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Big changes for Lauderdale Lakes |
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Written by Dr. Garth A. Rose
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Sunday, 28 September 2008 |
With the resignation of the City of Lauderdale Lake’s Mayor and four of that city’s commissioners, the Lauderdale Lakes government will take on a new look, and possibly a new government philosophy after the November 4 general elections.
Mayor Sam Brown 86, who has held that position from 1998, has served notice that he is resigning, reportedly due to his age and minor health problems. Hazelle Rogers, who became the first Caribbean-American elected to political office in Florida when she was elected to the Lauderdale Commission in 1996, resigned her seat and will now be serving in the Florida State House (District 94) in Tallahassee.
John Billingsley Jr. had also resigned his commission seat to contest last month’s election for the District 9 seat on the Broward County Commission – a contest he lost to incumbent commissioner Joe Eggelletion. He is not seeking reelection to the Lauderdale Lakes Commission.
Two former Commissioners, Barrington Russell and Levoyd Williams have resigned the commission to contest for the mayoral seat. Ten other candidates are seeking the four commission seats that are available upon the resignations of Rogers, Billingsley, Russell and Williams. Russell was elected to the commission in 2004, and has served as its vice-mayor. Williams was first elected in 1998 and reelected in 2004.
Those contesting the vacant commission seats are D’Wayne Michael Spence and Gloria Lewis for Seat 1; Timothy Cox, Patricia Hawkins-Williams and Larnieve O’Shaun Uter for Seat 4; Geri Peterkin and Edwina Coleman for Seat 5; and Causwell Julius "Jules" Schneider and Benjamin C. Williams Sr. for Seat 6. The candidates winning simple majorities are automatically elected to the council.
Lauderdale Lakes is a relatively small city of some 32,000 residents, and is one of the more culturally diverse cities in South Florida, with a large mix of Caribbean nationals from across the Caribbean region and African Americans who make up an estimated 68 percent of the population. Whites, most of whom have been residing in the city since it was formed in 1961 represent 24 percent, and Hispanic five percent.
Latecia Wesserly, who originates from St. Lucia and has been living in Lauderdale Lakes since 1998, says that she is somewhat perturbed that so many changes are taking place on the city commission. She says that when she first came to the city it lacked several amenities and a lot of work has been done by the sitting commission to improve life in the city, and “most of the commissioners are actually accessible. I will miss Mayor Brown the most. He really cares about the people of the city,” Wesserly said.
Her brother, Lascelles, who came to live in the city in 2002, says he hopes the new people in the commission don’t roll back the work that has been done. According to Lascelles, he gives credit to the current commission for bringing jobs into the city, here he noted the opening of the Wal-Mart Supercenter a couple of years ago, and building new schools in the city. “However, this is the year of change, and like in the general elections, we hope that change will be for the better in Lauderdale Lakes,.” Lascelles said.
Like most cities in South Florida, the new Lauderdale Lakes Commission will be required to effectively manage shrinking budgets, and wrestle with decisions that include whether or not to raise property taxes – a sore problem throughout the state. Decisions also have to be made related to increased economic development including attracting new business into the city, as some of its larger shopping malls have huge empty spaces.
Some of the candidates seeking seats on the commission have served in public positions before, including on city advisory boards and homeowner associations. Many pledge to reduce city spending, lower taxes and keep pushing for redevelopment and capital improvements.
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