Pembroke Park sets aside building‑department funds for scanning, architecture and an AI pilot amid strong dissent

The Pembroke Park Town Commission voted June 10 to use excess building‑department funds for a set of projects including digitizing records, paying for conceptual architectural designs and piloting an AI kiosk and internal co‑pilot tools for the building department.

Commission staff told the commission the building‑department account had roughly $392,000 of excess funds available after prior expenditures; commissioners approved three related actions: a motion to allocate up to $100,000 to finish scanning three remaining rooms of building and planning records, delegation to town management to calculate and reimburse the general fund for prior scanning charges, and a separate motion to designate $150,000 toward conceptual architectural services to produce schematic designs for a building that could house building/code-enforcement operations. The commission also approved allocating $150,000 for an initial AI kiosk, integration and co‑pilot functionality for the building department, with the manager authorized to pursue contracts and integrations.

Staff and technical presenters described the proposed technology: IT director Mark Pakula said an initial kiosk buildout and integration could start in a matter of months with an estimated base build cost near $50,000 and roughly $100,000–$150,000 to cover hardware, software and initial support depending on scope. Building manager Jeffrey Lewis said the remaining physical records upstairs would require roughly $100,000 to scan and digitize.

Several commissioners and the mayor pushed back sharply. Concerns included inconsistencies in the account math, incomplete documentation of prior scans paid from other town funds, and statutory timing constraints tied to section 553.80 that restrict how excess building funds may be used after July 1. Commissioner Hodkins, Mayor Jacobs and others warned against committing funds without a more precise accounting; one commissioner said the situation “makes me very nervous” and noted past financial irregularities in the department.

Despite those objections, motions to (a) authorize manager/finance staff to determine the reimbursement amount and transfer funds where appropriate, (b) allocate up to $100,000 for scanning, (c) designate $150,000 for conceptual architectural design and (d) allocate $150,000 for an AI kiosk/software pilot were put before the commission and carried by recorded roll calls (some votes were opposed by individual commissioners).

Why it matters: The town must spend or designate building‑department excess funds under a narrowed list of permitted uses; the commission’s actions allocate those dollars to modernization and facility planning but leave open detailed scopes, vendor selections and the precise accounting that several commissioners said they want clarified before further disbursements.

What’s next: Staff will (1) reconcile invoices to identify amounts previously charged to the general fund for building‑department scans and implement reimbursements, (2) issue work orders or task orders under the town’s continuing architectural/engineering pool for conceptual design up to the approved amount, and (3) develop the AI kiosk scope, procurement and policy safeguards to address liability and accuracy concerns before production deployment.