Some Commissioners have been disappointed by the quality of administrative services from  the Fort Lauderdale City Commission.   These “serious shortcomings” include staff grievances and dissatisfied employees, and lengthy delays for people trying to get permits for building purposes or even something as simple as replacing windows and doors.  The slow pace of things at the City can hurt the local economy and fixes are being sought.

As for how long it takes to get things done, City Manager Feldman said the city’s rules are “very convoluted to get things moving here.” He said he has very little spending authority for a city of Fort Lauderdale’s size, which eats up staff time preparing agenda items on very small dollar amounts to get commission approval, mentioning a $5,720 item on the evening’s agenda.

Feldman also said the city’s request-for-proposal process means once commissioners decide on a course of action, it takes six to eight months just to get the process going.

Roberts and Seiler said Feldman should bring forward proposed changes if there are regulations that can be modified to make the city work more efficiently. Seiler asked Feldman and City Attorney Cynthia Everett to come back with proposals that can be addressed by amending an ordinance or through a charter change referendum.

Sales Tax Increase up for a vote

Fort Lauderdale commissioners voted to put a sales tax increase on the November ballot, becoming the first city in Broward County.

The commission on Tuesday favored a cities-supported penny increase in the sales tax to pay for infrastructure needs. In order for the referendum to get on the ballot, similar resolutions will have to be approved by city commissions representing a majority of the county’s population.

While the vote was unanimous, commissioners said they would be willing to rescind it if Broward County commissioners come up with an alternate sales tax referendum for transportation-related issues.

County commissioners on Tuesday weren’t able to reach a decision about that plan. The county proposal would give cities 25 percent of the sales tax revenue; cities have asked for 35 percent.

One of Miami Beach’s main attractions is it’s architecture. With the energy of the sun and colors to rival a rainbow, Miami Beach architecture is one of a kind. You don’t have to be an architect to appreciate the city’s Art Deco and Miami Modern sensibility. Real and curvy, most buildings are in condition that would make their original architects proud. Miami has the largest number of deco buildings in the world, so for many, the deco architecture is a draw for tourism. It is part of the cultural makeup of Miami and a living testament to its rich history. The vintage homes of yesteryear add to the personality that is so uniquely Miami Beach – unfortunately this history is being threatened by new eyesore houses and vacant mosquito infested lots.

Fortunately, three Miami Beach commissioners want to create exemptions in their city’s ethics ordinance that will enable more architects and landscapers to sit on municipal committees – exemptions that will have to be approved by Miami Beach voters. On Wednesday, commissioners, sitting as the Land Use and Development Committee, will require all single-family home plans to be reviewed by the Design Review Board or another architectural board prior to demolition work. Right now, only homes located in historic districts or homes built prior to 1942 are reviewed. Currently the board’s agenda is already dominated by applications from homeowners and developers who wish to replace their pre-1942 homes with something else, or, at least, alter them. As a solution, an architectural review panel has been explored which would be made up of professional architects, in which house plans are quickly and efficiently reviewed by city staff. But for that to happen, committee members felt they need to enable more architects and landscapers to sit on boards.

With efficient monitoring of new developments in the Miami Beach area, the cultural significance of Miami’s deco past can be preserved and continued for future generations.

This post doesn’t reflect any of Miami Beach locksmiths views, and is just for entertainment value.

Spring Breakers’ Mess on Fort Lauderdale Beach Upsets Surfers and residents are up in arms over the flippancy of out of town college kids. Spring Break has been known for rowdiness, debauchery, and pure disregard for residents but residents of a Fort Lauderdale beach have had enough. The above picture has been shared hundreds of times by incensed residents with many taking their frustrations out online with extreme insults.

Despite their frustrations, residents pulled together to clean the beaches and start a clean slate. This may not be the last time beaches are this trashed, but residents and law enforcement alike are increasing vigilance to prevent this from happening again.

This post doesn’t reflect any of Fort Lauderdale locksmiths views, and is just for entertainment value.

A neighborhood in Palm Beach, Florida had a rude awakening on the morning of Friday, March 25th. More than a dozen vehicles were burglarized leaving shards of glass strewn in the street and neighbors uneasy about the recent invasive crimes. It happened overnight Friday at the Presidential Golfview Condominiums, on North Congress Avenue. Police haven’t arrested anyone in connection with these crimes yet plan on continuing patrols in the area.

Some residents have elected to secure their surroundings by installing alarm systems in the cars and securing their homes door locks and windows. Many have hired professional locksmiths to secure their home surroundings ensuring they won’t be susceptible to criminal break-ins. It’s crucial that residents secure the locks on doors and windows and make sure they are locked during the day and night. Another thing residents are doing is installing home cameras inside and outside of their homes. The footage from these videos can help law enforcement later identify individuals involved in the crimes.

If you think that your neighborhood is at risk for crimes of this nature, visit US Locksmith at www.us-locksmith.com for information on how to prevent these attacks.

This post doesn’t reflect any of West Palm Beach locksmiths views.

In the weeks leading up to the historical trip of US President Barack Obama to Cuba many Floridians, mainly Miami residents, held their breath. The decades long embargo was put in place because of a bygone East West battle between the US and Soviets, Cuba included. This trip has been controversial and met with both skepticism and interes – with most skepticism arising within Miami’s strong Cuban community.

Many are asking – why now? It’s been noted that Obama has been trying to solidify his legacy by breaking through obstacles that have plagued past presidents. Despite the ire coming from many American Cubans, many Americans are hopeful and eager to explore the business opportunities in this mythical land that has been closed and in a time capsule for years.

Even in the face of today’s terror attacks in Brussels Obama didn’t let that rain down on his Havana fun. He can be seen attending a baseball game and participating in the wave several times all the while smiling.

Our Wednesday wisdom makes sense if you’re at a juncture in your life where you aren’t fully content with your job, mate, family, friends etc. Many have been taught to settle “you have a great job why would you want to leave?” this “logic can be applied to all aspects of your life but if you aren’t surrendering yourself to current situation maybe it’s time for a change. That why Steve Jobs words of wisdom speak to us in this episode of Wednesday Wisdom. So if you haven’t found what makes you, happy, passionate, or content, KEEP Looking. There is no telling what can happen if you just look around the corner at the possibilities available.

Years ago most professionals would pursue a single career path for the majority of their lives, but in today’s ever-changing world this notion has become something of a rarity. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average professional in America now only stays in a role for about four and a half years. So if your career or life in general isn’t “working” for you take yourself out of your routine and try some changes. Maybe enroll in a class at your local college, volunteer at a food bank or animal rescue, or just simply hang out with friends on a regular basis to mix it up a little bit. It’s healthy to want more and it’s even healthier to explore your needs by expanding your horizons.

This post doesn’t reflect any of Fort Lauderdale locksmiths views, and is just for entertainment value.

Bachelor nation tunes in tonight for the much anticipated finale of The Bachelor. For those ladies and gents that have been tuning in for the past couple months I’m sure this moment couldn’t have come sooner. Yes, Ben has the looks of a GQ cover model and that glisten in his eye is divine but am I wrong in saying he’s been as interesting as a blank piece of paper or watching paint dry. This season has been torture. After coming off of an exciting last season of bachelorette – this season has been a big disappointment. Perhaps it’s because Ben and the ladies are far too young to have any ‘real’ drama or conversations – with Olivia and Jubilee giving the only ‘reality TV’ worthy highlights. It just seems as if Ben is always zoning out when talking to the ladies. He gets that blank stare and his eyes glaze over when he talks to the ladies but when he talks my eyes inevitably glaze over.

Despite this being the most boring season yet, I think I should give my prediction of who I think Ben will pick. ABC is trying in vain to create some excitement around his decision with him telling both ladies that he loves them, but ultimately he will choose the most obvious contestant of all – Lauren B. Got to keep mom happy, am I right?

There wasn’t enough in this season that I feel compelled to discuss so here’s to the much anticipated finale. Good luck, Ben. Can’t say I’m not happy it’s over.

This post doesn’t reflect any of Fort Lauderdale locksmiths views, and is just for entertainment value.

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Lately the divisions in our society are becoming more prevalent during the presidential primary season. The elections this year have brought many unsettling emotions in voters. Today Chicago police had to break up a Trump rally amid concerns of a growing number of protestors that showed up in droves to upset the rally in support of the leading Republican candidate. We saw the near pandemonium at the rally and the polarizing effects of this election on our TV screens.

The question remains – is Trumps overwhelming support due to the fact that a large segment of the US electorate relates to his message or is he rousing these extreme political views in people. Often times Trump has mentioned how he’s condoned ejecting, silencing and even punching protestors. This behavior has been prevalent at Trump events with his supporters feeling vindicated in taking physically violent measures to get their point across. So perhaps the reality is that Donald Trump is giving his supporters the support and inciting extreme views and actions and doing very little to stop these occurrences.

The scene that unfolded today was bitter and divisive and showed the cracks in the electorate. The fact is Trump should use his popularity to be a unifying leader and do something to stop the schisms within his party and the American electorate.

This post doesn’t reflect any of Fort Lauderdale locksmiths political views, and is just for entertainment value.

This week the news has been a buzz with the ESPN Sportscaster, Erin Andrews peeping tom case. A secretly recorded video showing the 37 year old naked has impacted her life and traumatized her forever. Photos and videos are permanently circulating internet porn sites and her videos have already garnered tens of millions of views. The scary reality is this can happen to ANYBODY. We’ll give you methods to prevent these invasive recordings so they never happen to you. The more you know about protecting you and your family the more empowered you will feel.

The security of your doors are windows are the first line of defense for your home. Many think of calling a locksmith at times of trouble like locking your keys inside your car, misplacing your keys, or breaking them in a keyhole but locksmiths are extremely effective in keeping you safe in other ways. If you have concerns regarding your privacy locksmiths can ensure your house is adequately secure and can also survey the surroundings for cameras and other invasive recording devices. When detected locksmiths can ensure your family’s safety but combing the most vulnerable parts of your home and detecting the weak spots in your security. Side gates, sliding doors, basement openings, and upstairs doors and windows will be checked and secured with the help of a professional locksmith.

Call a locksmith and we would be happy to help you out. Keep yourself and your family safe and call us today.

This post does not reflect the views of Fort Lauderdale Locksmiths and is for entertainment purposes only.

This election season has had many twists and turns making it hard to predict the primary frontrunners. The anointed Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, has been surprisingly steamrolled by socialist, Bernie Sanders and despite her opponents on both sides has not been shown capable to pull it through. These results are in sharp contrast to her campaign slogan “Ready for Hillary.” Much time has passed since she battled Obama during the primaries of 2008 and still Hillary hasn’t proved the electorate “ready” for what she has to offer. In fact much of the social media world is struggling to understand “#WhichHillary” will we see today. Her rallying cries against Bernie Sanders being a one issue candidate have fallen on deaf ears, as we all struggle to understand what issue Hillary actually stands for herself. She often says what is politically expedient and what she thinks people would want to hear. This is in part because she is part of the establishment. Problem is she’s been around for a long time and currently has conflicting reasoning and opinions when compared to her time as first lady.

Still despite her claims of having the experience it takes to run the country, we find it very hard to believe and trust Hillary. Why? Perhaps it’s her contentious vote on the Iraq War or her policy flip flops on marriage equality and universal health coverage. It just seems like her policy choices are blowing in the wind with the changing times. Perhaps this is the primary reason Democrats can’t seem to unite behind her and Republicans despise her. Her relentless almost selfish drive for the White House can seem off-putting as she panders to the masses and pockets huge sums of money for her talks. She just seems like she’ll say anything to get the vote and the campaign contribution. Regardless, it just seems like there is not one Hillary to get behind and perhaps that’s why she can’t seem to pull it through. With the upcoming debates and primaries, we’re all scratching our heads and asking ourselves #whichHillary are we going to see this time.

This post doesn’t reflect any of Fort Lauderdale locksmiths political views, and is just for entertainment value.