Routine Appointments Turn Into Political Drama

What should have been a routine board appointment process in Fort Lauderdale has instead erupted into controversy and infighting on the City Commission. In recent meetings, a majority bloc of Mayor Dean Trantalis and Commissioners Steve Glassman and Ben Sorensen (now dubbed “The Bloc” or the “Unholy Trinity”) banded together to reject two highly qualified nominees for city advisory boards. Their targets? Longtime civic figures Barbra Stern and John Rodstrom III, both put forward by Commissioner John Herbst.

Fort Lauderdale’s advisory boards – from Planning & Zoning to Marine Advisory Board – are typically filled with community volunteers nominated by individual commissioners. Historically, the commission exercises professional courtesy in confirming each other’s choices. Not anymore. In 3-2 votes, Trantalis, Glassman, and Sorensen voted “No” on Herbst’s nominees to the Planning & Zoning Board—Stern on April 1, 2025, and Rodstrom on April 14, 2025—over the objections of Herbst and Commissioner Pamela Beasley-Pittman.

Qualified Nominees Rejected by “The Bloc”

The rejected nominees are by no means fringe figures. Barbra Stern is a respected attorney with deep roots in the community who just recently ran for Mayor. She even served for many years as a member of the Florida Elections Commission – a role to which she was unanimously confirmed by the Florida Senate. Her other civic contributions include serving on the Community Appearance Board, Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale, the executive board of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, and as Chair of the Broward Performing Arts Center Authority. Stern’s legal acumen and public service pedigree should have made her an obvious asset on any city board. John Rodstrom III likewise has a strong civic record. An attorney and son of former Broward County Commissioner John Rodstrom Jr. and City Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom, John Rodstrom III has been an active figure in Fort Lauderdale civic life for many years. Six months ago, he was serving on the city’s Budget Advisory Board, helping oversee the city’s billion-dollar budget. He is perhaps best known as the pro bono attorney for Save Snyder Park, where he represented a coalition of residents fighting against the private development of one of the city’s parks. He has also served on the board of the Salvation Army of Broward County for the last five years and is the Chairman of their Adult Rehabilitation Center’s Advisory Council. By all accounts, these nominees were experienced, engaged, and qualified citizens eager to serve their city.

Ironically, it was Charlotte Rodstrom—then a City Commissioner—who first appointed Steve Glassman to the Planning & Zoning Board nearly 20 years ago, launching his career in city politics. At the time, Glassman was known as a passionate civic activist. But since taking office himself, he has made a dramatic about-face on many of the very issues he once claimed to champion. The transformation has not gone unnoticed by longtime residents and former supporters alike.

The Bloc’s official rationale for blocking Stern and Rodstrom was murky. In public, some mutterings about “lobbyists” were offered – implying Stern and Rodstrom might have conflicts – but in reality neither nominee is a registered lobbyist for any developer before the city (an ironic twist, given the commission’s own friends include actual lobbyists). To many, it appeared the trio’s true motivation was political. All three “Bloc” members are aligned against Commissioner Herbst on various city issues, and both Stern and Rodstrom are perceived as being in Herbst’s camp. This break with tradition left Herbst fuming and others shaking their heads. “I look forward to the next couple of years. It’s going to be a hell of a ride,” Herbst quipped sarcastically after seeing his picks shot down.

Political Hypocrisy on Full Display

The political hypocrisy in this saga is hard to ignore. Just back in October 2024, Mayor Trantalis and Commissioner Glassman openly defended the practice of appointing political allies to city boards. Trantalis called it “a cardinal sin to deny a commissioner the right to appoint someone.” That same month, Glassman stated that “[e]very appointment is a political appointment. When we get into office, who do we appoint? We appoint qualified people and they might have also helped in a campaign.” Fast forward to today, and both are doing exactly what they cautioned against—forming a voting bloc to stonewall their colleagues’ appointments. Worse, Commissioner Sorensen has now joined them in this behavior. For someone widely expected to run for Mayor, his participation in these petty power plays shows a troubling lack of the independent leadership needed to represent not just his district, but the entire city.

Consider the contrast: Commissioner John Herbst demonstrated impartiality by supporting the appointment of his former election rival, Norby Belz, to the Budget Advisory Board. Belz had run against Herbst for the District 1 commission seat, yet Herbst put aside past rivalry and championed Belz for a board position, recognizing his willingness to serve. Trantalis, Glassman, and Sorensen, however, have taken the opposite approach – putting petty politics above the public interest. They’ve sent a clear message that if you’re not on “our team,” you’re not welcome to serve.

Erosion of Norms and Commission Dysfunction

This board appointment fiasco is symptomatic of a broader dysfunction and erosion of norms on the Fort Lauderdale City Commission. The collegial courtesy that once governed interactions has frayed badly. In its place is a climate of mistrust and tit-for-tat maneuvers. Commissioners Trantalis, Glassman, and Sorensen have effectively formed a ruling triad, often leaving Commissioners Herbst and Beasley-Pittman on the outside looking in. Such bloc voting can steamroll opposition, but it also poisons the well of cooperation. Today it’s board appointments being blocked; tomorrow it could be something even more consequential.

It’s no wonder this City Commission can’t even maintain a working relationship with the County. They’ve shown time and again that they cannot “play nice” with anyone who holds even a slightly different perspective. Collaboration is no longer just broken—it’s been actively discarded. We need commissioners who are not only capable of working together, but also of constructively engaging with outside partners to move our city forward.

It’s no coincidence that the City has canceled meeting after meeting with the County regarding the Bridge/Tunnel Commuter Rail project. The dysfunction on display has real costs. Fort Lauderdale faces serious challenges—development pressures, infrastructure woes, a looming budget crisis—that require unity and collaboration. The blocking of Barbra Stern and John Rodstrom III is more than just a personal slight—it’s a warning sign that political grudges are eroding the checks and balances that make local government work.

Conclusion: Time to End the Petty Politics

Let’s be clear: city boards exist to serve the public—not to serve as instruments of petty political punishment. Blocking thoughtful, qualified residents from volunteering only weakens our institutions and fractures trust in local government. Neither Barbra Stern nor John Rodstrom can be intimidated by “The Bloc,” and perhaps that’s exactly why they were targeted. According to Herbst his colleagues will continue to reject his appointments “until I appoint someone they believe they can intimidate.”

That’s not governance—that’s a problem.

Two years ago, Fort Lauderdale residents in Edgewood and River Oaks watched helplessly as over 26 inches of water flooded their homes, swept through their streets, and swallowed entire blocks. It wasn’t a fluke. It wasn’t unforeseeable. And it wasn’t just the rain.

Now, two class-action lawsuits are shining a light on what many residents already knew: this disaster wasn’t just about weather — it was about failure.

The recently filed lawsuits, accuse contractors hired by the City of Fort Lauderdale of tearing out critical drainage infrastructure as part of a stormwater improvement project — and failing to install any temporary flood mitigation while doing it. The result? A historic flood made exponentially worse by recklessness.

“It was not complete, and we didn’t have anything in the meantime to keep us from flooding,” said River Oaks resident Ted Inserra, who recalled water rising from the creek, over the curb, and straight into his house.

These lawsuits don’t name the City directly — likely due to sovereign immunity protections — but let’s be honest: the blame leads right back to City Hall (if we had one).

A Failure to Plan — Despite Every Warning

Officials tried to write off the 2023 flood as a “1,000-year storm,” but there was nothing unpredictable about what happened. These are low-lying neighborhoods, long known to be vulnerable, with documented modeling identifying their flood risks.

Moreover, nearby airport expansions increased runoff and flood potential — but no additional protections were installed. There were no pumps, no barriers, and no backup plan while the old systems were ripped out. Nothing but empty promises and political sound bites.

A Broader Pattern of Mismanagement

This isn’t an isolated mistake. It’s part of a longer pattern of infrastructure failure, political dysfunction, and possible corruption in Fort Lauderdale.

Remember the 2019–2020 sewage disaster, when over 211 million gallons of raw sewage poured into our neighborhoods and waterways? That wasn’t just bad luck — it was the direct result of the city siphoning funds away from water and sewer infrastructure for nearly a decade to cover operating costs. Even after warnings from the state and residents, the same commission majority voted to continue the practice, until the Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a consent order mandating repairs.

Or look at the new Fort Lauderdale Police Headquarters, a $100 million project that has ballooned in cost and is now facing serious structural issues. Independent engineering reports found a bending roof slab and cracking foundation, stating the construction did not meet design specifications. Work was abruptly halted, with no clear fix in sight.

Now add this: former City Manager Greg Chavarria, who oversaw much of the HQ project, quietly resigned in April 2024. Shortly afterward, he accepted a position with KEITH, the same engineering firm involved in that project. This move came just as the Broward Office of the Inspector General issued a scathing report accusing Chavarria of violating the city charter.

That’s not just a lapse in ethics — it’s a case study in how deep the rot goes inside Fort Lauderdale.

Enter “The Bloc”

What do these failures have in common? The same leadership team: Mayor Dean Trantalis, Commissioner Steve Glassman, and Commissioner Ben Sorensen — a group often referred to as “the bloc” “the holy trinity” or the “unholy trinity” depending on who you talk to.

Their tenure has been marked by mismanagement, cost overruns, political theater, and special treatment for insiders — all while the public infrastructure crumbles. Whether it’s the flooding in River Oaks, the sewer disaster, the failing police station, a ridiculous tesla tunnel, never ending debate on a bridge or tunnel for commuter rail, or the delayed $200 million parks bond, the outcome is the same: residents pay the price, and their voices are drowned out by donors and developers.

Neighborhoods like River Oaks and Edgewood — working-class areas with deep roots — are ignored while city money and attention are funneled toward vanity projects, high-end development, and their influential special interest allies.

Insider Favoritism

One of the clearest examples of overreach and insider favoritism came in the aftermath of the 2019 sewer main collapse in Rio Vista. An independent audit found that Commissioner Ben Sorensen made 121 unauthorized calls to staff and contractors, directing them to carry out work well beyond the scope of emergency repairs — including raising roads, narrowing streets, and installing park features.

These actions violated the city charter, which explicitly prohibits commissioners from instructing city staff or vendors. Yet despite the audit’s findings, no disciplinary action was ever taken.

What followed says everything you need to know about how business gets done in Fort Lauderdale. Stephanie Toothaker, a powerful lobbyist and close political ally of The Bloc, owned a home on Ponce de Leon Drive — directly impacted by the sewer break. On June 5, 2020, she quietly transferred ownership of that property to a trust: the WPRK Family Trust. Just one month later, on July 7, 2020, the City Commission approved a motion authorizing settlement of all potential liability claims of the WPRK Family Trust — in the amount of $548,329.  

The motion passed without public scrutiny, and because the settlement was issued in the trust’s name, few would have recognized who was actually benefiting. But behind the paper trail, the political connections are hard to miss. The Bloc — Glassman, Sorensen, and Trantalis — approved the payout to a close political ally, without any discussion of the conflict or concern for public optics.

So while insiders like Stephanie Toothaker pocket nearly half a million dollars—thanks to her cozy ties with The Bloc that runs the City—you get nothing. No reimbursement for your destroyed homes. Just a City that hides behind sovereign immunity and Commissioner Sorensen who is too busy rubbing shoulders with wealthy donors in other districts to even show up for his own. That’s what it takes to be heard in Fort Lauderdale these days—because unless you’re in the club, no one’s writing you a check.

The people of Fort Lauderdale are tired of watching their tax dollars disappear into bad projects, broken promises, and backroom deals. From sewage to flooding to failing public buildings, Fort Lauderdale’s infrastructure is a reflection of its leadership. And right now, it’s cracking under the weight. The only question now is—will members of The Bloc, specifically Sorensen and Glassman, who are both anticipated to run for Mayor after Trantalis is term limited, crack as well?