Month: October 2017

I’m feeling quite humbled by the response from my fellow citizens to my last post when I told you I was in the race for City Commissioner for Fort Lauderdale, Dist. II ……. I wasn’t sure if  you would support my effort to re-enter politics, but it seems you have (at least most of you 🙂 ……And  if I’m lucky enough to be elected, this will be my daily mantra …

…( I’ll list some of the folks that have given me the green light this week to publicly list them as supporters,( at the bottom of this post)

But first,…..  let me tell you some of the things I am thinking need attention immediately  …..

We can’t have sewage floating in the street – ever .….

yuck ! ….. unacceptable ! …. though the City has appropriated 15 million and is working the worst lines, there needs to be much much more done – now ! – I mean yesterday !

 

The problem is the half of the City that didn’t get the new lines during the Water Works program ( I was  on the Commission that fixed the first half). Many of these 50 year old lines have leaks in them … When we have heavy rains, (like this week), the rain water goes into the waste lines through their holes, (infiltration) and the poo mixture can’t go into the treatment plant fast enough, so it bubbles up through the manholes and into the streets …..OMG

This has to be item number one! …..  ( I have more thoughts on funding sources, timetables etc, but that is for the next posts).   We need to get at this right … right  away,  so we can continue to redevelop the areas of the city that still need redevelopment badly.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Secondly, we need to find ways to reassure ourselves that we will not be swallowed by our own successes   …… We are in an overcharged economy, and many citizens want things slowed down, and they worry, reasonably,  that development is out of control, traffic a disaster, – and no one is tending to it   ….

Truth is, our population in Fort Lauderdale  has only grown by 5 % over the last decade or so…….  But Broward County, has exploded, and every day, 350,000, ……… yes 350,000 people,  western Broward residents, come into our City, and clog things up    …. I think there are things we can do, both short term and long term – (permanent solutions to this problem do exist), and I want the City to jump on this issue like a flea to a dog !!!

 

Can’t wait to post again !   ..…..   please keep an eye on this site and give me your feedback ….

 

here are just some of my supporters, so far 🙂 ……. pls. join !

Nina Randall ( former Middle River Terrace Pres)

Tim Schiavone ( Parrot Lounge)

Rob Edlin ( Flagler Village)

Howard Steinhols ( Seven Isles)

Vicki Mowrey ( Central Beach)

Abby Laughlin ( Central beach)

Steve Jacobson (former VP Lakeridge)

Marge Anderson (former Pres Middle River Terrace)

John Aurelius ( former Ft laud CC )

Ron Weinbaum ( Poinsettia Hgts Pres)

Logan Ritter ( MRT)

Jen Brugman (MRT)

Ross Parker ( Call of Africa)

Pastor Petit Frere

Ben Session ( former pres SMRCA)

Sal Gatanio ( former pres SMRCA)

Katherine Barry (past Pres CCA)

Charlie Ladd

Lorraine Saunders ( past Pres MRT)

Maureen ( Eat the Tea)

Donna Collins ( sec. SMRCA)

Cindy Smith – wife

Timmy Smith- son

Frank Palenco ( House of Art)

Rev. Luke Harrigan

Pastor Diane Mann

Dave Justin ( former treasure MRT)

Randall Klett ( former Prres MRT)

Mark Hensel ( former Pres MRT)

Sean (Le Boy)

George Mihau

Chuck Gregory – Board of CCA

Michael Haerting ( Cycle Party)

Chris ( cycle party)

Johua Tiktin ( Mass District)

Mark Hartman ( former Pres MRT)

Don Crinklaw

Elaine Viets ( famous local author)

Louise Birminham – MRT

Steve Greer – MRT

Gail Jacobson – Lakeridge

Hubert and Terry (SMRCA)

Rob and Carmen Smith (SMRCA)

Rayon Piper ( VP of CCA)

Jessica Piper – MRT

Dan Lewis – former mayoral candidate !

Tore Heubel – MRT

James Brady

Robin Merill

Doug Snyder

Caldwell Cooper

Rocky Bowell

Justin Greenbaum – CRA

Derrick Caglianone

Pam Caglianone

Amy Jones Hamilton – former Pres. Laudergate Isles

Vicki Eckels

Barry Curtis – MRT

Diane and Bill Smart

Bob Oelke

Neysa Rich Brady

Jack Moroney – 13th Street

Harris Soloman

Howard Elfman – former Dist II candidate !

Rob Stiegle

Linda and Karl Shallenberger

Mel Lenet

David and Susanna Coleman – MRT

Cliff and Michelle Stickler – MRT

Ray Thrower – SMRCA

Tom Rose

Jim Ober

Richard Eberhard – MRT

Steve and Beverly Stahl – MRT

Nick Saknofsky – former candidate

Brad Laird _ SMRCA

Frank Link – Central Beach

Ray Parker – Parker Playhouse

Michael Madfis

Michael Ferber – former candidate Dist II

Anthony Abbate

Dil Hatchette – MRT

Dan Murphy – MRT

John Day

 

 

………    would you add your name ?    …… comment on this blog or reach me at tim@timsmith.com

 

 

Today, I  went for it ! …. I did it! …..

…. I  filed papers with the City to run for the Fort Lauderdale (District II)  City Commission  ! …. again !

I told you all in my last post that I was looking for something really productive to do, in my ripe old age of 61, and I decided that this is it !

OK, sure …. that’s my first yard sign from my very first campaign in 1997, but after all, I’m a fiscal conservative ! …

All joking aside, it’s an especially challenging time for all of us in Fort Lauderdale. We have major infrastructure issues, the future growth of our  city needs to be planned, now, ….  public safety is, as always –  priority #1, …. and I hope you will find me the candidate best able to help get these important issues settled  … ….

More to follow  …..   call me anytime at  954-822-4727

……………  humbly, …. Tim

 

 

 

 

Dear friends ( and even the rest of you 🙂 …….

Cindy and I had a very nice thing happen to us last week …….

…. Right at the time that Cindy and I  were celebrating our nearly 40 years together, we sold our  Bear Creek Lodge and Cabins- the cabins we have bought and built and developed in the Georgia mountains over the last 15 years  …..

We started Bear Creek after I served for two terms ( 6 years) on the Fort Lauderdale City Commission, self term limited myself to run for Mayor ( against Jim Naugle), and lost   ……

(This was me smiling before the loss ……)

Since leaving public office in 2003,  Cindy and I have been traveling back and forth to Georgia to tend to the cabins, then back to Fort Lauderdale to continue our decades long mission to work with our team to finally fix the 13th Street part of Fort Lauderdale ….

 

….. So next Saturday, we are kind of declaring victory for 13th Street, with this super fun event above, (you should come) …. So not only will I not be traveling back and forth to Georgia, but I can consider the 13th Street/4th ave area of Fort Lauderdale nearly  trending !!

So, at the ripe young age of 61, I am thinking of a new adventure   ,,,, I feel great, have time ( and some money but don’t tell Cindy I said so 🙂  …..

I want to continue to make a difference in our adopted great City – Fort Lauderdale !

Hope to see you all next Saturday, maybe you will give me some ideas !