The Lobbyist

"This is our roadmap to the future," redevelopment administrator Gary Rogers says. "It's the tip of the spear. This is a chance to literally change the form and function of an entire city, a way to reinvent America's suburbs."

Not surprisingly, the momentous $100 million plan attracted several potential developers when the city requested proposals in March. United Homes, however, held up the process by demanding that the company's financial disclosure forms be kept out of public view, according to city officials.

Eggelletion, then, was apparently wrong about the company's willingness to have its books examined. The city's Community Redevelopment Agency, which is overseeing the project, has refused to release United Homes' financial forms, claiming that they don't fall under Florida's Sunshine Laws. But Lauderdale Lakes own city attorney, James Brady, disagrees with the redevelopment agency. He wrote in a May memo that all financial info submitted to the city by the developer is "public information for those who request it."

Redevelopment administrator Rogers tried to justify the city's refusal to release the documents by explaining that United Homes is strictly a private firm. "This is a company that's never publicly financed any projects before," he explained. "They've never shared their financials with anybody. That's the comments they've made at public meetings. All the stuff they've done is completely private."

Rogers, however, is mistaken. The company's developments have received millions in federal tax credits and grants, and Mijares admitted as much at the May 25 Broward commission meeting. But in Rogers' defense, he heard the false information straight from Mijares' mouth during the company's October 5 pitch to the Lakes commission. "We have always funded 100 percent of every last item on the job," the developer assured the elected officials that day. "This would be no different."

Granted, Mijares was under some pressure. The odds seemed to be against United Homes' getting the $100 million plum. The two other developers that made the short list for the town center project, Lennar and a company formed by veteran Fort Lauderdale builder Milton Jones, were both rated more financially able than United Homes. In August, an evaluation committee made up of four city officials also ranked Lennar as the most qualified and experienced.

But the final decision was up to the Lakes commission. Mijares, who made the first presentation, concluded by telling the commissioners he hoped to be as close to them as he is to his long-time partner, Cardoso, the former bribery defendant and federal corruption witness. "That same friendship we are hopeful will extend to the City of Lauderdale Lakes... that could turn into an extremely profitable relationship," he told the commission.

The commissioners apparently were sold; five of six voted for United Homes. But Eggelletion's role in that process is still unclear. Like his participation in the annexation issue, it was shielded from public view. A query of United Homes lawyer Jim Cole, a friend and frequent golfing partner of Eggelletion's, drew a typically vague response. Cole admits that Eggelletion "consulted" him on the project but won't elaborate. When asked whether Eggelletion worked for the company, Cole says, "I'm not sure whether he was or not."

Mijares, when asked directly why he hired Eggelletion, responded, rather tellingly, "Our company policy for years is we never comment on any business that we do, period."

Even the promised e-mail from Eggelletion, which he said would provide details, had no answers regarding United Homes. "I have always represented my district to the best of my ability," Eggelletion wrote inscrutably. "Additionally, I have always taken pride in my ability to provide for my family... During my tenure as an elected official taking care of my family's needs, I have always taken into consideration my elected position and have never used it in any way to trample on the public's trust."

So it's left to conjecture exactly what he did for United Homes. Lakes' insiders say the county commissioner's political influence would likely have been limited to a few commissioners, most notably Hazelle Rogers and Levoyd Williams, who flanked him at Pier 66 and were the only ones who opposed annexation. Both gave United Homes the nod. Rogers, who is Eggelletion's appointee on the county's powerful Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, admits that she was aware of the county commissioner's employment with United Homes. But she says it had no impact on her vote. In fact, she says, he never lobbied her. "There's certain projects I don't need anyone to tell me how to vote," Rogers insists. "And I don't always vote for what Joe Eggelletion wants."

Williams claims he had no idea that his political mentor was aligned with the developer. "My decision was based solely on the presentation," he says. "We're looking at a $100 million project, and you have to look at their track records and their generating tax base."

It was Jones' project, however, that would have generated the most tax dollars for the city, officials say. It had the highest housing density and, unlike the other two projects, was planned to have both office and retail space. "I was surprised" by the vote, says redevelopment director Gary Rogers, who was complimentary of all three companies but conceded that he believed Jones gave the strongest presentation.