Campaign website: MaryforWeston.com
List, in order of importance, the three most important issues in your community and briefly explain what you would do about each.
1- We are currently working on approving the City Budget. As with the last four budgets, I voted to keep the millage rate (lowest in Broward County), at 3.34%. After numerous meetings I expect the millage rate to remain the same for this year as well. Making it the fifth consecutive year with the same millage rate.
2- Over development is an important topic that most of us, longtime residents, are concerned about. With construction of the first homes completed in 1984 Weston has seen construction and/or development for 38 years. Since moving into our quiet little town in 1991 the population has grown from approximately 5000 to approximately 68,000. At that time, many areas of our City did not have paved roads, street lights or even our most coveted high school, Cypress Bay.
We cannot hide from the consideration that everything has a useful life expectancy. At the same time, we must maintain the suburban feel to our city. Rezoning, redevelopment and new construction should not be carried out without judicious and vigilant scrutinization as to the effect of the specific area, our residents, safety, and the city as a whole.
3- Schools and safety: when we think of Weston, we think of A rated schools and a safe city. These are a packaged deal and must be kept the highest of priorities. I ‘ve diligently worked on both for 2 decades.
My requests for Indoor air quality remediation, request for police and a nurse in each school, appreciation and support of our first responders, including my request for the City of Weston to pay for school officers since the Broward County Public Schools could not. I have redundantly requested for the removal of portables and maintenance, repair or replacement of items needing it. I’ve stayed active in the PTSA as well as SAC even though my children have since graduated. I will continue to be a strong advocate for our first responders and schools while suggesting others do the same. Events of recent years requires that we double our attention and efforts to provide school safety.
Would you support or oppose declaring a state of emergency for housing affordability in your city with a cap on rent increases of 10% per year, and why?
No. Weston is a beautiful, substantially built-out community of commercial/retail areas and approximately 25,000 residential units according to one web site which also estimates that 1.9% of houses and apartments are available for rent. That does not constitute a crisis requiring an emergency declaration.
Does your community have a comprehensive ordinance regulating short-term rentals, and is it enforced effectively?
Yes. Our enforcement begins with a company that scours the internet to identify potential short-term rentals. Residents’ complaints are responded to by code enforcement activity. When the City started the program, I worked with the prior city manager to give associations access to the information. This allowed a no cost way for associations to verify short term advertisements in their community while saving the residents money. I will soon be examining the need for the commission to be regularly informed about these matters as well.
CHAPTER 81: VACATION RENTALS
Section
81.01 Registration required
81.02 Application for registration
81.03 Vacation rental agent required
81.04 Fees for registration
81.05 Owner and vacation rental agent requirements
81.06 Standards and requirements for vacation rentals
81.07 Sale or transfer of dwelling unit used for vacation rentals
81.08 Administration, penalties, and enforcement
81.09 Vesting
Would you support an increase in pay and benefits for elected officials in your city? Why or why not?
No. The residents of Weston approved a modest increase in the compensation for the Mayor and Commissioners by approving a referendum on the 2018 ballot. It was the first increase since the City’s founding in 1996. Like our millage rate, our Commission and the Mayor’s salaries are near the lowest of all Broward municipalities by far. I have been a leader on the Commission, often called a watchdog on spending, to keep property and business taxes low. I have voted not to increase our millage rate, which is one of the lowest in Broward County, every year and will do so again for next year. I am committed to weeding out wasteful spending and seeking new county, state, federal and private grants to fund existing and future spending needs where applicable.
What factor most distinguishes you from your opponent(s) and why?
Voters will not have to guess, with their vote, about how hard I will work for them or what I am capable of. I have protected property values, our families and our tax dollars.
As a hallmark of my first term I walked door to door to hear what residents had to say about issues that are important to them and to hear their suggestions about how the city can improve. In addition to some of my below work, Broward Mayor Steve Geller asked me to serve on the Broward County Condominium Structural Issue Committee after the tragic Surfside collapse disaster. Mayor Geller knew of my long-time experience & expertise in homeowner and condominium association management. Mayor Marty Kiar appointed me to the Broward County Consumer Affairs knowing my dedication to protecting residents of Broward County from unscrupulous businesses and scam artists.
• Closed sexual violator loophole in Broward County,
*Pushed Weston to have the strictest sexual violator law in Florida,
• Voted NO 5/16/22 & 03/18/19 on raising business taxes and fees,
• Supported our first responders,
*Co-Founder Veterans of Weston,
• Started “Commissioners Corner” for 1on1 communication with the Commissioner,
• Provided transparency in City budget and contracts,
• Demanded Park & Ride be reviewed and stopped,
• Started “Meet & Greet” updates with BSO,
• Pushed for outdoor restaurant seating during COVID,
• Tackled indoor air quality in schools,
*Worked to halt hi-rises in Weston Hills,
• Started educational forums for association board members,
• Cumulatively saved residents millions of dollars in burdensome ordinances,
• Pushed for all City communications to be in English AND Spanish.
*Brought internet and cable provider choices for Weston residents
Boards I serve/ed on:
- Vice Chair – Broward County Consumer Affairs (Broward Mayor appointed) 4 years
- Board Member – 19,000 member Weston YMCA 5 years – current
- Weston Music Society 3 years current
- Board Member- Florida Legislative Alliance 10 years – current
- Board Member – AUW Foundation 5 years – current
- Board Member – Bonaventure Presidents Council 5 years current
- President – Bermuda Springs Maintenance Association 15 years current
- Board Member – Community Association Institute (CAI) 10 years current
- Vice President – Broward Coalition of Condos & HOAs 20 years current
- Facilitator of legislative updates & education for Board members in Weston 25 years current
- “Veterans of Weston” Founder & Board Member 5 years current
- Promoted “Mold Free” Schools – Broward County School
- Town Foundation Board Member – Association Appointed
- FL Academy of Professional Mediators, Inc. member
- Weston School Advisory Committee (SAC) current
- Weston Parent Teachers Association (PTA)
Endorsed By:
Broward County Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics,
Broward International Union of Police Associations – I.U.P.A.,
Broward County Police Benevolent Association – PBA,
The Hispanic Vote
Have you signed a statement pledging to abide by Broward ethical campaign practices? Why or why not?
No. My campaign in 2018 and this re-election campaign are a testament to my belief that the voters in Weston deserve candidates and elected officials who are willing to campaign based on a positive discussion of issues and vision, qualifications and accomplishments. In addition, I follow the election laws to transparently present my contributions and expenditures and faithfully instruct my campaign staff and volunteers not to engage in any negative or destructive tactics. In 2018, as the law requires, I was careful not to print literature, signs or ads that left the impression that I was an incumbent commissioner. That is a designation that must be earned through election and service as a commissioner.
List in reverse chronological order colleges or universities attended with years of attendance and degrees.
1 year of college, continuing education classes for the last 21 years, almost every month, sometimes several times a month, on topics such as…Law, Reserve Studies, Budgets, Human Resources, Ethics, Cultural Diversity, Domestic Violence, Contracts, to the other end of the spectrum with landscaping, plumping, HVAC systems, irrigation systems, road resurfacing, structural issues, etc. These topics are taken over and over again with different instructors, course material and updated as needed.
In addition, I have met and or exceeded the numerous mandated ethics classes, and legal updates, each year, for my designations as a Commissioner, Community Association Manager, and Mediator.
List in reverse chronological order your work history for the past 15 years.
Small business owner, Mediator, Community Association Manager, City of Weston Commissioner, and Real Estate.
My employment is simultaneous for over 20 years, with being elected to the Weston City Commission 4 years ago, and acquiring my Florida Real Estate License as of 2021.
Have you ever been a party to a lawsuit, including bankruptcy or foreclosure? If so, provide details of the case and disposition.
As I answered to a similar question in my 2018 Sun Sentinel candidate questionnaire;
‘Over a decade ago, just before the national housing collapse, my husband decided to invest our funds into investment properties. One was in a new townhouse community on the west coast of Florida and the other here in…
