Fort Lauderdale set to outlaw sales, ‘blight’ of plastic straws

FORT LAUDERDALE – For years, the plastic straw seemed just a harmless, colorful aid for sipping your soda. Now, it’s an “environmental blight.”

Fort Lauderdale will join a growing number of major cities and commercial chains outlawing the plastic straw, declaring it a threat to the oceans, beaches and wildlife. City commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday night on a law prohibiting the sale or distribution of plastic straws in any commercial establishment, city facility or at any special event that pulled a city permit. A final vote is expected in two weeks.

The law still allows a resident to sip through plastic straws in the privacy of his or her own home.

Straw sippers won’t be expected to quit cold turkey. For the first six months, the city will educate the public, preparing them to part with the plastic. For the following six months, a customer who just can’t consume a drink without one can get one upon request. But a year from now, the

county officials went to jail on corruption charges.

The commission takes complaints from the public and issues advisory opinions about local government ethics laws. The panel can issue fines up to $500 and public reprimands.

In Boca Raton, the commission decided the police board members could be reimbursed for their travel expenses because the investment manager is not a vendor, lobbyist, contractor, bidder or service provider from whom employees are prevented from taking gifts.

For similar reasons, the commission agreed that employees of the village of Tequesta, in northern Palm Beach County, can accept discounted gym memberships from Palm Beach Sports Club, which typically cost $35 a month with a $29

enrollment fee. The discounted rate would be $29.99 a month with no enrollment fee.

The commission said the gym is not a lobbyist and is not offering the discounted rate as a gift for an official public action.

The commission also answered a question from the city of Delray Beach, which sought guidance on allowing the father-in-law of a city employee to accept money as the owner of a rental

property from the city’s rental assistance program. The program pays security deposits and two months’ rent for qualified applicants.

The commission said the father-in-law can take the city’s money as long as his son-in-law has no legal interest in the property and does not take any actions to assist his father-in-law in the approval process or the rent’s disbursal.

JIM RASSOL/SUN SENTINEL Fort Lauderdale will join a growing number of major cities and commercial chains outlawing plastic straws.