Commission approves two radio-system purchases as debate continues over building radio coverage and condo costs

The Fort Lauderdale City Commission on Oct. 23 approved two purchases intended to support public‑safety radio communications — a portable tower trailer and maintenance and support for the city’s Motorola trunked radio system — while commissioners pressed staff for more work on why condo owners are bearing costs to fix in‑building radio coverage.

The purchases were approved as consent items CP2 and CP3. CP2 authorizes the purchase of a mobile emergency response support “portable tower trailer” intended for deployment during incidents; CP3 is a proprietary maintenance and support agreement for the city’s Motorola core (computer‑aided dispatch and trunked radio) system. Both items passed on roll calls in which all commissioners voted yes for the purchases.

Commissioner Steve Glassman, who pulled the items for discussion, said the purchases themselves were not her primary concern but that the city must address recurring failures of two‑way radio testing inside condominium buildings without placing the full financial burden on unit owners. “If our police and fire are having issues with communicating with each other, that's not the fault or the responsibility of the homeowners in condominium buildings,” Glassman said during…