Thursday, December 19, 2013

Notes from Lauderhill Regular Commission Meeting of December 9

On December 9 the Commission met and the following are notes of interest (all items passed unanimously unless otherwise indicated):

ORDINANCES & PUBLIC HEARINGS - FIRST READING

ORDINANCE NO: 13O-12-159:   AMENDING HE CODE OF ORDINANCES,  CREATING SECTION 14-100.1, RIGHT-OF-WAY SOLICITORS, PEDDLERS AND CANVASSERS; PROHIBITING SOLICITATION WITHIN SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED ROADWAYS AND INTERSECTIONS IN THE INTEREST OF HEALTH AND SAFETY (REQUESTED BY MAYOR RICHARD J. KAPLAN).

RESOLUTIONS

RESOLUTION NO. 13R-11-233:   AUTHORIZING THE ADOPTION OF THE TITLE VI COMPLIANCE PLAN AND PROCEDURES SPECIFIC TO FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE JOB ACCESS REVERSE COMMUTE (JARC) GRANT REQUIREMENTS.

RESOLUTION NO. 13R-12-249:   DECLARING THE INTENT TO USE THE UNIFORM METHOD FOR COLLECTING NON-AD VALOREM SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS LEVIED WITHIN THE DESIGNATED LOCAL GOVERNMENT SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AREA  FOR THE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE WEST INVERRARY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT; PROVIDING FOR ANNUAL BILLING FOR SUCH FEES; STATING A NEED FOR SUCH LEVY TO COVER THE ACTUAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

RESOLUTION NO. 13R-12-252:  APPROVING THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF LAUDERHILL AND THE CITY OF CORAL SPRINGS REGARDING THE UNITOWN 2014 PROGRAM.

RESOLUTION NO. 13R-12-253:  APPROVING THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF LAUDERHILL AND GLAD HEALTH & FITNESS, INC. TO PROVIDE SENIOR GROUP FITNESS CLASSES, SENIOR WELLNESS WORKSHOPS AND SUPPORT GROUPS AT VETERAN’S PARK.

RESOLUTION NO. 13R-12-254:   APPROVING THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF LAUDERHILL AND F.A.D.E.D., INC. TO PROVIDE PERSONAL AND GROUP FITNESS TRAINING CLASSES AT ST. GEORGE, WEST KEN LARK, SADKIN COMMUNITY CENTER, AND THE SPORTS PARK.

RESOLUTION NO. 13R-12-255:  APPROVING THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF LAUDERHILL AND MENTORING VALUABLE PROTEGES, INC. TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE BASKETBALL SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS, FIELD TRIPS AND SPECIAL EVENTS AT VARIOUS PARKS WITHIN THE CITY.

RESOLUTION NO. 13R-12-259:  APPROVING THE DONATION OF FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,500.00 FROM THE STATE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRUST FUND (LETF) TO THE CITY OF LAUDERHILL MLK TASKFORCE 2014; PROVIDING FOR PAYMENT FROM BUDGET  CODE NUMBER 120-683-9935.

RESOLUTION NO. 13R-12-260:  APPROVING THE RANKING OF FIRMS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE RANKING COMMITTEE FOR RFT #2013-026 FOR THE DESIGN BUILD SERVICES OF FIRE STATION 110 LOCATED AT 3120 NORTHWEST 12TH PLACE; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT WITH THE SELECTED FIRM(S) (West Construction rated #1); PROVIDING FOR PAYMENT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,000,000.00 FROM BUDGET CODE NUMBER 305-351-6207.

RESOLUTION NO. 13R-12-264:   APPROVING THE AWARD OF BID TO BEJAR CONSTRUCTION, INC. IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $96,786.88 FOR RENOVATIONS TO THE SEATING AREA AND LANDSCAPING OF ILENE LIEBERMAN PARK BASED UPON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE IN RESPONSE TO RFP #2013-032 FOR SAID SERVICES; PROVIDING FOR PAYMENT FROM BUDGET CODE NUMBER 305-351-06542.


5 comments:

Unknown said...

I wanted to know if the mayor and the commission still believe that the media are lobbyists and that they are immune from responding to them. Would you agree that to take such a position would in essence allow the commission immunity in illegal conduct since it would not have to answer to it when such illegal conduct is discovered by the media?

eLauderhill News said...

Not sure why this is being asked since as far as I know we have always regularly responded to the media. So the question is moot.

Of course responding is up to the respective elected official just like anyone else. There is no law mandating a response. I know that I respond to all of them when they call. We just needed to know if the contact had to reported under the law.

Unknown said...

I ask the question based on the email exchange that was published a couple of years back(http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/10/lauderhill_mayor_kaplan_to_sun.html) I meant no harm with the question, Human rights and government transparency are issues that I find close to heart and have worked for for a couple of years now, I have a Master Of Law Degree from St. Thomas University. I just wanted to know if that was a position you were comfortable with taking. Secondly, as campaign season ramps up, I really hope that you don't in any way, shape, or form think that I dislike you or think your a bad person. I look forward to working with you to make our city great and get more youth involved in our local politics.


Sincerely, William Cossio

Unknown said...

I ask the question based on the email exchange that was published a couple of years back(http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/10/lauderhill_mayor_kaplan_to_sun.html) I meant no harm with the question, Human rights and government transparency are issues that I find close to heart and have worked for for a couple of years now, I have a Master Of Law Degree from St. Thomas University. I just wanted to know if that was a position you were comfortable with taking. Secondly, as campaign season ramps up, I really hope that you don't in any way, shape, or form think that I dislike you or think your a bad person. I look forward to working with you to make our city great and get more youth involved in our local politics.


Sincerely, William Cossio

eLauderhill News said...

When this law was being passed I expressed that it was a very badly written law, and I still believe it is. Some of my points were misconstrued because of the confusion with the law.

To start it doesn't define the primary purpose which is "What is a Gift?" If you don't know what a gift is, how can it be prohibited?

It defines terms that are not used, and uses terms that are not defined. It instead creates a chilling effect because the law doesn't give the proper direction on many issues.

It does not address many of the concerns the public has.

As an example, the public expects that a Lobbyist is someone whose job is to try to influence the decision making body. Editors and Columnist seems to satisfy this expectation (and even a reporter if it is bias in its writing).

However the definition is much more limited on whom it applies to and many people are excluded that probably should be included.

My preference would be to re-write a law that is clear and unambiguous as to what it is trying to accomplish and I am hearing the County Commission is looking at doing exactly that now.

Please do not get me wrong, I support a strong ethics law. But I also support a law that makes sense and is easily understood by those that must live by it and the public that expects it.

In fact I have written and passed laws in our city many years ago that contain many of the ethical concerns found in the Broward Ethics Law. But at least ours is well written and understood.