Tamarac commissioners approve lobbying extension, new landlord registry and other measures amid heated public comment

Tamarac’s City Commission met Feb. 12 and approved a package of measures ranging from a short renewal of the city’s federal lobbying contract to new local regulatory tools for rental and commercial properties, while also adopting community-focused wellness and tree‑planting initiatives.

The meeting drew extended public comment and sustained debate on several agenda items, including the contract for the Ferguson Group (federal lobbyist), a proposed change to the order of business that moves general public participation later in meetings, and new rules that would block new commercial tenants from receiving business tax receipts if plazas have outstanding liens or code violations.

Votes at a glance

- Ferguson Group federal lobbying agreement (amendment number 16): commission approved a temporary renewal and authorized staff to negotiate terms for a period not to exceed six months; vote passed 3–2. The contract on the table would extend services at an annual cost the commission had discussed as $85,000; the lobbyist had proposed steeper month‑to‑month and smaller quarterly increases if the city wanted alternatives to a one‑year renewal.

- Certificate of use (ordinance amending Chapter 12, business tax receipt regulations): approved on first reading 4–1. The ordinance would require a certificate of use before issuing business tax receipts for new commercial tenants and would allow outstanding property liens and code violations on a plaza to block new tenants until the property is brought into compliance.

- Landlord registration program (ordinance, Chapter 13): passed on first reading 5–0. The measure creates a registry of residential rental units citywide, requiring landlords to provide contact information and other data; staff proposed a $75 annual registration fee at a later resolution but said the commission could alter that approach to encourage compliance.

- Amendment to meeting order (ordinance, second reading): the commission voted 3–2 to revise the order of business to move general public participation to later in meetings while allowing public comment at the time of specific agenda items. The change drew extensive public comment at the…