Fort Lauderdale City Commission Regular Meeting - March 4, 2025

The Fort Lauderdale City Commission met on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Mary N. Porter Riverview Ballroom. The commission approved the January 22, 2025 meeting minutes and the agenda, then heard four presentations, passed a unanimous consent agenda, and deliberated on motions, resolutions, public hearings, and ordinances. Mayor Dean J. Trantalis presided with all five commissioners in attendance, except Commissioner Pam Beasley-Pittman was not present for one second-reading vote.

Presentations and Proclamations

• Broward County Animal Care presented the 'Tags for Life' lifetime pet tag initiative. Public Information Officer Zachary Rankins announced a free community wellness clinic on March 21 at Tyrone Bryant Park offering free preventatives, vaccinations, and microchips; lifetime pet tags cost $25.35 annually.
• Smart Growth Partnership presented the city an award for the Uptown Urban Village project. Jim Metzel, principal planner, and Nadia Lock of Smart Growth Partnership spoke; the award will be celebrated at the organization's 20th anniversary banquet.
• Commissioner Beasley-Pittman presented a proclamation declaring March 3-9, 2025 as Florida Flood Awareness Week. John Travers, acting deputy director of Development Services, accepted and noted that the city's post-April 2023 flood permit-fee assistance fund is still being used.
• Commissioner Sorensen presented a proclamation declaring March 2025 as National Procurement Month. Procurement staff reported that the division processed over $1 billion in procurement in Fiscal Year 2024.

Consent Calendar

No public speakers signed up and no commissioner pulled an item. The commission approved the entire consent agenda unanimously by roll-call vote. The consent items included:

• Outdoor event agreements and road closures: MADD Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K; Lexus Corporate Run; Friday Dining in the Streets; Fort Lauderdale Beer, Wine and Spirits Fest; and Las Olas Triathlon.
• Beach licenses for food/alcohol service: The Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale and Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort.
• Contract and administrative actions: termination of the CemSites cemetery management software agreement; $820,000 increase for HVAC services with S&R Engineering Group d/b/a Air Changes Mechanical; revocable license for a temporary construction fence at Smoker Park; assignment from Electric Supply of Tampa to World Electric Supply; $35,000 additional purchase order for safety shoes; five-year extension of the South New River Drive parking lot lease with Broward County; $125,000 not-for-profit service agreements with Fellowship Recovery Community Organization and HomesUnited Ministries for mental health/substance abuse housing; and a $115,000 Open Spaces Coordinator agreement with A&R Enterprises d/b/a rAv Communications.
• Consent resolutions/motions: consolidated FY2025 budget amendment; consent to assignment of Executive Airport lease to 2001 NW 64, LLC; Tree City USA/Mayor's Monarch Pledge participation; Broward Education Foundation scholarship agreement for 12 scholarships; and 2025 Walk of Fame inductees.

Public Comments & Testimony

• On the City Manager appointment (R-2), all public speakers supported the contract. Marsha Ellison (NAACP) thanked the commission and called the contract fair; Mark Dickerman, a resident and community activist, called it historic; Jim Brady, a 70-year resident and retired municipal attorney, endorsed Williams based on prior work together; Bernadette Norris Weeks, a search committee member, praised pay equity; Michael Alberta, president of Lake Ridge Civic Association, urged approval; Melinda Balker, search committee chair, noted Williams rose from 94 candidates and cited 23 percent cumulative inflation since 2020; Jacqueline Scott spoke personally from her breakfast meeting with Williams.
• On the sidewalk ordinance (OSR-2), Scott Russell, a Sunrise Intercoastal resident building a single-story home, said the city required him to install a sidewalk even though the neighborhood has no sidewalks. Al Battle of Development Services said the amended ordinance would provide an exemption or waiver path, and Commissioner Herbst proposed an amendment related to the city's five-year work plan exception.

Motions

• M-1: Approved a $6,410,000 agreement with H.A. Contracting Corp. for Bass Park Improvements; unanimous.
• M-2: Approved the Fiscal Year 2026 City Commission Priorities; unanimous.
• M-3: Approved Change Order No. 22 with Moss & Associates for Construction Manager at Risk services for the New Police Headquarters in the amount of $1,123,206.46. Staff confirmed the work was deflection-related and included in the $4.4 million budget amendment. The vote was 4-1, with Commissioner Beasley-Pittman dissenting.
• M-4: Approved the First Amendment to the Comprehensive Agreement with My Park Initiative, LLC; unanimous.
• M-5: Approved the facade design for 201 North Federal Highway (the Viceroy) after the applicant and adjacent Dalmar hotel owner reached agreement. Attorney Stephanie Toothacre read the terms: X Tech System Kinetic Wall; 40 percent open natural ventilation on the side facing the Dalmar; sky beach/cloud scenery with up to 35 unique colors; the kinetic system will cover the vertical/horizontal area facing the Dalmar above three garage floors; the Viceroy will pay all manufacturing and installation costs; installation before final certificate of occupancy; and supplemental lighting must be approved by both parties. Jake Warzak, representing the Dalmar owner, consented, and staff confirmed the design meets code. Approved unanimously.

Resolutions

• R-1: Approved board and committee appointments, including Aviation Advisory Board, Central City Redevelopment Advisory Board, Charter Revision Board, Planning and Zoning Board, Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District, Sustainability Advisory Board, and Citizens Committee of Recognition (including added nominee Bobby DeBose); unanimous.
• R-2: Appointed Rickelle Williams as City Manager effective April 2, 2025 and approved her employment contract by a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Herbst dissenting. The agenda names the appointee as 'Rickelle Williams'; the transcript repeatedly refers to her as 'Raquel Williams.' Mayor Trantalis reported negotiated terms: salary of $350,000; a nine-month grace period to establish city residency; a 3 percent longevity bonus on the third anniversary and 1 percent thereafter; a $7,000 IRA contribution after two years; deferred compensation contributions increasing from $11,750 in 2026 to $20,000 in 2028; 20-week severance; and a $700 car allowance. He compared the salary to Miami ($471,000), Palm Beach Gardens ($412,000), Pompano Beach ($385,000), Miami Beach ($375,000), and the Broward County Administrator ($345,000). Commissioner Herbst opposed the contract as overpriced and argued the charter's residency requirement cannot be waived. Williams thanked the commission and said she plans to become a property owner in Fort Lauderdale.
• R-3: Approved acceptance of $88,051,000 in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. Commissioner Herbst voted yes but urged that the funding be kept focused on city priorities. Unanimous.
• R-4: Approved extending the Homeless Advisory Committee through June 20, 2026; unanimous.
• R-5: Quasi-judicial resolution vacating a 1-foot-wide by 110-foot-long portion of a drainage easement at 3201 NE 58th Street; no public speakers; approved unanimously.
• R-6: Quasi-judicial resolution approving the 'Taco Bell - Fort Lauderdale' plat at 945 W. Sunrise Boulevard for Harvest Square Partners, LP; no public speakers; approved unanimously.

Public Hearings and Ordinances

• PH-1: Approved a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for MJA 800 GROUP CORP to operate one luxury transport vehicle; unanimous.
• PH-2: Approved an ordinance amending the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Element for the Transit Oriented Development designation floor area ratio; unanimous.
• PH-3: Approved an ordinance establishing the Uptown Urban Village Transit Oriented Development designation in the Future Land Use Element; unanimous.
• PH-4: Approved an ordinance changing Future Land Use Map designations from Employment Center, Industrial, Commercial, and Office to Uptown Urban Village Transit Oriented Development for land bounded by I-95, McNab Road/C-14 Canal, Powerline Road, and NW 57th Street; unanimous.
• OFR-1: Approved on first reading an ordinance establishing scanning fees and reducing private provider discounts on master permit fees for land development and permitting; unanimous.
• OSR-1: Approved on second reading, as amended, an ordinance updating requirements for alcohol consumption at clothing-optional hotels. Interim City Attorney D'Wayne Spence explained amendments striking the requirement that alcohol be sold only from a fully enclosed bar area in the pool area and clarifying that clothing-optional hotels may sell alcohol in other hotel establishments while the clothing-optional area remains limited to the pool area. Commissioner Beasley-Pittman was not present for this vote; the remaining four commissioners voted yes.
• OSR-2: Approved on second reading, as amended, an ordinance amending Chapter 25 sidewalk installation requirements, including a new procedure for relief from the requirement. Commissioner Herbst offered an amendment to remove an exception for construction included in the city's five-year work plan, saying he did not want developers to shift sidewalk costs to the city. The vote was unanimous.

Key Outcomes

• The consent agenda and all other motions, resolutions, public hearings, and ordinances passed.
• The only dissenting votes were on M-3 (Commissioner Beasley-Pittman voted no) and R-2 (Commissioner Herbst voted no).
• OSR-1 passed 4-0 because Commissioner Beasley-Pittman was not present.
• The City Manager appointment is effective April 2, 2025, with a nine-month residency grace period.