Mayor Nick Sortal - REDBROWARD

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?

Mayor Nick Sortal says there are “no plans” for a homeless camp in Plantation even as a homeless camp grows on Broward County property in the City. Last week, Sortal published his “Homeless Strategy for Plantation” on the City website. He said the Plantation Police Department hired two homeless outreach officers and encouraged businesses to sign up for a “trespass” program.

“But let’s not kid ourselves,” Sortal wrote. “This challenge is not going away.”

With a new anti-public camping law set to take effect on October 1st, local cities and the County must come up with plans to address homeless individuals living on our streets.

Sortal said the new law was discussed at a recent Florida League of Cities meeting where “best practices” were discussed. These “best practices” included the usual costly liberal solutions like public housing.

Sortal said he was “hoping for small wins” by working with Broward County government and other cities.

What is Broward County’s plan to deal with the new law?

A senior Broward County official told REDBROWARD the county is “still working on a plan.”

In Fort Lauderdale, Commissioner Warren Sturman wants to transform the tops of parking garages into homeless camps. A place where homeless can sleep in their cars. Commissioner John Herbst wants other cities to share the burden of housing the homeless.

Regarding the myraid of solutions, Sortal wrote, “No community so far has stepped up, and Plantation has no plans for such a setup.”

Some Plantation insiders suspect someone in Fort Lauderdale is encouraging homeless individuals to move west.

HOMELESS CAMP GROWS

Mayor Nick Sortal said Plantation must “balance compassion with public safety and a get-tough approach, lest we become one of those cities with tents everywhere. (Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc.)”

But is it already too late for Plantation?

Since late August, REDBROWARD has documented the growing homeless encampment at the County-owned complex on West Broward Boulevard.

This complex includes the Broward County West Satellite Courthouse, the Broward Emergency Operations Center (EOC), a bus depot and the West Regional Library.

The homeless population is growing and spreading to locations across from the County complex.

A large gathering on tents and shopping carts is located in front of the main building of the bus depot.

Homeless individuals have set up tents and carts inside the two-story parking garage. One camp included chairs, a moped, a crock pot and even an air fryer. Last weekend, individuals slept on the floor in separate parking spaces. Other parking spots were home to people living in their cars.

On Sunday morning, several tents and carts blocked the main entrance of the library. Laundry was spread over numerous bushes while drying in the sun.

On Monday, at least 6 homeless individuals congregated in the courtyard between the courthouse and the library. On Wednesday, a disabled mininvan served as a makeshift sleeping space near the courtyard.

Now, homeless individuals have moved across Broward Boulevard. Several individuals have set up camps near J. Alexander, Einstein Bagels and TGIFriday’s.