Pompano rejects dismissal of contractor over property purchases

Pompano Beach rejected a proposal to dismiss a city contractor that oversees tax-funded investments in areas where two of its directors bought property.

City commissioner Michael Sobel proposed termination of the city’s contract with Redevelopment Management Associates. He cited the 2015 purchases of three parcels by two directors of Redevelopment Management, Kim Breisemeister and Chris Brown.

Sobel said the city’s contract with Redevelopment Management should be terminated because Breisemeister and Brown bought property in areas of Pompano Beach where the company has directed tax-funded investment. He said the property purchases raised questions about whether Redevelopment Management was benefiting the directors personally by investing where they bought property.

But a majority of the city commission, including Mayor Lamar Fisher, decided that the property purchases by the two directors did not warrant termination of the company’s contract with the city, which pays $1.2 million a year.

Breisemeister told the Sun-Sentinel her property investments were proper and were disclosed to Pompano’s city manager. Mayor Fisher and city commissioner Rex Hardin said they were made aware of the property purchases, too. [Sun-Sentinel] – Mike Seemuth