These are the responses we have received thus far. Responses from other candidates will be posted promptly when received.
*NOTE: There is an error in question #3 (part 2)- the question should have asked about candidates’ commitment to keeping the gate closed, not reopening the gate. Candidates have been notified, and any updates or changes to their answers will be posted when received.
Table of Contents
Fitz Budhoo:
1. Two different people had very similar questions:
a. What attracted me to Oakland Park was that it was a small town (over 30 years ago). When I drive around today, I can barely see that small town. I understand the need for development, but what are your plans to keep/restore/retain our small-town reputation, or is your vision to have it be developed and ‘city-fied’?
Thank you for being residency in Oakland Park. 1994 was a long time ago. The pressure of population what drives growth. There are pockets of small-town America in certain neighborhoods. We are a magnet for growth; however, we must do a better in managing the various types of future development in Oakland Park. Please attend The Development review Committee (DRC) and attend future Planning and zoning committee meetings along with City Commission. Let your voice be heard.
b. Building is out of control and green space is disappearing. How can we preserve our green space while dealing with this overgrowth?
Have future developers often additional clean green space for recreational and aesthetic areas in plan development. The city staff also added language in Oakland Park Comprehensive Master Plan.
2. Many citizens believe that past spending on new city offices has been grossly mismanaged, leaving residents on the hook for luxury city offices. What would you do to make sure taxes won’t destroy the quality of life once enjoyed in Oakland Park?
Upgraded on city government buildings are not mismanaging our tax dollars. We must have safe structures for our residents and public employees.
*3. (two parts) Would you support or reject ingress and egress onto NW 38th St. if it was proposed by a developer? And would you commit to re-opening the gate closed off on NW 39th St and 21st Ave?
I will request public safety report and transit study first before making a decision.
4. What is the plan to alleviate flooding?
We must hold City public works department Director and City Manager accountable for seeking funding from Federal, State, and county government for climate control hardening our infrastructures.
5. Do you have any plans for saving money by putting solar on all schools, government buildings, and the library?
I serious doubt the Broward County school board have funding to install solar. On city buildings only if we received grants from the State of Florida or Federal government.
6. Is there a timeline on when the permitting department will fully understand their roles?
We must provide customer service training to all our city employees annual.
7. Given the impact of increasing condo assessments, what can city commissioners do to help alleviate this impact?
lobby your state representatives for action on this issue in Tallahassee.
8. Traffic is bad and getting worse. What would you do to make our roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists?
Review traffic signalization system. Add clear signage at crossing intersection for pedestrians and cyclists.
9. All of you are required to live in the city, so you are familiar with the strengths and challenges of being a resident. Do you think a city manager should also be required to live in the city they serve?
Yes.
10. What is a policy in Oakland Park that you think needs to be changed, and why?
The City procurement policy. We must promote and market our small business in the City of Oakland Park.
Christopher Fischer
1.a. What attracted me to Oakland Park was that it was a small town (over 30 years ago). When I drive around today, I can barely see that small town. I understand the need for development, but what are your plans to keep/restore/retain our small-town reputation, or is your vision to have it be developed and ‘city-fied’?
I appreciate that question because the potential character and charm of a small town is what drew my family here to Oakland Park. While Florida and in particular South Florida has seen excessive growth, I think too often we look at what is immediately around us for comparison, when I believe we should be utilizing other cities around our size within the state as a beacon. I look at cities on the West Coast like Dunedin, or on the East Coast like Cocoa Beach, they have managed to retain that small town charm while becoming a destination city for food, culinary, events and experiences. In cities like those they didn’t need to build excessive high-rises, and made their allure the facilities, events and the opportunities they provided through parks, trails, well-lit streets and small businesses, which is a pathway toward success I believe Oakland Park can achieve.
b. Building is out of control and green space is disappearing. How can we preserve our green space while dealing with this overgrowth?
I believe you must keep the Parks in Oakland Park. I believe in it’s so much so that I helped the city to come to an agreement on a contract with the Archdiocese of Miami to keep Cherry Creek Park open for our residence to enjoy, when it was on cusp of being closed off completely to our neighbors.
I also worked with the city on restructuring their original layout of the new Greenleaf Park when the original plans called for a playground right next to busy intersection at NE 13th and Park Lane. We made it more child and family friendly, by helping them to realize the safer decision would be yo move the playground to the south side where it will now be constructed.
2. Many citizens believe that past spending on new city offices has been grossly mismanaged, leaving residents on the hook for luxury city offices. What would you do to make sure taxes won’t destroy the quality of life once enjoyed in Oakland Park?
I agree that the new City Hall being leased is an unfavorable situation, and the city should own the land their City Hall resides on. I also believe the city does a tremendous job by offsetting costs in acquiring grant funding that goes unheralded when in comparison to tax dollar spending.
Oakland Park can do a better job to be fiscally responsible and I’ve pointed that out multiple times in particular ways over the years in commission budget meetings.
Building and construction costs have skyrocketed over the last couple of years due to inflation, which inevitably ate up our tax and bond approved dollars for our new library that won’t be coming until some time in to the future. I would’ve made sure the promise made with the 2018 Bond money approval by residents was fulfilled in building the new library residents approved.
*3. (two parts) Would you support or reject ingress and egress onto NW 38th St. if it was proposed by a developer? And would you commit to re-opening the gate closed off on NW 39th St and 21st Ave?
I would get all the powers that be in a room to discuss this thoroughly, with City and County Development Review Committees as well as neighborhood association Presidents and business leaders and pour over reports illicited from public safety and transit authorities in order to come to a decision that is representative of what the community wants and needs.
This has been a big topic of discussion over the past couple of years, and there is no clear cut answer other than getting everyone in a room to figure out what works best and achieves what the area necessitates..
4. What is the plan to alleviate flooding?
Due to our population size, we are capped on how much federal funding we can actually procure, and tax dollars and grant money only goes so far.
Our partnerships with the City of Wilton Manors, the City of Ft. Lauderdale and Broward County are vital in order to help us build a pathway to obtaining more state and county funding. That would allow Public Works and our city planners to build better drainage systems in all our neighborhoods and roadways.
We need to push for more outside the box opportunities to bridge the time gap until Oakland Park reaches its goal of possessing 50,000 residents by the next census in order to become eligible for more federal funding to help fix our infrastructure. City and structures even stated stated commission
5. Do you have any plans for saving money by putting solar on all schools, government buildings, and the library?
I am a big proponent of solar energy being installed on city and county structures.
I’ve stated this on numerous occasions, speaking at city commission meetings in suggesting installing solar street lighting while they lay new sidewalks throughout the city. This would assist not only in public safety, but elevate property value, provide tax breaks plus the city could generate more revenue by saving money on electricity and selling solar stored electric back to the power company.
While it would be up to the school board to install solar on the schools, when it comes to city buildings and solar opportunities, I would advocate as a commissioner to put solar paneling on structures in order to save the city money in the long run.
6. Is there a timeline on when the permitting department will fully understand their roles?
The city is working currently on a plan to fix the permitting problems that have been persisting for years.
Yet, I don’t believe their plan of website consolidation goes far enough. On multiple occasions I’ve mentioned to city staff that they need a liaisons who answer to residents and commercial builders to assist in the process of getting updates and making sure that permits are going through smoothly and on time.
The timeline on which permits take to get closed has been a financial and mental burden on those who have weathered the process, and while strides are being made, I think it needs to be pressed upon the city to hire more permitting employees (who themselves are over burdened) which inevitably would make it a smoother process.
7. Given the impact of increasing condo assessments, what can city commissioners do to help alleviate this impact?
Too often our city commissioners stop at just the title “City Commissioner”. A Commissiner needs to have the wherewithal to contact county and state reps or even reach out to the federal level if need to in order to resolve a situation.
I didn’t stop when it came to helping out small businesses in our downtown of Oakland Park in trying to find grant money to keep their lights on and doors open. I reached out to county commissioners and state legislators to provide avenues for grant money and even spoke with their landlords. There is always more that can be done.
Residents who moved here in the 70s, 80s, 90s and even 2000’s are spending their nest eggs hoping to retire comfortably while on fixed incomes, yet now they are left struggling just to pay the bills and put food on the table. I think this is a very pivotal policy topic not only here locally in Oakland Park, but at the state level because our baby boomers and golden generation are bearing the burden from gross oversight in Tallahassee. It’s something that needs to be addressed and it can be started right here in Oakland Park.
8. Traffic is bad and getting worse. What would you do to make our roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists?
Multimodal is a term the city has been using a lot as far as bicycling, walking, ride sharing, and all different forms of transportation, it’s a goal they want to achieve.
We’re seeing sidewalks go in neighborhoods, but I think the biggest aspect as far as safety for pedestrians would be in creating the opportunity to have much safer crosswalks and overpasses built on busy roads, as well as providing additional bike lanes. Our population is only growing while the future bright line commuter train stop will be nice, we have to think more pragmatically. Residence.
Residents don’t want to worry about a driver staring at their at their phone and not paying attention as they or their children cross the street. Our local businesses need more walkability to be safely accessible.
I believe safer crosswalks and overpasses on busy roads, and more space for bike lanes will be a wonderful initiative to continue along with the sidewalks that are presently being installed in the neighborhoods .
9. All of you are required to live in the city, so you are familiar with the strengths and challenges of being a resident. Do you think a city manager should also be required to live in the city they serve?
While I believe it would be beneficial, the City Manager of Wilton manors lives in the Coral Heights neighborhood of Oakland Park. Our city manager, as I understand it lives in very close proximity to Oakland Park. It was an allowance written in to his contract by commissioners years ago when he was hired despite what it is state in the City Code.
And it’s my hope in the near future, through his vision and efforts that he will deliver all of us a city in which he and we are proud of and want to live in.
10. What is a policy in Oakland Park that you think needs to be changed, and why?
Many come to mind, but I believe our city code needs to be updated when it comes to livable space. The smallest allowable unit designation is 600 square feet.
Today we have a housing shortage, and with the state handcuffing the ability of municipal governments to limit the amount of vacation rental properties, people are having a hard time finding an affordable place to live.
By taking down the minimum livable space to a micro unit designation, it would create more opportunities for affordable and obtainable housing. We already have micro unit designation in new buildings like Oaklyn, but allowing it to be zoned throughout the city, would offer more opportunity for residents, incoming tax dollars and a place for folks to call home.
Aisha Gordon:
1. Two different people had very similar questions:
a. What attracted me to Oakland Park was that it was a small town (over 30 years ago). When I drive around today, I can barely see that small town. I understand the need for development, but what are your plans to keep/restore/retain our small-town reputation, or is your vision to have it be developed and ‘city-fied’?
Firstly, I do not envision seeing our beautiful small town experience overdevelopment. Oakland Park will continue to have its small-town feel as it experiences smart growth. Smart growth is an overall approach to development and conservation strategies that can help protect our health and natural environment and make our communities more attractive, economically stronger, socially diverse, and resilient to climate change.
b. Building is out of control and green space is disappearing. How can we preserve our green space while dealing with this overgrowth?
I am committed to preserving Oakland Park’s natural green spaces and preventing it from becoming an overdeveloped city, often called a “concrete jungle.” For instance, the Oak Tree project involves a 100-plus acreage of space that used to be a golf course. Although the site comprises many residential units, a portion of the development will be set aside as a nature trail. The Blyss project, where the old K-Mart used to be, also features a walkable promenade along the waterway.
My top priorities are keeping Oakland Park clean, green, and sustainable. Any project before the commission must include a green space or nature reserve, or I will vote against it.
My passion for resilience and preserving green space has earned me support from the Sierra Club. I assure you that my decisions as your commissioner will continue positively impacting the maintenance and retention of our green natural space for years.
2. Many citizens believe that past spending on new city offices has been grossly mismanaged, leaving residents on the hook for luxury city offices. What would you do to ensure taxes won’t destroy the quality of life once enjoyed in Oakland Park?
A 2020 or 2021 survey conducted among citizens revealed that Oakland Park is on the right track with managing its budget and still providing excellent services to its residents. As your commissioner, I will continue to oversee the budget to ensure it is balanced and fiscally responsible without unnecessarily increasing citizens’ taxes. Note: The current millage rate for FY25 is lower than it’s been for the last 15 years.
*3. (two parts) Would you support or reject ingress and egress onto NW 38th St. if it was proposed by a developer? And would you commit to re-opening the gate closed off on NW 39th St and 21st Ave?
The city mandates a thorough traffic impact analysis for every new development, which licensed engineers must carry out. This analysis assesses the project’s potential impact on traffic patterns and volumes in the surrounding areas. The DRC scrutinizes these studies to guarantee that our roads continue to operate at safe and efficient levels. Furthermore, the relevant state or county agencies must be involved if the proposed project affects a state or county road. This ensures that any enhancements or modifications adhere to broader regional standards and maintain coordination across different jurisdictions. This process ensures that the city’s growth is carefully balanced with the capacity of our infrastructure and that any potential traffic impacts are addressed before a project is approved.
My decision will be contingent on what the analysis dictates and whether or not it will negatively or positively impact my neighbor’s safety and livelihood.
4. What is the plan to alleviate flooding?
We will continue collaborating with Wilton Manors in the joint climate change program to address the ongoing effects of climate change on both cities. Our partnership with Broward County and the South Florida Management District helps us stay informed about the increasing occurrences of heavy rainfall and resulting compound flooding, which leads to rising groundwater levels. We are committed to procuring funding to invest in technology and automation for water management. We procured grants to help us maintain stormwater projects and address flooding throughout the city.
5. Do you have any plans for saving money by putting solar on all schools, government buildings, and the library?
I am a firm believer that solar energy should be used as much as possible in all schools and government buildings. However, the City of Oakland Park and the Broward County School Board are two separate entities. The city does not have jurisdiction over Broward County Schools. This would help reduce electricity bills and contribute to environmental sustainability. I recently attended a Broward Leaders Resilience Roundtable event where the topic of solar energy was discussed. Solar power is an excellent alternative to traditional electricity sources. I plan to continue advocating for solar energy and have also identified the presenter for this topic.
6. Is there a timeline on when the permitting department will fully understand their roles?
Past issues included slow permitting and a lack of service connection. The permitting department is transitioning to a more communicative and streamlined online service to expedite permits. Let’s be patient with the transition and promote continuous improvement over time.
7. Given the impact of increasing condo assessments, what can city commissioners do to help alleviate this impact?
As the President of my HOA for many years and a licensed community association manager, I understand the increasing living costs in HOAs, particularly in condominiums. The Surfside Building Collapse has led to changes in the Condo Statute in Florida. The new requirement mandates that condominium and cooperative association buildings that are three or more stories high must undergo a “milestone inspection” of the building’s structural integrity by an architect or engineer when the building reaches either 30 years of age and every ten years after that, or 25 years of age and every ten years after that if the building is located within three miles of a coastline.
The lawsuits stemming from the collapse of the Surfside condominium in Florida now exceed a billion dollars. The city’s jurisdiction over the condos budget is limited, as the state determines the statutes governing them.
8. Traffic is bad and getting worse. What would you do to make our roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists?
Another one of my top priorities is addressing speeding in our communities. We need to add more BSO details dedicated to speeding and install traffic-calming devices on local streets to slow down speeding in residential neighborhoods. We can paint all bike lanes green and add traffic barriers to protect bikers in the bike lanes.
9. All of you are required to live in the city, so you are familiar with the strengths and challenges of being a resident. Do you think a city manager should also be required to live in the city they serve?
The city manager was hired a decade ago, but I was not on the city commission when the decision was made regarding the city manager’s residency.
10. What is a policy in Oakland Park that you think needs to be changed, and why?
I propose amending the policy for commission appointments. If a commissioner vacates their seat before the election, I believe the candidate with the next highest number of votes should be appointed to the commission. This will streamline the decision-making process and save time and energy.
Letitia Newbold
1. Two different people had very similar questions:
a. What attracted me to Oakland Park was that it was a small town (over 30 years ago). When I drive around today, I can barely see that small town. I understand the need for development, but what are your plans to keep/restore/retain our small-town reputation, or is your vision to have it be developed and ‘city-fied’?
I understand your concern about the changing landscape of Oakland Park and the potential loss of its small-town charm. My vision is to ensure that development in the appropriate places respects the community’s heritage while balancing growth and modernization. I believe we can preserve the essence of our small-town atmosphere by prioritizing thoughtful development, enhancing green spaces, and fostering community engagement in planning decisions. My goal is to maintain our unique character and strengthen our neighborhoods, ensuring Oakland Park continues to be a place where everyone feels connected and at home.
b. Building is out of control and green space is disappearing. How can we preserve our green space while dealing with this overgrowth?
Preserving our green spaces is vital for maintaining the quality of life in our community. That’s why the commission ensures that green space is incorporated into all new development plans. When applications are submitted, they must include specific requirements for green space and permeable land to manage water and prevent overdevelopment. The city is responsible for ensuring that buildings are designed to be sustainable, consistent with the character of the community, and effective in managing stormwater on-site. Two developments that have been approved with these considerations in mind are the Oak Tree Community and the Urban League project, The Village.
Every development application is thoroughly reviewed by me and fellow commissioners to ensure it aligns with these priorities. We also require community meetings for new developments so residents can provide feedback and have their voices heard. By taking these steps, we can achieve a balance between growth and preserving the green spaces that make our city unique.
2. Many citizens believe that past spending on new city offices has been grossly mismanaged, leaving residents on the hook for luxury city offices. What would you do to make sure taxes won’t destroy the quality of life once enjoyed in Oakland Park?
I understand the concerns of spending and how it may impact residents. I have a strong track record of keeping taxes in check, having voted twice to lower our millage rate over the last two years. Managing taxes responsibly remains a priority for me.
The city of Oakland Park holds public budget hearings in April, and the budget is brought to the commission in July. In September, we discuss the overall budget and assessments, allowing the public to provide feedback during all three months of the budget discussions. I encourage community involvement in these discussions to ensure that we prioritize the quality of life for all residents while making informed financial decisions.
3. (two parts) Would you support or reject ingress and egress onto NW 38th St. if it was proposed by a developer? And would you commit to re-opening the gate closed off on NW 39th St and 21st Ave?
Every potential development is required to hold a community meeting where those residents will be impacted the most. This is an opportunity for voices to be heard. I don’t make decisions or commitments on individual development until after I’ve heard from our residents. I give careful and thoughtful consideration to every application for new development that comes before our commission, and I listen carefully to the perspectives of our residents before making a decision. I think it is the responsibility of elected officials to be responsive to our residents and open minded with considering new opportunities.
Regarding the gate on N.W. 39th St, the previous commission approved the gate to be closed. I support the current position in keeping the gate closed as it has been for a number of years.
4. What is the plan to alleviate flooding?
Thank you for this question. Today, we are facing unprecedented challenges from changes in our environment. I am focused on ensuring our city remains on the cutting edge of sustainability and resiliency for at least the next decade. We have secured millions of dollars in grant funding to address flooding and other environmental concerns. I am fully committed to implementing solutions that effectively manage water and keep it where it belongs.
5. Do you have any plans for saving money by putting solar on all schools, government buildings, and the library?
Investing in solar energy for public buildings like schools, libraries, and other facilities can be a great way to save on utility costs while promoting environmental sustainability. Implementing solar power would also reduce the city’s carbon footprint and potentially qualify for various state and federal incentives. This approach would require collaboration between the city, school board, and other stakeholders to maximize benefits and align with city planning objectives.
Recently, the commission met with Oakland Park school principals to discuss how our partnership can enhance academic outcomes and ensure our schools are prepared for the future. Exploring initiatives like solar energy can further strengthen these partnerships and help build a more sustainable community. In the meantime, I will continue supporting our schools through volunteer work at every level.
6. Is there a timeline on when the permitting department will fully understand their roles?
Transitions or improvements within departments can sometimes lead to delays and misunderstandings, which can impact the community. Our Permitting Department has faced challenges due to the increased demand brought on by new development opportunities in our city. To better serve our residents, the department has implemented new technology that allows applicants to check the status of their permits in real time. For those who prefer to speak with someone directly, the phone lines are now more accessible. Commercial tenants can also reach out to our Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) for assistance with their permits. The city is committed to supporting our residents in every way possible. While there is still room for improvement, we will continue striving to enhance our services. That’s our promise to the community.
7. Given the impact of increasing condo assessments, what can city commissioners do to help alleviate this impact?
Condo assessments are managed by the condo association, but unfortunately, rising insurance rates—driven by changes in the market—are putting an increasing burden on residents. Since insurance rates are regulated at the state level and not locally, I have raised this issue during meetings with state representatives and urged them to take action. The implications of not addressing these skyrocketing premiums are severe, particularly for condo buildings in need of upgrades. This is a critical issue that requires urgent attention to alleviate the financial strain on homeowners across our state.
8. Traffic is bad and getting worse. What would you do to make our roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists?
Addressing traffic concerns and improving road safety for pedestrians and cyclists is essential for creating a safer and more livable community. Encouraging drivers to be mindful and adhere to traffic laws has been an ongoing challenge in South Florida. To tackle this issue, we’ve directed the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) to focus on areas with high traffic violations and introduced speed monitoring devices to promote safer driving habits. Additionally, we’ve taken steps to promote multimodal transportation across all our roadways and are actively collaborating with the county to introduce new mass transit initiatives along the east-west corridors and north-south rail lines. These strategies will encourage residents and visitors to reduce car usage, lowering costs and alleviating traffic congestion. Increased use of mass transit will also benefit our environment by reducing the number of cars on the road, leading to lower emissions and improved air quality.
9. All of you are required to live in the city, so you are familiar with the strengths and challenges of being a resident. Do you think a city manager should also be required to live in the city they serve?
I don’t believe it should be a requirement that the city manager lives within the city limits of Oakland Park, as long as he/she is carrying out the duties and responsibilities delegated by the commission and the citizens of Oakland Park.
10. What is a policy in Oakland Park that you think needs to be changed, and why?
I would recommend to the commission to direct staff to develop strategies to address the affordable housing crisis in Oakland Park.