AGENDA ITEM REPORT
TITLE:
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A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER, OR DESIGNEE, TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE BROWARD COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS PROVIDING FOR HIRING, TRAINING, ASSISTING, AND PAYING POLL WORKERS, AS WELL AS FOR THE DELIVERY AND PICK-UP OF ELECTION EQUIPMENT FOR THE MARCH 9, 2021, MUNICIPAL ELECTION; PROVIDING FOR FUTURE AMENDMENTS TO THE AGREEMENT.
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BACKGROUND:
Section 301(c) of the City Charter provides that the election of Commissioners be held on the second Tuesday in March in years when the Commissioners’ terms have expired. The Commission terms for Districts B, C, and E are expiring in March 2021.
Section 708 of the City Charter provides for the City Clerk to make all necessary arrangements for the holding of all City elections, and allows the City Clerk to employ or contract with the Broward County Supervisor of Elections (SOE) for a sufficient number of clerks and inspectors to adequately staff each polling place. Furthermore, section 8-101 of the City Code allows the City Clerk to delegate any or all of the responsibilities for administrating the election to the SOE, subject to approval by the City Commission.
On December 13, 2018, the City Commission approved Resolution 2018-237 authorizing the signing of the attached agreement with the Broward County Supervisor of Elections Peter Antonacci. Historically, the agreement between the City and the SOE has been negotiated and signed in December preceding the March election year. However, Mr. Antonacci’s term expires on January 4, 2021, and a newly elected SOE will be seated on January 5, 2021. Therefore, the attached form agreement is presented in preparation for the forthcoming Municipal Election with the authority to negotiate any unforeseen changes that may occur.
DISCUSSION:
Since time is of the essence to secure an agreement for the March Election, the City Manager, or designee, must have the authority to negotiate and amend the form election agreement in substantially the form as Exhibit 1 provided any language changes thereto are non-material, and such changes to the agreement are approved as to legal sufficiency by the Office of the City Attorney; and authorizing the City Manager to execute amendments to the election agreement. Through this agreement, the SOE Office will use its resources to hire, train, assist, and pay poll workers including Voting Service Technicians (VSTs), on behalf of the City for the March Election. The agreement also covers the delivery and pick-up of election equipment from the polling places as well as the publication of a sample ballot in accordance with Section 101.20 of the Florida Statutes.
The hiring, training, assisting, and payment of poll workers is an efficient and beneficial service provided by the SOE Office for Broward municipalities whose elections are held in March.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this resolution.
FISCAL IMPACT:
REVENUES: $ 0
EXPENDITURES: $ 83,000
BUDGETED? Yes
NOTES: The above expenditure amount is an estimate and is accounted for in the FY2021 Budget - Account No. 0121-4905, City Clerk Elections.