It’s a good time to challenge Team Seiler to tackle some big issues!
I’ll get to them in a minute!
Commissioner Roberts …. Fire Chief ….. Mayor Seiler
John “P” Jack Seiler has been good for Fort Lauderdale.
He’s just begun his second term ( fourth year) as Mayor.
When he took over from Jim Naugle, ( 25 years on the Commission), the City didn’t act like a team. It was the greedy developers and their lobbyists against the whiny neighborhoods. It was the right wing religious against the protesting gays and lesbians. It was Naugle against Carlton Moore, and progress in the Northwest.
The City was often marginalized, sometimes a national embarrassment!
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Seiler and his team has mostly changed that.
That’s why I think it’s a good time to challenge that TEAM to do more!
Because maybe they can!
The Homeless Problem
I have to give the TEAM credit as of late. They have pushed new laws to stop the aggressive panhandling, bussed people back to their homes up north, landscaped the tortured Stranahan Park.
But it’s time to double down. Soon it will be summer, many of the homeless will leave, and the Commission should take that respite to enact more solutions and be ready for the seasonal onslaught next winter.
American (NOT) Golf Course
Now here’s a problem that needs a big solution ! … This 18 hole golf course closed down in 2006. It’s been sitting here like this ever since. It’s in Commissioner Roberts’ District, which has the biggest tax base and no big park.
The Commission is pretty smart and resourceful. I think they could come up with a plan to make this a big winner – they should!
The Missing RiverWalk
Here’s another very tough problem. Our Riverwalk is supposed to start at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and go right onto Las Olas. It doesn’t. It stops here behind the old Pantry Pride grocery store and drops into the river.
It’s not connected due to a dispute with the property owner – developer Jorg Perez. Perez was ready to build the City its’ Riverwalk connection in conjunction with a high rise condo, but was stopped when the City sued him in an attempt to take his land for a park. The effort failed, and the building lot is just an eyesore on trendy Las Olas and the Riverwalk is a casualty.
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I challenge TEAM Seiler, because they are acting like a team, have lots of capability between them, were just elected, and have three years before the heavy political pandering has to start again!
I hope they take the challenge!
Team Seiler
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