THE
GAZETTE VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 19 OCTOBER 6, 2022
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WILTON MANORS
WILTON MANORS MAYOR’S RACE PRESENTS STARK CONTRAST WITH FAMILIAR FACES By John McDonald The mayor’s race in Wilton Manors is a stark contrast of platforms with familiar faces. This is Mayor Scott Newton’s second administration as mayor, having held the position from 2004 to 2008. Born and raised in the Island City, Newton, 65, won a hard-fought three-way race for mayor in 2020 and is seeking re-election on a pitch of leading a cohesive commission toward long-term goals. “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,” Newton said. “To have financial stability. To update our current parks and to complete our infrastructure.” Newton faces challenger Boyd Corbin, 54, who is making his fourth run for mayor. An outspoken critic of both Wilton Manors and Fort Lauderdale governance, Corbin’s focus flows from the tap. “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,” Corbin said. “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.” Corbin is quick to pull out his phone
to record incidents of sewer line breaks, which have plagued the city in recent years. He’s calling for lift station repairs and sleeving of the sewer lines. Newton doesn’t deny Wilton Manors’ aging infrastructure is in need of upgrades. He declined to lay blame on one department. “We have had big challenges in the last few years with COVID that hurt some departments, but we are getting back to fully staffed and back on track,” Newton said. Wilton Manors Commissioners recently voted to increase the mayor’s salary from $11,500 to $30,000 annually. Both candidates are businessmen; Newton owns an upholstery shop, and Corbin owns a vacation rental. The lone straight man and parent on an all-gay male commission, Newton said he loves to see diverse businesses come to Wilton Manors. Having a component of affordable housing in projects for the working class is needed, Newton said. “There is interest from developers to bring in different projects that could include workforce housing,” Newton said. Corbin said he is taking a free market approach to commerce with one exception. “The blood plasma center on Andrews Ave. attracts drug addicts who sell their blood,” Corbin said. “We don’t need businesses like that if we can help it.” A little more than 7,000 Wilton Manors
Scott Newton (left) faces Boyd Corbin for mayor in the upcoming election. Courtesy photos.
residents cast votes in the 2020 mayoral election. Newton defeated former commissioner Julie Carson by 116 votes (3,161 to 3,045) with celebrity chef Josie Smith-Malave taking 873 votes. A count by the U.S. Census Bureau that same year showed the city to have a population of
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11,426. Election day is Nov. 8. Early voting begins Oct. 24 and runs through Nov. 6. The Woman’s Club of Wilton Manors, 600 N.E. 21st Court, is the city’s early voting site. The last day for voters to request a vote-by-mail ballot is Oct. 29.
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WILTON MANORS
WILTON MANORS CANDIDATES CAMPAIGN TO KEEP LIFE ‘BETTER’ By John McDonald
THE
GAZETTE October 6, 2022 • Volume 9 • Issue 19 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
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PAUL ROLLI (far left) Incumbent for Wilton Manors Commissioner
DON D’ARMINIO (left) Candidate for Wilton Manors Commissioner
ROY DAVID WALKER Candidate for Wilton Manors Commissioner
Wilton Manors prides itself on life being better here, and three commission candidates are campaigning to ensure that’s the case. The top two vote-getters will take their position on the commission. All three candidates are gay men. Vice Mayor Paul Rolli is the lone incumbent. First elected in 2018, Rolli, 71, is a retired top-level federal government executive who directed overseas operations at the IRS. “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,” Rolli said. “This commission accomplished so much because it is a focused and cohesive team.”
professional who has served for the last six years on the city’s planning and zoning board. He moved to Wilton Manors 14 years ago from the east coast. “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.” Walker, a park naturalist for Broward County, brings knowledge and experience in environmental and sustainability projects along with a millennial’s perspective. If elected, Walker, 37, would be the youngest member of the commission. “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,” said Walker, who received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award from former president Barack Obama in 2015. Keeping the city budget sustainable and improving water and sewer infrastructure are top issues for all candidates. By working as a team, Rolli said the commission has many accomplishments worth nothing, including managing the COVID-19 crisis without dipping into reserve funds. “The city commission adopted a five-year strategic plan with six key areas; approved a 25- to 30-year water/sewer infrastructure plan; completed over $3 million in water/
sewer improvements; updated development regulations to attract new residents and businesses and increase tax revenue, initiated a rewrite of the city’s outdated code of ordinances; awarded over $4.4 million in surtax funds for city-wide transportationrelated projects; approved a state agreement to receive about $6.4 million from the American Rescue Plan Act and many others,” Rolli said. D’Arminio touts his ability to get things done as well as his involvement in several community organizations and charities. “This community engagement opportunity allowed me to be able to ‘pay it forward’ while also applying my extensive career/ professional/life experiences to be of even greater service to this unique city of which I so proudly call home,” D’Arminio said. Maintaining Wilton Manors’ small town vibe is frequently mentioned by all candidates. With housing costs on the rise, Walker is proposing new developments carve out a portion of their plans for low income and elderly residents. “Although this may not be the silver bullet for affordable housing, it is a first step in addressing the issue,” Walker said. Election day is Nov. 8. Early voting begins Oct. 24 and runs through Nov. 6. The Woman’s Club of Wilton Manors, 600 N.E. 21st Court, is the city’s early voting site. The last day for voters to request a vote-by-mail ballot is Oct. x 29.
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“This commission accomplished so much because it is a focused and cohesive team.” VICE MAYOR PAUL ROLLI Rolli faces newcomers Don D’Arminio and Roy David Walker. Commissioners serve fouryear terms and earn a $25,000 annual salary. D’Arminio, 60, is an accounting and tax
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GETTING OUT THE VOTE ON WILTON DRIVE
WHO WILL YOU VOTE FOR?
By John Hayden
Check out our coverage on the Wilton Manors 2022 Election at
COMMUNITY
WILTON MANORS
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ELECTION Q&A SCOTT NEWTON: CURRENT WILTON MANORS MAYOR
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.
BOYD CORBIN: CANDIDATE FOR WILTON MANORS MAYOR 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.
Bud Beehler in front of the Democratic LGBTQ+ Get Out The Vote Center, 2348 Wilton Drive in the heart of Wilton Manors. Image via Facebook.
With just a month to go until the midterm are 2-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. elections, politics is moving into the heart Saturdays, and noon until 7 p.m. on Sundays. of Wilton Drive. A new Get Out The Vote This is an opportunity to put politics front (GOTV) Center is a joint effort between the and center to LGBT community members Dolphin Democrats and the Florida LGBTQ+ who don’t usually pay much attention. “One primary goal is to educate voters Democratic Caucus and will be the only on the candidates who are LGBTQ+ GOTV Center in supportive of issues important Florida. to LGBTQ+ voters including It will be located at 2348 “One primary goal women’s rights, trans rights, Wilton Drive, right across the is to educate voters immigrants and the economy,” street from The Manor. on the candidates political activist Bud Beehler “They can register to vote. said. They can pick up yard signs. who are supportive The first goal is registering We can tell them where to go of issues important people to vote. The last day vote early. At the same time to register is Oct. 11. After it’s to hold rallies,” Democratic to LGBTQ+ voters that, they’ll stock a variety activist Michael Albetta said. including women’s of yard signs, window signs Oct. 8 is national women’s and bumper stickers for local rally, and organizers hope rights, trans rights, and state candidates. “We will to have the local rally at the immigrants and the request donations for these GOTV Center. economy.” items,” Beehler said. Organizers have been trying “Additionally, we’ll have for for a few weeks to find a spot sale buttons, label pins and located on The Drive, and this -BUD BEEHLER t-shirts. We’ll also have voters’ week, Jeffery Selzer of Selzer guides on hand as well as QR Law Firm helped set them up Political Activist codes to websites.” in the new space, which once Boosting enthusiasm is was the PAC Pastries. The center already has signs in the key after lackluster turnout in the August windows and hopes to have a grand opening primaries. Mail-in ballots are already arriving this weekend. With the election so close, for those who are registered. Early voting there will be no days off. The center will runs Oct. 24 through Nov. 6 and voting day is operate every day until election day. Hours Nov. 8.
PAUL ROLLI: CANDIDATE FOR WILTON MANORS CITY COMMISSION 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
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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.
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