12-17-14 V1I10 by The Gazette

Gazette Wilton Manors

Volume 1 • Issue 10 December 17, 2014

Twice-Monthly Neighborhood Outlook

Pages 3 What A Home Is Worth

Pages 4 $1 Books At Library

Pages 6

Commission Passes BID

Pages 7 Wilton Manors Holiday Fun

Pages 8 Calendar of Events

An Unpopular Decision

City chooses new towing company to rely on. Page 2

Photo: Facebook

I sland City

Book Fanatics Page 5

Photo: J. R. Davis

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Business

Residents Support Sal’s Towing;

City Chooses Westway New towing company offered more money By Michael d’Oliveira

Photo: westwaytowing.com

Gazette Wilton Manors

DECEMBER 17, 2014 • VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 10 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

Editorial

ART DIRECTOR • BRENDON LIES ARTWORK@SFGN.COM ONLINE PRODUCER • DENNIS JOZEFOWICZ DENNIS.JOZEFOWICZ@SFGN.COM

Photo: Facebook

Despite calls from residents and business owners to keep Sal’s Towing, commissioners voted 3-2 on Dec. 9 to hire Westway Towing to provide towing services for the city. Nick Berry, co-owner of Courtyard Café and Rumors, said it’s unusual “to have a whole community in favor of any towing company.” Earlier in the year, the city advertised a bid for towing services. Westway and Sal’s were the two highest ranked firms with Westway chosen as the top respondent. Westway was chosen by a committee based on experience and qualifications, project approach and franchise fees. The committee consisted of David Archacki, emergency management/utilities director; Commander Gary Blocker, Wilton Manors Police Department, and Jim Kirchoff, Wilton Manors Police Department administrative manager. Westway agreed to pay the city $30,500 a year for three years, $18,000 more than the current franchise fee offered by Sal’s. Commissioner Tom Green criticized the city for picking Westway over an established and popular community partner, because “there’s more money in it.” Residents expressed concern over previous complaints filed against Westway and the distance from the city to the company’s tow yard in Lauderdale Lakes – 4.9 miles. The distance to Sal’s Towing in Oakland Park is 1.8 miles. “The distance alone would be reason enough to keep [Sal’s],” said Kip Wargo, owner of the Manor Inn. According to the Better Business Bureau’s website, Westway had 17 complaints filed in the last three years. Sal’s had one. Craig Goldstein, owner of Westway, said the number of complaints were small compared to the 40,000 tows he does annually. Those who spoke also repeatedly commended Sal’s community involvement in Wilton Manors and Oakland Park. In addition to sponsoring local events, Sal’s offers “Save A Life.” For no charge, inebriated drivers can call Sal’s and have their vehicle towed home anywhere in the county. Commissioner Julie Carson said the “Save A Life Program” is important to the city, with its large number of bars, but ultimately voted in favor of the recommendation because she trusts the judgment of the selection committee. “We weighed all of the information and, while

I really wanted Sal’s, the procurement committee selected Westway,” Carson said. “It was a vote on the process. I’m not comfortable usurping the process.” Commissioner Justin Flippen acknowledged Sal’s service to the community but said he saw no reason to go against the staff recommendation to hire Westway. “[Sal’s contributions are] not the question before this commission,” he said. Resident Kate Donohue said Sal’s was a “loyal friend” and “valuable asset” to the city and called for Mayor Gary Resnick to recuse himself from the vote because of a campaign donation he received from Westway. “I also received a campaign donation from Sal’s,” responded Resnick. According to campaign reports from the November election, Resnick received $750 from Sal’s and $500 from Westway. He also received $500 from Broward Collision, an auto body repair shop located next to Westway that was previously owned by Goldstein, and $500 from Goldstein’s wife, Gina. The donation by Broward Collision to Resnick was made two months after Goldstein sold the business. Vice Mayor Scott Newton, who voted against giving the contract to Westway, received a $500 contribution from Sal’s. He said he treats all parties equally, no matter who gives to his campaign. “It doesn’t get my vote by any means.” All campaign donations to Resnick and Newton, by Sal’s and Westway, were made before the selection committee made its recommendation on Sept. 9. Newton also called for the city to throw out the responses from Sal’s and Westway and start the process over because of a mistake. “Whoever made the bid had no idea what they were doing,” Newton said. The mistake entailed the city required bidders to have an immobilization license; something the county does not require for tow truck companies to operate. Resnick said the mistake was not big enough to warrant a new process. “It’s not a flaw, it’s a technical defect. To some extent, it didn’t matter.” Although unhappy with the decision, Newton said he will be satisfied with Westway and support them if they do a good job. “If they don’t I’ll be on them like stink on you know what.” WMG

Correspondents

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

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 SALES ASSISTANT • JASON GONZALES JASON.GONZALES@SFGN.COM DISTRIBUTION SERVICES • BRIAN SWINFORD 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

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“WilMa Est Omnis Divisa in Partes Tres”

Real Estate Geek

The three parts of Wilton Manors

By James Oaksun Indeed, just as Caesar wrote of Gaul, Wilton Manors can be divided into three parts. The “traditional” three part division, as I discussed in my previous article, comes from the city of Wilton Manors itself, organized by the city’s three neighborhood associations. But let’s talk pricing and value. What can we tease out of the single family home sales data that would suggest what people are willing to pay to live in certain areas of Wilton Manors, and under what circumstances? Divining the answer to that question requires quite a bit of Geekery. We can construct a database of arm’s length sales from the Multiple Listing Service data that includes the statistical variables typically used in describing homes. These would be things like the number of bedrooms/baths, the age and square footage of the home, the size of the lot, whether there is a pool, and whether it is a waterfront home. Then we use a technique called multivariate regression to determine what weights to give each factor (assuming the factor is statistically significant). We can see from the numbers, which attributes matter most to buyers, and how much each of them count. From a valuation perspective Wilton Manors can be divided into three parts, just not the three official ones: On a normalized basis (no difference in features or size), the northern half of West Wilton Manors (west of Andrews) can be considered the baseline. The southern half of West Wilton Manors and the northern part of East Wilton Manors are valued the same as the central area, and that whole area commands a 25-percent premium to the far northwestern segment. The southeast corner (east of the train tracks and south of 26th Street) commands a 50-percent premium versus the far northwest. Again, this is before we consider water frontage, a pool, or house size. Wilton Manors is a high demand area. It is recognized as an LGBT Mecca, and probably only West Hollywood and

Provincetown come close on a percentage of population that is LGBT. Thus there is a “price of entry” for the city as a whole, in excess of most other parts of Broward County. Next, location within Wilton Manors is a consideration for buyers. People are definitely willing to pay handsomely to live in the southeast corner, and relatively less in the northwest corner. Is this rational, or does this suggest under-valuation in the northwest and over-valuation in the southeast? Additionally, homes with river or canal frontage, and homes with pools, carry large premiums – larger than most people realize. Only after all these factors are considered does square footage enter the equation, or in other words: Size does indeed matter in Wilton Manors. Just not as much as you would expect. So, how do the asking prices of homes currently on the market in Wilton Manors compare with the multivariate estimates? Roughly half the homes are fairly priced, even perhaps a bit underpriced. These represent good values in the market at this time. However, roughly half the homes are overpriced at current levels, and in my opinion are unlikely to sell near the current ask price. Clearly there are owners who have been under water for a long time testing the waters, perhaps telling their Realtor that if they could get a certain price they would sell. People remember 2005-2006, when their homes would have sold for more than they would today. And sometimes that is a hard thing to accept. But as I said in my last article: At the right price, homes sell quickly. At the wrong price… results may be variable, to be polite. WMG James Oaksun, Broward’s Real Estate GeekSM, is a Realtor at the RE/MAX Preferred office on Wilton Drive. In addition to holding degrees from Dartmouth and Cornell, he is a graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI).

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Community Photos: J.R. Davis

Books for $1 or Less! Check out the library club’s monthly event By Natalya Jones

The Friends of Wilton Manors Library club will be hosting a book sale called Book Tent Event on Saturday, Jan. 10. The last one took place Dec. 13. Attendees at the book sale will be able to purchase a large plethora of books, from popular fiction to nonfiction, from cookbooks to kids books and more. All books were either donated to the Friends of the Library or discarded from the library’s collection. The best part? Nothing sold will cost more than $1. Specifically, the mass market paperbacks cost 25 cents while hard covers will cost $1 - talk about some cheap shopping. “Vice President Paul Kuta works extremely hard 2-4 days practically every week to deal with the volume of donated books and other items and making sure that they are moved from the Library to the Book Tent site,” said Rick Sterling, Director of the Richard C. Sullivan Public Library of Wilton Manors. In addition to allowing those the ability of purchasing

cheap books, the Book Tent Event is run in concurrence with the Island City Yard Sale as well as the weekly Green Market. There will be dozens of vendors present selling a wide range of products. So, not only will guests be able to feel nostalgic in buying books and possible vintage items, but they can simultaneously enjoy healthy, delicious eats while they’re at it. When asked why people should come out to the Book Tent Event, Sterling replied, “Books, DVDs, CDs, etc. can be had for a low price and they will be supporting their local hometown library as well.” No sweat if you can’t attend that week, bookworms - the event is reoccurring and take places on the second Saturday of every month at Hagen Park, 2020 Wilton Drive from 8 a.m. till 2 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Richard C. Sullivan Public Library of Wilton Manors, an independent municipal library. WMG

The event is reoccurring and takes place on the second Saturday of every month at Hagen Park, 2020 Wilton Dr. from 8 a.m. till 2 p.m.

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The Island City Book Club Fall in Love with Reading for Free

Community Photos: J.R. Davis

By Natalya Jones Who says that reading books has died out? Certainly not Wilton Manors’ Island City Book Club of Richard C. Sullivan Public Library! The Island City Book Club is fairly new, making its inception in early 2013. It was started by Carol Lebischak, a Wilton Manors library patron. “The first meeting was in January but was not well attended,” explains Angela Griffin, a Technical Services Librarian at the Richard C. Sullivan Public Library of Wilton Manors. “The book club’s second meeting was scheduled for March. I was a new employee at the library, and the March 2013 book club selection, Karen Russell’s “Swamplandia!” was the book that I was reading when I found out that my partner and I would be moving from Louisville, Kentucky to South Florida. When I mentioned this to the Adult Services Librarian, Cindy Exterkamp, she asked me if I would like to attend the meeting and help facilitate the book discussion. Since that meeting, I have become de facto organizer for the group.” The Island City Book Club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month at the library. In addition to meeting once a month, the Island City Book Club has scheduled outings. Former outings included Royal Afternoon Tea at Oscar’s Tea Room that occurred in July and a trip to Florida International University’s Biscayne Bay Campus for Amy Tan’s acceptance of the Lawrence A. Sanders Award in April. There was also a guest appearance this past May by Miami author Debra Dean who visited the library to discuss with the club her New York Times bestseller “The Madonnas of Leningrad.” “Ms. Dean’s visit was one of our most wellattended meetings,” said Griffin. Any interested or avid reader is invited to join

the Island City Book Club at no charge. However, if you are looking to attend a meeting this month, you will have to wait - there will be no book club meeting on December 17 but instead, the meetings will resume on the third Wednesday in January 2015. Members can obtain copies of book club selections by adding their name to the Public Library of Wilton Manors holds list (http://ow.ly/mntUg), checking the catalog of the Oakland Park Library (http://ow.ly/mmZyv) and the Broward County Library system (http:// vc.browardlibrary.org/), or simply buying the book. To learn more about the book club, including a list of past selections, visit the the library website at http://www.wiltonmanors.com/index. aspx?NID=320.

The following books will be discussed in the next couple of months: • January 21, 2015: “D.V.” by Diana Vreeland •February 18, 2015: “The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles” by Katherine Pancol • March 18, 2015: “No Regrets, Coyote” by John Dufresne • April 15, 2015: “Stiltsville” by Susanna Daniel • May 20, 2015: “The Art Forger” by B. A. Shapiro • June 17, 2015: “The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry” by Gabrielle Zevin WMG

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Business

Photo: wiltonmanors.com

Business I mprovement District Approved Some business owners fear assessments may not be fair

By Michael d’Oliveira Now that the Wilton Drive Business Improvement District [BID] has been approved by commissioners, property owners can expect to pay between $127 to $26,900 a year to help fund it. That’s according to a “quick and dirty” estimate by Finance Director Bob Mays. The BID, unanimously approved by commissioners on Dec. 9, was established by the city to raise revenue for improvements to Wilton Drive. Revenue would be generated by assessing properties on the street. Only commercial and retail properties will be included. Residential properties, and the residential portion of mixed-use properties, such as Bell Isles, will not be assessed. The hope of city officials and business owners is that $1 million can be raised over the next 10 years; a cap of $100,000 per year has been set. Properties would be assessed starting in 2016. That money could be used to provide additional parking, add landscaping, create a marketing campaign or other improvements. It could also be used to fund the Two-Lane Initiative, a proposal that would widen sidewalks, add landscaping and turn two of Wilton Drive’s lanes into parking spaces. Proponents of the TwoLane Initiative say it would improve public safety and drive more business to the area. “I would love for our Drive to look more like Las Olas,” said Kip Wargo, owner of The Manor Inn, located near Wilton Drive. “It’s a jump to get this thing rolling. [The BID’s] going to generate a lot of money for the betterment of the city,” said Paul Hugo, owner of The Manor on Wilton Drive. Before the vote, some business owners, although in support of the BID, asked commissioners to make sure the costs are spread out equally and equitably. “$1,000 is a roll of toilet paper [to some businesses] To me, $1,000 is dining room chairs,” said Carol Moran, co-owner of 13 Even, located on Wilton Drive. “Is it just going to be for the goliaths or will it be for the little guys?” asked Richard Safaty, owner of Freedom Travel, located on Wilton Drive. The bill for each property owner will be based on square footage. Although

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business owners won’t be directly charged, their landlords could pass on the extra cost in the form of higher rents. “Rent could go up. I don’t think that’s fair,” said Nancy Goldwin, co-owner of 13 Even. No exact assessment for each property has not been determined yet. “The devil’s in the details,” said Mayor Gary Resnick. The BID board will have the power to decide how it spends the money generated but it will not be able to incur debt unless approved by the commission. It will be comprised of three property owners, three business owners and one home owner. That home owner must be homesteaded within Wilton Manors. Resnick said a homesteaded owner should be on the board because they would have more incentive to fix problems that may arise from any changes the BID causes. A renter, by contrast, he said, could leave the area much easier. At their last November meeting, the commission decided a resident should be on the board. Some commissioners and business owners objected, saying a resident would have no financial stake in the BID. Resnick and Commissioner Scott Newton countered, saying changes to Wilton Drive could have an adverse effect on property values. The commission also decided that board members could not have a financial affiliation. A business owner on the board, who rents space from a property owner on the board, could be influenced to vote the way the property owners wants. Residents who already serve on some boards, including planning and zoning, would be prohibited from serving on the BID because of a conflict of interest. City Attorney Kerry Ezrol said it would depend on which board a BID applicant already serves on. BID members would be chosen by the city commission. WMG

Community

Wilton Manors Holiday Parties

By Natalya Jones

For the next two weeks, there will be plenty of holiday parties happening to make even the scroogiest of Scrooges all smile. Sure, there is Santacon this weekend as well as the Ugly Sweater bar crawl the night before, but we decided to look into the area of Wilton Manors where parties are always over the top. Without further ado, here are some fun holiday events happening in your backyard. Speaking of ugly sweaters, do you have one adorned with tinsel and tackiness that you’re dying to use? Come out to Bill’s Filling Station this Wednesday, December 17 for their ugly sweater party! There will even be a contest, musical performances and drink specials, such as two for one drinks until 9 p.m. Celebrate Christmas Eve and other holidays in style at Boca Raton’s new restaurant Jazziz for their Eve Ball. Located at 201 Plaza Real Boca Raton, there will be music and fun at no cover charge. This event takes place December 24 at 8:30 p.m. To receive free entry, RSVP at TheEveBall.com. In the mood for something more subtle and low key? If so, City Church’s Wilton Manors Christmas Party may just be for you. Held December 19 from 7:30-9 p.m., there will be plenty of food, treats

and, of course, good ol’ holiday feelings. Visit CityChurchwm.com for more information. The Manor boasts the largest Friday party in South Florida, so we don’t expect anything less from their Christmas party on December 19. Attendees get a free professional picture with Santa and there will also be door prize giveaways. In addition, there will be DJs and Christmas shows by Serena, Sasha and TP Lords. Cover is free before midnight and $7 after. Earn a spot on Santa’s naughty list by heading over to Rumors Bar & Grill at 2426 Wilton Dr, Wilton Manors on Saturday, December 20 from 9 p.m. to Midnight. Here, attendees are invited to dress in leather and bring a toy to donate. Guess that makes you naughty and nice, huh? Of course, there are family and kid friendly events too, such as Santa’s Enchanted Evening this Thursday from 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at Wilton Manors Elementary School (2401 NE 3rd Avenue Wilton Manors). This fun event is perfect for your young relatives and is complete with bounce houses, cookie decorating, concessions, pictures with Santa, a sweet shop, a hayride, face painting, and even 22 tons of snow. WMG

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Calendar of Events Compiled from the Wilton Manors website

Dog Obedience Class Dec. 18 from 6:30 p.m. at Hagen Park (Basketball Court)

Brains and Balance Past 60 Dec. 17, 24 & 31 from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. at Hagen Park

Brains and Balance Past 60 is designed for the unique needs of active older adults who know the importance of staying mentally sharp and physically stable. Researchers no longer believe that falling or losing your mental capacity are inevitable parts of the aging process and this fascinating class series operates based on the premise that specific exercises will decrease the risk of falling while increasing mental acuity.

Wilton Manors Green Market Dec. 6, 7 & 13, 14 & 20, 27 & 28 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Wilton Manors City Hall / Hagen Park

All Breeds Welcome Beginners Obedience Class. Registration at 6:30 p.m., class begins at 7:30 p.m. Rally Obedience Class Skill Building, Drill Class - Class starts at 8 p.m. $5 per class

Wilton Manors Green Market every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.– 2 p.m. in the Wilton Manors City Hall / Hagen Park parking lot. The Market features Organic Produce, Regular Produce, International Baked Goods, specialty items, spices & herbs, soups, cheeses, coffees & tea, bagels, Nuts & dried fruits, baked goods, and various other international and local vendors. The Market gives residents and visitors to Wilton Manors an exciting shopping alternative and a chance to view, sample and purchase products. For more information on The Market or to become a vendor, visit GreenWilton.com or contact Frank and Ron at 954-531-5363.

Family Storytime

Preschool Storytime

Dec. 17 6:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. at Richard C. Sullivan Public Library

Dec. 22 & 29, 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at Richard C. Sullivan Public Library

Zumba Fitness

Square Dancing

Dec. 17 from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Island City Park Preserve

Dec. 18 from 7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. at Island City Park Preserve

Are you ready to party yourself into shape? Forget the workout, just lose yourself in the music and find yourself in shape at the original dance-fitness party. Zumba classes feature exotic rhythms set to highenergy Latin and international beats. Before you know it, you’ll be getting fit and your energy levels will be soaring! It’s easy to do, effective and totally exhilarating. Join the Party!

For ages 2 - 5. Caregivers must remain with their children.

Chair Yoga

Community Yard Sale Dec. 13, All Day at Hagen Park

Island City Book Club Dec. 17, 6:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. at Richard C. Sullivan Public Library

The Island City Book Club gathers at the library on the third Wednesday of each month. Reading selections include current and classic novels as well as popular nonfiction. All are welcome to join and help select our next book!

Historical Society Meeting Dec. 18, 7 p.m. at City Hall Commission Chambers

Dec. 29, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. at Hagen Park

The South Florida Mustangs is the first GLBT International Square Dance Club organized in 1980. Positively no previous experience required. We’ll teach you the ropes beginning with an allemande left and a do-si-do. All you need is a desire to have fun. Questions? Feel free to call Ken 305-343-1710; Randy 305-458-1649; Tom or Chris 954-525-8365. Dance fee only $5. Visit Caller4u.com.

City Commission Meeting Come enjoy the benefits of Chair Yoga. Experience relaxation, improve your flexibility, reduce or even eliminate insomnia, arthritis and constipation.

Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. at City Hall Chambers (Dec. 23 meeting cancelled) 2020 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305

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