RECENT MEETINGS & EVENTS

Andrews Avenue Improvement Project Public Information Meeting Recap

On February 18th, Broward County hosted a public information meeting regarding the upcoming Andrews Avenue Corridor Improvement project. The project is  being funded through the Penny for Transportation Mobility Advancement Program.  The project area is the entire length of Andrews Avenue from Sunrise Boulevard to Oakland Park Boulevard. The meeting was very well attended by the project’s engineering team, County Staff, City Staff, the Westside Association Board and members, as well as Westside residents. Thank you to all members and residents for attending and sharing your feedback.

The current project timeline is for design to be complete by the end of 2025, construction to begin in the Second Quarter of 2026 and to complete by the end of 2027.

The project scope includes:

• Improve the roadway infrastructure and safety for all street users

• Sidewalk reconstruction and Shared Path for bicycle and pedestrians

• Median construction

• Traffic calming improvements

• Milling and resurfacing

• Widening for new right turn lane at Sunrise Boulevard and Andrews Avenue

• Upgrades to signing and pavement markings

• Landscaping improvements

• Mast arm signals improvements at NE/NW 13 Street and NE/NW 16 Street.

• New midblock crossings

• Drainage and Lighting improvements

For future updates, please visit https://www.broward.org/BCEngineering/Pages/CapitalProjectsPublicInvolvement.aspx

January Quarterly Membership Meeting Recap

On January 22nd, we held our Quarterly Meeting of the Association Membership at Hagan Park Community Center. Thank you to everyone who attended the meeting. 

Broward Crime Stoppers President Paul Jaworski educated members about how their organization works and the results they’ve been able to accomplish. The Crime Stoppers tip line, app and web site allow you to anonymously report a crime and they communicate that information directly with law enforcement agencies, including the Wilton Manors Police Department.

Chief of Police Gary Blocker spoke about the various initiatives WMPD has been working on to ensure our city remains safe, including adoption of technological innovations,  proactive communication, partnerships with other law enforcement agencies, and selectivity in hiring. Assistant Chief of Police Darren Brodsky provided crime statistics updates.

Community Development Services Director Roberta Moore reviewed a number of projects that impact the Westside. These included the Andrews Avenue Corridor Improvement project, the replacement of the bridge on N. Andrews Avenue over  Middle River, and marketing Andrews Avenue to developers. She also spoke about the upcoming review of the Unified Land Development Regulations and Article 30 (Permitted Uses).

Westside Winter Wonders House Decorating Contest Winners

Congratulations to Our Winning Decorators

1st Place - Robin and Kyle Bolger, 2609 NW 3rd Ave

2nd Place - Roger Savonen and Drew Derose, 2525 NW 6th Avenue

3rd Place - Kraig Couture and Jesse Rodriguez, 1117 NW 30th Street

Thanks Again to Our Judges

Joe Akin, 2022 and 2023 Contest Winner
Marc Martorana, Philanthropist and Activist
Constance Ruppender, Art Gallery 21 

A World of Thanks to Our Prize Sponsors

1st Place

Carvelle Bikes

Over Easy Cafe

Peak Fitness

Peter Pan Diner
PRP Wines

Union Kitchen & Bar

2nd Place

Dolce Salato Pizza & Gelato

Peak Fitness

Peter Pan Diner

PRP Wines

Union Kitchen & Bar

3rd Place

Dolce Salato Pizza & Gelato

Lowe’s

Peak Fitness

Sardi Cafe and Lounge

To The Moon Marketplace

Please mention WAWM on your next visit to these establishments.

... and, last but not least,
Thank You to all the Westside Residents Who Delighted Us with their
Holiday Decorations!

Westside Fall Social Recap

The Westside Association hosted our Fall Social on Monday, November 18th. Over 75 members and guests enjoyed great food, drinks and socialization on a picture-perfect autumn night at Mickel Park. Thank you to Ozzie Bradley and Mark Thomas for assisting with setup and serving drinks and to Marc Martorana for making some delicious brownies. The Board is already looking forward to planning our next social, stay tuned!

October Quarterly Membership Meeting Recap

On October 23rd, we held our Quarterly Meeting of the Association Membership at Hagan Park Community Center. Thank you to everyone who attended the meeting. Assistant Chief of Police Darren Brodsky provided crime statistics updates and Code Compliance Supervisor Abel Alberro spoke about Airbnb licensing and Code Compliance processes. Wilton Manors City Commissioner Chris Caputo addressed the Association membership, providing an opportunity for residents to learn more about his vision for his next term, which includes attracting businesses to Andrews Avenue, updating infrastructure throughout the City and approaching the annual budgeting process with careful thought.

Westside Neighborhood Banners - They're All Up!

Following April’s installation of 8 initial banners throughout the Westside and the outpouring of support, 7 additional banners were installed across the neighborhood in early July.

Thank you to all of our Westside Banner sponsors:

• Chris Boylan

• Luis Cancho-Diez Schreiber

• Commissioner Chris Caputo

• Julie Carson/Robin Gross

• José Cedeño

• Michael DiGuiseppe/Jack Herrmann

• Larry Farver/Daniel Vacca

• John Foulk

• William Hayden/Ron Perkov

• Emily McCrater

• Mark McKenzie

• Evan Smith

• Stegar Thompson

• Eileen and Mark Yodanis

We have created a map (see below) that shows the locations of all of the banners. We placed the banners at high traffic intersections where residents and visitors typically come in, out, or through the Westside. We also ensured that banners would be placed on other Westside residential streets and at neighborhood entrances with less traffic volume to show our neighborhood pride!

A few of the installed banners remain unsponsored. If you are interested in sponsoring to help offset the cost of materials and installation, please send an email to wawm.org@gmail.com or reach out to any Board member who will gladly assist.

Westside Annual Membership Meeting - April 18th, 2024

Broward County Commissioner Robert McKinzie, whose District 8 covers the Westside, addressed the Association membership. He discussed economic development, County planning efforts underway for Andrews Avenue, and the importance of public art.

Commissioner McKinzie emphasized his desire to represent at the County level the interests of the Westside and City of Wilton Manors. Residents asked Commissioner McKinzie for assistance on improving pedestrian safety on Andrews Avenue. Residents also asked about County plans for bus lanes on Oakland Park Boulevard, and whether the County would reconsider its decision to cancel the planned ownership transfer of the green space along the Middle River at the Rainbow Bridge from the County to the City of Wilton Manors. The Association invited Commissioner McKinzie to come back for a follow-up discussion on all these topics.

WMPD provided its quarterly update and the President provided the Board's Annual Report covering the Association’s finances, membership, operations and activities. A copy of the Annual Report presentation is found just below.

The Board thanked departing Board member Evan Smith for serving as Vice President for the last two years.

The Association then honored long-time Board member Van Gosselin for his dedicated service and contributions to the Westside Association spanning over two decades, as he too departs the Board. Van's presence on the Board will be missed, but we know where he lives if we need help!  

More than 60 individuals attended the meeting, including Mayor Scott Newton and City Manager Leigh Ann Henderson.

All Wilton Manors Neighborhood Associations Public Forum - Wednesday March 6th 2024

On Wednesday, March 6th, the Neighborhood Associations of Wilton Manors jointly co-hosted a Public Forum that brought together City residents to learn about issues of common concern to all of our neighborhoods. Over 90 City residents attended the Forum.

The Assistant City Manager, Pamela Landi, made a presentation addressing some of the bigger challenges facing the City — such as aging infrastructure and climate change — that are complicated, have property tax and economic development implications, and involve other local jurisdictions.

• We gained insight into how the City is planning to address these issues and how decisions made by Broward County and the City of Fort Lauderdale impact economic, housing and infrastructure plans in the City of Wilton Manors.

Assistant City Manager Landi also provided a wide-ranging summary of current City initiatives related to transportation, parks, public safety, and arts policy.  We were joined by Vice Mayor Mike Bracchi and Commissioner Paul Rolli.

During the Q&A session that followed, residents asked numerous questions related to recent rate increases for residential water, sewer and garbage services, and what increased costs residents might expect in the future. We learned that: 

• the City of Fort Lauderdale, which provides water and wastewater services, typically increases its fees to Wilton Manors around 5% each year;

• the cost of the new City Contract for solid waste removal that began in October 2023 is considerably higher than the previous contract, and that the last several years' of fees under the previous, lengthy agreement had been at below market prices; 

• and we will all have to brace for large increases in our water bills associated with Fort Lauderdale's new water treatment plant -- the Prospect Lake Clean Water Center -- now under construction.

A copy of the City's presentation can be found just below, followed by photos from the event.

Westside Social - February 8th 2024

The Westside Board would like to extend our sincere appreciation to our members and friends that  joined us for the I ❤️ the Westside Party.

It was wonderful having over 80 neighbors join the festivities! The beautiful weather allowed us the opportunity to catch up, share laughs and stories, make new acquaintances, eat some terrific food prepared by Bona Italian Restaurant, and create new memories together.

Thank you once again for being a part of the I ❤️ the Westside Party. We look forward to more moments of laughter and camaraderie in the future.

General Membership Meeting - January 24th 2024

The Westside General Membership held its first meeting of 2024 on January 24th at Hagen Park Community Center. To the more than 70 who attended the meeting: Thank You!  A copy of the slide presentation from the meeting is found below.

Agenda

Featured Speaker: Mayor Scott Newton — Expectations for 2024

Update on Park Improvements, Michelle Parks, Director of Leisure Services

“Rock the Block” (February 17th), Gary Van Horn, Harmony Waves

WMPD and FDOT Report, including issues related to NW 29th Street Construction

Westside Update, WAWM Board of Directors

General Membership Meeting -- October 25th, 2023

We had another great turnout for our Fall Quarterly meeting, and welcomed 2 new Households to the Association that evening. It was a busy meeting.

We announced the selection of two new Directors to the Association's Board of Directors:  Larry Farver, who lives in the 2500 block of NW 9th Terrace (west of Powerline Road), and Mike Allison, who resides in the 2600 block of NW 6th Avenue. 

• Mike and Larry will serve out the unexpired terms of two Directors that resigned from the Board.

• We were sorry to see Bob Olenik recently depart the Board for work reasons, and very much thank him for his service to the Community.

• The next election for Board of Directors will be April 2024, when all 7 positions will be open.

Members received a briefing from Broward County's Metropolitan Planning Organization on the Wilton Manors Transportation Master Plan. (Presentation is found below). The plan is designed to inform future transportation and mobility investment decisions by the City, especially as they relate to pedestrian and cyclist safety, and East-West flows through the City. Interim findings will be presented to the City Commission at its public meeting on 14 November.

The City made a presentation on the Broward County Surtax Program, which uses the County's special cent sales tax to fund transportation and other infrastructure investments in the County. The City is seeking community input on potential proposals for the next round of surtax funding. 

Finally, Association members approved four amendments to the Association's Bylaws that were recommended by the Board.  The amendments:

• Clarify That There is One Vote Per Household

• Update the Membership Renewal Process to Reflect Current Practice of Rolling Renewal Dates

• Ease Quorum Requirements for Routine Membership Business; Strengthen Quorum Requirements for Voting on Bylaw Amendments

• Reduce to 90 Days the Eligibility Requirement for New Members to Vote in Board Member Elections

See below the Powerpoint presentation for the meeting.

Westside Social & General Membership Meeting -- September 27th, 2023

We postponed our regularly scheduled July meeting to September and hosted an End-of-Summer Neighborhood Social before the meeting began.

We had over 70 residents and City officials attend the event. Westside residents heard a presentation from the development team working on the project at the former Andrews Diner location (2916-2980 N. Andrews Avenue). This 3-story project is slated to bring 54 residential units, and 1,800 square feet of commercial space to the ground floor.

Find below some photos from the meeting and a link to the development presentation.

Westside Street Clean Up -- June 11th 2023

Picking up trash along Andrews Ave and 29th St on the Westside was hot but rewarding work for the community!  Thanks so all who came out to help and those who honked in support.  

Westside Spring Fling Social -- May 17th 2023

Thank you to Westside members and friends for the great turn out at our Spring Fling Social event at Mickel Park! The stormy weather held off as we gathered on the patio, savored some lite bites and beverages, and enjoyed connecting and socializing together as a community. We were joined by several new Westside residents, City Commissioners, our City Manager and Chief of Police, and City staff helping to make the event possible. 

Annual Membership Meeting -- April 17th, 2023

We had a great annual meeting with lots of information about what WAWM is working on this year, city updates from police and Michelle Parks, and new plenty of new development news.  Please see the slide show under the events tab for more information.

General Membership Meeting -- January 25th, 2023

City officials discussed the recently approved changes to Vacation Rental regulations.  Meet and greet with our newest Wilton Manors City Commissioner, Don D'Arminio.  Westside Association plans for 2023.

Westside Holiday Season Events -- 2022

Glimpses from our Holiday Party, House Decorating Contest and the Holiday Concert at Mickel Park.

Candidate's Forum -- October 13th 2022

The Westside Association co-hosted a candidate forum on Thursday October 13th at the Hagen Park Community Center.  The forum allowed candidates for the upcoming November 8th election to introduce themselves to the public as well as answer previously selected questions about their positions and priorities.

Westside National Night Out Block Party -- August 2nd 2022

The best way to build a safer community is to know your neighbors and your surroundings. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community.

General Membership Meeting -- July 14th 2022

The Westside Association heard informational presentations from:

• Roberta Moore, Director of Community Development Services, on the status of economic development projects in the City, including three proposed or on-going projects on Andrews Ave: "The Ave" mixed use apartment complex at the corner of Oakland Park Blvd and Andrews Avenue; a proposed mixed use townhouse complex at the former site of Andrews Diner; and the building nearing completion at 1985 N. Andrews.

• Gary Blocker, Chief of Wilton Manors Police Department, on current crime statistics and code compliance cases on the Westside.

• Meghan Pearson, local Wilton Manors artist, on her project to paint the Powerline Road bridge over the North Fork of the Middle River.

The Board presented its proposed Priorities for 2022-2023, and plans for upcoming Westside sponsored events and activities.

Westside Neighborhood Social --  June 9th 2022

Many thanks for joining us for the Westside Neighborhood Social. We could not have asked for a better turnout for our Community get-together. After nearly three years, it was a great opportunity to reconnect and meet new members. It was extra special seeing so many of you bonding and forging new friendships.

We look forward to serving and building stronger relationships within our Westside and collaborating with all Wilton Manors communities.