Embarrassed into action? Our Mayor and top brass meet with President of South Middle River Civic Association.
Posted Under: Important Issues for Fort Lauderdale
Embarrassed into action?
Our Mayor and top brass meet with President of South Middle River Civic Association.
As most of you know, a riot occurred in South Middle River on Wednesday December 14. Not only did the police fail to manage the on-again/off-again fights in the neighborhood that day, but two days later at a meeting, the police essentially argued with residents about how bad the incident actually was.
It was a shameful display of arrogance on the part of those police who were at that meeting. Most get paid many times more than the residents who were at that meeting and it appeared that night the police were more interested in protecting and serving themselves than the residents. Most of you seem to agree with me. (I hope that most of our officers would not react the way those officers did that night, and that they are better trained than that.)
After those riots, the President of the South Middle River Civic Association (Sal Gatanio) scheduled a meeting with District Commissioner Rodstrom, Police Chief Adderley, Mayor Seiler, and City Manager Feldman. Problems have been brewing for years in that neighborhood, and apparently things boiled over at that meeting (according to one unnamed City employee). After some very direct words by the President of SMRCA, it appears that some changes are finally in the works.
Several residents in South Middle River are reporting increased police presence in their neighborhood. Police are now actually getting out of their cars to walk the streets (something I have been advocating for a while now). There are several other actions that should be taken (ie: get more of our police to actually live in our City, establish a substation there, more after-hours programs for youth, etc).
I spoke to City Manager Lee Feldman about what actions he will take to correct things. While not making any commitments, he did say that some specific plans are in the works and that by January 15 we should see some new actions being taken for that neighborhood. Well, let’s hope he’s right.
According to Sal Gatanio, there are two properties that have caused most of the problems in the neighborhood for years. The first is “Crescent House”, a home for delinquent boys under 18 years old. The second is a home for delinquent girls on 11th Street near 4th Ave. Both of these facilities are being viewed by many residents as being the source of thefts and damage to the area. Whether this is true or not, it does appear that these facilities will now be watched more closely.
Will these planned actions on the part of our City Manager work and will we finally start to see some improvement in the neighborhood? We’ll have to wait and see. But those “planned actions” have come too late to help one person in that neighborhood. That person was shot and killed this morning, in the 700 block of Northwest 12th Ave.
Earl Rynerson
Reader Comments
Earl,
I’m very sorry to hear that someone was shot this morning but just to be factual, that address is not in South Middle River.
Marie
Marie-
You are correct, it is a few blocks west and south of the defined South Middle River area. But it’s close.
Earl
Lets have our next meeting of “Elect Earl Mayor” in that specific area that you mentioned. I think local police for local areas sounds better and lower saleries for City Employees.It’s a rat’s next downtown at the Ft. Lauderdale City Hall,I worked around the Fort Lauderdale Goverment for years. I hope we can change things to be more fair. We might be able to generate a little more energy if we met in a community setting and perhaps some P.R.to boot. We need Grass Roots Support for you to win.
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Katherine former L.C.S.W.
Earl, you are nothing but a troublemaker and will never be elected Mayor
I am so happy that I have now moved out of Fort Lauderdale…it went from small town to a big Dirty armpit!
My partner and my child moved to Boca…and we are so happy to be in a clean, safe area…I don’t understand what Ft. Lauderdale has to offer anyone…
So glad we left!
This Wednesday’s conference and commission meetings have a CRA for South Middle River on the agendas.
http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/documents/agenda/2012/010512cc_reg.pdf
Is this CRA long in the works or a new ‘solution’ to recent incidents?
A CRA needs to be more than street landscaping improvements, fancy light poles and light fixtures and brick pavers that don’t stand up under vehicular traffic.
It always takes a tragedy to change things. How about if you become the next tragedy so we can change other things Davis? How do you see Earl as a troublemaker?
Gladys- thank you. Sadly someone was shot and killed yesterday morning in SMR. Broad daylight and no witnesses. How likely is it this will be the last murder in the neighborhood? This is not what any of us want in FLL whether we live in that neighborhood or any others in FLL. Alot of those who may post here are NOT FLL residents and voters, and even if he is, he is ONE VOTE. The voters will decide who they want on January 31. If the city could be governed better, what voter would not want that? We already see what the last 3 years produced.
As I said on another post, there are a lot more of us than there are of them when it comes to voting. Even though they are employed by FLL, they cannot vote because they are not FLL residents. Looks like they hung themselves with their own rope. Let’s ban together and vote them all out.
Mary,
The CRA encompasses part of several neighborhoods including South Middle River and has been in the works for quite some time.
Thank you Marie. Tune in via internet or Comcast 78 (or attend) both afternoon and evening meetings this Wednesday January 4 as the SMR CRA is on BOTH agendas. If you live and pay taxes in SMR it is YOUR money.
I have lived in Middle River Terrace for 5 years. In 2008 my truck was stolen from in front of my house. In 2009 my bike was stolen from my back yard. In 2011 my new bike was stolen from in front of my house (it had been chained to my house, but the thieves used a hand saw to break through the chain). There are have been instances where people have knocked on my door begging for money.
I am happy to hear that Earl Rynerson is pushing for more police presence in our neighborhood.
I am looking forward to the upcoming election. Our neighborhood needs a champion.