The contract standoff between the Broward Sheriff’s Office and City of Deerfield Beach shows no sign of being resolved anytime soon.
Sheriff Gregory Tony and Deerfield Beach City Manager Rodney Brimlow are negotiating a rate increase for public safety services provided by BSO. BSO provides law enforcement and fire rescue services for the city.
The negotiations, however, have soured, with Tony claiming that Brimlow is misleading residents and the commission.
“ If their decision is that they want to vacate a 35-year relationship based on misinformation and lies and false reporting that their city manager has provided, that too is up for them to make," Tony said at a press conference on Wednesday to talk about the dispute.
According to the city's current contract with BSO, budget increases may not exceed 5%. BSO wants a 9.4% increase for Fire Rescue and a 10.1% increase for law enforcement services, which would exceed the 5% cap by around $2.4 million. Deerfield Beach has yet to agree to the increase.
But the disagreement extends beyond the negotiating table.
Tony said Brimlow filed a report with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement claiming he had threatened him. Tony denies the allegation and plans to file his own complaint against Brimlow.
Deerfield Beach city officials denied Tony's allegations about Brimlow filing a FDLE complaint.
“The city stands by the fact that City Manager Brimlow did not file a false criminal complaint against Sheriff Tony, and did not provide any false information of a crime to any law enforcement agency," Deerfield Beach city officials said in a statement.
READ MORE: Contract dispute between City of Deerfield Beach and Broward Sheriff’s office escalates
In the meantime, Tony told reporters Wednesday that Brimlow — a former BSO captain — has been withholding information from the city commission about a possible cost reduction in BSO services.
BSO officials say they offered Brimlow a deal to reduce BSO's request by $800,000 that would include a reduction of BSO service for Deerfield Beach.
BSO says Brimlow never relayed the proposal to the commission.
Brimlow did not immediately return a request for comment from WLRN.
But Deerfield Beach Mayor Todd Drosky said he's disappointed with Tony, saying the BSO contract stipulates a 5% cap on an increase and that Tony should meet with commissioners to explain the higher cost.
"We need the sheriff to meet us halfway," Drosky told reporters Tuesday at a press conference, describing the dispute as a one-sided divorce.
"This is a marriage that we've had with BSO for many, many years," he said. "We did not elect get divorced."
Tony said he plans to sit with the city’s mayor as early as next week.
If the two parties do not agree on a new contract or an extension by Sept. 30, BSO will begin to wind down its police and fire rescue services in Deerfield Beach over a two-year period.
