Five key moments in John Herbst’s career as a Fort Lauderdale commissioner:
FIRED: After 16 years as city auditor, he was fired late at night on Feb. 15, 2022 on a 3-1 vote by the commission. Mayor Dean Trantalis accused Herbst of going “rogue” for investigating a police chief’s moonlighting. Herbst insists he was ousted for doubting the shaky finances of a favored lobbyist’s downdown development deal known as One Stop Shop — a project that collapsed in failure last year.
ELECTED: A political neophyte in his first run for office in 2022, Herbst swept the District 1 field, winning 40% of the vote in defeating three rivals.
CHALLENGED: After the election, Trantalis and Commissioner Steve Glassman tried to override voters and prevent Herbst from taking office, claiming he did not comply with a city residency rule. The move fizzled and Herbst stayed put, but the abortive removal attempt has lingered like a dark cloud ever since.
BLOCKED: In an ugly break with tradition, three of Herbst’s colleagues blackballed his two appointees from serving on city boards in April 2025. Lawyers John Rodstrom III and Barbra Stern were well-informed, highly vocal critics of commissioners (and Stern had run for mayor against Trantalis), so the move smacked of pure retribution. “All norms of behavior are gone at this point,” Herbst said.
OPPOSED: In December, Herbst was the only commissioner who opposed a grandiose $344 million City Hall proposal, criticizing its cost and design. Two weeks ago, others joined him in blocking the project amid overwhelming public opposition.
— Steve Bousquet