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Commissioner’s Message

hile the last few months have been very difficult for our entire
community, it has been my pleasure serving you during these
W trying times.
Working together with the Governor’s office and the Department of Emergency
Management, Commissioner Fisher, Representative LaMarca, Mayor Trantalis and
my fellow city of Fort Lauderdale commissioners, we have focused on responsible
action to keep you safe while understanding the economic impacts of our decisions.
From the beginning, Fort Lauderdale acted proactively to reduce significant risk our
residents faced, and looking at the data both then and now, it was the right thing
to do. As a hotspot for tourism and industry, we were on the cutting-edge of
fighting this virus and our efforts made a real difference.
Together, we flattened the curve and allowed medical infrastructure to be built,
manufactured, and distributed. We are not out of the woods yet, but with your
vigilance, we will beat this virus.
I have continually pushed for more testing, both in the form of active testing as well
as antibody testing and we are building out a strong testing infrastructure with the
Heather Moraitis help of the state and in partnership with Nova Southeastern University. This is
District I Commissioner critical for mitigating the risk and intensity of a second wave and affords us the
City of Fort Lauderdale opportunity to revive our economy.
hmoraitis@fortlauderdale.gov
I was one of the first to call to reopen Fort Lauderdale -- in a smart and measured way
-- because I believe we need to save our local economy, as many families are hurting.
Melissa Coningsby
District 1 Commission Assistant This cannot be done solely through top-down, government funded stimulus. It must
mconingsby@fortlauderdale.gov come from the support of our community, by patronizing our favorite restaurants and
954-828-5033 retail stores, so they can keep their doors open and workers employed.
It’s times like these that matter most how local government functions and we’ve had
City Hall, 8th Floor
100 N. Andrews Ave. the distinct privilege of working with many organizations to get the city back up
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 and running. We have tremendous partnerships with the Broward League of Cities,
the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce,
and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.
I want to particularly highlight the 90-day strategic “I Love Local” campaign which
is engaging businesses, chambers of commerce, nonprofit organizations, educators,
cities, the arts community and many other organizations in order to revive our
economy after COVID-19.
Also another fun, economic driver which just wrapped was the Riverwalk Burger
Battle XI. I tried many burgers over the month of May and can say we have some
amazing eats around town. Even though the competition is over, you can still do
your own taste test by takeout or dining in.
With that being said, I ask that you help us create a new normal by safely and
smartly venturing out when appropriate. Continue to follow guidelines, knowing
your actions help flatten the curve and revitalize our city. And as always, please
don’t hesitate to reach out to me or my staff if we can serve you through this
trying time.
Like many cities throughout the country, the city of Fort Lauderdale is facing fear,
anger, and frustration regarding the death of George Floyd.

8 The Landings & Bay Colony