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Homestead council approves ordinances, contracts and insurance renewals; staff reports multi‑item premium reductions
Summary
Council voted unanimously on a series of second readings, contract awards and budget items on March 18, including property, City Hall and power plant insurance renewals (staff reported a 25.7% reduction from 2025 on one premium), stormwater budget increases, procurement approvals and other routine items.
At its March 18 meeting, the Homestead City Council approved a series of ordinances, contracts and budget measures during the formal business session, recording roll call votes on multiple items and noting insurance premium reductions obtained by broker Brown & Brown.
Insurance renewals and premium reductions: The council considered three insurance resolutions (tabs 12–15) authorizing purchases for city property (excluding some facilities), City Hall/police station/Cybrarium coverage, power plant/substation insurance and terrorism insurance. Michelle Wilson of Brown & Brown told the council that, after additional negotiation, the city saw a reduction from the 2025 premium of 25.7% on the City Hall/police/Cybrarium coverage (the broker explained the initial quote was reduced further from an earlier 10% decrease to a 25.7% decrease compared with 2025 premiums). Council approved the insurance items by roll call (motions and seconds were recorded in the meeting and votes were recorded in the minutes as affirmative for all members present).
Ordinances and budget items: The council held second readings and approved ordinances adopting the North American Industry Classification System for local business tax classification, a frontage definition for addressing purposes, a $2 million increase to the stormwater utility fund budget for FY 2026, and a new "squatters" ordinance establishing enforcement references to Florida Statutes sections 82.036 and 82.037. Each of these passed on second and final reading by roll call.
Procurements and contracts: Council approved awards for street resurfacing (ITB 202602), purchase of sequencing batch reactor decanters for the wastewater treatment facility ($434,800 to Flo‑Line Corp.), authorized negotiations for recycling services with Waste Management Inc. Florida (RFP 202609), and approved an amendment to the existing purchase power agreement with Florida Power & Light Company. The council also approved a third amended interlocal agreement with Miami‑Dade County for use of the county's solid waste management system.
Votes at a glance (selected items): - Tab 12 (property insurance contract, waiving competitive bidding): approved, roll call unanimous. - Tab 13 (City Hall/police/Cybrarium insurance): approved, roll call unanimous; broker reported 25.7% reduction from 2025 on revised quote. - Tab 14 (power plant/substation insurance): approved, roll call unanimous. - Tab 15 (terrorism insurance): approved, roll call unanimous. - Tab 4 (stormwater utility fund budget amendment, +$2,000,000): approved, roll call unanimous. - Tab 5 ("squatters" ordinance, second reading): approved, roll call unanimous. - Tab 7 (street resurfacing contract award): approved, roll call unanimous. - Tab 8 (wastewater decanters, $434,800): approved, roll call unanimous. - Tab 9 (recycling services ranking/negotiation authorization): approved, roll call unanimous.
Council members thanked Brown & Brown for the work on premiums and discussed a possible future decision on sovereign immunity caps that could affect liability costs. No items failed; most passed unanimously. Where the council gave only direction (for example on FIFA planning), staff will return later with budgets and legal guidance for formal approval.
