Author: commtims

     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

     With the elections just ending, it’s hard to grasp that in just two months, residents in District II in Fort Lauderdale will go to the polls to elect a new Commissioner – well maybe – let me explain!

     You see, of the three candidates that have already announced a run for the  District II open seat, (primary on January 15th) two of them have already been the District II Commissioner before.


     The three candidates are newcomer Chuck Black, and repeats Charlotte Rodstrom and Dean Trantalis.

                                 
                     Black on right                             Rodstrom


     The seat is open due to the resignation of Rodstrom, who stepped down to run for the County Commission, but lost. She is now trying to return to her seat on the City Commission.



     Trantalis sat down with me yesterday for an interview.


    Trantalis lives in Poinsettia Heights in Fort Lauderdale. He is a 59 year old lawyer, with a law office in Wilton Manors.

     He is one of the most well known gay rights activist in the State, and served one term on the Fort Lauderdale City Commission – 2003-2006.


  Trantalis decided not to run for re-election to his District II seat in 2006. He said at the time that the job had stressed his law practice, strained his family relations, and that his father was quite ill and he wanted to spend time with him.

     Trantalis said that was then and this is now. He says his “life has changed“. He says his father has passed, his law firm is on solid footing (“with a great staff”), and he and his partner have split – I’m seeking a marriage with my community”, he smiled and added.

     When Trantalis first ran in 2003, he beat Rodstrom and four other candidates to win the open seat .

    The seat was an open seat, because I had decided, after serving 2 terms as the District II Commissioner, that I would voluntarily give up the seat and run for Mayor.



     Trantalis won the open District II seat, ( I lost the Mayor’s race to incumbent Jim Naugle), and when Trantalis decided not to run for re-election in 2006, he endorsed Rodstrom to fill the District II seat, which she won.
 
     A few years later, his relationship soured with Rodstrom. It stemmed from the verbal beatings Rodstrom was constantly giving to City Manager George Gretsas, a close ally to Trantalis.

      Trantalis said their relationship is better now, even though they are competitors for the District II seat again, but confided that Rodstrom did tell him they couldn’t “kiss each other” anymore when they meet in public.

     Trantalis says he thinks the City is troubled. He says the financial picture is “tenuous at best”. He says union pensions are “much too generous”.

     He says many of the neighborhoods are in trouble. He cites the high rate of crime in the “western” neighborhoods. Says the Police Department is not taking it serious enough. Says he wants a more proactive police plan – adds that reduction in crime is his “number one priority”.

     Trantalis also says he will work hard to bring redevelopment to the inland parts of District II. Trantalis was known as a very “slow growth” Commissioner, and some say he did little to redevelop the underdeveloped parts of the District when he was a Commissioner. He says he sees it differently now, and has already met with some developers to encourage them to come into the 13th Street corridor area of the District.

     But when it comes to building at the beach, don’t count on much support for any tall buildings there from Trantalis.

      Trantalis says he has “concerns” with City Manager Feldman, but plans on giving him “the benefit of the doubt in the first year”.

     He gives Mayor Seiler much higher ratings than his predecessor – Naugle-  “without a doubt”, but is critical of Seiler for being a “mediator, not an initiator”.


      Trantalis thinks he can win the seat, but is ready for battle. He says he hopes the campaign focuses on issues, and is positive. 

     But when asked if he’ll fight fire with fire if the going gets hot, he says it depends on “how hot the fire gets”!. 

     My son Tim called me last night chuckling.
 
     He had found a 1966 Fort Lauderdale High School Year Book sitting on the side of the road in a box of assorted papers. Tim is a Fort Lauderdale High alumnus – circa 2008.

               

     So the students in the pictures below will now be the young age of 64 ….  the age in which the Beatles asked the probing question –  “will you still need me, will you still feed me – when I’m 64” ! 


               
                               ……    dancing at the prom!


                 
                                   …  running for Prom Queen …. !


    Lastly, here is the Graduating Class names  … your job is to find some of them, still here in the community ….can you?


             


                        Let me know !  ….   Tim
                                 

    Today was your chance to be a Visionary, to think and plan the Fort Lauderdale of tomorrow!

                       
    
     Unfortunately, very few of you took part.


          


       For the last few years, the City has been trying to take stock, figure out what kind of City it wants to be when it grows up.

       The Visioning effort, designed to do just that,  has been slowly, sometimes painfully, working its’ way toward todays’ Visioning finale – the Citizens Visioning Summit.

     The Summit was advertised heavily, but the turn out was very weak.

     Mayor Seiler, in his opening remarks, said he was frustrated at the low turn out. Seiler said as he glanced at the crowd of about 100 people and saw the same usual volunteers that he sees around City Hall. 

     Seiler attended with his colleagues (except Commissioner Rodstrom, who didn’t attend) and finished his remarks by joking that he had gotten quite a few good ideas by e-mail from the citizens concerning Vision. He said he sent the good ones right off to Manager Feldmans’ email box, and put the rest in another box on his own computer!

                                 

     
     The Summit was well done. About ten groups talked about things like Infrastructure, Flooding, Trains and Trolleys and Culture. After the ideas were discussed, everyone got up and dot voted on the ones they liked best.

     The charts were then packed up and sent off to be tabulated.

           

     
     And in the end, the participants got a chance to listen to the children, that had been in a separate room at “Vision Camp”.


             


     The kids gave their names and what they wanted to be when they grew up.

     We got a good idea of what they had been doing all morning while their parents were Visioning – most said they wanted to design Legos when they grew up!

                 
                       ( … And thanks to Art Seitz for the photography)
     
      





     
     

     Couldn’t wait to get up this morning and go talk politics at my local diner !

                                    
                                       Quality Diner – Wilton Manors

     Lots of important people wander into the Quality Diner in Wilton Manors.

    Wayne Huizenga, King Wilkenson, Terry Stiles,  FLPD  retirees, business people, reporters, and lots of local politicians eat there occasionally – but this morning I was quite shocked at who cozied up and sat down to eat some eggs, and chat with me and my friend Bruce!


            

     Geez that guy gets around!


     PS ….   we voted down the bad amendment that increased the terms for Fort Lauderdale politicians !  …Good work all around!