Florida Agenda

City Assures Businesses That Improvements Are Being Made

By Bob Kecskemety

WILTON MANORS, FL – On Tuesd ay, M

ay 17, the Wilton Manors City Council held a breakfast business roundtable at Hagen Park. Approximately 125 local business owners attended the meeting which included speakers from the various city departments and committees. The well-attended meeting was conducted by Mayor Gary Resnick.

Naturally, of prime concern was the current economic conditions and how it was affecting businesses in the city. Though much emphasis was based on Wilton Drive itself, the prime entertainment district, Resnick showed concern for the entire city business situation including Dixie Highway, Oakland Park Boulevard and Andrews Avenue.

Resnick emphasized the importance of last weekend’s International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association convention, which was held in Ft. Lauderdale/Wilton Manors, bringing travel professionals from 35 different countries into the area to introduce them to Wilton Manors and what the city has to offer and spoke on how the city needs to encourage additional tourism to Wilton Manors.

Resnick also wanted to dispel rumors that Wilton Manors is not a “business friendly” city, but admits more needs to be done to assist businesses in the city. Resnick said his goal was to make Wilton Manors the “most business-friendly city in the State of Florida”. Resnick also admitted that, for a period of time, the city was not focused on economic development, which he referred to as being “unfortunate,” but the city lacked the resources and they are now changing the focus and direction.

Heidi Shafran, the new head of the city’s Community Development Services Department (building and zoning) said that she is reorganizing the department in order to streamline the permitting process. “If you come in,” said Shafran, “you will already notice that permits are no longer taken in the lobby of the office but now you come in, sit down with a permit person and get their undivided attention. This guarantees you will get the correct information.” She referred to this as a one-on-one permitting process where the entire process centers on the person requesting the permit.

Another change will be who will review and inspect the building projects. Currently, Broward County handles the inspections for the city but the city plans to hire a private business to handle the inspections in the near future. Shafran feels this will improve customer service and expedite the process. She says that the new department will not only be a regulatory agency, but a customer service agency and they “will look for ways to say ‘yes’ more often instead of just saying ‘no’.”

Shafran is also working on online permitting which will automate both the internal and external functions of the permitting process, which is currently done manually within the office.  The new system will allow applying for the permit online, pay the fees, schedule inspections, check on the status of claims and the ability to make sure that any property a prospective buyer is looking to purchase has been properly permitted in the past.

A new permitting process will also be added which Shafran is referring to as “Walk-In Tuesday,” which is for smaller property improvement projects which can be handled by the property owner such as putting up a fence. If the permit application is submitted by 10 a.m. on a Tuesday morning, the permit will, in most cases, be issued that same afternoon.

Shafran added that if anyone knows of any new business that is interested in locating in Wilton Manors, she will personally walk the new business owner through the permitting process and assist in any way she can from start to finish. She said the city will now be more proactive in attracting new businesses to the city.

Krishan Manners is President of Wilton Manors Main Street, a nine-year old organization whose goal is to “create an environment on Wilton Drive where commerce, art and housing enthusiastically coexist and provide mutual nourishment.”  Manners referred to his “Three-P Plan” for the city, which stands for “permitting, promotion and parking”. He commended Shafran for the work she has already done in improving the permitting process.

In marketing and promotion of Wilton Manors, Manners referred to the organization’s two lane initiative project which was presented early last year. This project requires the city to obtain ownership of Wilton Drive (a/k/a State Road 811) from the State of Florida, changing the traffic lanes from four to two and, using the additional road space, add 112 additional parking spaces in front of the various businesses. The project will take place in stages, with the first stage being restriping the road which will cost approximately $144,000, plus the costs of taking over control of Wilton Drive from the state.

Main Street will also now take a more active role in promoting the businesses on The Drive and to work with the IGLTA and the Rainbow Business Coalition in promoting the city. Manners also stated that, though he cannot tell landlords of the property on The Drive how to handle their businesses, he did request that, at least during these difficult times, landlords limit rent increases.

Manners said that some of the neighboring cities are trying to lure businesses away from Wilton Manors to their own cities due to lower rents to tenants. Main Street will also be offering business seminars to business owners with experts speaking on various topics.

“I think working together,” said Manners, “we can create a marketing environment that will benefit everyone.”

Celeste Ellich, President of the Wilton Manors Business Association, said that WMBA is working closely with other organizations to turn the city around. WMBA has been around for 22 years and has a goal to attract more and varied businesses to the city.

“One thing that has been lacking in the city,” said Ellich, “is a master calendar,” creating a problem with different organizations holding major events on the same date and time. She said that Main Street will handle a master calendar so that all organizations can plan accordingly without conflicts. “We are all trying to work together to make the city better.” WMBA publishes a directory of the city’s businesses twice a year, which are distributed throughout the city.

Reece Darham, chair of the Rainbow Business Coalition, a year-and-a-half old organization of LGBT businesses, spoke on the importance of last week’s IGLTA convention held in the city. RBC sponsored two major events including a night time concert which attracted 2,000 people. Darham announced that the RBC and the IGLTA now have a close working relationship in regards to increasing tourism and the tourist dollar to Wilton Manors. He thanked all those involved in making the events a huge success.

RGB will also be working now with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau in putting together a welcome guide for LGBT visitors to Broward County.

Photo: Mayor Gary Resnick Courtesy, southfloridagaynews.com

By BOB KECSKEMETY

While small in size, Wilton Manors, with its 13,000 residents, is large in the minds of the LGBT community, making the city one

of the most desirable for the community to work, live and visit. It’s estimated that 40 percent of the city’s residents are gay and lesbian.

Wilton Manors Mayor Gary Resnick is one of the three gay/lesbian commissioners to sit on the board, putting the LGBT community in the majority. However, Resnick, as well as Tom Green and Julie Carson, has always put the city first for all residents regardless of sexual orientation.

“When I walk around talking to the residents, one of the common threads of our conversation is that they like the communications I was maintaining,” said Resnick, who has served on the city commission for more than a decade. “The residents of the city, though they might not come to city commission meetings, really like to know what’s going on in their city and most of them are pretty well informed.”

Resnick laid out plans for his vision of the future of Wilton Manors.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Resnick, along with the help of city commissioners, to focus on economic development — but not just on Wilton Drive.

“Things are going to start turning around a little bit,” said Resnick, “but it’s not going to be like it was in the early-2000s for a while. We need to be proactive in attracting businesses to our city.”

There are several planning and zoning issues that need to be addressed, like valet parking and clinics that prescribe pain killers to their patients. Some of these plain clinics, Resnick said, are immediately adjacent to residential neighborhoods and he feels the city has to enact rules as to where they can be located. He also feels there needs to be more separation between some commercial enterprises and residential areas, feeling that there needs to be more of a separation between businesses that would produce a lot of traffic and noise and the neighboring residential areas.

He also plans to streamline the permitting process, allowing people to fill out the forms and pay the fees online and be able to track the progress of the permits through the various departments.

”It’s something that we didn’t have to focus on very much, because a few years ago we didn’t have to do much to attract businesses to our city,” said Resnick. “But now we have to make sure we’re seen as a very business-friendly and residentialfriendly community.”

PARKING

Resnick says there are now more parking spaces on Wilton Drive than there were in the past even with the addition of the new City Hall. However, there is a problem with locating additional parking areas since the city does not own enough land to provide additional parking and nothing is readily available at an affordable price as he doesn’t want taxpayers footing the bill. There is still a possibility of a public/private parking project on the site of the old City Hall.

Unlike other municipalities, Wilton Manors, he explains, is a nighttime destination. Most cities charge for parking during their peak daytime hours and do not charge for parking at night. In Wilton Manors, it’s just the opposite.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Last autumn, Wilton Manors was rocked with a scandal involving their then-Police Chief Richard Perez, who subsequently resigned his position. An interim police chief has been appointed until a permanent replacement is found.

Resnick feels that the city’s police department functions very well, though there is need for improvement.

“We need to concentrate on keeping police in the field, crime solving and our detective functions, and we might be able to restructure to eliminate some of the administrative functions and put the resources where it does the best for the community — on the streets,” he said.

The city recently received a federal grant to add an additional police officer to its force.

RECREATION

Overall, Resnick is pleased with the city’s Leisure Services (parks and recreation) department and the popularity of the city’s parks, but he would like to see the services expanded at the city’s Island City Park, which has become popular, and Mickel Field, a facility that Renick says is underutilized.

The city’s tennis program, which he wants to beef-up, has lost participants to Oakland Park’s new facilities and Fort Lauderdale’s Holiday Park.

EVENTS AND FESTIVALS

Resnick feels that the city has learned it needs to have a larger role in the festivals and events, large and small, gay and straight. Events like the canoe race and holiday events need to be turned over to a professional promotion company, he said. There is greater concern about the larger events that draw 20,000 to 30,000 people, which he would like to see handled by a company which is financially viable and can produce some revenue for the city.

TWO-LANE INITIATIVE

A new Wilton Drive task force was organized and has already held several meetings. This task force is looking over the feasibility of the plans laid out in early 2010 by Wilton Manors Main Street (WMMS). This new task force consists of business owners, residents, a member of WMMS and other city officials.

Resnick said that the task force is looking at issues such as public safety, parking, traffic flow, cost and feasibility.

ECONOMY

Resnick says that the economy will remain a challenging issue for the city and it will need to cut expenses and try to avoid cutting jobs or laying off city employees.

Resnick wants to increase tourism to the city as it is already a major LGBT destination. The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association is planning a large convention in Fort Lauderdale this year and he is looking forward to creating events for the conventioneers to bring attention to Wilton Manors. He also feels that Wilton Manors needs a hotel located within the city limits.

He feels the city needs to be more aggressive in negotiating contracts because residents have made it clear that they can not afford to pay higher taxes or fees. He says that if there’s another sharp decline in property values, the city will have to make corresponding cuts in services and expenses. “It’s going to be very challenging in the next couple of years,” he said. Resnick is adamant about not raising taxes.

Politicians and community leaders turned out for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Walgreen Community Specialty Pharmacy at 2540 NE 15th Avenue in Wilton Manors.

While the store is now open for business, the official grand opening is scheduled for June 10. –DR

Walgreens Community Pharmacy opens Walgreens Regional HIV specialist John McGuirk wears his fancy attire for the ceremony.

Politicians from Oakland Park and Wilton Manors help Walgreens’ representatives cut the ribbon of the new business.