DATE: November 17, 2006
CONTACT: Kimberly Maroe
Public Information Manager
PHONE: 954-357-8053
Five Broward County Commissioners will be officially sworn into office at the regularly scheduled Commission meeting on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 at 10 a.m. in the Commission Chambers of the Governmental Center, 115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 422, in Fort Lauderdale.
Three Commissioners were re-elected to office and two new Commissioners will join the nine member Board.
A new Mayor and Vice-Mayor will also be selected.
New Commissioners:
Former Florida State Representative Stacy Ritter was elected to serve as Commissioner of District 3 which encompasses portions of the cities of Coral Springs, Parkland, Sunrise and Tamarac, and an unincorporated area near Parkland.
Broward County Circuit Court Judge and former Florida State Senator Peter Weinstein will conduct the swearing in ceremony for Stacy Ritter.
Attorney Ken Keechl was elected to serve as Commissioner of District 4 which encompasses portions of the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Dania Beach, Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach and Oakland Park, and all of Wilton Manors, Hillsboro Beach, Lighthouse Point, Sea Ranch Lakes, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, and Lazy Lake.
Law firm partner and longtime friend Harris Solomon will conduct the swearing in ceremony for Ken Keechl.
Stacy Ritter:
Stacy Ritter was born in Washington, D.C., and moved to Broward County in 1974. She is a graduate of Piper High School in Sunrise, received her bachelor of arts degree in history from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., and her juris doctor degree from Nova Southeastern College of Law. She served as a State Representative for eight years and left office due to term limits.
In addition, she chaired Broward County's Management and Efficiency Study Committee, practices law and recently co-hosted the weekly radio show "Inside the Donkey" on WINZ 940am.
Stacy and her husband, Russ Klenet, live in Parkland with their three children, Matthew (18), Scott (16) and Stephanie (15). She enjoys Broadway theatre, traveling with her husband, needlepoint and boating.
Ken Keechl:
Ken Keechl is a native Floridian. Ken graduated from South Dade High School in 1980. He graduated cum laude from Florida State University in 1984 with a bachelor of science degree in history, and repeated that success by graduating cum laude from FSU Law School in 1987, where he also served as an editor of the Law Review. Ken passed the Florida Bar in 1987. Upon graduation he settled in Broward County and began his legal career at the law firm of Brinkley McNerney. He would later serve the residents of Plantation for 14 years as Assistant City Attorney.
Ken and his partner of nine years, realtor Ted Adcock, became members of the Coral Ridge Homeowners Association when they moved into that neighborhood in 1998.
Politically active in the Democratic Party, Ken recently stepped down after two terms as president of the Dolphin Democrats, Broward County's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Democratic club. Ken is a member of the Broward Democratic Executive Committee, serves as precinct leader in his local district of 16R, and was a delegate at the Florida Democratic Conventions in 2003 and 2005.
Incumbent Commissioners:
Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs will continue to serve the residents of District 2, who re-elected her to office with 85 percent of the vote. District 2 includes the city of Coconut Creek and portions of Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach and Margate. She was first elected to the County Commission in 1998 and was chosen to serve as Mayor in 2004.
County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger returns to serve the people of District 6. District 6 includes most of the city of Hollywood and portions of Pembroke Pines and Hallandale Beach. Commissioner Gunzburger was first elected to office in 1992 and has served on the Board longer than any current Commissioner. She was chosen as Chair of the Commission in 1994 and 1999. She will be sworn in by Broward County Circuit Court Judge Miette Burnstein.
County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin will return to District 8 which encompasses parts of Weston, Pembroke Pines, Southwest Ranches and Hallandale Beach and all of Miramar, West Park and Pembroke Park. Commissioner Wasserman-Rubin was elected to the Commission in 2000 and served as Broward's first Mayor in 2002. She will be sworn into office by Broward County Circuit Court Judge Catalina Avalos.
For more information on the Broward County Board of County Commissioners please visit www.broward.org
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