Deerfield Beach commission presses for fiscal study as Broward Sheriff's Office seeks higher police, fire rates

City Manager Rodney Brimlow updated the Deerfield Beach City Commission on Sept. 8 about proposed contract offers from the Broward Sheriff's Office that would raise the city's police and fire costs and change how annual cost increases are calculated.

Brimlow said the sheriff's office submitted proposed fire and police contracts that would significantly increase the city's costs next fiscal year and remove existing caps on certain benefit increases. "On the fire side ... the gross change from last year to what the sheriff's office submitted to us as their request for this year is $3,900,000 increase, which is a gross increase of 11%," Brimlow told the commission. He added the fire proposal "exceeds the contractual cap by $1,100,000." On law enforcement, Brimlow said the sheriff's initial proposal would raise costs from $32.4 million to $35.7 million — a $3.3 million, 10% jump — and that, after analysis, the increase "exceeds the contractual cap by $1,200,000."

The manager said subsequent offers trimmed some of that growth; the most favorable counter the city had received on the police side reduced the gross increase to about $1.7 million (roughly 5.2%), accomplished in part through a proposed staffing reduction from 152 to 144 positions. Brimlow warned, however, that the sheriff's proposed contract language would carve out health-insurance increases and other post-employment benefits from the existing 5% annual cap and would remove the 9% cap that has applied to health insurance in prior agreements.

Why it matters

Commissioners said the proposed changes — particularly the removal of caps on health insurance and other post-employment benefits and a clause that would waive caps for the first two years of a new agreement — expose the city to uncertain, open-ended cost increases. Commissioner Michael Hudak said the proposals raise a fiscal and policy question for the city: "These proposals are for fiscal year 2026, but the contract only goes until 03/31/2026. ... Reducing staff also violates our contract," he said, adding that he would not agree to cuts in sworn personnel to meet the sheriff's numbers. Vice Mayor Preston described the proposed waiver of caps as comparable to signing a "blank check."

Discussion, not a decision

The item on Sept. 8 was listed as a discussion update, and the commission did not take a formal vote on any new contract. Several commissioners said they remain interested in continuing negotiations with BSO but want better, transparent fiscal data before committing to a multi-year deal. Commissioner Hudak asked for a comprehensive fiscal study and said he wanted the city to fully evaluate options — renewing with BSO under a revised contract, bringing police and/or fire in-house, or pursuing a regional partnership — before making any final decision.

Vice Mayor Preston and others asked the manager for a timeline for the fiscal analysis; Brimlow said he expected to assemble the necessary data within "60 to 90 days." Several commissioners urged public workshops and broader community engagement once fiscal scenarios are prepared.

What was in the BSO proposals

- Fire: BSO's initial request showed a $3.9 million (11%) increase for fiscal 2026, which the city said exceeds the contract's annual cap by $1.1 million. - Police: An initial 10% ($3.3 million) request was followed by a reduced offer of roughly $1.7 million (5.2%), which the manager said was achieved partly by removing roughly $216,000 in capital/operational items and proposing the elimination of several positions (the city summarized the staffing change as from 152 to 144 deputies). - Contract language: The sheriff's drafts would remove the existing 9% cap on health insurance increases and carve other post-employment benefits out of the 5% annual cap. The draft also included a provision the city would "waive the cap on the first 2 fiscal years of the agreement," which would subject the city to uncapped increases in years one and two of a new term, in the manager's description.

Public and labor reaction

Representatives of the Broward Sheriff's Office and local fire union members addressed the commission later in the meeting during public comment and items on retirement system participation. Major-level BSO personnel — who called for continued dialogue and offered package scenarios that they said could reduce the city's exposure — told commissioners they were willing to keep negotiating. Steve Bertuccio, president of IFF Local 4321, which represents many BSO fire-rescue personnel, said union members "want nothing more than to keep serving this great city for many years to come."

Next steps and constraints

Commissioners noted the current city contracts run through March 2026 and that the sheriff's termination letter triggers a transition period for services beginning Oct. 1. City Attorney staff said the existing agreement includes a transition provision under which BSO would continue to provide law enforcement and fire services for up to 24 months following termination, which means services would continue while the commission studies options. Several commissioners said they would not accept a multi-year contract that includes an unbounded waiver of cost caps. Hudak repeated that a full fiscal study is needed before the commission decides whether to pursue an in-house model, partner with another jurisdiction, or accept a revised BSO contract.

Ending

The commission left the discussion without adopting any new agreement. Commissioners asked the manager and staff to produce a fiscal analysis of options within roughly 60–90 days, hold transparent public workshops when results are ready, and continue negotiations with BSO in parallel. "We are still negotiating with BSO and are hopeful to continue our relationship," Commissioner Hudak said, while emphasizing the city's fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers.