North Lauderdale commission approves donations, design contract and several assessment rates; stormwater increase set for first reading

The City of North Lauderdale City Commission on an evening meeting approved a set of motions including a $1,500 donation to a local nonprofit, authorization to negotiate with the top-ranked firm for a major drainage design contract, and preliminary assessment rates for fire rescue and residential solid waste. Commissioners also approved a first-reading action to raise the stormwater utility fee and reallocated $8,000 in promotional funds to be split equally among the five elected officials.

The commission unanimously approved a resolution authorizing a $1,500 donation to Faith and Love Empowerment Center Inc. to support the group's Aug. 3 back-to-school supply giveaway and resource fair. The city manager told commissioners the nonprofit submitted required documentation and expects to serve around 50 low-income youth and families.

On the Tam O’Shanter drainage improvement project the commission approved final scoring from the selection evaluation committee and authorized the city manager to negotiate with the top-ranked firm, Veil Works Inc., under Florida’s Competitive Consultants Negotiations Act (F.S. Ch. 287.055). City staff said the project is partially funded by a Resilient Florida grant of about $5 million and will include roadway elevation, new drainage infrastructure and connections to the canal system.

Commissioners also set the preliminary fire-rescue special assessment rates for fiscal year 2025–26 at $278 for single-family homes and $672 for multifamily units, and approved maintaining the residential solid waste assessment rate at $499. Both measures were presented as maintaining current rates for the coming year and will go to public hearing as required.

On stormwater the commission approved a resolution to establish a proposed stormwater utility fee of $150 per equivalent residential unit for single-family homes for fiscal year 2025–26; the measure passed as a first reading. City staff said the increase (from $125 to $150) will help cover required grant matches and maintenance of planned capital projects; commissioners discussed possible adjustments before second reading.

The commission also approved reallocating $8,000 from the commission’s professional/promotional budget to be divided equally among the five elected officials, increasing each commissioner’s discretionary balance by $1,600. City attorney and staff said the reallocation would allow administrative approval of small community expenditures through the city manager’s office rather than requiring commission approval for each item.

All of the above motions were approved on roll call votes with unanimous support from Mayor Bordelon, Vice Mayor Louis Ricketts, Commissioner Bustamante, Commissioner Lewis and Commissioner Dr. Martin, unless noted otherwise. Several items will proceed to statutorily required public hearings and follow-up contract negotiations.

City staff added that one agenda item (13c, an air-conditioning contract) was removed from the meeting and that two ordinance/consent items were pulled for language revisions. The commission set public hearings where required and directed staff to return with contracts, full engineering scopes or revised backup information before final approval where legal or technical steps remain.