City Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening. I'd like to call to order the regular City Commission meeting of the City of Hallandale Beach, Florida. Today is Wednesday, August 19th, 2026. The time is now 546 p.m. I apologize for our delay. We had a couple matters, but before we do begin, anybody that's listening or is hearing the news, we had AT&T broke a 16-inch water main. that is on sunset, but is actually the feed that feeds all of A1A. So anyone that is listening in to our meetings, you have socials, let everybody know. Our staff is diligently out there now working on that repair. And I don't have an ETA yet. In one ho

Madam Mayor, you have a quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Before we rise for the Pledge of Allegiance, I'd like to call to mind and conduct a silent prayer. We call to mind Ken Cohen. He was a true community partner. He's worked with PAL, worked with our schools. He had suddenly passed away last week. My prayers go out to all the staff that has worked with him and all of our community. Our prayers go out to his family. and we hope they find peace. We also pray for the Middle East as well as Ukraine, all the armed forces that are in harm's way, protecting people in harm's way. And we always call

Thank you, thank you so much. Okay, we have a few other housekeeping items. The pledge order of business. Could I have a motion to adopt the supplemental agenda, please? You have a motion. Second. I have a motion and a second. Could I have a roll call, please?

Thank you, Madam Clerk. I'm going to ask to pull item I from consent and have it heard in conjunction with the item number D. 10B. 10B. Could I have that as a form of a motion? I'll move it. I have a motion and a second. Could I have a roll call, please?

Motion carries 4-0. Thank you. I also want, in light of not having a resolution yet, we do have the policy that we move presentations before a public hearing. I'd like a motion to move the presentations after... before public participation. Do I have that in the form of a motion? Presentation before public participation. Yes, yeah. There's a resolution change that's coming forward. I have a motion. Do I have a second? I have a motion and a second.

Yes. Motion carries five zero. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Um, we are going to actually, um, introduce and bring forward Broward County public schools, superintendents presentation. And I know, um, ladies, you have the floor. Good to see you. Good to see you as well. Deputy. Deputy. I want to make sure I got it right. Deputy City. It's such an honor to have you here. And thank you so much for your hard work for all the schools.

third year in a row being in a district.

We're good. Thank you, ladies. I do have a couple questions, if you'll indulge me a bit. And I don't think, I attended one of the meetings in Sunrise a while back, and it kind of devolved more into the SRO issue. And I just want to reiterate, I'm glad that the school board backed off of what they had decided to do. I believe that partnership is extremely vital, and particularly in our case, now that we're moving to a four-day work week, school week, four days, so having our officers, and I think it's Captain Budnick now, or I don't know, whoever, having them there, knowing and getting to know

And it's not on a formula. It's not like our cities, you know, we had hard times. We went up to 8.2 mils and you were capped. Is there a formula for it?

You're not allowed at all? No. zero okay interesting so that that says volumes now now ask the other questions because i didn't get an answer like if you don't have plan b what is going to happen now if i recall when you did this last time it was for everyone across the board so you're really basically talking about like a bone not i don't want to say a bonus like a merit increase for the work during the year to provide for directly student not student teacher aides, all the staff, this isn't just teachers, it's everyone involved, whether it's Joy working in the cafeteria, and Annabelle watchi

And I know this, but this is your chance to, I'm just gonna ask questions, so, and I'll let my colleagues do the same thing. I'm really impressed by the numbers, because I've been here when we were a D school, so thank you, thank you for that. We were Ds and yeah, we were really struggling. But I had one more note. Give me one second. So that presentation, graduation rate, largest employer. That's interesting. I didn't know that.

Oh, that's what it is. Charter schools. Percentage or budget. Okay, that was percentage of budget. Oh, the mental health component. Is that an increase in staffing for mental health or is it just to make sure you're retaining what you have now? Are you making sure that we, what does that look like? Is it guidance counselors? Is it somebody in each school? What's the plus?

No, and I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask. Because I know it's needed and when I went to school, we always had like four guidance counselors and we had a nurse, we had all the bells and whistles. We wish we were still in those. Yeah, exactly, but go ahead.

What we have now. Okay, that's all the questions I had. Commissioner Butler.

Thank you, Mayor. First of all, I just wanted to say congratulations. That's incredible work for you to do. I can't imagine how much you had to put in to get that kind of a change. So huge congratulations to you. I am very proud and happy to pay my school board property taxes. My children do not attend school here in Broward County. But I tell people all the time. It's an investment in our future and I know that sounds pithy It's incredibly true and I'm happy to pay it and frankly I don't think teachers get paid enough for the work that they do the lowest in the nation Yeah, so you're literall

Thank you, Mayor. So I have a question for you. What is the current millage rate charged to residents at school board? What's the current millage rate charged?

Aside from this, what is the current millage rate?

I mean, I know that, I believe you still have a, you haven't decided what the... Right, we're not finished with our... You're not finished, but for last year, you don't know what the millage rate is? So then I'm guessing you might not know. So the $418 per home, that's aside from this, I understand. So what is a single family? So a homeowner living in a home, aside from this $418, what are they paying every year? Last year, what is a single family home versus a condominium? not including the $418 or $230 for. Right, so there should be a breakdown. Is it like $730 per household or?

I had my last year trim because I keep it with my budget and I didn't, I know. They should know that. Oh.

If you do a presentation, you have to have that information.

No, no, I'm asking aside of this knowledge. So there's the breakdown. Is it? $740.00.

No, but this is like a dependent, right? When you were saying this is not dependent on a, right? This is just a number, like a working public, right?

Like what average house is that bid? Like we know our average house value is $450,000 or something, $455,000. And if it's countywide, that's probably a higher figure if it's countywide.

If I add it all up, it's 6.4527. Thank you.

Okay. If you can, at some point, somebody can come back to me with that number. Thank you.

Okay. Commissioner Adams. Yeah, I just want to say thank you very much for all that you do. I've been involved with the high school for four years now. I'm going on my fifth year next week with the SAC meetings. And I tell you, the principal and the teachers, they work very hard for these children. And it's a shame that a lot of parents don't realize it, but I'm there every month at those meetings. And they really, Ms. Peters does a fantastic program. She's got the EMTs there, the airplane, the mechanics going now, and just a fantastic job. So thank you all to you for what you do.

Thank you. Any other questions? Dr. Earl or staff or anything? We're good? Again, thank you so much. We appreciate you. We appreciate your hard work. Thank you. We're good? Thank you. Look forward to, I love the drone room at Hallandale High. It's amazing. They have a whole room now with drones. Live drone lab. Ah, water's back on. Anybody that's like, phone's blowing up, whatever. So, yay.

Okay. Next update. No, we're good? Okay. Public participation. Yes, that's me.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. I apologize. I jumped to it too quickly. Go ahead.

No, thank you. I actually thank you for the hard work, first of all, and your commitment to the Hepburn Center is really vital. I have community partners like you to help the center and make sure of its success and that we address the needs of all ages that really go there for respite or education or just socialization. It's really nice. Secondly, it's a great event, and I play a little pickleball too, but if you haven't gone, definitely come out for the day. We all have a blast doing this. And yeah, so I was gonna bring it. I gave you my flyer, but we'll keep pushing it. And certainly, even i

Thank you, Anthony. Thank you. Thanks. Give me one, Anthony. All right. Anthony. Well, this is my color. Anthony.

Thank you. Pardon me. Oh, that's a good. I'm sorry. Boiled water notice for everybody on the beach. West of probably Hibiscus. Hibiscus, yes. Everybody on Hibiscus. And east. Okay, I don't want to get I'm sorry through dr Earl could you just confirm because I don't want to get anybody confused on what they need to do or not do so What would be properly?

So, but I'm hearing it happened on Hibiscus, so it's really east of Hibiscus, not Hibiscus itself. I think it's gonna get confusing if we don't just say hibiscus. If we don't just say hibiscus, I think it's gonna get so many people confused. I would say hibiscus and everything on South Ocean. All right, thank you. Thank you so much. Appreciate you.

We don't need a robocall. That's a robocall. Oh, robocall. I thought you said robocall. I'm so sorry. No, no, that's okay. That's fine.

I just want to make a general statement about public comments that... Thanks. That although I don't always respond, because sometimes it's just not, this is not the appropriate forum, I listen to what everyone has to say, and I will, I do follow up after public comments if I deem that it's appropriate, and I will do so tonight as well. Thank you. Thank you.

I didn't get the chance to say that, but okay, next week. Cheryl Robinson.

First of all, Ms. Robinson, I resent some of your posts of anti-Semitism that I have proof of, and you cannot stand here and suggest that you support Jewish people. You Jewish people. Yeah. No. Have at it. Have at it. Have at it. Have at it. Have at it. Antisemitic crazy.

I am tired of the antisemitism, the lying. I will not tolerate it in this chamber.

I need to say something. Of course she wouldn't stay. She wouldn't stay. But for people watching and even for our staff members and employees, because she said some – I'm really tired of it too. I'm really, really pissed off and really tired of it. I come to commission meetings and I have to put up with bullshit about Jews and Zionists and Israel and Israel first. And it's like – it's just like – It's every day we get hit, and she sat here and said really inappropriate things. So I wanted to use this as an educational moment, but of course she won't sit here and listen, because that's what she

I wasn't going to say anything, but she went Jewish, so I'm like done that too. Sorry. Yesterday she did show up and had to be told to sit down the minute I started my speech, the minute I opened up my mouth about Israel. So I won't tolerate it. So thank you for that, and thank you. No more speakers. Sorry. Not letting that shade go. And God bless you. You have our full support.

You're a great leader and we don't, let her look around this room of our diversity and our commitment to our community. It's sinful what she comes in here and does and disgrace people. It's a disgrace.

It's a disgrace to Northwest Hallandale too, quite honestly. It's a disgrace to the west side of the city as well.

Okay. Approval of the draft minutes, please. You need a motion, right? I have a motion and a second. Could I have a roll call, please?

Commissioner Adams? Yes. Commissioner Butler? Yes. Motion carries 4-0. Thank you. Does anyone wish to pull any of the items from consent? I'd like to pull C and H. C and H. Okay. Wastewater and H would be the EV bus facility. Okay, great. Do I have a motion then from A, B... D, E, F, G, and J, please.

I have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. Could I have a roll call, please? Commissioner Adams. Yes. Commissioner Butler. Yes.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Item A, Resolution C, 26296, Resolution Mayor and City Commission of the City of Hallandale Beach, Florida, authorizing a change order to the city's agreement with Southern Underground Industries to extend the existing temporary wastewater bypass system for an additional six months for a cost of $139,400. I'm glad you pulled it, but this is all three islands? That bypass where the pump is, I guess?

No, this is number seven, lift station number seven.

Okay, go ahead. You're recognized. I knew you pulled it, but I'm like another six months.

I really just wanted to see if we could get an update on what's going on and that's requiring the additional six months. I know there's a lot going on. Doctor, I'll thank you first for sending out an update on the lift station progress. We had some time ago for a different lift station closed, was it 12th? Right by your house. It's closed again. and it's been closed for quite some time. The lift station right, yeah. It had closed for a period of time. There was a date specific time that it was gonna be closed. We opened it back up again, it's closed again, and now they've also closed the stree

I'll talk to you later about it. Okay. It's a great thing.

Okay, so I was just, honestly, I support the item. I understand a lot going on. I was just hoping to get a little update. I get people asking me questions all the time, and I have no idea what to tell them, so. Sorry. Yes, sir. And if you'd rather do that in an email. No, no, no, no. Whatever is easier for the staff, yeah? No, absolutely not. All right.

And is the easement something that we were unaware of?

Okay, is that what's caused us then to have to do this additional six-month of temporary bypass? Yeah, I mean, I would imagine we don't want to have it on temporary bypass more than we have to, but okay.

And finalize it, okay. I think it's good to hear, so thank you for sharing that with me. Appreciate it.

Wait, did you say get the contractor out because the contractor would be done? Okay. easement first that's what i heard uh motion to approve did you want to say something i'm sorry i'll only thank you very very much for the time you spent addressing this nightmare that is taking place on 12th avenue and i'll leave it at that your diligence your commitment the time you spent and the empathy you've shared to be continued. There's a lot going on. Okay, thank you. I have a motion and a second. Could I have a roll call, please?

Thanks. I thought this was three islands. Now really get me going. She got me going, now this will get me going again. I was very calm until the end. That was it for consent.

Ordinance of the City of Hallandale Beach, Florida relating to city stormwater utility fees providing for collection of assessed stormwater utility fees as non-advalorum assessments on the annual property tax bill providing the amount of stormwater management service costs to be funded by the non-advalorum assessment in fiscal year 2026-27, approving the method of calculating stormwater non-advalorum assessment. approving the stormwater non ad valorem assessment role, imposing assessments upon all tax parcels described in the assessment role, approving collection of the stormwater service asse

Thank you, Mayor. So I just want to make sure I got this straight. So this item is, this and its companion item, right, 9A and 9B, are... both for the stormwater and us changing this to putting it on the tax bill. And we're also changing it to the ERU for commercial, residential is to be determined. We're not changing residential to ERU at this time, right? Right, okay. So, and I still, and obviously I think that the residential from a, the methodology for residential isn't equitable the way that it is today, but I know we may change that at a later date. Here's my question. So the last time t

In this Stantec presentation? Yeah, that's correct.

This makes the cost-benefit even better.

Yeah, that's great. I missed the... the cost benefit, so that was what I had asked last time and what I was looking for and I did not see it. So it's good to at least identify that it shows a total cost savings to the city, so I'm pleased with that.

No, it's great. So the items that we're approving tonight is not just moving it to, it's also the increase as well, right?

And our intention is to do that with residential too?

Okay, great. Thank you very much. Great work.

Okay, any other questions? I already opened and closed the public hearing, so it would be appropriate entertain a motion on first and set Regan for next 914 914 I have a motion and I have a second could I have a roll call please yes yes

Thank you so much. Item B, an ordinance of mayor and city commission of the city of Parler related to the city stormwater utility system. Amending section 30-241 of the city's code of ordinances to provide that the method used by the city to calculate, determine the amount of stormwater management utility fees imposed by the city to fund stormwater services, facilities, and capital improvements may be determined by resolution and that such utility fees may be collected as non ad valorem assessments pursuant to section 197-3632 and 403.0893 Florida statutes by direct billing or any other collec

Second. I have a motion and a second. No further discussion. Could I please have a roll call?

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Item 10, ordinances on second reading. An ordinance of the mayor and the city commission of the city of Hallandale Beach, Florida, amending chapter 15, public nuisance abatement, revising the process for filing complaint procedures for hearing and other updates. and providing for servability, codification, and effective dates. This is the second reading. It is sponsored by Commissioner Annabelle Lima-Tobb. The item was adopted on August 5th, 2026 on a 5-0 roll call vote. And I will turn it over to my colleagues for discussion.

Thank you, Mayor. I don't know what the correct process is. It's through the city manager. Deputy Chief Tua has a presentation.

I have a quick question. Go, go, go. non-senior officers is that a way to is that a term like the the road patrol officers be i don't know if trained is not the right word but like will every officer know about this yes commissioner so every time anytime we

I have a motion and a second. Thank you so much for bringing this forward and updating this. Appreciate your initiative. Could I have a roll call, please?

Yes. Motion carries 4-0. Thank you. Item B, an ordinance of the Mayor and the City Commission of the City of Hallandale Beach, Florida, amending Chapter 20, Article 1, City Cemetery to modernize the operation and administration of Hallandale Beach Cemetery, providing for survivability, providing for conflicts, providing for codification. and providing for an effective date this is a second reading and it was um adopted on august 5th 2026 on a 5-0 roll call vote and we are reading this as well in regards to the Fee structure, and that would be item I-26-320, a resolution of the mayor and city c

Thank you. We're good? Any other questions? Oh, Commissioner Butler. Thank you, Mayor.

I just want a couple quick questions. I just want to make sure I understand. So first of all, I love the... the way that we, I don't know, am I asking? I don't know who to talk to. You did our presentation last time, right? Maybe Dr. Earle. So through Dr. Earle. First of all, I love the change here, right? So going to a fixed rate with a discount is brilliant. I think that works a lot better than the standard rate. What was interesting in the And I don't know which backup material I was looking at.

We don't want a presentation or anything.

Yeah, yeah, no, I don't want a presentation. I just have one quick question that I want to clarify to make sure that I'm straight on this. So the $89.95, what I saw, is significantly above market rates for Broward County, based on the presentation that you guys shared from what I saw. So... What we're doing essentially is pricing the non-residents out and then giving a discount to the residents so that we encourage residents. That's the benefit to residents. Am I stating that fairly?

Premium is even better. Much better. Oh my gosh, we have a bunch of sales people now. I know, you guys are good, man.

I think that's a great way to do it. So it's a, okay, so the next question is, the only thing I, so in the presentation, As a resident, I can buy using my resident discount and transfer it to an immediate family member. What if my immediate family member is not a Hallandale resident? Okay, so that's in there. That's all I want to ask. That's my only question.

All right, so it has to be transferred to an authorized family member who is a resident of Hallandale in order to retain the discount. Otherwise, they pay the discount. difference.

Got it. I saw the restriction about back to the city. I just didn't see to a non-resident. Thank you. That was it. I'm sorry to make you come all the way down here.

I just have one question. I was over at Foster Park yesterday. No. And right at the corner, across from Foster Park, I mean, Martin Luther King Dream Center, on the corner, the headstone was from the 1800s, okay? And it was very tarnished, and the lady's name was O'Hanson. Do we clean the headstones? Who takes care of that? This one was like really... dirty like I really had to strain to see her name but I remember Joe Hanson and she's right there on the corner right next to the street so she's getting a lot of dirt but I didn't know do we do that do we sandblast the headstones to clean them

I mean to clean them, to make them look nice?

It's a low one. It wasn't like one of those like we have in the back. This one is up front. It was a low, looked like a husband and wife were there. Okay, I was just asking. Okay, thank you.

You really hit the ground running, so thank you for your contributions to cemetery already. That's a great job. Thank you.

Okay, I had a motion, and I don't have a motion and a second on the ordinance yet. May I have one? I do, I have it. Oh, you have it? No, you're right, I don't. I know. Second, I'll open, did I open and close public at? You did not. This is a public hearing. Anyone wishing to speak on this item may do so at this time. Seeing no one approach, I'll close the public hearing and may I have a roll call vote?

I forgot something. When we had started talking about doing this,

All of a sudden, I started getting a lot of cemetery deeds. People were buying the deeds, realizing that we're going to change the prices. Look at Jeremy. He's like, yeah. And there's people I know. It's like, oh, my God. I hope nothing's wrong with you. But we can't go retro, can we?

I'm, like, sorry, because I was going to, like, not...

No. Okay. But I wasn't sure if it was. It's not a financial investment opportunity. The application is kind of weak. Did we update the application as well? Well, I'll let the department. City manager.

Yes. Do I have a motion for the fee structure, please? I have a motion. Do I have a second? A motion and a second. Could I have a roll call, please?

Thank you. And we're going to jump right into communications. Commissioner Adams. Yes.

I just want to say thank you to staff, how hard you work. You all do such an excellent job, and I'm happy to be with you all. So thank you for all that you do.

Thank you. Thank you. Commissioner Lehmann. Oh, Commissioner Butler.

You heard enough from me earlier. Thank you. I have no comments.

Same here. Oh, my gosh. You guys are going to kill me now. Now we're just going to freak out. I have comments. First of all.

You said you had no comments tonight. We're so lucky.

Thanks. Oh, you're lucky. Really cut me a break. Now, first of all, thank you for listening to me about the storage at Big Easy. They figured logistically that they found somewhere else. I was looking at some of the back notes. I have just a few things. Now, if I can read my... I need to ask permission for something, which I delayed asking, and I forgot during all our workshops. and I'll put it this way, many mayors have been, and commissioners, and different agencies, rather than doing pins and stuff like that, they actually have charger coins, and they use the city's information, city logos,

Why do you, I hate that. Well, I have to ask.

It's the city. I have to ask permission. Why? I'm going to make a motion. It's a use of the city logo. I'm going to make the motion that I'm like, yeah, I have a motion. I have a second. All in favor, say aye. Aye. And just full transparency. Thank you for that. I paid for them myself, so they're done.

Oh, you already paid for it. Assuming we were going to vote you. Do I see one?

Pass it to him. Oh, there it is. Oh, it waits. She just happens to have it. No, I realized. She just happens to have it. I was like, oh, my God, you have to take it out. And it's kind of cool. And if you want one, I have a friend, Mayor, that makes them. Well, he doesn't. He designs them for fun. He doesn't make money off them.

I think you're making assumptions. What would we, if we said no? I didn't know.

I just realized. I presume. No, because, well, I have to, like, not put them in.

Do you have some things you spent money on that you want to? This looks great. This is very nice.

Not enough. No, I did. As a matter of fact, everybody's like, can I have one?

I'm kidding. No, I'll bring some more. They're very nice. No, no, no. Give it back to her. I have more. She's much more important. Please.

Here. There you go. She collects them. But they're very nice. Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. And forgive me.

I thought Dr. Earl was going to bring it back as an item, right? The street lights issue? Yeah, he's going to bring it back.

Okay, because we can't really make a motion because it's really a district type of thing. It's coming back. Yeah. Yeah. Well, maybe we'll bring it up because we will have budget hearings about them.

Bring it for the budget. Thank you. Any other notes?

Any other notes? Um, the other thing I do, obviously, um, Amendment three, Broward County has produced some collaterals. They did not send them to elected yet. They sent them to the city manager. I didn't give this to you, Dr. Earl, but this is the information. I don't love the campaign so far. It's like educate on three. I showed, and I forgot to send it. Florida League, I sent Florida League a button that says, ask me about three. And it meets the standard instead of education. And I asked, it might, not everybody wants to be a billboard, but did you give it any more food for thought whether

I don't know. That's why I'm bringing it up. I'm not saying yes, because I might get that myself as well. If anybody wants one, I'm going to probably produce them if Florida League doesn't do it. Because whatever they have just says educate on three, and it's not even catching. It's not even a hook. I was like, they could have paid me for a better opinion. You just have to be careful about it. Well, it's education, so ask me about three. It's not say vote no. It's not vote anything. It's just a matter of saying ask me about it.

Because I know we've done before on the like parks bonds and stuff like that, but it was very calculated. Okay, that explains a lot. I'll leave it at that then.

okay and we talked about pickleball already the only other thing um on tuesday at six o'clock in this chamber we are inviting the general public to come at a meeting to discuss and give input for the two up to 200.

100th anniversary celebration. The idea is to really just have people come, we'll get them to sign in, we're gonna have boards, we're gonna pull out ideas, and then we'll put dots, they'll collectively have dots and put dots what their ideas is, and we'll formulate it. And my goal after that is to sit down with staff, whoever is directed by, of course, Dr. Earle, to figure out what, you know. I know, but I'm being open and transparent. And if you want to come, I welcome your participation. Tuesday at 6, I'll promise to get you out of here. I know.

I don't think she'll be devastated if we don't show up.

Oh, my God. You guys are awful. Just totally awful. And I'm going to make it abundantly clear and make it clear to the public that we already have teed up an event for Pegasids for Food and Groove. And that was just one idea. But we want to work. That's it right now? No, that's kind of going to be part of it.

Mayor, you have carte blanche. Whatever it is that you want to do. There you go. You heard it, city manager.

Okay, that's it. All right. No, no. I do have a little bit. No, no, no, no, no. Just a little bit. I have other things now. I'm joking. Go ahead. You do? Go ahead. No, I'm joking. I'm going to hold off on it until next meeting because I need to vet it a little bit more.

That's even better because we can arrest the scoundrels.

Yes, love it. We just need to reinforce it.

Thank you very much. Great. Thank you. That's it?

At least it wasn't a two and a half hour conversation.

I haven't heard that word scoundrel in a long time.

The scoundrels. The scoundrels. Go ahead.