Fort Lauderdale Commission approves major projects
From David Volz
The Fort Lauderdale Commission approved several major agreements and contracts during a recent meeting.
The Commission approved the acceptance of a $750,000 grant from the federal COPS Hiring Program, which provides funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire career law enforcement officers. The goal is to increase community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. The grant will cover up to 75% of the entry-level salary and benefits for six full-time officers and the City will meet the grant’s required 25% match by funding the remaining balance. In the grant proposal, the City highlighted the desire to improve local law enforcement’s response to individuals in need of mental health services, especially in cases where an arrest may not be the best course of action. In a separate motion, the Commission agreed to accept a grant of more than $257,000 from the COPS Community Policing Development Program. The City plans to initiate a co-responder pilot program that sees a civilian clinician respond to calls involving those with mental health and substance abuse issues.
The Commission approved an agreement with Man-Con, Incorporated, for the Durrs Neighborhood Stormwater Improvement project for $30.6 million. The project will install new stormwater infrastructure and repair existing infrastructure to address flooding concerns in the neighborhood. The project also includes neighborhood roadway resurfacing, utility relocations, and landscape restoration. Durrs was among the neighborhoods most impacted by the April 2023 flood event.
The Commission agreed to approve the final rankings of firms and negotiated fee schedule, as well as the approval of an agreement with Ardurra Group, Inc., for $17 million for a Citywide Inflow and Infiltration Reduction Program. The City maintains nearly 370 miles of gravity sewer pipes and 10,000 sewer manholes, structures that may crack or fracture and allow rainwater and groundwater to seep into the sanitary sewer system. The agreement calls for program management services, data collection and analysis, inspections, testing, repair, and rehabilitation.
The Commission approved an agreement with Broward County for the funding of the City’s Roadway Improvement/Sidewalk Connections project using transportation surtax funding. The proposed interlocal agreement will set the project schedule and deliverables, reporting requirements, and the funding schedule for the design phase. The project will be applied to 42 locations throughout the City, and the design features 5-foot-wide sidewalks that will be installed in areas where there are no sidewalks or areas with existing sidewalk gaps. Once the design is completed, the surtax award includes $2.6 million for construction funding.
The Commission agreed to delegate authority to the City Manager to adopt a resolution and approve the acceptance of a grant award from the Florida Inland Navigation District to fund up to 50% of the project cost – not to exceed $1.5 million – for the renovation of the Cooley’s Landing Marina. The grant requires the City to match the $1.5 million, of which $1.4 million in funding was generated from grants awarded by the Broward Boating Improvement Program and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The total project is estimated to cost $3 million and will include the demolition and rebuilding of the marina.
