At Broward IG Selection Comm. meeting, former Broward State's Attorney Philip S. Shailer was invited to be fourth member of five-person committee

Former Broward State's Attorney Philip S. Shailer was invited this afternoon to be the fourth member of a five-person committee that will select an independent Inspector General, an office created by Broward voters in November.

Current members Timothy Donnelly, Sam Goren, Jan Jacobowitz and Shailer will select a fifth and final member at the next meeting and together must select an IG by March 12th. Next meeting is Tuesday the 15th at 3 pm in Room 422, the Broward Commission Chambers.

Personally, I would like to see at least one non-lawyer on the selection committee.

At the end of the meeting around 5 p.m., there were four people in the audience: Broward activist/gadfly Russell Setti, an attorney from Goren's firm, a reporter and... me.

It was an underwhelming start to say the least for Broward's new anti-corruption era, but a baby step is still better than the woeful status quo.

More on this tomorrow, hopefully with photos and video.

Bob Norman's take on the 28 charges against Broward County Comm. Stacy Ritter, noted misanthrope

Commissioner Stacy Ritter's Nov. 10th video press release concerning findings of the Florida Elections Commission on an elections violation complaint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqDU4a1rsYA

Bob Norman of the BrowardPalmBeach NewTimes is really on top of things in Broward County today, even more so than usual, as he reports that Broward County Comm. Stacy Ritter, the same indignant person who sent a comment to my blog in June telling me that I should've contacted her to get her side of a story before I simply linked to a newspaper story on ethics legislation by the Sun-Sentinel's Brittany Wallman -featuring a quote from FL State Rep. Ari Porth, as if Ritter would've even responded- now thinks it might be time to prevent Broward County citizens and interested parties from taking photos of the County Commission during public meetings.
Yes, the same Commission that supposedly works for them.
My post from June:
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/broward-county-commissioner-stacy.html

Ritter seemingly only wants a taxpayer-paid photographer who serves as a PR tool for the ruling political class to be allowed to snap-snap at public meetings.
Perhaps that person, whoever it is, knows Ritter's 'good side.'

The side Ritter certainly didn't show when she showed nothing but contempt when she ripped my friend, Charlotte Greenbarg, President of the Broward Coalition -who wanted the most stringent and far-reaching ethics legislation possible- when Ritter appeared before the Broward Country Ethics Commission.
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/bestof/2009/award/best-political-activist-845585/

Almost as if Ritter didn't even consider that her comments at a public meeting of great civic importance would be recorded, or that a transcript would be made.
Typical.
As I remarked later:

I wonder if Comm. Ritter is still angry about the public finding out via my email to Bob Norman of the Broward Palm Beach New Times a few months back about what she said about civic activist and Broward Coalition President Charlotte Greenbarg before the Broward Ethics Commission, one of the few meetings of theirs that I missed towards the end, where I was often the only member of the public present for the entire meeting?

Knowing that nothing actually beats seeing her own sarcastic words in print, I emailed those indignant words of Ritter's over to Bob Norman, who had the good sense to run them in his January 25th, 2010 blog column for everyone to read for themselves.http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2010/01/monday_quick_takes.php

Personally, after being back down here for seven years, and having attended many Broward County Commission meetings, I have yet to see a good side of Ritter's personality, or even see some sterling quality demonstrated by her that commends her for her current job.
But then that pre-supposes that one actually exists.
-----
BrowardPalmBeach NewTimesStacy Ritter Hit With 28 Election Charges, Complains She Feels "Stalked"
By Bob Norman, Wednesday., Nov. 10 2010 @ 3:00PM

The Florida Elections Commission found probable cause this morning to charge Broward County Commissioner Stacy Ritter with 28 election violations.

​The nature of the charges aren't clear, but they are based on a voluminous complaint filed by Hollywood attorney Brenda Chalifour, who was present at this morning's hearing at the Senate Office Building in Tallahassee.

Ritter did not attend the hearing, though her Tallahassee lawyer, Mark Herron, was there in her stead.

Read the rest of the post at:
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2010/11/stacy_ritter_hit_with_28_elect.php76 comments as of 9:40 p.m.

See also:

Previous NewTimes articles on Stacy Ritter:
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/search/index/collection:all/keywords:%22Stacy+Ritter%22/limit:50/

Previous Hallandale Beach Blog posts re Ritter: http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Stacy%20Ritter

Stacy Ritter's YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/stacyritter3

Hallandale Beach's pro-reform citizens ask FL Sen. George LeMieux to do a good turn and help end the 'culture of corruption' here: Call Victor Tobin!

Above, Miami Herald headline, November 26, 2009, page 3B:
Sen. LeMieux decries 'culture of corruption' in S. Florida

Oh Senator LeMieux, if you only knew the half of it in the City of Hallandale Beach!

Before your term is up, can you please do your constituents here a favor and call Judge Victor Tobin and tell him and his state-wide grand jury that like Norma Desmond at the end of Sunset Boulevard, Hallandale Beach is ready for its close up?

The concerned citizens of this beleaguered community are eager to talk to them and tell what they know.

Or as we say in the world of crime-fighting screenwriters everywhere, "drop a dime."

Sunset Boulevard (1950) -Final Scene, with Gloria Swanson as "Norma Desmond" descending the stairwell



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA9lFsiut2Q

Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/11/25/v-fullstory/1350672_sen-lemieux-decries-culture-of.html

November 26, 2009

Sen. LeMieux decries `culture of corruption' in South Florida

By Marc Caputo and Beth Reinhard
Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau

A slew of South Florida political scandals have uncovered "a culture of corruption'' that must be stamped out, freshman Florida Sen. George LeMieux said Tuesday.

"I feel bad about my home town. This is another black eye on Fort Lauderdale,'' LeMieux said in response to a reporter's questions about accused Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein.

In the past decade, Rothstein -- a Broward lawyer who allegedly bilked investors over bogus legal settlements -- helped steer about $2 million in campaign contributions to political causes, committees and candidates, including Gov. Charlie Crist.

Rothstein's troubles surfaced after federal indictments this fall of other Broward figures: fundraiser Dr. Alan Mendelsohn, Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion, Broward School Board member Beverly Gallagher and former Miramar commissioner Fitzroy Salesman.

"We've got a culture of corruption in Southeast Florida. And we need to do something about it,'' LeMieux said. "It makes us look bad. It's bad for business and bad for our way of life.''

Crist appointed LeMieux, his former chief of staff, to the Senate seat for which the governor is now a candidate in an increasingly competitive Republican primary. Rothstein attended LeMieux's swearing-in ceremony in September.

While lawyers in Broward's legal community whispered about Rothstein's source of seemingly inexhaustible funds, politicians and charities tooks loads of his money.

"You don't look at someone who's generous and just criticize,'' said LeMieux, who also ran Crist's governor's campaign before taking the job with Crist. LeMieux then joined a law firm until he was appointed to the Senate.

LeMieux acknowledged he "didn't understand how he [Rothstein] made all his money.''

All of Crist's chiefs of staff have hailed from Broward: LeMieux, current campaign manager Eric Eikenberg and current chief Shane Strum.

Crist has downplayed his relationship with Rothstein, though each attended the other's wedding reception. Crist appointed Rothstein to a judicial nominating panel in Broward prior to removing him from the post Tuesday.

Crist has called for a statewide grand jury to examine political corruption. LeMieux supports the effort.

Marc Caputo can be reached at mcaputo@MiamiHerald.com

Reader comments, in chron order, are at
http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/11/25/v-fullstory/1350672_sen-lemieux-decries-culture-of.html?commentSort=TimeStampAscending&pageNum=1

Broward School Board's Code of Ethics Policy Committee holds next meeting on Thursday at 1 p.m.

The Broward School Board's Code of Ethics Policy Committee will have a public meeting on Thursday the 14th at 1:00 p.m., K. C. Wright Administration Center, 14th Floor Conference Room, 600 S.E. 3rd Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.


-----
From Broward County Public Schools website

http://www.browardschools.com/SCHOOLBOARD/summaries/pdf/081010.pdf

Ethics Code Committee Update

At the May 11, 2010 workshop, Mrs. Jennifer Gottlieb, Chairwoman and Mr. Kevin Tynan, School Board Member, were assigned by the Superintendent to create a committee to craft a Code of Ethics policy.

Mr. Tynan and Mrs. Gottlieb came before the Board to give an update on the Ethics Code Committee. The structure of the Ethics Code will include one set of rules for all employees, Board Members, and appointees. There will be additional rules for Board Members and their appointees. Board Member requested a list of the membership for this committee.

The subject areas to be included in the Code of Ethics are: gifts, no personal benefit, relationships with lobbyists, relationships with vendors, obligation to report ethical breaches, and filing of frivolous complaints. Also discussed is the enforcement of the Code of Ethics by the Florida Commission on Ethics, creation of the ethics committee, and sanctions.

Educating all employees is critical. There will be an ethics hotline, ethics website and yearly training with acknowledgement that training has been completed.

The committee determined that there are established policies by the School District, Policy 4009.11, Code of Conduct for Administrators and Policy 5202, Gifts to Personnel.

A Professional Ethics website is being crafted, http://web/ethis/index.htm, and once official it will be added to the Broward Schools website. The ethics website will include the above mentioned policies all in one location. This website also provides employees access to portions of the PowerPoint presentation from the Florida Commission on Ethics, frequently asked questions, and links to the Florida Commission on Ethics.

Board Member requested that the ethics code include information regarding employees running for a Board position and staff having partnerships with other companies, including disclosure rules and requirements. Board Members are encouraged to contact Mr. Tynan with any recommendations for the Ethics Code.

Staff is requested to do an article on the Code of Ethics Committee, what has been done so far, and the future of this committee.

Information about the Ethics Code Committee and website can be found on the eAgenda August 10, 2010 workshop.

-----
BCPS - Professional Ethics
http://eagenda3.broward.k12.fl.us/eAgenda/1600/43737/Files/professionalethics.pdf

-----
eAgenda August 10, 2010 workshop.

http://eagenda3.broward.k12.fl.us/eAgenda/1600/43737/Files/ethicscodecomm.pdf

1. Structure of Ethics Code
a. One set of rules for all employees, board members and appointees
b. Additional Rules for board members and appointees

2. Subject Areas
a. No personal benefit
b. Gifts
c. Relationships with lobbyists
d. Relationships with vendors
e. Obligation to report ethical breaches
f. Filing of frivolous complaints

3. Enforcement
a. Florida Commission on Ethics
b. Creation of Ethics Committee
c. Sanctions

4. Education
a. Ethics Hotline
b. Ethics Website
c. Other training

Broward County Comm. Sue Gunzburger's email to Broward civic activists about ethics reform and Tuesday's Commission meeting

On Thursday, Broward County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger, who represents me here in SE Broward, sent the email brlow out via her campaign office to her supporters, Broward civic activists and the South Florida news media to make them aware of what was afoot with next Tuesday's Commission meeting, the subject of my blog post yesterday, concerning Buddy Nevins comments at Broward Beat.

Outrage: Commissioners To Debate Gutting Ethics Reform
http://www.browardbeat.com/outrage-commissioners-to-debate-gutting-ethics-reform/

The email below was sent to super-activist Charlotte Greenbarg, the President of the Broward Coalition, who thoughtfully forwarded it to me. http://www.browardcoalition.org/

------

Stand with Sue for Ethics Reform

** Urgent Action Needed **

Dear Charlotte,

It seems County Attorney Jeff Newton, working again in stealth coordination with at least one of my colleagues, is conspiring for a second attempt to torpedo ethics reform. Click here to read respected political journalist Buddy Nevins' new column exposing this latest scheme to derail ethics reform.

In the Agenda and backup for next Tuesday's Commission meeting (Item 8 -- and the related amendments -- on the 2 PM Agenda), Mr. Newton is actually proposing that we adopt the proposed Ethics Code (Agenda Item #7) ... and then vote minutes later to totally gut it. This is outrageous!

The County Attorney's so-called "glitch" ordinance proposal (Item 8) is a joke. It is nothing but a thinly veiled political attempt to kill ethics reform. It provides a lengthy "cooling off" period of many months before the ethics reforms would even take effect.

Why is this lengthy delay needed? Do any of my colleagues really need 120 days or more time to become ethical and comply with the new Ethics Code before it takes effect? I hope not.

In reality, the proposed delay is a stalling tactic to allow some of my colleagues to orchestrate lawsuits which would seek to kill ethics reform before the effective date. It would also eliminate any criminal penalties for violating the Ethics Code,

Even worse are the proposed amendments, which are purportedly instigated and authored solely by the County Attorney. These amendments would:

• Totally kill the proposed ban on County Commissioners simultaneously collecting a public salary while also earning big bucks leveraging public office by serving as a paid lobbyist.
• Totally exempt Commission spouses/domestic partners from the gift ban.
• Exempt Commissioners, spouses/domestic partners, and Commission personal staff from most of the new ethics bans.
• Exempt all current commissioners from complying with strictest parts of the proposed new Ethics Code.

With your help in June, we were able to scuttle the plot to kill ethics reform with a ridiculous "declaratory judgment" lawsuit. In response, the County Attorney hired -- at taxpayer expense -- attorney E. Bruce Johnson to weigh in with a "legal opinion" denouncing the proposed Ethics Code. Mr. Johnson's lengthy opinion letter seemingly parroted the County Attorney's absurd stance that any real ethics reform was unconstitutional.

What the County Attorney and Mr. Johnson failed to disclose was that Mr. Johnson has a significant financial conflict of interest that should have prevented him from rendering any opinion. You see, Mr. Johnson's own law firm earns money from having one of their attorneys (State Senator Chris Smith) engage in the same shady "lobbying down" conduct that we are seeking to ban. Thus, it was no surprise that Johnson put forward an opinion that the questionable conduct -- the same conduct which puts money into his own pocket -- is fine with him.

On my own, I inquired last month of respected former Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth on this issue. He told me he reviewed the proposed Ethics Code and saw no problems with it. In fact, Attorney General Butterworth told me there was no reason he saw for bringing any declaratory judgment action against it nor for legitimately questioning the constitutionality of the ethics proposals.

Despite this, the County Attorney (and presumably one or two of my colleagues) will not stop until ethics reform is killed. With the sad and disappointing headlines of the past year -- the arrests and convictions -- I couldn't think any better argument would be needed to urge adoption of a tough code of ethics.

HERE IS WHERE I NEED YOUR HELP. NOW.

Please call or email the Broward County Commissioner who represents your district. Demand that s/he vote on Tuesday to adopt the proposed Ethics Code (Public Hearing Agenda Item 7) and reject the so-called "glitch" ordinance (Public Hearing Agenda Item 8) and ALL of the County Attorney's proposed amendments to Item 8.

If you stand with me in support of real ethics reform, please contact your own Commissioner and let him/her (or all of them) know your views on this important issue. Here is the contact information:

District 1 - Ilene Lieberman - 954.357.7001 - ilieberman@broward.org
District 2 - Kristin Jacobs - 954.357.7002 - kjacobs@broward.org
District 3 - Stacy Ritter - 954.357.7003 - sritter@broward.org
District 4 - County Mayor Ken Keechl - 954.357.7004 - kkeechl@broward.org
District 5 - Lois Wexler - 954.357.7005 - lwexler@broward.org
District 6 - Sue Gunzburger - I already stand with you 100% for real ethics reform.
District 7 - John E. Rodstrom, Jr. - 954.357.7007 - jrodstrom@broward.org
District 8 - Vacant
District 9 - Albert C. Jones - 954.357.7009 - acjones@broward.org

Be very clear in your comments to them. Let them know you will not be fooled by any slick political spin or intentionally complicated legal gibberish offered as excuses. The bottom line: Any Commissioner who votes in support of the "glitch" ordinance (Item 8) or ANY of the proposed amendments to Item 8 is an ENEMY OF ETHICS REFORM.

There can be no compromise on ethics. No matter how upset some of my colleagues may be with me for continuing to advance this most honorable cause.

Please get involved right now. I need your help. This cause is too important for anyone to stay silent. Will you stand with me for ethics reform?

Sincerely,
Sue
-------------
This email was the subject of Bob Norman's Daily Pulp blog column Thursday.

BrowardPalmBeach NewTimes
Morning Pulp
By Bob Norman Thursday, August 5 2010 @ 9:04AM

In the latest outrageous bit of behavior from our delinquent Broward County Commission, there is a new plan afoot to gut the new ethics reform. The insidious plan (as it appears on the agenda): The commission will pass the ethics proposals put forth by the Broward County Ethics Commission as they are, as required by law, and then immediately vote on amendments that would exclude themselves and family members from having to follow some of them. Among them is the key provision to bar them and their relatives from lobbying in Broward County.

Read the rest of the post here:
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2010/08/broward_county_ethics_reform.php

The subject of the Broward County Commission possibly gutting the Broward County Ethics Commission's work was also the subject of a number of posts by Brittany Wallman at the Broward Politics blog of the Sun-Sentinel.
These are in chronological order.

Ban on doing business with the county could hit Broward commissioners
By Brittany Wallman August 5, 2010 08:00 AM
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/08/ban_on_doing_business_with_the.html

Proposed county ethics "glitch'' law lets commissioners go after their complainants
By Brittany Wallman August 5, 2010 11:45 AM
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/08/commissioners_still_could_acce.html

Ethics reform dismantling draws quick foes in Broward
By Brittany Wallman August 5, 2010 05:30 PM
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/08/ethics_reform_dismantling_draw.html

IMPORTANT: Broward County Ethics Commission meeting FRIDAY, June 18th at 9 a.m. in Room 430 at County Govt. HQ

Somewhat unexpectedly, I now find myself suddenly planning on being at Broward County Govt. HQ first thing in the morning.
Surprise!

Thanks to a head's-up from Charlotte Greenbarg and Robert Wolfe, me, my camera and some McDonald's coffee will be attending tomorrow morning's just-announced Broward County Ethics Comm. meeting that's in response to some members of the Broward County Commission trying to figure out some means to create legal obstacles to their required vote in less than two months on the proposed ethics package, so they can say that it wasn't really them stalling, it was just some Judge who prevented them from doing something that's LONG, LONG OVERDUE.

That attitude certainly explains a lot about what passes for public service and democracy in this county, and the county's citizen taxpayers lack of trust and respect for them.

It's my hope that by contacting you now, at least some of you all might get the chance to make an appearance and let your voice be heard -in-person.

If you choose to do so, you can also send something to the Committee's county liaison Monica Cepero, at the email below and request that it be read and made part of the public record.

This afternoon's Broward Politics blog contained a post from Brittany Wallman dealing with an excellent and insightful response from Robert Wechsler to the unexpected news yesterday -at bottom- that some legal skull-duggery was being tried at the Eleventh Hour.

You may recall that when I first started attending the Ethics meetings last year, I first encouraged you all to check out and Bookmark Mr. Wechsler's excellent www.cityethics.org website.

As you might guess, I also send him some things from time-to-time that I think fall within his wide-ranging ethics beat, so he can connect-the-dots more clearly on what's going on down here in the county, as well as closer to home in Hallandale Beach, where the state's Sunshine Laws are just considered Suggestions by those wielding power at City Hall.

I also have a response from Comm. Ken Keechl at the bottom that Charlotte just shared with me, too.

For more on the Ethics Commission and their proposals: http://www.broward.org/EthicsCommission/Pages/Default.aspx

-----

Broward Politics blog
Ethicist/blogger critical of Broward County Commission's latest move

Posted by Brittany Wallman on June 17, 2010 03:09 PM

Robert Wechsler, an ethicist with a blog called cityethics.org, weighed into the mire that Broward County's proposed ethics reform ordinance is stuck in.

Read the rest of the post at: http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/06/ethicistblogger_critical_of_br.html#comments

------

From: Cepero, Monica [mailto:MCEPERO@broward.org]

Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 4:03 PM
To: 'Alfreda Coward'; 'Carl Shechter'; 'Comm. Carl Shechter'; 'Felicia M. Brunson'; 'Howard Bakalar'; Jardine, Arlene; 'Julie Lakosky'; 'Kenneth Fink'; Leu, Leah; Cepero, Monica; 'Neal de Jesus'; 'Paul White'; Robert Wolfe; 'Robin Rorapaugh'; Russo, Jean; Seff, Bradley; Teitler, Robert; 'Washington Collado'; 'William Scherer'
Cc: Newton, Jeffrey; Henry, Bertha; Madison, Pamela; Bieber, Josephine; Jardine, Arlene
Subject: Ethics Commission Meeting called for THIS FRIDAY, June 18, 2010 at 9am
Importance: High

Chairman Neal de Jesus, of the Broward County Ethics Commission has called a meeting of the Ethics Commission for THIS FRIDAY, June 18^th at 9am. It will be held in room 430 of the Government Center (same room all of your meetings were held in).

The meeting will be sunshined from 9am-11am.

Please let me know as soon as possible of your availability to attend, as we will need a physical quorum in order to proceed with the meeting. Please copy my assistant Arlene Jardine on your response as well, as she is helping coordinate the meeting.

Thank you,

Monica

Monica Cepero

Assistant to the County Administrator

115 S Andrews Ave,

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Phone 954 357 7354

------------------
From: Keechl, Ken
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2010 3:13 PM
To: 'Charlotte Greenbarg'
Subject: RE: 6/16/10 Broward Politics blog: Broward commissioners accused of derailing ethics reform

Charlotte

I can’t speak for anyone but me, but I intend to vote for the original ordinance as presented by the Ethics Commission You know me better than that. I have said this from day one-over and over. I voted in favor of the lawsuit (9-0) so the judge could rule that the ordinance is legal. However, after thinking about it more, I doubt that any court could rule on this by the deadline for the vote: August 10. I truly don’t believe anyone was trying to derail the ordinance. Thanks.

Broward County Mayor Ken Keechl,

District 4 Commissioner

From: Charlotte Greenbarg
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2010 2:00 PM
To: 'Charlotte Greenbarg'
Cc: Jones, Albert; Wasserman-Rubin, Diana; Lieberman, Ilene; Rodstrom, John; Keechl, Ken; Jacobs, Kristin; Lois Wexler; Ritter, Stacy; Gunzburger, Suzanne
Subject: FW: 6/16/10 Broward Politics blog: Broward commissioners accused of derailing ethics reform
Importance: High

Read Sue Gunzburger's excellent rebuttal to the effort to derail ethics reform. Let them know how you feel.

Charlotte

---

From: hallandalebeachblog@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2010 11:58 AM
Subject: FYI: 6/16/10 Broward Politics blog: Broward commissioners accused of derailing ethics reform

Reader comments below are as of 11:45 a.m. Thursday

Broward Politics blog
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/06/broward_commissioners_move_on.html

Broward commissioners accused of derailing ethics reform

Posted by Brittany Wallman on June 16, 2010 11:55 AM

Are Broward County commissioners attacking ethics reforms aimed at them? That's what some are accusing them of.

Missing voices in Broward County's ethics debate are ignored by South Florida news media. It's our old media friend: Mr. Lack of Curiosity!

Earlier today I sent a version of the following email to some
folks around South Florida and the rest of the Sunshine State
who make it their business to pay attention to what's going on
hereabouts in local government, especially as it applies to the
issue of ethics and political miscreants.

Per the Broward Beat and Broward Politics blog postings
I cite and link to for your perusal, it's worth mentioning that
State Senator Chris Smith and State Rep. Perry Thurston
both voted against Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff's common sense
ethics proposal at the Broward Legislative Delegation public
meeting that I attended three weeks ago at the FAU campus
in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

(Ellyn Bogdanoff, who I think is a very impressive person
and full of moxie and enthusiasm, is running for State Senate
District 25 this Fall, which is currently represented by
Jeff Atwater, who's running for Florida Chief Financial Officer.
See http://www.ellynbogdanoff.com/ and
http://www.jeffatwater.com/)

That BLD meeting was scheduled to iron-out aspects of a bill
that would provide the proper legal framework for an IG
position to be created in ethics-starved Broward County.

Not surprisingly, this important meeting got ZERO coverage
on local Miami TV newscasts, so citizens here heard nothing
about the absurd histrionics and melodrama that took place,
with petty verbal tantrums thrown by Messrs Smith and
Thurston, with an assist to State Sen. Dan Gelber,
chiefly for his wasting so much time chasing-his-tail that
the public's ability to actually speak at the end of the meeting
was greatly compromised, as some people who wanted to
speak, were not able to, including myself.

But at least Gelber voted in favor of it, unlike the other two.
That is, after he lectured everyone in the room as he channeled
a Law prof schooling kids on the intricacies of property law,
when all they really wanted was to retrieve their errant ball
from his front yard.

Instead of dealing with it forthrightly, he chose to use it as a
pretext to share what he, apparently, believes to be his colossal
legal mind.
It would seem Gelber loves to get on a soap box, even when
it's not necessary.

Personally, I was already inclined to support another candidate
for State Attorney General this Fall, but I can tell you after
this particular first-hand experience, State Sen. Dan Gelber,
in person, makes a very poor case for the plausibility of
Dan Gelber the FL AG candidate.
http://www.dangelber.com/

He was every bit the caricature of a preening pol and left many
of the people who attended the meeting dumbfounded, if my
subsequent conversations and emails from fellow attendees
is any indication.

Some even volunteered that they'd actually been leaning towards
Gelber instead of State Sen. Dave Aronberg for AG, but now
were re-thinking that decision.
http://www.davearonberg.com/

I guess I hardly need mention that people who'd be attending this
sort of meeting are more well-informed about what's really going on
here than the average voter and that their opinion, among friends,
neighbors and co-workers, is considerably more persuasive than
any paid ad.

In that sense, Gelber's performance that day was almost like an
in-kind political contribution to Aronberg.

On a more important note, to me, one of the most obvious but
least-discussed aspect of the current Broward County ethics
killing-zone is the almost complete absence of any African-American
or Hispanic individuals or groups speaking publicly for making
stronger ethics both a reality and a priority here, and not just an
abstract idea in a book or political campaign.

All the minority "Usual Suspects" who generally clamor to get
their spin out to the public and news media in order to be thought
of as serious players in this community's future, were and are
almost entirely MIA -Missing in Action!

I can name the exceptions, since I know who some of them are,
like Ted Mena, a former Coral Springs city commissioner and
business owner, whom I met in 2008 while he was on the county's
Charter Review Commission.

He has been a consistent voice for greater public accountability
and transparency in local government and stronger ethical standards.

In my opinion, he'd exactly the sort of person with integrity and
common sense that we need dozens of clones of in Broward County
and local government to flush-out the defective govt. and political
miscreants and ticking-time bombs.

He recently wrote something about the current ethics debacle,
which I've placed at the bottom of this post for you to consider.

But as is the case with so many other issues I could name,
along with you, the South Florida news media hasn't even noticed
this absence of diverse voices on this important issue, even though
we're constantly told -lectured!- by theses same newspapers
and TV stations how important diversity is.

The news media has been too preoccupied the past few weeks by...
well, now that you mention it, nothing in particular.

I plan on posting some things in the near future on the above topics
and what I observed first-hand, and will try to post some video
I shot up in Fort Lauderdale as well.

----
Broward Beat
Commissioners Loving Ethics Reform To Death
By Buddy Nevins

In Tallahassee its called, “Loving It To Death”.

That is defined as loading up of a piece of legislation with so much unnecessary baggage that it is sure to fail.

Some Broward County Commissioners appear to be using that tactic to kill the ethics regulations that the public is clamoring for.

Read the rest of the story at:
http://www.browardbeat.com/commissioners-loving-ethics-reform-to-death/

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Sun-Sentinel's Broward Politics blog
Gunzburger runs into trouble protecting proposed ethics code
By Scott Wyman
February 23, 2010

A move by Commissioner Suzanne Gunzburger to protect Broward’s fledgling ethics ordinance ran into trouble Tuesday. Gunzburger wanted to draw up a ballot issue to place the ethics rules in the county charter – meaning they could only be changed in the future by voters. As a task force wrapped up its work to write the code this month, concern grew that the commission could immediately gut or rescind it.

Read the rest of the story at: http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/02/gunzburger_runs_into_trouble_p.html


Sun-Sentinel's Broward Politics blog
Bogdanoff sees passage of legislation to create anti-corruption office
By Anthony Man
February 22, 2010

State Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, said Monday she’s confident there’s enough momentum to win passage of legislation that could lead to creation of an inspector general to police corruption in Broward’s local governments.

Action on the legislation moves to Tallahassee next week when lawmakers gather for the annual legislative session. Bogdanoff said she expects lawmakers will soon put the finishing touches on the inspector general legislation.

The IG would be an independent office with authority to investigate the County Commission, the School Board, independent agencies such as the North Broward Hospital District, and all the cities, towns and villages in the county. The office would have the power to subpoena people and documents.


South Florida Sun-Sentinel
ETHICS AND THE GOVERNMENT
January 20, 2010
By Ted Mena

Most municipalities in our country have a declaration of policy concerning ethics as it applies to municipal employees, which of course is what politicians are in most county and some city governments.

Most of these declarations state that municipal employees are there to work for the citizens of a city or county. These statements of policy also say that it is the responsibility of that person to "act in a manner that promotes trust and confidence in government with complete transparency and honesty in their services, and to avoid even the appearance and perception of impropriety."

It seems to me that some people in Broward County government and the School Board have not read, nor understand, this simple and straightforward statement of policy. Most of these policies are in most cases being ignored here in Broward.

Presently, there is a committee on ethics looking into this matter. They need input from the public as well as the media, who need to step up and publish what these politicians are up to and investigate them to see who else has "conflicts of interest." When I was a city commissioner in Coral Springs, where city commissioners do not get involved in any procurement process at all, I was appointed to the Broward County Charter Review. As a member for two years of this committee, the issue of ethics came up and was looked into. The present Ethics Commission is the result. I can tell you that many of the county commissioners serving in Broward did not want to have this committee on ethics.

One of the reasons that some county commissioners give for being involved in the procurement process is that they do not want county staff to provide them the "backup" on issues before them. They say that they don't have time to read it. But that's what they are paid to do!

(It must be because they are too busy hobnobbing with lobbyists to obtain money to be reelected at parties on yachts or hotel.)

Thanks to Eggelletion, Salesman, and Gallagher, we now have a strong reason to do something about it. Let's put some teeth in the ethic rules and some consequences to misbehavior. We need a watchdog group to make sure these ethic violations do not occur and that this group is independent of the commissioners. County commissioners should not be involved in any role in the procurement process since back in November 2008, the public voted to have the Ethics Commission created. Commissioner Angelo Castillo of Pembroke Pines wrote recently, "We are becoming a community of disbelievers in government to operate effectively..." Hopefully, we will get something done this time.

Ted Mena is a former Coral Springs city commissioner and a Broward County business owner.

Some questions re Broward County Courthouse, Broward Ethics Committee, unsafe Broward Schools and Steve Geller's residency

Since I was already planning on heading down
to the Broward Govt HQ early Wednesday
morning for the next Ethics Commission meeting,
at 8 a.m., I was surprised over the weekend
in perusing the county's scheduled meetings page,
http://www.broward.org/Commission/Documents/sunmeet.pdf
to see that there's yet another County Commission
meeting scheduled for Tuesday morning.

Morning agenda, 10 a.m.:
http://205.166.161.204/agenda_publish.cfm?mt=ALL&get_month=2&get_year=2010&dsp=ag&seq=166#ReturnTo0
Public comments agenda, which includes
humanitarian relief to Haiti, at 2 p.m.
http://205.166.161.204/agenda_publish.cfm?mt=ALL&get_month=2&get_year=2010&dsp=ag&seq=167#ReturnTo0

Since I wasn't able to make it up there in time
last Tuesday for the actual vote on the Courthouse
issue, I'm inclined to swing-up there tomorrow
to see if there's any residual effects, or any public
speakers want to get a few things off their chest,
now that this decision has had some time to sink in.

Anthony Man's blog post from Friday, below,
includes a link to the newest version of the proposed
ethics legislation, an issue which the Herald has
largely ignored, like it does so many other issues
in Broward County.

(Did you know that the person in charge of the
Broward's Herald bureau for most of last year
was rarely present in the the Broward office in
Pembroke Pines?
It's all-too-true, and was told to me by a frustrated
Herald employee in a position to know who keeps
me in-the-loop on what's going down at
Herald HQ at One Herald Plaza.
They've been losing a ton of money on that building
in The Pines, too.
And did you see the column yesterday about
improved local news coverage here?
http://www.miamiherald.com/video/index.html?media_id=10150879
Zero about Broward, a subject I will be writing
about here on the blog later this week.)

I think it's very curious given how much the
Sun-Sentinel has proven over the years that
it loves to quote him -even on issues that
he's not qualified to speak to, per se- that
in Scott Wyman's Friday blog post, after writing
that the proposed Ethics legislation would
"ban commissioners from moonlighting as lobbyists,"
Wyman doesn't drop Steve Geller's name and
mention what he happens to thinks about this idea.

(Or what fellow lobbyist and frequent
Sun-Sentinel quote-machine and Broward
Dem Chair Mitch Caesar thinks about it?
Is it that the South Florida media can't find
Caesar, or that they don't want to incur his
wrath by pressing him to answer questions
he'd find uncomfortable and not have their
phone calls returned?)

Many if not most of the Geller supporters I've
run into -none of whom are friends of mine,
it goes without saying- not only personally
think that Geller's main rationale for running
for Commissioner is to lobby Broward cities and
govt. entities on behalf of his law firm's clients
and make a lot of money, but also think that it's
NOT an ethical problem.

They don't even think it'd be unethical for him
to lobby cities and entities located in his own
district, here in Hollywood and Hallandale Beach,
HB being a city with a mayor in Joy Cooper
who publicly said at a 2008 City Commission
meeting that I was at, that she only wished
that Geller could've stayed State Senator
forever.

Hardly surprising that such a thoroughly
anti-democratic, disingenuous -and
thin-skinned- pol like Dan Gelber-supporter
Joy Cooper doesn't care for citizen-initiated
term limits.

But as most honest and observant people who've
followed things here know, Cooper has a huge ego
and sense of entitlement, which is why she had
no compunctions about telling City Manager
Mike Good to approve funds to build her a
brand new office at City Hall last January,
even though under the city's charter, the only
power she has is that of being presiding officer.
That's it -no vetoes, no nothing.

Joy Cooper is the same two-faced person
who has always said for public consumption,
especially when African-American
residents of NW HB were present,
that she was always FOR specific
geographical districts for HB commissioners.

Yet while I personally want to see it actually
become a reality, as is the case in Hollywood,
when the HB City Commission-appointed
Charter Review Commission actually brought
that proposal up to the City Commission a few
years ago, so that it could be voted upon and then,
if approved, placed on the ballot for citizens
to vote on one way or the other, Cooper & Co.
voted AGAINST it.
Shocker!

Yet despite that vote of her's, Cooper acts like
it never happened.
Typical.

Getting back to Geller supporters now, they think
he's entitled to lobby if elected and exploit the system,
having more than once actually used the phrase
'spoils system' in a way that you don't hear much
these days.
Well, at least they're honest about it, which is more
than can be said for Geller himself in all of this.

That leads me to ask, once again, when exactly is
Steve Geller of Cooper City going to comply with
the existing law and actually move into the
Broward Commission District seat he is running for,
and when is the sleep-walking South Florida
news media going to actually press him to state
a specific date when this is going to happen?
Don't hold your breath!

-----
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fl-schools-whistleblower-20100207,0,3403460.story

Fired school district official wins legal battle but doesn't get apology

Former inspections supervisor warned about building safety issues

By Megan O'Matz, Sun Sentinel

February 6, 2010

If the Broward School District had listened to Charlene Rebecca Blackwood instead of firing her, could some of its construction department problems have been solved a long time ago?

Some think so.

"She was a prophet. What do they do to a lot of prophets? Try and silence them," said community activist Charlotte Greenbarg, president of The Broward Coalition, a group of condo and homeowner associations.

The school district disagrees, calling Blackwood a bully to her co-workers and an ineffective leader — characterizations she vehemently denies.

"We didn't discipline her because she raised alarms about school construction. That's her job," said Eugene K. Pettis, an attorney representing the district in the case. "But… you don't treat your staff and behave in the ways she behaved."

In November, after a four-year legal battle, the School Board agreed to settle. It awarded Blackwood $217,500 in back pay and attorney fees, and its own legal fees totaled $145,000. The settlement comes during a severe budget crisis when the district has had to cut teachers, electives, supplies and renovations.

Blackwood, 68, wanted more from the board members than money.

"I feel like I have been owed an apology," she told them in an emotional appeal last month. She did not get one.

Her saga began more than a decade ago when, as a senior supervisor of building inspectors, she began complaining that new schools were opened despite "life safety" code violations. That contractors were allowed to walk away without fixing problems. And that leaky school roofs were being repaired improperly, leading to mold and mildew.

She warned that some schools that doubled as hurricane shelters had equipment on the roofs, such as air conditioners, that were not properly secured and posed a hazard in a storm. The district took steps to fix the problem, but Blackwood said it dismissed other issues, such as opening schools prematurely.

Today, years after they opened, scores of schools still are operating without documents showing they meet code.

"They didn't want an effective building department," Blackwood said in a recent interview. "They wanted to neutralize the inspectors so the contractors could not be interfered with in doing their construction. Whether it was bad or not, they didn't care."

Recent internal audits back up some of her concerns. They show inflated construction costs, overbillings, and millions of dollars wasted to fix mistakes in building designs. In September, School Board member Beverly Gallagher was indicted on charges of taking payoffs from undercover FBI agents to rig construction contracts.

Board member Stephanie Kraft said that while a lot of the issues Blackwood raised were legitimate, she was "overzealous" in her approach and alienated some co-workers, board members and key administrators.

"She didn't know how to pick her battles," Kraft said. "Everything to her was a mountain. Even the molehills were mountains. It's unfortunate because there was a lot of validity to some of the stuff she said. But because she made everything a big deal, you couldn't deal with her at all.''

Kraft acknowledged there is great urgency to open a new school on schedule. Otherwise the district has a "nightmare" of a problem housing students elsewhere.

At a hearing of a newly formed district ethics commission last month, speakers told the panel that school employees who are critical of district leaders or policies have been labeled disgruntled and retaliated against, creating fear among the ranks.

"The Blackwood case is indicative of that," Nick Sakhnovsky, chairman of a district facilities advisory council, said in an interview. "Anyone who has a contrary opinion should not immediately be shut down or vilified."

Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/1463793.html

Editorial
Build Broward courthouse right

February 5, 2010

Confronted by a public hostile to footing the bill for a new county courthouse, Broward Commissioners dithered but ultimately made the right call: To build anyway.

There's no arguing that the 50-year-old courthouse is in bad shape. Its many parts, three additions to the main structure, were built under lax codes and couldn't withstand a Category 2 hurricane. Mindful of the construction slump, commissioners knew they could get a good price on a new structure. However, the commission must ensure that the new building is strong, roomy enough to accommodate future growth and has a decidedly green -- as in eco-friendly -- tinge.

Voters reject tax

What made the decision so tough is that voters in 2006 rejected a tax increase to pay for a new courthouse. Broward voters, relatively friendly toward most capital-improvement bond issues, were fed up -- or else county officials did a poor job of convincing them of the need for a better facility.

Voters said, in essence: ``We elected you to lead, to be the deciders, so do it.'' Stuck between a genuine need for a new facility and taxpayers' reluctance to shell out more money for it, commissioners took responsibility.

The resulting deal won't raise property taxes, but that's based on a technicality. Taxpayers will soon pay off about $38 million in debt for libraries and parks, meaning county taxes would drop about 25 cents per $1,000 of taxable property. To pay off the debt for courthouse construction the county will assess taxpayers about five cents per $1,000 of taxable property at a time when property values are dropping. So taxes won't rise along with the new courthouse, but they won't drop as much as they could have, either.

Fill funding gap

Still, this was the most practical choice. The county has set aside $120 million for construction. It will use a legislatively mandated increase in court fees and federal stimulus money to help cover the $328 million price tag. That leaves a funding gap to be filled by the five-cent property-tax assessment.

The new courthouse's 20-story tower will be built on the west side of the current structure, adding parking, more courtrooms and offices for public defenders and prosecutors.

Now that the commission has stepped up, its next task is to ensure the county gets the best construction prices and that the new courthouse is built to outlast its predecessor.

Reader comments at:
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/1463793.html?commentSort=TimeStampAscending&pageNum=1


South Florida Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fl-courthouse-vote-20100205,0,1369524.story

Backlash against courthouse tax could hurt Broward commissioners
By Scott Wyman, Sun Sentinel
February 5, 2010

FORT LAUDERDALE

When Broward county commissioners decided last week to tax residents for a new courthouse, they risked the wrath of voters.

Critics warn that the backlash could cost at least some of them their jobs.

"I recognized the decision would be unpopular, but in a representative form of government, we have to do what we think is right," Commissioner Stacy Ritter said.

Voters overwhelmingly rejected the project in 2006. But the existing building has only deteriorated since.

Plumbing is so bad in the old wing of the courthouse that burst pipes have caused repeated floods. The elevators constantly break and are so antiquated that parts must be specially made.

Court workers are suing over health problems caused by pervasive mold. The electrical system is so maxed out that an employee once blew out a computer in the next office by plugging in a space heater.

Consulting engineers say the building might not survive a Category 2 hurricane.

Since the defeat at the ballot box more than three years ago, county officials reviewed and rejected options, including the renovation of the old wing or the purchase of an existing office building. They also investigated whether construction could be delayed.

The commission went with plans that cut the cost from $510 million to $328 million.

A 20-story tower will be built on land the county already owns on the downtown Fort Lauderdale court campus. The central wing will be demolished and turned into a plaza that connects the high-rise to the jail and newer court wings.

The tax increase to pay for it will cost the average homeowner $8 a year for the next 30 years. But the issue is not just the money. Some are incensed over the fact that commissioners decided to impose the tax without seeking voter approval.

"We may need a courthouse, but now is not the time," said Charlotte Greenbarg, president of the group of homeowner and condo associations known as the Broward Coalition. "We haven't hit bottom in this recession and people are hurting. Voters will be angry over the insensitivity that commissioners showed in their actions."

A task force of judges, lawyers and elected officials led the effort to explore alternatives.

Their review concluded renovating the old wing would be more costly. Not only would the interior have to be gutted and brought up to existing building codes, but the exterior walls are in such poor condition that they must be replaced.

Space would have to be leased for judicial offices and courtrooms during seven years of renovation work. The county would have to pay to renovate the leased space to accommodate court operations and meet security requirements.

The task force looked into other locations for the court building, such as the neighboring 110 Tower, but county officials decided the renovation work needed to ready an older building for court operations would be too extensive-–adding a heavy cost on top of the purchase price. They also said private buildings off the county's court campus would lack a direct link to the main jail that allows the easy movement of dangerous inmates.

Waiting also was considered unacceptable.

The county's point person on the court project, Pete Corwin, said a delay risks repeated prolong closures of the courthouse because of major maintenance problems. In recent years, the courthouse has shut down for days following some of the flooding caused by burst pipes. And there's no telling when a potentially devastating hurricane could hit the building.

Delaying a new courthouse also could increase costs, officials said. Federal assistance available through President Barack Obama's economic stimulus program is set to end this year, and interest rates and construction costs are low.

"The easier answer would be to push this off or to renovate, but those are not the right things to do," Mayor Ken Keechl said. "We have a constitutional obligation to provide space for the judiciary, and something needed to be done now."

But to Commissioner John Rodstrom, the concerns about a delay are exaggerated, contrived to ensure the result that influential judges and lawyers have long wanted. He cast one of the three votes against the courthouse.

"The fix was in," Rodstrom said. "I know there are problems and the courthouse is not in the best condition, but the time is problematic. It is time to hunker down and save money. There is an anti-tax sentiment out there, and we should listen to it."


Sun-Sentinel's Broward Politics blog
Commission could lose influence on contracting, be banned from moonlighting

Posted by Scott Wyman
February 5, 2010 09:26 AM

A new ethics code being drafted for Broward County commissioners amid a growing corruption scandal will rein in their influence and require greater disclosure of their business dealings.

A task force assigned with writing a code of conduct agreed Thursday to ban commissioners from moonlighting as lobbyists and limit their control over what companies win county contracts. They’d have to disclose any contact with lobbyists on county business and their fundraising on behalf of charities and political campaigns.

Read the rest of the story at:
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/02/commission_could_lose_influenc.html


Sun-Sentinel's Broward Politics blog
Satz wants new anti-corruption law

Posted by Anthony Man

February 5, 2010 06:34 AM

Amid a series of public corruption scandals that have so far hauled up eight Broward and Palm Beach county officials on charges, the top prosecutors in the two counties are joining forces to seek passage of a new law tightening the screws on dishonest politicians.

“It will fill a lot of loopholes and hopefully restore peoples’ confidence in what went wrong,” Broward State Attorney Mike Satz said Thursday.

Read the rest of the story at:
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/02/satz_wants_new_anticorruption_1.html

-----

http://www.broward.org/Commission/Documents/sunmeet.pdf

In compliance with Section 286.011, Florida Statutes, announcement is made of the following meetings for the week of February 7, 2010 through February 13, 2010.
This information will be posted in prominent locations at County facilities and on the County’s web page (www.broward.org/sunmeet.pdf).

If any person shall decide to appeal any decision made with respect to any matter considered at these proceedings, it shall be the responsibility of that person to ensure that a verbatim record is made including testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
If you require any auxiliary aids to communication, please call Public Communications Office at 954-357-6990 so that arrangements can be made in advance.


February 9, 2010 - Tuesday

9:30 a.m. Meeting of the Broward County HIV Health Services Planning Council, Outreach QI Network, 915 Middle River Dr., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

10:00 a.m. Regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners, Governmental Center Room 422, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

10:30 a.m. Meeting of Waste and Recycling Services, Resource Recovery Board, Technical Advisory Committee, Programs Subcommittee, Government Center West, Waste and Recycling Services 4th Floor Waste Wing Conference Room, 1 N. University Dr., Plantation, FL.

1:30 p.m. Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners, Proclamation Announcements and Presentations, Governmental Center Room 422, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

2:00 p.m. Public Hearing of the Board of County Commissioners, Governmental Center Room 422, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

3:00 p.m. Meeting of the Broward Healthy Start Coalition, QI/QA Committee, Broward Healthy Start Coalition, #304, 6555 Powerline Rd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

5:30 p.m. Meeting of the Housing Finance and Community Development Division, Review current Broward County State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) 2008-2010 Local Housing Assistance Plan strategies and recommend new strategies or revisions to new 2011-2013 LHAP, Housing Finance and Community Development Division, Suite 201, 110 NE Third St., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

February 10, 2010 - Wednesday

8:00 a.m. Meeting of the Ethics Commission, Governmental Center Room 430, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL. (The public is invited to attend but will only be allowed to ask questions/comment from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)

9:00 a.m. Meeting of the Children’s Services Administration Section, Needs Assessment Committee, Governmental Center Annex Room A-370, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

9:00 a.m. Meeting of the Transportation Department, Review community bus 2010 interlocal agreements, Mass Transit Division Administration Bldg. #1, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 3201 W. Copans Rd., Pompano Beach, FL.

10:00 a.m. Meeting of the Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Coordinating Council; Forum to foster coordination between county and municipal governments in Broward County, with other public and private organizations, which plan for and respond to disasters and other emergencies; Emergency Operations Center, 201 NW 84th Ave., Plantation, FL.

10:30 a.m. Meeting of the Cultural Division, Broward Cultural Council, Public Art and Design Committee, Main Library, Bienes Conference Room on 6th Floor, 100 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

1:00 p.m. Meeting of the Aviation Department, RLI #R0729109R1, Professional Design Services for New South Runway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to include full design of the New South Runway and preparation of the Design Criteria Package for Runway/Taxiway Structures; Post, Buckley, Schuh, and Jernigan, Inc.; Negotiations, Aviation Department Airport Development Conference Room, 100 Aviation Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

2:30 p.m. Meeting of the Enterprise Technology Services, Computronix Master Agreement, Negotiation, Governmental Center County Attorney Office 423, Conference Room No. 4, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

3:00 p.m. Meeting of Waste and Recycling Services; In lieu of scheduled Infrastructure Subcommittee meeting, a tour of the Reuter Recyling Facility will be held; 20701 Pembroke Road, Pembroke Pines, FL.

3:30 p.m. Meeting of the Office of Economic and Small Business Development, Broward County/Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward Economic Development Alliance, New Five Year Agreement for Economic Development Services, Negotiation, Governmental Center Room 430, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

5:30 p.m. Meeting of the Housing Finance and Community Development Division, Housing Finance Authority of Broward County, Suite 201, 110 NE 3rd St., Ft Lauderdale, FL.

6:30 p.m. Meeting of the Planning and Redevelopment Division, Broward County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Discuss issues regarding bicycles and pedestrians and advise Board of County Commissioners, Governmental Center Room 329F, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

February 11, 2010 - Thursday

8:30 p.m. Meeting of the Aviation Department, Contract #T308103CAF, Cost impact to comply with runway safety and phasing for airfield modifications, Central Florida Equipment Rentals, Negotiation, Aviation Department, 100 Aviation Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

9:00 a.m. Meeting of the Construction Management Division, RLI #200030904-0CM-01, New Courthouse – Optional Services to Consultant Services Contract, Spillis/Candela/Heery/Cartaya, Negotiations, Governmental Center Annex Room A-550, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

9:30 a.m. Meeting of the Metropolitan Planning Organization; Discuss prioritization of transportation projects, to ensure local transportation issues are addressed and funds are appropriately allocated; Governmental Center Room 422, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

9:30 a.m. Meeting of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, Tourist Development Council, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Suite 200, 100 E. Broward Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

9:30 a.m. Meeting of the Office of Public Communications, 2010 Census Complete Count Committee, Promotions Subcommittee, Ongoing planning, Governmental Center Room 302, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

10:00 a.m. Meeting of the Seaport Engineering and Construction Division, RLI #20050927-CPD-1, General Architectural Services at Port Everglades, Third Amendment to Agreement, Bermello Ajamil & Partners, Negotiations, Port Administration Bldg., Room 301, 1850 Eller Dr., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

10:00 a.m. Meeting of Water and Wastewater Services, RLI #R0728501R1, Energy Performance at Water and Wastewater Services, Chevron Energy Solutions, Negotiations, WWS Administration Bldg. No. 1, Administration Board Room on 1st Floor, 2555 W. Copans Rd., Pompano Beach, FL.

11:00 a.m. Meeting of the Management and Efficiency Study Committee, Procurement Subcommittee, Governmental Center Annex Room A-460, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

11:00 a.m. Or immediately following the Fire Chief’s Provider meeting, Meeting of the Office of Medical Examiner and Trauma Services, First There First Care Conference Committee, Office of Medical Examiner and Trauma Services Conference Room, 5301 SW 31st Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

1:00 p.m. Meeting of the Broward Regional Health Planning Council, Inc.; System of Care Workgroup, System of Care Planning in Circuit 17, Broward Regional Health Planning Council, Conference Room 115, 915 Middle River Dr., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

1:00 p.m. Meeting of the Purchasing Division, Reconvene Selection Committee, RLI #R0754608R1, Wind Mitigation, Governmental Center Room 430, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

2:00 p.m. Meeting of the Seaport Engineering and Construction Division, RLI #113098-RB, Berth No. 34 Consultant Services, Third Amendment to Agreement, CH2M Hill, Negotiations, Port Administration Bldg. Legal Conference Room on 5th Floor, 1850 Eller Dr., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

3:00 p.m. Meeting of the Public Safety Coordinating Committee, Main Courthouse, Court Administration Conference Room, North Wing, 201 SE 6th St., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

6:00 p.m. Meeting of the Cultural Division, Broward Cultural Council, Social Networking between Emerging Cultural Leaders and Broward Cultural Council, 9360 NW 18th Dr., Plantation, FL.

February 12, 2010 - Friday

8:00 a.m. Meeting of the Ethics Commission, Governmental Center Room 430, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL. (The public is invited to attend but will only be allowed to ask questions and/or comment from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)

2:30 p.m. Meeting of the Broward County HIV Health Services Planning Council, Mental Health/Substance Abuse QI Network, 915 Middle River Dr., Ft. Lauderdale, FL.