By Judy Wilson | Associate Editor
Lighthouse Point – This city’s 19-year-old Christmas tree will glow even brighter this year. Real estate company Campbell Rosemurgy is donating a brand new 26-foot artificial pine complete with LED lights, ornaments and snow tubes. The tree is lit annually at the city’s Lighthouse A’Glow event in Frank McDonough Park.
In return for its generosity, the company is guaranteed a 15-year sponsorship of the Glow event and promotional signage by the tree. Campbell Rosemurgy has been the primary sponsor of A’Glow for many years.
Commissioners approved the gift along with an agreement that the city would fund installation of the tree each year, $ 9,000, and another $4,500 for decorations on the city’s bridges.
Mr. Lighthouse Point may go to Washington
In other business, Mayor Kyle Van Buskirk got commission approval to continue his investigation into hiring a lobbyist to assist the city’s efforts in obtaining funding at state and federal levels. Buskirk’s review of nearby cities showed annual fees ranging from $30,000, a newly budgeted item in Lauderdale-ByThe-Sea, to $125,000 in Deerfield Beach for two firms, one at the federal level costing $68,400, the other at $56,000 to provide them representation in Tallahassee.
Pompano Beach pays $75,000 to one firm that works in both capitals. In Oakland Park the issue is pending.
Van Buskirk cautioned the commission not to expect instant results. “It takes time to get in the grant planning,” he said. “My guess is it will not pay off for several years.” Success also depends on city officials being present in Tallahassee and Washington at meetings set up by the lobbyists with the proper officials. “It comes down to making relationships,” the mayor said. Commissioner Mike Long agreed. “They [the lobbyists] can’t do it without us . . . let’s sit down with them and get some prices.”
Commissioner Everett Marshall was more explicit. “Whoever you believe will show us the money, that’s who we want,” he told Van Buskirk.
Mayor’s raise approved
Following up on a request from Commission Vice President Sandy Johnson, commissioners voted Mayor Kyle Van Buskirk a $30,000 annual raise effective Oct. 1. The mayor’s position has been paying $18,000, a figure Johnson disputed, saying the city’s strong mayor form of government is time consuming and demanding.
Commissioners here are paid only a stipend, $1,800 annually, a figure Johnson believes is out of line with other cities. The town charter, however, leaves the decision to raise commission pay to the voters.
The motion to increase the mayor’s salary passed 3-2, Commission President Jason Joffe and Long dissenting. Joffe has said frequently that money is not the reason citizens run for office in Lighthouse Point.
