Some of the City leaders are mad as hornets against Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom.
Here’s the background ….
The kerfuffle blew up over yesterday’s joint meeting of Broward County and Fort Lauderdale, concerning a resolution to the 911 Dispatch and Communications system’s controversy.
Fort Lauderdale used to have their entirely own system – paid for by the County, (since we had our own Police Department, and most of the County’s cities got their policing from the County’s Sheriff’s Department.)
911 Dispatch
Now, the County no longer wants to pay Fort Lauderdale, as most cities in the County have been working towards a county-wide dispatch system, which is planned to go into operation in 2014.
Yesterday was billed as a dispute resolution meeting, but it didn’t turn out that way.
After a cantankerous hour, a break was called, and the sides went to their corners. The City came back in, and Mayor Seiler offered up a compromise – give the City about half what the County gave us in the past (the City used to receive 5 million yearly). Seiler’s proposal called for 2.75 million yearly, until 2014 when the new County-wide system would take over.
Seiler said he couldn’t run that counter offer by his Commissioners during the break ( the Sunshine law), and asked each Commissioner to publicly talk on the compromise. Much to the surprise of many in attendance, Rodstrom began to fight ……. but for the County!
One participant told me this – “it was truly shocking and embarrassing …. we offered a reasonable compromise, and she took the County’s position! …… she was out of control….. …. ……. throughout the two hour long meeting, she was always siding with the County and against the City at every step!” ….
I tried to reach Rodstrom for her side of the story, but I’m still waiting for a return call from the six messages I left last month!