&nseq=&nrev=&pseq=&prev=#ReturnTo45252

Meeting Agendas

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Print Return Previous Next
AI-9448			Item #: 33.
Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Date: 10/11/2011 Director's Name: Thomas Hutka Department: Public Works
Information
Requested Action
MOTION TO APPROVE standard form, shell revocable license agreement for use between Broward County and various municipalities for their use of County equipment to connect traffic infraction detection systems, effective for five years from date of execution; authorizing the County Administrator, or designee, to execute the approved standard form, shell agreement on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners; authorizing the County Administrator to approve renewal for additional five-year terms if the County Administrator determines it is in the best interest of the County; and authorizing the County Administrator to amend the standard form, shell agreement or executed agreements to add or remove affected intersections and revise the affected locations and layouts (Exhibit A of agreement), to revise the conditions of use (Exhibit B) or special technical provisions (Exhibit C), as may be necessary. (All Commission Districts) (Deferred from September 27, 2011 - Item No. 65)
Why Action is Necessary
Broward County Commission approval is required for all agreements between the County and municipalities.
What Action Accomplishes
Allows traffic infraction detection equipment by municipalities to connect to the County’s traffic signal infrastructure.
Is this Action Goal Related
Previous Action Taken
This item was deferred from the December 14, 2010 Commission meeting (Item No. 50), from the March 1, 2011 Commission meeting (Item No. 23), from the August 30, 2011 Commision meeting (Item No. 51), and again from the September 27, 2011 Commission meeting.
Summary Explanation/ Background
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DIVISION AND HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL. The Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act (Act) was signed into law, with an effective date of July 1, 2010, authorizing the use of traffic infraction detectors, commonly known as red light running cameras, on State, County and municipal roadways in the State of Florida. Broward County is somewhat unique among most Florida traffic maintaining agencies in that the County operates all traffic signals (the County owns all signals on County and local roads and maintains all signals on State roads for FDOT). However, the traffic infraction detection equipment is being installed by municipalities within their municipal boundaries. Prior to the passage of the Act, several cities installed and operated non-intrusive traffic infraction detection systems (no connection to the County’s traffic signals) outside of the road right-of-way. With the passage of the Act, these systems can be installed within the road right-of-way as long as they comply with traffic safety conditions (i.e. outside of clear zone, crash worthiness standards, sight distances, etc.). In general, non-intrusive systems in the County's right-of-way can be permitted by the Broward County Highway Construction and Engineering Division under Section 6.48, Broward County Administrative Code; non-intrusive systems in State or city rights-of-way are permitted by those respective agencies. Recently, County staff became aware, from a vendor (American Traffic Solutions, Inc.) representing several municipalities, that the municipalities would like to install intrusive systems (systems with some equipment connecting to the County’s traffic signals) to supplement the required photographic evidence of violation. If the Board were to approve the municipalities’ request to connect to the County’s traffic signals, staff has developed the subject shell revocable licensing agreement (RLA) that would protect the County’s interests. This shell RLA will only be required as part of the permit review and approval process for the installations that connect to the County’s traffic signals. Municipalities installing non-intrusive systems would not be subject to this RLA. The main conditions of the shell RLA are as follows: Establish the locations and conditions that the traffic infraction detection equipment can be connected to the County’s traffic signals without compromising the signals' effectiveness and reliability. Establish the responsibility of the municipalities to install, maintain and operate the traffic infraction detection equipment and to remove the equipment from the right-of-way when no longer in use. Establish the responsibility of the municipalities for repairs and damages to the County’s infrastructure as a result of the connections between the municipality and County equipment. Establish the County’s right to disconnect any equipment connected to the traffic signal control system, if necessary during emergency repairs, in order to maintain or return the traffic signals to normal operation as quickly as possible. Municipalities may reconnect to the County infrastructure at a later time at their own costs. Establish an hourly rate reimbursement schedule for County staff to inspect equipment installation, adjust signal timing, and to provide court testimony for traffic infraction violations. The hourly rates will increase at the same annual increases to salaries, administrative support, benefits, and vehicle costs. As part of the Board's approval of the municipalities' request, staff is requesting approval of this shell RLA, effective for five years from date of execution; authorizing the County Administrator, or designee, to execute the agreement on behalf of the Board; authorizing the County Administrator to approve renewal for additional five-year terms if County Administrator determines it is in the best interest of the County; and authorizing the County Administrator to execute amendments to the agreement or the approved shell agreement to add or remove affected intersections and revise the affected locations and layouts (Exhibit A of agreement), or to revise the conditions of use and special technical provisions (Exhibits B and C of agreement), as may be necessary. This agreement may be terminated by County, through the Broward County Commission or the Broward County Administrator, or Licensee, with or without cause and at any time during the term hereof upon thirty (30) days written notice to the other of its desire to terminate this agreement. Attachment B-1 of the agreement, Reimbursement Hourly Rates, has been updated to incorporate the clarification on future annual increases that was yellow-sheeted for the December 14, 2010 meeting and to include the provision to charge overtime for work required outside of normal business hours. At the December 14, 2010 meeting, the Board deferred this item and directed staff to solicit comments from the League of Cities and the Clerk of the Court. Comments from the Broward League of Cities dated February 8, 2011 are attached as Exhibit 3. At the March 1, 2011 meeting, the Board deferred this item and directed staff to provide additional information on several issues and also requested that the Broward League of Cities consider developing uniform traffic enforcement procedures among the cities. Responses from County staff and the Broward League of Cities are included as Exhibits 7 and 8, respectively. At the August 30, 2011 meeting, the Board deferred this item and directed staff to bring the item back to the Board with recommendations relating to initial permitting fees and annual fee costs. A memo of the recommendation is included as Exhibit 11. At the September 27, 2011 meeting, the Board deferred this item at the request of the Mayor on behalf of the City of Pembroke Pines. If a license agreement is approved by the Board, staff will provide a quarterly report to the Board summarizing the number of license agreements that have been submitted or executed over that period. The Office of the County Attorney has approved the agreement as to legal form. Sources of additional information: Anthony M. Hui, P.E., Deputy Director, Public Works Department, 954-357-6308; Thomas J. Hutka, P.E., Director, Public Works Department, 954-357-6410.
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary:
Fiscal impact is anticipated to be cost neutral. The reimbursement schedule will allow the County to recover costs for its involvement with the traffic infraction detection systems.
Attachments
Exhibit 1 - Agreement Summary
Exhibit 2 - Revocable License Agreement
Exhibit 3 - Broward League of Cities Position Statement
Exhibit 4 - Additional Agenda Material Item 23-1
Exhibit 5 - Additional Agenda Material Item 23-2
Exhibit 6 - Additional Agenda Material Item 23-3
Exhibit 7 - Memo to the Board
Exhibit 8 - Letter from League of Cities
Exhibit 9 - Additional Information - Item 51-1
Exhibit 10 - Additional Information - Item 51-2
Exhibit 11 - Additional Information
Exhibit 12 - Additional Material
Exhibit 13 - Additional Material
Additional Material - Information
Additional Material - Information
Additional Material - Information

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See also:

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/10/driving_while_deceased_lieberm.html

Later in the morning, I received this response from Comm. Gunzburger, who is the presiding officer, whom I last spoke to in person in June at Comm. Keith London's monthly Resident Forum meeting, where she spoke and answered citizen's public policy questions for about an hour. Comm. Sharief had attended the previous month.

This item has been permanently pulled from our agenda by the cities. The county will not be involved in the red light cameras. The place to protest is at the city.

Sue Gunzburger, Mayor

Broward County Commission - District 6

Phone 954-357-7006 Fax 954-357-7129

www.broward.org/sue