05-05-2026 COW

The City of Homestead held a Council of the Whole meeting on May 5, 2026, focusing primarily on two key procurement-related topics. First, the council discussed approving a task order expenditure of approximately $230,000 to initiate a new master plan for Harrisfield Park, aiming to reimagine it as a regional sports park with extensive community input and a proposed timeline of six to nine months. The design phase would be handled by a consulting group, with construction to follow through a separate public solicitation process. Second, the meeting included a detailed briefing on the procurement strategy for a new integrated police technology system, including the Mark 43 CAD/RMS platform, ForceMetrics analytics, and IARO accountability software. The total initial cost for year one was presented as $621,349, with a blended sourcing strategy involving sole source, cooperative contracts, and continuing contracts to ensure compliance and interoperability. Council members expressed support for the technology upgrade, emphasizing its importance for public safety and operational efficiency. Additionally, the council discussed proposed charter amendments related to election processes, including single-member districts and mayoral term lengths, with plans to form a citizens charter review committee for further vetting. No final votes on procurement were taken, but motions were made to move the Harrisfield master plan task order and police technology procurement to the council agenda for formal approval.