TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Jonathan R. Lewis, ICMA-CM, City Manager
TITLE: Letter of Agreement and Contract between the City of North Port and the University of South Florida Board of Trustees to utilize law enforcement support to educate and enforce safe pedestrian, bicyclist, and driver behaviors in priority counties in Florida.
Recommended Action
Approve the Letter of Agreement and Contract between the City of North Port and the University of South Florida Board of Trustees to utilize law enforcement support to educate and enforce safe pedestrian, bicyclist, and driver behaviors in priority counties in Florida.
Background Information
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), through a grant with the University of South Florida (University), will utilize law enforcement support to educate and enforce safe pedestrian, bicyclist, and driver behaviors in priority counties in Florida. The main objective of this effort is to reduce traffic crashes resulting in pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities and serious injuries through the use of selected traffic education and enforcement operations.
The City of North Port has been experiencing a significant increase in vehicle crashes and fatalities along S.R. 45 (U.S. 41 Tamiami Trail) in the past several months. Since January 2016, the police department has worked 207 vehicle crashes along S.R. 45. This accounts for approximately 30% of all vehicle crashes within the City of North Port, Sarasota County, Florida. Since January of this year, we've have sadly endured two bicyclist fatalities, one pedestrian fatality and one motor vehicle fatality.
The purpose and goal of this funding opportunity is to develop and implement effective community level high visibility enforcement operations in areas with the highest representation of traffic crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists resulting in fatalities and serious injuries, along with increasing awareness of and compliance with traffic laws. In compliance with the grant award, the funding allotted will provide the ability to perform enhanced traffic enforcement detail/high visibility enforcement through an overtime detail involving 2 officers once every 2 weeks at 3 hours per/detail in the S.R. 45 corridor. This is a reimbursable grant with an invoice being submitted to the University at least monthly and will include a summary of hours charged and the total due. The enforcement campaign will begin upon execution of the agreement and will end on May 15, 2017 with funding not to exceed the $5,000 awarded.
In the scope of services, Section V requires that officers who participate in this overtime operation complete the required training created by FDOT and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. There are currently seven officers that have complied with this requirement.
This was reviewed and approved for legal content and form.
Strategic Plan
Financial Responsible City Providing Quality Municipal Services.
Financial Impact
This will be a reimbursement for overtime personnel costs, not to exceed $5,000 for enforcement efforts outside normal patrol duties.
Procurement
N/A
Attachments:
1. Letter of Agreement and Contract University of South Florida
Prepared by: Jennifer Ayres
Department Director: Kevin Vespia