Best choices for Pines: Monroig and Castillo
Pembroke Pines residents should stick with proven leadership and experience on March 13 and vote to keep City Commissioners Ismael Monroig and Angelo Castillo in office.
This is a pivotal time for the city, which needs upgrades in its aging infrastructure and, with land for western expansion running out, a vision for what happens next. and the Planning and Zoning Board. He’s proud of having helped protect properties from eminent domain takings for economic development purposes. “I have demonstrated an ability to get things done.”
If elected, Monroig, vice president of Design Oasis, an events technology firm, said he would focus on crime reduction, traffic congestion and neighborhood upgrades, particularly in the eastern part of the city. “I will fight on the issues and not the personalities.”
Soon after joining the commission, Monroig cast a politically difficult vote to increase water rates by nearly 25 percent to cover $10 million in needed upgrades to water pipes and facilities. Questions about the city’s water supply grew in November 2016 after testing at one site showed elevated levels of a disinfectant by-product called trihalomethane. “It would be a shame if we didn’t invest in the city to make sure this gets done.”
Monroig faces Tom Good and Ted Victor in the District 1 race, which covers the city’s southeast portion.
Good, 58, is an engineer who works as environmental services director for the city of Deerfield Beach. Good said his professional experience and his service on the South Broward Drainage District Board make him the best candidate. He asks good questions about the city’s water infrastructure, the city’s development plans and the tensions that divide the commission.
Victor, 48, is a high school science teacher. He’d like to help improve the city’s education outreach efforts and improve economic opportunities for more residents.
While Good and Victor would both bring valuable contributions, Monroig has already hit the ground running. He’s demonstrated the curiosity and temperament needed to help the commission be more effective and evenly keeled. Voters should make him an incumbent who actually was elected. drink. For sending that letter and countermanding its assessment, the health department fined the city $45,000, which led to a big debate over who authorized the letter.
“The water quality is outstanding. It was never unsafe, contaminated or anything like that,” Castillo says. “This came down to a test poorly taken, poorly drawn from a fire hydrant. The department of health has been singularly unhelpful in asking the question of how did this occur. We asked the department of health, ‘Can we do a retest?’ And they said no. I think that organization needs an Inspector General’s review. We’re no longer in violation. We’ve refurbished the water plant completely, and it’s producing better than ever before.”
Castillo voted for the almost 25 percent increase in water rates to pay for $10-million upgrade in the water system.
Castillo faces first-time candidate David Tringo, 75, who didn’t attend the interview with the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board. Tringo, a plant nursery manager, has argued that the water problem shows the city’s lack of investment in important infrastructure. He also says Castillo made the water situation worse by helping write a “misleading letter” to residents defending the water quality, despite testing that showed elevated levels of trihalomethane.
Aside from questions about the letter, Castillo’s track record shows he is most engaged and best suited to help guide the city through needed infrastructure upgrades and a city vision for what comes next.
Editorials are the opinion of the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board and written by one of its members or a designee. The Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Rosemary O’Hara, Elana Simms, Andy Reid and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson.