The ongoing pandemic has led to some further funding for the City of Plant City as agencies continue to adjust their operations.
While the City of Plant City has already discussed changes it hopes to see quickly brought to life throughout a variety of its facilities, last week’s city commission meeting showed another alteration is now on the horizon.
Every year, the City of Plant City receives funding from the county to support the 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Point, which is operated by the Plant City Police Department. On April 13, city commissioners approved the interlock agreement that would have given the city $122,015. The city has since received the funds.
However, COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in all of the nation’s operations. Hillsborough County wishes to modify the existing agreement and send more funds to Plant City to help combat the expenses the city has to pay to provide the necessary changes to protect the 9-1-1 personnel.
The county has agreed to reimburse the City of Plant City up to $12,000 for related expenses. Plant City will have until the end of the next fiscal year to use the additional funds.
The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program (CESF) is also helping with COVID-19 expenses. The program was created during the heart of the pandemic to providing funding to eligible states, local units of governments and tribes in “preventing, preparing for, and responding to the Coronavirus.”
PCPD was notified that the CESF program was awarding them $42,217. It can use the money for a variety of projects and purchases including overtime pay, new equipment and other supplies that may help during the pandemic like gloves, masks and hand sanitizer. However, PCPD decided to use the money to help with enhancing the safety of the 9-1-1 Communications call takers.
The funds will be used to purchase new workstation furniture that “will meet and exceed CDC distancing standards.” Those adjustments will make two stations straight, add work surface, add storage and add PlexiGuard at stations along with some other minor adjustments.
All in all, the enhancements will cost $65,000 and will be split among three sources: the $12,000 from the additional 9-1-1 User Fees from Hillsborough County, the $42,217 from the U.S. Department of Justice Coronavirus Emergency Supplement Funding Program and $10,783 transferred from 9-1-1 Accessories.
The cost to some may seem high, but City Manager Bill McDaniel — who is a former PCPD chief — said he knows firsthand how expensive 9-1-1 furniture consoles can be. When you begin adding in extra safety precautions to the design, the costs quickly add up.
However, unlike many companies and employees around the country, many city staff have remained working at the office. Safety is the city’s top priority and McDaniel said it’s been one of the major focuses since the pandemic began.
“These changes really are aimed at protecting the 9-1-1 personnel in the comm center,” McDaniel said. “By enhancing or replacing the 9-1-1 console furniture they can get those barriers in place to separate the employees. It’s a COVID transmission reduction strategy.”