If you want to get these breakdowns for every meeting >> https://realpompano.substack.com/p/real-pompano-rundown

Details:

• Thursday, November 13 at 1 p.m.
• Commission Chamber

I know it can feel futile to speak at these meetings, and so, many residents don’t come, thanks to certain commissioners, who always vote the same way, despite what residents want, but it’s important to come anyway.

And remember, your voice may not matter to them right now, but it will in the upcoming election in November, so make sure your voice is heard when it comes time to vote.

Important votes

Major Financial/Infrastructure Items

Oceanside Parking Garage: Awarding a $32.9 million design-build contract to Whiting-Turner Contracting

Highlights:

• Final design and permitting would begin in summer 2026, with completion targeted for fall 2027.
• If the project passes, Whiting-Turner is the top choice contractor.
• City staff anticipate issuing about $31 million in debt associated with the new parking garage next summer, with an estimated maximum annual debt service of $2.3 million based on current market rates.
• City engineers indicated that ⁠⁠85% of the 275 parking spaces at the existing surface lot west of A1A will be lost while the city builds the Oceanside parking garage.
• To reduce parking disruptions, city staffers propose maintaining about 40 spaces on the current lot where the Oceanside garage will be built. Public parking for 200 cars would also be proposed on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway adjacent to the Atlantic Boulevard bridge.
• Another aspect of the parking management plan would be an expansion of the current “Circuit” on-demand golf cart service.

(source)

Equipment Lease: $6 million lease purchase agreement with JPMorgan Chase over 5 years

• Does NOT say for what equipment

Approval of a budget adjustment to align the Emergency Medical Services Fund budget and eliminate a negative variance in Fiscal Year 2025.

• The EMS Fund is running $790,000 short of what was budgeted. They need to reallocate money to cover the deficit.
• Critical Questions the Agenda Doesn’t Answer:
  • Why is there a shortfall? (Higher call volume? Equipment costs? Staffing expenses? Revenue shortfall?)
  • Where is the $790,000 coming from? (General fund? Reserves? Other department budgets?)
  • Is this a one-time issue or ongoing problem?
  • What’s the total EMS budget? (Context for how big this gap is)

Grants & Agreements:

Sheriff’s Office overtime grant ($34,553) for targeted patrols

• Grant Details:
  • Amount: $34,553
  • Purpose: Pay for overtime hours for Sheriff’s Office personnel in targeted areas of the city
  • Partners: City of Pompano Beach and Gregory Tony, Sheriff of Broward County
• This is deliberately vague language. In policing terms, “targeted areas” and “overtime patrols” typically indicate:
• Crime hotspots: Areas with elevated crime statistics that need additional police presence beyond regular patrol coverage
• Problem-oriented policing: Concentrating resources on specific locations/times with recurring issues (drug activity, gang presence, property crimes, etc.)
• Community concerns: Neighborhoods where residents have complained about safety issues
• Special events: Though usually those have different funding mechanisms
• Questions Worth Asking:
  • What specific neighborhoods/corridors are targeted?
  • What crime statistics justify these targeted patrols?
  • Is this related to any recent incidents or crime trends?
  • How many officer hours does $34,553 buy?
  • Is this grant renewable or one-time?
  • What metrics will measure success?

Last, VERY IMPORTANT item

Charter amendment on term limits

• Amends the City Charter (Florida Special Acts 1957) to impose term limits on Mayor and Commissioners while simultaneously:
  • Expanding future terms of office for City Commissioners
  • Staggering the terms so they don’t all expire at once
• Critical Details:
  • Status: First reading (postponed from October 14, 2025)
  • Voter approval required: Goes to referendum in November 2026 general election
  • Takes effect: Only if approved by majority of voters
• What the Agenda DOESN’T Tell You: The agenda language is vague on the most important details:
  • How many terms are allowed before limits kick in?
  • How long are the expanded terms? (Currently what? Expanding to what?)
  • When do current commissioners’ terms expire?
  • Who benefits from the staggering arrangement?
  • Do current terms count toward the limits (grandfather clause)?
• Why This Matters - HUGE Political Implications:
  • Incumbent Protection vs. Reform
    • Term limits can be genuinely reformist OR a political maneuver
    • Expanding terms while adding limits could entrench current officials
    • Staggering prevents wholesale turnover (makes challenges harder)
  • Timing Questions
    • Why now?
    • Why was it postponed from October?
    • Goes to voters November 2026 - after the next city election cycle?
  • Power Dynamics
    • Does this lock in current leadership during a sensitive redevelopment period?
    • Does term expansion give current commissioners more years before limits hit?
    • Could this be preemptive - preventing future challenges?
• Questions:
  • Structure:
    • Current term lengths vs. proposed?
    • How many terms are allowed?
    • When do various commissioners’ current terms expire?
    • How does staggering get implemented - who gets longer/shorter terms?
  • Political Motivations:
    • Who proposed this? Which commissioners support/oppose?
    • What’s the stated justification?
    • Why bundle term limits WITH expansion and staggering?
    • Any commissioners planning to retire who might benefit from expanded terms first?
  • Campaign Finance Angle:
    • Given your investigation into developer relationships, does term expansion give current commissioners more time to deliver on deals?
    • Do any commissioners have campaign contributors who benefit from them staying in office longer?
  • Comparison:
    • What do other similarly-sized Florida cities do?
    • Is this considered reform or entrenchment by governance experts?
  • The Postponement:
    • Why was it postponed from October 14?
    • What changed between then and now?
    • Was there public opposition or commissioner disagreement?

Less Important Votes:

• Safe Streets grant ($320,000) for comprehensive safety action plan
  • Purpose: Develop a Local Comprehensive Safety Action Plan for City roadways
  • Grant Details:
    • Total funding: $400,000
    • Federal grant: $320,000 (80%)
    • City match: $80,000 (20%)
  • Questions Worth Asking:
    • Which roadways/corridors are already identified as concerns?
    • Will this include pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure?
    • How does this tie into the city’s overall infrastructure planning?
    • What’s the timeline for completing the plan?
• FDOT landscape maintenance amendments
• Florida East Coast Railway crossing agreement modifications
• Healthcare facility use definitions and standards
• Plat approval procedures (complying with new state law)
• Synthetic turf standards
• Building height and setback measurement clarifications
• Investment advisory services contract with PFM Asset Management
• Fire logistics facility lease ($306,375 for 18 months)
• Ring buoy donations for parks
• Several board appointments