Tim Smith's Fort Lauderdale

Police Chief Cancels Speech

Tim Smith — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:39:09 GMT

     Police Chief Bruce Roberts canceled an appearance at a question and answer session scheduled for the Fort Lauderdale Council of Civic Associations on Tuesday.



    The appearance by the Chief had been on the books for months, and comes after the Council voted last month to make Public Safety the groups' first concern. A notification was sent out by the Council today. It follows:

Subject" URGENT NOTICE !!!!

May 13, 2008 Meeting Change

Chief Roberts called today an advised that he will not be attending the meeting on Tuesday to answer the questions provided by the Council. He advised that the contract negotiations were in a sensitive final stage and as such felt that it would be more appropriate to respond to our questions at the June meeting. This delay allows each party adequate time to consider the offer and come to a mutual conclusion. He apologized for the lateness of the notice but provided it as the discussions reached this stage.

Because we have not provided for an alternate speaker, I would appreciate any help you might have in filling this void.

Thanks,

Genia


     Industry insiders admit that the long tortured contract negotiations between the Fraternal Order Of Police and the City might be nearing a deal. The City offered their last best offer in negotiations last Tuesday. The Union head, Jack Lopinsky, is expected to take the contract offer to his members for a vote in the coming weeks.

     The City's offer will bring the Department back nearer the top of pay scales compared to other Broward County Police Departments. The Fort Lauderdale Police had dropped to the bottom of those scales in the last few years and morale has suffered.

     The speech cancellation also furthers speculation about the Chief's future with the Department. High ranking officials in the Department tell me privately that the Chief's failure to deliver the City a contract approved by his Officers might be the fatal blow that ends the Chief's contract with the City and a long, distinguished career with the FLPD. The Chief's contract is up for renewal in November.

     It also renews rumors that Roberts might be considering a new career - politics. Some talk about the irony that Roberts might just be canned by City Manager George Gretsas, only to have Roberts then run for the City Commission and become one of Gretsas's new bosses! Roberts lives in District I, currently represented by Commissioner Christine Teel.

The OBAMA Zone

Tim Smith — Thu, 08 May 2008 07:57:09 GMT

     CAUTION: You are about to enter an Obama Zone

     If you think Barack Obama is a Muslim, or if you think he is a terrorist masquerading as a Presidential candidate, or if you think he is a black radical, or if you just don't plain like him, you may want to pass on this post.

     You see, I am supporting Obama, and when it was looking bad last week, and some were saying that Obama might even lose North Carolina, I got busy. I have a reputation of pushing people to get involved when they don't like what's going on, and I had to pony up!

     Off I went to North Carolina.



      I was about there, thinking about the race, and there, right in front of me, was a sign!



                                                                   I started to feel better!

     I pulled into Charlotte, and it's a big city. I didn't have any idea where Elizabeth Avenue was (Obama Headquarters), so I asked a guy next to me in traffic; "Hey Bud, do you know where Elizabeth Avenue is?" And get this .... he says "are you going to the Obama Headquarters?" "Follow me". I was certain it was divine intervention.


                                                                 I signed up to volunteer!



     Before you can say "Jack Robinson" (whatever that means), I was knocking on doors.



     And at the end of a long day of walking, talking, running from dogs, extinguishing rumors, etc., I was bushed. But then we heard that Michelle Obama was speaking at the Auditorium downtown, and I had heard that she was a really dynamic speaker, so I thought I'd see for myself.

     As luck would have it, they needed more white people to sit on the stage behind Michelle Obama (don't want to feed into those black radical rumors!), and I was pulled out of line and sent to the stage. I hurriedly combed my hair and tucked in the tee-shirt - and I was ready!



     She was good. She spoke for about 40 minutes, no notes, lots of passion. The crowd was big and excited. I managed not to shuffle around in my seat too much, but I was sure we all had those stupid "yes I'm sitting behind the candidate and looking like a doofus" look on our faces.

     When she finished, she came by for a chat!




     The next day was more of the same - walking, talking, hanging doorknob political pieces and the like.

     But the mood on the street was good. I smelled victory. And by 7:30 that evening, a sweet victory it was!

Commissioner Candidate Jim Lewis

Tim Smith — Sun, 04 May 2008 16:07:33 GMT

     Jim Lewis wants to replace term-limited Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner and Mayoral Candidate Cindi Hutchinson as the Commissioner for District 4.

     Lewis is the third candidate that has thrown his hat into the ring for District 4. The others are local attorneys Coleman Prewitt and Romney Rogers.



                                                                       Jim Lewis

                    Jim sent us his Press Release about his entry into the race, and we sent him back some questions.... The exchange follows:

                             ......................................
     Tim - So Jim, that's a pretty impressive Press Release, sounds like you've been giving the issues alot of thought. When and why did you decide to run?

     Lewis - I decided to run about a month ago. I'm running because I'm concerned about the direction that Fort Lauderdale is going in. We must act swiftly, to maintain the quality of life of our residents.
                             .......................................

     Tim - By the sound of your Press Release, you think the city has been pretty mismanaged as of late. do you place the blame for that on anyone in particular? ... the current Commission?....the Mayor?.... the City Manager?.... lack of teamwork?...vision?...leadership void?...what?

     Lewis - I'm not interested in placing blame on anyone for past mismanagement of the city. I do sense there is a lack of teamwork hampering City Hall's ability to provide quality services in an efficient manner.
                              .......................................

     Tim - You handled some pretty famous cases in your law career, including Lionel Tate. Do you think some will hold that against you? What do you say to them?

     Lewis - My law career spans 27 years both as a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. Nobody likes a criminal defense attorney until it's you or your children that are in trouble. I believe my experience with the criminal justice system will be an asset in improving Public Safety. In order to avoid any appearance of conflict, I will not accept any cases involving the Fort Lauderdale Police .
                               ..........................................

     Tim - You say you are against any more hi-density development. Is the Downtown done in your opinion? Would you change zoning rules to stop more hi-density development on the beach and downtown?

     Lewis - I'm against anymore hi-density or hi-rise development on the beach. Downtown is close to maximum redevelopment, but luxury residential hi-rises between Broward Blvd. and Sunrise Blvd. can strengthen our tax base downtown and not overly stress our services.
                                ...........................................

     Tim - I like your approach to the campaign - a $10,000 self-imposed limit, no contributions from the development community. You do realize that means you will basically have to finance the run mostly by yourself ?

     Lewis - I'm prepared to finance my own campaign myself, because I'm not going to allow anyone to even think they can influence my vote because they gave me money. Elections should not be bought and personal wealth ought not to be a prerequisite for public office. Ten thousand dollars is plenty of money to get my message to the residents of District 4.
                                  ...........................................

     Tim - your current competition....an openly gay lawyer, an openly religious lawyer, and you...where do you fit in there?

     Lewis - I'm the country lawyer form the City of Fort Lauderdale. My only agenda is to insure a high quality of life for ourselves and for our children. I promise not to use this office to press any moralistic agenda. I believe in hard work, and honesty above all else.
                                  ................................................

World Famous Parrot Lounge Owner - Miffed !

Tim Smith — Fri, 02 May 2008 14:39:34 GMT

      It's the "World Famous Parrot Lounge" , and it's locally famous owner Tim Schiavone is fighting mad. He says that the area that includes his lounge "is a f-ing mess". Schiavone is known for his civic participation, as well as his colorful style. He was honored in 2002 as the City's "Citizen of the Year".




     Schiavone's nationally known pub is located on the northern part of the Central Beach in Fort Lauderdale. The area is a unique couple of blocks that border on Sunrise Boulevard and the Ocean. It's known by numerous names; Sunrise Lane, The Village, The North End, or according to Tim, "the orphan of Fort Lauderdale that is looking for it's parents" !

     Tim and his neighbors have been trying to get the City to cooperate in an ambitious improvement plan that would help the merchants enlarge the sidewalks, install better lighting, and excuse some onerous parking requirements. They say that would put the area back on the road to success, instead of it's current backslide.

     The plan, that has been finished for years, is a $800,000 improvement. They are $300,000 short. They have a City Business Improvement grant of $150,000, the merchants are matching that with $150,000, and the Blackstone Group, that owns the old Holiday Inn next door, has committed $200,000.

     They have asked the City to agree to the $300,000 shortfall, and believe the investment would come back to the City in no time with increased taxes and improved businesses. Schaivone says they have two votes for the money. Their District Rep Charlotte Rodstrom and Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson are ready to help. He says Commissioner Teel says she can't justify the expense to her rich constituents, and Moore has said he won't vote for it because it doesn't help his poor constituents. About Naugle, he says, "I can't get a straight answer out of that guy".

     The area has become grittier as of late. Some of the tourists' restaurants and beach clothing shops have been replaced with tattoo parlors, T-Shirt shops, and sex shops. Schiavone says if the new improvements were to happen, "maybe we'd get a Tommy Bahama Store instead of T-Shirts shops with T-Shirts screaming Beat Me, Kick Me, #!%& Me".



     Schiavone came to Fort Lauderdale in 1973 from New Jersey for "sun and babes", and has really made a positive difference in the City and the beach. Rumor has it that he hasn't done too bad with the "sun and babes" either. He's been a fixture at the Parrot for the last 35 years. Let's hope for a good outcome, or Timmy may just hop on his World Famous Parrot Lounge Bus and cruise into the sunset!

Seiler vs. Hutchinson....The Money Game

Tim Smith — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:12:51 GMT

     Follow the money. It's usually good advice, and in the current Fort Lauderdale Mayoral race, it's most interesting.

     The two candidates that are raising real money are City Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson and State Representative Jack Seiler. There is another announced candidate, Steve Rossi, and speculation still abounds on other possible entries, but Seiler and Hutchinson are raising all the money, and definitely have a good head start.



                     Jack                                                                                                Cindi


     Fort Lauderdale adopted a very progressive Campaign Finance Reform program a few years back. It makes it easier to follow the money. In the old days, Fat Cats used corporate names to hide great amounts of donations. Now, big donations can only come from real people, with their names and occupations attached. The new law also reduced the maximum donation to $250. Previously it was $500.

     Comparing the two candidates' reports shows patterns developing. First, there are few small donations. Seems those able to contribute the maximum are the only ones interested at this point. Seiler is mostly raising money from fellow attorneys, and Tallahassee contacts. Hutchinson is raising money from those she has come in contact with during her Commissioner career. Here is a representative sample of their reports.

                                            Fat Cat Donors

     Jack's Attorneys                                                 Cindi's Developers

     Les Stracher - Atty. $250                                   Kevin Buckley - Dev. $250
     Stuart Rosenfeldt - Atty. $250                            Jack Loos - Dev. $250
     Russ Adler - Atty.   $250                                    Jim Ellis - Dev. $250
     Steve Lippman - Atty. $250                               Charlie Ladd - Dev. $250
     Grant Smith - Atty. $250                                    Doug Eagon - Dev. $250
     Carl Linder - Atty. $250                                      Terry Stiles - Dev. $250
     Russ Klenet - Atty. $250                                    Peter Feldman - Dev. $250
     Lawrence Smith - Atty. $250                               Richard Zipes - Dev. $250
     Matthew Morral - Atty. $250                               Robert Lochrie - Dev.'s Atty $250
     Jim Scott - Atty. $250                                       Coutney Crush - Dev.'s Atty $250
     Ron Book - Atty. $250                                       Gerald Knight - Dev.'s Atty. $250

     Hutchinson is ahead in the money race, with about $27,000. Seiler, who announced his candidacy months after Hutchinson, has about $12,000. The election is next March. Many people that are watching the race suspect both candidates might raise as much as $100,000. Are their really that many attorneys and developers around?

Beach Activist Considers Commission Run

Tim Smith — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:42:43 GMT

    It's been confirmed.

      Steve Glassman, President of the Central Beach Alliance in Fort Lauderdale, has told us that the rumors just might be true. Not only might he hop into the race and challenge incumbent Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom for the District II seat in Fort Lauderdale, but he might even run for Mayor!



     Here's how the exchange went down by e-mail:

Steve.... Did you see the comment that was submitted in the story about you...? Seems some want you to run for Commission... Is this the start of a good rumor ?....Tim

Tim.... Thank You ; checked it out - very nice ...Received some call too!

So Steve.... I'm putting together an update on the blog about who's in the race for Mayor/Commissioners, and want to include those that have rumors swirling about them?. Is it fair to say you are one with the swirling rumors? ...Tim

Tim.... Thanks for the interest...Are you bugging my phone?... In all honesty, yes - I have been approached by friends and people I don't even know personally who have asked me to consider running for either the District II seat, or for Mayor..... Steven

     That's at least a non-denial ! ...Tim

What's a Miso Spoon?

Tim Smith — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:39:50 GMT

                    ...... And great Hors D'oeuvres !

     Read the menu below. It's an excerpt from a campaign e-mailer sent out. If you ever thought of getting involved in someone's political campaign effort AND getting a new culinary vocabulary, this candidate for Circuit Judge might be just the ticket!

              " Cafe Maxx Event - The Howes for Judge Committee, Cafe Maxx, and The Wine Watch hosted a "Meet the Candidate" fundraiser at Cafe Maxx on April 16th. More than 60 guests feasted on good conversation, cocktails, and Chef Oliver Saucy's famous Yellow Fin Tuna, Beef Tenderloin Tar tare, Shrimp and Chicken Pot Stickers, Jumbo Lump Crab and Caviar in Miso Spoons, and Melted Tomato and Mozzerella Crostini with Basil !"

     Something tells me they are not targeting the "lunch bucket" blue collar set !

A Street Car Named Undesirable?

Tim Smith — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:17:40 GMT

     The Public had it's first chance to weigh in this Sunday on the new proposed "Wave", a Street Car system for Downtown Fort Lauderdale. And at first blush, it seems their are quite a few Doubting Thomases !



     About 50 readers responded with comments to the Sun-Sentinel's Story on the StreetCar.

(click the link for the full story - (http://www.sunsentinel.com/news/local/broward/sflflblightrail0427sbapr27,0,41729.story

     Of the forty comments so far, 32 were opposed, 8 in favor.

     Here is a sampling of some of the more colorful responses:

Opposed

"wires overhead, traffic tie-ups, are these guys smoking horse manure?" ...

       and....

"this railplan will work when elephants fly!"

       and....

"with the bridges and traintracks... only efficient way to move people downtown is by helicopter!"

       and the ever popular....

"The DDA is smoking Crack!"

In Favor

"downtown will continue to be rebuilt, grow taller and attract even greater population"

      and....

"they have it all over Europe without all of this gloom and doom"

     Looks like the DDA will have it's hands full to get this done.....

Breaking News ! Read it here first !

Tim Smith — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:47:32 GMT

     It's important Fort Lauderdale political news for sure ! Another candidate has filed to run for Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson's Commission seat, and this one is sure to stir the pot !

      Nationally known lawyer Jim Lewis has thrown his hat into the ring to replace term-limited Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson.

     You' ll remember Lewis. He was the attorney for Lionel Tate, the 13 year-old that was sentenced to Life in prison, (once the youngest man ever sentenced to Life in America) , for killing six year-old Tiffany Eunick. The sentence was overturned, and Tate got a second break. He then robbed a pizza delivery man.

     Lewis joins the race as the third declared candidate in District IV. The others are local attorneys Romney Rogers, and Coleman Prewitt.

     Lewis is well known in many other cases, and has also tried his hand in Politics before. He ran unsuccessfully against Mayor Jim Naugle a few years back .........

     So much more tomorrow!.............Tim

Charter Review Board meets....doesn't review !

Tim Smith — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:46:56 GMT

     The Charter Review Board is supposed to look at the City Charter from time to time. The City Charter spells out all the rules for governing the City. How many Commissioners will there be? Will the Mayor's position be strong or weak? Are there term limits? How long? Can the City Commission sell off the people's land and/or parks without the people's OK? And on and on. You can see why it's an important board!

     When we last discussed the Charter Review Board's scheduled meeting, we wondered if they would accomplish anything given the highly political nature of the Board, and it's even more political make-up. And our concern played out - they didn't even meet that time ! And that meeting was a postponement from an earlier meeting!

     So I guess we could consider yesterday's meeting a resounding success. They met ! They picked a Chair and a Vice-Chair. And that's about it!

     It looked dicey at first. A member was missing, and the Commission had a dictate that all their appointees needed to be present. The big-shots were there to monitor the goings-on. City Management staff came in big numbers. The City Attorney stood ready. Even Naugle, who had pushed previous Charter Boards to make his position a Strong-Mayor position, was there.

     And then it happened. Member Chris Fertig rushed in. The meeting was on.

     After a few short moments of political posturing, they picked a Chair - Attorney Greg Durden, and a Vice Chair - Attorney Chris Fertig.

     And then they basically adjourned. There was some limited talk about the two items that they perceived as their current agenda . The first was moving the City Elections to November to coincide with Presidential Elections. Judy Stern, appointed by Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom, stated that maybe lengthening term limits might accomplish that (Yikes!), and her arch rival, member Dan Lewis , mumbled that maybe shortening the Mayor/Commissioner terms might be the better route.

     They left with the understanding that they'd get together again - sometime!

Mayoral Candidate Steve Rossi - he's looking at you !

Tim Smith — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:59:38 GMT

     He's Steve Rossi, and he's a member of an elite club; "Candidates for Fort Lauderdale Mayor" . There are two others besides Steve that are already declared, Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson and Representative Jack Seiler.  And at least two others are exploring getting in the race, local businessman Earl Rynerson, and former City Commissioner John Aurelius.

     Steve would be one of the relatively total unknowns in this mayoral race, if it weren't for bus benches, bus shelters and billboards . As you see here, Steve's serious looking mug is staring at us daily at any number of intersections around the City, the County, even the State. His firm estimates that his likeness resides in over 100 locations, including billboards as far away as Sebring and Key West. It's a big part of his marketing strategy for his Law Firm, and Rossi figures it might just serve his mayoral efforts as well.





     And Rossi will need the additional exposure, and more, as the other two declared candidates are very well known politicos. Undaunted, Rossi says that might be a positive for him, as the country "seems to be in a mood for change".

     I spoke with Steve by phone yesterday in a tightly scheduled phone conference. He appears extremely organized and disciplined, and apologized for calling 11 minutes late. He schedules his day like a surgeon, and stopped a few times during the interview to leave himself reminders to check on issues that we talked about.

     But with all the structure, Steve isn't all that opinionated. He say's he likes meeting people and "asking them what they think". He says he is a "sponge" for information.

     He has formed an opinion on current Mayor Jim Naugle, (who hasn't ?). He says that he doesn't know him personally, but that " it would be nice to have a mayor that doesn't create controversy". On City Manager Gretsas, he says he doesn't know enough yet to comment.

     Steve says he is starting his campaign in earnest soon, and expects to be at all the usual forums, where citizens will actually be able to put a voice to the bus bench pictures!

Big Beach Buildings ... Part II

Tim Smith — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:25:36 GMT

     Last weeks' unanimous vote by the Fort Lauderdale City Commission for the new beachfront mega-hotel "Ocean Wave", has many of the citizens wondering just what is going on. The picture is starting to get a little clearer.

     The unanimous vote seemed odd due to the "Read My Lips" declarations of at least three of the Commissioners that the days of approvals for such buildings were over. Mayor Naugle and Commissioners Teel and Rodstrom had run on anti-beachfront development platforms and won their elections handily for doing so.

     When I wrote about that inconsistency last week, folks inside the beach's political structure called and wrote to help me understand. They say that to find out why politicians change their minds, go peek at the minds of their bosses, John Q. Public.

     Some beachfolk tell me that the Central Beach Alliance is trying to change their image. The organization has been known for years for their fierce stands against beach high-rises, although nearly all of their members live in beach high-rises. Some told me that the souring economy has many worried that the progress made in removing the decrepid buildings of yesteryear on the beach will ACTUALLY STOP !

     Then their are the cynics! One beach condo leader tells me that the changes in opinions are more sinister. He says that the supreme leader, Steve Glassman, has his eye on political office himself and is making nice with the development community to help him in a future run. Glassman has been spotted dining with at least one local developer. Glassman says he is amused and flattered. The same insider postulated that there may be others within the organization with "undeclared interests"

     May the games begin!

Big Beach Hotels Now OK ?

Tim Smith — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:41:54 GMT

     The times, they are a-changin!

    It was just a few years ago today, Mayor Naugle and his crew vote nay...
     The big hotels were out of style, they guaranteed they're gone awhile...

     But it's introduced to them and they say, a big new hotel, we say YEA!...
     We're Mayor Naugle's Big Giant Hotel Band !!! .........
                          .........................................

     But all goofiness aside, the days of raucous Public Hearings about proposed new Beach hotels might be over.

     Here are a few of the comments from the three vote anti-redevelopment majority a few years back;

     Teel: "another example of another building on too small a lot ...10 lb.s of sugar in a 5 lb. can .....
      and, "I think were are going to regret jamming on these buildings along the waterfront.....

     Rodstrom: If you're a developer, I'm not your candidate.....
     and "I'll fight the greedy developer"......

     Naugle: I heard a clear message during the campaign, I can't support going forward...


     But this week all five members of the City Commission voted in favor of a new beach mega-hotel, the Ocean Wave. The Wave needed special votes to approve it, because it's length (325 ft.) and height (245 ft.) exceeded beach development rules.


                                  artist's rendering of Ocean Wave


    Here are the comments from the Commission before their affirmative vote this week on the Ocean Wave;

    NO COMMENTS ! ...... looks like the times, they are a-changin........

Activist Gone Wild !

Tim Smith — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:25:20 GMT

                                   Politics 101, Subsection 2, Line 4 :

                There are some activists that you should try and never piss off!

     And today, for City Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson, that basic rule of political survival is being tested by a man named Cal Deal. Deal is a long time neighborhood activist that has made a mission out of stopping Hutchinson's current mayoral run. Deal's antipathy towards Hutchinson began years ago, when Deal says Hutchinson "played dumb, misled, and tried to cover up her involvement" when a local businessman got permission to turn a City green median into a parking area that would benefit his organization. And it's just gone downhill from there.

     Deal has a website solely devoted to the demise of Hutchinson. He says he is just "waiting for her to drop out of the City's mayoral race".

     Today Deal added the following video to his website, which shows Commissioner Christine Teel publicly accusing someone on the Commission [Hutchinson] of violating their new ethics law.


                                  to see the video ..... click here -                          http://www.fortlauderdaleobserver.com/#youtube


     Deal says he is not letting up, and by the looks of his website, FortLauderdaleObserver.com, it appears that is so. Hutchinson Campaign Manager Stephen Gaskill, is reported to not be concerned with Deal and his antics. But for Hutchinson - yikes! - that's got to hurt.

Happy Jack!

Tim Smith — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 08:46:51 GMT

     Politicians running for Elected Office usually have some good weeks, some not so good. For State Representative and Fort Lauderdale Mayoral Candidate Jack Seiler, last week was a dandy!


                                          Happy Jack!

     Mostly, Seiler's good fortune came at the expense of his chief rival in the Mayor's race, City Commissioner Cindy Hutchinson. Hutchinson took a political bruising last week when fellow Commissioner Christine Teel announced at a Commission meeting that she had proof that one of her colleagues was guilty of breaking their new Ethics Law, and that colleague turned out to be Hutchinson.

     The resulting flap, played out in the blogs (see previous posts here), and then the local newspapers, set Hutchinson's campaign back to a still undetermined spot.

     Enter Seiler. While the Hutchinson scandal was roiling, Seiler was in Tallahassee doing the people's business, far away from the local trenches. Seiler entered the Mayoral race last month, but announced that he will not begin his campaign until the current session of the Legislature is finished.

     Seiler has been gaining local notoriety by being recognized as the only member of the House of Representatives to vote against moving up the ill-fated Florida Presidential Primary. It was House Bill 537, cast last year, and the result was 115-1, with Seiler being the lone no vote. At the time, Seiler was quoted as saying "Florida doesn't need [the] Presidential Primary to be moved up to be relevant, we're already the four largest State". Since then, Florida has been penalized for the move, with no clear way forward. This surely will play out as being one of the best moves of Seiler's State Political career.

     The Mayoral race in Fort Lauderdale will take place early in 2009. There are currently three contestants; Seiler, Hutchinson, and local lawyer Steve Rossi, who is relatively unknown except for the hundred or so bus bench ads that beam his image. Local businessman Earl Rynerson has opened an exploratory committee, and former City Commissioner John Aurelius is said to be also eyeing a run. Many pundits expect the race to get even more crowded.

     Seiler should relish last weeks' good news. It most probably put him in the "front runner position". And it's well known that political front runners have some good weeks, some not so good!

Crackhead Crackdown Showdown Update !

Tim Smith — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:44:03 GMT

     The substantial criminal records of the men who yesterday received a restraining order from Judge Julio E. Gonzalez Jr. against a Poinsettia Heights man, were obtained today by Tim Smith's Fort Lauderdale.

      They are sometimes called the Railroad Track Gang, not so lovingly, by residents in the four neighborhoods surrounding NE 13th Street in Fort Lauderdale. They have been holding up in makeshift campsites along the RR tracks, and some are suspect in the areas' recent surge in crimes. They had complained to the Public Defenders Office that local businessman and artist Steve Sticht, had chased them with a chainsaw, posted wanted posters of them, and threatened to kill them. Sticht, a member of one of the area's anti-crime committees, says that is "all bull", that he just cut down one of their many campsites, dubbed "Camp Crackhead", after authorities were either unable or unwilling to accomplish it.

               Here are the men and some highlights of their rap sheets:



                                 Steven Charles Newton (42)
                                             a.k.a. "Shorty"

                                            Multi State Offender
                                 Total Felony Charges - 15
                                 Total Felony Convictions - 5
                                 Total Misdemeanor Charges - 9
                                 Total Misdemeanor Convictions - 2
                                 Total Failure to Appear - 3
                                 Total Incarcerations - 5
     ( charges include Burglary, Larceny, Cocaine Possession, Resisting Arrest, Cocaine-Sell, Trespassing,among others)



                                               Michael Scarola (39)
                                             a.k.a. - Michael Carpece,
                                                        - Cross Eyed Mike

                                             Multi-State Offender
                                     Total Felony Charges - 11
                                     Total Felony Convictions - 6
                                     Total Misdemeanor Charges - 20
                                     Total Misdemeanor Convictions - 11
     ( charges include Burglary, Larceny, Cocaine Possession, Lewd/Lasciv, Prostitution, Trespassing, Shoplifting, Resisting Arrest, Drugs Sell, among others.





                                               James Earl Brown (38)

                                               Total Felony Charges - 7
                                       Total Felony Convictions - 3
                                       Total Misdemeanor Charges - 4
                                       Total Misdemeanor Convictions- 0
                                       Total Failure to Appear - 5
                                       Total Incarcerations - 0
     (charges include Burglary, Larceny, Fraud, Cocaine Possession, Cocaine-Distr, Trespassing, among others)



                                   Terry Dwayne Hampton (41)

                                          Total Felony Charges - 2
                                          Total Felony Convictions - 1

        (charges include Cocaine Possession, Drug Equip, Trespassing)

     These men have a Protective Order in place against Sticht, which orders him to stay away from their residence, which in this case we assume means "Camp CrackHead" on the FEC Railroad line! Another hearing is scheduled on April 17.

Judge Orders Protection for Neighborhood Crackheads !

Tim Smith — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:03:36 GMT

      Broward County Judge Julio E. Gonzalez Jr.,  Monday, ordered Court Protection for a Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods' known felons and crackheads.

     In a move that stunned neighborhoods that have been under siege from street criminals over many years, Judge Gonzalez, acting under the request of the Broward Public Defenders Office, ordered local business man and neighborhood crime fighter, Stephen Sticht, to stay away from the areas' admitted drug addicts and suspected burglars.

     According to the Sun-Sentinel newspaper, some of the men he was ordered to stay away from had felony convictions for cocaine possession, prostitution, lewd and lascivious conduct, burglary and grand theft.  The Judge also ordered Sticht to "surrender any weapons that he had to Law Enforcement". Sticht was accused by the felons of "posting wanted posters " of them, chasing them with a chainsaw, and threatening to kill them. Sticht denies all of the felons' allegations. Sticht says he used his chainsaw to decimate the "crackhead camp" that they had built along the RR tracks. Sticht's neighborhood, and those surrounding it, had experienced a marked increase in burgularies, (homes and cars), as well as many other crimes since the encampment arrived. City Officials had not been successful in eliminating it.





                                                                      the brochure

     On Tuesday night, at the Council of Civic Associations monthly meeting, (an advocacy group that fights for neighborhoods), Judge Gonzalez had operatives handing out his reelection brochures. Some in attendance, keenly aware of Gonzalez's ruling earlier in the day, were drawn to the last line of his brochure that claimed he was "devoted to family and community". One attendee was overheard asking, "is that the criminal community, or our community".

     A formal hearing on the matter is tentatively scheduled for April 17th, where many in the affected neighborhoods hope that the Judge will decide that he is devoted to the law-abiding members of their neighborhoods, not the criminals.

Another Commission - District 4 Candidate !

Tim Smith — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:58:43 GMT

      His name is Romney Rogers, age 55.

     And he filed papers today to run for the open Commission seat in District IV, being vacated by the term-limited Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson, who is running for Mayor. Rogers had originally toyed with the idea of jumping in the Mayoral race also, but settled on the District IV Commission seat instead. District IV is the area of the City that covers most of the Downtown, the southern most portion of the beach, the 17th Street corridor and other areas south.

     Rogers is new to Politics, but his family is not. Romney's grandfather came to the area in 1925, and was one of the first Congressional Representatives for the Fort Lauderdale area. His uncle Paul also served in Congress. Rogers is a local lawyer who lives in Rio Vista, just down the street from the current Mayor Jim Naugle.

     The District IV race has been expected to be crowded, as open seat races generally are, but so far the only other candidate in the race is another local lawyer, Coleman Prewitt ( see a previous post on him).

     Rogers says he is getting in the race because "he loves Fort Lauderdale", and figures it's his time to give back. He said he feels some "overwhelming excitement" today, but knows he will have "alot on his plate" in the coming months. He says he is prepared for a vigorous campaign, where he expects to have to raise gads of money and meet thousands.

     Rogers has a solid background in the City, having been the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, member of the Historic Preservation Board, member of the Police Pension Board, and a past President of Stranahan House Inc.. When asked if he thought the decade long fight by Stranahan House to stop the Icon Condominium from being built next to the Stranahan House was over, he replied "I hope not".

     On other issues, he says the City Commission should be "sensitive to market conditions" when considering how to end the Police Contract stalemate. One of the main barriers to a contract is that Fort Lauderdale Police are amongst the lowest paid Cops in the County, and many are leaving our force for other Police jurisdictions. He says he "likes the City Manager personally" and thinks he is "trying hard".

     Asked about his long time friendship with Mayor Naugle, and whether he holds the same views that have made the Mayor nationally infamous, Rogers said "Jim is his own person, but the bottom line is a Commissioner is there to serve all the people, and respect all the people", and Rogers even quoted the Bible, saying " respect everyone, love the brotherhood..... but fear God".

PostageGate Update

Tim Smith — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:41:58 GMT

     She did do it !

    I just got off the phone, (again), with City Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson. She called to apologize to me for lying during our phone call this morning, and was about to come clean to the press.

     She is guilty of the infraction of using the taxpayer's money to mail campaign literature after all. The allegation by fellow Commissioner Christine Teel is true, and Hutchinson, just minutes ago, sent out the following statement.

For Immediate Release                                              Contact: Stephen Gaskill
Thursday, April 3, 2008

                              STATEMENT OF CINDI HUTCHINSON

There has been an allegation that an envelope with materials regarding my Mayoral campaign was sent from City Hall and then returned because of an addressing error. I am issuing this statement to set the record straight and apologize for this mistake-- I used a city envelope, label and about $4.00 in postage for my campaign needs. I am sorry that some may have the perception that I didn't live up to the standards that have characterized my eight years as a City Commissioner. Throughout my tenure as a City Commissioner I have prided myself on the trust that our residents and those working in the Commission office have felt towards me and I have always focused on providing positive leadership for our City. This momentary lapse of judgement underscores my commitment to work harder to retain the trust of our citizens. I am sorry, and this will not happen again.

     I'm pretty mad and disappointed that Hutchinson lied to me this morning, particularly knowing that I was about to share it with you. I can say that I am not going to guage her entire political career on this one misjudgement, but what will ultimately be more important to Hutchinson is what the voters think.

PostageGate !

Tim Smith — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:50:22 GMT

                              Did she do it? She says unequivocally no !

     Things are deteriorating at City Hall. The City Commission, devoid of any leadership since Mayor Naugle went insane some years back, is left with a disjointed group of Commissioners, following the beat of their own drummers.




      Some of them despise one another, and that played out last week when Commissioner Christine Teel dropped a bombshell during a City Commission meeting, accusing Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson of mailing campaign flyers for her Mayoral campaign from City Hall, using taxpayer money. Doing so would not only be an infraction of the law (currently punishable by a $100. fine under the City's new ethics law), but a giant bonehead move that would seriously undermine her current political endeavors.

     I talked to Hutchinson today at some length and she says it didn't happen, at least she didn't do any such mailing, and that she "is on it".

     What I've been able to find out, (which has been tough with the top-secrecy surrounding the issue), is that an envelope did appear in the City Commission offices, returned due to a bad address, and inside were Hutchinson for Mayor flyers, originally sent out of that office.

     This is where it gets dicey.

     No one will say where the secret envelope is. Seems to me the investigative process would start with the Department of Professional Regulation which has been completely "mum" on the issue, citing confidentiality clauses. Noone there would even state whether their office was involved in such an investigation, whether they had heard about the issue, even if they had ever seen a stamp!

     Some things are certain to me. Evil things do happen in Politics. When I first ran for City Commissioner in 1997, I was blackmailed and told to get out of the race or else. Florida Department of Law Enforcement, secret wiretappings, and an arrest of a sitting City Commissioner for Felony Extortion resulted (read the best seller Politics 101, I was Robbed, Mugged, Blackmailed, and Ignored, So I Got Elected and Made a Difference, available at Border Books or directly from me!), so I personally know how nasty it can get.

     So that gets me back to Hutchinson. When she told me without hesitation that she did not do it, I strongly encouraged her to go to the State's Attorney's Office and demands an independent investigation into political dirty tricks. I hope she shouts from the roof of City Hall that she is innocent, take a polygraph if neccessary, scream that she is mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.

     Any less will have me wondering.