Pembroke Pines approves appointments, consent items and schedules legal advice session

At its March 21 meeting the Pembroke Pines City Commission approved a series of routine actions, made one appointment, deferred an employee ethics training item for further staff work, and scheduled a shade (executive session) meeting to receive legal advice on pending litigation.

The commission appointed Rebecca Staten Reinstein as a regular member of the Education Advisory Board; Reinstein introduced herself and described her work with assigned schools and student STEM and reading projects. The consent agenda (items 1 through 8) was adopted unanimously after a short recess.

Commissioner Schwartz requested the city consider biannual, virtual ethics training for employees; staff and the city attorney said employees already sign and are subject to detailed ethics policies. Commissioner Schwartz agreed to repackage the item with specific recommendations and supporting materials for the April 15 meeting.

City Attorney Sam Goren requested a shade meeting under Florida law to confer with special counsel regarding a pending federal lawsuit (Florida State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police, et al. v. City of Pembroke Pines and Jose Vargas, case No. 25-CV-61620-EA). The commission voted unanimously to hold the shade meeting on April 15 following the regular commission meeting; the session will include a court reporter as required by state law.

The items passed were procedural and administrative; staff will return with the requested ordinance drafts, ethics-training materials, and legal notices at the April 15 meeting.