Priorities | Ryan Shrouder for City Commissioner

Ryan's Priorities

Revitalize Cooper City’s Beauty

Cooper City is 60 years old, and unfortunately in some areas our age is no secret. As our city ages, blight and congestion are becoming problems. It's essential that take action now to prevent Cooper City from experiencing the same blight, traffic and deterioration that have affected other Broward cities. To improve and preserve Cooper City’s beauty and prestige, Ryan will: 

 

  • Fight against zoning variances that increase traffic and prohibit non-conforming businesses from setting up shop in our small-town feel. 
  • Revamp and rewrite the city code ordinances allowing for sensible and consistent code enforcement
  • Implement online permit applications, with a streamlined permitting process to make it easier for homeowners to improve their properties
  • Reinstate the Minor Home Repair program, which awards Homeowners county grants to make repairs and improvement to their properties

Stop Wasting Your Tax Dollars

Between 2009 and 2019 the City millage tax rate increased 42.75%. For years, officials have increased tax rates, given themselves pay raises and depleted reserves while failing to invest in our city. That has to stop. Ryan is committed to fiscal responsibility by operating the city more efficiently and effectively so we can plan for our future. On the City Commission, Ryan will:

 

  • Donate his entire commission salary and benefits back to the City
  • Propose an ordinance requiring the City to establish reserves equivalent to one years operating expenses. 
  • Utilize his experience to negotiate and properly manage the financial aspects of our public safety contracts with the Broward Sheriff’s office (which is the city’s largest expense).
  • Actively advocate for funding from county sources like the Metropolitan Planning Organization to ensure Cooper City can take advantage of grants and other new revenue sources that we’ve missed out on in the past.

Improving Public Safety

As a father of three children, Ryan knows that nothing is more important than making sure that families feel safe in Cooper City. Right now, our police vacancies are at an all-time high and our minimum required police staffing levels are lower now than when we merged with BSO 15 years ago. Ryan will use his extensive experience as Chair of the Public Safety Advisory Board and long-time negotiator with the Broward Sheriff’s Office to:

 

  • Negotiate affordable agreements with the Broward Sheriff’s Office
  • Increase Deputy Sheriff staffing ratios
  • Minimize deputy vacancies
  • Re-open the Police Station with 24/7 coverage 
  • Establish sensible and consistent code enforcement to prevent the kind of blight that results in nuisance violations
  • Make better use of technology in public safety as a way to reduce costs