LOOKINGAHEADTONEXTWEEK

AnthonyJ. Abbate, architect. Residents ofFort Lauderdale have an opportunity to commentonaproposal to allowprivate developmentonpublic landdowntownat the former city hall site in FlaglerVillage. Several decades of studies and publicworkshops recommend a park. Yet these plans remain fallow– no matterhowmuchcommunitysupport they’ve received orhowexpert the consultants– without action by elected officials. Bottom line: a private entertainment venue is not a parkand servesno public purpose. Thevoices of the community– acrossdecades – should bemore than sufficient for city leaders to fulfill the promise.

PaulCastronovo, host, PaulCastronovo Show onBig 105.9. Whenare things gonna get back to normal? I sawa few glimmers thisweek, that gavemehope. First, Joe’s StoneCrab opened. That traditionally signifies the beginning of “the season,” so Iwent and dined outside under the stars, andfor amoment, things seemed normal. Thentherewas the opening ofKnaus BerryFarmfor their ridiculouscinnamon buns. People linedupat 4:30 a.m. andwaited three hours for these bad boys, and again, things seemed normal. MaybewhenI see the first glimpse of aQuebeclicense plate heading south, then I’llknow– we’re gonna beOK.

RichardClark, CEO, Clark LeadershipConsulting. Wearing a mask, practicing social distancing and adhering to theCDCguidelines should never be about political correctness. When advocatingonsocial media, vicious attacks surge. As the scientificcommunitywarns of increasing cases, resulting deaths andlong-lasting impact of the virus, Americansneed to focusonsaving lives, not spreading the virus. Thedecisionnot to requiremasks atpolling placeswas ill-conceived and reckless. Entering a polling place without amask placespollworkers and other voters at risk. Vote, butdoso responsibility.

AndrewDuffell, president, ResearchPark at FloridaAtlanticUniversity. Access to higher education– university, communitycollege and vocational schools – ismore important than ever as Floridians look to support families and createwealth. Thecoronavirus pandemic has created uncertainty about thehowbest to deliver instruction to students, andit’s essential that all levels ofpolicymakers ensure that these educational institutions have the resources necessary to meet their studentswhere they are and to deliver high quality education so that oureconomy can generate activity anda livelihoodto us all. If youngpeople are dissuaded or prevented from higher education, then time is short for our economic success.

Lamar Fisher, member, Broward County Commission. Broward County’s CARES Act Small Business andNon-Profit Assistance Program application period will soon be open! In order to aid small businesses with

20 employees or less and nonprofits with 25 employees or less, the county is offering a one-time grant award of $5,000, $10,000 or

$15,000 to help mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. Businesses can visit the newly createdwebsite atwww.broward.org/cares to learn more about eligibility requirements, the application process, technical assistance and more.

GeorgeMoraitis, chairman, Broward Republican Executive Committee.

Election Day is Tuesday, and the Republican Party of Broward County has been doing everythingwe can to ensure high voter turnout at the polls. In addition to engaging voters and distributing voting guides, we have also taken advantage of a diverse set of electronic media to reach voters in this COVID environment. Our Voter Guide is available on ourwebsite atwww.browardgop.com. Your vote matters and your voice deserves to be heard. Be sure to cast your vote this year in this very critical election.

Frank Ortis,

mayor, Pembroke Pines. The focus of this upcomingweek has got to be the election on Tuesday. Political pundits may think they have it all figured out, but American politics has taught us that nothing is certain until the last vote is counted. Emotions have run high on all fronts and our country has been embroiled in a sea of accusations and political chaos. I understand that pandemicworries continue. However, I encourage everyone to take precautions but make sure your voice is heard. Get out and vote!

Mike Ryan, mayor, Sunrise. Some Florida election laws are antiquated or irrational. Record number of voters requested vote-bymail ballots; by law, there are limited drop boxes. On Election Day, voters cannot drop their vote-by-mail ballot at their precinct; voters must go to the SOE office. The law says you have a right to vote if you are in line at 7 p.m. at your precinct; your vote-by-mail ballot will not be counted if not in the supervisor of election’s physical possession at 7 p.m., even if you’re in line at the supervisor’s office. Common sense demands that the Florida Legislature update our election laws.