WMG Volume 7 • Issue 5 February 5, 2020
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WILTON MANORS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD By Denise Royal Wilton Manors Business Association a new decade when small businesses face (WMBA) has a new leadership board. the challenges and opportunities of a Julietta Wenzel, co-owner of Ocean changing marketplace, digital technology Therapy Center, will lead the 300-member and increased competition from large organization. She is the first woman to corporate brands,” Wenzel said in a press release. “One of our goals for 2020 is to lead WMBA in almost a decade. Wenzel, who’s served as vice president help our members meet these challenges.” The incoming vice since 2017, says taking on a president is Peter Jackson, leadership role was not in her CEO of Peter Jackson Media, initial plans. After joining LLC, a business growth and the organization in 2015, marketing agency. she became vice president, He has served on the serving with immediate board since 2018 and edits past president Tim Moffitt. the group’s annual Wilton When asked to serve as Manors Business Directory president, she decided to and City Guide. rise the occasion—and to Dr. Vanessa Koutalidis, try leadership for at least a co-owner of Island City year. Chiropractic and Timothy S. “My predecessor Tim Hart, CEO of R3 Accounting, grew WMBA tremendously,” will continue serving as Wenzel said. “My job is to secretary and treasurer, keep it going. One of the - Julietta Wenzel respectively. really cool things we’ve New President of WMBA Tim Moffitt, president of added is to work closely Umbrella Credit Services, with the cities so that small businesses can work, succeed, grow, and rounds out the executive committee as immediate past president. thrive.” Also serving on the WMBA volunteer She hopes to get more WMBA members to engage with the city to grow their Board of Directors are Jeff Sterling, president of Sterling Accounting; attorney businesses. “Small businesses play a vital role in the Jeff Selzer, owner of Selzer Law; and Justin fabric of every community, and I’m thrilled Romano, president of Bayview Payroll to lead this incredible business group into Services. WMG
“My predecessor Tim grew WMBA tremendously. My job is to keep it going.”
Pictured above, left: Julietta Wenzel, the new president of WMBA. Lower Right: Peter Jackson, incoming vice president of WMBA.
For more information about the Wilton Manors Business Association, visit WiltonManorsBusinessAssociation.com.
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Opinion
WMG Wilton Manors 1984 Protect your privacy while you can
February 5, 2020 • Volume 7 • Issue 5
2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
By Sal Torre Photo via PxFuel.
“1984,” a George Orwell novel amazingly first published way back in 1949, is a bleak dystopian look at a society governed by propaganda, surveillance and censorship. George might have had the year incorrect when he created the book’s title, because 2020 is looking much more like the world he foretold, a place of perpetual wars, government surveillance, historical negation-ism, and propaganda. A recent incident at Hunters Nightclub here in Wilton Manors one Friday evening made me realize just how willing we are to nonchalantly hand over our privacy. Hunters’ staff requires patrons to have their driver’s licenses scanned before being allowed to enter the club. Not such a big deal in a world where everything is being monitored by the internet and our cell phones. Nonetheless, for whatever reason, this act caused me to pull back and ask why? What is Hunters doing with this collected data? Is the data secure? Is it legal for a business to scan your license? Is it being sold to third parties? The questions are many, and assurances by Hunter’s staff did not still my unease. If Hunters’ only interest was to check patrons’ age or the validity of their identification, then why not simply look at a person’s license for verification? Why the need to scan the bar code on the back of the license if not to collect data that is to be used in some unknown manner? Why is it OK to stand outside at Hunters and order a drink without such scanning, but if I want to drink inside, my age and ID becomes an issue? Furthermore, the average age at Hunters’ Friday Happy Hour is, to be kind, probably 40-ish, far above the legal drinking age of 21. So, it is unlikely that under-age drinking is a big problem for them. The days of getting giddy over a doorman proofing me for being under 21 is long gone. If Hunters’ bouncers cannot see that this bald head, gray-bearded older gentleman is way over the drinking age of 21, they better get a new job and some stronger eyeglasses.
Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Chief Executive Officer • Pier Angelo Guidugli piero@sfgn.com Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com Copyeditor • Kerri Covington
Editorial
Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com News Editor • Sallie James
Correspondents
Sal Torre • James Oaksun
Staff Photographers
J.R. Davis • Carina Mask • Steven Shires
Sales & Marketing For ad placement in the Wilton Manors Gazette, contact 954-530-4970
Many younger folk who have comfortably sacrificed their identity through posting one’s entire life on social media might not see the big issue here. Having your license scanned is just another everyday reality. However, many have not had the experience where such information is used against them, to label them subversive, to bar them from entry, or to alert certain parties of their whereabouts. Many older folk have lived through times when such data was or could have been used to ruin their lives, effect their employment, expose their lifestyle choices, and exploit and damage their reputation. Hopefully, most people will never have to experience such reality, but I fear that may just be too much to ask for. Healthcare organizations wanting to identify those who might be high risk due to social behaviors, law enforcement seeking information, marketers, companies looking to collect data on specific groups of individuals, the list is endless on the usage of such data that Hunters collects. Don’t try malingering your boss the next morning due to a hangover from partying all night, because the employer of tomorrow will be able to access available data and expose such foolery. Perhaps we will just have to get accustomed to such realities due to the digital
Hopefully, most people will never have to experience such reality, but I fear that may just be too much to ask for.
transformation of our society. Governments and corporations have acquired frightening abilities to amass and search endless digital records from cell phone tracking, internet data collection, and many other surveillance technologies. Protections governing the use of such data are greatly lacking and should be a major concern for each and every one of us. I am not sure if any other establishments along The Drive are scanning patrons’ licenses, but I do know that after I decided not to be scanned at Hunters, I walked down the Drive to other establishments that welcomed me and delivered wonderful service without my having to hand over personal data along with my money. If you must get into Hunters on a Friday night, you can always buy a cocktail at the outside bar and stand close to the exit door. Wait patiently while the doorman is busy scanning personal data from the queue of patrons lined up at the entrance, until someone exits the establishment, which gives you the perfect opportunity to make a quick dash inside before the doorman has a chance to react. Safely inside with your personal data intact, you are free to enjoy yourself with friends and others without leaving your digital footprint at the door. Enjoy your freedom while you can, because Big Brother is unfortunately waiting for you just around the corner. Protecting one’s privacy, taking a stand when you feel something is not right and looking to keep a free and open society where all can flourish will always make life just better here. WMG
Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Clark Rogers clark.rogers@sfgn.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs.
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The mockingbird may be Florida’s state bird, but did you know it’s also the state bird of Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas? Photo via Pxfuel.
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February 5, 2020
Community
Wilton Manors Hosts Winter Book Fair Feb. 8
SAME OWNERS SINCE '96! ALL NEW STAFF!
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Looking for a good deal on used books? How about videos and music CDs? (Yes, some people still listen to CDs.) The Friends of the Wilton Manors Library will host its Winter Book Fair on Saturday, Feb. 8. The sale runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The books, videos and music for both adults and children are for sale at low prices. Proceeds benefit the local public library. The book fair takes place at the Hagan Park Community Center behind City Hall at 2020 Wilton Drive. Enter via NE 21st Court. Free admission and parking. The event is coordinated by the allvolunteer, non-profit Friends of the Wilton Manors Library. Learn more about becoming a ‘Friends’ member by visiting FriendsOfTheWiltonManorslibrary.org/ membership.php. WMG
OPEN MON - SAT: 10AM - 9PM • SUN: 12 - 6 PM
EXCLUDING TOBACCO. EXP. FEBRUARY 29, 2020.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED! MORE THAN YOU EXPECT!
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Nite Club Law If you drink, don’t drive. If you drive, don’t drink. If you do both, call us.
Criminal Defense Law Center 954.763.1900 Norman Elliott Kent
Russell Cormican
2520 N Dixie Hwy Wilton Manors, FL 33305
12 S.E. 7th Street, Suite 700 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
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politics
Focus on Politics
The Gazette’s Q&A with the candidates for City Commission
Michael Bracchi hopes to bring fresh voice to Wilton Manors By Sallie James
Michael Bracchi. Photo via ivotemike.com.
T
hree seats on the Wilton Manors Commission are up for grabs in the Nov. 3, 2020 election and the campaigning has begun to heat up.
Three seats on the Wilton Manors Commission are up for grabs in the Nov. 3, 2020 election and the campaigning has begun to heat up. Two 4-year Commission seats, occupied by Tom Green and Julie Carson, and the Mayor’s 2-year seat, occupied by Justin Flippen are up for election. Green is not running for re-election and Flippen has not yet announced if he is running for re-election. To date, incumbent Julie Carson and political newcomers Michael Bracchi and Chris Caputo have announced their intentions to run for Commissioner. Here is the first of our candidate profile we will be running.
MICHAEL BRACCHI (WMG) Why have you decided to run for Commission? (Michael Bracchi) Our city is experiencing a period of stagnation. Four out of five of the current commissioners have each served over a decade in the role; and collectively they have 60 years of service on the commission. It’s time for a change in leadership. We need passionate leaders with strong
“To create more balance, we need to attract more residents and rethink the types of businesses we have in our community.” - Michael Bracchi
Candidate for wilton manors commissioner
business experience to move our city forward and to attract a diverse array of businesses. I am running to ensure that our city will not be left behind; and to help accelerate growth and development in a smart, sensible, and fiscally sound manner. What are your qualifications? I am a licensed pharmacist, attorney, and healthcare business executive who is dedicated to continually learning and challenging myself academically and professionally. I have earned several degrees, including a: • Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) from the University of Kansas; • Juris Doctor (JD - law degree) from St. John’s University; • M.S. Business Management & Leadership from the City University of New York; and • B.S. in Pharmacy from St. John’s University I also have numerous accomplishments within the business sector through serving in various roles in the healthcare industry, including:
• Managing a $350M budget that generated more than $1B in revenue; • Launching a specialty pharmacy business that went on to generate over $30M in revenue in the first year; and • Managing more than 200 employees. Are you already involved in the city on boards, etc.? I am a member of the Budget Review Advisory Committee, which all candidates for commissioner should be required to participate in prior to running for the role. Understanding the nuts and bolts of the city’s budget is crucial to establishing fiscal responsibility, and mismanagement of the budget could be disastrous for our community and our residents. List your top issues of concern? Fiscal Responsibility: I believe as a community we can spend more responsibly, investing in projects and programs that benefit the community as a whole and not on projects that only benefit a select few. I
will work towards improving fiscal management while maintaining priorities for our city such as: • Decreasing the overall tax rate while maintaining all of the services the city offers our residents; • Updating infrastructure, e.g. water and sewer pipes, roadways, and parking; and • Adopting technology and automation of city services in order to streamline processes and procedures. Economic Development: Moving the city beyond 2020 will require smart, sensible, and commonsense development to revitalize our commercial areas while preserving the charm, character, and history of our single-family neighborhoods. We must focus on the future of our community, and take steps to: • Attract commercial development along our major streets, with projects that preserve the charm and character of our city; • Generate additional taxes to aid the City in continuing to provide traditional services, as well as new services to our residents; and
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politics
“While I am commissioner, my goal will be to make decisions that benefit the community as a whole, and not a select few.” - Michael Bracchi
Candidate for Wilton Manors Commissioner
• Increase the variety of businesses operating within our city.
Are you in favor of term limits, why or why not?
Quality of Life: Our residents love our island city for all it has to offer; especially for its friendliness and small town charm. My goal is to maintain and improve our overall quality of life by focusing on the following areas:
No one should stay in office for a lifetime, but I understand and appreciate both sides of the argument. The real question is what should be considered a reasonable length of time for serving. To tackle this issue, the city has created a Charter Review Committee that is focused on addressing this question. They will be presenting their recommendations to the commission in the next few months. When I become Commissioner, I will be working hard to get other residents involved in our city, especially on our committees. This will ensure we continue to have highly qualified residents involved in city politics and providing fresh perspectives to improving our community.
Crime: Crime rates have increased in some of our neighborhoods. We need to further partner with our police department to ensure that we can all go to bed feeling safe and secure; Cultural Arts: Attract and promote programs, businesses, and events that enhance the artistic and cultural features of our city; and Rising Sea Levels: We must protect our land and property from increasing tides and flooding that threaten to damage our homes and thoroughfares. Why are you a better choice than your opponents?
Visit WMG on Facebook to see many more photos from Mike Bracchi's Campaign kickoff party!
I am the only candidate with any leadership and executive experience associated with running a large business in the private sector. In my role as a hospital executive, I was responsible for managing budgets 10x the size of the Wilton Manors’ budget. I have built businesses from the ground up and I have extensive experience with process improvement and operational excellence. How long have you lived in the city? I purchased my townhome in Wilton Manors almost eight years ago and I have been a full-time resident since moving into the community.
Talk about your ideas for improving the city’s downtown business district?
As many of us know, our businesses turn over fairly quickly. One critical issue is that we currently have 3x the amount of retail space per capita when compared to the national average. To create more balance, we need to attract more residents and rethink the types of businesses we have in our community. The way we bring in more residents is to promote smart, sensible, common-sense residential development and redevelopment in some of our commercial areas. In addition, we must focus on promoting more office space; rather than new retail shops. Having more offices in the city will bring nonresidents to our community during the week. They will make purchases from our retail shops and eat in our restaurants Monday through Friday, when most of our city currently feels like a ghost-town with tumbleweed rolling down the streets.
On Thursday, Jan. 30 at Richardson Historic Park, Mike Bracchi rallied supporters at his campaign kick-off party. Photo credit: J.R. Davis.
The city now has an all-LGBT Commission. How will you serve ALL the city’s residents, since the majority of Wilton Manors’ residents are not LGBT?
Is there anything about your personal story that especially qualifies you to serve Wilton Manors’ diverse and unique population?
While I am commissioner, my goal will be to make decisions that benefit the community as a whole, and not a select few. Everyone may not agree with my decisions all of the time, but I can guarantee that I will not be making decisions based off self-interests or pet projects. I am running to serve our entire community.
I learned to appreciate service to my community from a very early age. My father was a police officer who put his life on the line every single day. He did not serve and protect certain classes of people; he served everyone. I was also a Boy Scout and eventually became an Eagle Scout. During this time I learned the important values of, helpfulness, friendliness, and kindness. These values have driven me my entire life. And when I am Commissioner, I will continue to treat everyone equally and with dignity and respect.
Are you married, kids, partner, etc? I am happily partnered to Tommy Walser, a native to Broward County. We have an adorable yorkie puppy named Archie. What is your profession? I started my own pharmacy and healthcare consulting business in 2018. I help hospitals develop pharmacy strategy, reduce costs, and improve processes. I have an extensive work history in hospital management. How will your profession mesh with your job as commissioner, if elected? My unique educational background and extensive work experience will bring a fresh business perspective to the commission. Would there be a conflict of any sort?
Mike Bracchi lined up with his campaign team at his campaign kick-off party on Jan. 30. Photo credit: J.R. Davis.
Of course not. I am only running to help our residents push our city forward.
What is your biggest criticism of what the Wilton Manors Commission has done recently, if any? Our commissioners are public servants who hopefully serve for the right reasons, i.e. to improve our community. They spend a significant amount of time working for the city each month for very little monetary compensation, so I appreciate all the work they do. However, collectively they have been on the commission for six decades and the city has been experiencing stagnation for years. We need a strong leader with substantial business experience, to bring a fresh perspective to the commission and to drive our city forward. It’s time for a change. Time for progress. And time for new leadership. Is there anything else you would like to add? Please visit www.ivotemike.com for more information on my campaign. Or email mike@ ivotemike.com. WMG
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