Hometown News and Views

White says he will run in 2014
By Michael d’Oliveira
PELICAN STAFF
Wilton Manors – Faced with two new choices for commission seats, voters chose incumbents Tom Green and Julie Carson over Sal Torre and Kimber White.
 Green, currently the vice mayor, received the highest tally with 3,276 votes; 43 percent. Carson came in second with 29 percent; 2,199 votes. Torre received 19 percent and 1,480 votes with White getting 7 percent; 565 votes.
“It makes you feel good because you feel people believe you have been doing a good job
You feel appreciated,” said Green. “People feel [Julie and I] have done a good job of running the city.”
Green, first elected four years ago, said he wants to focus on improvements to the city’s green building code as well as install solar panels on the roof of city hall “if we can find some grant money.”
Green also wants to look into persuading the Florida Department of Transportation [or FDOT] to make Wilton Drive into two lanes. With the city unable to takeover and maintain the road on its own, Green thinks FDOT might be willing to make the changes and keep control of the road. “I think the FDOT people are finally growing up a bit.”
Carson, who was first elected to serve a two-year term in 2010 after serving as interim commissioner from November of 2008 to February of 2009, also wants to work on Wilton Drive – especially the parking problem that has been a major issue in the city for years.
“We want to get parking finalized and prepare for the future train station. Both visually and infrastructure wise,” she said. Wilton Manors is one of the cities that may get one of the commuter rail stations planned along the Florida East Coast railway.
Carson also wants to keep her focus on protecting neighborhoods as well as streaming commission meetings on the internet, improving outreach to residents and little things, such as increasing the number of garage sales residents are allowed to have per year. “It’s not a big deal but its something the residents want. It doesn’t hurt anybody and does have a potential to bring in some revenue.”
Her other major goal was bringing more affordable housing into the city – something both she and White have said they want to work on together.
“One issue Kimber brought up in his campaign was a lack of Workforce Housing. That will be something our city needs to consider and Kimber will be a great asset,” Carson said.
Despite losing the election, White said he feels positive about his campaign and he plans to run again in 2014. “I got almost 600 votes. I’m not upset. I think I brought people’s attention to other parts of the city and the economic duress of other parts of the city,” he said. “And all four [candidates] were in the race for the good of the community.”
In 2014, the mayor’s seat and the commission seats currently held by Scott Newton and Ted Galatis will be on the ballot. “Along with Workforce Housing, Kimber wants to see a blight study done along Powerline Road. “The more people living in our city the more money stays in our community,” he said.
Torre also commended his opponents on the campaign. “It was a great exchange. I think we all handled ourselves very well.”
Asked if he might run in 2014 Torre responded, “My plan is to continue my involvement and just stay very active and we’ll see what happens in the future. I’ll continue to move forward. I just enjoy being involved.”
Green, Carson and Mayor Gary Resnick, who ran unopposed, will be sworn-in at Hagen Park, 2020 Wilton Drive, at 6 p.m. before the 7 p.m. city commission meeting.