First Candidate files for Cindi Hutchinson’s Commission Seat

     Today marks one year from Fort Lauderale’s first-ever City Election where term limits guarantee a new slate of characters. 

     The election will take place on March 11th, 2009. Term limits restrict the Mayor and Commissioners to (3) three-year terms. But the law was not retroactive, so this year finally retires Mayor Jim Naugle with 23 years on the City Commission, and Commissioner Carlton Moore with 20 years. Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson was voted in the year term limits became law, and is term limited at the nine years she has served. She is running for the Mayoral spot.

     So far, two candidates have filed to run for Mayor: Hutchinson and Representative Jack Seiler, a former Mayor of Wilton Manors, and currently a State Representative for District 92. Three candidates have filed to fill Moore’s seat. Yesterday, the first candidate to announce a run for Hutchinson’s seat got in the race.
                        

                                   
                                     Coleman Prewitt



     The candidate is Coleman Prewitt, a 41 year-old lawyer and Downtown resident in the Las Olas Grande. Prewitt says he is jumping in after being “turned off by the current Commission,” and feeling that the City needs a new direction. He says he feels the City is at the “end of an era”, and looks forward to “taking the City into the future”.

     Others are expected to join him in the race for the open seat.