6/3/15 V2i11

Gazette

Volume 2 • Issue 11 June 3, 2015

Wilton Manors

Twice-Monthly Neighborhood Outlook

Page 1 Equality Park Garden Club

Page 2 Stonewall Event

Page 3 Real Estate Geek

Page 4 Dog Park May Relocate

Page 4 Pedestrians At Fault

Business

Commission May Hire New City Manager June 9

By Michael d’Oliveira The vote to install Assistant City Manager Leigh Ann Henderson as the new city manager may be held at the next commission meeting on June 9.

Although no details about salary and benefits has been finalized or approved yet, Mayor Gary Resnick said at a previous commission meeting that he wants Henderson’s salary and benefits to be fair but “not the highest in the county.”

Gallegos, who will retire in October, officially announced his intention to step down on Feb. 2. Hired in 1999, he gave early notice because he wanted to give the city enough time to find a replacement. Gallegos, like the rest of the commission, has

expressed his support for Henderson being chosen. Henderson, who has been with the city since 1999, has served as assistant city manager since 2003.

If she is chosen, city commissioners will also have to start searching for her replacement.

Although the commission has all but voted to replace Gallegos with Henderson, the urge to get her hired as soon as possible was expressed by more than one commissioner.

“We need to move the city forward,” Vice Mayor Scott Newton said. WMG

Photo: WiltonManors.com

Community

Get a Green Thumb with Equality Park Garden Club

By Natalya Jones

Tired of watching the flowers you planted wither and die to nothingness? No need to fret; join the Equality Park Garden Club to turn your thumb green!

During meetings for this club, members can soon learn how to properly grow their own plants and flowers. "Our primary mission is information and education whereby we provide horticultural and landscape information to its members," said Chuck Nicholls, President of Equality Park Garden Club.

Meetings take place 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month (omitting December) at the Pride Center. In addition, there are also plant exchanges, plant themed raffles and guest speakers.

Adds Nicholls, "This is an opportunity for members to learn about tropical plant growing from each other as well as our guest speakers."

Nicholls started the club in April 2010 wanting to fulfill a need: he knew numerous homeowners locally were eager to learn how to grow plants. "Several friends got together and thought this organization would be a valuable asset in the community," the club president said. With 50-70 members in attendance at almost every meeting, it's safe to say that need has been met.

When asked why people should join the club, Nicholls stated, "It's fun and an opportunity to meet people of similar 'green thumb' interests. Also refreshments served at each meeting are delicious." Get ready to plant that sunflower in no time!

Membership costs $20 for single memberships and $25 for household memberships. The Pride Center, the meeting's location, is at 2040 N Dixie Hwy in Wilton Manors. WMG

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Weekend Nightmare Gazette Wilton Manors

Opinion

Rental units are becoming an increasing problem in Wilton

By Sal Torre

JUNE 3, 2015 • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 11 2520 N. DIXIE HIGHWAY • WILTON MANORS, FL 33305 PHONE: 954-530-4970 FAX: 954-530-7943

PUBLISHER • NORM KENT NORM.KENT@SFGN.COM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER • PIER ANGELO GUIDUGLI

You’ve waited all week for the weekend, looking forward to some time out on the Drive, some nice quiet time relaxing home, some yard work, maybe dinner with friends. Suddenly, your weekend is turned into a nightmare. Four cars pull up to the house nextdoor, and ten young men get out, unloading coolers, ice and beer.

Oh no, the unregistered vacation rental next door has rented to a group of partygoers once again! Now you are doomed to endure loud music and cars parked everywhere as their friends show up for a huge party. The noise becomes unbearable that evening. You hear bottles breaking. Trash is thrown all over the yard. People are coming and going. Someone parked on your lawn and tore up the grass you have just redone.

You’ve called the Police Department and Code Enforcement, only to be told once again that nothing can be done. Your weekend is now completely ruined. By Sunday evening, you’re frustrated and exhausted, and can’t wait to get back to work.

This nightmare is becoming more and more customary as an increasing number of unregistered and unregulated vacation home rentals are popping up all over our city. Nearby neighbors watch their quality of life, their beautiful homes, and their peace and quiet taken away in the blink of an eye, due to someone operating a home as a mini-motel business right in the middle of their residential neighborhood, renting to large groups ready for a good time.

The State of Florida has placed limits on what local municipalities can do to regulate vacation home rentals, once again giving city officials the all-too-easy excuse of, “Our hands are tied. The State will not allow us to do anything. There is nothing we can do.”

Not so! We can demand that the city enforce their code, violations that residents can obviously see, but which seem to remain a challenge to the city. Some recent complaints have been addressed

by Code Enforcement, and we hope this proactive engagement will

continue and we thank our city for moving in the right direction.

Residents also have other tools at our disposal. We can check to see if the property and its owners are properly licensed and paying the appropriate taxes. Visit the Broward County Property Appraiser’s website, www.bcpa.net to find out if the property is homesteaded.

If so, report them to the Homestead Fraud Hotline at 954-3576900. You can call the Wilton Manors Community Development Services Department, 954-390-2180, to see if property is registered as a rental property, as required by City Code. If not, report them.

If the property is not properly licensed by the City and is homesteaded illegally, the owners are probably not paying the 5 and 6 percent taxes due to the county and the state. We can report suspected unregistered activity to Broward County Tourism Development and the State of Florida. Join together with your neighbors and work together when contacting City staff and filing complaints.

There are many well managed rental homes here in Wilton Manors, with property owners and managers who take great pride in their properties, pay their taxes, screen prospective clients and keep advertised occupancy rates to a legal level. If you are fortunate to live next to this type of vacation rental property, reach out to the property manager or owner and introduce yourself. Many owners are also residents of our wonderful city and share the same passion for our quality of life. Unfortunately, the few bad apples who pack houses with as many people as possible, do not screen tenants, and look only to cash in are the ones creating the growing problem in our residential neighborhoods.

Contact City officials and request that they take whatever steps necessary to preserve the character and quality of life within our residential neighborhoods. Some enforcement is possible if we all work together.

Here’s to a wonderful weekend here in Wilton Manors. WMG

News

Stonewall Behind But Organizers Confident They’ll Be Ready

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER / EXECUTIVE EDITOR • JASON PARSLEY JASON.PARSLEY@SFGN.COM

Editorial

ART DIRECTOR • BRENDON LIES ARTWORK@SFGN.COM ONLINE PRODUCER • DENNIS JOZEFOWICZ DENNIS.JOZEFOWICZ@SFGN.COM EDITORIAL ASSISTANT • JILLIAN MELERO JILLIANMELERO@GMAIL.COM

Correspondents

MICHAEL D’OLIVEIRA • CHRISTIANA LILLY • DENISE ROYAL • NATALYA JONES • JOHN MCDONALD • JAMES OAKSUN

Staff Photographers

J.R. DAVIS • POMPANO BILL • STEVEN SHIRES

Sales & Marketing

DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING • MIKE TROTTIER MIKE.TROTTIER@SFGN.COM SALES MANAGER • JUSTIN WYSE JUSTIN.WYSE@SFGN.COM ADVERTISING SALES ASSOCIATE • EDWIN NEIMANN EDWIN.NEIMANN@SFGN.COM ADVERTISING SALES ASSOCIATE • CINDY CURTIS CINDY.CURTIS@SFGN.COM ACCOUNTING SERVICES BY CG BOOKKEEPING South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs.

Associated Press

Michael d’Oliveira

Time is running out for the organizers of this city’s Stonewall street festival.

But at the May 26 commission meeting, organizers, the Wilton Manors Entertainment Group, said they were confident everything would be ready in time for the June 20 event.

“We can still do it . . . but we can’t do it all,” said Corrie Boyd, the event’s entertainment manager.

With less than three weeks left, Jeff Sterling, executive manager of the Wilton Manors Entertainment Group, said Stonewall is behind $10,000 in sponsors, $17,000 in vendors and $10,000 for the parade. But he said he was confident that the final sponsors and vendors would sign-up in time. “No matter what, we will be on budget. I’m confident it will come pouring in.”

One reason for a shortage of vendors may be communications problems.

“I would like to get a booth at the Stonewall festival but am having a lot of difficulty finding out how to register,” wrote Dr. Jared Wannenwetsch, a chiropractor in Fort Lauderdale, in an email to The Gazette. “Do you know whom I should contact about this? Any information you can provide will be very helpful” he asked.

Commissioners urged city staff and the Entertainment Committee to work fast to tie up any loose ends.

“Two weeks [before the event] is too late. Let’s get it done now,” said Vice Mayor Scott

Copyright © 2014 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.

Newton. “I want this to be a great event, as it always is. We don’t need to fall on our faces.”

The festival will include vendors, live entertainment and a parade down Wilton Drive. The event starts at 1 p.m. and the parade starts at 6 p.m. Wilton Drive will be closed from 4:30 a.m. on June 20 to 4 a.m. on June 21. To close the street, the city has budgeted $4,000 and is waiving the $2,000 event permit fee and the $2,500 building permit fees.

The cost to provide security is about $15,000. R&B girl group En Vogue has been announced as the event’s headline entertainment. Other musical acts have also been announced. Parking, at Hagen Park, 2020 Wilton Drive, and Richardson Park, 1937 Wilton Drive, will cost $15.

In years past, private entities have organized the event but this year city officials decided to take it on themselves. To help run it, they appointed five volunteers, the Wilton Manors Entertainment Group, to work with city staff members.

For more information or to become a vendor, visit WiltonManorsStonewall.com. WMG

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NextGen Real Estate Leadership

Real Estate Geek

By James Oaksun Did you know there are more than 8,000 Realtors in the Greater Fort Lauderdale board? And at least another 15,000 people in Broward County who hold real estate licenses but are not Board members?

Swing your wig at Village Pub some night and you're going to hit a Realtor. Or even two.

And no, Mary, we are not all the same.

The purchase of a home remains a significant decision.

And going forward, it'll take a different sort of Realtor to add value to that process.

In my opinion, there are some special gifts that leading Realtors of the future will need to bring to the marketplace.

The first is a more scientifically based focus on properties and neighborhoods with the most appreciation potential. We've been through boom and bust, and with a return to more normal conditions an understanding of the drivers of value will be critical.

The second factor is enhanced appreciation of the linkage between real estate and government. Flood insurance, for example, is an issue on which Congress sticks Band-Aids before kicking it down the road past the next election cycle. Recently Congress almost let the program expire (which would have raised rates in parts of

our area by Ten Times) but ultimately reauthorized the program to 2017.

People want to live by the water, and want the Federal government to subsidize the risk. Will that continue forever? Is your Realtor part of the solution?

Which leads into a third issue. You don't see very much raw land here in Broward County. We're largely built out, and overall the population of Florida has tripled since 1970.

What happens now? New construction requires removing or retrofitting old structures and updating to contemporary standards. What will those standards be?

Who knows enough of the right things to be able to guide you in making the right decisions for yourself and for those who follow us?

Maybe a lot of people don't care. (Carpe diem, right?)

But I'm betting that mindset is changing.

And leading Realtors must help drive that change. WMG James Oaksun, Broward's Real Estate GeekSM, is a Realtor with the Wilton Manors office of RE/MAX Preferred. In addition to having degrees from Dartmouth and Cornell, he is a graduate of the Realtors Institute (GRI).

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Business

Community

City Blames Pedestrians for Continued Accidents Citations issued to people after they’ve been hit by cars

Wilton Manors May Move Dog Park

By Michael d’Oliveira

By Michael d’Oliveira

After another pedestrian was hit by a car while crossing Wilton Drive, residents reiterated their demands for improved safety on Wilton Drive and other roadways.

Chief Paul O’Connell said the good news is that the pedestrian, who was hit around 10 p.m. on May 24, sent to Broward General Medical Center and later released, sustained only minor injuries. “The bad news is he’s not the only one.”

The pedestrian was hit in front of The Venue at 2345 Wilton Drive and cited for not using a crosswalk. Police found no fault with the motorist and did not issue a citation.

Recently, two men were also hit crossing Wilton Drive at Northeast 20 Street. Because they were not using a crosswalk, they were issued a jaywalking ticket by police. The driver of the automobile was also issued a citation for an improper left hand turn.

In an attempt to prevent future accidents, police here will begin a campaign this month to educate the public on pedestrian safety. Commander Gary Blocker said the first phase would involve educating pedestrians as well as businesses located on the major roadways.

“The second phase would be that enforcement aspect where we would start issuing citations,” Blocker said.

O’Connell implored residents and visitors to use the crosswalks. “Use them.

Use them.”

But the residents who spoke at the May 26 commission meeting said the existing crosswalks are not enough. More crosswalks, they said, needed to be added on Wilton Drive as well as Andrews Avenue and Powerline Road.

“This is a conversation we need to have.

This is not a walk friendly city,” said resident Jake Valentine. “How many more lives or

potential lives are going to be lost?” asked resident Doug Blevins. “Don’t abdicate your duty, folks,” he told commissioners.

Paul Rolli, president of the Central Area Neighborhood Association, suggested increased police patrols, temporary signs, and that more jaywalking and speeding tickets be issued. “It’s not one. It’s both [pedestrians and drivers].”

Commissioner Tom Green said city officials would be meeting with Florida Department of Transportation [FDOT] officials in a couple weeks to address concerns. Wilton Manors officials say they are also working with Fort Lauderdale to reduce the number of lanes on Powerline Road from four to two as well as add bike lanes and improve landscaping.

Among the items discussed with FDOT will be the possible narrowing of Wilton Drive from four lanes to two, painting the speed limit directly on the street and moving the crosswalk signal in front of city hall a few feet south to Northeast 20 Street. According to FDOT officials, the signal in front of city hall was not placed at Northeast 20 Street because engineers believed it would be used more frequently at its current location.

Resident Kate Donohue said when she’s used it the signal takes too long to work.

“No wonder people jaywalk.”

But while commissioners promised more action, they also said people need to take personal responsibility and use the crosswalks. “If we put 10 more [crosswalks] in it’s not going to make a difference,” said Vice Mayor Scott Newton. Mayor Gary Resnick said people will continue to jaywalk, no matter where the signal is placed, if it’s more convenient. “You cannot change human behavior,” Resnick said. WMG

When commissioners voted to purchase two residential lots adjacent to Hagen Park they had no plans to develop them.

Now the lots, located on Northeast 21 Drive, may be used for a new dog park.

Patrick Cann, Leisure Services Department director, said city officials were looking at every city park to see which area is best suited for a dog park. The dog park is currently located within Colohatchee Park.

“I don’t know that we will move away from Colohatchee. I still think it has the most room. There have been inquiries from residents about putting dog parks in different locations.”

Cann said the advantages and disadvantages of each possible site will have to be weighed, such as the park’s proximity to residences. If the Hagen lots were chosen for a new dog park they would be between two residential buildings. Many other cities in Broward, such as Oakland Park, Tamarac, Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach, have dedicated dog parks that are not surrounded by residences.

The commission voted to purchase the two properties in October of 2013 for $390,000. In early 2014, the multi-unit buildings were demolished for $13,000. The money was taken out of the reserve fund – $3.4 million before the purchase.

Vice Mayor Scott Newton and former commissioner Ted Galatis voted against the purchase. Most residents who spoke at the commission meeting were against the purchase, saying that the money should have been better spent on existing parks or not spent at all.

Those who supported the purchase, Mayor Gary Resnick, Commissioner Julie Carson and Commissioner Tom Green, said the city had an opportunity to acquire land that could be used to expand Hagen Park in the future.

Cann said that even if the Hagen lots aren’t chosen the city is looking at ways to beautify them. Dog litter stations are also being considered for some of the existing pocket parks, possibly funded by private individuals or companies. “We’re being more pet friendly,” Cann said.

Dog park users interviewed by The Gazette seem fine with the dog park’s current location. At least two think it should probably be expanded to take up more of Colohatchee. “It’s really just a waste of space. You never see kids play [on the playground]. You never see anyone playing volleyball,” said Fort Lauderdale resident Tony DeMarco.

At the May 26 commission meeting, resident Boyd Corbin called for the city to assign a dedicated park ranger as a means to stopping individuals from using the park for sex.

In recent years, the park has gained a reputation for such behavior, either inside the bathroom or, in some cases, on the boardwalk.

Cann said the park is already monitored on a daily basis. “The maintenance staff goes through several days per week and a park ranger goes through and closes the park every evening.” WMG

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