High Priced Harry
Lots going on in the City of Fort Lauderdale!
Thank you all for participating on this blog - speaking your mind. (no cursing please!)
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Today, there was a contentious City Commission meeting. Part of the contention surrounded a new development for the City Attorney, Harry Stewart.
You might recall that Stewart decided to call it quits as City Attorney at the beginning of this year, (opting out, for a bonus for retiring early). Stewart has been the City Attorney for about a dozen years, and is the highest paid employee in the City ( I'll tell you how much in a minute - I don't want you fainting just yet!)
The rationale for paying Stewart the big bundle is that he is one of the best and the brightest. Few dispute that. And the best and brightest saves the City an even bigger bundle in lawsuit savings.
Steward with lesser paid Manager Lee Feldman!
Today, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission officially asked Stewart to stick around a little longer while they looked for his replacement, but it didn't come without some friction. The Commission thinks it will take a few months to find his replacement.
Now as we've said, Stewart makes a serious pile of cash as City Attorney. The discussion today was - is it worth it to keep Harry on board for a few months, or should the Commission just say goodbye now!
pile of cash
The decision was 4-1. Keep Harry around.
Charlotte Rodstrom strongly says no!
Rodstrom charged Mayor Seiler with working "outside the Sunshine". Rodstrom said she was pissed, said she was annoyed at the process! Told her colleagues that they could "beat up on her" all they wanted.
Commissioner Rogers spoke. Rodstrom interrupted. Rogers says to Rodstrom - "you're cutting me off, I didn't interrupt you".
The Commission decides to keep Harry on a month -to- month basis.
Are you sitting down?
This last year, 12 months of Stewart's salary and benefits costs the City
$382,000
Hopefully they can find Stewart's replacement quickly - another best and brightest - ( only cheaper).
Charlotte Rodstrom was SO over the top yesterday. She grandstands and panders; penny wise and pound foolish. Her colleagues were fed up with her behavior. If she is so concerned about taxpayer dollars, then why did she waste her consituents time in this past election - only to announce in rcord time that she is runnng for another office? And what about the special election she will cost us within the year - how much will that cost? Simply put, Stewart has saved the city more money than it costs to pay him. Rodstrom knows that, but she needs to look like the savior - part of her plan.
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Hmmm, let me see, envelope says...
When Stewart makes the legal finding that if CHarlotte resigns and later runs in the special election to reclaim her seat if she loses her commission race, she is still in the current term limits windo, she will say, Stewart was biased because she voted against extending keeping him around and she will then hire,....Bill Scherer to represent her in suing the city on this issue.
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Wait... Did Stewart retire and is being brought back at his current salary on a short-term basis or is his retirement being postponed? What I'm asking is will he be collecting both his $6000+/month pension and his old monthly salary? Doesn't the City have about half a dozen Asst. City Attorneys that could step up and handle things? Certainly, there has to be at least one among them who was hoping for a promotion out of Stewart's retirement. If the Commission thinks an exhaustive search is needed, why didn't they ask Stewart to serve on a search committee and volunteer his time like so many of the City's residents who have been paying his salary all these years.
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I was there and I got up and suggested to the Commission that they bring Stewart back on a month to month basis but at the salary level of the next highest paid city attorney in Broward County since he is the highest paid one now. No one liked my idea except possibly Charlotte. And I thought I had sliced the baby perfectly down the middle for them. If you didn't understand that last reference, shame on you for not paying attention in Sunday School.
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Harry has done a great job for the City and the City needs to keep him around as long as it can. What is the cost for the special election? Can we get another "no vote" that's the only vote Comm Rodstroms has.
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Am I looking at $31,000 a month!!! Nobody's worth that kind of money
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Let the man move on. It is an insulate to his fellow attorneys to even look elsewhere. Promote from within or fire them, if there is a vote of no confidence.
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I thought Mr. Ferber was the candidate in the District 2 race who didn't finish high school? Obviously, Mr. Zalewski didn't get much farther.
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Insulate;to place in an isolated situation or condition; segregate.
Tim as always love your readers.
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Lester,
Nice try, but you used it as a noun, not a verb (you said, "an insulate"). You lose, again.
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I thought it was a typo, but I guess you meant it. Now it makes even less sense.
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Move on to what? The guy is 71. I guess the Commission thinks old lawyers are like fine wines.
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Great post. Another example of why you lost. Next???
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vote of no confidence is what we gave Georege G and David H, they destroyed our City. Harry has saved our City millions and deserves all the accolades for his years of good service.
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"The rationale for paying Stewart the big bundle is that he is one of the best and the brightest. Few dispute that. And the best and brightest saves the City an even bigger bundle in lawsuit savings."
So I guess he is worth whatever we pay or double pay him (it is kinda like double dipping)
There are plenty of good attorneys that litigate lawsuits and get them settled at the right price. Don't believe me, get in a lawsuit with an insurance carrier.
If the city just followed the rules we might not get named in lawsuits. Over the years city hall power brokers are the author of their own misfortune, so thats why we need the harry stewarts. did he also get a pension from the county when he left? maybe not he was too young.
so he now gets the golden parachute, and a nice consulting deal thanks to the generosity of the fll cc and the taxpayers. who am I to complain? also hear most of the senior attorneys in harry's office are exiting as well - their not dummies and are getting out while the terms are good.
taxpayers will be footing the bill for lots more special stuff. I predict the new police station will be the next have to have project. they know a bond won't pass so they will raise the millage rate to pay back a forthcoming loan they'll make to build it.
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I recall when then Chief Roberts wanted to hire Al Ortenzo as his executive Officer. This would have been a contract position with no pension. Mr. Stewart opined that Chief Roberts could not hire someone who had retired. But now that it suits Harry i guess he changed his opinion.
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sad that arbitrary and capricious decisions rule the day at city hall. and even sadder that only a few dozen in the city comment and follow city hall doings. they can do what they want carte blanche because so few of us stay informed.
also was Pallazzo and Icon(Las Olas) lawsuits savings and decisions thanks to Mr. Stewarts legal acumen? guess they would have cost us more.
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In one sense, no. If you followed both cases, there were multiple instances where the neighborhood and political demands placed upon the developers encroached on their property rights under the law. Harry Stewart is a City Attorney who almost never advises his commissioners when they are asking for things they are not legally entitled to. Bottom line, is that the lawsuits have largely been political cover to make the electeds look good at our expense. If you are a Commissioner in Fort Lauderdale, the ULDR is the last thing you need to be familiar with. The electeds make a politically convenient decsion and then Harry and the property owner go and spend tens of thousands (for starters) litigating. The City often loses these cases. Check the record. That's politics.......
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That's one more reason I like Charlotte. It should not take that long to find Harry's replacement, and his salary & benefits are an outrageous expense to the City during current economic times. He could afford to be benevolent & donate back half his salary to the City, if he were a good guy. One can live a very nice lifestyle on $150,000/year.
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So you like Charlotte? Do you like the fact that instead of representing her constituents during the next six months, she will be working extra hard to become a County Commissioner? How can she possibly devote the time necessary for her city district when she is out campaigning and working on a new election? No matter how you slice it, what she did stinks.
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I agree with your points. The 4 are rewarding Mr. Stewart with our tax dollars as they continue to take $10million - $20million a year from the reserves.
They did the same with alison love, letting her run the budget into the ground for a year so she could have that salary as they dragged their feet hiring a city manager. again, another committee to find a city attorney, and delay the hiring.
I am at a loss to understand how all of us paying taxes in FLL put up with this.
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Tim, I can't bare to look at this picture of High Paid Harry anymore with that pile of our money just below him. Maybe it's time you did a positive story that doesn't make our stomachs turn. How about the election of Bradford Cohen to the Presidency of Progresso Village. You were there Monday night with your note pad and omnipresent camera. You even snapped one of me in my softball outfit. If you were wondering we lost by one run in the bottom of the last inning. But there's no denying Progresso Village was the big winner that night. So Tim, where the story?
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Or a story about how help me Howard wrongly accused two police officers of being liars and racists causing them to be humiliated and suspended only to find out his investigator botched the investigation?
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at fll cc mtg 03-06-12 the long goodbyes were sent to the 4 attorneys in stewarts office taking Early Retirement starting Fri March 9, 2012. some 'pinch hitter' names were announced to fill slots so maybe no new hires are needed for now
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I like you website and your writing style.
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