My name is LiLiana Pomareda and I have the heartfelt desire to keep the CIC's mission in place. It is an honor to serve as your CIC Chair for the 2010/2011 year! I believe that, throughout the year, you will recognize that together we will be stronger than ever. My greatest strengths match those most necessary for this position: passion and determination.  I will use those strengths to help the CIC ensure the Town Commission keeps their promises.
The reason I moved to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea with my husband and two small children 2 years ago was for the quality of life LBTS offers. I am a full time working mother.  I hold a Master's Degree in International Business. Although I have traveled all over the world there is no place like South Florida and there is truly no place like LBTS! As the CIC Chair I plan on working jointly with all members to ensure our voice is heard, not just as CIC members, but as taxpayers and residents of LBTS.  Together we can continue to make a difference. I look forward to discussing our 2010 CIC objectives and how we can work together to accomplish them.
Since incorporation in 2005, the CIC continues to serve it's purpose to address any issues that deal with citizens rights and related political concerns as well as to support the right of LBTS citizens.  We are a non-profit political committee with no vested interests with developers, we are however dedicated to "WORKING FOR PROGRESS WHILE RESPECTING TRADITION".
Over the years the CIC has grown from a handful of "quality of life" activists to a respected organization with over 200 family memberships. It was active in the municipal elections of 2006 and 2008 with all the CIC sponsored referenda and most of the CIC endorsed candidates winning. (See the CIC History).
The March 2010 election was a different story. The opposition “Old Guard” supporters managed to adopt the same positions advocated by the CIC and it’s endorsed candidates, and to convince a majority of the voters that the CIC was the cause of the dissention in LBTS. All three of the well qualified CIC endorsed candidates lost to less qualified candidates selected and endorsed by the “Unite our Town” (UOT) organization. In hindsight the CIC was not sufficiently forceful in getting the word out early enough and encouraging the residents that their vote was extremely necessary in order to keep LBTS our TOWN, not a developer's Town.

This year is crucial for the CIC organization to remain active as a watchdog over the new administration. If they attempt to undo the major accomplishments of the prior administration over the past two years we must be ready to respond via the petition and special election route to repeal any adverse ordinances. Our aim is to keep Lauderdale-by-the-Sea the charming seaside community we all came here to enjoy!  We need to preserve our quality of life for ourselves and for the future of our children.

Scenes About Town

The LBTS Citizens Initiative Committee

... is Lauderderdale-by-the-Sea's largest grass roots civic organization and made up of citizens who really care about the past, present, and future of our Town. The purpose of the CIC is to encourage actions and policies of Town Government which protect and enhance the quality of life for Town residents and to monitor the performance of Town Officials in that regard. Please click on CIC History to view our past successes.

Dear Supporters,

Id like to thank all of you for your support throughout my time as your Commissioner and before as your Fire Chief. The March Town elections were a tough loss. We had an unbelievable run of over 6 years, of which you should all be extremely proud, as am I.

We have had many challenges along the way and, at the end of the day, as many victories. To name a few:

• Referendums on height limits.
• Referendum on zoning.
• Referendum on term limits.
• Referendum on bringing back a 2 year term for mayor.
• Referendum making it easier for future referendums to be accomplished.

Therefore, the big issues have been transferred out of the hands of the commission and into the will of the people. These alone are great accomplishments, and will protect our future, but there are many more:

• We now have a Town mission statement for which we all can take credit, because the ideas came from you the people.
• We are effectively debt free and have lowered out budget. Few, if any municipalities can say this.
• The Town is as financially strong as it's ever been.
• We brought back the Volunteer Fire Department and welcomed AMR.
• Our tax rate is now the 4th lowest of all 42 taxing districts in the County.
• Our public services are doing a great job and I've never seen them working harder.
• Our Public safety services have never been better, or more cost effective.
• The new and fully occupied public safety complex has saved us a great deal of money. We would have had to build a new complex to get rid of the illegal trailers.
• We now have available at anytime and free of charge, via the internet, Town meetings with agendas, meeting minutes and other key documents. We have more transparency then ever before.
• We cut the Fire Assessment in half.
• We have new flag poles at commercial entranceways proudly showing our Country and Town flags.
• Crime prevention has been greatly improved with cameras at each entrance way.
• Improved Sea Grape sidewalks and Commercial Blvd. Pavilion designs were completed.
• The nation's first coral reef growth program was established, protecting our reefs and beaches for our future.
• We now have campaign finance reform in our code, limiting the amount of contributions and disallowing funds from entities doing or which plan to do business with the Town.
• A study to finally fix our storkmwater drainage problem was initiated.
• We reviewed and brought up to date over 45 revisions to Town Code, more than any prior commission.

All of us can take pride in the above accomplishments, as we all were involved in one way or another. It is now time to support our new commission and to stay informed. An important fact is we had almost a 40% voter turn out. The average in Broward County was only 9%. We care and it showed.

As for me personally, my stress level has already been greatly reduced. It's time for me to start living life again and focusing on my business. And I'm finally getting married! I'm not going anywhere, Ill keep on coaching the kids basketball program and remaining a member of the VFD.

A heartfelt Thank You to all who have supported me over these most challenging times; in the end, we are a better Town. We are Lauderdale-By-The-Sea!

Jim Silverstone