Fort Lauderdale is undergoing a series of major infrastructure projects that will shape the city for generations — but officials will have to bring them to fruition without the influential city manager who helped start them.
Greg Chavarria served as the city manager for almost two years before announcing his surprise resignation at the end of last week’s commission meeting, citing a member of his family that requires "my support and care at this time."
"While I'm humbled to serve this awesome role, the everyday demands leave limited time and focus for my family," he told commissioners.
The announcement comes at a critical point in the city’s future development. There are multiple ongoing projects that the city is counting on to sustain a resilient future such as the stormwater upgrades and a water treatment facility. Those alone will cost the city more than $2 billion.
Chavarria played an integral part in these projects, leading a staff of nearly 3,000 city employees and working with commissioners and community members. Now the commission is scrambling to find someone to take the reins.
Trantalis was "at a loss for words" after the announcement. “It’ll be very hard to replace him. The energy, the commitment... his love of Fort Lauderdale," he told WLRN. "It's gonna be hard to replace someone like him if, if we can at all.”
Chavarria said he has a lot of faith in the staff he is leaving behind.
"I am very, very confident that their passion for public service will ensure that any obstacle that comes about, that there's a workaround and that there's a solution to getting it done,” he told WLRN.
In January, Fort Lauderdale commissioners denied Chavarria a 3% raise, despite more than an hour of positive public comment from more than 30 residents.
The vote came during a meeting that ended in a shouting match laced with curse words and dramatics that have become common as tensions between two apparent commission factions boiled over.
READ MORE: In heated meeting, Fort Lauderdale rejects raise for city manager despite praise from residents
Chavarria started in July 2022 and his first yearly performance review had been delayed until the January meeting. He kicked off the item by listing several of his accomplishments, including the city’s response to historic April flooding, hiring a new police and fire chief, and an ongoing major overhaul of the city’s stormwater drainage system.
The city manager is in charge of a support staff of more than 2,800 full time employees and an annual budget of $985 million.
Chavarria, who makes $291,000, said that the decision to step down was not about the money.
"I'm making this decision on a personal level because I need to attend my family member," Chavarria said. "But I learned that when people say 'no,' it's an opportunity to grow."
Some of the projects started under Chavarria include:
- Fortify Lauderdale: The ambitious and expensive plan includes renovating and improving the stormwater drainage infrastructure in more than 25 neighborhoods throughout the city over the next decade. The city initially planned to upgrade infrastructure in 14 neighborhoods but after a massive flood last year, the city reevaluated and revised their plan for 25 neighborhoods.
Most of the neighborhoods currently have little to no stormwater infrastructure. The project is expected to cost upwards of $700 million over the next decade. City officials say they can cover some of that through federal and state grants, but taxpayers will be picking up the tab through higher bills as well.
- Prospect Lake: The new water treatment plant — Prospect Lake Clean Water Center — was approved in February 2023 by a divided commission in a 3-2 vote. It's expected to cost the city $1.4 billion and result in higher water bills for residents. The water center will be able to withstand a Category 5 hurricane and pump out 50 million gallons of water a day.
Fort Lauderdale has been dealing with an aging water and sewer infrastructure that came to a tipping point in 2020 when the biggest sewage spill in Florida's history unfolded along the city's scenic waterways. More than 211 million gallons spilled from 1970s-era pipes, flowing down streets and into lawns, and, eventually, the city's postcard-ready canals.
- City Hall: Historic flooding last year damaged the city's aging city hall beyond repair. The city is currently hosting workshops that are open to the public on what residents would like to see from the new city hall.
- Police Department headquarters: The new headquarters on the site of the former building will feature cutting-edge technology, according to the city. It includes a 5,270-square-foot community center, a firearm training facility, an evidence warehouse and a safer parking garage.
The city’s voters approved the bond referendum to cover estimated cost of about $75 million in 2019. Construction costs rose in 2020 and Chavarria and his staff were able to present commissioners with options for a loan to fund the rest of the project which had risen above $140 million, according to Chavarria. Officials expect the project to be completed in 2025.
Looking for a new city manager
Chavarria told commissioners he plans to stay on for 60 days, as outlined in his contract. Afterwards, Mayor Trantalis said he would like the commission to promote someone internal to interim city manager through the November election.
“Greg's leadership has been important in ensuring the success of these projects,” said Trantalis. “I feel comfortable in knowing that those that he has left behind will be able to pick up the mantle and carry forward the leadership that's going to be necessary.”
