Early Voting has begun for Margate Republicans
For Margate’s roughly 7,300 registered Republicans, early voting starts January 21, at 10 a.m. and runs through January 28, at 17 Broward County locations.
Early voting sites for the Jan 31, Presidential Preference Primary closest to home or work can be found by clicking 2012 Early Voting Sites. Registered voters may go to any of the early voting sites in the County.
Because of a state law passed last year, early voting for the four Republican Primary candidates: Newt Gingrich; Ron Paul; Mitt Romney; Rick Santorum, lasts only eight days, down from 15 days previous.
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Margate City Commission Holds Special Meeting to get Bar Back Open
It seemed unecessary that Margate city officials should convene for a lone agenda item on August 15, little more than a week prior to their regularly scheduled twice-monthly meeting. What could be so important and so pressing to need the immediate attention of high-paid city executives and elected officials?
The rescue of Dave’s Tiki Bar, Commissioner David McLean’s latest business venture.
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How not to run for Margate City Commission: Manny Torres
Manny Torres was one of 13 candidates who ran in Margate’s Special Election in January held to replace long-sitting Commissioner, Arthur Bross, who passed away from cancer in October. Torres, owner of Fort Lauderdale-based importers, Torres & Torres, told Margate voters he wanted to revive the small business economy in the city and had a 'Better Way' to do it.
“Thank goodness he didn’t win,” Raed Bakouni of Jiffi Print in Pompano told MargateNews.net. ”As a small business owner himself, Manny can’t even pay me the money he owes me, which isn’t a whole lot, but at this point it’s not about the money, it’s about the principle,” he said.”
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Margate Commissioners Bring New Faces to City Boards
Shortly after passing a motion to advertise an ordinance that enables Margate City Commissioners to nominate and appoint board members for two year terms effective January 2013, commissioners wasted no time in demonstrating to the public how the new process might work.
Existing vacancies on the city’s Grants Advisory Board, Affordable Housing Committee and the Board of Adjustment were quickly filled Wednesday as commissioners nominated and approved Margate citizens who had previously submitted a board application to the City Clerk’s Office and who attended last week's city commission meeting.
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Margate City Commission to Politicize Board Appointments
To the dismay of residents attending a recent city workshop, city commissioners have agreed to replace the existing application process for the appointment of Margate residents to city boards, such as the Civil Service Board, Planning and Zoning Board, and Board of Adjustment.
The new process, which is up for commission vote in the form of an ordinance at this Wednesday's city commmision meeting, will enable commissioners to nominate individual board members and ratify their appointment via commission vote. Should the ordinance pass, it will take effect January 2013.
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Margate City Attorney accuses Florida House Republicans of pulling a "Chavez"
Florida Democrats – Margate City Attorney, Eugene Steinfeld no exception – are up in arms about a judicial reform measure brought before the Florida House of Representatives earlier in the month.
Headed by Speaker of the Florida House, Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, reform measures call for expanding Florida’s Supreme Court from seven justices to ten, dividing the court into civil and criminal divisions, expanding court funding and ensuring Senate confirmation of justices appointed by Republican Governor Rick Scott.
"It’s the same device Hugo Chavez used; in that he [Cannon] wants to do away with the independence of the Judiciary,” Steinfeld told commissioners and the public at the April 6 city meeting.
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New Margate Commissioner criticized sharply for legislating against automatic raises
To address an almost 7-year-old conflict of interest, whereas a commissioner may be politically motivated to support union pay raises as a means of procuring their own salary increase, newly-elected Margate Commissioner, Le Peerman, motioned at a February city meeting to repeal the 2005 legislation that automatically awards city commissioners a pay increase equal in percentage to that of a police, fire or general employee union as a result of bargaining unit negotiations.
For example: should union workers get a 3% pay increase as part of contract negotiations, city commissioners would automatically get 3% too. The commission voted 3 – 2 in favor of Peerman's repeal. Commissioners Pam Donovan and Joe Varsallone in dissent.
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Margate Florida Elects First Openly Gay Commissioner
In addition to being Margate’s first city commissioner to ask to take a pay cut, and the first city commissioner voted onto the dais under the city's new term limit law, Le Peerman is also Margate’s first openly gay city commissioner.
Peerman won Margate’s Special Election Tuesday, taking almost 23 percent of roughly 2,000 ballots cast. Her 458 votes reigned victorious over front runner Rich Popovic, former North Lauderdale City Commissioner, Frank Messana, and fire and police union endorsed candidates, John Hall and Judy McKeone - in addition to eight other candidates.
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MargateNews.net boils a list of 13 January Special Election candidates down to six viable choices
For voters short on time to review pertinent candidate informaton, MargateNews.net has reduced the list of 13 special election candidates down to six viable choices on the 11th, based on media reports, talking to candidates, voters and observations at City Hall.
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See, hear and meet Margate Special Election Candidates at the Catherine Young Library
On Thursday January 6, 2011 the Margate Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a “Town Meeting” to allow candidates running in Margate’s January Special Election to gain public exposure and answer questions pertaining to their qualifications for office. The Special Election is scheduled for January 11, 2011.
The meeting is open to the public and starts promptly at 6 pm in the Catherine Young Library auditorium, 5810 Park Drive Margate, FL 33063 (954) 968-3800.
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Special election candidate, Peerman, gets endorsements at meet and greet
Le Peerman is one of 13 candidates running in Margate's Special Election scheduled for January 11, 2011. The election is being held to replace the late Arthur Bross, who served on the Margate City Commission for 22 years and who succumbed to prostate cancer in October.
Peerman has run for city commissioner in three Margate elections, claiming victory over competing candidates more than once, but falling short of getting the votes needed to beat an incumbent.
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Candidate Profiles at MargateNews.net
As a service to Margate taxpayers and voters, MargateNews.net is offering candidates who are running in the January special election an opportunity to have their candidate information posted online under a section called “Candidate Profiles” accessed by our left navigation menu.
Potential candidates can view the MargateNews.net questionnaire under “Files” to the right of this article page when clicking through. The questionnaire highlights traits voters will be looking for in a Margate City Commission candidate. Candidates can also choose to submit their own piece based on their campaign objectives. This service is FREE to candidates and will reach educated, informed voters in Margate.
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Renaming of Firefighter's Park Politicized
What may be a knee-jerk reaction to the grieving process, three Margate City Commissioners, Frank Talerico, David McLean and Joseph Varsallone, unanimously voted at Wednesday night’s city meeting to change the name of Firefighter’s Park in Margate to “Arthur Joseph Bross Firefighter’s Park” in honor of the late Margate City Commissioner, Arthur J. Bross, who passed away one week earlier on October 13, 2010.
Margate Commissioner, Pam Donovan was excused from the meeting.
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Margate officials discuss outsourcing city departments
A conversation difficult to have, but probably one every South Florida city will encounter eventually, is that of outsourcing the delivery of city services, similar to what Margate did recently with its Inner City Transit service.
At last week’s city meeting, Margate Commissioner, David McLean, made a motion to direct City Manager, Frank Porcella, to explore the pros and cons of outsourcing departments within the city, such as fire, police, public works, water, and building departments.
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Reader Opinion
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Margate Resident kicks-off 2012 City Commission Race
Originally from Lockport, Illinois, 52-year-old Lesa Peerman moved to Margate in 1996. She’s been working for the Broward County School System for 22 years and has officially registered as a candidate for Margate City Commission in 2012.
Peerman believes in term limits for commissioners, accountability to taxpayers and a heightened level of constructive input and participation by Margate residents at City Hall meetings.
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