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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Fort Lauderdale City Commission Regular Meeting – April 15, 2025

City Commission — Tuesday, April 15, 2025
BodyFort Lauderdale, Florida
SessionCity Commission
DateTuesday, April 15, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:32:23

Original source
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0:00

Welcome to the City Commission meeting this April 15, 2025.

0:03

Shh shh.

0:05

Um I want to thank you all for being here.

0:07

It's it's a lovely day.

0:08

Everyone wants to be outside, so hopefully we'll have an early meeting tonight.

0:12

I want to thank you all for again for being here.

0:14

And uh for those of you are who are here for the first time.

0:18

Welcome.

0:18

And uh uh our format is that we begin with a pledge of allegiance and um then we share a moment of silence and then we go into presentations in which we recognize individual events or organizations that uh that are important and significant to the people of our community.

0:37

So letting me first ask you all to please rise and join Carly Boynton and myself, who's a fifth grade student at North Andrew's Garden Elementary.

0:46

And um Carly, if you could please join me at the podium so we can uh recite the pledge together.

0:54

Got it.

1:00

Recognize that a little closer with your your hand on your heart.

1:05

Go ahead.

1:07

I Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

1:21

Very nice.

1:22

Thank you so much.

1:27

Thank you so much, Carly.

1:28

We appreciate it.

1:29

Can we take our picture together?

1:31

You want to bring your mom and your family up here?

1:33

Come on.

1:34

Come on up here.

1:38

Come on, you can all come up.

1:41

Thank you.

1:43

Sure.

1:43

Are they with you?

1:44

My mom.

1:45

Tell them to come on up here.

1:54

She's shy.

2:08

Very nice, thank you.

2:09

Very nice to meet you.

2:11

You're welcome.

2:12

Thank you.

2:26

Now I'd like you all to uh join me in in having this moment of silence, and also I'd like to acknowledge the uh of a very important friend of our community, Richard Ellis, who recently passed away.

2:51

Thank you, everybody.

2:53

Um just like to depart a little bit and uh announce some recent retirements of people who have worked with our city.

2:59

These are long-term employees.

3:02

Uh there are five folks tonight.

3:04

Todd Hill, who's with our police department for 29 years.

3:08

Thank you for your service, Todd.

3:13

Also, Raphael Boyet, also a police officer with us 22 years.

3:19

Uh uh Somar Lopikas, uh an us another police officer who's been with us 16 years.

3:29

Um, who's a driver engineer with our fire department, 38 years.

3:37

Amazing.

3:38

Thank you.

3:41

Started in 1986.

3:43

Wow.

3:45

And uh uh and Mark Kayada, who's the captain with our fire department, been with us 31 years.

3:53

Thank you all for your service, everybody.

3:59

All right.

4:00

So Mr.

4:01

Clerk, please call the roll.

4:03

Vice Mayor Herbst.

4:04

Commissioner Glossman.

4:05

Here.

4:05

Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

4:07

Here.

4:07

Commissioner Sorensen.

4:08

Here.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████21%
Lobbyist Regulation█████████████████17%
Environmental Protection██████████10%
Youth Programs█████████9%
Public Engagement█████████9%
Education████████8%
Public Safety████4%
Urban Planning████4%
Community Redevelopment Agency████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Fort Lauderdale City Commission Regular Meeting – April 15, 2025

The City Commission met at 6:00 PM on April 15, 2025, at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The meeting included multiple presentations, a large consent agenda, a contentious debate over board appointments, and adoption of a resolution reaffirming a tunnel as the preferred option for the commuter rail crossing of the New River. Several quasi-judicial hearings were deferred, and two rezoning/right-of-way vacation ordinances passed first reading.

Presentations & Proclamations

  • New River Middle School Eco-Sharks: Students presented their "Magical Mangroves" living shoreline project and sought funding support (estimated $50,000 for phase two). Commissioners expressed encouragement and offered to connect them with nonprofit partners.
  • Stranahan High School Boys Basketball Team: Proclamation declaring April 15, 2025, as Stranahan High School Boys Basketball Team Day, recognizing their Class 4A state championship victory (63-62 comeback).
  • National Minority Health Month: Proclamation presented by Commissioner Beasley-Pittman to Dr. Aaron Johnson, recognizing April 2025 as National Minority Health Month.
  • Arbor Day: Proclamation declaring April 25, 2025, as Arbor Day, highlighting tree canopy goals (33% by 2040) and Tree City USA recognition.
  • Mothers Against Drunk Driving: Proclamation declaring April 27, 2025, as Walk Like MADD and MADD Dash Day.

Consent Calendar

All consent agenda items (CM-1 through CM-10 except CM-9 removed, CR-1, CR-2, CP-1) were approved unanimously (5-0). Notable actions:

  • Approved outdoor event agreements for NOBE Sunday Block Party and SEFAA Volleyball Tournament.
  • Approved a $20,000 sponsorship for the Starlight Musical series with Bank of America.
  • Approved a $161,277.29 fourth amendment for website development with Granicus, LLC.
  • Terminated the employee financial loan program with BMG Money, Inc.
  • Authorized settlements: $200,000 for an auto liability claim (Dante Lee Amos) and $150,000 for a general liability claim (Red Door Asian Bistro).
  • Approved a 60-month lease for Community Court at 18 NW 1 Avenue totaling $624,258.
  • Adopted resolutions for A1A landscape maintenance and an FPL easement at Prospect Lake Water Treatment Plant.
  • Approved a $535,000 agreement with Cendien for Infor CloudSuite Managed Services.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Barbara Stern (District I resident) spoke on the board appointments, arguing that the commission was inconsistently applying lobbyist restrictions, citing examples of male lobbyists appointed while women were previously rejected. She urged consistency.

Discussion Items

  • Board and Committee Appointments (R-1): Commissioner Glassman opposed the nomination of John Rodstrom to the Planning and Zoning Board, citing his role as a lobbyist, his political campaign management, and disparaging social media posts. Vice Mayor Herbst defended Rodstrom, emphasizing First Amendment rights and noting that lobbyists serve on other boards. Commissioner Sorensen called for an ordinance prohibiting lobbyists on city boards. Commissioner Beasley-Pittman expressed concern about selective enforcement and personal attacks. The first resolution (including Rodstrom) failed 2-3. A second resolution appointing all others except Rodstrom and Lisa Crawford passed 3-2.
  • Tunnel Resolution (R-2): Commissioner Sorensen proposed an amendment to remove section six entirely, which would have stated that after October 1, 2025, the county could elect to include a bridge without city support. The amendment passed, and the resolution as amended was adopted 4-1 (Herbst opposed). Later, during city manager comments, Sorensen reported that the county requested reinstatement of the provision, but the commission declined.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda approved (5-0) as listed.
  • Motion M-1 (Airport equipment facility expansion with Vercetti Enterprises, $2,308,862) approved (5-0).
  • Board appointments: First resolution defeated (2-3). Second resolution adopted as amended (3-2), appointing all nominees except John Rodstrom (PZB) and Lisa Crawford (Northwest Progressive Flagler Heights).
  • Tunnel resolution (R-2) adopted as amended (4-1).
  • Public Hearings PH-1, PH-2, PH-3 deferred to May 6, 2025 (5-0 each).
  • PH-4 (Rezoning 539 NW 13th Ave from RS-8 to NWRAC-MUw) passed first reading (5-0).
  • PH-5 (Vacation of 40'x525' right-of-way on NE 6th Terrace for YMCA/Broward Health) passed first reading (5-0).
  • OSR-1 (Water taxi stops ordinance) adopted on second reading (5-0).
  • OSR-2 (Uptown Urban Village parking reductions) adopted on second reading (5-0).
  • OSR-3 (Annexed areas height/measurement definitions) adopted on second reading (5-0).
  • Walk-On Motion (Florida Panthers playoff banner co-sponsorship) approved (5-0), with city manager noting Panthers cover all costs.
  • City Attorney directed to bring an ordinance regarding lobbyists on city boards for discussion as a conference item at the next meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to the City Commission meeting this April 15, 2025. Shh shh. Um I want to thank you all for being here. It's it's a lovely day. Everyone wants to be outside, so hopefully we'll have an early meeting tonight. I want to thank you all for again for being here. And uh for those of you are who are here for the first time. Welcome. And uh uh our format is that we begin with a pledge of allegiance and um then we share a moment of silence and then we go into presentations in which we recognize individual events or organizations that uh that are important and significant to the people of our community. So letting me first ask you all to please rise and join Carly Boynton and myself, who's a fifth grade student at North Andrew's Garden Elementary. And um Carly, if you could please join me at the podium so we can uh recite the pledge together. Got it. Recognize that a little closer with your your hand on your heart. Go ahead. I Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Very nice. Thank you so much. Thank you so much, Carly. We appreciate it. Can we take our picture together? You want to bring your mom and your family up here? Come on. Come on up here. Come on, you can all come up. Thank you. Sure. Are they with you? My mom. Tell them to come on up here. She's shy. Very nice, thank you. Very nice to meet you. You're welcome. Thank you. Now I'd like you all to uh join me in in having this moment of silence, and also I'd like to acknowledge the uh of a very important friend of our community, Richard Ellis, who recently passed away. Thank you, everybody. Um just like to depart a little bit and uh announce some recent retirements of people who have worked with our city. These are long-term employees. Uh there are five folks tonight. Todd Hill, who's with our police department for 29 years. Thank you for your service, Todd. Also, Raphael Boyet, also a police officer with us 22 years. Uh uh Somar Lopikas, uh an us another police officer who's been with us 16 years. Um, who's a driver engineer with our fire department, 38 years. Amazing. Thank you. Started in 1986. Wow. And uh uh and Mark Kayada, who's the captain with our fire department, been with us 31 years. Thank you all for your service, everybody.

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