Hank Breitenkam, Assistant Director Public Works

Albert J Carbon III, P. E., Public Works Director

On November 14, 2016, the Pubic Works Department requested the approval form the City Manager and Mayor to place emergency procedures in place to effect an emergency repair of an 8” asbestos-cement (AC) water main in the southwest quadrant of Oakland Park Blvd & NW 18th Avenue.  The line was broken just inside a 12” sleeve under NW 18th Avenue, impacting the completion of FDOT's Oakland Park Blvd Improvement Project. The City Manager and Mayor approved the emergency waterline repairs to on November 14, 2016. (Exhibit C).

Per the City Code, emergency contractual services above $25,000 need joint authorization from the City Manager and Mayor, and to be forwarded to the City Commission at the next scheduled Commission meeting.  In this case, the next meeting upon completion of the work is at the meeting of January 18, 2017.

Sec. Code 2-198:

"Emergency procurements. The city manager may make emergency procurements of supplies or contractual services where the cost exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) when there exists a clear and present threat to public health, property, welfare, safety or other substantial loss to the city, when joined in said action by the mayor, provided, however, that such emergency procurements shall be made with such competition as is practicable under the circumstances. A written determination of the basis for the emergency and for the selection of the particular contractor shall be included in the contract file. As soon as practicable, a record of the emergency procurement shall be made and shall set forth the contractor's name, the amount and type of the contract, a listing of the supply or contractual service procured under this contract, and the number of the purchase order, if any. The city commission must be notified, after the fact, of such procurements in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) at the next scheduled commission meeting. In any event any increase over the original amount of an emergency procurement reported to the city commission exceeding ten (10) percent shall be reported to the City Commission to be noted for the record.”

This water main is required in order to complete the water main loop in this area to insure adequate fire flow. It was anticipated to replace the AC pipe with Ductile Iron as well as to install additional isolation valves to enhance our operational capabilities of the water mains in this area.  Although the leak was minimal, it was essential that plans were put into place to immediately address the leak during FDOT's close-out of their project. 

The repair was complicated since a crosswalk signal pole is situated directly on top of the sleeve/water main that needed to be removed and reset after the waterline repair. Public Works was able to contract with FDOT's contractor, ARC Electric, to have this portion of the work done for $8,500. A “not to exceed” quotation for the water main repair was provided  by Molloy Brothers Inc. (Exhibit A) based on their Annual Utilities Restoration Contract # 25311666-3 with the City of Fort Lauderdale, expiration March 13, 2018.  Molloy’s “not to exceed” price was $37,903.

The repair was completed on December 28, 2016, the restoration of the sidewalk on January 2, 2017, the blacktop on January 3, 2017, and the striping between January 5th through the 6th.  There was a delay in restoration during the holidays due to a lack of the specified pavement material and the scarcity of sidewalk masons working during that period. The work under Molloy has been completed at a cost of $33,684.00 (Exhibit B).

The City Manager may make emergency procurements of supplies or contractual services where the cost exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) when there exists a clear and present threat to public health, property, welfare, safety or other substantial loss to the city, when joined in said action by the mayor, provided, however, that such emergency procurements shall be made with such competition as is practicable under the circumstances. A written determination of the basis for the emergency and for the selection of the particular contractor shall be included in the contract file. As soon as practicable, a record of the emergency procurement shall be made and shall set forth the contractor's name, the amount and type of the contract, a listing of the supply or contractual service procured under this contract, and the number of the purchase order, if any. The city commission must be notified, after the fact, of such procurements in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) at the next scheduled commission meeting. In any event any increase over the original amount of an emergency procurement reported to the city commission exceeding ten (10) percent shall be reported to the city commission to be noted for the record.

Funds for this repair are from the existing Sewer Department repair and maintenance account.