It appears that a new 911 Tower will be built at West Lake Park. Even though the Hollywood Commission strongly opposed placing the tower there, the Broward County Commission has indicated it should be placed at the park. The Hollywood Commission did not take official action to terminate the Interlocal Agreement.
The Hollywood Commission strongly opposed putting the tower in West Lake Park and wanted it placed at the CIRC Hotel. The Hollywood Commission and the Broward Commission agreed to participated in an Interlocal Agreement to hire an outside consultant to study the issue and determine where the tower should be placed. Monetti and Associates was hired and conducted the study.
Gary Monetti, the founder and managing director of the company led the research and effort and determined that the tower should go in at West Lake Park. Monetti made a presentation at a recent Commission meeting. He said that it would cost less and be more practical to place the tower in West Lake rather than putting antenna equipment on the CIRC. He believed it would be easier to maintain the equipment at West Lake Park. The research found that the radio signal would work with at both the CIRC and the West Lake location. Under agreement, both parties would accept the findings of the consultant.
People who live near West Lake Park have said they believe a tower should not be located there because it would damage the overall appearance of the area. They have attended both Hollywood Commission and Broward Commission meeting to state their feelings.
The Broward Commission has maintained that work on the tower should have begun by now and that the West Lake site is better. But they were willing agree to hire a consultant to study the matter.
Commissioner Caryl Shuham said she was disappointed with the report and believed that the consultant did not do independent research on the cost of building and maintaining the tower. She believed the ILA agreement should be terminated. Mayor Josh Levy also said he was disappointed with the report.
Monetti said he stood by his research and that if it were done again, the results would be the same.
