Council approves remediation plan, police equipment purchases, camera systems and severance agreement

Milford City Council voted on six ordinances Feb. 4, approving payments and contracts for environmental remediation, police equipment upgrades and a personnel severance, the council announced at the meeting.

The most immediate approvals authorized the city manager to proceed with remediation work and a set of police capital purchases. Council also adopted an ordinance authorizing a severance agreement with a named employee.

Why it matters: The council’s approvals commit city funds and vendor contracts for public-safety technology and a cleanup effort on a downtown parking lot; the remediation work will be submitted to state regulators and completed under a state review schedule. The police purchases are intended to replace aging equipment, move evidence storage to the cloud and expand license-plate–capture coverage through a third-party camera vendor.

What the council approved (each item passed unless noted):

- Terracon remedial action-plan agreement (Ordinance 25-333): Council authorized a supplemental agreement with Terracon Consultants Inc. to prepare a remedial action plan for the former Sours/Milford Marathon property for an amount not to exceed $9,000. The ordinance states earlier Tier 2 evaluations cost $16,850 and $14,750; the $9,000 is the supplemental cost for the remedial action-plan submission. The ordinance says the state will review the submission in roughly 30–45 days and the remediation typically must be completed within one year of approval. Vote: unanimous approval (Councilmembers Price, Parrish, Velardo, Thompson and Cooper recorded yes votes during the adoption roll call).

- Two patrol vehicles and outfitting (Ordinance 25-334): The city manager was authorized to purchase two Chevrolet Tahoes from Tim Lally Chevrolet per state cooperative bid at a combined cost not to exceed $104,056 and to contract with PAR Public Safety Equipment to install emergency equipment at a cost not to exceed $44,867. The ordinance notes competitive bidding was not required because purchases use the State of Ohio cooperative purchasing agreement. Vote: unanimous approval.

- Flock camera system (Ordinance 25-335): Council authorized the purchase and installation of nine cameras from Flock Group Inc. for $27,000. During discussion, Councilmember Parrish voted no on the motion to adopt; the ordinance passed 4–1 (Yes: Price, Velardo, Thompson, Cooper. No: Parrish). The ordinance requires standard contract terms and is effective immediately upon passage.

- Body cameras, in-car cameras and data storage (Ordinance 25-336): Council authorized a contract with Motorola Solutions to replace body cameras, in-car cameras and data storage for the police department for $36,723.15. The ordinance notes the current platform has reached end-of-life, and the replacement moves storage to the cloud. Vote: unanimous approval.

- Mobile data computers (Ordinance 25-337): Council authorized the purchase of replacement mobile data computers from RCIC (Regional Crime Information Center) for $24,736.50; RCIC will absorb 50% of the cost per the presentation. Vote: unanimous approval.

- Severance agreement (Ordinance 25-338): Council authorized the city manager to execute a severance agreement and general release with Joe Castillo (named in the ordinance). The ordinance text was incorporated by reference; council adopted the ordinance by roll call. Vote: unanimous approval.

Background and context: Several of the police-related purchases were discussed at length in the Committee of the Whole portion of the meeting, with Police Chief Jamie Mills describing the operational need for improved data access in missing-person searches and for migration off an unsupported evidence-storage server. Chief Mills said Flock license-plate data provide a 30-day lookback and that the vendor’s acceptable-use policy excludes facial recognition or selling data to third parties. Council discussion included questions about how surrounding communities use Flock and audit controls that limit improper use.

Financial notes and timing: The ordinances cite specific not-to-exceed amounts in the text; some items are funded by the police capital-improvement budget presented earlier. The Terracon submission initiates a state review process; the ordinance states remediation typically must be completed within one year of state approval.

Votes at the meeting were recorded by roll call in the transcript; each ordinance was made effective immediately upon passage per the city charter language cited in the ordinances.