OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Fort Lauderdale City Commission Conference Meeting – March 19, 2026

City Commission — Thursday, March 19, 2026
BodyFort Lauderdale, Florida
SessionCity Commission
DateThursday, March 19, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:23:44

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to the city commission meeting this March 19, 2026.

0:06

Um we're filming a movie here today, I guess.

0:10

Uh these lights are so bright, but uh it's a weird color, Mayor.

0:15

Is this like turtle lighting?

0:16

Yeah, not turtle lighting.

0:19

I'd run out to the C2.

0:21

Anyway, uh thank you all for being here today.

0:24

We have a number of items to discuss this afternoon, and uh uh but with uh with every meeting we begin now with with our uh city commission reports.

0:35

Did you say something, David?

0:37

Mayor, yes.

0:39

We would typically begin with the CRA meeting.

0:42

I can't hear you.

0:43

We would typically begin with the CRA meeting and then go into the conference meeting now.

0:49

You wanted a CRA meeting first?

0:51

Okay.

0:52

That one's noticed for 130.

0:56

All right, folks.

0:57

We will jump into the CRA meeting.

1:00

Um community redevive redevelopment uh agency board.

1:05

Uh Mr.

1:05

Clerk, would you please call the roll?

1:08

Vice Chair Herbst.

1:10

Present.

1:10

Commissioner Glossman?

1:12

Here, Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

1:14

Here, Commissioner Sorensen, here, Chair Trentals.

1:17

Here.

1:18

So for those of you who are uh seeing us uh on the internet, I just want to announce that uh the Vice Mayor was not able to attend in person for personal reasons, and uh Commissioner Beasley Pittman is not able to be here in person for personal reasons.

1:37

So the uh the remaining commissioners, myself, the uh uh Commissioner Glassman and Commissioner Sorensen uh will be able to conduct the meeting according to city charter as long as there's a majority uh in that are present, we can continue with the meeting.

1:53

Uh nonetheless, they uh the Vice Mayor and Commissioner Beasley Pittman will be allowed to vote uh and we'll be able to conduct our business in the normal course.

2:03

Okay, so we have our first motion, M1, the motion approving minutes of the February 17th, 2026 community redevelopment agency board meeting.

2:12

Uh would someone like to move the item?

2:15

Moved.

2:15

Second.

2:16

They're moving seconded.

2:18

Uh please call the roll.

2:19

Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

2:21

Yes.

2:22

Commissioner Sorensen?

2:23

Yes.

2:23

Vice Chair Herbst.

2:25

Yes.

2:25

Commissioner Glassman?

2:26

Yes.

2:26

Chair Trentals.

2:28

Yes, and M1's now approved.

2:29

M2, motion approving a services agreement between the City of Fort Lauderdale and the Fort Lauderdale Community Redevelopment Agency.

2:36

Anyone have any questions with regard to this item?

2:39

There being none, would someone like to move the item?

2:42

So moved.

2:44

Commissioner Beasley Pittman moved.

2:46

Commissioner Glassman seconded.

2:48

Please call the roll.

2:50

Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

2:51

Yes.

2:52

Commissioner Sorensen?

2:53

Yes.

2:53

Vice Chair Herbst?

2:55

Yes.

2:55

Commissioner Glossman?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Technology and Innovation█████████████████████21%
Public Safety████████████████16%
Water And Wastewater Management████████████████16%
Solid Waste Management█████████9%
Procedural████████8%
Community Engagement███████7%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████7%
Transportation Safety██████6%
Parks and Recreation██████6%
Summary of Proceedings

Fort Lauderdale City Commission Conference Meeting – March 19, 2026

The Fort Lauderdale City Commission met on March 19, 2026, for a conference meeting that followed a short Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board meeting. The meeting included commissioner reports, discussions on public safety, infrastructure, solid waste, digital kiosks, and a park mediation update. The commission also entered a closed attorney-client session concerning pending litigation.

Consent Calendar

  • CRA Meeting (preceding conference): Approved minutes of the February 17, 2026 CRA board meeting (M1), a services agreement between the City and the CRA (M2), and the CRA annual report and audit (M3). All votes were unanimous (5-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Melinda Balker (President, Downtown Fort Lauderdale Civic Association) spoke in support of the IKE Smart City interactive digital kiosk proposal, citing benefits for wayfinding, safety, free Wi-Fi, and public art. She suggested additional locations along the Riverwalk and at water trolley stops, and advocated for a phased rollout.

Discussion Items

  • Commissioner Reports:
    • Vice Mayor Herbst requested a status update on Lockhart Park mediation with Inter Miami CF.
    • Commissioner Glassman reported on numerous events, including the Thrive Art District ribbon cutting (80% leased), a meeting with business leaders, and a tour of the new police headquarters. He also discussed the March 17 beach gathering incident.
    • Commissioner Beasley Pittman passed on a report but later noted she would provide a written summary of a Washington visit.
    • Commissioner Sorensen reported on the Edgewood Civic Association honoring Allied Kitchen and Bath, the Women in Action seminar, and the retirement of Chief Waterway Officer Marco Aguilera. He also raised concerns about traffic congestion at the port and convention center, and asked about the Solid Waste Authority (SWA) master plan vote.
    • Mayor Trantalis reported on the St. Patrick's Day parade (noted the parade may be affected by a new state law), the Hungary economic event, and upcoming events. He also raised concerns about the Walk of Fame nominations and solid waste issues.
  • Public Safety – Himmarshee Street/Spring Break Incident:
    • Mayor Trantalis expressed strong frustration about a viral video showing a fight on Himmarshee Street, noting it was broadcast nationally and damaged the city's image. He criticized bar owners for not policing their establishments and called for stricter enforcement, including arrests and vehicle impoundment for reckless driving.
    • Chief of Police Bill Schultz reported on the March 17 incident: the department received advance notice and increased staffing. The event lasted five hours, had 800–1,000 attendees, resulted in 3 arrests (one adult for battery on LEO and narcotics, one adult for disorderly conduct, one juvenile for theft). No major incidents occurred. The mayor urged stronger consequences for perpetrators.
    • Commissioner Glassman supported reducing operating hours for the special entertainment district; Mayor Trantalis agreed to revisit hours when staff report back in April.
  • Infrastructure – A5 Sanitary Sewer Lift Station:
    • Public Works staff presented four potential sites (City Hall, City Hall garage, One-Stop Shop, Community Court) for a new lift station needed to relieve the overburdened A7 station and support downtown development. The One-Stop Shop site was favored for cost and constructability ($11.5M total, plus $1.3M sewer rerouting). The City Hall garage option faced structural challenges and higher costs. The Community Court site would require purchase ($3M) and lease termination.
    • The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) requested more time to explore additional private sites. The commission directed staff to meet with the DDA within 45 days and report back.
  • Interactive Digital Kiosk Program (IKE Smart City):
    • Staff presented the unsolicited proposal for up to 30 interactive kiosks. The proposal includes revenue sharing (20% net first 2 years, 35% years 3–20), with estimated annual revenue of $684,000 and total $13.7M over 20 years. IKE would install, maintain, and pay all costs.
    • Commissioner Glassman asked detailed questions about ADA compliance, FDOT right-of-way, maintenance, and community engagement. IKE confirmed experience with FDOT agreements, ADA compliance, and a phased rollout.
    • Commissioner Beasley Pittman raised concerns about the 20-year term given rapid technology changes. Mayor Trantalis noted the kiosks could incorporate future tech.
    • Public comment (Melinda Balker) supported the program but suggested phased deployment.
    • The commission reached consensus to initiate a 21-day competition period and have staff bring a resolution forward, with flexibility on number of units and contract term.
  • Lockhart Park Mediation – Inter Miami CF:
    • Mayor Trantalis reported that a new site plan was received, including a regulation-size soccer field, and requested a vote at the April 7 meeting.
    • Vice Mayor Herbst objected, stating he had not seen the plan and needed time to workshop it with the community. He requested a delay until at least May. Mayor Trantalis agreed to push the vote to the first meeting in May, with the plan to be shared with commissioners before then.
  • Solid Waste Authority (SWA):
    • Commissioner Glassman provided an update: the SWA master plan vote was scheduled for March 20, but the city had not yet received a full presentation. Staff recommended waiting until May for a comprehensive review. A quorum was needed to move the master plan forward.
    • Commissioner Sorensen volunteered to attend the March 20 meeting as a delegate, provided he could receive materials quickly. The commission gave consensus for him to represent the city, with the understanding that a vote to move the plan forward would not commit the city to full participation. Commissioner Sorensen also agreed to raise the issue of Fort Lauderdale not having a seat on the SWA executive committee.

Key Outcomes

  • CRA Meeting: Approved minutes, services agreement, and annual report (all unanimous).
  • Himmarshee Street: Directed staff to work with business owners and police to enhance enforcement and consider reducing operating hours for the entertainment district. Report due in April.
  • A5 Lift Station: Directed staff to meet with the DDA and other stakeholders within 45 days to explore alternative sites, then return to the commission.
  • IKE Smart City Kiosks: Commission directed staff to initiate a 21-day competition period and bring a resolution to accept the proposal, with flexibility on number of units (potentially phased) and contract duration.
  • Lockhart Park/Inter Miami: Vote postponed to the first commission meeting in May (from April 7) to allow Vice Mayor Herbst to workshop the new design with the community.
  • Solid Waste Authority: Commissioner Sorensen designated as the city's representative for the March 20 master plan vote, with instruction to vote to advance the plan while raising the city's exclusion from the SWA executive committee.
  • Executive Session: The commission met privately from approximately 5:45 PM for attorney-client discussions on three FDOT litigation cases and a collective bargaining matter.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to the city commission meeting this March 19, 2026. Um we're filming a movie here today, I guess. Uh these lights are so bright, but uh it's a weird color, Mayor. Is this like turtle lighting? Yeah, not turtle lighting. I'd run out to the C2. Anyway, uh thank you all for being here today. We have a number of items to discuss this afternoon, and uh uh but with uh with every meeting we begin now with with our uh city commission reports. Did you say something, David? Mayor, yes. We would typically begin with the CRA meeting. I can't hear you. We would typically begin with the CRA meeting and then go into the conference meeting now. You wanted a CRA meeting first? Okay. That one's noticed for 130. All right, folks. We will jump into the CRA meeting. Um community redevive redevelopment uh agency board. Uh Mr. Clerk, would you please call the roll? Vice Chair Herbst. Present. Commissioner Glossman? Here, Commissioner Beasley Pittman. Here, Commissioner Sorensen, here, Chair Trentals. Here. So for those of you who are uh seeing us uh on the internet, I just want to announce that uh the Vice Mayor was not able to attend in person for personal reasons, and uh Commissioner Beasley Pittman is not able to be here in person for personal reasons. So the uh the remaining commissioners, myself, the uh uh Commissioner Glassman and Commissioner Sorensen uh will be able to conduct the meeting according to city charter as long as there's a majority uh in that are present, we can continue with the meeting. Uh nonetheless, they uh the Vice Mayor and Commissioner Beasley Pittman will be allowed to vote uh and we'll be able to conduct our business in the normal course. Okay, so we have our first motion, M1, the motion approving minutes of the February 17th, 2026 community redevelopment agency board meeting. Uh would someone like to move the item? Moved. Second. They're moving seconded. Uh please call the roll. Commissioner Beasley Pittman. Yes. Commissioner Sorensen? Yes. Vice Chair Herbst. Yes. Commissioner Glassman? Yes. Chair Trentals. Yes, and M1's now approved. M2, motion approving a services agreement between the City of Fort Lauderdale and the Fort Lauderdale Community Redevelopment Agency. Anyone have any questions with regard to this item? There being none, would someone like to move the item? So moved.

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