Furious email battle between Mayor Jack Seiler and Pridefest Organizer, Marc Hansen over the timings of The St Patrick’s Day Parade and Pridefest

The war of words began Thursday night with an opening angry volley from the organizers of this weekend’s Pridefest in Oakland Park, Seiler returned the shot, prompting a heated response from one of the Pridefest organizers, Marc Hansen. Seiler then replied with an impassioned late night e-mail.

All the back and forth was sent to a few reporters and the City Commission

Read the exchange below:

The first one, at about 7:15 p.m.:

To Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler and City Commission:

For years, it has been a ritual that PRIDEFEST opens with the introduction of dignitaries and elected officials from Broward County, which includes Fort Lauderdale’s Mayor and City Commissioners.

At PRIDEFEST 2009, Mayor Seiler, newly elected, gave the impression that there would be a better relationship with the GLBT community after former Mayor Jim Naugle was out of office.

That all changed within approximately six months.

In mid 2009, PRIDEFEST contacted The War Memorial Auditorium with efforts to discuss pricing. Times were (and are still) very hard for most everyone. The goal of PRIDEFEST was to maintain or lower prices where possible, for our event attendees and vendors. It was with hope that PRIDEFEST and The War Memorial could work together, since we had used the venue for many years, and certainly one of the – if not the largest money making events over a weekend for the site.

That wasn’t going to happen. The War Memorial would not budge on fees and percentage of revenue. Additionally, as we use the venue for outside space, the surroundings have become less desirable, because of the lack of maintaining the grounds (dirt, un-manicured grass, etc.) If people wanted to sit on the grass and enjoy themselves, they couldn’t.

Fortunately, we found a venue that not only opened their arms to PRIDEFEST with joy, but, was willing to work in tandem meeting the financial goals.

Now that PRIDEFEST has relocated, there seems to be a (blatant) appearance of snubbing PRIDEFEST, and it is outright shameful.

For PRIDEFEST 2010, it was noticed by most in attendance that Fort Lauderdale’s Mayor Jack Seiler and other Fort Lauderdale officials couldn’t make the annual opening ceremony (which highlights Broward ELECTED officials and dignitaries), because the Fort Lauderdale St. Patrick’s Day parade began within 1 1/2 hours of our opening ceremony. (Mind you, St. Patrick’s Day fell a week later on the calendar.)

Amazingly, other dignitaries and elected officials from Broward County who were to be in attendance at the very same St. Patrick’s Day parade, were able to be in attendance at PRIDEFEST and still make the St. Patrick’s Day parade on time.

Here it is, PRIDEFEST 2011, our 34th year, and once again, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler and the City Commission will be (noticeably) absent. Why? Because the Fort Lauderdale St. Patrick’s Day parade coincidentally begins at Noon – the same time PRIDEFEST opens its gates.

If it doesn’t appear PRIDEFEST, and GLBT residents of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County aren’t being snubbed again, who knows what does.

Based on Mayor Seiler’s speech at PRIDEFEST 2009, the blatant disdain and dislike of the GLBT community from the Mayor’s office was going to disappear. The truthful observation and impression is, is that it is still alive and well from that very office, which is a very, very sad statement to have to make.

PRIDEFEST will be around for many years to come, and Fort Lauderdale’s Mayor and City Commission will always be invited.

St. Patrick’s Day parades will not always be an apparent excuse not to attend. What will be the reasons in the coming years?

In Pride,

Jacqui Charvet, President

Marc A. Hansen, Vice President

Joel S. Slotnick, Secretary/Treasure

Pride One of Broward County

DBA Pride South Florida

Seiler’s first reply, at 8:15 p.m.:

I am speechless. I am being attacked for a St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival? John P. “Jack” Seiler Mayor City of Fort Lauderdale
Reply from Hansen at 10:04 p.m.:

Jack:

Do you even care about the grievances addressed in this letter ? Did you even take the time to read it though? Is this response all you can muster ? For years you ask for the GLBT Communities support and votes,
because …”YOU CARE”. In the great words of a local business, “ REALLY “

This event brings Thousands of Dollars to the City of Fort Lauderdale for the 2 day Festival. Parking alone raised $28,000 for our event at the Holiday Park facility,
why don’t you compare what our parking brought in to any Gun & Knife Show, which has occurred in your 2 years as our new Mayor.

I live in District 3 and I am a home owner, I vote in Fort Lauderdale and I am the Elected Democratic Executive Committee Member for District 3 and I supported and voted for you.

I had always liked having our event in Holiday Park as did many others, but in this time of difficult finances, the Board had to choose the best Fiscally responsible direction.

Instead of your tossing us aside like a group of nobodies, with a response like, “I am speechless. I am being attacked for a St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival? “ Could you had at least done some investigation, as to what the City lost financially when Pridefest left Fort Lauderdale ?
In response to your query about a St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival, it’s all about the timing. What time does your parade start? Pridefest is an annual event that has been held now for 34 years in Fort Lauderdale and each of those years we opened with the National Anthem, and the presentation of the political officials that supported the GLBT community. Each time we contact an elected official in the last two years, they are attending your event. The item in question was: were you doing this on purpose, considering St Patrick’s day is the following week ?

A little more thought in your response to constituents would be more Mayoral.
Marc A. Hansen
Vice President; Pride One of Broward County, Inc.
DBA: Pride South Florida / Pridefest 2011

Reply from Seiler at 10:50 p.m.

Marc:

Thanks for your email. As you and Joel both know, I did not select the date or time of our Parade and Festival. As you recall, we have an independent Committee responsible for the event, and that Committee selects the date, time, place, route, etc. In fact, I came in from out of town last year to attend our event, and then went back out of town after the event to continue my weekend campout with my then 12 year old daughter. This year, I will again be out of town in Lake Wales, Florida, and, once again, I have to return to town to participate in our event. If I controlled the event, it would definitely not conflict with my 28th father-daughter(s) campout at the Circle F Dude Ranch in Polk County, Florida.

Your Earl Rynerson approach of attack first; ask questions and investigate second; realize you made a huge mistake and had no legal or factual basis to ever attack third; and, then deny you ever irresponsibly and recklessly attacked is really sad.

My daughter and I accept your apology in advance, but my now 13 year old daughter is still very upset that I am leaving her in Central Florida for 8 hours on Saturday to fulfill my Mayoral duties in South Florida.

Good night.
John P. “Jack” Seiler
Mayor
City of Fort Lauderdale