Tag Archives: Gelin Benefits Group

“MENTOR:” Why Did Commissioner Elberg Mike Gelin Thank Dale Holness For Help Passing Tamarac Ordinances?

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Elberg Mike Gelin wants to be the next mayor of Tamarac so why did he need Dale Holness’ help passing city ordinances? At last week’s poorly attended Holness For Congress campaign kickoff in Plantation, Dale Holness thanked his “good friend” Elberg Mike Gelin for showing up (late) to endorse his second campaign for the CD 20 seat. Holness said Gelin “worked to put many of the things we have built in Broward County into practice.” The former Broward County Commissioner said he and Gelin “collaborated over time.”

Elberg Mike Gelin called Dale Holness an “excellent leader” and his “mentor.” Gelin said Holness gave his “support in getting ordinances passed in Tamarac to benefit the minority community” such as a “disparity study to help women owned small businesses and black owned businesses” and making Juneteenth a paid city holiday.

Just one question: Why was Dale Holness interfering in Tamarac politics at all?

While serving as a Broward County Commissioner, Dale Holness represented the residents of District 9. Holness’ district was comprised of parts of Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderhill, Oakland Park, Plantation and Sunrise.

Dale Holness did not represent Tamarac residents.

But as REDBROWARD exposed over the last year, Team Holness tried to control all facets of Tamarac government. Both Gelin and fellow Commissioner Marlon Bolton (D-Clown) are close allies of Dale Holness.

Former interim City Attorney Hans Ottinot recently represented Holness in an ethics matter in Tallahassee.

Dale Holness’ commission aide, Anthony Bonamy, operates the fake news Tamarac Post website which regularly attacks opponents of Gelin and Bolton.

“THEY SPEND A LOT OF MONEY”

Curiously, Elberg Mike Gelin brought up his failed “disparity study” plan at the Holness event. In late February, Mayor Michelle Gomez and Tamarac Commissioners rejected Gelin’s $300,000 disparity study.

REDBROWARD exposed how Gelin’s wife, Shaheewa Jarret Gelin pushed for a costly disparity study to help her fledgling Black Chamber of Commerce on a podcast hosted by Ann Marie Sorrell, a relative of Dale Holness. Ms. Sorrell was one of the consultants seeking $300,000 from Tamarac taxpayers.

Sorrell was probably listening when Mrs. Gelin told her that “[Tamarac] spend[s] a lot of money!”

Dale Holness does not care about Tamarac taxpayers. Team Holness needs Tamarac votes because parts of the city lie within Congressional District CD 20. Last November, Holness was defeated by Sheila Cherfilus McCormick. Holness needs Gelin and Bolton’s help fooling Tamarac voters to pick him this August.

Do Tamarac voters really want a Holness puppet like Elberg Mike Gelin as mayor?

Take a peek over at Lauderhill. Before getting elected as County Commissioner, Dale Holness served on the Lauderhill Commission.

Holness will use Gelin and Bolton to remake Tamarac. Do Tamarac residents want the Dale Holness makeover?

“They Spend A Lot Of Money!” Tamarac Commissioner Elberg Mike Gelin Tries To Get City To Pay $300K “Disparity Study” Pushed By His Wife

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Shaheewa Jarrett Gelin and Disparity Study Consultant Ann Marie Sorrell

On Wednesday morning, Tamarac Commissioner Elberg Mike Gelin wanted his fellow commissioners to approve a $300,000 deal to conduct a “disparity study” of Tamarac’s business dealings. One of these consultants is the niece of former Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness, a Gelin ally. Gelin also failed to disclose his wife Shaheewa Jarrett Gelin pushed for disparity studies in Broward County and its thirty-one municipalities since at least 2020. REDBROWARD obtained an August 2020 video where Shaheewa Jarret Gelin, founder of the Broward County Black Chamber of Commerce, bragged how the studies would help her affiliates get a piece of the 41 million dollars spent by the City Of Tamarac. The 2020 interview was conducted by one of consultants seeking the $300K deal with Tamarac.

“THEY SPEND A LOT OF MONEY”

According to the City of Tamarac, “A Disparity Study determines whether a government entity, either in the past or currently, engages in exclusionary practices in the solicitation and award of contracts to minority, and women‐owned, and disadvantaged business enterprises….” Under questioning by commissioners, Tamarac staff stated there are no legal issues with how the City conducts its business. But in her 2020 interview with Ann Marie Sorrell of The Mosaic Group, Shaheewa Jarrett Gelin claimed disparity studies were needed because white government and businesses believed there is no reason to share with black businesses. “You’re getting money, they’re making money, they’re fine,” Jarrett Gelin said.

Shaheewa Jarrett Gelin said her group needed a disparity study to, “Understand if [government’s] vendor base is diverse, if not, we can do something to correct the disparity study.” In addition to County and municipalities, Jarrett Gelin wanted to target disparity studies at big “anchors” such as Broward College, Broward Health and the Broward Sheriff’s Office. “How can we partner with you to ensure public monies are being spent equitably with black companies,” Jarret Gelin told Sorrell.

Then, Shaheewa Jarrett Gelin brought up the City of Tamarac:

“I always give this example. An unexpected example of the City of Tamarac. Last year when we took a tour on getting certified, their procurement director announced that they in spent $41 million dollars last year.”

Ann Marie Sorrell had a one word reply, “wow.”

Shaheewa Jarrett Gelin stated, “We need to get in on that!”

Shaheewa Jarrett Gelin wants to “get in on” the multi-million dollar budget of the City her husband represents?

Was the $300K contract with Miller 3 Consulting and Ann Marie Sorrell a way to “get in on that?”

Why did Commissioner Elberg Mike Gelin fail to disclose his wife’s strong advocacy of a disparity study in the City of Tamarac?

Luckily for taxpayers, the contract was not approved.

But if it had been approved, what would have stopped Shaheewa Jarrett Gelin and the Broward County Black Chamber of Commerce from coming in to “correct the disparity study?”

Tamarac taxpayers deserve answers, right?

NEXT: Team Holness and The Disparity Study

Ann Marie Sorrell with her Uncle Dale Holness