Gazette Wilton Manors
Business Sports
Volume 3 • Issue 1 January 6, 2016
Twice-Monthly Neighborhood Outlook
Island City Open Returns For Round Six By Michael d’Oliveira Every year, Wilton Manors resident Robert Hofmann grabs his racket for the Island City Open tennis tournament. Besides it being his “neighborhood tournament,” as a past winner, he said he enjoys the competition because no one seems too obsessed. “It’s a friendly group of people. It’s not cut throat like some other places.” This year’s tournament, the 6th annual, will take place on Jan. 30 and 31 at Hagen Park, 2020 Wilton Drive. There are men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles and three skill levels: A, B and C. The cost to enter is $25 per person or $40 per doubles team. Those who play get a shirt and barbeque. Winners will receive gift cards to local restaurants. Donna Kocyba, tennis director at Hagen Park, said the tournament will attract about 60 players and about 100 spectators. “It gets people involved in tennis. It’s a great event for the community,” Kocyba said.
It’s also a benefit to the city. “When people come here to play, from Sunrise, Weston, wherever, they’re coming through Wilton Manors,” said Patrick Caan, Leisure Services Department director. The drive through exposes visitors to the city’s restaurants and businesses. It’s also a showcase for Hagen Park’s hydro grid courts. Caan said the courts are modeled after the ones at the Boca Raton Resort & Club which was named number seven of “The 50 Greatest Tennis Resorts in the United States” by Tennis Magazine in 2003. This year’s sponsors, which provide the gift cards, include Matty’s on the Drive, Mind Your Manors, Storks, Match Point, 13 Even, The Best Cellar and Le Patio. The deadline to register is Jan. 26. Call 954-390-2132 or email donnatennis1@aol.com.WMG
Business
Wilton Manors Solar Company Powers its Own By Michael d’Oliveira With over 1,344 megawatts of “solar experience,” Moss Solar has a lot of experience building solar projects. But it wasn’t until April of last year that the company finally harnessed the power of solar at its own headquarters. Moss Construction, which owns Moss Solar, built a solar parking canopy at its headquarters on Andrews Avenue in Wilton Manors. The canopy, which has electric car charging ports, 200 solar panels and can generate 88,375 kilowatts per year has been helping to power the building since April of last year at an estimated savings of about $11,000 per year.
Moss’ other solar projects are located in other parts of Florida, California, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Indiana and Canada “Moss Solar is building thousands of kilowatt facilities across the country. We have seen how well this proven technology has worked for our clients to reduce their carbon footprint while cutting down on electricity cost. It was a decision that made sense for the environment as well as our bottom line. Additionally, our employees’ cars will be sheltered from the sun for the majority of the day, which in South Florida is an added benefit,” wrote the company in a press release. WMG
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Opinion
New Year’s Resolutions Gazette Wilton Manors
JANUARY 6, 2016 • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 1
By Sal Torre
2520 N. DIXIE HIGHWAY • WILTON MANORS, FL 33305 PHONE: 954-530-4970 FAX: 954-530-7943
Hello residents of Wilton Manors. This is your beloved city, here to discuss our resolutions for the New Year and to mention some of the wonderful gifts I received this past holiday season. Unfortunately, Santa did not read the wish list I mailed to the North Pole, because the new IT Director and the fully-staffed Police Department I wished for was not to be found under the tree on Christmas morning. I guess we will have to turn those Christmas wishes into my New Year’s resolutions. So, here is Resolution #1 for 2016. I, the City of Wilton Manors, will put forth a concentrated effort to finally fill the much needed position of IT Director. This position is so vital to our future that we can no longer accept it remaining vacant, now for over a year. This is South Florida for heaven’s sake, and a job that offers a starting salary of $74,000, a four-day work week, and great benefits sounds really good to me. Hello out the there, are we getting the word out? We are a wonderful place to work, have great team players, a new city leadership, along with great places to dine and have after-work cocktails up and down the Drive. This resolution is far too important to wind up on the heap of unfulfilled New Year wishes comes the end of the year. Let’s move on to Resolution #2. Let’s put forth an equally concentrated effort to obtain a fully-staffed Police Department for the coming year, one that will remain that way for some time. As cities go here in South Florida, I have high standards, but perhaps it’s my ego getting me in trouble again. You would think that there would be many good qualified candidates out there who would want to make a career choice here in Wilton Manors. We seem to have a revolving door of new police officers who stay only a short time. Perhaps we need to take a closer look at what might be going on here. I know we have to compete with the big guy, the Broward Sherriff’s Office, and other larger cities that offer more mobility and different career paths for those qualified candidates. But, we keep finding ourselves in this under-staffed position even after we have taken the time to hire qualified candidates. Residents continue to demand that public safety be a top priority, our elected officials voted to hire additional officers this past year at a big expense to our budget, and year after year we fail to see a fully-staffed Police Department doing their job protecting and assisting all of us in making me a better and safer city. I need the help! Not sure if the twelve-hour work shifts may be an issue for the rank and file. As a city that almost clocks in a 24 hour shift, I find myself exhausted, especially when weekends come around, so I am not sure how productive our officers can be after 10 hours, never
Community By Michael d’Oliveira
PUBLISHER • NORM KENT NORM.KENT@SFGN.COM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER • PIER ANGELO GUIDUGLI 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 NEWS EDITOR • MICHAEL D’OLIVEIRA
mind twelve. I am still having trouble with how 12-hour shifts guarantee more boots on the ground. I guess that is why I need a City Manager, an Assistant City Manager, a Police Chief, a Police Administrative Assistant, and a HR Director. IF so many people are telling me it is true, I guess it must be then. Resolution #3. Can we please decorate me with some fabulous new lights next Holiday Season? I am tired of being left with just the usual Christmas tree, Menorah, and Kwanza decorations across from City Hall. I want lights up and down the Drive! Come on people, this is Wilton Manors and our Arts & Entertainment District. I should look absolutely fabulous for the Holiday! Send this Resolution over to the new Business Improvement District meeting – Christmas 2016 wants plenty of holiday lights please!! Resolution #4 might sound greedy, but here goes. I am blessed as the City of Wilton Manors with so many residents who volunteer their time to help me be the wonderful city that I am. Volunteers to city boards, active neighborhood associations, and residents working with the many non-profits help accomplish much needed and wonderful things here, but I want more! Let 2016 be the year you look to become more active in our community and in some way look to join with other residents to make me an even better city in the coming New Year! More active residents bring much needed new ideas and new energy into the mix. Together we will make 2016 a great year, ‘cause life can only get better here’! WMG
Former Gibby’s Location Finally Under Construction After multiple failed attempts at redevelopment, construction is underway at the former Gibby’s Steaks & Seafood. Located in Oakland Park just east of Dixie Highway at 2900 NE 12 Terrace across the Middle River from Wilton Manors, The Pointe at Middle River will consist of 40 townhomes on 3.4 acres of land. Each three-story, 2257 square foot home, most of which will have waterfront views, will include three bedrooms, two baths, two half baths, a two car garage and private balconies. There will also be a gated entrance, clubhouse, a fitness center, meeting room and walking path. The developer’s website describes the design as “South Beach architecture.” Daria Wallach, sales consultant for The Pointe, said she didn’t know when construction would be fully completed but models of the townhomes would be ready for viewing in March. Previous unsuccessful proposals for the site included the G Resort, a gaythemed hotel, and a 102-unit townhome/condo development. WMG
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January 6, 2016
Supply, Meet Demand
Real Estate Geek
By James Oaksun Peak real estate season is here! Realtors here typically do 60-65 percent of their annual business in the first six months. Most buyers are aware that prices fell off a cliff from 2006 into early 2011, but often don't know how much they have recovered. Sellers know prices have strengthened but have heard rumblings of flattening. What's the real story? Using Multiple Listing Service data for single family homes sold in arms-length transactions, I've looked at fourthquarter sales (median prices and volume) for each of the last five years. Prices during the 2013-14 high season got ahead of themselves, particularly east of Dixie. Prices then cooled significantly there and throughout all of the Island City to a lesser degree. Many other neighborhoods in east Broward saw similar cooling (if not outright declines) as I showed in my Broward's Real Estate Yearbook (available by request or online at issuu.com/jamesoaksun/docs/2015_yearbook). Now there is evidence of stronger (2013 level) pricing again, with a possible bubble in higher priced homes in West Wilton. The basic laws of economics are affirmed even in looking at something like Island City real estate. Demand goes up (as it did in 2012-13) and prices march up almost in lockstep. But
then just as there can be over correction on the downside, there can be “irrational exuberance” in a rising market. Demand then drops, and prices along with it. Ultimately a more steady state can be achieved, at least for short time frames. What we are seeing now, mainly, is two types of owners selling. The first type are the more investment-oriented people who bought at or near the market bottom and are now able to cash out at a healthy profit. These people might be more willing to negotiate price and terms. The other main class of sellers are people who bought as prices were headed upward in 2002-04, but before the absolute peak. With the run up in prices these people are now (finally) able to sell at roughly what they still owe on the property. These people are ready to sell but really need to get their price. A smart Realtor will be able to identify for their buyers which sellers falls into which classification, as well as how to help sellers get the optimal price on sale. 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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Community
Police
Wilton Manors Gets Perfect HRC Score
Wilton Manors Sergeant Named Officer of the Year By Michael d’Oliveira Suicide by cop. It’s a phrase Wilton Manors Police Chief Paul O’Connell doesn’t like uttering. But when Thomas Carberry intentionally provoked Sgt. Rick Shawver into suicide by cop on Sept. 7, 2014, O’Connell takes comfort in the fact that no one else died. For his actions, Shawver has been named the “Officer of the Year” by the Broward County Chiefs of Police. “As officers responded to the area they were advised by the frightened caller that the subject has fired gunshots into his home, he was fearful that the subject would shoot him and that he had barricaded himself and his roommate in the bathroom of their home. In a nutshell, this was an “active shooter” call,” wrote O’Connell in his letter nominating Shawver for the award. O’Connell praised Shawver for his tactical expertise, calm presence and leadership of the less experienced officers on the scene. “It was ‘follow me;’ the very essence of leadership on the line. The armed subject subsequently made a decision that compelled officers to discharge their firearms to stop the threat.” In June of 2015, the grand jury determined the shooting was justified. Shawver declined a request to be interviewed. “If you know Rick he is a humble guy that wants no spotlight to be placed upon himself. Rather, he just enjoys coming in and accomplishing the mission our PD sets out to achieve each and every day,” wrote Commander Gary Blocker. “I think his entire acceptance speech
Chief critical of “cookie cutter assessment of WMPD” By Michael d’Oliveira
given yesterday (Dec. 3) was one sentence. Indeed . . . very humble!” wrote O’Connell. In his nomination letter, O’Connell also cited Shawver in helping a single mother bring her home up to code and avoid fines. “He recruited members of our department who volunteered their services on their ‘off time’ to paint the house and make all necessary repairs to achieve compliance.” O’Connell said Shawver is an example of a word people often forget when talking about police: service. Earlier in his career, Shawver was named the 1987 Officer of the Year in LauderdaleBy-The-Sea. According to a Sun Sentinel article published at the time, he received the award for rescuing a woman from a burning building. “He’s a local kid that grew up in a town with tremendous aptitude for the job, and his dedication is making him realize every ounce of that aptitude,” said former Lauderdale-ByThe-Sea Police Chief Joseph Fitzgerald in the article. WMG
Business
Medical Company Purchases Old SunTrust Bank
By Michael d’Oliveira
The former SunTrust Bank on Northeast 26 Street was purchased in 2015 by MIGLOBAL for $3.6 million. A spokesperson for MIGLOBAL, which designs and builds hospitals, dialysis centers and other medical facilities, said the company has not decided yet how the building or property will be used. MIGLOBAL, a company located in the United States and Central and South America, already has offices in Fort Lauderdale. MIGLOBAL purchased the property in September from Unity Church which moved to Fort Lauderdale.
According to Wilton Manors From Farming Community to Urban Village, written by Wilton Manors Historical Society Secretary Benjamin Little, the 3.27-acre property was built in 1955 as the Wilton Manors National Bank and later became a SunTrust branch. SunTrust sold the property to New Urban Communities in 2005. New Urban had hoped to build 61 apartments and 6,648 square feet of commercial space in a mixed-use development but plans never materialized. New Urban sold it to Unity Church in 2012. WMG
For the second year in a row, Wilton Manors has gotten a perfect 100 from the Human Rights Campaign [HRC]. “We’re really proud to be recognized by the HRC. It’s not something that’s happened without a great deal of thoughtfulness and effort,” said City Manager Leigh Ann Henderson. Wilton Manors is one of only three Florida cities to get a perfect HRC score; Orlando and St. Petersburg were the others. The city got 89 standard points and 16 bonus points. HRC only counts a maximum of 100 points. Fort Lauderdale got an overall score of 80 and Oakland Park an 86. The HRC evaluated 408 municipalities nationwide and scored them based on how LGBT friendly their policies are. Categories include non-discrimination practices, how welcoming the city is to LGBT individuals, the availability of transgender health benefits and the existence of an LGBT police liaison or task force. It’s that last category, where the city got 5 out of 10 points, that Chief Paul O'Connell was critical of. “After review of the criteria I have to respectfully disagree with their “cookie cutter” assessment of WMPD. A police department of our size serving a small community of our size does not have the luxury of dedicating one sworn position to this important, but limited, task. In the alternative, WMPD does have a full-time Community Police Officer assigned to the entire community . . . straight, LGBT, black, brown & white, young and elder,” wrote O'Connell in an email. Henderson agreed with O’Connell. “I think, being a small city, that’s really the only way we can do it.” According to Henderson, Wilton Manors’ score was a combination of an initial evaluation by the HRC and feedback by the city. “We were able to identify some areas
[HRC gave us a lesser score on] and increase our points where we underscored. It gave us an opportunity to reflect a score that better reflects our policies.” The city’s original score was 98; 84 standard points and 14 bonus points. Other points lost by the city were for not offering transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits to city employees, something Deanna Muniz, the parent of a transgender child, pleaded with commissioners to add. Muniz, who lives in Sunrise, asked commissioners to add the benefits during their Dec. 8 meeting. “I have other children and I can take them to the doctor and there’s no issues. With my son there’s a lot of layers. It’s very difficult to tell my son, ‘Your sister can go to the doctor but you might need alternative care or our insurance doesn’t cover your care.’ It’s just a reminder that he’s different.” Resident Michael Rajner also supported adding the benefits and said the city already covers HIV and AIDS-related healthcare, “which is more expensive” than transgender procedures. “There’s no Ryan White-like program to cover [transgender healthcare],” he said. Recently, Commissioner Julie Carson advocated the city take a look at adding the benefits but commissioners have yet to make a decision. Henderson said the issue is being researched by the Human Resources Department and could come back to the commission by late January or early February. An initial estimate by Dio Sanchez, director of Human Resources, puts the total cost of a transgender procedure at about $75,000. The city could budget money specifically for that purpose or add it to their policy. Attempts to contact the HRC were unsuccessful because the organization’s offices were closed for the holiday break.
WMG
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