Fort Lauderdale’s five-member commission calls the shots on everything from tax hikes to deciding how to spend taxpayer dollars and whether to approve those tall towers that dot the city’s skyline.
The city’s Nov. 5 election comes during a period of unprecedented growth that has seen a boom in high-rise construction while the city battles challenges on several fronts, including drainage woes, traffic congestion and a pervasive homeless crisis.
Mayor Dean Trantalis and three city commissioners — John Herbst, Steve Glassman and Warren Sturman — have drawn challengers in the upcoming November election.
Pamela Beasley-Pittman, the District 3 commissioner, was automatically reelected last week when the city’s qualifying period ended with no opponents coming forward.
A slew of candidates are in the running to join her on the dais later this year.
Five are running for mayor; two for District 1; three for District 2; and five for District 4.
The winners will be among the highest paid elected officials in Broward County.
On Dec. 1, the mayor’s salary will increase from $106,200 to $106,920. Commission salaries will rise from $88,500 to $89,100.
In Fort Lauderdale, the mayor and all four commissioners have received an automatic raise every year since 2020. The commission approved the higher salaries in June 2019, when the mayor earned $35,000 a year and commissioners were paid $30,000.
The amount is based on the area median income for a household set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The figure typically goes up each year.
The commissioners are elected by individual districts and the mayor is elected at-large. Each serves a four-year term. Elections are held every four years and each elected official is eligible to serve three consecutive four‐year terms.
Mayor’s race
Here’s more on the crowded field of mayoral candidates.
Kenneth Cooper, an attorney, ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Fort Lauderdale in 2020.
He ran for three seats in the 1990s — twice for Congress and once for the state House of Representatives. In 2003, Cooper ran unsuccessfully in a special election for a state House seat.
Jim Lewis, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor, is making his 10th run for political office. Lewis ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1994 and for a Fort Lauderdale commission seat in 2009.
Lewis also has run for local, county and state office. He’s run for state attorney general twice, Broward state attorney twice, Broward public defender, circuit judge and state representative.
Chris Nelson, a local activist and DJ, is a first-time candidate making a run for mayor. During the pandemic, he made headlines fighting against COVID lockdowns and beach closures. Nelson also works as a videographer and reporter for The Floridian, a conservative website.
Barbra Stern, an attorney, is making her first run for mayor. But it’s not her first run for political office.
In 2010, Stern ran unsuccessfully for state House of Representatives. Stern’s mother, Judy Stern, is a longtime lobbyist and campaign consultant.
Dean Trantalis, the incumbent, has served as mayor since March 2018.
He won reelection in 2020 and is seeking to serve one final term as mayor.
An attorney, Trantalis was first elected to the City Commission in 2003. He left office in 2006 only to return in 2013, winning back his old District 2 commission seat.
As mayor, he represents the Broward County Tourism Development Council, the Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Broward Workforce Development Board.
Voters also will have choices in Districts 1, 2 and 4.
Commission District 1
Norby Belz, a small-business owner, is making his first run for office.
John Herbst, the incumbent, won the seat in 2022.
Before running for office, Herbst served 16 years as Fort Lauderdale’s city auditor. He is a certified public accountant.
Commission District 2
Steve Glassman, the incumbent, joined the commission in March 2018 and was reelected in November 2020.
A retired teacher, he served six years on the city’s Planning and Zoning Board and spent 11 years as an administrator for the Broward County Cultural Division.
Charlotte Rodstrom, a former Fort Lauderdale commissioner, is hoping to return to politics after a string of election defeats in recent years.
A former flight attendant, she first won election to the City Commission in 2006.
She was reelected in 2009 and 2012, but resigned to run for the Broward County Commission later that year. After losing that race, she ran for City Commission again in 2013 but lost the race by 20 votes. In 2014, she again ran unsuccessfully for County Commission. She also lost a run for mayor of Fort Lauderdale in 2018.
Chad Van Horn, a bankruptcy attorney, is making his first run for office.
Commission District 4
Kevin Cochrane, a software executive, ran unsuccessfully for the District 4 seat in 2020. He lost by 49 votes.
Marion Robert Howard, an independent contractor, is making his first run for office.
Ted Inserra, a community activist and retired chef, ran for the District 4 commission seat in 2022 and is running again.
Ben Sorensen, a minister and former teacher, was elected to the City Commission in 2018. He resigned in the middle of his four-year term to make an unsuccessful run for Congress and is now seeking a return to the commission.
Warren Sturman, the incumbent, was elected to the District 4 commission seat two years ago. Sturman, a doctor, ran for the commission in 2018 but lost to Sorensen by 55 votes.
Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan