City commissioners also approved a disbursement of nearly $70,000 from the Law Enforcement Forfeiture Trust to a number of different local organizations. Funds are collected from the sale of contraband articles, vessels, motor vehicle aircrafts, personal property, or real property.
A local law enforcement agency that acquires $15,000 within a single fiscal year must expend a minimum of 25 percent for the support of drug treatment, education or prevention, crime prevention, safe neighborhood or school resource officer programs.
According to Police Chief Gary Blocker, the funds will support local community programs including: Broward County CrimeStoppers - $20,000, Firearm Mounted Lights - $27,200, Broward County Drug Task Force Rental Vehicle - $17,000, Manor Lanes Youth Bowling Program - $750, Shop With a Cop - $2,500, Somerset Academy Student Educational Program - $1,000, Wilton Manors Elementary Student Educational Program - $1,000.
The commission also approved a request from city staff to amend the lien reduction process.
Changes include written consent from an applicant who is not the property owner, requiring documentation that identifies all code violations and liens on all property within the past five years; requiring a reason why the lien should be reduced from the magistrate and the applicant, and the supporting documentation. At the first reading of the ordinance, commissioners asked for additional changes. They included allowing a tenant who is not the property owner to provide a hardship statement.
Finally, city commissioners approved a request from Island City Stage to waive all fees levied against them by code compliance because of work done at their location on Dixie Highway. According to a representative of Island City Stage, earlier this year they hired a contractor to replace the aging air conditioning unit, but it was later determined the contractor did not pull the necessary permits to do the work.
Island City went to the contractor and asked that the work be completed but now allege the contractor asked them to pay another $10,000 to finish the job. They later hired another contractor, who successfully finished the work.
The theater was out of compliance for 64 days, according to city staff, and accrued $16,000 in fines, plus $909 for administrative costs. The special magistrate had reduced the fines to $8,000, plus administrative fees. Anyone wishing to appeal a decision made by the magistrate has 10 days to do so, but because the notice was sent to the landlord and not the tenant of the building, Island City Stage alleges they were never told of their right to appeal and missed the deadline. Representatives from Island City Stage asked the commission to make an exception and forgive the remaining balance of the fines.
“Given our status as a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving our space and serving the community, we respectfully request an appearance before the city commission to explore any possible resolution for the remaining amount,” Island City stated in an email.
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