The Landings & Bay Colony

10

Commissioner’s Message

Bruce G. Roberts

District 1 Commissioner

CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE WORKING TO BRING 911 Communications Back:

Select staff within the City, are working to return 911 operations, including call
takers and dispatch, to the City of Fort Lauderdale. In January, a team was formed
with key members from Information Technology Services (ITS), Fire, Police, Human
Resources, Public Works and the City Manager’s Office. The team meets weekly to
discuss options regarding location, layout, technology needs, hiring and training of
911 staff, and project management. Team members suggest non-emergency public
safety calls be incorporated and consolidated with 911 operations. One
consideration is to cross train non-emergency call takers and 911 call takers as a
best practice. The team has determined that hiring a consultant with expertise in
developing, managing and operating a 911 Communications Center is necessary.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) is being developed to establish the requisites for the
consultant. Team members contacted Broward Sheriff’s Office for our City’s data
and statistics to be incorporated in the RFP. The current vision will allow the
consultant to manage the entire project, providing a turn-key solution. The chosen
consultant will design the project and provide a cost analysis, implement the project
and hire and train staff with input from Police and Fire management, and operate
the center for a given amount of time. The consultant will then turn over operations
to the City. Team members are currently researching any possible grant money
available for this solution. The RFP should be completed and submitted sometime in
May. Choosing a suitable location has been a challenge. The old Bank Atlantic
building on West Cypress Creek Boulevard and in close proximity to the City’s
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is currently being considered. The team has
toured the location and is evaluating possible space. For essential technology
connection, it will be necessary to run fiber optics between this building and the
EOC. Public Works has been consulted to perform the task of dredging
underground to lay and connect the fiber between the buildings. The building’s
wind load rating is a concern amongst team members. They are currently
evaluating materials being used for roof renovations. It is imperative that the City’s
911 Communications Center withstand a Category 5 hurricane. The team will
continue to meet weekly and put continuous effort into developing a detailed
project plan and total cost for this vital undertaking. In the meantime, please
continue to advise us of problems you may encounter with the current system.

CITY RECOGNITION:

Fort Lauderdale is the first of Florida’s cities to earn

Municipal Certification from the International Organization for Standardization,
following successful implementation of a comprehensive strategic management
system exceeding global quality standards. Our citywide management system,
developed as a framework to deliver quality services that build community, is based
on these principles: neighbor satisfaction, leadership, community builder
involvement, process enhancement, a systematic approach to management, factual
decision-making, mutually beneficial supplier relationships and continual
improvement. The International Organization for Standardization is an
independent, non-governmental entity comprised of subject matter experts that
develop international standards to support innovative and facilities solutions to
global challenges. Fort Lauderdale and Dallas are the only Cities in the United
States to achieve this certification. In addition, the City’s water and sewer bonds
have just earned the AA+ rating from Standard & Poor’s, reflecting “a strong
service area economy, low industry risk, strong market position, and very strong
operational management assessment.” And Moody’s Investor Services has assigned