Author: commtims

     The race is really on for the open seat for Commissioner – District II – Fort Lauderdale. 

     One candidate has actually spent $1000.00 on a private investigator  ….read on!

     The race for $$ – (political donations) –  often tells a lot about how the political horse race is proceeding! Here is the latest on the race for campaign donations

              …………………………………………………..

     Rounding the corner, heading for the final stretch  …

      Dean Trantalis is ahead, with Charlotte Rodstrom hanging back on the final turn, Chuck Black running a distant third, and Lester Zalewski still in the starting block – details below!

  Trantalis has collected $22,295.00

     His donors are mostly Fort Lauderdalians, though there are a sizable chunk of Wilton Manors donors, which is where the Trantalis Law Firm is located.

     Trantalis seems to have more of the grassroots leaders in the District than the other candidates.

     Donors include beach activists Mel Rubenstien, Steve Glassman, Shirley Smith, and Art Seitz –13th Street neighborhood leaders Sal Gatanio, Randall Klett, Marge Anderson and Rick Gibson, and Victoria Parkian Mark Ketcham.

     Other big name donors to Trantalis include attorneys Robert Lochrie and Ken Keechl, Property Appraiser Lori Parrish, mega-property owner Caldwell Cooper, and historic preservation activist Diane Smart.


 Charlotte Rodstrom, who is trying to win back her seat after vacating it to run for County Commission has raised $17,500.00

     Her donors include the big County lawyer/lobbyists – Friedman, Poliakoff, Platt and Schiller, City land use attorneys Lochrie, Toothaker, and Crush, car magnate Michael Marrone, William Telli ( sued to overturn term limits), and local celebrity lawyer Bradford Cohen.  She is also supported by local bloviator Charlie King.

     Rodstroms’ most curious expenditure for her campaign is for private investigator Max Caulfield. Her campaign has paid him $1000.00

                                       
                                       Caulfield

     Caulfield is a nationally known P.I., with expertise in many areas, including Mob investigations. He is also a Special Appointed Process Server by the Sheriff of Broward County.

     I had a quite interesting chat with Caulfield. But as expected, he said he is not at liberty to confirm or deny  ….   said he didn’t recall if he’d ever heard the name Rodstrom!  …..  told me he would get back to me should details change!

 Chuck Black is a newcomer on the political scene, but has gained some traction, mostly with the business community, mostly downtown.
    
     Donors include Ali Waldman, developer Alan Hooper, attorney Sam Poole, president of the downtown civic association Ron Centamore, Riverwalk big shot Mark Budwig, and beach biggies Ina Lee and Fred Carlson.


 Lester Zalewski says he refused to play the political money game, but has lent his campaign $10,000.00

    Unexplainable tragedy.

    What to do now?

    The Nation will discuss mental illness, gun control, the “climate of violence”. Hopefully our national leaders will taken action –  and now!

    In Fort Lauderdale, we should talk local. 

     I suppose we can call ourselves fortunate. The type of carnage that met the town of Newtown last Friday hasn’t happen here. 

                            
                                  Bennett Elementary
                                 
     But we have had terrible shootings in our schools.

    An Assistant principle was shot at Dillard High years back by a student she suspended. Before he shot her he said “here’s something to suspend me for”.

     At the same school, just a few years back, a student shot and killed a classmate in the hallway over a dispute.

     An 8 year-old brought a gun to Walker Elementary, but it was reported before anything happened.

                           
                                North Side Elementary

     
     We have Police Officers in our Middle and High Schools, but we quit funding them in our elementaries some years ago when budgets got tight.

     Last week, I visited a few or our elementaries, as our 13th Street Alliance is holding a special party for kids doing real well in school, despite difficult home lives. I went to the schools to meet with the School Administration to explain the program to them.

     Then I got to thinking this weekend, after watching hours of the news coverage –

     – I had walked into one of our elementaries without question, just last week. No one asked me who I was, what I was doing! I didn’t get buzzed in, and though there was a man near the door, he just sent me down the hall to the office.  

     We should take another hard look at the security of our schools – are they safe?

           

    For those who like political debates, the Central Beach political debate at the B Hotel last Monday night was a doozy!

     It was the second debate for candidates for the open seat of District II in Fort Lauderdale. District II is an odd political district, rich and poor, starting at the beach, up through the Las Olas Isles, through Victoria Park, and west to some troubled neighborhoods.

     I represented this district and labeled it the Bermuda Triangle of political districts – most politicians flew in, crashed, and were never heard of again ( I broke that trend .


     

     The debate started as they usually do. The moderator, beach President John Weaver, thanked the crowd and went over the ground rules. Each candidate would have two minutes for an opening statement, then there would be some “uncomfortable” questions for each candidate to start off the evening.

     The crowd was intrigued!

     Former Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom was asked to start off with her two minute opening statement. She offered the expected, I was your Commissioner, I was successful at it, I want to finish the term I had to leave to run at the County level ….. and then –

     …… “and there is another meeting down the road about the beach erosion, so I’ll have to leave now” ……..


       

     ….. and out she went !


       

     There was an air of disbelief in the room. The remaining candidates spread out and gave themselves some more elbow room on the dais, and candidate Dean Trantalis asked the moderator if it would be alright to remove the Rodstrom name-tag from the dais. There was muffled laughter.

     The three remaining candiates gave their usual opening statements and then the first question came from the moderator.

     “The first question is for Charlotte Rodstrom, and she just left, but I’m going to ask the question regardless – “Ms. Rodstrom, you resigned your City Commission job just weeks after winning to run for the County Commission post. That move will cost the City $250,000 for this special election – how do you respond?”

     The moderator then said – “Ms. Rodstrom is not here to answer that question, but the rules call for a one minute rebuttal from any of the challengers, would any of you like to rebut?” ….
    
     Rebut they did!

     Each of the other candidates had tough questions prepared for them also….

 They asked Trantalis why they should elect him to a seat that he only served one term on, and resigned citing personal conflicts with that same job…

     Trantalis said he had decided not to run for re-election then as his father was dying and he thinks he made the right decision…. He continued that he was the only candidate that could hit the ground running, said District II had immediate needs and that he could best tackle them.


 They asked Chuck Black how he thought he could be competitive when no one seemed to know him. Black humorously quipped, “look at this face, I’m an everyday guy” (inferring that everyone knew him). He went on to promote his military service, world experience,  and his ability to commit to a tough job.


 They asked  Lester Zalewski about him being removed from their very own Board. Zalewski countered that there were members of the Board whom he had conflicts with, but that the residents in the area felt a different way about him.
 
     Zalewski went on to point to his extensive record in business and entrepreneurialism. He said he was a rebel, but that’s what City Hall needed. 

     They finished with their concluding comments, all except for Rodstrom!
      
       

     Meet the future!

     A space-age new crime fighting technique may be coming to a neighborhood near you, if Police Chief Frank Adderley has his way.

               

     Burglaries are an ever increasing and troubling crime in Fort Lauderdale and elsewhere.

    Five years ago in 2006, there were 1470 burglaries in the City, last year there were 2610! Something needs to be done –

                              Enter SmartWater

                           

     The Chief wants to partner with this company, SmartWater, that has engineered a creative way to catch those pesky burglars.

     Now this Smart Water you don’t drink.
 
     It is a “forensic liquid” that is given out to homeowners. It comes in a little bottle that looks like a “mascara tube with brush”. You take out the brush and put a little of the invisible water on your jewelery, lap top, big screen TV, art work, even your telephone. 

           


     When the burglar takes your items, the items will “glow in the dark” under UV light nearly forever. They will be encoded with a number that is specifically yours, and if they try and pawn them, police can nab them. 

     SmartWater also has a spray system, that can be put in a car, or even a house. If a car thief or burglar enters, a trigger can spray the forensic liquid on them and the thieves can’t wash it off! 

                        

     The company says they had a 100% conviction rate in the United Kingdom, where they started. They are also in Tallahassee, where the Police Chief there says the burglary rate fell 33% in the year since SmartWater was brought in.


                  

     City Manager Feldman is as excited as the Police Chief about trying the product in Fort Lauderdale. They want to spend $15,000 out of a confiscated funds account (taken from criminals) for a pilot project in the South Middle River neighborhood, that had 275 burglaries last year. 

     It is not a sure thing though, as former City Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom is raising concerns about “by passing the procurement process”, and the “lack of a competitive process”.
 
     The company says there are a few other companies that have the technology, but none that have perfected it and proven it as they have.    

     The item is expected before the Commission in January.                      

    

     The political world is talking.

     The Florida Governors’ race of 2014 is about to take off, and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler will have to decide soon if he wants to be on that ride!

                                         

     It’s no secret that Seiler has been thinking about a return to Tallahassee, someday, but his plan has always been to serve in local politics until all his children go off to college, probably 2018.

     But 2014 could be his year.

     Current Governor Rick Scott is vulnerable. He has been an unpopular Governor, and the Democrats think this could be the year for them to retake the Governors’ mansion. If another Democrat runs and wins the Governor job, he, or she,  would probably serve two terms until 2022, possibly too late for Seiler, as Seiler will term- limit out of the Mayor’s seat in 2018.

                                    
                                        Governor Scott, Chief Adderley, Seiler

     Seiler has been talking to party officials, and thinking a lot…

                                           

     Seiler has been a popular Mayor, credited for calming the City after years of  flamboyant, outspoken, conservative Mayor Jim Naugle. Some call Seiler the “parade Mayor”, as Seiler likes positive events, like the St. Patricks’ Day Parade that he brought back to the City.

     Seiler also pushed for more activities at the beach, downtown, and in the neighborhoods.

                                             
                                                          Jog with Jack event

     Another consideration is whether Seiler could even win the Democratic primary for Governor. He has one of the biggest Democrat names in the State, but giant name Charlie Crist has become an independent, and some say is close to becoming a Democrat. If Crist decided to try and retake the Governors’ post as a Democrat, he would certainly trounce Seiler in name recognition.

                                    
                                                 Geller – Seiler – Crist – Rubio – other bigshot

     And if Seiler does take the shot at the Governors’ seat, who will run for the Fort Lauderdale Mayor seat?

     Many say most probably one Rodstrom or the other.

     And lastly,  just for fun …..  when I was looking for good pictures of Jack Seiler for this post, I came across this picture of Jack Seiler on the internet, and would suggest he consider using it on some mailer or another if he does decide to take on the tough task of running for Governor  …………


              

                                        

     We all know by now that a piece of our precious beach has taken a serious hit from the after-effects of Hurricane Sandy.


                       

     What we want to know, is what’s being done about it!
 
     This blog post is a curious story about one of the candidates for District II City Commissions’ idea for a quick temporary fix to the 4 blocks of serious erosion we have been seeing all over the news. 

      [ As an aside, there is a public meeting scheduled for Dec. 10th, at 7 pm, at the Beach Community Center (north of Oakland), that the City is holding with FDOT and the County to update everyone on the beach problem, but that’s got beach residents hopping mad, more on that in a minute. ]


                          

     Chuck Black is a twenty year Navy Vet, and a candidate for the open seat that Charlotte Rodstrom vacated to run for a County seat last summer (Rodstrom is also running trying to retake her seat after losing the County race).. Black says when he heard about the damage at the beach, he knew right away that he could help.

     Black says he was a “damage control team trainer” in the Navy, and just happens to know the right people to put in a temporary fix, and almost no cost to the City. 

                             Here’s the deal


             

     Black’s friend is Joe Farrell, of Nantucket, and says if he puts these “modules” in the ocean where the waves have taken the beach away, the sand will return.

     Farrell is a “marine salvage specialist”, and owns a company called Resolve Marine Group. He says the modules are filled with water to keep them in place, then are craned just offshore, where they protect the beach and build up the sand until a more permanent solution is taken. He says he is ready, and that the modules can be in place in 72 hours after he is given the go-ahead.

     Here is an article about Farell and his plan for Nantucket.

                   

     Chuck Black and Farrell met with City Manager Lee Feldman a few days ago, and proffered the nearly no cost offer (the City/State would pay for the cranes- $20,000-$30,000, and Farrell would take care of the rest). Feldman sent the proposal off to the FDOT and the County for them to evaluate.

     We expect we’ll hear whether the local officials find the process doable at the update meeting on Dec. 10th…  

    ….. And the reason the beach area residents are upset about the update meeting on Dec. 10th, is because the meeting was scheduled at the exact same time as the beach is holding their candidates night – where they will be listening to the District II candidates – including Chuck Black!

        


     




    

     A short section of the Fort Lauderdale Beach is gone!


          

     In an event that came as quite a surprise, about a 4 block area of the Fort Lauderdale beach was totally overwhelmed by the after-effects of Hurricane Sandy.

      The destruction is about ten blocks north of Sunrise Boulevard.

                
                            removed traffic lights – base is now at edge of ocean 


                
                                           no showers today!

     
     Mayor Jack Seiler and City Manager Lee Feldman say they are working on the problem “around the clock”.
 
     Feldman says we are fortunate that the Florida Department of Transportation declared the area an “emergency”, and the road is a State road, so the short term solutions should be paid for by the State.

            
                           FDOT pow wow today at the beach

     
     Seiler says that other local and State officials are also coming to the aid of Fort Lauderdale. Both beach County Commissioners, Tim Ryan and Chip LaMarca, say they are ready to help, and State Senator Maria Sachs has called Seiler to offer her support.

                                      
                                        Sachs

       Manager Feldman says the massive flooding and destruction just in that area might have to do with the fact that the reef system in that area is “not as elaborate” as the rest of the beach.

     But one thing is for sure. In the area just south of the destruction, where the City and State planted sea oats about ten years ago, the beach weathered the storm well. Here is the sand dune protected beach today- just blocks from the destroyed beach.

        
              Sand dunes protected this part of the beach in front of the State Park

      Planting the sea oats was a controversial move when it came in front of the City Commission about a decade ago, and some area residents fought it hard .
 
     They were worried that the sand dunes that the sea oats create would “ruin the view” of the ocean, so the Commission ( I was on it then), settled for putting the Sea Oats only in the portion of the beach in front of the Hugh Taylor Birch State Park.  

     Ironically, one of the leaders of the sea oat opposition back then was no other than beach resident and infamous City Hall grumbler Art Seitz, who has been taking some amazing pictures of the beach destruction and was out there again today. 

     I took his picture as he was taking mine!


                          

     Art says he still stands by his position that the sea oats shouldn’t be planted when the beach is replenished. 

           

     

     Remember the 1960’s?

     If you didn’t like what was going on, you protested! If neccessary, you’d lay down in front of the bulldozers!

                   ……………………………..

     Well, the 60’s were alive and well yesterday in the South Middle River neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale.

                 
                                  South Middle River

     They didn’t lay in front of the bulldozers, but almost!


             

       The SMRCAians actually closed down  a major city thoroughfare –Andrews Ave – all by themselves – and redirected traffic, all with found barricades and protest signs!

     They are quite mad about some of the conditions in their neighborhood, specifically unpaved sections of streets throughout their neighborhood that have never been paved since the neighborhood was developed in the 1950’s.

     So, to draw attention to the unpaved roads, they redirected the Andrews Ave. unsuspecting motorists onto those unpaved roads as a detour!

             

     The City says they don’t have the $750,000 it would cost to do the paving. One high ranker told me that the neighborhood is being unreasonable.

     The neighborhood doesn’t think so. They say find the money – pave the roads.

      And if the City doesn’t? The neighborhood says they are just getting started – “wait until they see what we have in store for them next”!

     Today starts the Christmas season.

     Over the next month or so, all of us will be out buying gifts!

                        

     Here’s a chance to do something really good. Would you be willing to buy an additional gift, when you’re at the mall, online, or at the Flea Market,  for our Fort Lauderdale kids that really earned ’em ( and might not get them? )

                                    Here’s the deal

     The 13th Street Alliance, a group of multiple neighborhoods and businesses just north of Sunrise Boulevard,  has teamed up with the famous Christmas Palace ( at 800 NE 13th Street), to bring some joy to deserving kids.

                               
                                                                 +

                                
                                      the wonderful Christmas Palace

                    =
       
                                         
                                                       Goodness

     The group has been meeting with area elementary and middle school officials to collect the names of kids who are trying real hard in school but come from modest homes.

                                           Here’s exactly what to do to participate

       Buy ….a really cool gift for a boy or girl, aged 5 -years old to 14 -years old. Put a note on the gift saying what age kid you think should get it …… for example…..

                    [  boy – 8-10 years old – or – girl – 5 years old  ]

                                   
     ….  (also put on your e-mail address on the gift if you want, so we can send you an invitation for the Christmas party where we will be giving the gifts out)…..

     Take …. the gift (unwrapped), to the Christmas Palace, at 800 NE 13th Street, – Monday thru Saturday – 10 am until 9 pm, or Sunday from 11 am until 6 pm…. from now until December 22nd……

    Then …..we will be having the super fun party on December 23, from 4pm until 6 pm, in Middle River Terrace Park (1329 N. Dixie Highway),

                                 

    …….where Santa will be giving out the presents to the kids, munching holiday fare, singing Christmas Carols ….etc…etc….etc….

     Can we count on you?   …….

     (If you have questions, you can call me at 954-822-4727, or e-mail me at tim@timsmith.com)

                                                        Tim

                                     

                                                  

     Today is Commissioner Charlotte Rodstroms’ last day in office  …………..
 until at least January 15, 2013.

     Rodstroms’ resignation to run for the County Commission seat that she lost in August takes effect today. At midnight, Rodstrom, and her husband John, are both just ordinary citizens, for the first time in over thirty years.

     But Charlotte Rodstrom is also a candidate to retake her seat that she vacates today, the primary scheduled for January 15th, 2013.

       Follow me now .… 

     Rodstroms’ current Administrative Aide Scott Wyman, is staying in his job after Rodstrom leaves office today, and that makes some of Rodstrom’s competitors for the open Commission seat nervous.

                                                 
                                                        Wyman

     A rumor is floating around that Wyman is out campaigning with Rodstrom.

    The rumor has it that Wyman is touring Rodstrom through the gay bars in town to solicit support for Rodstrom. (District II has a large gay population and Wyman is gay). Dean Trantalis, a gay rights advocate, is also in the race for the seat, and will probably command much of the gay vote.

     Wyman says the rumor about the bar tours is false.

     He says he did campaign for his boss during the County Commission race, was at an event at the Alibi”, a gay restaurant and bar in Wilton Manors, was paid “about $700” for his work during that campaign, but is staying way clear of any politics in this City race. Wyman says Rodstrom is his boss until midnight, but after that, she will have no more clout then any other resident of District II in his office.  

       Mayor Jack Seiler confirmed today

                                   

that Wymans’ position will not have any connections with Rodstrom from midnight on.

     He says all e-mails sent to either Wyman or Rodstrom will be funneled through his office to make sure everything stays ligit. He says the recording on Wyman’s voice mail message “you’ve reached Scott Wyman, aide to Vice-Mayor Rodstrom…” will be removed by tomorrow and a new, “you’ve reached the office of District II” message will take it’s place…

      Wyman says that all personal possessions of Rodstrom have been removed from the District II City Hall office.

       And lastly …  the rumor that former beach Vice President Lester Zalewski

                                         

is now in the race is a good rumor. He’s in, with a healthy $10,000 he’s lent his campaign. Zalewski ran in the last District II race, coming in third. If you want to know what he stands for, here’s a link on a story I did on him then –

                    blog.timsmith.com/2011/12/04/another-candidate-another-platform.aspx