Jesse Scheckner
Qualifying for the Aventura municipal election closed Friday afternoon, and without opposition, Howard Weinberg won the city mayoralty. Paul Kruss and Michael Stern also secured seats on the City Commission.
For many versed in Aventura politics, Weinberg and Stern are familiar faces. Weinberg served on the Aventura Commission for two terms from 2010 until he reached term limits in 2018. Stern similarly served two consecutive terms through 2014.
The Aventura City Charter requires a four-year break in service before a person who has served eight consecutive years is eligible for the same office.
Kruss, who co-owns Mo’s Bagels and Deli, a three-minute drive from the Aventura Government Center, is a new addition to the City Commission.
The three men will take office to begin their four-year terms following the Nov. 8 General Election. Weinberg will take over for Mayor Enid Weisman, while Stern will succeed outgoing Commissioner Denise Landman in Seat 2 and Kruss will replace Robert Shelly in Seat 4.
The race to succeed Seat 6 Commissioner Marc Narotsky is still pending resolution. Candidates Amit Bloom and Alberto Zaltzberg are on the Nov. 8 ballot.
In private life, Weinberg works as corporate counsel and senior vice president of business and development at Hotwire Communications, a Fort Lauderdale-based internet service provider.
Stern is partner and director of investor relations at Jeffrey’s Capital, a real estate investment firm located in the city. He is the former publisher of Aventura Magazine, which he launched with Bloom under the parent company Stern Bloom Media.
Bloom’s husband and campaign treasurer, David Bloom, was also a founding partner of the company and currently works alongside Stern at Jeffrey’s Capital as an acquisitions analyst.
Zaltzberg is a self-employed online marketing and sales professional with a background in marketing.
