Ex-Coconut Creek Mayor Bypassed Again As Charter Group Picks New Director

 

 

BY BUDDY NEVINS

 

 

A waste company executive and Democratic Party activist was hired as the executive director of the Broward County Charter Commission on Wednesday.

The choice of Carlos Verney was made during a lengthy meeting.  Former Coconut Creek Mayor Lisa Aronson’s application for director was reconsidered and rejected, despite her initially not making the short list.

Hiring Verney to lead the group which will make recommendations on changes in Broward’s government is a reflection of the county’s growing diversity.

Verney,  30, was born in Bogota, Colombia, moved to South Florida and graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High and Florida Atlantic University, where he received a masters in public administration. He lives in Coral Springs.

Verney will now negotiate his salary with Charter Commission lawyer Sam Goren and Commissioner H. Collins Forman, Jr., a member of the Broward pioneering Forman family of wealthy real estate investors.

The new director, who earlier applied unsuccessfully to be a commissioner of the group, is currently the government affairs manager of Progressive Waste Solutions.

 

Carlos Verney

Carlos Verney speaks to the media in October as his employer, Progressive Waste Solutions, begin service in Hialeah.

 

 

He also has a solid Democratic Party background.

Verney worked on the Democratic congressional campaigns of Annette Taddeo and Joe Garcia in Miami-Dade and the state Senate campaign of Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood. He was also a field organizer for the Democratics Party in 2008 in New Hampshire and president of the Broward Young Democrats.

Among the issues the commission is expected to handle is whether Broward County should have an elected countywide mayor.  The mayor is currently chosen annually by the Board of County Commissioners from their members.

The charter commission has also been asked to fine tune the Emergency 911 phone system to insure cooperation between the county and cities.

Recommendations that the commission makes will be voted upon in the 2018 General Election.

 



23 Responses to “Ex-Coconut Creek Mayor Bypassed Again As Charter Group Picks New Director”

  1. Matthew Gotha says:

    Carlos is an amazing person with enormous talents. I have no doubt that he will do an outstanding job as Executive Director for the CRC! Congrats Carlos!

  2. Great choice. says:

    Carlos is a fantastic choice. He is a level-headed, non-combative professional who will certainly do a fantastic job managing the commission’s work.

    Congrats Carlos!!!

  3. Sam The Sham says:

    I realize that only a Democrat with solid partisan credentials and most likely having powerful sponsors, would get this job, but it is surprising to me that a relatively young and unknown entity would get it. Not a party hack. This might signal a refreshing change in choosing someone with merit and education actually related to the job.

    Let’s hope that is the case instead of him just being somebody’s puppet.

  4. Eye Roll says:

    Hopefully, Carlos will do a better job with this than when he was president of the Broward Young Democrats. Most party insiders view Carlos as a young hack, who is combative, argumentative and unable to actually get things done.

    It’s a shame that Lisa Aronson was passed over this, since she sad originally the person recommended for the job.

  5. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    The appointment turns my stomach
    An acadmic or a retired Judge or senior lawyer with the minimum of political involvement should have been appointed. What South Florida does NOT need is another political hack. This appointment is an embarassment. Mr Nevins you should give us the names of the cretins who voted for this insult to the public as surely the Sun Sentinel probably will not. So sad!

  6. Harrison Grandwilliams says:

    Congratulations Carlos! Well deserved.

  7. Michael Worley says:

    Well deserved. Carlos is smart, highly capable and will do a good job!

  8. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    Mr Gotha is chief of staff to Commissioner Beam Furr
    Mr Grandwilliams is chief of staff to Commissioner Mark Brogan
    With Commissioner Angelo Castillo working for Sheriff Scott Israel we are favoured with the wisdom of three County PATRONAGE beneficiaries.

    None of whom EVER HAD A REAL JOB like their Buddy who is a LOBBYIST!

    And people wonder why Democrats here in South Florida who work real jobs are actually talking positively (to my surprise) about Donald Trump because of the corrupt patronage filled bloated Broward County Board School Board n Sheriffs Office!

  9. Elroy John says:

    Well bud, you’ve been anonymously attacked in the Beat comments section. You have arrived. Congrats!

  10. Alex Lewy says:

    Mazel Tov Carlos! I’m sure you’ll serve the CRC well. Those that are concerned about his political history should understand that this position requires a firm grasp on how Broward County government works. He is more than capable and will work with the CRC to ensure their vision is properly debated, vetted and sent to the County Commission. As a past FYD/BYD President and former local elected official, I’m happy to support my brother.

    PS: Lisa is a friend and was more than qualified. However it was CRC’s decision and they felt more comfortable working with Carlos. I don’t believe this is a reflection on Lisa professionally.

  11. Zowie says:

    Am I correct this individual is a full-time lobbyist for a garbage removal company?
    What qualifications does that confer for his new position?

  12. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    Mr Alex Lewy was the most promising public official in Broward County who I hoped would get elected a Congressman or even eventually a US Senator because of his widely celebrated knowledge of foreign affairs and intellectual grasp of also international trade. These opinions were based on articles in tthe Miami Herald n Sun Sentinel.
    Then he took an ethnic job in an area I am knowledgeable about and was disappointed he was becoming through favourism not merit an ethnic lobbyist.
    Finally he praises a lobbyist for a garage company for a job that requires legal knowledge who has NO QUALIFICATIONS!
    The so called young Democrats are simply woujd be lobbyists looking for an easy sinecure

  13. Fact says:

    “Most party insiders view Carlos as a young hack, who is combative, argumentative and unable to actually get things done.”

    This is a fact.

    FROM BUDDY:

    This is your opinion. I have heard many good things about Carlos Verney.

  14. more eye rollin' says:

    @Zowie –
    “Am I correct this individual is a full-time lobbyist for a garbage removal company? What qualifications does that confer for his new position?”

    Qualifications?
    The cozy relationship/contract with the county and municipalities for hauling trash et al with the county getting their cut as middle man. Puppet to alter and revise the charter as the 9 see fit and thwart the strong mayor revision.
    Either way voters will vote on changes to the charter.

  15. Factual says:

    Jealous people will say things like he is a hack, combative, & argumentative.. A person who is not jealous will congratulate him and realize that the overwhelming majority of the 19 person body support him as their Executive Director. He beat out to PhD’s, a former mayor, and 2 business owners.. Clearly his qualifications outshined the others or he wouldn’t have got the position.

  16. As sweet as Zucker says:

    There’s a lot of anonymous people on this thread who wish that they applied for this job.

    Too bad they were a day late and a dollar short. Kudos to Carlos, he was best of everyone who made the effort to get their act together.

  17. Commissioner Angelo Castillo says:

    He has a strong resume for the job and we should all wish him well. I certainly do. It’s not an easy job.

    Angelo

  18. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    sounds like the Comm. wanted a yes man. Do what we tell you on the side lines, make no noise, unless its noise we instruct you to make, smile and you’ll do just fine. They found their man. Mrs.aronson knew that this was a long shot going up against Bogen and losing. Would she want Bogen in that position if the tables were turned?. The real story is how much is this man going to be paid. Volunteers from the community could do this position for free, but then th e comm. woul d not be able to control the chatter etc. I do think we need a county elect mayor after what recently happened to Comm.Lamarca being gafted for the vice postion, along w/ Comm.Holeness but Holeness went along w/ the scheme(yes)by allowing Shaiff to become vice mayor after shockingly Comm>wexler seconded Ryan’motion(why?)….

  19. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    Factual points out the 19 members of the Commission overwhelmingly supported a LOBBYIST FOR A GARBAGE COMPANY WITH NO LEGAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCE KNOWLEDGE BACKGROUND for a job concerning Browards LEGAL STRUCTURE! And now a supporter of their Tobacco Road hillbilly political patronage favoured despicable “know nothingism” BRAGS about this creature NOT HAVING A PH D.! Who the Hell thinks Ph.D.s aren’t AN ACHIEVEMENT?
    The Commission’s supporters look worse n worse each dumb comment thet make.

  20. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    As a former chairman of a Young Democratic Club whose members were interested in doing things for people a glance at the Broward Young Democrats indicates this small group thru its members who serve as county patronage or political consultants has hijacked County Legal Review. That their only interest is sinecures on our dime only infuriates these parlour pink fascists are getting away with it.

  21. Alex Lewy says:

    I wish I knew who this Count LF person is. I appreciate the nice words but let me clarify a few things.
    1) My work for AIPAC wasn’t an “ethnic job” nor was it in a lobbying role. I was recruited for the job because of my decade of experience in both government and pro-Israel organizations.
    2) My support for Carlos comes from friendship and support for a YDs career. No one is perfect and if we see our peers falter we give advice, not insult them on a blog.
    3) The job of Exec. Dir. for the CRC is not a legal one. Carlos knows government structure from working within it and has an MPA. So he is qualified.

    To Mr. Walsh’s point: The job is exactly that of a ‘Yes Man’ to a degree. Just like a City Manager or other Executive, this role reports to the CRC, gets direction from the CRC and advises them. The CRC are volunteers from the community and it’s their role to recommend changes to the charter, not their employees. But this is a labor intensive job and yes, it deserves a professional staffer just as much as it deserves a professional attorney. Now they have both.

    And finally, for the record I’m still a member of AIPAC, but not on staff. I separated employment from AIPAC on 12/31/2015 in order to begin launching my own consulting firm to help the community in numerous ways. Contact me privately if you’d like to know more.

  22. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    AIPAC could benefit from Mr Lewy’s skills which believe THEY NEED NOW more than ever.
    HOWEVER a non partisan academic or greatly respected senior lawyer OR RETIRED JOURNALIST with knowledge of our crappy County Government would have been better.
    SADLY I stand by my Young Democrats comments reinforced by Mr Lewy’s own comments. SAD SAD SAD – and yes tge Young Republicans are even WORST – although parties can be more fun n have much much much prettier girls than the horsefaced politically correct Rosa Luxembourg types at any Dem event.

    FROM BUDDY:

    I guess you mean Rosa Luxemburg, the austere-looking Marxist who died roughly 100 years ago. What an obscure reference! You are getting as bad as Sam Fields.

  23. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    I deliberately gave the French spelling which IS WRONG like I spell honor honour color colour etc because I am an insufferable snob.