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Tuesday’s Commission conference meeting was supposed to be a routine update on city business. What it turned into was something else entirely — a chaotic and revealing look at how Fort Lauderdale’s most powerful lobbyist continues to shape policy and bend the system to serve a narrow few. If anyone needed more evidence that this city operates on insider access and developer privilege, this meeting provided it in full color.
Let’s start where we left off: One Stop Shop. If you read our last editorial, you could have used it as a play-by-play program for this week’s conference meeting. Every issue we predicted showed up, from missing financing documents to special treatment to the city’s chronic inability to hold developers accountable. This boondoggle of a project, greenlit over three years ago, has produced zero construction, zero permits, and zero rent on 3.3 acres of prime public land. But what it has generated is a mountain of excuses. On Tuesday, the pile got higher.
Developer Jeffrey John arrived with a mystery man whose role was never clearly defined. Together, they attempted to explain the project’s financing. They dropped a company name, then corrected it. Was it BGC London? BCG London? They weren’t even sure if they could say it out loud. A member of the public later pointed out that the firm’s website identifies it as a broker, not a lender. So who exactly is putting up the $100+ million they claim to have secured?
John then claimed that he, “ARES,” and the financial group had all signed some kind of agreement. If “ARES” refers to the same ARES 2811 CORP. we discussed last week, the one tied to a suburban home in New York and no digital presence, that should alarm everyone. But again, no documentation was submitted, nor was it submitted later that night.
One Stop, No Progress, Same Protection
So how does this continue? Well, start with Stephanie Toothaker, who represents One Stop Shop and was seated next to the developer. Then look at who still insists on defending this project: Commissioner Steve Glassman, who said he sees no reason to terminate the agreement. Glassman was one of the original cheerleaders for this deal. That hasn’t changed, even as it spirals further into absurdity.
Mayor Dean Trantalis seemed skeptical — as did Commissioner Ben Sorensen, breaking with Glassman for the first significant time in recent memory. Could it be that Trantalis and Sorensen are finally hopping off Glassman’s crazy train? If so, it’s about time. Because the only thing more bizarre than this project’s complete lack of documentation was the wild defense of it by Commissioner Glassman. Thankfully, Commissioners Herbst and Pittman weren’t buying the excuses either. Herbst, a finance and accounting professional, flatly stated that he’s never seen anything like it. It took that level of pressure just to get the Commission to send a formal notice of breach, giving the developer 30 days to cure. Which sounds serious, until you remember that these financing commitments were due within 90 days of the contract being executed. The contract was executed three years ago.
Why did staff let this slide for so long? Why has the Commission been asleep at the wheel? And more importantly, why does Toothaker’s client continue to receive this kind of protection when any other vendor would’ve been terminated years ago?
Let’s also talk about what Glassman actually said. In one of the more absurd moments of the meeting, he warned that if the One Stop Shop project fails, we’ll end up with “massive towers” on the property instead. Let’s be very clear: this is public land. There will be no massive towers on this site unless the City Commission gives the land away and approves such a project. The only people who can make that happen are the five commissioners sitting on the dais, and last time we checked, Glassman is one of them. What kind of commissioner threatens the public with an outcome like that as justification for keeping a questionably financed deal alive after three years of no progress?
It didn’t stop with One Stop Shop.
The Lobbyist Ban That Wasn’t
The Commission also discussed a proposed ordinance that would ban lobbyists from sitting on city boards. Seems straightforward enough, unless, of course, you’re trying to protect a specific person. Mayor Trantalis immediately suggested the ban shouldn’t apply to boards non-advisory boards a/k/a those with real authority, like the Downtown Development Authority (“DDA”) or the Performing Arts Center Authority (“PACA”). That’s backwards. As Commissioner Herbst pointed out, advisory boards are already ignored. The real concern is the boards that handle budgets, shape policy, and influence development, like the DDA.
So why did the Mayor suggest carving out those boards? Maybe because Stephanie Toothaker is Vice-Chair of the DDA and is in line to become Chair. She’s the only lobbyist on the board. The DDA has enormous sway over the future of Fort Lauderdale’s growth and development. Toothaker’s position there isn’t ceremonial. It’s power, real power. And Trantalis and Glassman appear far more concerned with protecting her than with protecting the public from undue influence.
And here’s the kicker. The ordinance, as drafted, would not have excluded either Barbara Stern or myself, despite Glassman’s public complaints about their appointments to the Planning & Zoning Board. So what exactly was his concern? It wasn’t about consistency. It wasn’t about ethics. It was about control.
Tuesday’s meeting showed how far this city is willing to bend when the right lobbyist is in the room. It showed who still gets a pass when rules are broken, deadlines are missed, and the public is lied to. And it showed how fragile our systems really are when they’re run on private influence instead of public accountability.
Fort Lauderdale deserves better than a government that works for one person.
Yesterday’s conference meeting was attended by quite a few people, more than most. We had to wait for the “One Stop Shop” show to start, but it was worth the wait. First, the city gave a presentation as if everything was going along just fine. It would’ve seemed that way… until Mr. Jeff John and Mr. Martin Mubarak spoke. Then… the wheels came flying off the wagon.
People in the audience were chuckling and shaking our heads at almost every sentence. A review of the tape disclosed several audible moans of disbelief from the audience as the developer and his financier spoke and answered questions. We heard excuse after excuse for why no financial documents have been presented. The only excuse we didn’t hear was a variant of “the dog ate my homework”.
Is the project worthwhile? Yeah, it seems so. A cultural center in several acres of green space right next to the new City Hall. But, is it going to happen under the current proposal? That’s highly questionable.
Three commission members did not look impressed. They also looked and sounded skeptical. The Mayor appeared hopeful, but I think he recognizes the reality of the situation.
So, another thirty days. I wonder what that will yield? It would be nice if this project moved forward, but given what was discussed yesterday I am realistically not optimistic.
Thank you for the real & accurate review of the One Stop dialog at the commission meeting. I was at the meeting surprised/not surprised by them letting One Stop continue ! Did One Stop meet their $$$ deadline?
As was pointed out by Marilyn M, I don’ t think One Stop met their 90 day deadline THREE YEARS AGO. I think everyone except for one Commissioner plainly saw that. As a result, I think the final determination was for the city attorney to let One Stop know they are not in compliance of the agreement and One Stop has thirty days to remedy the situation.
One Stop was repeatedly asked if they could supply the financial documents and (as I recall) there was even talk about them bringing the documents to the evening regular commission meeting. I was at that meeting, and nothing was discussed further.
Powerful and entertaining poliical reporting.
I spent the day and night at that meeting. It seems after Steve’s comment that He guarantees if it’s not one stop it will be hi rise condos on the property. Sounded like a threat . Those 3 are worse than the board members at my mom’s condo board.
Great recap of the meeting.