Wilton Manors Gazette October 3, 2018

WMG Volume 5 • Issue 18 October 3, 2018

Wilton Manors Gazette FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/WMGAZETTE

BUSINESS

City Commission Inches Closer to Giving $200,000 to Pride Center

By Sallie James City commissioners have agreed commissioners voted on Sept. 25 in favor to conditionally award the developer of a resolution authorizing the expenditure of a 48-unit LGBT-friendly affordable of $200,000 from the city’s Affordable housing project up to $200,000 from the Trust Fund. The fund contains $306,295.

David J. Coviello, attorney for the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. developer, said the Equality Park Ltd. allocation allows Carrfour requested the money to to move forward with the help bridge a $1.1 million project. funding gap. The entire “While the $200,000 project is expected to contribution is cost about $15 million. conditioned on Carrfour The developer is confirming the actual gap receiving $11.2 million in funding once the project in low income housing “EITHER I AM budget is established and tax credits from Florida GOING TO TRY is capped at $200,000, we Housing Finance are grateful for the City’s Corporation (FHFC), a TO AMEND THAT investment in this project,” FHFC loan of $550,000 AMOUNT DOWN Coviello said. and $955,866 in deferred According to a letter development fees.

OR I AM GOING from Stephanie Berman, According to the TO SURPRISE president/CEO of Equality resolution, the county SOME PEOPLE AND Park, Ltd., construction “will consider funding will take about a year, $900,000 of the gap VOTE THE WHOLE starting in late 2018 funding if the city MATTER DOWN.” and nearing completion contributes $200,000 in late 2019. Equality of the gap funding.” The - Tom Green WILTON MANORS Park is a collaborative combined total of the COMMISSIONER effort between the Pride contributions equals the Center and Carrfour, the $1.1 million gap.

The complex is slated for construction developer of Equality Park, Ltd. Carrfour has recently partnered with at 2040 N. Dixie Highway, where it will adjoin The Pride Center at Equality Park. the Jerome Golden Behavioral Health Although several commissioners said Center in West Palm Beach to develop a 36the $200,000 sum was too high, all five unit project for adults living with mental

A past gathering of The Founder’s Circle at The Pride Center. Photo via Facebook.

illness. Carrfour is also partnering with The Key Clubhouse of South Florida in Miami to develop an 80-unit supportive housing project for adults living with mental illness, and with the South Brevard Sharing Center to develop an 80-unit supportive housing community for homeless families.

Before voting on the issue, Commissioner Tom Green voiced concern about the $200,000 sum.

“We were going to use some of this money to try to help first time homebuyers in Wilton Manors. That way you are investing in the city,” Green said. “Either I am going to try to amend that amount down or I am going to surprise some people and vote the whole matter down. That is too much money for the City of Wilton Manors.”

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OPINION

Greetings From New Jersey WMG Elections are approaching; Paul Kuta retires; and candidate’s forum takes place Thursday, Oct. 4

October 3, 2018 • Volume 5 • Issue 18 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

By Sal Torre

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 News Editor • Sallie James

Correspondents James Oaksun

Staff Photographers

J.R. Davis • Pompano Bill • Steven Shires

Sales & Marketing For ad placement in the Wilton Manors Gazette, contact 954-530-4970

Sitting down to write my article this week, I am visiting my family in New Jersey. Spending the weekend outside of South Florida is a definite wake–up call to the reality that autumn is here, and the end of the year is fast approaching. Cooler nights dropping down into the 50’s, stores filled with Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations, pumpkin patches, and hay rides certainly crack through any denial that 2018 is now quickly coming to a close.

This time of year is jam-packed with activities.

Upcoming municipal elections, Halloween celebrations along Wilton Drive, and the annual Taste of the Island will dominate local activities.

Thursday, October 4, offers residents a chance to meet and hear from candidates running for local municipal office here in our Island City. The three Wilton Manors neighborhood associations sponsor this very informative event for residents.

This year’s moderators will be SFGN’s own Salli James, reporter for the Wilton Manors Gazette, and Michael D’Olivera, Editor of the Pelican newspaper.

Everyone is encouraged to attend the forum at Hagen Park Community Center starting at 6:30 p.m. for a Meet & Greet with the Q&A beginning at 7 p.m. As always, parking will be free during this important event.

Election Day is quickly approaching. Mail-in ballots will be hitting the post office next week, and October 9 is the last day you can register to vote in the General Election. Early voting will begin on October 22 right here at Wilton Manors City Hall. Register to vote, participate in elections and make a difference on who we elect to represent us locally, regionally and nationally.

Those attending the Final Budget Hearing last week got a big surprise when resident Paul Kuta announced that Finance Director Bob Mays will be retiring in March. This best kept secret was a huge surprise to members of the Budget Review Advisory Board, who work so closely with Bob. His retirement will be a great loss for our

city. Bob’s level of commitment, professionalism, and dedication have served our city well over the years. He will definitely be missed by many who work for and with the city. We might be losing Bob as Finance Director, but we still have him as our neighbor and resident here in our wonderful Island City. Best wishes, Bob, on your new adventures.

Another exciting event happening this month will be the Friends of the Wilton Manors Library Fall Lecture Series on October 11. Wilton Manors resident, movie producer, director, and author Alyn Darnay will be the guest speaker at this event.

Join us at our local free and independent municipal library located at 500 NE 26th Street beginning at 6:30 p.m. for light refreshments with the lecture beginning at 7 p.m.

The Fall Season kicks off a very active time of year for many, with holidays, events and parties. It is also a good time to take stock of where we are heading as individuals and as a community. We have had some major discussions this past year on the future of Wilton Drive, on the role of the Pride Center, on the future of Andrews Avenue and Oakland Park Boulevard, on making hard budgetary choices, and many more issues and questions we as a community have been confronted with over the past year. Making these tough discussions and reaching a consensus on how best to move forward is a sign of how strong we are as a community. We will not always agree, but we most always look for ways to work together to achieve what is best for our community.

It’s time for me to get back to my family visit up north. Enjoy the upcoming season of fun and festivities. Make sure you are registered to vote and exercise that right on or before Election Day. Participate in local happenings, meet your neighbors, and become involved with local community organizations. Let’s continue making life just better here in our wonderful community we call Wilton Manors. WMG

OCTOBER 9 IS THE LAST DAY YOU CAN REGISTER TO VOTE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

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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A view outside of the Shoppes of Wilton Manors, where many local hot spots like Alibi can be found.

Photo credit: Brendon Lies.

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October 3, 2018

BUSINESS

City Commission Inches Closer to Giving $200,000 to Pride Center  Continued from page 1

Commissioner Scott Newton voiced similar concerns.

“The project is great. I absolutely do want to give some of that money but would rather see it come in around $150,000 mark. You are not the only project that is going to come in front of us in the next 1015 years,” Newton said.

Mayor Gary Resnick said he wanted mandatory background checks for all employees added as a condition of the funding.

Carrfour’s Berman has said all applicants for the affordable housing project will undergo a background check.

Protecting children from sexual offenders become a hot topic in this city earlier this year after it became public that a registered sex offender was employed at The Pride Center at Equality Park for years. The man was subsequently arrested. A second sex offender, twice convicted, also worked at the Pride Center for three years before he was terminated in 2016, the South Florida Gay News recently learned.

The facility has a playground that is frequented by children and will be in close proximity to the 48-unit affordable housing complex. The community center at 2040 N. Dixie Highway was built to provide same sex couples a place for their children to play.

City commissioners are waiting to find out about possibly receiving a payment from Carrfour in lieu of taxes if some of the units are subject to tax abatement because 34 of the 48 units will be set aside for the disabled. They requested answers on or before Oct. 9. WMG

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THURSDAY, OCT. 4

CANDIDATE’S FORUM Michael D’Oliveira

This year’s moderators will be SFGN’s own Salli James, reporter for the Wilton Manors Gazette, and Michael D’Oliveira, Editor of the Pelican newspaper.

Everyone is encouraged to attend the forum at Hagen Park Community Center starting at 6:30 pm for a Meet & Greet with the Q&A beginning at 7 pm.

As always, parking will be free during this important event.

Salli James

DON’T FORGET: register to vote by Oct. 9!

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COMMUNITY

Sun Sentinel Endorses Justin Flippen For Mayor of Wilton Manors

By Sun Sentinel Editorial Board Wilton Manors voters have an easy was accused of trying to light a drag queen choice for mayor when they vote on Nov. on fire with a tiki torch in front of 1,000 people at a Halloween costume contest.

6: Vice Mayor Justin Flippen.

Flippen, 40, has the experience, The charge eventually was dropped, but education and temperament needed Corbin says he’s had other unpleasant to continue the progress this town of exchanges with the police since then.

He also said that he has sued the drag 12,000 residents has experienced over queen. A judge dismissed the suit, but the last few decades.

Corbin said that he has Known as a place appealed that ruling. that welcomes LGBTQ Flippen agrees with residents, Wilton “CLAIMS OF HOW Corbin that Wilton Manors Manors has evolved pays Fort Lauderdale too from a nondescript blueWE OPERATE OUR much for water and sewer collar city to a thriving WATER SYSTEM services. He’s worried community with new about Fort Lauderdale’s businesses and rising — CLAIMS OF plans to revisit water rates, property values. It needs THEFT OR FISCAL already increasing at 5 a mayor like Flippen to IMPROPRIETY percent a year. continue its evolution.

But that’s about the only Flippen’s challenger is — DON’T issue the two agree on.

50-year-old Boyd Corbin, HOLD WATER, “The city did have Mr. a passionate candidate Corbin’s water tested and it who says he’s running LITERALLY.” did meet state and federal for mayor “to end the guidelines,” Flippen said. corruption” in city - Justin Flippen “As for costs, absolutely, government.

VICE MAYOR OF WILTON MANORS Fort Lauderdale charges Corbin contends our city way too much for the water that Wilton water. How that is handled Manors buys from Fort Lauderdale is polluted and over-priced, needs to be addressed. But claims of how and that the city is funding exorbitant we operate our water system — claims of pay hikes by shifting money from the theft or fiscal impropriety — don’t hold water, literally. We are reviewed every year. utility fund.

He says the narrowing of Wilton Drive And every year we get a finding that we are from four to two lanes is “a big mistake” in good fiscal health.”

Besides water rates, Flippen said the and that the police department has rogue second most important issue facing members.

Corbin cites a personal experience the town is the potential loss of at least as an example. He says that in 2012, he $300,000 in annual tax revenue if voters

Vice Mayor Justin Flippen.

statewide approve an additional $25,000 homestead exemption in November.

He’d also like to see a greater diversity of business, beyond bars and sushi restaurants.

A small hotel would be good, he said. He also notes the lack of a city parking garage, a crunch felt particularly on weekend nights. He said he’s open to pursuing a lease agreement that maximizes the city hall property.

As for the narrowing of Wilton Drive, Flippen said there’s “great support in the community.” He acknowledges the narrowing will pose challenges for businesses and motorists, but said there are ways to address those problems.

“The future is not vehicular traffic only. The future is about mobility,” Flippen said. “There’s not one resident that wants a thoroughfare in my city.”

Flippen said the town is in “good fiscal health,” and that City Manager Leigh Ann Henderson is “professional, responsive and a

valuable asset to our city.”

Flippen was first elected to the commission in 2008, but resigned two years later to run for the Florida House against a representative considered to be anti-gay. He came up short.

In 2014, he ran for the city commission again, successfully. In his campaign for mayor, he has a slew of endorsements, including that of current Mayor Gary Resnick.

Flippen has a bachelor’s degree from Florida Atlantic University, where he was student body president in 2000. He also has a law degree from the University of Florida. He is the Tourism Project Manager for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Boyd said he makes a fine living renting out his house. “I have enough money so I won’t be tempted to accept kickbacks from developers, parking contractors, trash service providers, etc.,” he wrote in his questionnaire.

He said no person or organization has endorsed him. WMG

Editorials are the opinion of the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board and written by one of its members or a designee. The Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Rosemary O’Hara, Andy Reid and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson.

Justin Flippen (center) marching with community volunteers during Wilton Manors Pride in June. Photo via Facebook.

SFGN and Sun Sentinel are media partners.

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October 3, 2018

REAL ESTATE

Are You ‘The Guy Behind the Tree’?

Voters will have two property related tax measures to vote in November

By James Oaksun It is Election Season, and we will be voting constitutional amendments require a 60 on a lot of different things this cycle. Although percent yes vote to be adopted, a high hurdle), Election Day is not until Nov. 6, people who would increase by up to $25,000 the value of requested mail ballots should have them by an owner-occupied property that is exempt Oct. 10, with early in-person voting beginning from taxation. in Broward on Oct. 22.

In Florida, a substantial amount of the funds You may be thinking, “You’re the Real Estate used to operate our schools, as well as the Geek. What does that have to do with the various city and county governments, come election?” Quite a bit this year, as it turns out. from direct taxation of real estate. The tax rate There will be some measures on everyone’s (often called the millage or “mil” rate) varies ballot that directly affect real estate here in by city. In Broward County, the combined mil Florida – pertaining to taxation. rates (school, city and county) range from 1.56 I take the title of this column percent of property value in from a famous saying of the Weston, up to 2.39 percent IN FLORIDA, A late Senator Russell Long of in Lauderdale Lakes. So you SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT Louisiana. Long was chairman multiply the percentage for of the Senate Finance your city by the tax value of OF THE FUNDS USED Committee, which plays a your property. That tax value TO OPERATE OUR large role in determining tax is the assessed value minus the SCHOOLS, AS WELL policy in the U.S. Lobbyists exempt amount (if you are an AS THE VARIOUS would come into the Senate owner occupant). offices, seeking tax breaks for I participate in local city CITY AND COUNTY their clients – what they would commission candidate GOVERNMENTS, COME call “technical adjustments.” screenings with the Realtor FROM DIRECT TAXATION In response, Long would often board. Several of the candidates OF REAL ESTATE. say, “Don’t tax you, and don’t we screened are very tax me. Tax that guy behind concerned about Question 1. If the tree!” you increase the amount that is excluded from Taxes have never been popular. After all one taxation, that will decrease available funds to of the earliest rallying cries in our Colonial the city and county. To rectify that, they would era was “Taxation without representation is either have to cut spending or raise the mil rate. tyranny!” Having lived in Florida five years And neither politicians nor the voters like to now, it is clear many here in the Sunshine State hear that the mil rate is going up! have a particularly strong aversion to taxes.

Which brings us to Question 2. This Well on our ballots this year (probably on the proposed amendment affects non-owner back of page 1) there will be two constitutional occupied properties (second homes, amendments that affect the way we tax real investment and commercial properties), and estate in Florida. would set a maximum increase in assessed Amendment One, if passed (and value of 10 percent per year, permanently. In 2008, the state enacted this 10-percent cap, but only for 10 years. Without this amendment, the cap would terminate at year-end 2018.

Full disclosure – I am (at least for the time being) a state director of the Florida Association of Realtors, and as an entity we have not only taken a position strongly in favor of this amendment, but also are funding the campaign for it to a significant degree. The fear is that if the cap is removed, local officials could view increasing taxes on non-owner occupied property as an opportunity to raise revenue without disturbing local residents and homeowners. “Oh they’re just people ‘from away.’” “Oh they are rich investors and won’t miss the money, and besides they won’t be

yelling at us in Publix every week. Or voting next election.”

Well there are many people who own vacation or retirement homes here. Do we really want people to sell them all at once?

Do we want businesses to pass these costs on to consumers, or relocate? Well those are the main arguments in favor of passage.

But the money needed to fund our schools and needed infrastructure has to come from somewhere. Unlike the Federal Government,

we don’t have the option of printing it. So, directly or indirectly, these two measures affect everyone. In other words, we are all behind a tree. Are you behind a redwood, or a bonsai?

Happy Voting! WMG James Oaksun, Florida’s Real Estate Geek(SM), is Broker-Owner 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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Letter To The WMG Editor To the Editor: I want to thank the editor of SFGN and the WMG for publishing recent article regarding the ongoing personal attacks on me by Boyd Corbin, the acrid candidate for Mayor of Wilton Manors. For several years, Corbin has defamed, slandered and made libelous comments about me, the Wilton Manors Police Department, City Officials, and countless others who have been leaders in our community.

Some people make bad decisions in life and live to regret those decisions while blaming others. I believe that was the case during Wicked Manors in 2012. Boyd Corbin chose to dress in a KKK costume carrying a cross, a lit-burning torch and a sign that read, “Stop the race war against whites.” That choice led to a violent altercation involving Boyd Corbin and a local performer.

What Corbin has fabricated in his mind, is that I made false statements about what I saw that evening. Yes, I did see Corbin in the costume, with a lit torch, a cross and signs, what I did not see was the actual incident that would cause both Corbin and Michael Walters, aka- DAME EDNA, months of legal turmoil, including an arrest.

The last thing I saw before the altercation was Corbin’s over zealous attempt to be recognized by the show host, Corbin, waving a flaming torch precariously close to other contestants with large costumes and flammable materials; a scenario that could have ended in a much worse tragedy.

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Submit your own letter to Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com

I said to myself at that moment, “this is not going to end well” and I left the stage area prior to the alleged attack and subsequent injury to Walters. In fact, Corbin stated under oath in a court of law, “I had every intention of winning that contest.” Furthermore, I never gave any sworn statements nor testified against Corbin during his arrest trial. Corbin has ruminated on this for years now and continues the attacks in his political advertisements, as well as Facebook and at city commission meetings.

As a 19-year resident of south Florida, I have spent most of that time as public servant volunteering first in Fort Lauderdale as Past President of the neighboring South Middle River neighborhood, Fort Lauderdale Code Advisory Board and won volunteer of the year for Fort Lauderdale’s District II in 2001.

Then after moving to Wilton Manors, I sat on the WM Board of Adjustment, WM Budget Review Advisory Committee, WM City Hall Advisory Board, President of Wilton Manors Main Street and currently Chairman of the Wilton Drive Improvement District. I ran for Mayor of Wilton Manors in 2014 with an impressive showing taking 44 percent of the votes in a three-way race, where Corbin took a meager 1 percent.

To my knowledge, Boyd Corbin has never been appointed to or volunteered for any city boards or organizations to try and make our city better. His efforts continuously center around negativity, bashing, name-calling, threatening and

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COMMUNITY

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! 

September 5, 2018

bullying and many even say reminiscent of Donald Trump.

Reportedly, he has also demanded countless hours of city staff time and resources that is taking away from the regular duties of many of the Wilton Manors employees.

Corbin admits spending his own money putting out one of the most negative and hateful mailers in the history of our fine city. I think this is the straw the breaks the camels back for Corbin. As the old saying goes, give a man enough rope and he will hang himself.

I am currently in discussion with two different attorneys looking at options for legal action. In addition, there are countless other victims and possible plaintiffs who may join forces to bring justice and stop this self-indulged pariah once and for all.

Doug Blevins