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N e i g h b o r h o o d Update continued

City and FPL. As the street lights are an important factor in board and membership have become stronger and our
“neighborhood security”, we would encourage other owners partnership with the city deeper.”
within the Community to report outages. The FPL link to report She mentioned how the council’s intent is to lift each other up
outages is: www.fpl.com/customer/report/streetlight_single.shtml and help our community be better. A better community starts
or their phone number is 797-5000, or you can report the with informed citizens. “The Council does not take sides on
outage to the city at http://www.ci.ftlaud.fl.us/. specific topics, rather we work to obtain information from
Police Community Interface. Since being advised of recent knowledgeable experts in our community, so that will help you
“policy/staffing changes” within FLPD, LRA has received a understand the citywide topics that cross our desks”.
communication from Capt. Robert Dietrich advising that Lt. January, 2022 meeting speakers and topics
Ron Magno will serve as our primary contact for Dr. JJ Rajter, Covid Update. As he predicted at earlier
“neighborhood concerns.” His email address is: meetings, we saw another spike in December. The good news
Ronm@fortlauderdale.gov. As always, Capt. Dietrich is is that the virus is not as pathogenic, or infectious. You are less
available at RDietrich@fortlauderdale.gov /954-828-7309.
likely to be severely ill. But the virus is 500 times more
Reports. FLPD will continue to provide the Board with monthly contagious and it is fair game for all of us.
updates as to the status/resolution of “reported crimes” within
the period (e.g.: auto thefts, auto break-ins, burglaries and He did say that we are currently at our peak and that we
should see a quick downfall after two weeks as that is what
other violations of concern) within The Landings.
happened in Africa. So, by the end of the month of January,
LPR Cameras. In order to review the effectiveness of the LPR we should have seen the worst of it.
Cameras on an ongoing basis, we have requested quarterly
updates from FLPD. Note: This is an evolving process and we Regarding protecting ourselves, he mentioned that regular
will provide additional updates as we finalize a reporting disposable masks only last 4-5 hours before they disintegrate
and should not be reused. He noted that the KN95 masks are
arrangement with them.
more effective in protecting you and can, in fact, be reused.
More Neighborhood Involvement. Maintaining private Especially if hanging in your car exposed to the sun. Eyeglasses
cameras about our properties affords the Police Department can help but shields are better. He also noted that historically,
an additional tool in resolving crimes. We are advised that the duration of a pandemic has been 2.5 years and after that it
the Police Department has technology to allow neighbors and becomes harder and harder for new variants to mutate.
business owners to share video evidence, in the case of a
crime being captured on video. The responding officers are Dr. Nancy Gassman, Assistant Director of Public Works
trained on this technology and are able to provide access to discussed Waterway Quality. She informed us that water
crime victims and witnesses. If the video is not able to be quality is many things, e.g. temperature, color, bacteria and
uploaded through the secure network, a detective from the chemical composition, and she outlined what is being done to
Department’s Technical Services Unit will meet with the video monitor and improve our waterway quality. Some of the items
that she mentioned were: installation of special devices in our
holder to obtain the video for evidentiary purposes.
catch basins; weekly water checks; street sweeping; canal
Be Alert. We, as neighbors, should be on the alert for unusual cleaning; outreach regarding fertilizers and warnings not to
activities on our streets and be proactive in recording tags and use them during the summer months; and proposed use of
reporting unfamiliar individuals. The police depend on us, as mobile pump out boats at low costs. Dr. Gassman’s
much as we depend on them!! presentation will be posted on the council’s website and if you
have any water quality concerns, please call 954-828-8000.
CFLCA Committee Chris Lagerbloom, City Manager, provided a City update. A

By Helena Cooper train tunnel under the New River vs. a bridge is still being
The Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Association meeting on discussed; the City is looking at 4 unsolicited proposals for a
January 11th started off with Colleen Lockwood announcing new water plant; Bahia Mar-plans are in the works for condos
she was stepping down as president of the Council as of but there will be careful considerations made to park retention
February. First Vice-President, Mary Peloquin, will take over and accommodating for the boat show; A Pier 66 proposal for
until the special election is held. Colleen thanked the council two 500-foot buildings is in the community outreach stage right
and their accomplishments these last years. She said, “Our now. n

6 The Landings & Bay Colony