Name: Nick Sortal

Campaign website: NickSortal.com

Date and place of birth: July 31, 1958. Herrin, Illinois.

List in order of importance the three most important issues in your community and briefly explain what you would do about each.
Development:

Residents are concerned about growth, as South Floridians are everywhere. Since becoming Mayor, we have protected development from neighborhoods by limiting or focusing growth in our Midtown and Gateway districts, which has been a plan in place since 2002. Our strategic plan, done for the first time in city’s history in 2023, says “Balance Progress with Tradition.” We need to better inform our residents of this priority. Another important measure adopted under my leadership was to protect traditional single-family neighborhoods by limiting the use of Flex Units. This means a developer can’t “borrow” unused units from other areas. The new twist recently, though, is not opening your city up to Live Local applications.

Finances and the state:

During my term, I have worked with staff to constantly control costs, budget efficiently and hold the line or lower the city’s millage rate. My motto in City Hall is “show me the math.” I push city staff to explain the “why” of every dollar decision. This is especially key in the March through September budget process. My experience balancing the budget and cutting unnecessary expenses will be vital if Amendment 3 passes. City staff and I have already begun discussing how to reduce costs and replace revenue, estimated at a $13 million loss in the first year alone,

Even if Amendment 3 does not pass, it’s clear the state legislature has its eye on city coffers. While foreseeing the impact of future cuts, my knowledge of the city’s overall financial picture is critical right now in preserving the quality of life and city services people expect in Plantation. My belief is “there’s always a way.”

Keeping Plantation clean and green:

One of the strong messages I hear from residents is keeping our city looking beautiful. This means everything from keeping our more than 600 acres of parks manicured to staying on top of code enforcement to preventing flooding. During my term, we created a stormwater team to manage our infrastructure. And then there are the trees, as a designated Tree City would imply.

Many of those beautiful oaks we planted on city swales 20 years ago have matured and are cracking sidewalks, subjecting us to inconvenience at best and legal risk at worst. When do we replace with smaller trees and when do we pay to repeatedly fix the same sidewalk or road? I created a pilot program after a situation in one part of town and can preserve 99 percent of the 30,000 trees under city care.

Do you support or oppose Amendment 3, and why?
I view this as a rushed move by Gov. DeSantis and the legislature without much regard for consequences. As an active member of the Florida League of Cities, I understand how this measure will impact services for every resident and business owner. I’d prefer the state looks to cut the gas tax and address property insurance to give residents relief. City budgets should be able to defend every dollar.

My staff and I talk about Amendment 3 and are preparing for it every day. We have a job freeze in place and our capital projects are mainly hardening police and fire stations for hurricane protection. If Amendment 3 doesn’t pass, Tallahassee will create something similar to it next year, so we better prepare now. Some kind of revenue reduction is coming for cities. (Here’s hoping at least the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission participates.)

Amendment 3 passage would mean heavy cuts and some hard decisions, made in conjunction with council, and that’s where my experience with the budgeting process for the last four years will prove valuable. We will present a buffet menu of options and work together with the City Council, and the state-required 10-percent reduction effort in January will start things off.

We’re guessing $13 million loss in revenue the first year if it passes. It’ll hurt, but whatever comes down the pike, I believe there’s always a way. We’ll make it work.

Can you cite a program or service in your city that in your opinion is wasteful or unnecessary? 
As mayor, I work with city staff and the city council and we vet our budget starting in spring and are continually poking and prodding and challenging every decision, which I encourage. We compile a proposed budget by July and staff and each council member have a consultation. There is rarely any adjustment but we are cooperative with council. So to my recollection, none of the five council members have challenged a specific expenditure during budget hearings during my four years of mayoral budgeting. That’s partially we have communicated about expected priorities all year long. Any waste has long been addressed. The council, staff and I can defend every penny.

What is your opinion of the proposed mixed-use development by Barron Development and Hudson Capital near the 7000 block of West Broward Boulevard, and is it consistent with the city’s character?
This project goes against what we discuss every year in our strategic plan. One of our objectives is to “Balance Progress with Traditions.” The Marketplace project is out of balance with surrounding neighborhoods. My staff and the applicants met informally in early 2023, as is standard practice, and they showed me their plans. I told them back then “it’s too darned big” and noted the council won’t approve projects that affect neighborhoods. (That’s why our growth is limited to Midtown and Gateway/SR 7.) I held out hope that Barron Development would downsize as time went on, but to no avail, and Live Local and other initiatives give the applicant so much flexibility that any residential is problematic, because of the incentives. I do not see a way for the council to approve it.

Do you support or oppose the use of surveillance cameras known as LPRs or license plate readers in your city, and what changes would you support?
Law enforcement and civil rights can be in the same room. With protocols in place, there’s a place for LPRs. I respect the concerns of residents’ privacy regarding police concerns. We have LPRs from Rekor company (no Flock, ever, in our city) that have been in place in the Gateway/State Road 7 district for four years. Our Gateway Advisory Board still strongly supports their use. Our police have used it at length, including to apprehend the husband of Coral Springs Commissioner Nancy Metayer after she was shot.

LPR installation was planned for Midtown and the rest of the city, but I paused it while we nail down protocols and make sure the governor’s office doesn’t go further. I am suggesting we use the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) strict guidelines for how long data is kept, who internally gets to see it and who it is shared with. On State Road 7 we share with Lauderhill, BSO and Fort Lauderdale because our Hot Lists of problematic cars are so similar.

Plantation’s “strong mayor” form of government and at-large or city-wide commission elections are unusual in Broward. Do you believe the system works well for all city residents, and if not, what changes would you support? 
Plantation has a lot of traditional thinking, it’s the smallest big city you’ll find, and being able to select a person to be in charge fits our residents’ desires. A change to city manager was on the ballot in 2014 and was defeated. But our system works when the mayor is outgoing, responsive and willing to listen to people and staff. (Sounds like me!) With four years as mayor and four on council, I have the experience to lead the city. I surround myself with the top people in their profession, and we work together to make the best decisions for our residents. Yes, my phone rings a lot, I say I’m a 24-7 mayor, but I distribute the questions and requests to the appropriate staff. Our council members serve citywide because they know their voters are citywide. There’s no fighting for turf or “my district” vs. “your district.”

Would you support an increase in salary and/or benefits for elected officials in your city? Why or why not?
No. City of Plantation’s elected officials’ salaries are already increased each year in line with cost of living; that’s stated in the city charter. There are 38 employees, most of whom have 20 years’ experience and are department heads or police officers, who make more than I do, as they should. I blanche when I see other municipalities with commissioners’ gas card giveaways or expense accounts. In the city of Plantation, elected officials’ travel and reimbursement requests are vetted, just like employees. We should never operate on a higher plane just because we won an election.

Like all cities and counties, Plantation must comply with a state law (SB 1134) that prohibits funding or promoting diversity, equity and inclusion policies, starting Jan. 1, 2027. Do you support or oppose this law and what impact will it have? 
There are way too many pre-emptions from the state to local government, and they’re borderline vindictive; I oppose this as I do many others. The overall point that we should watch every dollar and not make excessive expenditures is warranted and worth remembering. But, for example, procurement practices that support minority bidders if they are within 5 percent of the lowest bid are vital to circulating money to neighborhoods throughout the area, and that helps the county long-term. The whole thing feels wrong in my gut: Any time we want to encourage a population, I’m now looking over my shoulder. But whether or not I support it is kind of immaterial: No matter what, the city has to follow it.

What factor most distinguishes you from your opponent(s) and why?
It’s the difference between Tigger and Eeyore. I reach out to people, encourage collaboration and my being an extrovert culls opinions and thoughts from residents who might otherwise be shy. Mr. Fadgen has said his profession as an accountant separates him, but the key necessity is being a financial planner, not an accountant. There’s so much more to being mayor than numbers.

People are not numbers; there’s great variance in their backgrounds, and I am proud our employees who all continually work with a “residents’-first” mindset. I have coached sports teams and I have raised three children and in every case I have taken the time to first listen, then to give them ownership of their solutions. It’s not my city: It’s all of ours.

Our leadership is night and day: I began a Mayor’s Minute video and a regular newsletter because as my Facebook page passed 4,000 friends, people wanted to connect with me. I created a city Social Media committee and now every department has a representative to get out our story. Social media is just one tool, but in this example, my opponent’s Facebook page shows 42 friends and he has never posted. A leader in this age needs to embrace many forms of communication. I have the skillset and experience to lead this city.

List in reverse chronological order colleges or universities attended with years of attendance and degrees.
1980 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale: Degrees in Math, Advertising and Journalism.

List in reverse chronological order your work history for the past 15 years.
I’ve been mayor since 2022, and before that was a City Council member, elected in 2018 (partial term) and 2020.

I was a writer and editor specializing in local news for 25 of my 30-year career at the Sun-Sentinel (1985-2015). I especially focused on Davie, Weston, Pembroke Pines, Miramar and Hollywood.

Have you ever been a party to a lawsuit, including bankruptcy or foreclosure? If so, provide details of the case and disposition.
Never.

Have you ever been charged or convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, including an adjudication of guilt withheld? If so, provide charges, dates and terms of sentence.
Never.

Why should voters elect you instead of your opponent(s)?
Since Day One, I have been a 24-7 mayor and I immediately moved the needle. On my 2022 campaign palm card, I listed “Change the Energy at City Hall,” which might sound vague to some but employees knew exactly what it meant.

So when I was elected with 60 percent of the vote, I replaced problematic mayor Lynn Stoner and ended the era of employees being scared to speak up.

I changed that culture in a matter of days.  That has brought greater collaboration, which is vital because almost every project requires more than one department. This has led to quicker and better upkeep of the city and better responses to residents. This also is seen during council meetings, which are more cooperative and bring about better government decisions.

I facilitated a millage tax cut in 2025, I supported increased resources for public safety, expanded park facilities and activities and increased transparency in city hall with more communication.

I keep a level head, make good decisions after gathering as much information as possible and overall just have more energy than my opponent.

In college, I earned a math degree with honors, and due to my financial discipline (drove old cars, took short vacations, maxed my 401k), my wife and I could retire in our 50s on salaries that never exceeded $80,000 a year. I’m very good with money and I’m proud to lead a Finance Department that annually earns the top municipal awards possible. I’ve continued the mayoral frugality that dates back to Frank Veltri.

I address problems head-on and stay humble every day. It’s no ego, Amigo. I’m always the quarterback and every day the city of Plantation will get a little bit better under my experienced leadership.