When it comes to vulgarity and inappropriate remarks online, hardly anyone thinks of Linkedin—a social media platform for jobseekers and business professionals. But Plantation Mayor Nick Sortal changed all that last week with yet another inappropriate public remark. In a Linkedin post, a local financial advisor wondered it was okay to use the f-word. For those with sensitive sensibilities (and Margate residents), the “f-word” refers to “fuck.”
Nick Sortal responded. “To me, it should only be used as a verb,” he wrote.
According to the Oxford dictionary, the word is “vular slang” defined as: 1. have sex with (someone).
2. Ruin or damage.
Classy.
Why would Mayor Sortal hijack someone else’s innocent post with vulgar language?
Sadly, Sortal’s inappropriate behavior should not come as a surprise to Plantation residents.
In September, Nick Sortal stopped a City Council meeting when he screamed blood murder for no apparent reason.
Three years ago, REDBROWARD revealed Sortal was accused of making inappropriate sexual and racial remarks to an employee.
The accusation sparked an investigation by the City’s Human Resources department. REDBROWARD obtained a memorandum detailing the City’s investigation into Sortal’s remarks following a complaint filed by a high-level City of Plantation employee. According to the memorandum, the incident occurred in May 2022 when Nick Sortal filed paperwork to run for Mayor.
Sortal, accompanied by his wife, told the employee about their “scuffle” with popular incumbent Mayor Lynn Stoner. Sortal said he exchanged words with Stoner regarding his decision to challenge her. Sortal said his wife, Robyn Sortal, also exchanged words with Mayor Stoner.
Then, Councilman Nick Sortal told the female employee, “My dick is hard for this!”
Shocked by Sortal’s graphic comment, the female employee said he covered her face.
Sortal then asked her if anyone else filed paperwork to run for mayor. She told him yes.
Sortal asked if the person was black. The employee, a person of color, said no.
Sortal said, “Oh good, Plantation will never have a black mayor.”
According to the memorandum, City of Plantation officials met on May 23, 2022 to discuss the “protocol for handling the complaint” against Nick Sortal. Chief Administrative Officer Jason Nunemaker and then-Human Resources Director Denese Edsall conducted a telephone conference call with labor attorney Denise Heekin. City leaders wanted to determine the City’s responsibility and how to handle the matter.
According to the labor attorney, since Nick Sortal is an elected official, the City could not level any sanctions against him. She advised Nunemaker to speak with Sortal about the inappropriate nature of the comments and the fact that a complaint was made against him. Heekin said there was nothing else Plantation could legally do to Sortal.
According to the memorandum, CAO Jason Nunemaker discussed the matter with Nick Sortal on May 24, 2022. The memo states, “Mr. Nunemaker spoke to Councilman Sortal who admitted to the comments.” Sortal said he, “did not realize they were taken as inappropriate as he has been speaking to [the employee] for four years and felt comfortable.” Sortal told Nunemaker he “would be more careful in the future.”
More careful?
