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A big piece of the funding puzzle for improvement to Mickel Park may fall into place this month.
Last week, city offi cials received proposals from banks for the $744,000 loan needed to make the $1.5 million in improvements planned for Mickel Park, located on Powerline Road. The rest of improvements would be paid for through a combination of general funds, impact fees and grants.
Finance Director Bob Mays said he can’t discuss the details of the proposals at this time but they would be brought before the city commission at its Feb. 10 or 24 meeting. The improvements include a walking trail, estate-style fencing, pavilion shelter with concert performance area, a volleyball court, additional bathroom, fi tness equipment stations and shade canopies.
Offi cials also want to convert the concession stand into a police substation and community meeting space. The small baseball fi eld will be removed to make room for the new amenities but the large one will remain. Security cameras will also be installed.
The original projected cost was expected to cost $2.1 million but that was reduced when the racquetball courts, new lighting, new playground, storage shed, sculpture and fountain were removed from the plans.
Offi cials expect the park to be open by July of this year.
“[The security cameras will be added] primarily to ensure the safety of the park users. It’s just an added level of security,”
said Assistant City Manager Leigh Anne Henderson.
The city accepted proposals for the cameras on Jan. 26. City staff will review the proposals and the city commission could vote on one as early as Feb. 10. For decades, Mickel Park, formerly known as Mickel Field, was the city’s hub for little league baseball games. Over the years though participation dwindled and the park, dominated by two baseball diamonds, became more and more underutilized.
“We’ve allowed this park to fall apart. We’ve let it go to hell,” said former commissioner Ted Galatis. “It’s time to fi x it.”
But while residents were using it less and less, vagrants, prostitutes and drug dealers used it more and more. Criminals also used the vacant park to stage robberies of some homes adjacent to the park.
Westside Association of Wilton Manors President Sal Torre said just having more people use the park will cut down on the amount of illegal activity there. “It won’t be an empty lot. That alone will cut down on criminal activity.”
Offi cials also voted to improve the park as a way to help drive economic development in the area.
“We need a real jolt of economic development on the west side. I’m tired of driving by and seeing [Mickel Field] empty,” said Mayor Gary Resnick at a previous meeting. “A lot of developers are not interested in Powerline, partly because of the shape Mickel Field is in.” WMG
primary residence is the largest fi nancial/investment commitment they make in their lives. Yes, there are certainly emotional aspects to the decision. Having owned several homes, you sometimes walk through the door — even pull up to the driveway — and the place just “grabs” you.
But what is the right price? Currently, there isn't a “stock market” for real estate. (But I have some ideas!) You can't look up the price of a specifi c piece of property like you can with a stock. There aren't millions of trades daily. Further, real estate purchases are much longer term in nature. It is rare to fi nd an owner occupant who doesn't plan to stay for at least 10 years. In some neighborhoods I cover, 20-25 years is more typical.
So, you may start someplace like Zillow.com, a popular real estate portal. Zillow will helpfully provide you with something
they call the “Zestimate” for your property.This can be a problem! Let's not even talk neighborhood to
neighborhood, or city to city, variations. Zillow admits that the accuracy of the Zestimate varies by metro area. But even beyond that, for the country as a whole, Zillow says the Zestimate will represent the market value, plus or minus 10 percent, 80 percent of the time.
So what does that mean for a Wilton Manors house that has a Zestimate of $350,000? Well, if the Zestimate for that neighborhood is just as good as the Zestimate for the typical place in America, there is an 80 percent chance that the real value is somewhere between $315,000 and $385,000. And a 20 percent chance the value is really less than 315 or more than 385!
In my experience, the Zestimate ends up confusing both buyers and sellers. And nobody got time for that.
3 • February 4, 2015
You could spend $400-500 for an appraisal. Appraisers have many hours of specialized training and experience, have taken multiple exams, and are state licensed. They will determine the value of the property utilizing the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).
That report will produce A Number. But there are caveats to that number also. For one thing, the number is only good as of the date of appraisal. Also, USPAP is designed so that any three appraisers will be at plus or minus fi ve percent of each other's determination of value. That can be tens of thousands of dollars of variance!
Finally and most importantly, especially given the rapid appreciation we have seen in some local neighborhoods, an appraisal is always a look back, using historical sales. Ideally the sales are very close to the appraisal date, but this is not always true. In fact, in a smartly rising market the appraised values are going to lag the actual values.
Still, if you plan on getting a mortgage for the property, the
appraised value is the one that matters most.
Can we do better? In my opinion valuation is both science and art. For example, a realtor who has done a lot of business in a neighborhood can usually walk into a property and know, intuitively and from experience, what the likely sale price will be (or very close).
Additionally there is a small handful of Realtors who have built what are called Automated Valuation Models (AVMs) for particular neighborhoods. These models consider a variety of factors in determining a tight range of a likely sales price.
Finally, the National Association of Realtors off ers a certifi cation called Brokers Price Opinion Resource. To obtain this (and very few Realtors have), you must complete a classroom course, pass an exam, and have been a licensed agent or broker for at least 30 months.
So, no, for the foreseeable future you're not going to be able to go to Yahoo Finance and get a property's value. But there are things you can and really should do to come pretty close — if you know who to ask. WMG
Community Relatives and friends of missing woman rally in Fort Lauderdale
By Erika PesantesSun Sentinel
Relatives and friends of a missing 51-year-old woman rallied Friday evening in Fort Lauderdale, not far from where she was last seen.
Lisa Hayden-Gordon, of Wilton Manors, went missing after attending a Keller Williams show at Revolution Live, 100 SW Third Ave., on Jan. 24 and visiting the nearby Poorhouse bar, according to Susan O'Leary, a sister who fl ew from North Carolina to join in the search.
O'Leary and her family, along with Hayden-Gordon's friends, will stand on the corner of Southwest Second Street and Fourth Avenue outside Esplanade Park beginning at 5:30 p.m. in hopes of drawing attention to the missing woman's case.
She described Hayden-Gordon this way: "She's just very, very outgoing, friendly, boisterous, loves to talk to people, very engaging."
Police say Hayden-Gordon is considered an endangered missing person. She is known to drive a light blue 2003 Hyundai Elantra with stickers all over it. Some of those stickers on the hood are of the sun, moon and stars. The car has Florida license plate 303 IEQ.
O'Leary, who said she fi led the missing persons report with police Tuesday, said her sister has vanished without a trace. She's had no activity on her debit or credit cards or social media, O'Leary said.
Her sudden disappearance is so uncharacteristic that the property manager where Hayden-Gordon lives alerted family on Monday. The property manager noticed that a student with a scheduled lesson was left waiting for Hayden-Gordon, a piano instructor of nearly 25 years.
"She is very, very, very dedicated to her piano students. Lisa has never not been there for a lesson," O'Leary said, adding that her sister also would never abandon her two pet cats.
Hayden-Gordon was last seen wearing a short-sleeved orange shirt, blue jeans and glittery sneakers. Police say she is 5-foot-6, weighs about 100 pounds and has a thin build.
Investigators urge anyone with information on Hayden-Gordon's whereabouts to call Fort Lauderdale police at 954-764-4357. WMG
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City Commission Creates Entertainment Committee to Organize Stonewall
Community
By Michael d’Oliveira
City offi cials say anyone can put together a parade or festival along Wilton Drive or any other part of the city. But this year’s offi cial June Stonewall festival will be organized by a city-led committee.
Offi cials have expressed concern over the future of the Stonewall festival in Wilton Manors, an event that draws tens of thousands of tourists and visitors to Wilton Manors every year.
Not wanting to lose those thousands of visitors, commissioners unanimously voted on Jan. 27 to form an entertainment board during their Island City Foundation meeting. The board would be a subcommittee of the Island City Foundation.
“We’re looking for continuity,” said City Manager Joseph Gallegos.
Gallegos said the committee would act as a promotional arm for the city. City commissioners would have approval over fi nancial decisions involving events. At least two of the committee members, Jeff Sterling and Corrie Boyd, are former Pride South Florida board members. Pride South Florida was last year’s Stonewall organizer and wants to do it again.
In the last few years, several groups have helmed the event. Two of them, Pride of Greater Fort Lauderdale and the Rainbow Business Coalition, have since disbanded. One, Wedner & Friends, which ran the event in 2011, declined to do so in 2012.
Pride South Florida experienced turmoil last year with the removal of some of its board members. The crowds Stonewall attracts can translate into a lot of extra revenue for businesses on Wilton Drive, depending on where exactly they’re located.
Retailers and restaurants located on the central and north portion of the street tend to get more foot traffi c while those at the southern end don’t always get as much because they’re south of Northeast
21 Court – the festival’s cutoff point.“It was a little bit busier [during
Stonewall], but not really a lot,” said Alex Meyer, owner of Tropics. Lynn Lawrence, owner of Dairy Queen, said a lot of her regular customers don’t come the weekend of Stonewall because they think they won’t be able to get to her business but new customers during the event kind of make up for it. “I make slightly more.”
Further north, business owners say they will be a lot busier. “You can double, triple sales.
It’s a numbers game,” said Rene Arredondo, owner of Cigar Boutique. “If you have thousands of people coming by ... it makes a major diff erence. I look forward to it every year. Same with Halloween.”
Norm Kent, publisher of South Florida Gay News and The Gazette and co-chair of Pride South Florida, went before commissioners during their regular commission meeting, after the Island City Foundation meeting.
Kent said Pride South Florida plans to hold a slimmed-down event – a festival at Holiday Park in Fort Lauderdale on June 13 and parade along Wilton Drive June 14. “It would be a combination of the best of both possible worlds,” Kent said.
Unlike last year’s event, which was a money-loser for Pride South Florida, Kent said this year’s “Free Pride” would cost much less and be limited to a parade and some entertainment. The street would only be closed for a few hours instead of the whole day.
“We’re just asking [the city] for the basics – police and EMS support.”
The reduced cost, said Kent, would allow his organization to focus more on the serious aspects of Stonewall. “We’re a civil rights organization.” WMG
For information on the parade, please send an email to president@pridesfl .org.
Two searches of a home at 400 NW 24 Street in Wilton Manors resulted in the removal of four homemade explosive devices and the arrest of Gregory Knepper.
According to Wilton Manors Police, fi refi ghters responded to a report of an explosion and found a fi re in Knepper’s backyard in the early morning hours of Jan. 26. They found a fi re and spent shotgun shells. Subsequent searches of the home found four explosive devices, described as cylinders by police, and commercial grade fi reworks.
After nearby neighbors were evacuated Tuesday, the devices were detonated by the Fort Lauderdale
Bomb Squad inside a bomb containment chamber. The house has been declared an unsafe structure by police and is covered in yellow police tape.
Knepper, who is currently in custody and has plead not guilty, said in court that the devices were used for fi shing. He is being charged with multiple felonies, including arson and the possession of explosive devices, one of which police say had nails attached to it.
“Obviously we’re evaluating him and why he was in possession of these devices,” said Wilton Manors Police Chief Paul O’Connell. WMG
Commission DebatesAlcohol OrdinanceBy Michael d’Oliveira
Wilton Manors’ bar and restaurant owners may soon have fewer chances to extend last call.
City offi cials are debating an ordinance that would reduce the number of alcohol sale exemptions a business owner in the Arts and Entertainment District can request – from 15 a year to fi ve. Each day of extended hours requires one exemption. Vice Mayor Scott Newton and Commissioner Tom Green voted against the issue.
“We have a problem with too much drinking,” said Mayor Gary Resnick.
Currently, bars and restaurants can only serve alcohol Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. An exemption allows an owner to serve alcohol an hour past the regular times.
Commissioners briefl y talked about possibly extending the cut-off by one hour but ultimately decided no. Commissioners said they were concerned another hour might be unfair to residents living around Wilton Drive. “I just don’t see the need,” said Newton, who added that 3 a.m. is late enough for most people to be out drinking.
Newton called the changes unnecessary, saying that most bars requesting a special event don’t stay open that late because the city’s noise ordinance already prevents late night entertainment that disturbs surrounding neighborhoods. According to the city noise ordinance, establishments that sell alcohol can’t play loud music between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Owners who request an exemption may also be required to hire a sworn off -duty Wilton Manors police offi cer. Chief Paul O’Connell suggested that the minimum be six hours. The cost to hire a uniformed offi cer is $35 an hour.
O’Connell said it’s important to establish
a police presence well before a bar closes and for some time after to ensure nothing happens. “We make sure everyone is dispersed and on their way home.”
Commissioner Justin Flippen suggested the minimum time be cut down to two or three hours near the end of the night. O’Connell responded that it might be hard to fi nd an off -duty offi cer willing to work a late night shift for only two or three hours. “That’ll be a challenge to fi ll it,” said O’Connell.
Owners may also have to request an extension earlier. Currently, a request has to be made within 30 days of the date desired. The new law would require requests be made at least 60 days in advance. The application fee might also be increased from $100 to $250. Newton said 60 days may be too long because a lot of special events aren’t planned that far in advance.
Commissioners also discussed prohibiting people during events from transporting open beverages from one business to another, such as during Art Walk where some business owners serve free wine.
“I don’t see the big deal of someone going from one place to another [with alcohol] and looking at the art,” said Green. Currently, the law prohibits people from consuming alcoholic beverages they purchased at a bar off premises, but nothing is stipulated in regards to free alcohol they receive.
“We’re going to have to deal with the whole issue of Art Walk,” said Commissioner Julie Carson.
Although he was supportive of the change, Resnick said he didn’t want the city turning into a “police state where police question everyone” with a beverage in their hand. WMG
Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25 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 specifi c exercises will decrease the risk of
falling while increasing mental acuity.
Free Tax AssistanceFeb. 7, 14, 21, & 28 from 10
a.m. — 12 p.m. at Richard C. Sullivan Public Library
Free face-to-face tax help for those of low to moderate income from the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling
for the Elderly programs.
Wilton ManorsGreen Market
Feb. 7, 8; 14, 15; 21, 22, and Feb. 28, March 1 — 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Wilton Manors City Hall / Hagen
Park
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, coff ees & 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.
City Commission Meeting
Feb. 10 & 24 at 7 p.m. atCity Hall Chambers 2020 Wilton Drive,
Wilton Manors, FL 33305
Community Yard SaleFeb. 14, All Day at Hagen Park
Historical Society Annual Meeting
Feb. 19, 7 p.m. at City Hall Commission Chambers
Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Event
Feb. 22, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Municipal Compound
The City's annual drive-through drop-off event for residents to dispose of household
hazardous items.
We Do!February 14, 4:30 PM @ City Hall
and Hagen Park
On Valentine's Day, the City of Wilton Manors and Broward 100 - Celebrating the Art of Community, in honor of the County's centennial, will hold FREE marriage ceremonies for 100 people (50 couples) at
Wilton Manors City Hall.
Roadmap to the Stars Astronomy Program
Feb. 25, 5 p.m. at Richard C. Sullivan Public Library
International award-winning astronomer and former NASA consultant Kevin Manning presents “Roadmap to the Stars.” You’re invited to enjoy an educational and entertaining exploration of the universe, as well as a refreshingly large perspective gained by looking up to the stars. If weather permits, we will view the stars through a powerful custom-designed telescope after the presentation. This engaging program for all ages is sponsored by the Friends of
Commentary NO EXTENDED BAR HOURSA commentary by Paul Kuta
For several years, I have listened to lengthy discussions by the Wilton Manors City Commission in its meetings on requests by bar owners in the city's Arts and Entertainment District to extend their operating hours for one occasion or another. I think it's time for this issue to be put to rest with the City Commission ruling that operating hours for serving alcoholic beverages at all bars must end at 2 a.m. on weekday mornings and 3 a.m. on weekends — with no exceptions allowed. There are several good reasons for such a decision.
First, as Vice Mayor Scott Newton has pointed out, the bars on Wilton Drive closely abut residential areas. There have been several complaints about late-night noise, traffi c and litter.
Second, as Mayor Gary Resnick has observed, city authorities should not appear to place themselves in a position of encouraging excessive drinking or driving while intoxicated. I
also would add that illegal drug buying does occur after some people spend a long night in bars — and we do have a drug problem in our city.
Third, current rules require that businesses must hire a Police Offi cer or BSO Deputy to be present during extended drinking hours at a bar. This results in what may be seen as discrimination against smaller bars which cannot aff ord to hire police personnel or pay staff to stay open later; and they can complain that the city may be giving preference to larger bars. This legal argument occurred last year in the City of Oakland Park when its City Commission was discussing extended hours and fees for such for its bars.
I do not accept the argument that our bars must be able to serve alcoholic beverages during extended night hours because customers will go to another city if we don't. Let them! WMG
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