Dec. 8: Sunrise Sunset

By Sylvia Gurinsky

Full disclosure: I covered the city of Sunrise, Florida in 2004 for the Sunrise Forum. At the time, I thought Commissioners Don Rosen and Sheila Alu were voices of reason and reform.

Ah, well...

Alu, Rosen and Commissioner Roger Wishner now seem to be Sunrise's very own "Gang of Three." They were the ones who approved hiring Stuart Michelson last summer as the city attorney without opening the job up for bids. Michelson has returned the favor by ruling that Wishner, Sunrise's deputy mayor, can succeed Steven Feren as mayor when Feren takes his judicial seat next month and stay the mayor until 2010, instead of having to stand for election in March, because of Michelson's interpretation of a city law about a deadline for holding elections.

So, where are Rosen and Alu in calling for some justice for Sunrise voters, the way they did when former City Manager Pat Salerno ran the show? Amazingly silent.

Commissioner Joseph Scuotto wants to run for mayor, but will apparently have to wait, unless the many Sunrise residents who will be at the next commission meeting can get a majority of commissioners to change their minds - or unless someone takes this to court, which could happen.

The 13th item on the agenda for tomorrow night's City Commission meeting would put two commission seats, but not the mayor's post, on the March 10 ballot. Sunrise residents should make their voices heard tomorrow night. A word to the commission - either listen to them now, or pay later.

And a special word to Commissioners Alu and Rosen: You spent a lot of time in commission meetings saying that you represent the best interests of the city. Prove it.