What’s Going on in Cooper City (August-October)

BY NOAH CASTAGNA

Bureaucracy at its finest

Finances and Funding

September brought about several pressing issues concerning the funding of public services by the city,  one of which directly impacted the funding of Cooper City High’s Sound of Pride. The resolution would provide a city grant as security for the Sound of Pride and their 2016 trip to the Sugar Bowl competition. The resolution was passed after the term “shall provide funding” was modified to “may provide funding,” granting the band $25,000 if needed.

The September 15th meeting brought about the adoption of a new millage rate, which raised property taxes 9.5% for Cooper City Residents and schools, as well as the adoption of the 2015-2016 budget (which can be found here: www.coopercityfl.org). For more information on tax increases and Cooper City news, visit the Sun Sentinel.

Transportation

In August of 2015, Resolution No. 15-8-5 was passed and adopted, commencing talk between Cooper City and Uber in order to integrate the company within Cooper City. However, at a meeting in early September, Commissioner Curran moved to rescind the resolution due to the questionable safety standards of the  organization. Mayor Greg Ross defended the resolution, reinforcing that the resolution was noncommittal and simply entered the city into negotiations with the company, but was quickly shut down. Curran’s proclamation met with a nearly unanimous vote to rescind the previously adopted resolution, ending discussion between Cooper City and Uber regarding its implementation.

Speeding issues on 52nd Street West of 90th Avenue resulted in a fatal car accident that was brought to the attention to the commission in a late October meeting, wherein residents stepped forward willing to pay for speed bumps to encourage safe transit within their neighborhood. “[They’re] captive in their own homes”, Commissioner Mallozzi stated, in response to the uproar surrounding the inappropriate driving throughout the neighborhood.

“They are done being afraid of crossing the street,” Mallozzi further denoted, “They want to take their neighborhood back.”

Commissioner Curran pushed for a report on ticketing and signage in the surrounding areas, seeking another alternative to resolving the reckless driving taking place. In response to this, Mayor Greg Ross stated that they would be finding and integrating the appropriate signage throughout the area in an effort to encourage safe transit throughout the residential area.

Recreation and Safety

Fire Safety was another pressing issue, as shown by Resolution No. 15-9-4, a resolution which would establish a rate of assessment relating to the provision of fire services, facilities, and programs and impose such assessments on these facilities. Commissioner Sims attacked the resolution, siding with a citizen who claimed those assessing facilities were clearly not qualified for the position. Sims later motioned to enter into a discussion with the City Attorney on the resolution, which was not seconded despite the class action lawsuit against the city pertaining to the assessment of facilities.

Residential complaints have brought the sudden enforcement of swale maintenance to the attention of the commission, hoping for a revision on the demanding code. (A swale is the space between the sidewalk and the street.) “As of today in the parameters of Stirling, Griffin, Pine Island, and Palm Avenue, [I counted] in the swales 47 basketball hoops, 17 bicycles, …and more bushes [than I could count],” Mallozzi detailed, opening the deliberation on the strict code on swale maintenance.

“As Commissioner Sims stated, our code is archaic…the fact that I can’t have a  basketball hoop [in my swale] is ridiculous”, she added further, stressing the fact that “there is no reason” that a basketball hoop cannot be present in the swale.

Sims spoke to this, further contributing, “The city has become one big HOA (homeowner’s association)… you can’t do this, you can’t do that. It’s easier to know what you are allowed to do nowadays.”

Basketball hoops, bicycles, and even dollhouses are all prohibited under the strict swale code. The commission agreed to table the issue for no more than two months after receiving recommendation from the Recreation Advisory Board.

Businesses

An early August meeting brought forth great change within the fiscal environment of Cooper City’s businesses, as James Bennett, a football coach at the Optimist Club and tattoo artist of 20 years had his tattoo shop approved by the Cooper City commission. The decision will not only bring the Electric Flamingo Tattoo Company to Timberlake Plaza on Griffin and Pine Island, but also marks the first commission approved tattoo shop to come to Cooper City. Regulations of the shop were heavily pushed by Mallozzi, who requested walls inside the shop to bar the interior from passerbies. Along with this, Bennett assured that walls would be erected and the bottom 4 feet of the windows would be tinted.

Mallozzi wasn’t the only attendee concerned with the safety of the shop however, as citizen John Justino brought to attention the sometimes questionable nature of tattoo shop clientele, claiming, “I don’t think it’s necessary to have that near a residential area.”

Bennett quelled the notion, stating that the shop would not be offering piercings, would be open during respectable business hours, and would be a by-appointment basis, of which would promote a safer atmosphere not only for customers of the shop, but for the residents of the surrounding areas.

Biweekly meetings are held every other Tuesday at the Cooper City Town Hall and can also be found archived online at http://www.coopercityfl.org