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Record of Proceedings

Fort Lauderdale City Commission Regular Meeting - June 16, 2026

City Commission — Tuesday, June 16, 2026
BodyFort Lauderdale, Florida
SessionCity Commission
DateTuesday, June 16, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:47:55

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:00

Welcome to the Fort Lauderdale City Commission.

0:04

Thank you all for being here.

0:08

We are calling to order the June 16th regular city commission meeting of the city of Fort Lauderdale.

0:15

The mayor is away on business and will not be participating in tonight's meeting.

0:21

So I'm your vice mayor and honored to with our commission to be working here together.

0:28

I want to thank everyone for being here tonight.

0:31

And as we get going, we'll just uh adjust the order a little bit till we get our other commissioner here.

0:40

But um want to do a couple things.

0:43

One is recognize some of our retirements.

0:47

So long-serving employees in the city of Fort Lauderdale that are retiring.

0:53

Just want to celebrate them.

0:55

David Reynolds, he's a lieutenant of fire rescue, 20 years of service retiring this month.

1:01

Shannon Dameron, police sergeant, 23 years of service.

1:07

Lewis LaFouvury LaForey, 28 years of service with public works.

1:15

Chantel Botting, who's leaving fire rescue and going to Deerfield Beach, right, as a chief, which is amazing.

1:25

30 years of service.

1:26

Thomas White, police officer, 31 years of service.

1:31

Jack DeCristofalo, 33 years of service as a police officer here at the city of Fort Lauderdale, and then lastly, Mark Renner, police sergeant, 34 years of service.

1:44

So if you just give them a round of applause, thank you.

1:47

Appreciate it.

1:53

And now as we start, we'd love to open with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Fort Lauderdale Summer Camp Program participant, Willie Brown.

2:03

If you'd come on up, Willie, we're gonna say the Pledge of Allegiance together.

2:08

I'll meet you at the podium over here.

2:18

Good to see you, Willie.

2:19

All right, kick it off.

2:21

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which is stand one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

2:34

Yes, really, thank you.

2:36

Thank you for doing that.

2:37

I got your little, got your little little bag of goods too.

2:40

All right, thank you, Willie.

2:42

Yeah, of course.

3:16

Excellent.

3:16

Thank you, Willie.

3:18

At this moment, I'd like to take a moment of silence.

3:21

Commissioners, anyone that um to lift up in particular, just want to check.

3:26

Okay.

3:27

If y'all would please join us in a moment of silence.

3:39

Thank you.

3:40

Thank you very much.

3:41

Mr.

3:41

City Clerk, would you call the role of the commission, please?

3:44

Commissioner Herbst.

3:45

Commissioner Glossman.

3:46

Here.

3:46

Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

3:47

Here.

3:48

Vice Mayor Swordson.

3:49

Here.

3:51

Thank you, Mr.

3:53

Clerk.

3:54

Alright, now moving to the agenda.

3:58

So there is an agenda revision.

4:02

Uh PH1, the CAM, and exhibit seven were revised.

4:08

If there are no other changes or revisions to the motion, do we have a to the agenda?

4:12

Do we have a motion to approve the minutes and the agenda as amended?

4:16

So moved.

4:17

Moved.

4:18

Is there a second?

4:19

Second.

4:20

Mr.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████████████████23%
Miscellaneous█████████████13%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████████11%
Procurement███████████11%
Parks and Recreation██████████10%
Youth Programs███████7%
Personnel Matters███████7%
Community Engagement████4%
Historic Preservation███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Fort Lauderdale City Commission Regular Meeting

The Fort Lauderdale City Commission met on June 16, 2026, with Vice Mayor Sorensen presiding in the absence of the Mayor. The meeting included proclamations, consent agenda items, commission reports, and votes on contracts, development projects, and policy issues. Key actions included approval of funding for Rotary Connection, rejection of bids for the P25 radio system (motion failed 2-2), approval of stormwater improvement projects, and a motion to defer the outdoor event fee ordinance for further stakeholder input. The meeting also featured debate on the city commission code of conduct and updates on the city's P-card audit and solid waste authority negotiations.

Presentations

  • Juneteenth Proclamation: Presented by Commissioner Beasley Pittman, recognizing June 19, 2026, as Juneteenth Day in Fort Lauderdale. Hughes Songs performed "Lift Every Voice and Sing." The city also announced a Juneteenth celebration on June 20 at Carter Park from 5-8 PM.
  • Fort Lauderdale Youth Rugby U-14 State Champions: The team won the Florida Youth Rugby State Championship on May 9, 2026, with a 17-14 comeback victory over Weston. Coach Toby Lawrence highlighted the team's international match against the Cayman Islands and plans for future growth.
  • Boys & Girls Club of Broward County Week: Proclamation for June 22-26, 2026. The organization serves over 12,000 youth annually, with 97% high school graduation rate, 92% on-time graduation, and 88% pursuing higher education. Club Director Marquise Thomas shared his personal story as a former club member.

Consent Calendar

  • Items approved as a block (Commissioners Herbst, Beasley Pittman, and Glassman pulled CM7, CM9, and CM14 for discussion). All other consent items passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Gary Smith (Rotary Connection): Expressed gratitude for the city's $90,000 investment. Reported over 5,000 rides provided to homeless individuals since launch, with over 150 placed in residential treatment and over 160 reunified with family.
  • Motorola representative Alan Bogdonoff: Opposed rejecting all proposals for the P25 radio system, citing a fair process and that Motorola's bid was $10 million lower than competitor. Urged the commission to reject the motion to rebid and hear the protest.
  • Communications International representatives (Rick Wallakachuk, Joe Carpenter, Michael Lorente, Pratima Rajou): Supported the city manager's recommendation to reject all proposals and rebid via an invitation to negotiate (ITN), citing inconsistencies in the original RFP that led to materially different proposals (e.g., 30 talk paths vs. 13). They argued a 60-90 day delay would not harm public safety.
  • Keith Costa (Firefighters Union): Opposed rebidding, stating delays would affect emergency responder readiness.
  • Mary Ferdinand (Lauderdale Tomorrow): Supported the MOU with the DDA to redevelop the One-Stop Shop site as a park, referencing the 2003 Downtown Master Plan.
  • Matt Sacco (Marine Industries Association) and Stephanie T. (Boat Show): Requested deferral of OFR3 (outdoor event fee ordinance) to participate in stakeholder discussions, stating they had not been included in the process.

Discussion Items

  • CM7 – Mobile Integrated Health Program (Approved): Fire Chief Stephen Golan described a new rescue vehicle funded by state appropriations and Broward Health for community health outreach, blood pressure checks, and opioid addiction support.
  • CM9 – Provident Park Redesign (Approved): CRA Manager Vanessa Martin explained that a prior design firm went out of business after completing 90% of the design. A rebid yielded a bid 700% higher than the $32,000 budget, so the commission voted to reject all proposals and use existing architectural contracts.
  • CM14 – Rotary Connection Funding (Approved): $90,000 not-to-exceed service agreement for homeless transportation and resource navigation.
  • Commission Reports:
    • Commissioner Glassman reported on meetings regarding the Himmarshee District, e-bike ordinances, and the Speedo Summer Classic. He requested delaying the Himmarshee entertainment district ordinance from July 2 to August 18 for more community input; the commission agreed.
    • Commissioner Beasley Pittman highlighted the Group Violence Intervention program, a police-community partnership launched in February 2026. Upcoming events include a peace walk on June 27.
    • Commissioner Herbst proposed using a general obligation bond referendum for the new City Hall to protect funding from property tax reform. The city manager agreed to explore this with the supervisor of elections.
    • Vice Mayor Sorensen raised the issue of the city commission code of conduct, referencing resident emails about Commissioner Glassman's comments on "bad upbringing." Commissioner Glassman defended his remarks as taken out of context and criticized a double standard.
    • P-Card Audit: City Manager Raquel Williams reported on corrective actions after an audit covering 2023-2024, including deactivating 35 cards, reducing the number of cardholders by 25%, and implementing monthly audits. She acknowledged a culture of lax management and said further accountability measures are pending.
    • Solid Waste Authority: Vice Mayor Sorensen updated that the SWA governing board passed an amendment allowing cities to opt out after RFPs come back in late 2027. Commissioner Glassman insisted on a guaranteed seat for Fort Lauderdale on the executive committee and raised concerns about unrealistic recycling goals and the need for an additional opt-out at the 10-year mark.
    • Federal Courthouse: The commission directed staff to explore acquiring the building for educational or museum use, sending a letter of interest by the July 3 deadline.
    • A5 Lift Station: Staff received direction to pursue a land swap with a private property owner for a lift station site, given the infeasibility of other options.
  • M1 – Hazen Sawyer Retroactive Agreement (Approved): Increased contract capacity by $31 million. Commissioner Herbst criticized the frequency of retroactive agreements and lack of project management oversight. Staff committed to improving processes and acquiring unified project management software.
  • M3 – P25 Radio System (Motion to Reject Failed 2-2): After extensive debate, the motion to reject all proposals and rebid failed 2-2 (Commissioners Sorensen and Herbst for; Commissioners Glassman and Beasley Pittman against). As a result, the previously filed protest by Motorola will be heard at the July 2 commission meeting as required by procurement code.
  • R3 & R4 – Melrose Manor and Riverland Stormwater Projects (Approved, 3-0): Unsolicited proposals with guaranteed pricing and liquidated damages. Commissioner Beasley Pittman secured commitments for emergency pumping during rain events and no change orders.
  • R6 – MOU with DDA for One-Stop Shop Site (Approved): Planning and design services for a downtown park. Commissioners expressed support for community engagement and eventual rezoning to park use.
  • OFR3 – Outdoor Event Fee Ordinance (Deferred to July 2): The first reading was deferred to allow stakeholders (including the Boat Show) to meet with staff and reach consensus before a second reading.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved: CM7 (mobile integrated health program), CM14 (Rotary Connection funding, $90,000), R1 (board appointments), R2 (economic development incentive $15,750 for Project Access), R3 (Melrose Manor stormwater project), R4 (Riverland stormwater project), R5 (summer recess purchasing waiver), R6 (MOU with DDA for One-Stop Shop park planning), R7 (homeless center bed increase to 300), R8 (27-story mixed-use development at 11 N. Andrews with 62 flex units), PH1 (2026-2027 Annual Action Plan), PH2/PH3 (boat lift waivers), PH4 (rezoning to NW Regional Activity Center), PH5/PH6 (comprehensive plan amendments for Broward Health), OFR1 (historic preservation amendments), OFR2 (certificate of use pilot program).
  • Failed (2-2): Motion to reject all proposals for P25 radio system (M3). The appeal of the procurement decision will be heard on July 2, 2026.
  • Deferred: OFR3 (outdoor event fee ordinance) to July 2, 2026 for first reading; Himmarshee entertainment district ordinance to August 18, 2026.
  • Directed: Staff to seek a seat for Fort Lauderdale on the Solid Waste Authority executive committee, to request $25,000 deposits from property owners for city hall appraisals, and to explore a general obligation bond referendum for city hall funding.
  • Noted: Ongoing corrective actions for P-card program, including suspensions and reduced card limits.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to the Fort Lauderdale City Commission. Thank you all for being here. We are calling to order the June 16th regular city commission meeting of the city of Fort Lauderdale. The mayor is away on business and will not be participating in tonight's meeting. So I'm your vice mayor and honored to with our commission to be working here together. I want to thank everyone for being here tonight. And as we get going, we'll just uh adjust the order a little bit till we get our other commissioner here. But um want to do a couple things. One is recognize some of our retirements. So long-serving employees in the city of Fort Lauderdale that are retiring. Just want to celebrate them. David Reynolds, he's a lieutenant of fire rescue, 20 years of service retiring this month. Shannon Dameron, police sergeant, 23 years of service. Lewis LaFouvury LaForey, 28 years of service with public works. Chantel Botting, who's leaving fire rescue and going to Deerfield Beach, right, as a chief, which is amazing. 30 years of service. Thomas White, police officer, 31 years of service. Jack DeCristofalo, 33 years of service as a police officer here at the city of Fort Lauderdale, and then lastly, Mark Renner, police sergeant, 34 years of service. So if you just give them a round of applause, thank you. Appreciate it. And now as we start, we'd love to open with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Fort Lauderdale Summer Camp Program participant, Willie Brown. If you'd come on up, Willie, we're gonna say the Pledge of Allegiance together. I'll meet you at the podium over here. Good to see you, Willie. All right, kick it off. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which is stand one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Yes, really, thank you. Thank you for doing that. I got your little, got your little little bag of goods too. All right, thank you, Willie. Yeah, of course. Excellent. Thank you, Willie. At this moment, I'd like to take a moment of silence. Commissioners, anyone that um to lift up in particular, just want to check. Okay. If y'all would please join us in a moment of silence. Thank you. Thank you very much. Mr. City Clerk, would you call the role of the commission, please? Commissioner Herbst. Commissioner Glossman. Here. Commissioner Beasley Pittman. Here. Vice Mayor Swordson. Here. Thank you, Mr. Clerk.

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