Oakland Park citizens tried one last time to stop a sidewalk project that’s taking up to 40% of the space in front of their homes. They failed. The 13th Avenue Drainage Project is going forward, but residents are calling out commissioners as weak, ineffective, and powerless.
During the city commission meeting on April 14, residents made a last, and ultimately futile attempt to stop the project where the city is reclaiming right of way and swale. For some homes that means losing up to 40% of their front yard and parking area.
Citizens are leveling serious accusations against city manager David Hebert and staff, including altering public records, manipulating documents to make them unsearchable by keyword, lack of transparency and more. The city denies the accusations.
Despite being introduced in 2017, many didn’t learn about the project until last October, saying it was deceptively named. One resident believes that was the plan.
“No response until construction crews are at my house and then suddenly there’s nothing we can do. That’s not an answer. That’s an admission of negligence. That was the plan all along, keep us in the dark until it’s too late.”
But residents who say they’ve been ignored are calling out commissioners for a lack of action and being a rubber stamp for Hebert’s agenda.
“You were elected to provide oversight, not to repeat what the staff tells you to do. That’s the tail wagging the dog. Instead of investigating, you deferred to staff,” Bodiford said. “That’s not governance, that’s abandonment of responsibility.”
Jackie McNichols is president of Coalition of Oakland Park Affected Homeowners, the group leading the fight to stop the project. She says she has internal emails that contradict police reports, proof of digital alteration of public records, making some records unsearchable by keyword, harassment by law enforcement and more.
“This is premeditated character assassination to chill protected speech,” she said.
Gordon McNichols says commissioners need to stop taking staff’s word at face value.
“[This is] the weaponization of city hall against its own residents. You have been misled by staff.”
At the same time Commissioner Tim Lonergan seems to be antagonizing constituents. At a meeting in March he called some of the speakers “liars” and at this meeting he called out further untruths.
“Please don’t lie and say I didn’t call,” he said, responding to Bodiford’s claims of indifference.
The next commission meeting is scheduled for May 6.
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