Monitoring and Oversight of General Obligation Bonds to Improve Broward County Schools:
SMART Program Quarterly Report Review for the Quarter Ended December 31, 2021
On February 19, 2022, Florida TaxWatch received the Bond Oversight Committee Quarterly Report for the Quarter Ended December 31, 2021 (“Quarterly Report”). This report provides updated information on the implementation of the District’s SMART Program and the use of general obligation bond funds to purchase and install technology upgrades, purchase music and arts equipment, improve school safety, upgrade athletic facilities, and renovate educational facilities.
Completed Projects:
Additional Security and School Safety Projects - 6 completed
Single Point of Entry Security Projects - Completed at all 238 schools
Music Equipment - Completed at all 195 identified schools.
Art Equipment - Completed at all 136 identified schools.
Theater Equipment - Completed at all 40 identified schools.
Track Projects: Completed at all identified schools.
Weight Rooms - Completed at all 30 identified schools.
Technology - Completed at all 230 identified schools.
Monitoring:
Construction schedule resets.
Primary Renovation Projects delays (although there is some progress).
Schedule-related issues
Change orders
Building department delays
Vendor Accountability
School Choice enhancement program
The "Big 3 Schools"
Technology
Budget
Expenditures
Financial risk
Reserve funding
Supplier diversity and outreach
Communications
Recommendations:
RECOMMENDATION 1
Florida TaxWatch recommends District staff brief the Committee at its March 7, 2022, meeting on the six new projects in the Planning Phase.
RECOMMENDATION 2
Florida TaxWatch recommends the District reconcile the apparent discrepancies between the number of delayed projects identified on page 50 of the District Report and the number of projects flagged for schedule delays on the School Spotlights.
RECOMMENDATION 3
Florida TaxWatch recommends District staff brief the Committee at its March 7, 2022, meeting on high-risk Primary Renovations at the following schools, including efforts to mitigate the high risk:
Atlantic Technical College Arthur Ashe, Jr, Campus; Bayview Elementary School; Castle Hill Elementary School; Forest Glen Middle School; Hawkes Bluff Elementary School; Maplewood Elementary School; Pompano Beach Elementary School; Quiet Waters Elementary School; Ramblewood Elementary School; Rock Island Elementary School; West Hollywood Elementary School; and Westchester Elementary School.
RECOMMENDATION 4
Florida TaxWatch recommends District staff brief the Committee at its March 7, 2022, meeting on medium-risk Primary Renovations at the following schools, including efforts to mitigate the medium risk:
Embassy Creek Elementary School; Gator Run Elementary School; and Seagull Alternative High School.
RECOMMENDATION 5
Florida TaxWatch recommends the SBBC delegate authority to approve change orders to the Superintendent or other senior official.
RECOMMENDATION 6
Florida TaxWatch recommends District staff brief the Committee at its March 7, 2022, meeting on efforts to recover change order funds that are the result of consultant omissions or consultant errors.
RECOMMENDATION 7
Florida TaxWatch recommends District staff brief the Committee on the additional delay in completing Phase 2 of the Primary Renovations project at Northeast High School and include in the “Big 3 Schools Update” section of the Q3 2021-22 Report a final completion date for Phase 2 (new classroom addition).
RECOMMENDATION 8
Florida TaxWatch reiterates its previous recommendation that District staff calculate the lifespan of remaining unexpended SMART Program funds and evaluate the possibility that the District may exhaust the remaining unspent SMART Program funds before the planned facilities construction projects have been completed.
RECOMMENDATION 9
Florida TaxWatch reiterates its previous recommendation that, if it appears that the District may exhaust the remaining unspent SMART Program funds before the planned facilities construction projects have been completed, District staff should be prepared to present to the Committee at its March 7, 2022, meeting the plan to make up the shortfall.
RECOMMENDATION 10
Florida TaxWatch recommends that, in the event copies of the District’s response to the public comments made at the September 27, 2021, Committee meeting have not been distributed to Committee members and those making the comments, District staff should provide the requested information at the March 7, 2022, Committee meeting.
RECOMMENDATION 11
Florida TaxWatch recommends the District’s response to TaxWatch recommendations, Committee member requests, and public comments be in writing and within a reasonable period of time (e.g., two weeks).