By Benjamin Paley and David Volz
The month of December has passed, and with it several resolutions and ordinances. Within the Commission Chambers, members of the Hollywood City Commission made decisions on behalf of the city residents.
There were five public meetings held by the various city boards and governing bodies of Hollywood in December. Here are the government meetings that took place during the month of December:
- A Technical Advisory Committee meeting on December 2
- A Regular Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting on December 4
- A Regular City Commission Meeting on December 4
- A Planning and Development Board Meeting on December 12
- An Historic Preservation Board Meeting on December 17
David Volz has attended the City Commission Meetings and reported on issues of importance to the residents of Hollywood.
Here is a summary of what Hollywood Gazette reporter David Volz reported on.
The Broward School Board approves calendar for 2020/21 year. Broward County Public Schools students and teachers will get a whole week off for Thanksgiving from November 23-27 next year.
This decision was approved by the Broward County School Board as part of their calendar for the next academic year.
The Board voted to approve the 2020/21 school year at its meeting on December 10. The students of the Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) will start the 2020/21 school year on Wednesday, August 19, 2020. The first day for teachers is Wednesday, August 12, 2020. The new school year calendar follows the current school year’s early, midweek start.
Key calendar dates include:
First day of school – Wednesday, August 19, 2020.
School Thanksgiving Break – Monday, November 23 through Friday, November 27, 2020
School Winter Break – Monday, December 21, 2020 through Friday, January 1, 2021
School Spring Break – Monday, March 22 through Friday, March 26, 2021
Last day of school – Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Click here for the full academic calendar.
Hollywood Commission approves contract with Motorola Solutions. The Hollywood Commission remains committed to placing radio dispatch antennas at The Circ Hotel. It passed a resolution to allow city leaders to execute an agreement with Motorola Solutions for a P25 ASR Proposal Study for an estimated amount of $103,000. This comes after a recent grand jury report found that there is too much infighting among various Broward County law enforcement agencies over the placement of radio communication equipment.
Hollywood City Manager and City Attorney receive a pay increase. Three City of Hollywood administrators will be receiving pay increases.
The Office of Human Resources recently conducted salary studies for the City Manager and City Attorney positions.
They were not asked to do a similar study for the CRA director.
The study showed both the city attorney and city managers salaries were well below the average for their peers in Broward County, thereby warranting the adjustments.
City Manager Dr. Wazir Ishmael will see an increase from $240,448 to $261,497.
City Attorney Douglas Gonzalez will see an increase from $200,844 to $233,373.
CRA director Jorge Camejo will see an increase from $176,280 to $179,805.
Hollywood works with Yellow Green Market to correct problems. Efforts are continuing to correct problems at the Yellow Green Market. The City of Hollywood will be entering into a stipulated agreement with the owner of the property.
The agreement explains that they have until the March Planning and Development Board meeting to come into compliance. Should they choose not to comply by the deadline, then decisions will need to be made on where both parties go from there, according to Joann Hussey, spokesperson for Hollywood.
Hollywood Commission approves major purchases. The Hollywood Commission approved some major purchases during a recent meeting.
- To allow city leaders to issue a blanket purchase order to Intercounty Engineering, Inc. for miscellaneous lift station rehabilitation, repair, and replacement in an amount not to exceed $500,000.
- To issue a blanket purchase order to A to Z Metal Fabrication, Inc. for metal fabrication and welding services in an estimated amount of $518,250.
- To issue a purchase order to Wapro Inc. for the purchase of inline check valves in an amount not to exceed $242,150.
- To a blanket purchase order with Beach Raker for beach cleanup for an annual amount not to exceed $338,750.
- To a blanket purchase order to Nycom, Inc. for the replacement of lab furniture and fume hoods in the utilities lab in the total amount of $139,495.
- To a work order with Hazen and Sawyer to provide professional engineering services for the sewer expansion basin prioritization, in an amount not to exceed $79,561.