First Candidate files for Cindi Hutchinson's Commission Seat
Today marks one year from Fort Lauderale's first-ever City Election where term limits guarantee a new slate of characters.
The election will take place on March 11th, 2009. Term limits restrict the Mayor and Commissioners to (3) three-year terms. But the law was not retroactive, so this year finally retires Mayor Jim Naugle with 23 years on the City Commission, and Commissioner Carlton Moore with 20 years. Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson was voted in the year term limits became law, and is term limited at the nine years she has served. She is running for the Mayoral spot.
So far, two candidates have filed to run for Mayor: Hutchinson and Representative Jack Seiler, a former Mayor of Wilton Manors, and currently a State Representative for District 92. Three candidates have filed to fill Moore's seat. Yesterday, the first candidate to announce a run for Hutchinson's seat got in the race.
Coleman Prewitt
The candidate is Coleman Prewitt, a 41 year-old lawyer and Downtown resident in the Las Olas Grande. Prewitt says he is jumping in after being "turned off by the current Commission," and feeling that the City needs a new direction. He says he feels the City is at the "end of an era", and looks forward to "taking the City into the future".
Others are expected to join him in the race for the open seat.
The election will take place on March 11th, 2009. Term limits restrict the Mayor and Commissioners to (3) three-year terms. But the law was not retroactive, so this year finally retires Mayor Jim Naugle with 23 years on the City Commission, and Commissioner Carlton Moore with 20 years. Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson was voted in the year term limits became law, and is term limited at the nine years she has served. She is running for the Mayoral spot.
So far, two candidates have filed to run for Mayor: Hutchinson and Representative Jack Seiler, a former Mayor of Wilton Manors, and currently a State Representative for District 92. Three candidates have filed to fill Moore's seat. Yesterday, the first candidate to announce a run for Hutchinson's seat got in the race.
Coleman Prewitt
The candidate is Coleman Prewitt, a 41 year-old lawyer and Downtown resident in the Las Olas Grande. Prewitt says he is jumping in after being "turned off by the current Commission," and feeling that the City needs a new direction. He says he feels the City is at the "end of an era", and looks forward to "taking the City into the future".
Others are expected to join him in the race for the open seat.
I welcome the enthusiasm and freshness this candidate places his hopes on. I hope the electorate is up to the task of sending a clear unified message of government efficiency, smart & sustainable growth, and an economic layer to our development strategies.
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Prewitt is correct that the City is at the end of an era and needs to be taken into the future, in a new direction. It is no longer the sleepy little beach town remembered fondly by the Naugles, Bogdanoffs, and the rest of the old guard. Even with the best intentions, their miasmatic vision will not lead us where we need to go. We need people on the Commission who can appreciate Fort Lauderdale's past, accept what is now, and take it in a direction that maximizes the quality of life for residents. Having spoken with him a few times, I believe that Coleman Prewitt is one of the people we need to help do this.
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That is why Seiler is the best candidate for Mayor. He is someone who has or practically lived in the city and has seen it grow yet understands the balance between the different ethnic and sexual differences. He is someone who has always shown he can cross a divide to bring a consensus. Cindy is part of a Commission that lead lauderdale to the problems it has now, if you want a couple more years of it I guess you will vote for Cindi. Go Seiler
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Yes Ric, I agree with you 150%. Seiler is the best candidate for Mayor! He already has my vote.
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Sorry, but I have to disagree. As much as I like Jack personally, I cannot support his mayoral campaign. For want of a better term, he's a carpetbagger. He's been term-limited out and he's flailing about for a public-office gig. I know that he's a long-term Broward resident but he has, thus far, chosen to throw his lot in with Wilton Manors - up to and including being its mayor. This is not, in and of itself, a bad thing but, after all these years, it causes one to question why the sudden change to Fort Lauderdale. Perhaps because it's the only reasonably-prominent open seat in the upcoming elections?
Jack, like Naugle, needs a gig after March 2009 but Jack wants to continue on the public dime.
While I'm not necessarily sure that I support Hutchinson in her campaign, I know that she has been here in Fort Lauderdale, experiencing the ups and downs and the related political traumas over the past several years, while attempting to solve the problems and move the City forward to a better place. In fact, if I remember correctly, it was Hutchinson who proposed removing Floyd Johnson and helped move the City from financial Wonderland to financial reality under Silva. During this time, Jack was sitting in Tallahassee or Wilton Manors, watching from the sidelines and contributing nothing. Now that he is soon to be out of a job, Fort Lauderdale is a concern. Sorry, Jack -- too little, too late. I cannot imagine the citizens of any city, for any reason, electing someone to its highest office who has not lived there until the past 6 months. The fact that he has a history in Broward County does not mean he knows the intricate details of the wants and needs of the citizens of Fort Lauderdale. (As a state legislator, he would know the general concepts but his knowledge of the Fort Lauderdale specifics would be limited, at best.
We are in a unique position to elect a reasonably-new board that can see Fort Lauderdale as it is and how it should be. I don't believe that bringing in someone from the "outside" to be mayor is going to solve any of our problems. Jack has much to contribute over the long term to Fort Lauderdale, Broward, and the State of Florida but being mayor is not one of the contributions.
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Sorry you feel that way Cliff, but I truthfully believe Jack would make a wonderful Mayor for our city. He knows the city & has represented a portion of it as a House Rep for Districe 92.
"to little, to late" are you now trying to be Johnny Mathis here Cliff? LOL
From my research, Jack will have lived in Fort Lauderdale more than 6 months before elections. His concepts of our city would not be limited, and Jack would be a great access to our city as our Mayor.
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This carpetbagger allegation is a joke. Did anyone call him a carpetbagger when he represented parts of Fort Lauderdale in the House?
Was he a carpetbagger when he volunteered his time to coach youth sports at Holiday Park?
At most he lived 6 blocks from Ft. Lauderdale while calling him a carpetbagger makes it sound like he is coming from Miami or something. Guess growing up in Fort Lauderdale and attending schools in Fort Lauderdale counts for nothing?
Cindi and yourself like to go on and on about where was Jack for the financial crisis in Fort Lauderdale (which like it or not happened on Cindi's watch) or the Gay Anti Naugle Rally, he was doing his job as an elected member of the House of Representatives in Tallahassee.
The best reason you have for voting against him is where he lives. Does his character, ability to build a consensus, and being controversy free mean anything.
Cindi is a hack that has continually used her office for her own benefit. I am not making this up its been reported in the Sentinel many times. Shaking down lobbiests and developers to contribute to her charities. Claiming to be anti development yet voting with these same developers. Who are the biggest supporters of her Mayoral campaign? Developers who currently have plans that need approval by the city. Lets not forget her getting Gretzes to allow her friend to sell trinkets in City Hall.
Say what you want about Jack, but there has never been a hint of corruption in years as service.
Fort Lauderdale needs the best person for the job. Not more of the same.
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YIPEE - a candidate we can get behind with a vision - now isn't that a new experience! I look forward to following how Mr. Prewitt runs his campaign, gets his message out and gives us some ideas on how he thinks we can move our city forward without destroying its character and charm. We need planned developement, economic growth, jobs, affordable housing, tax relief and more efficient government. I am hopeful he will move us forward on that road!
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I would support Mr Prewitt if he shows to me the willingness to practice listening from the bottom up and not from the top down ...so often they campaign to do so and when they get in office that is gone.
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raymond
sadly listening from the bottom up is useful to get you elected the first time then you have to stay in and you need $$$ for that, hence why top down eventually is the way to go. sucks
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