Candidates for Broward County commission District 4 w/ video

Three candidates are squaring off for the Broward County Commission District 4 race. Incumbent Ken Keechl is being challenged by Lighthouse Point commissioner Chip LaMarca and independent candidate Chris Chiari. District 4 runs from Northern Deerfield Beach then east of US-1, south through Lighthouse Point, Pompano Beach, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea then west to Oakland Park and Wilton Manors.

Chip LaMarca

Chip LaMarca is a lifelong resident of Broward, having moved here as a young child. He attended Floranada Elementary, Rickards Middle, and Northeast High School, graduating in 1986.

After attending Broward College and later Boston University, Chip returned to Broward County and followed his father’s footsteps in the construction industry.  Chip opened LaMarca Construction in 2006 after 20 years of experience in the construction industry.

Chip became active in public service in 2002, serving on many City of Lighthouse Point boards addressing traffic calming, community appearance, code enforcement, and the architectural committee for the City’s Fire/Police/EMS Station.  In 2005, Chip was elected to the Lighthouse Point City Commission.

While on the City Commission, Chip has been a champion of responsible government, keeping a close watch on the city budget and making sure taxpayer dollars are used responsibly.  Using Chip’s knowledge and expertise in construction, the commission has been able to complete numerous critical infrastructure improvements, all while holding the line on taxes and controlling government spending.

Outside of his responsibilities as a business owner, city commissioner, and homeowner, Chip is past president and current board member of the Exchange Club of Pompano Beach as well as Hugs for Kids and the Broward Children’s Center.  He was also formerly the chair of the Broward Republican party. Chip married the former Eileen Dorrego in 1995 and the couple lives in Lighthouse Point.

For more information, visit www.electchip.com.

Ken Keechl

Ken Keechl, Democratic candidate for reelection to the Broward County Commission in District 4, is a native Floridian and has been a commissioner since 2006.

In his official capacity, Ken has served on the Airport Task Force; Broward Alliance; as Co-Chair of the Public Safety Coordinating Council Advisory Board; the Transportation Management Association (Downtown Fort Lauderdale TMA); the HIV Planning Council;  and the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

Upon graduation Florida State University Law School, Ken settled in Broward County and began his career at the law firm of Brinkley McNerney. He served the residents of the City of Plantation for 14 years as Assistant City Attorney.  He also represented the City of Wellington. Ken joined the firm of KOPELOWITZ OSTROW Ferguson Weiselberg Keechl in February of 2009.  Keechl is currently mayor of Broward County after being chosen by his commission peers in Nov. 2009.

Ken and his partner of fourteen years, Realtor Ted Adcock, became members of the Coral Ridge Homeowners Association when they moved into that neighborhood in 1998.

Among Ken’s many other community activities, he is a contributor to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County; a contributor to HOMES, Inc., which focuses on providing workforce housing in Broward County; a member of the Oakland Park-Wilton Manors Chamber of Commerce; and a member of the Founders Circle of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of South Florida.

For more information, visit http://keechl2010.com.

Chris Chiari

As the President of American Millennium Investment Corp., Chris Chiari has worked since 1996 with a diverse field of clients providing business consulting, forecasting and corporate reorganizations.

A graduate of Admiral Farragut Academy, Chris went on to study Economics at Clark University In 2000, Chris moved back to South Florida to live full-time after a lifetime relationship with Broward County that started when his grandfather retired in Pompano Beach back in 1968.

As a former officer and board member of several local Democratic clubs, he served as the President of the Broward Young Democrats and has sat on the Management Committee of the Broward County Democratic Executive Committee.

As a member of the Facilities Task Force for the Broward County School Board, Chiari spent time in our classrooms investigating air quality and environmental complaints. In 2008 he chaired a subcommittee, which worked to uncover outdated projects, cleaning up over $45 million dollars in obsolete or redundant construction projects.

From March of 2007 until 2010, he was on the Broward County Marine Advisory Committee working on issues effecting recreational boating.

Also on the City of Fort Lauderdale Utility Advisory Committee in 2009, he advocated for changes in the 30-year franchise agreement signed with FPL to allow for renewable energy production.

In October of 2009 while serving on the Davie Open Spaces Advisory Committee, Chris made the motion to question the purchase of the Palma Nova land for park space, requesting that the town perform a Phase II Environmental Test prior to purchase. The motion passed, the request was ignored and three months after the purchase, the town discovered the land was contaminated with asbestos plumbing.

For more information, visit http://www.cn026.com/.



Related posts:

1. District 22 candidates Klein, West speak at Rotary meeting; video
2. County Commissioners Swearing-In Ceremony Tuesday Nov, 16
3. Broward County Historical Commission and Museum Celebrates Grand Opening February 4
4. New mayor, vice mayor of Broward; former mayor addresses current state of Broward County
5. LaMarca stepping down as Broward Republican chair

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