Broward County’s emergency communications system needs to be upgraded to avoid a repeat of problems that hurt response efforts to mass shootings in Parkland and the Fort Lauderdale airport.
But not everyone has welcomed these radio towers to their neighborhood.
Homeowners and their elected representatives upset over unsightly antennas and lower property values have fought the projects, leading to delays and squabbling among local officials responsible for ensuring public safety communications are modernized.
State Sen. Lauren Book, D-Plantation, filed a bill on Tuesday that seeks to get the projects done in a timely fashion by giving the state the power to intervene. The measure (SB 1472) would allow the state to bypass local governments and complete communications upgrades if the project isn’t finished within two years and public safety is deemed to be at risk.
