The Pembroke Pines City Commission voted unanimously on Nov. 19 to appoint Mark Lebeskind to the Police & Fire Pension Board for a two‑year term through June 2027, after an earlier nominee withdrew amid a conflict‑of‑interest question.

Mayor Angelo Castillo described the prior episode as regrettable and asked the city attorney to conduct an ethics review. City Attorney said he and Robert Klausner, counsel to the pension board, independently researched the statutory issues and concluded there was no recurring conflict under Chapter 112 that would bar the prior nominee from serving; the earlier nominee nevertheless withdrew.

"We did the homework," the city attorney said, summarizing the independent outreach and statutory review and noting the limited circumstances in which a recurring conflict could ultimately require recusal.

After a city staff review of remaining applicants, Daniel Rothstein recommended Mark Lebeskind, a long‑time local resident with roughly 30 years of financial experience and prior service on local boards. The mayor nominated Lebeskind and the commission confirmed the appointment by voice vote.

Why it matters: The Police & Fire Pension Board oversees pension assets for city public safety employees and retirees. Commissioners said they sought a candidate with financial experience and local ties to steward the fund responsibly.