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All five commission seats up for election in Pompano [Sun Sentinel](South Florida Sun Sentinel (FL) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 16--POMPANO BEACH -- All five commission seats are up in this year's election Nov. 4, with three incumbents running and two seats up for grabs by a pool of mostly newcomers. Each district has its own set of issues, though most of the 14 candidates are concerned with development -- what kind, how much and what it costs. It's the first time all five commissioners are up at once, and they will be from now on thanks to a recently passed city law that ended staggered elections. District 1 District 1, the beach and easternmost part of Pompano, has two candidates. Commissioner Barry Dockswell, who has served since 2008, said he's calling this the "believe your eyes" election because residents can see the progress the city has made toward redevelopment, especially of the beach, while he has been in office. He wants the city to move from sprucing up the areas it owns to encouraging business owners to improve their properties and developers to move into Pompano. He's challenged by Angela Lee Hill, a business owner who has never run for political office. Hill is distressed by what she sees as the current City Commission's tendency to approve contracts that benefit businesses but cost more than they have to, ultimately taking money out of taxpayers' pockets. She called this election the "taxpayer take back and resident revolution." District 2 District 2, the northern part of the city from Dixie Highway to Federal Highway, has Commissioner Charlotte Burrie facing investment banker Thomas Terwilliger for the second time. Burrie hopes to finish projects she has started such as the Charlotte J. Burrie Community Center, a new fire station in her district and neighborhood beautification. She was elected in 2007, and is finishing her second term. "I've lived in this city for 50 years," she said. "I know everything about this city. I love this city. I am an advocate, not a politician." Terwilliger said he'll bring a much-needed critical eye to city projects, which can be very expensive and illogical. He said he would curb that and stop any new taxes or fees. He also said he would focus on safety and would give the Broward Sheriff's Office six months to reduce crime before he would advocate for a community-based police force. "I'm the only one in the city who will talk to the commission and tell them they're wrong," he said. District 3 In District 3, roughly from Interstate 95 to Federal Highway in the south, budget analyst Kenneth Campbell hopes to take the seat from Commissioner Rex Hardin. Hardin, who has served since 2007 and also served from 1998 to 2000, wants to keep up redevelopment and development efforts along the beach and in the city's northwest area, he said. "My focus throughout my time as a city commissioner has been the aesthetics of our community, and I want to continue that work," he said. Campbell works for the Government Finance Officers Association reviewing city and county budgets, and he wants to bring that expertise to Pompano Beach. He said he would help the city create long-term plans for building, spending, and buying necessary equipment, and make the budget easier to understand. He would also try to steer Pompano back toward developing itself as an industrial city, rather than trying to compete with Fort Lauderdale for tourists. District 4 Someone new will win the District 4 seat, representing the northwest, after Commissioner Woodrow Poitier opted not to run again. Three newcomers and one former commissioner all want the seat. Beverly Perkins, who said she's been advocating in District 4 for 27 years, said she'd focus on literally cleaning up trash and other aesthetic problems, and on making the residents feel like they have a voice in government, something she said is lacking now. "We need someone who can connect with the people, listen to the people, talk to the people," she said. Ed Phillips, who was a commissioner from 2001 to 2003, said his main goal is "bringing back the spirit of inclusion." "People don't know what's going on, why it's going on, and we haven't benefited in terms of jobs from the work going on in the city," he said. He said he'd also work to make District 4's infrastructure up to the level of the rest of the city, and to make CRA projects bring in jobs and business. Shelton Pooler, who owns a pest control business, said that "everything needs to be improved" in District 4: Safety, development, communication with city officials, jobs. But jobs are the key, he said. He would work to create local preference policies and to move Community Redevelopment Agency projects toward helping existing business owners. Whitney Rawls, who owns a business consulting firm, said he would work to be the kind of commissioner who does his own research, brings ideas to the commission, and doesn't rely on city staff to come up with information and plans. Rawls has had financial trouble. A judge made a final judgment for foreclosure on Rawls' home this summer, when Rawls owed almost $271,000. He filed for bankruptcy, which was not granted, to gain time to finish a loan modification to save the home, he said. Now he still owns it and owes nothing in taxes, property records show. These issues spurred him to run for office, he said, because he knows so many others are in similar positions. Specific projects he'd would focus on would be getting a local participation policy in place, developing Martin Luther King Boulevard, and creating better communication between the city and local churches and nonprofits. District 5 District 5's seat, representing the southwest, likewise is open to someone new since Commissioner George Brummer chose not to run again. Four candidates, all of them residents of the Palm-Aire neighborhood, are vying for the seat. John Bynoe worked for 28 years for the Florida Department of Transportation, heading up a team that chose whether to condemn land, when to settle condemnation cases, and when to go to trial. He "held the checkbook" for the department, he said, and that experience with governments and money plus previous experience as a real estate agent makes him the most qualified candidate, he said. Roger Gingerich, who owns a tax service business, said he would focus on growth, jobs, and "getting people back to work and making more money." He would promote mid-size development, which he said is best for Pompano, citing the Koi Residences & Marina development as the kind of project he would hope to attract. He'd want to attract more businesses, improve the efficiency and friendliness of the building department, and tackle the issue of sober houses. Joan McConnell said she thinks the city is headed in the right direction, but it's not doing enough to get there. She wants to keep trying to develop and attract tourists, but said the city needs "its own special identity to make it different from other nearby cities." She'd also try to improve education in the city and to protect the environment, she said, and would meet "constantly" with residents from all parts of District 5. Barry Moss said that the commission now is "stuck a little bit in time 20 years ago," and needs some imagination and new ideas. He cited the city's plan for a flexible-space theater at the planned civic center as a "missed opportunity" to do something bolder. He'd also want to make sure Collier City gets more parks and other amenities, and said he would work to develop a strategic plan for the development of unused land. [email protected], 954-356-4451, or Twitter @ambarkhurst Charlotte J. Burrie Age: 69 Family: Widowed, two children, one grandchild, one great-grandchild Education: Associate's degree, Broward College, 1982; bachelor's degree, Florida Atlantic University, 1986; juris doctor, St. Thomas School of Law, 1989 Occupation: Attorney, private practice Political career: Pompano Beach city commissioner, 2007 to present Campaign coffers: $13,805 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: Hispanic Vote Political Action Committee, Police Benevolent Association John D. Bynoe Age: 77 Family: Married, two children, four grandchildren, one great-grandchild Education: High school graduate Occupation: Retired client representative in litigation issues, Florida Department of Transportation Political career: None Campaign coffers: $800 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: None Kenneth Alan Campbell Age: 61 Family: Married, two children. Education: Bachelor of science, Youngstown State University, 1974; Master's of science, Youngstown State University, 1976; Master's of arts, Youngstown State University, 1976; doctorate in public administration, Florida Atlantic University, 1994 Occupation: Budget reviewer, Government Finance Officers Association Political career: None Campaign coffers: $500 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: Hispanic Vote Political Action Committee Barry Jay Dockswell Age: 67 Family: Single, two children, three grandchildren Education: Bachelor of arts degree, Johns Hopkins University, 1969 Occupation: Retired business development and marketing executive at Citrix and IBM Political career: Pompano commissioner since 2008 Campaign coffers: $7,150 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs Roger Gingerich Age: 52 Family: Married, one child. Education: Bachelor of science, Indiana University, 1985; MBA, Florida Atlantic University, 2004 Occupation: Owner, Liberty Tax Services Political career: None Campaign coffers: $3,645 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: None Rex Hardin Age: 47 Family: Married, two children. Education: Associate of arts degree, Broward Community College, 1993 Occupation: Owner of Cypress Printing Center commercial print shop Political career: Pompano commissioner, 1998 to 2000, 2007 to present Campaign coffers: $18,750 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: Greater Fort Lauderdale Realtors Association, Pompano Beach Professional Firefighters Union Local 1549 Angela Lee Hill Age: 47 Family: Married, two children Education: Bachelor of arts, University of Southern California, 1990 Occupation: Business owner Political career: None Campaign coffers: $2,100 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: Hispanic Vote Political Action Committee Joan McConnell Age: 72 Family: Divorced Education: Bachelor of arts, Sarah Lawrence College, 1959; Master of arts, Columbia University, 1966; doctorate, Columbia University, 1969 Occupation: Author of textbooks and lecturer in the field of linguistics Political career: None Campaign coffers: $4,500 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: The Hispanic Vote Political Action Committee Barry L. Moss Age: 65 Family: Single Education: Bachelor of arts, American University, 1971 Occupation: Retired real estate appraiser Political career: None Campaign coffers: $4,250 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: Dolphin Democrats Beverly Perkins Age: 55 Family: Married Education: Bachelor of arts, Trinity International University, 2004 Occupation: Substitute teacher, Broward County Schools Political career: None Campaign coffers: $4,175 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: None Edward W. Phillips Age: 63 Family: Married, one child Education: Bachelor of arts, Bethune Cookman College, 1974 Occupation: Owner, P.F. Insurance & Financial Services Inc.; owner, Push Forward Realty Inc. Political career: Pompano Beach commissioner, 2001-03 Campaign coffers: $2,375 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: The Hispanic Vote Political Action Committee Shelton Pooler Age: 48 Family: Married, four children, four grandchildren Education: Blanche Ely High School Occupation: Owner, Pooler Pest Control Political career: None Campaign coffers: $2,535 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: None Whitney Rawls Age: 40 Family: Married, two children Education: Bachelor of science, American Intercontinental University, 2005 Occupation: Owner, Notion Motion Political career: None Campaign coffers: $5,810 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: Commissioner Woodrow Poitier, Pompano Beach, District 4; state Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park; Democracy for America (Broward Chapter) Thomas E. Terwilliger Age: 69 Family: Single, two children, two grandchildren. Education: Bachelor of business administration, Western Michigan University, 1970; MBA, Western Michigan University, 1971 Occupation: Investment banker. Political career: None Campaign coffers: $960 as of Aug. 31 Top three non-newspaper endorsements: Greater Fort Lauderdale Realtors Association ___ (c)2014 Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |