Author: commtims

    The long awaited – Citizen’s tour – of the Sewage Plant, technically called the

  George T. Lohmeyer Wastewater Treatment Plant, happened yesterday.

The Citizen’s tours are a series of tours around the City (any resident can attend), to facilities and places that are seldom toured!

The Sewage tour ( the Sewage plant is on the edge of Port Everglades, off SE 17th street Causeway) was a sold-out event. Fourteen citizens, ( we were only supposed to bring ten) was mostly made up of neighborhood Presidents and the like. The local bigshots spent over an hour yesterday exploring the billion dollar plant.

former Sun-Sentinel reporter Buddy Nevins joined in the fun

The Fort Lauderdale facility treats sewage from all of Fort Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Wilton Manors, parts of Tamarac, even parts of Davie. It can treat upwards of 80 million gallons a day ( now that’s a lot of flushing!)

First thing you notice is   …….   the smell !

Even though lots of attention ( and money) has been spent over the years on odor control, the odor is not totally under control! Attendee Jay Holloway, President of Victoria Park, told me he thought it would be tough for me to capture “the whole essence” of the tour in print – he was right!

We brought masks!

The plant is fascinating, though it was evident that it is in need of major repairs. There were numerous temporary pipes and fixes waiting for major overhauls ( and probably funding!)

local neighborhood President views some of the temporarily fixed incoming pipes

      The plant has emergency devices built in like this emergency generator ready for when the big storms come and the power goes out!

Sustainability committee member Vicki Eckels with the generator

The tour, led by Facility Manager Pat Long, was quite thorough. We went through the Pretreatment Plant, the Oxygen mixing areas, the Clarifiers, even the Scum Pond! Good thing we’d gotten a face mask for sale before arriving to this facility.

Tour guide ( and Plant Manager Pat Long) …thanks Pat

This million dollar contraption ( the squeezer or presser or patty cake maker) was near the end of the tour. After this, the mostly cleaned sewage water is forced deep in the ground (deep well injection) to eventually become tomorrow’s drinking water!

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sp;                                                          A fun time was had by all !

 

     We’ve been following the little troubled neighborhood called…..  

                                      Progresso Village

                         
                                      sign letters still stolen – no respect !

      It’s that mixed neighborhood over by the RR Tracks and Andrews Ave. , just south of Sunrise Boulevard.

     A year back, it was consumed with controversy when it’s President, Doug Sterner, and a few of its board members, backed a City plan to move the troubled homeless souls out of Stranahan Park and into their neighborhood.

                                                   
                                                      Sterner

     The neighborhood revolted, and the plan was stopped, but the blood had turned bad. At their next election meeting, a new President was elected.

                               
                                     new Prez Bradford Cohen


     Today, the following e-mail came out from Cohen, replacing Sterner as the neighborhoods’ representative to the Council of Civic Associations. Sterner just happens to be the President of the Council, and their by-laws say the President must be an appointed rep from a neighborhood !

                Here’s Cohen’s e-mail


      Please be advised by way of this written communication, that as of last night March 20th, 2012, Doug Sterner is no longer the appointed representative of Progresso Village to the Council of Civic Associations.

     The members relayed to me that it is not in the best interest of Progresso Village to have a representative that does not live in Progresso Village or even in the City of Fort Lauderdale.

     I whole heartedly agreed with the sentiment. As such, I have removed him from his appointed position as the representative, and appointed JJ Hankerson as his replacement. I would have liked to tell him personally at our monthly meeting last night, but he failed to appear.

     I put this in the “Pay backs are a …… ” column… I’ll keep you apprised 

                                               Tim

     Just in case you are a new reader here, let me explain the Tim Tours, and tell you what’s next – see if you want to come!

     See, there are a lot of really neat things in the City that most residents could never see. I know that, because as a City Commissioner, I got a “back stage pass” to see them. You should get one too!

     So I asked the City Administration, the Hospital, Bonnet House, FPL etc. if they would open up their “secret” areas to you – 

                       And they said yes!

                
                                     last month at the Crime Lab !
     

     So here’s the scoop on this month’s fab tour!  A clue – it’s a real stinker !    

     
     The one that you’ve been waiting for – 

                                  

                   The Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour
                        
                               Wednesday, March, 21st – 4 p.m.

     The plant is on SE 17th Street and Eisenhower Blvd.. It’s a fascinating place…
 
     ….. you’ll be amazed at this billion dollar, state of the art facility…..

                    ……..  space on the tour is very limited, so to reserve a spot,  either place a comment here on the blog ( like  “it’s Bobby, I’ll be there!”) or send me a private e-mail to 

                            Tim@TimSmith.com

     …..  you can park around back, be prompt 4 pm  …call me if you need to 
                                         954-822-4727

    

     Some Gotta Win …….

         
                        Roberts wins with a record setting 83.9% …. with Fire Chief Justinak and Mayor Seiler

                              
                                         Former Commissioner Aurelius and wife Dori celebrate with Roberts


                         
                                              County Commissioner Chip LaMarca joins the Roberts shin dig



     Some Gotta Lose ……


                         
                              Jackie Scott loses to Commissioner Romney Rogers 65/35 … with Rodstrom



                           
                                         Ray Dettman and Vicki Eckels dance out of Scott soiree




                             
                                           Cal Deal pulled out all the stops  … but his candidate lost

     It’s been quite awhile since Chief Frank Adderley  …….

               made an actual arrest …. all by himself , that is!

     Adderley says he was heading for home the other evening in his private car, when a neighborhood activist reached him on his cell phone with a prostitution complaint. The complainant, Torren Poole, was a good source, and the action was only a few blocks away, so Adderley decided to go over and check it out himself! …. 

     He pulled up to the given intersection, and …..  well …. let’s let Adderley’s filed report take it from here –



                                   

     the Police Report –
              
               And here are the ladies of the evening themselves!

                              

                              

             … Good work Chief!

             

    To endorse or not to endorse – that is the question!

    Two Commissioners will be elected on Tuesday to round out the Fort Lauderdale City Commission for the next three years.

    The remaining races are in District I, where I’ve heartily endorsed the incumbent, Bruce Roberts, and District IV, which gives me heartburn!

      
            
                                           Scott                                     Rogers

      Now, I don’t think my endorsement is any big deal (at least not in District IV), but some of you loyal readers have been tweaking me, nudging me, daring me, questioning why I haven’t endorsed in the District IV race. 

      And one of you just questioned my political courage, and you know I can’t let that stand!

                               So here goes

     Romney Rogers is a gentle man. He (and his family) are important people in the District. He is a leader in his church. He is a solid team player for Mayor Seiler and the current Commission. He is analytical, often delves down into the weeds in issues. He has impeccable manners – (his parents should be proud!)

     But Rogers lacks passion. He appears to think all is good in the City, and where he lives and works, that’s probably about right. Therefore, Rogers hasn’t initiated much in the way of improvements in his first term.
 
     There is still no Riverwalk connection at the Stranahan House, the Riverfront is still dead, and the Bryan Homes (River House, Chart House) is dark.

      He hasn’t been successful in dealing with the homeless/vagrants that torture the downtown (his district), and to make those matters worse, he continues to try and relocate them up near my house !


     Jackie Scott is Roger’s opposite. Unlike the reserved Romney, Scott is outspoken and direct. Scott doesn’t like the term, but most that know her and have dealt with her refer to her as a bulldog.

     Scott has a long active history of civic accomplishments. She served as President of the Council of Civic Associations and has fought many battles for her neighborhood of Coolee Hammock. Scott has also been involved in numerous citywide efforts, historic preservation and the like. She generally accomplishes what she sets out to.

     But Scott is unpredictable. It’s often unclear if she is a proponent of redevelopment, or the leader of the slow growth movements.

     Scott can be sharp, pushy, lacking in the good manners that her opponent Rogers so excels in.

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

     So, in regards to my endorsement in the District IV race on Tuesday – 


                                 you’re on your own !
 
 
      

     




    

     Who’s Who at the St. Paddy’s Parade !

                                
                                      Barry Flanigan (of the Flanigans!)


                               
                              Tony Abbate (architect and FAU Professor)



                   
                                          Doug Eagon (DDA)



           
                             Parade organizer Terry Rynard !



             
                                    Council of Neighborhoods



            
                                 dog carrying owner’s beer!



               
                           Jorg Hruschka (building inspector and activist)



                 
                    neighborhood President LaRhonda Ware (and friends)



                   
                       perennial candidate and infamous attorney Jim Lewis


                
                                                   Jackie Scott



                      
                                      Mayor Seiler and friends



               
                             me and  ……  Art Seitz ……  OMG !

     This is worth the post!

     I could give you some clues who my wife Cindy and I just ran into on the sidewalk outside the Tarpon Bend restaurant on trendy SW 2nd Street tonight (Friday Night) , but you’d probably never guess! ….

                  Here Goes !

                               


    Ninety – Five Year Old,  former Fort Lauderdale  Mayor Bob Cox !


                        There’s hope for us all !!!

     You’re probably wondering why the Mitt Romney Super PAC would be in Fort Lauderdale trashing District IV candidate Jackie Scott?




     They’re not …  It’s worse than that… 

   ….. it’s the City Commissioner Romney Rogers Super Trashing PAC!




     This trashing PAC, which cannot be traced until after the election, has been sending very negative campaign mailers against Scott the last few days.

    Here is the first one – and it’s pretty lame!

               

     It’s obvious that the negative bombardment is tied to Rogers, and his supporters, but Rogers just says “I haven’t seen it”. Then he adds –  “it’s legal”.

     And despicable I say! . It’s a dirty trick that some campaigns use when they are worried about the opposition. Instead of sending out a personal attack against their opponent themselves, it’s outsourced to a shadowy group, usually made up of big fat cats, lobbyists, and the like.

     Apparently, the Rogers camp is worried. And if they have to resort to these kinds of tactics, maybe we should be too!

    The election is Tuesday.

    

     For those of you that thought that the Fort Lauderdale City Commission elections were finished ….

                                    

                                              think again !

     We have two races left, District I and District IV, and they are on Tuesday, March 13th.

      Mayor Jack Seiler and Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom were re-elected in primaries on January 31st, and District III Commissioner Bobby Dubose was re-elected without opposition.
     
                                   Today, we’ll talk about my District I endorsement.

     District I is the loneliest, yet wealthiest District!
 
     Some of the district stretches way up north, where few Fort Lauderdalians roam, and many would think they were in Pompano! It also includes the very important Galt Ocean Mile, Coral Ridge (where the Mayor lives), Imperial Point, Bay Colony ( where Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas lived), and neighborhoods along the Commercial  Blvd. corridor.

     In this District race, I heartily endorse the incumbent, Bruce Roberts.

     I have been very impressed with Robert’s service these last three years. He is often the voice of calm and moderation on the Commission,

                           
                                                 calming the masses

     
     and he doesn’t talk too much!
 
     The one exception to that calmness occurred when he had his chance to pay back former City Manager George Gretsas for his “suffocating management ” of the City.

                               
                                       Gretsas…You’re Fired!


     Roberts is a Republican, and is proud of the City’s “no tax increases” policy.

    He is leading the City’s negotiations on the difficult 911 (communications) talks, and is often deferred to on Public Safety matters (being the former Police Chief).

     And looking at his latest campaign flyer photo,

                                       
    
      he is also proud of what he looked like ten years ago!


       Roberts’ competition is architect Mary Graham.

                                  

     Graham is quite bright, and follows the City’s politics closely. Roberts would be smart to appoint Graham to a City Board.