Wilton Manors Gazette 5/3/17

WMG Volume 4 • Issue 8 May 3, 2017

Wilton Manors Gazette

Community

Stonewall Organizers Promise to be ‘In The Black’ Again Stonewall Parade in 2016. Photo: Brendon Lies.

By Michael d’Oliveira Organizers of the Wilton Manors Stonewall Parade & Festival estimate that the event will cost $250,000, but say they will raise what’s needed.

“We’re going to put it in the black again this year,” said Jeff Sterling, CEO of the Wilton Manors Entertainment Group [WMEG], at the April 25 commission meeting.

WMEG is a private organization that works with the city to organize the event. Sterling said the city has contributed about $70,000 in in-kind donations, including not charging WMEG for permits. This is the third year WMEG has been in charge of the event.

This year’s event will be held on Saturday, June 17 along Wilton Drive.

The event starts at 3 p.m. and the parade at 4 p.m.

Parking will be $20 at City Hall, the Northeast 8 Terrace lot, Fort Lauderdale High School, the Municipal Complex, and Richardson Park.

There will be vendors and six food trucks. But Sterling said the goal next year is to let the restaurants handle the food. WMEG did something similar with the entertainment when it took over

three years ago. Now, business owners along Wilton Drive can provide their own entertainment if they choose. Sterling said there would be four or five stages spread throughout Wilton Drive. “We’re not spending anything on entertainment.”

But sans food trucks is not the only change Sterling and organizers are planning on making for next year’s festival.

Sterling said he wants to make Stonewall a multiday festival and attract 50,000 people. “We need to find a way to get people to the event earlier. Not just [come] for the parade and bars.”

He also wants to do a better job of counting the crowd and determining how they plan on spending their money and where they plan on spending it. In partnership with the city, WMEG will be compiling that information, through a survey and aerial drone photographs.

The goal is to use that information to get more sponsors and possibly more government grants and assistance from the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“I wish us all the best,” said Commissioner Tom Green.

STERLING SAID HE WANTS TO MAKE STONEWALL A MULTI-DAY FESTIVAL AND ATTRACT 50,000 PEOPLE.

Commissioners didn’t have a lot of questions during Sterling’s report. But one topic of high interest was the Mayor’s Gala, which will be held the Thursday night before Stonewall. The event includes food, refreshments and city and county officials.

Commissioner Julie Carson asked that the event be given another name that highlights the entire commission instead of just the mayor. “The City of Wilton Manors Stonewall Gala” was the name chosen.

Resident and activist Michael Rajner said the city should use the gala to reflect the meaning of Stonewall. He suggested a partnership with the Stonewall National Museum & Archives to set up an exhibit on Stonewall during the gala.

“Stonewall was about activism. It was a revolt. With the election, it certainly has a much more profound meaning for all of us,” Rajner said. “Show off your [pro-LGBT] policies.” He also suggested more diversity, particularly from the transgender community. “Reach out. I don’t recall even seeing a transgender person [at least year’s event].”

The WMEG is looking for volunteers to help with vendor tent set-up, vendor customer service, beer service, parade setup, and more. For more information or to sign-up, email vpo@wmeg.org or call 754200-2979, extension 602.

For more information on Stonewall, visit WiltonManorsStonewall.com.

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Opinion

A Changing Landscape WMG

By Sal Torre

MAY 3, 2017 • VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 8 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 ASSOCIATE EDITOR • JILLIAN MELERO JILLIANMELERO@GMAIL.COM

Editorial

ART DIRECTOR • BRENDON LIES ARTWORK@SFGN.COM DESIGNER • CHARLES PRATT DIGITAL CONTENT DIRECTOR • BRITTANY FERRENDI WEBMASTER@SFGN.COM NEWS EDITOR • MICHAEL D’OLIVEIRA

Last year as I rode the train from NYC along the Jersey coast to visit my father, I wrote an article about the reasons for candidate Trump’s populist rise to the top.

Looking out the window at abandoned, decaying factories and industrial parks, I started to understand the strength and appeal of Donald Trump’s message of “Let’s make America great again.”

Well, as I travel along the same route a year later to visit dad on his birthday, the only change in the landscape has been the political landscape in Washington where Candidate Trump is now President Trump, who successfully rode that populist wave all the way to the White House.

If I was a gambling man, it seems a sure bet that this view of scarred landscape will pretty much look the same next year.

President Trump is not going to bring back these long-lost factories. The American Dream slowly faded for so many hardworking Americans just like the views from this train slowly faded from industrial strength to abandoned forgotten ruins.

During the same time period, the wealthy 1 percent enjoyed enormous growth in wealth and power. As working Americans wages declined, as funding for public education declined, as the state of our infrastructure declined, as our faith in the American Dream declined, the wealthy 1 percent reaped in riches beyond imagination.

President Trump’s proposed tax cuts and priorities of destroying the Affordable Care Act demonstrate that his concerns are more about the needs of the greedy 1 percent than those of hard-working American families. Let’s see how long the honeymoon will last between President Trump and the millions of Americans he promised to lift up to greatness once again.

Throwing a few morsels on the plates of middle class workers while the greedy 1 percent continue to grab vast amounts of wealth will not make this country great again. Nothing short of a total redistribution of wealth can achieve such a lofty goal.

A strong middle class made this country great; and only by improving the lives, the wages, the dreams and the wealth of our middle class will America be great again. Perhaps President Trump will become a traitor to his privileged class just as FDR was labeled when he embraced the New Deal policies that saved our nation at the beginning of his Presidency. President Roosevelt understood that, without a

thriving, secure middle class, the privileged class would not exist much longer.

President Trump might transform himself from Defender of the 1 percent to a modern-day Robin Hood, perhaps then the view from the train might be of new construction where abandoned decaying factories long littered the landscape.

New industrial parks, new schools, new affordable housing units, new communities where hard working Americans can support their families and once again believe in the dream.

Real wage growth for American workers so that someone does not have to work two or more jobs just to put food on the table and a roof over head. Our society cannot continue to add to the wealth of billionaires while denying so many the opportunity of a decent job, of decent healthcare, of decent education.

Speaking of changing landscapes, this past week back in Wilton Manors saw some surprise changes. Nine applicants ran for three seats on our important Planning and Zoning Board.

Positions are voted on by our City Commissioners; and at the meeting this past week, their voting showed very little common ground.

The big surprise of the evening was that longtime resident and member of the P&Z Board, Ruthanne Stadnik did not make the final cut. Her seat went to Tim Theisen, whose qualifications and long-time interest in the quality of life here in the Island City will make him a great addition to that board.

Along with Tim, fellow Westsider Bob Cassidy won re-appointment. Residents of our city have two very strong, knowledgeable and professional voices with these two appointments. Also winning re-appointment was the current Chair, Nick Berry, who has served on P&Z for many years.

Newcomer candidate Ciatta Thompson, demonstrated a young, fresh, educated voice.

Hopefully we will continue to see more of Ciatta’s involvement with our city. Many thanks to Ruthanne for her many years of service, along with her husband, Skip, who currently serves on the Community Affairs Advisory Board.

People who serve our great city, who work to make our community a better place for all, and who have dedicated many years of service is what makes us a stronger and better community and what makes life in Wilton Manors just better here! WMG

ONLY BY IMPROVING THE LIVES, THE WAGES, THE DREAMS AND THE WEALTH OF OUR MIDDLE CLASS WILL AMERICA BE GREAT AGAIN.

Correspondents

NATALYA JONES • JOHN MCDONALD • JAMES OAKSUN

Staff Photographers

J.R. DAVIS • POMPANO BILL • STEVEN SHIRES

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First Quarter Sales and Pricing Recap

Real Estate Geek

By James Oaksun It’s not often that the things I write for you make me sit back and say, hmm. Even less often do the results I get as an analyst make me shake my head. I have done this sort of work for a long time, you know. Like many people in real estate, this is my second career. I spent many years playing around with big datasets. I know how to do that. So when I get the answer, I move on.

But when I get an answer that really makes me question my own competencies, the only thing I can really do is repeat the analysis and see if I get the same answer the second time. And if I am getting my information from the

right source, well, facts are stubborn things.

Well here are the facts.

Something strange is going on in the single family house market in Wilton Manors and adjacent neighborhoods.

I wrote about it briefly in my Yearbook last year and have mentioned it in passing in a couple columns. But when I looked at these numbers, it just flashed red at me.

There is a certain expectation of performance in a healthy real estate market. Buyer interest increases, prices increase, sales increase, more properties become available as owners see their neighbors get good sales prices. Ultimately you reach a stable point. Buyers move on, interest wanes, prices drop, fewer homes are available, and a new balance is achieved. Lather rinse repeat.

But what have we been seeing in WilMa and the nearby areas?

The two tables here tell the story. Let’s look first at the sales volume table. I’ve included the three WilMa neighborhoods (west of Andrews, Andrews to Dixie, and east of Dixie), as well as the adjacent neighborhoods of Oakland Park Corals, Poinsettia Heights, Middle River Terrace/Lake Ridge, and South Middle River.

Looking at sales counts for 1Q17 versus 1Q16 and 1Q15, what do you see?

Compared with first quarter last year, sales are, generally,

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flat to down. In East Wilton and Poinsettia Heights, they are down significantly. In Center WilMa and Oakland Park Corals, they are down sharply from the levels of 2015.

But on the other hand, take a look at the prices and say ka-ching! Prices continue to skyrocket. Now, Oakland Park Corals and Middle River Terrace/Lake Ridge did see small declines in median prices compared with 1Q16. All the other neighborhoods saw significant increases, with South Middle River leading the way with a 28.5-percent increase compared with the same quarter last year.

How is this possible? It just doesn’t make sense. Unless one of the following three things is happening: 1. We are going to see strong sales volume in the second quarter.

2. We are at or near the peak in prices for this cycle.

3. Buyers have lost interest in WilMa and the surrounding neighborhoods and are moving on. WMG 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

Commissioners Reduce Money Promised to Somerset Charter School

Somerset Charter School hosts a staff gathering.

Photo: WMPD, Facebook.

By Michael d’Oliveira After asking Wilton Manors Elementary School and Somerset Academy Village charter school to supply a wish list of items list for up to $1,500 each, to be funded by the city, the commission voted 3-2 to reduce the amount of money allocated to Somerset.

Mayor Gary Resnick and Commissioner Julie Carson dissented.

After that vote, commissioners voted again to give the altered amounts to each school. The revised amount was $2,000 for Wilton Manors and $1,000 for Somerset.

Wilton Manors will use the money to fund a $1,300 fee to apply to be accredited by the National Institute for Magnet School Leadership. If accredited, the school would have access to best practices, grants, and scholarship eligibility, free professional development opportunities, and discounts on conferences. Wilton Manors Elementary will be allowed to decide how it spends the extra money it has been allocated but will

have to report back to the commission on how it is spent.

Somerset’s use of the money includes the purchase of classroom libraries, netbook computers, updated physical education equipment, and sponsorships for disadvantaged students to attend field trips.

Per a vending agreement between the city and Coca Cola, the beverage company has donated the $3,000 to the city and given commissioners discretion in how it is spent.

The change came after Commissioner Tom Green suggested that he didn’t think a charter school should get the same level of support as a traditional public school, even though charter schools are publically-funded and open to the public for enrollment.

“I still do not think they are the same,” Green said. “I just think Wilton Manors [Elementary] is the heart of our city,” added Commissioner Scott Newton.

Commissioner Julie Carson said she

understood Green’s position but thought that both schools were still deserving of the money. “We discussed this at length,” Carson said. Resnick said Somerset deserves the original amount of $1,500. He added that more of the children who live

in the city attend Somerset than do Wilton Manors Elementary.

“I object to this motion. It’s not fair to penalize them now. I think it would be unfair for us now to change the game,” Resnick said. WMG

Community

City Officials Will Try For One Zip Code

By Michael d’Oliveira When it comes to zip codes, less is more and one is best. That’s the opinion of at least some residents in Wilton Manors.

At the April 25 commission meeting, Sal Torre, president of the Westside Association of Wilton Manors, asked commissioners to help get the United States Post Office to combine the city’s four zip codes – 33305, 33306, 33311, 33334 – into one. Torre said his organization solicited the government for the change but was denied. He hopes the city can do better.

“There’s no sense of uniformity or sense of community,” said Torre about the multiple zip codes.

The commission agrees.

“I think we all agree. We’ll do what we can. It would be awesome if we had our own,” said Commissioner Scott Newton. Part of that includes talking to the members of Congress and the Florida House and Senate that represent Wilton Manors. “It wouldn’t hurt for us to be speaking to them,” said Commissioner Tom Green.

Vice Mayor Justin Flippen suggested the city draft a resolution.

The zip codes, which also represent

Photo: Google.

portions of Fort Lauderdale and Oakland Park, can also be confusing because some neighbors who live on different sides of certain streets have different zip codes.

Green added that a difference in zip code makes “an incredible difference” in insurance rates.

When she was a candidate for commission in 2008, resident Celeste Ellich said she wanted the city to have one zip code because it was unfair for some residents to pay higher insurance premiums just because of a difference in their zip code.

According to CarInsurance.com, the average six-month cost for car insurance in the zip codes east of Andrews Avenue – 33305, 33306, 3334 – is between $1,633 and $1,683. West of Andrews Avenue – 33311 – the average cost for a six-month policy is $1,833. WMG

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Business

Sign Ordinance Hurting Dairy Queen Says Owner

By Michael d’Oliveira Photo by John Bata.

The owner of the Dairy Queen on Wilton Drive says a provision in the city’s sign regulations is hurting her business and costing her money.

At the April 25 commission meeting, owner Lynn Lawrence and her daughter and business partner, Chandni, asked commissioners to do something that would allow her to get around the requirement which doesn’t allow a business owner to cover more than 10 percent of their windows with signs.

Commissioner Scott Newton said the reason for the limitation is so that police officers can see clearly into a business and make sure a robbery, assault or other crime is being committed.

- Nick “The signs are very important to our business,” Lynn said. She said that after a code enforcement officer made her take down some of her signs, she sold fewer items. One example are the “Royal Shakes.” She said she went from selling 10 a day to selling two a day. “We’re losing money.” Chandni explained that if customers don’t see the signs most of them don’t know the item advertised is available. “The posters that we took down, people were not ordering those products.”

One of those customers, Tim Evans,

expressed support for Lynn and praised the service she and her staff offer. “I moved here because of that Dairy Queen.

The place is a landmark,” Evans said.

Commissioner Tom Green said he uses the Dairy Queen as a marker to give people directions.

According to Lawrence, her Dairy Queen was built in 1953 and is the oldest in Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami Dade counties.

It’s also one of only 40 Dairy Queen’s nationwide to be given an historical designation. The building has been designated a historical landmark by the Wilton Manors Historical Society. The first Dairy Queen nationwide opened in Illinois in 1940.

Berry Fellow Wilton Drive business owner Nick Berry also expressed support for Dairy Queen. “We need to go back and look at our code. Put this on hold until we can change it.”

Mayor Gary Resnick said he’s open to changing the regulations but said people who have a problem with this sign code should have said something when it was being discussed and voted on by the commission.

“I’m just disappointed Dairy Queen did not come forward,” Resnick said. WMG

“WE NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT OUR CODE. PUT THIS ON HOLD UNTIL WE CAN CHANGE IT.”

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Community

Health

Check out what’s happening

Around Town

Map Shows Opioid Overdoses in Wilton Manors, Broward County

By Michael d’Oliveira

By Michael d’Oliveira

Survey takers wanted

Broward County Office of Medical Examiner & Trauma Services, Facebook.

During the Wilton Manors Stonewall Parade and Street Festival on Saturday, June 17, survey takers are needed from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. The purpose of the surveys is to compile information on how many people attend the festival and how they plan to spend their money while in Wilton Manors and, if they’re from out of the area, in Broward County. The overall goal is to use that information to get more support, financial and otherwise, for the event from organizations such as the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. Those interested should send an email to ksims@wiltonmanors.com or call 954-390-2123.

Pet rescue fundraiser

A fundraiser to benefit The Furever Family Rescue will take place on Saturday, May 6 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Village Pub, 2283 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors. The event is a Kentucky Derby themed happy hour and features raffles, drink specials, and a “Best Dressed” pet contest. The event is hosted by Charlie’s Friends, “a volunteer group dedicated to raising awareness and funds to support the efforts of local pet rescue organizations in Broward, Dade, and Palm Beach.” The mission of Furever Family Rescue is to “Rescue, Restore and Rehome as many lost souls into Furever Families as possible. Until every cage is empty and every back alley is quiet. Until every critter knows love and has their own Furever Family . . . We will press on!” Visit FurEverFamily.wixsite.com/tffr for more information. WMG

Lock It or Lose It

The Wilton Manors Police Department is launching its “Lock It or Lose It” campaign, a partnership between the community and police which aims to reduce crime by reducing the number of opportunities thieves have to take valuables.

“The Wilton Manors Police Department strongly encourages community members to participate in this campaign by not leaving valuables in plain view in their vehicles. It takes a person seconds to break into a vehicle, grab what is in plain view and get away with your property. Most importantly police say, hide your valuables, lock your vehicle, and/or take your valuables with you.” WMG

CANA meeting

The Central Area Neighborhood Association [CANA] will hold its general membership meeting on Wednesday, May 10 at 7 p.m. in the Hagen Park Community Center, 2020 Wilton Drive. The meeting will include presentations on current and proposed development, including the Shoppes of Wilton Manors, Villas on the Drive, the old Goodwill site, the Andrews Avenue/Oakland Park Boulevard corridor study, an update on Wilton Drive, volunteer opportunities, and more. Visit canawm.org or email membership@canawm.org for more information. WMG

“We use that as our guide,” said A new online map by the Broward County Office of Medical Examiner tracks overdose O’Connell. He [our undercover detective] is deaths throughout the county. Currently, our boots on the ground.”

Commissioner Julie Carson wants to give the map shows overdoses in 2016 but officials hope it can be used to help prevent another tool to those boots on the ground.

At the April 25 commission meeting, deaths in 2017 and beyond.

In 2016, 11 overdose deaths occurred in Carson asked O’Connell to look into Wilton Manors. Chief Paul O’Connell said equipping his officers with Narcan. Narcan that most of the overdoses were caused is an anti-opiate nasal spray which has been credited with saving the lives by fentanyl, heroin or other of countless individuals who opioids. have overdosed on heroin and The map can be viewed at other opioids. arcg.is/2nKqNRN “Narcan is a drug that can According to the CDC, be administered immediately. opioids killed more than If we can save one life, that’s 33,000 people nationwide worth it,” Carson said. in 2015. It was the deadliest O’Connell said he would year on record for opioid consult the Fort Lauderdale addiction.

Fire Department, which “Nearly half of all opioid already uses Narcan, on how overdose deaths involve a to proceed. “We don’t want to prescription opioid,” reads reinvent the wheel. We’ll go to the CDC website. the experts,” he said.

“It’s a whole new world. We - Paul O'Connell To help prevent overdoses know we have a substance before Narcan is needed, the abuse problem. That’s why police department organized we have a detective assigned to the Metro Broward Drug Task Force,” a prescription drug take back on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day – Saturday, O’Connell said.

The purpose of the Task Force, which April 29 at City Hall.

The goal was to get people to dispose includes detectives from local Broward cities as well as the FBI, DEA, and of their unused and expired prescription Department of Homeland Security, is to medicine and prevent it from possibly being disrupt and dismantle middle to upper level abused by a family member or someone else who lives in the household. WMG drug trafficking organizations.

“IT’S A WHOLE NEW WORLD. WE KNOW WE HAVE A SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM.”

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