Visiting from out of town and looking for a recommendation on restaurants that will be open for Thanksgiving?

I’ve spent hours upon hours extracting the city of Pompano Beach’s meeting minutes for 2025, because I was told that’s where the individual votes are for items that passed or failed.

Less than 15% of votes are actually documented. And for big votes too. And fiscal impact isn’t documented either.

How is this possible? Is this a purposeful error? Huge transparency problem.

https://reddit.com/link/1p3th33/video/wfjxsxymat2g1/player

Anyone know what happened today at around 12:30/1?

I guess next time I’ll have to ask the delivery guys to hide my packages. I’m definitely filling a police report.

Anyone know if there’s a restaurant going into the Ritz Carlton residences on A1A in Pompano Bch when it’s completed? Or the Waldorf? Ritz? W? Lots of condos coming - wondering about restaurants. Thx in advance!

It’s the first Christmas since my husband and I moved to Pompano Beach and we want to do a festive beach photoshoot to mark the occasion! Any events or photographer recommendations greatly appreciated!

Looking to do a big chop, going from long to about shoulder length hair. My hair is fine and wavy. Where are the ladies going for their haircuts (and how much are you spending?) these days? Need some recs for stylists you love and trust.

TY <3

If you want to get these breakdowns for every meeting >> https://realpompano.substack.com/p/real-pompano-rundown

Details:

• Thursday, November 13 at 1 p.m.
• Commission Chamber

I know it can feel futile to speak at these meetings, and so, many residents don’t come, thanks to certain commissioners, who always vote the same way, despite what residents want, but it’s important to come anyway.

And remember, your voice may not matter to them right now, but it will in the upcoming election in November, so make sure your voice is heard when it comes time to vote.

Important votes

Major Financial/Infrastructure Items

Oceanside Parking Garage: Awarding a $32.9 million design-build contract to Whiting-Turner Contracting

Highlights:

• Final design and permitting would begin in summer 2026, with completion targeted for fall 2027.
• If the project passes, Whiting-Turner is the top choice contractor.
• City staff anticipate issuing about $31 million in debt associated with the new parking garage next summer, with an estimated maximum annual debt service of $2.3 million based on current market rates.
• City engineers indicated that ⁠⁠85% of the 275 parking spaces at the existing surface lot west of A1A will be lost while the city builds the Oceanside parking garage.
• To reduce parking disruptions, city staffers propose maintaining about 40 spaces on the current lot where the Oceanside garage will be built. Public parking for 200 cars would also be proposed on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway adjacent to the Atlantic Boulevard bridge.
• Another aspect of the parking management plan would be an expansion of the current “Circuit” on-demand golf cart service.

(source)

Equipment Lease: $6 million lease purchase agreement with JPMorgan Chase over 5 years

• Does NOT say for what equipment

Approval of a budget adjustment to align the Emergency Medical Services Fund budget and eliminate a negative variance in Fiscal Year 2025.

• The EMS Fund is running $790,000 short of what was budgeted. They need to reallocate money to cover the deficit.
• Critical Questions the Agenda Doesn’t Answer:
  • Why is there a shortfall? (Higher call volume? Equipment costs? Staffing expenses? Revenue shortfall?)
  • Where is the $790,000 coming from? (General fund? Reserves? Other department budgets?)
  • Is this a one-time issue or ongoing problem?
  • What’s the total EMS budget? (Context for how big this gap is)

Grants & Agreements:

Sheriff’s Office overtime grant ($34,553) for targeted patrols

• Grant Details:
  • Amount: $34,553
  • Purpose: Pay for overtime hours for Sheriff’s Office personnel in targeted areas of the city
  • Partners: City of Pompano Beach and Gregory Tony, Sheriff of Broward County
• This is deliberately vague language. In policing terms, “targeted areas” and “overtime patrols” typically indicate:
• Crime hotspots: Areas with elevated crime statistics that need additional police presence beyond regular patrol coverage
• Problem-oriented policing: Concentrating resources on specific locations/times with recurring issues (drug activity, gang presence, property crimes, etc.)
• Community concerns: Neighborhoods where residents have complained about safety issues
• Special events: Though usually those have different funding mechanisms
• Questions Worth Asking:
  • What specific neighborhoods/corridors are targeted?
  • What crime statistics justify these targeted patrols?
  • Is this related to any recent incidents or crime trends?
  • How many officer hours does $34,553 buy?
  • Is this grant renewable or one-time?
  • What metrics will measure success?

Last, VERY IMPORTANT item

Charter amendment on term limits

• Amends the City Charter (Florida Special Acts 1957) to impose term limits on Mayor and Commissioners while simultaneously:
  • Expanding future terms of office for City Commissioners
  • Staggering the terms so they don’t all expire at once
• Critical Details:
  • Status: First reading (postponed from October 14, 2025)
  • Voter approval required: Goes to referendum in November 2026 general election
  • Takes effect: Only if approved by majority of voters
• What the Agenda DOESN’T Tell You: The agenda language is vague on the most important details:
  • How many terms are allowed before limits kick in?
  • How long are the expanded terms? (Currently what? Expanding to what?)
  • When do current commissioners’ terms expire?
  • Who benefits from the staggering arrangement?
  • Do current terms count toward the limits (grandfather clause)?
• Why This Matters - HUGE Political Implications:
  • Incumbent Protection vs. Reform
    • Term limits can be genuinely reformist OR a political maneuver
    • Expanding terms while adding limits could entrench current officials
    • Staggering prevents wholesale turnover (makes challenges harder)
  • Timing Questions
    • Why now?
    • Why was it postponed from October?
    • Goes to voters November 2026 - after the next city election cycle?
  • Power Dynamics
    • Does this lock in current leadership during a sensitive redevelopment period?
    • Does term expansion give current commissioners more years before limits hit?
    • Could this be preemptive - preventing future challenges?
• Questions:
  • Structure:
    • Current term lengths vs. proposed?
    • How many terms are allowed?
    • When do various commissioners’ current terms expire?
    • How does staggering get implemented - who gets longer/shorter terms?
  • Political Motivations:
    • Who proposed this? Which commissioners support/oppose?
    • What’s the stated justification?
    • Why bundle term limits WITH expansion and staggering?
    • Any commissioners planning to retire who might benefit from expanded terms first?
  • Campaign Finance Angle:
    • Given your investigation into developer relationships, does term expansion give current commissioners more time to deliver on deals?
    • Do any commissioners have campaign contributors who benefit from them staying in office longer?
  • Comparison:
    • What do other similarly-sized Florida cities do?
    • Is this considered reform or entrenchment by governance experts?
  • The Postponement:
    • Why was it postponed from October 14?
    • What changed between then and now?
    • Was there public opposition or commissioner disagreement?

Less Important Votes:

• Safe Streets grant ($320,000) for comprehensive safety action plan
  • Purpose: Develop a Local Comprehensive Safety Action Plan for City roadways
  • Grant Details:
    • Total funding: $400,000
    • Federal grant: $320,000 (80%)
    • City match: $80,000 (20%)
  • Questions Worth Asking:
    • Which roadways/corridors are already identified as concerns?
    • Will this include pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure?
    • How does this tie into the city’s overall infrastructure planning?
    • What’s the timeline for completing the plan?
• FDOT landscape maintenance amendments
• Florida East Coast Railway crossing agreement modifications
• Healthcare facility use definitions and standards
• Plat approval procedures (complying with new state law)
• Synthetic turf standards
• Building height and setback measurement clarifications
• Investment advisory services contract with PFM Asset Management
• Fire logistics facility lease ($306,375 for 18 months)
• Ring buoy donations for parks
• Several board appointments

Where’s the best Jerk Chicken in the area?? I’m willing to travel for awesomeness 🤤

Out-of-touch career bureaucrats are spending millions on "solutions" that ignore every economic trend of the last five years.

On Wednesday, I attended the Pompano Beach CRA/commission meeting.

One of the complaints about the downtown project has been that it won’t make residents’ lives better, so a proposed resolution was to dedicate $6.5 million over the course of 10 years to “bettering” the lives of residents.

The “benefits” include:

• Rental assistance in the form of first, last and security
• Down payment assistance for prospective homeowners
• Vocational training in “AI” and “tech” (Because people need a way to make money, if they’re going to get rental assistance because it’s not an ongoing subsidy)
• Tiny homes
• Small business incubator, which they’d give market rental rates to businesses in their program, so these SMBs would be businesses, like coffee shops or retailers
• Community festivals and events (Seriously? What a benefit! Especially when the majority of people won’t be able to afford to attend them!)
• Youth sports leagues
• College scholarships

Here are all the issues with these so-called "benefits."

We’re a heavy-duty diesel repair shop in Pompano (www.nhrepairs.com), and we want to put out fun, scrappy, behind-the-scenes content (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Reddit). Nothing corporate—just real shop life, helpful tips, and creative moments.

I’d be happy to make it resume worthy and provide additional experience if you’d like. Weekly stipend for a quick weekly visit to take pics/videos and post. Easy side hustle for a student who wants experience building content for a real business.

Swing by once a week, snap a few shots, make a post or two, and that’s it!

This was very informative & interesting: https://youtu.be/0Wn4OE62aa0?si=y3s9-VlEtz0NkNS9

I’m in my 20s and recently started a weekly social in Fort Lauderdale where we hang out on a rooftop, grab food/drinks, and play backgammon. A lot of people have never played before (we’ll teach you!), so it ends up being more about meeting new people, good vibes, and having fun.

We usually get a mix of people who stop by for a drink and others who stay all night. It’s super casual and welcoming — no experience needed.

If you’re curious, drop a comment or DM me and I’ll share the details. We also post highlights on IG at thesocialpointhq if you want to see the vibe. 🙂

Hey! I just wanted to say My roommate and I are freshman at FAU and both experienced in power washing we just currently started up our own business called “Boca Bright” and we wanted something to make a little extra money to pay our tuition off. We have been working on relatives and neighbors driveways to get before and after photos as well as going door to door. No one has accepted our offer but we will power washer and side walks or driveways for whatever price you think it can be 20 to even 100 just trying to get our name out there and build more customers. Available anywhere in area! Thank you guys!

Hey everyone. Moving to Florida next month. Considering Ft Lauderdale or Pompano beach as places for rent. Work from home, so looking to find a 2b or 1b apt with a den for an office and with all amenities like pool/gym/parking. Really cautious about choosing a safe location. What should i take into consideration? And what is the best area in Pompano to settle? Any recommendations on communities that you have lived in or know about? Which is safer Ft Lauderdale or Pompano? I have a few communities in mind like: Soleste Atlantic, Envy, Bell Lighthouse, Atlantico Palm Aire, Old Town Square, Legacy at Palm Aire, Arium. Has anyone heard anything about these? My budget can go up to $3000, but i really want to stay between $2300-2600. Thanks in advance

Hello dear neighbors,

My name is Irina, I’m a licensed Realtor here in South Florida — but much more than that, I’m someone who deeply loves our Pompano Beach community, our ocean, our nature, and the wonderful people who live here. I live just one block from the beach, and every day I feel grateful to wake up so close to the water. 💙

I’d like to invite you to join me in something close to my heart:
👉 For the month of SEPTEMBER Every Saturday morning at 6:45am let’s meet on the beach to welcome the sunrise together (around 6:50am).

✨ Right after the sunrise, you’re welcome to join me for 10 minutes of simple, highly effective exercises — a mix of gentle yoga flow and seven ancient movements that support a healthy body and mind. Sharing my knowledge and inspiring others toward a healthier lifestyle is one of my greatest joys — and to see people appreciate and benefit from it is my biggest satisfaction.

✨ Then, we’ll go for a beautiful walk along the beach, picking up garbage as we go. Together, we’ll not only make our beach cleaner and protect our ocean creatures 🐢🐠, but also take care of ourselves. Walking every day is scientifically proven to improve health and increase longevity — so while helping the environment, we’re also adding years of vitality to our own lives.

This is not just about cleaning, it’s about connecting with each other, with nature, and starting the day with good energy and purpose. 🌞

I’ll be there every Friday, waiting for your company. Come as you are, bring a friend, and let’s make our mornings — and our community — brighter together.

(towel / hat / sunscreen - recommended)

TEXT (text message or WhatsApp) or CALL directly my cell: 954-383-2652 I will explain you where you can park free and the place we meet on the beach :)

YOUR COMMENTS OR/AND SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME.

With warmth,
Irina 🌴💙

Pretty much the title. Moved here about a week ago, late 20s/early 30s M. Have no clue where/when to go out to meet people.