Frequently Asked Questions

The Town Commission generally meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 6:30 P.M. in Jarvis Hall, 4505 N. Ocean Drive. Special meetings and workshops are scheduled on an as-needed basis. All Town Commission meeting agendas are posted in Town Hall and on the Town's Agenda Center.

Yes they can. The Town encourages residents to voice their concerns about how to make Lauderdale-By-The-Sea a better place to live and work.

Yes. The Town Commission holds public hearings on all proposed ordinances. Members of the public are also allowed to speak during the Public Comments portion of the meeting. Residents are asked to sign-up beforehand. During Public Comments, you can address the Commission for up to three minutes. The Commission does not answer questions during Public Comments, but will often ask the Town Manager to address them later in the meeting.

Yes. On rare occasions, the Town Commission will meet with the Town Attorney and Town Manager in private to discuss pending litigation or legal strategy. These Shade Sessions, which are allowed under Florida law, are announced beforehand publicly and are held after the Commission first opens the meeting in public.

All agendas are available in Town Hall on the Friday before the upcoming meeting. The agenda and back-up material is also posted on our Agenda Center. Copies of the agenda and related back-up material are also available in Jarvis Hall at the meeting.

Town Commissioners serve four-year terms. The Mayor's term is two years. Since Commission terms are staggered, the Town holds an election every two years, when the Mayor must also run. The Mayor and Commissioners are all elected at-large. Commissioners, however, run for specific seats and must reside in District 1 or District 2, which divide the Town’s voters into almost even north and south areas. Click here to view a map of District 1 and District 2. To qualify to run, you must reside in Town for at least six months before the election.