The Gazette 09/22/22 V9iss18

GAZETTE

WILTON MANORS HONORS

HEROES OF CORNER PUB ATTACK

By John Hayden

One month after a man walked into the Corner Pub holding a grenade and claiming to have a car filled with guns, the people who defused the situation were honored by the City of Wilton Manors.

At the City Commission meeting on Sept. 13, officers who responded to the scene were presented with the Exceptional Duty Award. They include David Turner, Jason Nobles, and Nicole Kline.

Bar owners Anthony and Shannon Henne, along with bartender Joseph Shakespeare and custom Darryl Marksberry, also known as Darryl Darling, were given the Civilian Service award.

It was Marksberry, a former Marine, who recognized the danger and confronted the man.“I’m glad that the best outcome occurred,” he said at the commission meeting.Marksberry employed tactics similar to those used in hostage negotiations. He made a connection by discussing shared experiences, in this case it was their military backgrounds. This allowed others to escape from the building. Eventually Marksberry convinced the man to come outside with him. Once they cleared the door he put him in a headlock and threw him to the ground.

That may have been the most dangerous moment because the attacker still had the

grenade. As it turns out, it wasn’t a live grenade and there were no other weapons on the premises. The man, who was reportedly drunk and upset, was taken for a mental evaluation.

As for Marksberry, being recognized is emotional validation.

“It’s overwhelming and it actually means a lot to me. Every day I try to live my life to make a small difference in someone

else’s world and to me this was a small act. To others it’s ‘Hey, you just jumped on a grenade, that’s crazy.’ I have the capacity to do such things that are really good in the world.”

Photo by John Hayden.

WILTON MANORS

GAZETTETHE

CITY COMMISSIONERS RAISE THEIR SALARIES

By John Hayden

Government work is often thankless work, and nobody gets rich for their efforts. After decades of stagnant compensation, Wilton Manors City Commissioners voted to raise their salaries along with that of the mayor. At their meeting on Sept. 13 they gave final approval to increase annual pay to $30,000 for the mayor (up from $11,500) and $25,000 for commissioners (up from $9,750).

When adjusted for inflation, the pay has been stagnant for 20 years, and this is the first actual raise since 2015. No one from the public commented during the public hearing immediately before the vote, though one person did voice opposition to the size of the percentage increase, about 150%, during general public comments. At previous meetings when the increase was proposed and discussed, residents spoke out on both sides of the issue.

To avoid needing to deal with this situation again, the mayor and commissioners will get annual, automatic raises on par with what city employees receive. Outgoing Commissioner Gary Resnick, who once again

joined the meeting by phone, was the only “no” effect on Oct. 1.

CITY MANAGER GETS RAISE

Also getting a raise is City Manager Leigh Ann Henderson. Her base salary and overall compensation (such as retirement/pension contributions) were increased. Even with the adjustments, her salary, like the pay of

elected officials, is still below the average for comparable positions in Broward County.

“I think it’s a fair adjustment,” Henderson said during the meeting. “I think it’s in line with the policy that the commission has set to do market evaluation of all of its employees and bring them up to a competitive rate.”

All these increases are being justified with the goal of attracting and retaining qualified talent that often leaves for more money.

September 22, 2022 • Volume

2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

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BSO SEARCHING FOR CHILDREN WHO INTERACTED WITH SEX PREDATOR AT OAKLAND PARK COMMUNITY CENTER

By Christiana Lilly

A registered sexual predator who was released from prison was arrested after talking to children at an Oakland Park community center.The

Broward Sheriff’s Office said that Frederick Muller, 38, was seen at the Collins Community Center “trying to lure children to him” to talk to them Sept. 8. It’s believed the children had just been let out of school from Oakland Park Elementary School.

A witness who was uneasy about the interaction called the police, and Muller was located and arrested on three charges: failure to comply with registration law, failure to register as a sexual predator, and failure to renew information on his driver’s license. He remains at BSO’s main jail on a $10,500 bond. He was previously released from prison June 27.Law enforcement is asking the public to

come forward if they believe one of their children interacted with Muller that day. So far, police have not been able to get in touch with any potential victims.

According to the Broward County Circuit Court, Muller was arrested in 2006 in Coral Springs for lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 to 15 years old; he was continually rearrested through 2014 for violating his probation. In 2015, there was an order vacating his status as a sexual predator.

Anyone with information about Muller’s interaction with the children at the community center are encouraged to call Det. Marlene Schnakenberg at 954-321-4789 or submit a tip through the SaferWatch app. To remain anonymous, contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477), browardcrimestoppers.org or by calling **TIPS (8477).

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Frederick Muller. Courtesy of BSO.

OAKLAND PARK

NEWS

PROVIDING OF EXPERIENCE in the treatment and prevention of HIV, STD and Viral Hepatitis.

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FINALISTS FOR BEST RESTAURANT IN WILTON MANORS ANNOUNCED

By Rick Karlin

Welcome to SFGN’s Best Of 2022. The finalists have been chosen and voting is underway. Check out this year’s nominees for Best Restaurant in Wilton Manors. Congrats to the finalists! Make sure you cast your vote.

ROSIE’S BAR & GRILL N. WILTON

A required stop for anyone visiting Wilton Manors, Rosie’s is an integral part of the town. It is, in fact, the quintessential Wilton Manors experience. The food is tasty, the drinks are strong, and the staff is pretty. They’ve been around since 2006 and they’ve got this thing down to a science. I think the restaurant’s website sums it up well, “A tropical oasis in the middle of the Island City offering amazing food and refreshing drinks and sassy fun.”

ETHOS GREEK BISTRO N. WILTON ETHOSBISTRO.COM754-999-0050DR.

Perfectly prepared Mediterranean fare, a beautiful atmosphere (even the indoor dining spaces feel as if they are outside) and an attractive and attentive wait staff. The menu is mostly based on food from the island of Crete; light, mainly vegetarian and seafood based. Given that, it’s ironic the most popular dishes are the meat platters, which can include chicken, kefte, gyro and lamb chops.

BONA ITALIAN RESTAURANT WILTON

Bona is Wilton Manors’ kitchen table. It opened in 1979 as a single stall pizzeria and over the years expanded into a fullservice Italian restaurant. Mark Byrd and Glen Weinzimer took over in December of 2016 and the quality of the fare and service improved considerably. The pair’s dedication to serving the local community, has made it a popular gathering spot.

Wilton Manors’ fine dining experience, albeit in a casual setting. All aspects of the dining experience from service to food prep to atmosphere, unify to create something remarkable. There are few restaurants in the vicinity that can match the level of service and quality of food. Deeply committed to the community, it works extensively with local businesses and organizations.

A vibrant Mexican bar and restaurant located in the heart of Wilton Manors, Tulio’s is the place to see and be seen. Sit on the patio and people watch or dine in the colorful and energetic dining room. The focus is on tacos, but there are plenty of other options, and of course, craft beers and hand-crafted cocktails, including a full page of variations on the Margarita!

OVERDOSES ON THE RISE

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid approved for treating severe pain, such as advanced cancer pain.

Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is the main driver of recent increases in synthetic opioid deaths.

SYNTHETIC OPIOID DEATHS ACROSS THE associated with fentanyl have risen dramatically, contributing to a sharp spike in synthetic opioid deaths. MANUFACTURED

Check

WHY HAVE YOU DECIDED TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION?

The decision to run for mayor is to continue the work our commission and I, along with the city manager, have done to move our city into the future. To have financial stability. To update our current parks and to complete our infrastructure.

WHY HAVE YOU DECIDED TO RUN FOR MAYOR?

I’m running for Mayor of Wilton Manors to fix the drinking water, stormwater, sewer discharge and police problems in our city. Annual city spending has increased by several million dollars over the past few years and our water bills are being padded to pay for it. The city commission has always said there is nothing we can do about our green/yellow/tan city drinking water since we buy it from Fort Lauderdale. I disagree and I’ve been working on the quality of our tap water for the past four years. I’ve been talking about our outrageous water bills for eight years.

WHY HAVE YOU DECIDED TO RUN FOR COMMISSIONER?

I am seeking a second term as city commissioner to ensure the initiatives in process are brought to fruition and to keep the momentum of the commission moving forward. This commission accomplished so much because it is a focused and cohesive team.

DON D’ARMINIO: CANDIDATE FOR WILTON MANORS CITY COMMISSION

WHY HAVE YOU DECIDED TO RUN FOR MAYOR/COMMISSIONER?

Since moving to Wilton Manors from the east coast nearly 15 years ago, I immediately felt a connection, a sense of belonging … an instant affinity with the Island City. The people were (and still are) very friendly, genuine and welcoming; this led Marc and I to quickly become active in numerous organizations and we encountered many causes that we were drawn to.

ROY DAVID WALKER: CANDIDATE FOR WILTON MANORS CITY COMMISSION

WHY HAVE YOU DECIDED TO RUN FOR COMMISSIONER?

I believe in public services and have committed many hours to helping the communities and the environment. I have even received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President Obama in 2015. Public service is very important to me and having lived in Wilton Manors for over 12 years, I decided the best way to improve the city and help the community is to be part of the process. That is why I am running for Wilton Manors Commissioner. I am looking to help the city grow in a sustainable way, but keeping the small town feel.

PAUL ROLLI: CANDIDATE FOR WILTON MANORS CITY COMMISSION

SCOTT NEWTON: CURRENT WILTON MANORS MAYOR

BOYD CORBIN: CANDIDATE FOR WILTON MANORS MAYOR