Tim Smith's Fort Lauderdale

     Politics is an ugly business, and Tuesday’s Fort Lauderdale’s City Commission meeting might have some of that on display! Read on!

     [The Latin root of the word says it all – Poli (meaning many), and tics (blood sucking insects)! A few years back, one poll, asking which professions were admired most, rated politicians nearly last, behind Used Car Salesmen!]

                              Here’s what might be expected Tuesday

     …. People that even occasionally follow politics, know this woman –

                                              
                                                           Judy

                                         
                                                         Judy

                                         
                                                     Judy Stern!

     Stern is a political consultant. She’s known as the bad girl of political consulting, using some rather rough techniques to get her candidates elected. If you’re running for office, and your picture shows up inside a slice of baloney, it’s probably a Stern!

     Anyhow, you might remember that Stern, and her long time political family, the Rodstroms, had a falling out recently.

     And Charlotte Rodstrom, in a move that surprised even many hardened political watchers – failed to reappoint Stern to a coveted position on the City’s Charter Review Board!

     But here’s the kicker – this Tuesday, Stern is expected to go right back on the Board, but not as Rodstrom’s appointment – as

                                             
                                           Commissioner Romney Rogers’

                 ……  Any comments??

                     

    

     Seems to be some confusion out there about how the Fort Lauderdale City Commission seat, currently held by  Charlotte Rodstrom, will be filled.

                                                      
                                                              Rodstrom 

      Here’s how I think it goes –

     Rodstrom had to step down from her City seat to run for her husbands’ County seat, but the resignation from the City seat is not effective until the day she officially starts at the County, November 19th. (that’s if she wins the seat – more on that in a minute))

     On November 19th, the clock starts running, as the City Charter says there must be an election within 60 days to fill an open seat. The Charter also says that there has to be a primary first – if there are more than two people running ( which there probably will be).

    There’s a problem with that though – the Charter says that the General Election (the run-off election,  which sports the top two vote getters from the primary) takes place two weeks after the Primary Election, and the Supervisor of Elections is apparently saying that you can’t have the General Election two weeks after the Primary Election, as that’s not enough time – she has to prepare absentee ballots, overseas ballots etc..

     So it’s looking like the Charter rules can’t be met to the letter, but that a General Election for that seat will take place as soon as is possible after the primary….

     So who is running?

                            

     Former Commissioner Dean Trantalis has been meeting with lots of important people in the District, gauging support. Trantalis served only one term, saying he wanted more time for his private life.

     But after that, ( and the rumored break-up with his long time partner), Trantalis ran for Mayor when Jim Naugle was term limited. (Mayor Seiler won that race).

     And who else could possibly run?

     Well, respected former Beach President Steve Glassman’s name keeps coming up – and a handful of other District II leaders….

                                                          Including …

                                            

     Yup, Charlotte Rodstrom! The lawyers say that Rodstrom would be term-limited from running for a fourth term, but this race wouldn’t be her fourth term, just the rest of her third term!

     I’ve been calling, but no word yet from Rodstrom on whether she will consider re-running for her old seat should she lose the County race (which she probably won’t!)

              I’ll keep you posted –

                                                 Tim

 

     

      Seen today at an AT&T store ……..

              

                                 Has the world has gotten too complicated?

     What do you do when squatters live in the abandoned house next door, bust out all the windows, steal the copper pipes, smoke crack, bring in whores, turn your life into a living hell ?

                   

     If you’re citizen Karen Doyle, of Croissant Park, you get mad as hell and decide you’re not going to take it anymore!

     Karen has gone from being totally frustrated with the situation just next door to her, to being cautiously optimistic.

     When she first started calling the City about the mess next door , she got the standard government run-around! The Police could come and arrest the squatters, and they did, but they couldn’t take their possessions! Code could site the property, but had no resources to board it up. The Fire Marshall could check it for dangerous conditions, but not do this, or that, the lawyers had to be consulted, on and on and on.

                                      

     Now, all that finger pointing seems to have stopped!


                 

     The City is on it, together!

     Somewhere along the line, some City Employees got frustrated with the City run-around themselves! They realized everyone was chasing their tails.

     Doyle’s problem is being replicated all over the City. One of the City’s abandoned homes, 715 NE 15th Ave, had been visited 58 times by different City Departments, another, at 740 NW4th Ave, 49 times. The City says there may be 1000 of these abandoned properties in the City, and 380 of them have already had City attention. 

     So now, a passionate group of City employees are proposing new procedures – so that all the departments will talk to each other, assist each other, maybe even  solve the problem!  

    They are calling the program the SRT ( Strategic Response Team) and Monday is the big meeting, All the participating departments are attending!  FLPD Det. Maura seems to be one of the key organizers of this new effort, Assistant City Managers will be there, even Commissioner Romney Rogers is getting involved. 

     Karen Doyle says she will probably be the only “citizen” attending the meeting, with the 15 City employees from many different departments. She feels a little out of place, but is seeing this effort through.

     Looks like one citizen can make a difference!

    

                               
     If you are one of those people that gets really really angry when a politician says one thing, and does the complete opposite, (and worse),  you may want to pass instead of reading this story!

                                               


     It happened this morning at the Broward County Commission. And this story get fouler as the story unfolds, so make sure you read until the end!
                             ………………………………………………………………………………

     Today the community around 13th Street in Fort Lauderdale went to the County Commission to try and secure some unused redevelopment funds, set aside only to be used in rough areas like 13th Street.

     The funds (about 1 million) would be used to redo the streetscape in the 13th Street Business District into a more business friendly configuration. Ironically, it was the County that enlarged the streets to five lanes, including the suicide lane, in the 1970’s. That, coupled with a bad economy, drove most of the businesses away.

                          
                                            hopefully, a new look for 13th!

     Well, we thought we might have the votes today for the improvement. We had been talking to each Commissioner, and suspected there were four votes in favor, 2 opposed, 2 iffy. We were counting on an “iffy” to cross over to yes, and we’d be there! ( All the Commissioners kept to their words- except……

     Enter the County Commissioner  for the 13th Street area, Dale Holeness.
 
                                                       
                                                          not so Holeness!

     You’d think – of course Holeness would be a certain yes vote, he’s the Commissioner for the area for god’s sake, and just to prove that he was on board, he sent this e-mail to dozens of his constituents in the 13th street community that had contacted him on the matter.

 

     On behalf of Commissioner Holness, thank you for your recent e-mail in regard to the upcoming Fort Lauderdale CRA District MRSMRSB. Although most of the proposed business corridor runs outside District 9, the Commissioner wholeheartedly supports having a viable business district along NE 13^th Street. You can count on his support.

Thanks for staying engaged.

     
     

                            

     This week, the Fort lauderdale City Commission will vote to ask us to change the way we elect them!

   I think they have their proposal  mostly right

                                  …. except for one big mistake ( I’ll get to that in a minute)


                                           Here are the specifics

     …..the Commission will vote to put a referendum on the November 6th 2012 ballot that would do a few things –

     1.) eliminate primaries for City Commissioners and Mayor – seems right, it will save beaucoup bucks, and doesn’t really mean all that much.

     2.) move the City Elections to November, to coincide with State-wide elections– very good, almost no one votes in March City Elections, this will increase voter participation for sure!

     3.) Extend the terms of the Commissioners/Mayor from 3 years to 4 years, which would allow them to serve 12 years instead of 9 –  ….Bad…Wrong…Not Good at all! 

     We’ve proven in our City that 9 years is plenty enough time to serve on the City Commission – here are a few examples!
     
          Former Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson – Served nine years, was term limited out and went for Mayor. Arrested for corruption, awaiting trial.


      Former Commissioner Cary Keno – served six years, arrested for Felony Extortion, found not guilty after the boy who picked him out of a photo line-up, couldn’t identify him in court some years later.


   Former Commissioner Dean Trantalis – served just one term and called it quits. Came back three years later and ran for Mayor and lost. Now considering another run for Commission.


   Former Commissioner John Aurelius (left), won third term and quit halfway through citing family matters.


     This is Kathy Willets, infamous Fort Lauderdale prostitute, that had, as a client, family values Vice Mayor Doug Danziger, who was “caught” after 5 years on the City Commission!



 Former Commissioner Christine Teel, served 6 years, ran for her 3rd term and lost. Left town soon thereafter!



    Former Commissioner (me), served 2 terms, could have run for a third term as Commissioner, but opted to run for Mayor ( against Naugle) and lost.

    
                      …..  Join me in telling Mayor Seiler and the rest of the Commission to change their proposal to allow for just (2) four year terms, for a maximum of 8 years on the Commission-

                           – and if they won’t, then join me in voting down the proposal in November!

 

     A week from today, June 5th, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission

                                     has a request on the agenda of the


  Broward County Commission, for some hefty bucks!



     The request is for the money left in the County’s expired Redevelopment fund, only earmarked for Broward Cities’ CRAs (areas that need help) that have never got any of that funding. 

     Enter Fort Lauderdale’s new CRA, MRSMRSB ( sounded out it’s – misses, misses, B !)

     You know MRSMRSB as the 13th Street area of Fort Lauderdale.

     For decades, it was the City’s crack and whore district. Those problems have been substantially fixed, but the area is still devoid of decent commercial and residential redevelopment.

     The million bucks would reshape the area’s business district into user friendly condition, with wider sidewalks, nice lighting, on-street parking etc., a draw for new business.

                

     The area is ripe and ready for these improvements, and it needs your help!

                   Here’s your assignment ….  if you please!

     Send an e-mail to the County Commissioners (now would be a great time , and ask them to please fund Fort Lauderdale’s new CRA, MRSMRSB’s Complete Streets project, so they can have a business district that works! ( but put it in your own brilliant words of course !)

     Here is a link to their e-mails addresses ! …  send it to all of them if you can find the time  …….  thanks

              http://www.broward.org/Commission/Pages/default.aspx

 

     
                                                          Blowin in the Wind



               

How many days til the hurricanes come

                                              And blow Shippey House to the sea?

                                              And much more history will we save

                                              If this one goes sailing the breeze

                                              The answer my friend is …….

                                             
                                      Shippey needs to be set on a foundation NOW !!!

     Whether you  were for or against the move of the Shippey House from Sailboat Bend to its current location in the historical district,  today’s efforts should be to get that house secured to the ground.!
     

     Don’t you think?

     Here is a picture of the recreated first Fort Lauderdale School House that sits about 50 feet away from the “soon to be airborne” Shippey.

                  
    
 The answer my friend ……   is us!

        If you want to help, go to the ShippeyHouse.org site and donate, or call the Mayor and Commissioners and ask them what can be done.
                                          

     You old timers will remember this story. It’s about my son, Timmy.

It happened in 2003. It was scary, ugly, unfair, but after 9 nine years, justice may be coming for Timmy after all!

I was a City Commissioner serving my last year of a second term, focusing in on the local alcohol drug rehabs. I was known as a neighborhood crime fighter, having always lived off Dixie Hwy in an area that was crime ridden, and under attack by the crack cocaine drug trade.

I had become known as the point person in the fight to clean the area up.

Little did I imagine that the criminals would target my family, but I was wrong, and they did.

One day in 2003, my 13 yr. old son Timmy was walking home from his friends house, when he felt someone grab him around the throat, and drag him off the road and down the RR tracks.

Before he knew what was happening, another thug appeared in front and began pounding his fists into my son’s face. As Timmy was blacking out he remembered his attackers say, “this was for your father, tell him we’re going to kill him next”.

Timmy regained consciousness and found his way back to the street, dripping blood. A motorist stopped and brought him home. We called 911. Timmy spent the night in the hospital.

The fortunate thing was that Timmy was OK, other than the golf-ball size lumps on his head, and, he knew who one of the attackers was – in our neighborhood anti-crime walks, we would see this thug dealing drugs and call the Police, and Timmy had remembered him!

We knew him as Peter Lewis, but his real name is Hudson Joseph. His rap sheet is long – includes armed robbery with a weapon, multiple assaults, loads of drug charges etc.

Timmy and Dad in 2003, just before the attack

Well they got Lewis/Hudson in 2003, and sentenced him to ….  time served

–  15 days, for two adults lying in wait and beating an innocent 13 yr. old bloody and unconscious –

– miscarriage of justice at best ! They had reduced the charge from Felony Assault to Simple Battery, because Timmy had ” no permanent disfigurement!

We were flabbergasted, and mad. But we put it behind us and moved on.

Until yesterday!

I get a call from a fabulous new State Attorney – Whitney Mackay. She said that Hudson Joseph was going to trial today for the vicious beating of Timmy in 2003!

I was confused. Hudson had gotten the ridiculous sentence of 15 days back in 2003. But it turns out Joseph wasn’t happy with that! His attorney filed a motion to have the conviction overturned!

Then, Joseph didn’t show up for that hearing. A warrant was filed, and he’s be on the run ever since.

The new State Attorney is going to fight for some real justice in the case this time around. She’s pushing for the maximum sentence – 364 days in jail.

Timmy is in college and doing great. He got real tough after that. Here he is as the Captain of his wrestling team at Fort Lauderdale High a few years back, a few years after the assault.

That’s Timmy pinning another opponent. Timmy is looking at the ref, that’s his opponent’s legs up in the air! I often wondered if the many opponents Timmy pinned were paying the price for Hudson!

We’re due back in court in July. I’ll keep you abreast.

     We all see them – the Homeless Voice collectors.

     You can’t miss them, in the intersection, with the yellow vests and the plastic collection tubs. We hear stories about who they are, why they are there, etc..

              .

      Well, this morning after b-fast, I decided to stop and chat up a couple of the collectors, and see if I could understand it all a little better.
 
     That’s Cathy and Laura above, they were working the intersection at SE 17th Street and Federal Highway this morning. They say they usually work the intersection about 8 hours a day. Their cans usually have between $30 and $80 at the end of the day.

     Their stories of why they are homeless are sad, but they don’t seem to be.


             

      I first met Cathy, when she pleasantly asked me if I would like to donate to the cause. I said “no, but I’m going to come back and interview you after I have my new blueberry oatmeal at McDonalds across the street”.

     Cathy looked perplexed, gave me a big smile and waved me off.

     After b-fast, I walked over to the intersection where the two ladies had been hard at work. Cathy had just stopped for a break, bought a Red Bull at the gas station, and was looking for a lite for her cigarette.

     She said ” let’s go over there and talk”, pointing to a bus bench across the Causeway. She introduced me to Laura, her collector compadre, and the three of us talked for about 10 minutes. 


                   

      Laura, 55,  has been living in the Sean Connonie homeless shelter in Hollywood since August.

      She  came here from Michigan after meeting a guy online. She says the relationship “never took off”, and she found herself at the shelter of last resort.
  
     I asked her what life was like at the shelter. She says after she got a padlock for her fanny pack, life at the shelter has been OK.

      Cathy, 43,  isn’t currently living at the shelter. She had lived there for six months, after her boyfriend became abusive after falling back into a crack habit. She’s a native Floridian, and moved home with her mother recently , who might have cancer, to help care for her.

      Turns out you don’t have to live at the homeless shelter to work the intersections for it. If you don’t live in the shelter, you get 60% of the money you collect, if you do live at the shelter, you get 60% minus $26 a day for the room and board. Connonie furnishes his collectors with bus passes to get to Fort Lauderdale.

      Both girls seem to have hope. Cathy has met a new guy, and Laura is hoping to get a full time job and move out of the shelter.