Mike Gelin
By: Sharon Aron Baron
Mike Gelin, a candidate for city commission, will be holding a campaign kickoff event in Tamarac on June 15.
Gelin, running for District 2, said one of his goals would be to ensure new development is done properly with residents first in mind. Since the current commissioner, Michelle Gomez, will run for mayor after Harry Dressler announced he would not run for reelection, the seat will be open.
Gelin is no stranger to politics. He unsuccessfully ran against Dressler in 2014 and was one of two finalists to fill the seat left open by Patti Atkins Grad in 2013, who resigned for health reasons amidst facing a recall. Despite his impressive background, the commission appointed Michelle Gomez to the seat.
Gelin said he understands the importance of serving the community and volunteers in a variety of ways. In the past, he represented the City of Tamarac on the community involvement roundtable of the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). He has served on the City of Tamarac’s Insurance Advisory Board, and he is a graduate of the 2009 class of Tamarac University.
As a resident of the district covering the Woodlands Country Club to the east to Plum Bay & Harbor to the west, Gelin lives near where the planned midtown Tamarac project will be built.
Born in Brooklyn to Haitian parents, Gelin studied at Morris Brown College, where he earned a bachelor of arts in business administration. He studied internationally at the University of Ghana in West Africa and the American Continental University in London, England. His first job was as an energy analyst for Enron in Houston, TX. After that, he worked for CIGNA, Marsh & McLennan, Aon Consulting, and Lockton Companies. Before starting his own company, Gelin Benefits Group, he was vice president for CBIZ Benefits & Insurance Services in Boca Raton.
One of the largest communities that Gelin would serve in district 2 is the Woodlands Country Club, with over 900 single-family homes. Their golf course views are currently in jeopardy of being lost due to ClubLink wanting to sell the two 18-hole courses to 13th Floor Homes. Some residents feel pressure to accept the proposed 525 home project from their current commissioner, who has been working closely with the developer, even knowing about the project for months before residents but never disclosing it.
“As a representative of the district and the Woodlands, it is my role as an elected official to educate the residents of the pros and cons of a project or a development,” said Gelin. “And if the residents don’t agree, then my role is to represent the voice of the residents.”
The event will be held on Friday, June 15, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and all residents are invited to attend. It will be held at the McLawrence Law Firm at 7101 W Commercial Blvd Suite 4A. Drinks and appetizers will be served. RSVP to the campaign at Mike@mikegelin.com.