WMG Volume 4 • Issue 21 November 22, 2017
Wilton Manors Gazette
Community
Wilton Manors to Install Metal Detectors in Commission Chambers By Michael d’Oliveira In a move called “a sign of the times” by consultant hired by the city. O’Connell said both city officials and residents, a metal other safety strategies would be implemented detector will be installed at the entrance of but, citing security concerns, declined to say what they were at this time. the city commission chambers. Recently, the city also began posting an The decision was announced by Mayor Gary Resnick during the city’s Veterans Day additional police officer in the commission ceremonies at Hagen Park on Saturday, Nov. chambers during commission meetings. 11. Resnick made the announcement as he Previously, only one officer would be talked about the need for more gun control officially posted in the back of the room. and listed some of the recent mass shootings Now, there is also one assigned to the front of the room. that have taken place in the Commissioner Julie United States, including Las Carson said she doesn’t think Vegas, the Fort Lauderdale/ that a metal detector would Hollywood International make an effective deterrent Airport, Pulse Nightclub, in a room as small as the and the church shooting in commission chambers, Sutherland Springs, Texas. but said she would defer to In an interview with O’Connell. “I’m going to look The Gazette, Chief Paul to the chief.” She said she’d O’Connell echoed Resnick like to see bullet proof glass on gun control. “Our Second installed on the outside of Amendment has been - Scott Newton the commission chambers kidnapped by the NRA.” Commissioner and some kind of protective O’Connell said the metal metal or glass placed over detector would be installed in January. Asked which mass shooting the wood paneling of the commission dais. prompted the city to decide to install the “If someone comes in [and starts shooting], metal detector, O’Connell said it was Pulse in we have nowhere to go,” she said. “I’m very sorry that we have to even talk Orlando. “Pulse was the key.” The police chief said the decision to about it,” said Commissioner Scott Newton. install the metal detector was made during But, better safe than sorry, he added. “It’s a a special closed-door commission meeting necessary evil.” Resident Mary Ulm said she already feels on Oct. 2. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the city’s security master plan and its safe at commission meetings but said she’s implementation. The metal detector, he said, fine with the metal detector if it will make was one of the suggestions of the security city officials and other residents feel safer.
Photo courtesy of the City of Wilton Manors.
“I’m very sorry that we have to even talk about it.”
But not every resident is fine with the new security feature. “Short of our police department having received or is knowledgeable of credible threats, I find the installation of metal detectors at our city’s commission chambers to be a knee jerk reaction by local officials in response to our nation’s disgraceful failure
to take any substantive action on addressing gun control and gun violence,” said Sal Torre, president of the Westside Association of Wilton Manors. “The presence of armed Wilton Manors police officers at all city meetings should be more than enough security and offer a high degree of safety for our residents.” WMG
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November 22, 2017
11.22.2017 •
21
Opinion
Patriotism Isn’t Just for Conservatives I love My Country Too By Sal Torre
WMG November 22, 2017 • Volume 4 • Issue 21 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 Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com Copyeditor • Kerri Covington
Editorial
Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com Digital Content Director • Brittany Ferrendi Webmaster@sfgn.com News Editor • Michael d’Oliveira
Correspondents
John McDonald • James Oaksun
Recently I spent my Saturday afternoon at the Veterans Day event hosted by the City of Wilton Manors, a fitting tribute to the many men and women who have served in the military of our great nation and deserve our unequivocal gratitude and respect. No one should ever overlook, minimize, or forget their bravery, sacrifices, and service to protect our essential American values, freedom, and way of life. Looking over the diverse crowd and listening to the impassioned speakers, I felt a sense of anger and contempt towards the radical rightwing fanatics who falsely claim a God-given ownership over patriotism. These fascists wrap themselves in the American flag and chant, “Make America Great Again.” In reality, the only way we will make America great again is to realize that every one of us makes America the great nation it already is. Our brave veterans come from very different backgrounds. Some are wealthy, poor, white, black, Latino, gay, straight, male, female, transgender, and some not even U.S. citizens when they volunteered. They were Christian, Jewish, Muslim, atheist, liberal, socialist, conservative, and more. They all came together as Americans willing serve a country they believed in, to defend the dream of freedom for all! Only when we begin to recognize ourselves as a nation of many, instead of a select privileged class, will we truly make America great again. Our Mayor selected verses from Maya Angelou’s poem, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” to talk about defending our freedoms. Perhaps a more appropriate choice would have been a poem written by Langston Hughes, “Dream of Freedom,” part of which reads:
There are those who claim This dream for theirs alone-A sin for which we know They must atone. This dream knows no frontier or tongue, The dream no class or race. The dream cannot be kept secure In any one looked place. It must be saved for ALLOur dream of freedom!
Looking at those who make life better for the many here in our Island City of Wilton Manors, I would like to move the subject to last week’s SFGN edition and the selections for SFGN’s Best of 2017. Having spent the past week pondering or perhaps actually channeling the spirit of Emma Goldman, a political activist, union organizer, and writer, while reviewing her influence during the first half of the 20th Century, I feel the need to share my thoughts and Emma’s wisdom, on who should be our local Wilton Manors choice for Best Local Politician and Best LGBT Activist. While Debbie Wasserman Schultz might qualify as best politician for being able to hold on to elected office after her actions over the past few years, her failure at the helm of the Democratic Party paved the way for the Trump Presidency. Her backing of the payday loan industry was a slap in the face for many Florida working families struggling to get out of the vicious cycle of debt. A far better choice for Best Politician would be Congressman Ted Deutch, who represents Wilton Manors and serves as Chair of the Congressional LGBT Aging Issues Task Force and as Vice Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus. It is often said that all politics are local, so perhaps we should look right here in our Island City where we can choose any one of our City Commissioners for doing a great job, Vice Mayor Justin Flippen and with Commissioner Scott Newton could both be our hometown favorites. Looking outside our borders, Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Dean Trantalis would be a formidable contender. Sorry, Debbie! Now let’s look at the selection for Best LGBT Activist. Doing a spectacular job, one that pays you a six figure salary, does not make you a great activist, it makes you a great CEO. A true activist is someone who fights for a cause about which he or she is passionate, someone willingly accepting the personal costs and unpopularity that advocating for a controversial issue may bring. There are many in our wonderful city who are committed and who struggle to bring about the change in which they believe, but no one fills that role better than our own Michael Rajner. On many occasions Michael reminds us of the issues that we as a city and a community need to address, rather than remain silent or ignore. Activist Rajner does not win a lot of friends along the way, but activism is not a popularity contest. Love him or hate him, but always respect Michael’s commitment to make our community better, even though we would rather him shut up at times. Activists like Michael Rajner force us to consider and make hard choices about what it means to stand for equality, justice, and freedom for all! That is the work of a true activist. Thank you, Michael, for making life just better here -- and Emma thanks you too. WMG
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J.R. Davis • Pompano Bill • Steven Shires
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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 Sales Assistant • Tim Higgins Tim.Higgins@sfgn.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping National Advertising Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com 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. MEMBER
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November 22, 2017
Plenty of Inventory?
Real Estate Geek
By James Oaksun Before Thanksgiving, I will be rolling out my third edition of Broward’s Real Estate Yearbook, providing a detailed view of pricing, sales and inventory trends in 35 distinct East Broward neighborhoods (with new expanded coverage of Lake Worth in Palm Beach County). Last time, I assessed pricing trends in the three neighborhoods of the Island City. In this issue I will have a few things to say about the inventory levels of single family homes here. Realtors frequently complain about “low inventory levels.” Sometimes this is warranted; sometimes not. Of course, the principal measure of success among some Realtors is getting new listings, the more the better. But if there are too many homes on the market, buyers may get suspicious about neighborhood desirability and pricing. In theory, an inventory calculation (measured in the number of months needed to sell the homes on the market at the current rate of sales) should be trivial. Just take the number of homes for sale and divide it by the sales per month. This has made me uncomfortable for a couple different reasons at least. First of all, there are ways of manipulating this statistic (to a degree) to produce a misleading result. But by hearkening back to my previous career in Actuary-Land, I have developed a methodology to correct for that. (For purposes of this column, you don’t need to know the details, but I may do a technical note on it for my website, someday,
if anyone is interested. Next year I will serve on the Research Advisory Committee for Florida Association of Realtors, and perhaps I can work on that with them.) The second reason is easier to explain. Here in South Florida, our real estate sales vary seasonally, sometimes dramatically so. Further, with the variability in sales rates known among owners (and, one would expect, Realtors), the level of inventory at any given time would be what is known in statistics and economics as a leading indicator of coming sales activity, and not a coincident indicator. To see what effects these matters would have on the “months of inventory” calculation for the Island City as a whole, I looked at average sales over three, six and 12-month periods, compared with average inventory levels for periods ending three months prior to the date in question. The results are shown in the graph. Two observations in closing. First, overall inventory levels in WilMa have been acceptable, even ample, over the last several years. Second, the analysis raises a question of what, exactly, is the optimal level of inventory. Looking across the 41 neighborhoods in the yearbook, inventory levels by neighborhood increase (from a base level) at a rate of roughly one month for every $100,000 of price. This suggests that the Realtor “rule of thumb” that inventory of less than six months indicates a “seller’s market” is not universally applicable. And my frequent readers know how I feel about rules of thumb. WMG
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November 22, 2017
James Oaksun, Broward's Real Estate Geek(SM), is BrokerOwner of New Realty Concepts in Oakland Park. In addition to having degrees from Dartmouth and Cornell, he is a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI).
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Community Art
Community
Wilton Manors’ CDBG Application Art Expo Returns, Offers Exposure for Artists and Storefronts to Go For Storage Building By Michael d’Oliveira
By Michael d’Oliveira
x
Island City Park Preserve, one of the potential areas to be improved by the grant. Photo courtesy of the City of Wilton Manors.
After months of resident input, and possible computer training programs. multiple commission discussions and Unfortunately, Broward County has public hearings, commissioners voted advised the City that no new social service on Nov. 14 to submit its Community programs may be funded with 44th year Development Block Grant [CDBG] allocations,” DeJesus wrote. At a previous meeting, commissioners application to obtain funding to build a multi-purpose storage building at Mickel expressed a desire to see the city apply to use the funds on something that would Park. The money, about $65,000 provided provide free WiFi or a way for residents by the federal government, is doled to charge their mobile devices after their out every year to be given to certain electricity is knocked out by a future communities with blighted areas. This hurricane or other natural disaster. Resident Paul Kuta stated the building year, the Highland Estates neighborhood and the neighborhoods west of Andrews should be equipped with solar panels. “I believe this building Avenue qualified to receive should be equipped funding. with solar roof panels to If approved and built, If approved and reduce utility costs and the building would be built, the building provide electricity during used to store equipment would be used to emergencies.” for various recreational Other suggestions for the activities and maintenance store equipment use of the money included equipment. “A storage for various a kayak storage facility at building would also recreational Island City Park Preserve promote more efficient activities and or Donn Eisele Park, shade maintenance operations maintenance structures and artificial than having to transport turf at Donn Eisele, solarall supplies and equipment equipment. powered public phone from the maintenance charging stations at parks, facility at Dixie Highway,” wrote Todd DeJesus, capital projects crosswalks on Powerline Road south and grants manager, in a memo to the of Northwest 29 Street, an emergency generator at Mickel Park, and storm water commission. Usually, city officials attempt to use the improvements. Past uses of CDBG funds include a lift funding for something that will improve the quality of life of residents in blighted station rebuild, construction of sidewalks, a drainage system, street resurfacing, the areas. “It was suggested at previous public construction of a floating dock, purchase hearings that consideration be given and installation of an emergency generator, to the development of programs to creation of a parking lot near Island City benefit low income residents including Park Preserve, and fitness stations. WMG
Stephan Greco and Drew Eric wouldn’t have walked into Out of the Closet Saturday night if they hadn’t come to Wilton Drive for the Wilton Manors Arts & Entertainment Expo. “If it weren’t for the Art Expo, I would not have been able to find the perfect Christmas gift for a friend at Out of the Closet. I walked in and it was right there waiting for me,” Greco said. “I’m very happy it’s back,” said Eric. Now in its second season, the Expo, formerly known as the Art Walk, is held every third Saturday of the month along Wilton Drive from 6 to 9 p.m. The event features local businesses showcasing artists and their work and runs until May of 2018. Along with giving artists exposure, business owners and others with Wilton Drive addresses also hope to draw traffic during the event. “Absolutely. We love to be open on nights when things are going on,” said Jody Slagle, events and engagement supervisor for the South Florida Symphony, which recently relocated to Wilton Drive. “It’s a big plus for us.” Santos Gonzales last participated in the event two years ago and Saturday was his first time back. “It’s wonderful. The interaction with the customers, the people . . . it’s good to showcase my art and get my name out there.”
It was Mindy Gang’s first Expo and she sold a piece of her jewelry within the first hour. “It’s a great way to give artists a chance to get their art out there,” Gang said. “I think it’s really important for artists to get involved in the community and sell their art,” said artist Tiffany Beasi. Artist and author Ellen Sparer also likes participating in the Expo and similar events in Fort Lauderdale. When she spoke to The Gazette, she said it was too early to tell how she’d do. But she said location would probably be key. Employees at various Wilton Drive businesses echoed her comments. “It really depends what part of the street you’re on,” said an employee at Wilton Creamery. Marcy Miller, co-owner of Bubbles & Pearls, said “everybody wins” with events like the Expo, but that the event doesn’t consistently bring people out. “Sometimes, it’s slammed. Sometimes, it’s not.” One employee at What The Pho restaurant, said it’s hard to tell how much the event contributes because Saturday is a normally busy night already. WMG Visit wmae.org for more information on the Expo.
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November 22, 2017
Community
Off The Wall
Chardees Redux
Sensation Tattoo Gives Tattoo Discounts for Donated Toys By Michael d’Oliveira
By Pier Angelo
Those who want to get a little ink for themselves this holiday season can also give a little to a needy child at the same time. Sensation Tattoo, located at 2031 Wilton Drive, is having its annual Toys for Tats toy drive. Customers who bring in a child’s toy valued at $10 and up will get a 25 percent discount off their tattoo. Higher discounts will be offered for more expensive toys. Santiago Gonzalez, manager at Sensation Tattoo, which opened its doors on Wilton Drive last year, said he expects his clients will participate like they did last year, but even more so this Christmas. “We expect a better turnout in Wilton Manors. Last year, we had people bringing in multiple toys. We had the whole backseat and the whole trunk full.” The haul of toys included action figures, dolls, board games, and toy cars. “It was kind of all over the place,”
Photo courtesy of Chardees.
Photo courtesy of Sensation Tattoos, Yelp.
Santiago said. The discount starts Nov. 24 and goes until Christmas Eve. “We go out Christmas Eve to parks that are in the worst parts of the neighborhood and give them to kids who need them. We pull over to the side of the street [if we see a needy family] and give out toys,” Santiago said. Call 954-514-7666 for more information. WMG
The floodgates were opened in the mid What do the Mini Cooper, the Volkswagen Beetle, and the Fiat 500 have nineties. Inspired by Chardees’s success in common? They are classics and icons and popularity a slew of gay or gay-friendly from the past that have been brought back businesses followed — coffeehouses, real with great success and a touch of nostalgia estate agents, eateries, clothing stores, banks, developers, more gay bars. thrown in for good measure. In 1997, Jim Stork started Stork's Bakery Now Wilton Manors is getting its own and Café on NE 15th trip down memory lane Avenue; three years later, revived and repolished. Wilton Manors elected its Chardees is Baaaaack! Wilton Drive is first gay mayor, John Fiore. In its hay days Chardees the heart of one Norm Kent founded the was The Place, The center tribe's local paper, The of WM's universe. of the gayest Express, precursor of SFGN, It opened in 1990 and towns in America; in December of '99. Today, closed in 2007. A glittering 40 percent of Wilton Manors is the center gay mirage in a desert of of Florida's queer galaxy. boarded-up strip malls, its 15,000-plus Wilton Drive is the heart trailer parks, crack houses, residents identify of one of the gayest towns and abandoned buildings in America; 40 percent of strewn with garbage. The as LGBT. its 15,000-plus residents venue aimed specifically identify as LGBT. at the mature gay men, or And it all started with one gay bar. silver foxes, and their admirers. Tony Dee, The Lord of the Drive, believes It was renowned worldwide and featured two legendary bartenders: Mark Hess and that the old magic is still there, the name Jimmy Molloy. The “Supper Club” as it recognition has certainly survived and he was also known, headlined entertainers hopes it is still the destination many of the like Eartha Kitt, comedienne Pudgy, singer original patrons never left. He says: “Seeing Jennifer Holliday, and Judy Tenuta. It an old friend can put a smile on your face.” We wish him all the best. Chardees was the place to go to, by some loved and revered as “the new church,” it became a Lounge will open soon at: 2440 Wilton Drive. WM 33305. WMG mainstay.
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November 22, 2017
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Community
Art
Check out what’s happening
Art Committee Aims to Bring Focus to Wilton Manors Art Scene
Around Town By Michael d’Oliveira
By Michael d’Oliveira
Nature-In-Art-Contest
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
The Second Annual Nature-In-Art Contest is now underway. Organizers want participants to submit photos of birds, plants, animals, insects, water and anything else nature-related. Photograph submissions must be taken within the city limits of Wilton Manors and up to five can be submitted. The deadline to send submissions is Jan. 15. Photos can be emailed to naturephotos@wiltonmanors.com or mailed to Todd DeJesus, 2020 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305. WMG
Keefe McCullough chosen as auditor At their Nov. 14 meeting, commissioners voted to hire Keefe McCullough, located in Fort Lauderdale, as the city’s auditor. In response to an RFP for auditor services, six firms responded. The top three, as ranked by city staff, gave presentations at the meeting. Keefe McCullough was ranked highest by city staff. The next step is for the city and Keefe McCullough to negotiate a contract. WMG
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
City applies for Colohatchee boat launch grant At their Nov. 14 meeting, commissioners voted to apply for a $135,000 grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection through its 2018 Recreational Trails Program. The money would be used to build a boat launch at the Colohatchee Park parking lot west of Northeast 15 Street. If approved, the grant requires the city contribute a portion of the cost - $35,000. WMG
Friends of the Library Book Tent The Friends of the Wilton Manors Library will have its Book Tent on Saturday, Dec. 9 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Hagen Park Community Center, 2020 Wilton Drive. Books, videos, and audio materials are available in exchange for a small donation. Money raised by The Friends is used to fund programs and buy equipment for the city’s library. At the same time, the city will kick-off its Island City Yard Sale. Space is available for rent. Call 954-390-2115 or 954-390-2130. . WMG
In addition to visual art, such as murals, The first meeting of Wilton Manors’ public art advisory committee yielded a lot smaller paintings, decorating utility boxes, of ideas and attendees expressing a desire and sculptures, performance art and film were also brought up as one type of art to bring the city’s art scene into focus. “We have the ability to do some awesome the committee should be fostering and things,” said Tom Rossetti, owner of the promoting. To pay for the art, grants, loans, Rossetti Fine Art Gallery on Wilton Drive. The meeting, held Nov. 16 at Art Gallery fundraisers, and solicitation of donations 21, was led by resident and Art Gallery 21 were ideas brought up. One attendee co-founder Constance Ruppender and suggested a paid tour of beautiful and wellTodd DeJesus, the city’s special projects manicured backyard gardens in the city to raise money. Other fundraiser suggestions and grants manager. “We’re not making any decisions. This included art auction, and crowdsourcing. Sal Torre, president of the Westside is preliminary,” said DeJesus. Ruppender Association of Wilton asked that those who want Manors, suggested that the to join the committee Wilton Drive Improvement should give a commitment The city District, which was of 12 months or more. commission wants established to generate Attendees discussed additional tax revenue to possible ways to fund art, the committee to improve the street, might what kind of art should be separate from also be a source of funding. be created, and locations the city so that Impact fees were also to place art. One man discussed. But impact suggested something big it can be more fees aren’t an option right like the world-famous efficient and now, said DeJesus. The Bean in Chicago. One city commission wants the woman suggested a effective. committee to be separate sculpture garden at Rachel from the city so that it can Richardson Park. Art in city hall and other public buildings was be more efficient and effective. If the city were to institute impact fees and use that another. “Do we just want one [piece of big money to fund public art, the committee art] or lots of art?” asked Ruppender. would have to be subject to the Sunshine She also asked that those interested in Law and other state and city regulations. “That doesn’t mean we can’t get them joining the committee give at least a 12-month commitment. She compared the to change their minds,” Ruppender said. committee to a bus which needs the right “That could be a campaign issue. Do you support public art?” WMG people to drive it and make it successful.
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November September22, 6, 2017 2017