Voters could be asked to reconsider building a new courthouse by November 2010 under plans county commissioners began crafting Tuesday.

Mayor Stacy Ritter plans to ask her colleagues to create a task force next week of judges, court administrators, lawyers, business leaders and city officials. The task force would have until June to develop plans to refurbish the aging courthouse or draw up plans to replace it.

“We are not alone in wanting a courthouse and those who want a courthouse should be standing right next to us in advocating it,” Ritter said.

The move comes after the courthouse was forced to close all this week in light of a broken water pipe. It's the second time this year that the courthouse closed because of maintenance problems.
Voters rejected borrowing $450 million to upgrade court facilities in Broward, and commissioners fear the national recession will lead to a second rejection unless there is the strong backing from the court system and the business community.

Ritter faces a divided commission on how to proceed.

Commissioner John Rodstrom said he will introduce a competing proposal next week to place a courthouse vote on the same ballot as the March municipal elections. Commissioner Lois Wexler said the county is far from ready to seek voter approval.

“Do we have a plan that you’re going to sell to the public?” Wexler asked. “No, you don’t. If anything portrays that this is not cooked, we will look foolish. Unless you are a user of the facility -- and most of the public is not -- you don’t feel the pain we feel. The pain they feel is in their pocketbook.”

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | Share:

Being a Broward County commissioner is a part-time job that pays more than $90,000. Now, that job may be even more part-time than in the past.

Mayor Stacy Ritter is proposing an overhaul of the commission rules that includes shifting the days when committees meet to negotiate contracts. Commissioners have long been told to set aside their Tuesdays and Thursdays because the board meets on Tuesdays and many negotiating sessions were on Thursdays. No longer.

Ritter wants to negotiating sessions to be on Tuesdays and to eliminate the commission meeting on the third Tuesday of the month to accommodate the negotiations. Ritter said it’s proven too difficult to get commissioners to attend the negotiating sessions on Thursdays.

Commissioners choose which negotiating committees to serve on. On small contracts, the commissioners largely leave the sessions to professional staff. But on big-ticket items like buying election machinery or construction at the airport, most of the commissioners want a role. Meetings often are canceled and repeatedly rescheduled because of commissioners’ personal schedules.

The commission will vote on Ritter’s proposal next week.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | Share:

Two Broward Democrats -- Sen. Jeremy Ring of Parkland and Eleanor Sobel of Hollywood -- snagged seats on Senate President Jeff Atwater's newly created panel on Florida's economy.

Atwater's select committee will propose legislation and constitutional amendments to "create incentives and eliminate impediments" for economic growth in the Sunshine State. The group's far-reaching portfolio is to "conduct an independent, thorough analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Florida’s financial infrastructure and regulatory policies in order to promote an environment of economic success for all Floridians," said Atwater, R-Palm Beach Gardens, in a statement.

Ring will serve as the committee's vice chairman, with Sen. Dan Gaetz, R-Niceville, as chairman.

The rest of the committee members include: J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales; Mike Haridopolos, R-Indialantic; Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie; Jim King, R-Jacksonville; Garrett Richter, R-Naples; Mike Bennett, R-Braenton; Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach; and Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | Share:

With U.S. Senator Mel Martinez announcing he won't seek re-election in 2010, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle said his phone "has been ringing off the hook'' with people asking if he'll seek the office.

Naugle faces term limits in Fort Lauderdale, where he's served on the City Commission as a commissioner and then mayor since 1985. His term ends in the spring.

But Naugle said he enjoys being the carpool driver to his daughter Rachel's school, Pine Crest.

He wouldn't want to miss "watching her grow up,'' and he couldn't do that from Washington, D.C., he said.

" Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle said his phone has been "ringing off the hook'' with people wondering if he'll run for Senate. Naugle faces term limits and is out of a job in the spring.

Naugle said he enjoys driving his daughter to Pine Crest and "watching her grow up'' and couldn't do that if he had to move to Washington, D.C.

"In 2016 when Rachel's older and gets her driver's license maybe I would consider it then,'' he said.

Martinez was elected in 2004.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | Share:

When Democratic activist Linda Bird wanted her party's nomination to challenge state Sen. Jeff Atwater, the state Democratic Party arranged a summer conference call with a slew of party leaders and elected officials.

A key element of that call - according to one participant, state Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston - was Bird's promise that if she were to get the party nomination to go up against Atwater, she wouldn't challenge an incumbent for an internal Democratic Party leadership position.

Now, having lost the Senate election to Atwater, Bird is doing just that.

And she won't talk about it.

Bird, a Fort Lauderdale Realtor, is running against Diane Glasser of Tamarac for the position of state Democratic committeewoman. That's one of Broward's two representatives to the body that governs the Florida Democratic Party.

Bird is part of a slate seeking to oust the county Democratic Party's leadership. It's led by former U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch, who divides his time between Broward County and Israel and is challenging party Chairman Mitch Ceasar.

This summer, Bird became the candidate against Atwater after the original Democratic candidate, state Sen. Skip Campbell, dropped out. It was up to the state Democratic Party to put up a replacement.

State Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, said the July 20 telephone conference call, with perhaps as many as two dozen participants, came shortly after Campbell formally dropped out. Besides Rich, she said the call included two members of Congress who represent Broward, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Ron Klein, as well as leaders of the Broward and Palm Beach county Democratic parties.

Here's Rich's version of what took place:

"The whole issue was when Senator Campbell decided not to run and Linda wanted to throw her hat in the ring. There were some people who were not that supportive of her doing that. But she was the one who wanted to do it. We worked to get everyone on the same page and agreeing that she would be the candidate," she said.

"There were some concerns" from some Democratic Party leaders that Bird was planning to challenge Glasser. "She did make a commitment not to run, and that's about as simple as I can get. Should she be the Democratic nominee for the Senate seat in District 25 that she would not run [for the party post]. She has obviously decided not to keep that commitment."

"It was a key kind of factor in getting the support of people for her [Senate] candidacy," Rich said. "We all heard it and I think people need to live up to their word."

Continue reading "State senator says Linda Bird broke her promise not to challenge local party leadership" »

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (5) | Share:

Take it as another sign of what will be a very bloody battle.

The hot item at the County Commission’s meeting Tuesday was whether to reimburse the developers of a convention center hotel for $1 million spent so far. The discussion occurred under the watchful eye of former Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller.

Geller is planning to run against Commissioner Suzanne Gunzburger when she is up for re-election in 2010. It’s Geller’s second foray in a matter of months to the commission chambers – the first coming when he received an award for service from the Florida Association of Counties.

Geller said he disagreed with Gunzburger’s stance on the hotel. Gunzburger was part of a 5-4 majority that agreed to pay the $1.1 million expenses, including overhead costs for top managers at the development firm, FaulknerUSA. Geller said he would have reimbursed Faulkner for hard costs such as design work but not for salaries.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (1) | Share:

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez' decision not to seek a second term could set off a scramble of Democrats and Republicans seeking the job in 2010.

One person who won't be running is U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston.

Wasserman Schultz has been on the list of potential Democrats for the seat for months as political pundits debated whether or not Martinez, a Republican with low popularity ratings, would run for re-election.

She's downplayed the talk. And her spokesman, Jonathan Beeton, reiterated today that she wouldn't be running.

"The congresswoman is very happy in the House of Representatives where she plans to continue to work on behalf of the people of Florida's 20th Congressional District," Beeton said.

The political calculation is easy to see.

Continue reading "Wasserman Schultz won't seek U.S. Senate seat" »

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (7) | Share:

Broward Mayor Stacy Ritter corrected what she termed a “major faux-pas” made two weeks ago during the transition of leadership on the County Commission.

After Ritter was unanimously chosen to be mayor for the next year, she presented her predecessor with a bag of gifts. However, she did not give Lois Wexler a plaque commemorating her one-year stint as mayor.

Wexler, the commissioner for District 5 in southwest Broward, is a stickler for protocol. She did not attend a lunch celebrating Ritter’s rise to mayor afterward, and talk around the Governmental Center was that Wexler felt slighted by Ritter.

Ritter, who is the commissioner for District 3 in northwest Broward, apologized Tuesday and said the oversight was unintentional. She presented a plaque to Wexler, saying she had led the county well during a rocky period.

A clash with her colleagues could still be in store for Ritter today. Two weeks ago, she tried to rearrange the seating of commissioners on the dais.

Commissioner John Rodstrom refused to move. Ritter has a proposal before the commission later today that ensconces in county ordinance that the mayor has the power to set the seating chart for the commissioners.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (5) | Share:

Former Fort Lauderdale Mayor Robert Dressler will moderate another discussion about the city's future, at his monthly "Fort Lauderdale Forum'' meeting.

The title for the Dec. 10 early-morning talk: "What's Good, What's Bad, and What Should the New Mayor and Commissioners Do?"

Here's the premise: "Fort Lauderdale will enter a new era with the departure of Mayor Naugle and the possibility of an entirely new City Commission,'' the announcement says.

Last month's forum featured a similar discussion, with a panel of former city officials. This month, Dressler invited community leaders: Sheryl Dickey, Doug Eagon, Genia Ellis, Ted Fling, Chris Pollock and Betty Shelley.

The coffee starts pouring at 7:30 a.m., and the discussion runs from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., at
FAU/BCC Higher Education Complex, 111 E. Las Olas, Room 1110. Parking is available in the City Garage to the north of the complex. RSVP to CWalker@fau.edu

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | Share:

Here are links to our past blog posts on Broward Democratic Party Chairman Mitch Ceasar's performance, and the challenge he faces from former U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch, as well as some of the issues leading up to this face-off.

The mission of the party, according to their website at www.browarddems.com:

The objective of the Broward Democratic Party is to supplement the state and national organizations of the Democratic Party and to secure efficient, able, and honest national, state, county and local government in accordance with the principles of the national Democratic Party. In furtherance of these goals, the Committee continuously endeavors to maintain and foster the high ideals of the Democratic Party.

Local Democratic Party isn’t yet united behind Bird’s state Senate candidacy

Biggest election surprise: No Obama coattails in Broward

House Democratic leader among those disappointed in lack of Obama coattails

Coral Springs mayor: Democrats looked beyond party in sheriff's race

Beyond Obama, Ceasar says the power of incumbency triumphed this week

Peter Deutsch wants to lead Broward Democratic Party

If Peter Deutsch loves Broward, why is his house for rent?

Should head of Democrats Mitch Ceasar be allowed to lobby? Deutsch says no.

And try this one for fun: Ceasar offers confessions of a super-delegate

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (2) | Share:

Broward County Democratic Party chairman candidate Peter Deutsch favors a well-paid professional to run the organization.

Would his choice be Robin Rorapaugh, one of his aides when he was in Congress? She sent out the news announcement from Broward for Change, the group challenging the present party Dem leadership. Read it by clicking here.

"Robin is clearly qualified,'' Deutsch said, "I'm not sure she's interested.''

He's right. Rorapaugh said she's not.

Deutsch said, "it's ridiculous that it's not a professionally run organization.''

Ceasar has an executive director. He said she "makes five figures. His director would make six figures.''

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (4) | Share:

Dogs could be declared dangerous in Broward County not only if they attack a person or another dog, but also if they attack a cat, pet ferret, pet rabbit or pet poultry.

County Commissioner Ken Keechl will ask his colleagues to discuss expanding the dangerous-dog ordinance at their weekly meeting tomorrow. It’s Keechl’s s latest attempt to crack down further on dogs that bite.

The county currently deems a dog to be dangerous if it has either attacked a person at least once, has killed a “domestic animal” at least once or has severely injured a “domestic animal” without provocation on at least two occasions. The law does not define what a domestic animal is, and Keechl is suggesting closing that loophole.

The county requires owners of dogs deemed dangerous to keep them indoors or in a locked enclosure, post dangerous-dog signs around their property, register the animals with the county, implant microchip identifiers in them and muzzle them in public. Dangerous dogs may be euthanized after just one attack.

More than 1,000 dog attacks are reported in Broward every year and an additional 3,000 attacks go unreported, according to county officials.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (6) | Share:

Former U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch, a Democrat from Hollywood, says if he's successful in wresting away the chairmanship of the Broward Democratic Party this month, he will not be a lobbyist like the current party chair is. (Click here to read about his decision to run.)

Peter Deutsch:
Party chair
shouldn't lobby

"The DEC is quasi-governmental'' and deals with a lot of governmental issues, he says.

"If you're head of the DEC, you should not be a lobbyist,'' said Deutsch.

Read more about this, and Ceasar's response, on the jump page.

Continue reading "Should head of Democrats Mitch Ceasar be allowed to lobby? Deutsch says no." »

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (11) | Share:

The office of U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D- Boca Raton, issued this statement after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India:

Boca Raton, FL - Congressman Ron Klein (FL-22), a member of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, today condemned in the strongest terms the deadly terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. In the hours after the conclusion of the crisis, Klein offered his deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and renewed his call for those who killed innocent men, women and children to be brought to justice without delay. "Today, I join all Americans and our friends and allies overseas in extending my deepest sympathies to the families of the more than 200 victims of this despicable crime. We are all grateful this crisis has come to an end at last, and our thoughts and prayers are with all of those wounded and killed, as well as their loved ones in the United States and around the world. "We as Americans must stand ready, and more vigilant than ever, to work with our democratic allies, including our friends in Israel, to defend our common values and interests wherever they are threatened.

"We stand side-by-side with the Indian people and their insistence on a peaceful and democratic future. Despite the cowardly attempts of the few, their commitment, as ours, to a free, open and tolerant society will not be destroyed. The United States joins the government of India in sending a clear message that attacks will not succeed, and those who planned and perpetrated these mass murders will be brought to justice."

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | Share:

U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Miami, today issued the following statement about the deaths of Chabad-Lubavitch members in Mumbai, India:

“The murders of Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg and his wife Rivka occurred in Mumbai, but the aftershocks of this horror are felt across the globe and here in South Florida. Chabad-Lubavitch is intricately woven within the fabric of our community, and this movement which promotes spirituality, acts of kindness and tolerance is not mourning alone.

"A child is now orphaned because of a stranger’s hate, making this tragedy all the more painful. During this time of reflection and loss, all South Floridians stand alongside the Chabad-Lubavitch community in grief.”

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | Share: