The Tamarac City Commission on Wednesday appointed District 1 Commissioner Marlon Bolton, a Jamaican-American, as the city’s vice mayor during its regular commission meeting.
Bolton, who has served on the Tamarac City Commission since 2016, previously held the vice mayor post in 2019. As vice mayor, he will assume the duties of acting mayor when the mayor is unavailable. His one-year term runs through December 2026.
As District 1 commissioner, Bolton has advanced several initiatives focused on equity and civic engagement, including the creation of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Commission on the Status of Women, which promotes fairness and opportunity for women, and the Medal of Honor civic award recognizing outstanding community service. He also serves with the National Black Caucus of Local and Elected Officials, a network of African American municipal leaders sharing best practices in local governance.
Bolton’s appointment adds to a list of milestones in Tamarac’s history. In December 2019, he became the city’s first Black vice mayor and the first Caribbean-American elected to the position. In 2016, he was elected as Tamarac’s first Black commissioner.
Born in Christiana, Manchester, Jamaica, Bolton moved to the United States in 2006. He has previously spoken about arriving in Florida with little money and no permanent housing, experiencing homelessness for several months before a friend offered support. He later entered public service and was elected to the commission.
Bolton holds an Associate of Arts degree in Mass Communication and a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Public Safety Management from Miami Dade College, graduating with honors. He also attended Florida Atlantic University for training in hospitality and tourism management. Professionally, he serves as senior pastor of Praise Experience Church, president of Forecast Holdings LLC, and is a Florida Supreme Court-certified county court mediator.
Tamarac spans about 12 square miles in western Broward County and is home to nearly 72,000 residents, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, including a large Caribbean population, particularly Jamaicans. The city has approximately 2,000 businesses.
Marlon Bolton is married and the father of children.
