By Agrippina Fadel
Newly elected commissioners in Districts 2 and 4 and re-elected mayor Michelle Gomez were sworn into office this week. The members agreed on the message of unity for the new commission and shared they were excited to work together.
School principal Kicia Daniel won in District 4 with 2,153 votes or 44.14%. After the swearing-in ceremony, she thanked the crowd for coming out and supporting the commission.
“This is an exciting moment. I appreciate everyone who allowed this to happen with their support, donations, and votes,” she said.
Daniel addressed the audience at city hall, “even if you are not here for me, you are here for us, and we greatly appreciate it.”
Businessman Morey Wright won the District 2 commissioner seat with 1,737 votes — or 32.41%, beating four other candidates who ran.
In his passionate speech, he thanked his family and friends and everyone who supported his campaign and expressed his gratitude to his predecessor, Mike Gelin, thanking him for his service in the community.
“I am humbled by this tremendous opportunity and grateful for the trust you have bestowed on me. I can assure you I will always do the right thing and be a good commissioner for the people of District 2 and Tamarac,” Wright said.
He congratulated Gomez and Daniel on their “emphatic win” and said he is proud to say that Tamarac’s is the only city commission with a doctor and a lawyer on the dais, which was met with applause.
“In the words of the great American poet Beyonce Knowles, “Who run the World? Girls!” said Wright to laughter on the dais and in the audience.
He called commissioners Marlon Bolton and Elvin Villalobos the “true trailblazers among the likes of MLK and Cesar Chaves” as the first Black and Hispanic commissioners to be elected to the Tamarac commission. “You are pioneers, and I look forward to working with you,” Wright added.
Commissioners Marlon Bolton, Kicia Daniels, Mayor Michelle Gomez, and Commissioner Maury Wright. Commissioner Elvin Villalobos was absent. {Sharon Aron Baron}
He told the city staff that their hard work and efforts are what make the city thrive: “from the honorable individuals who clean our streets to the city manager who makes sure everything functions, without you, the government of Tamarac does not exist.”
Wright added that over the following months, he would listen and learn from the staff’s wealth of institutional knowledge to understand the workings of the city hall.
“As your commissioner, I will champion investment in your development and growth. Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. My vision for this city is unity,” Wright added.
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