West Park News May 2011

BY MAYOR ERIC H. JONES JR.

I want to begin thisarticle by recognizingour City Commission’sleadership in the makingof some tough decisionsin these difficult times.The votes have been dif-ficult and sometimes the

pressure intense, but there is a wealth oftalent, vested interest and experience at theCommission table. By working closelywith our Commission members and CityManager we continue to meet the chal-lenges ahead of us.

So, exactly what have we been doingsince our City’s inception? We have beenimplementing an Era of Innovation in sev-eral areas. We’ve been fighting crime,improving neighborhoods, growing oureconomy, seeking means to create jobs,planning for the future and saving money.We’ve been streamlining, modernizing andtransforming the way we do business dur-ing these tough economic times.

We have also been partnering with ourcolleagues from other levels of government.There is great benefit in working togetheracross jurisdictional lines at the federal,

state, county, andmunicipal levels thatwill pay many divi-dends today and inthe future.

Despite chal-lenges, the state ofour City remainsstrong and secure.We remain better offfinancially than manyother cities. All indi-cators are positive:We have the bestprospects to emergefrom this recessioncloser to becomingthe West Park of ourdreams.

New Ci ty Hal lOpening

We recently cel-ebrated a great mile-stone with our offi-

cial ribbon cutting and grand opening cere-mony of our City Hall on April 14, 2011,with approximately 300 people in atten-dance representing county, state, federal,and municipal entities.

It was a grand affair with music, horsd’oeuvres, and a building tour led by theCity Manager. The ceremony was a greatsuccess thanks to our City Manager andstaff for their tireless efforts. There is muchto be said about how they maximized min-imum dollars during these tough economictimes.

Our new City Hall is a renovation offormer office space located at 1965 SouthState Road 7, next to Home Depot.

Many who attended the ceremonycommented on the new City Hall’s strate-gic location, and excellent design; peoplefrom neighboring businesses stopped by tosee how the space had been transformedinto such a wonderful use. In our City’sshort history, we are very excited about thisimportant landmark in our community,which represents the heart of West Park!

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www.communitynewspapers.com

WEST PARK NEWSArrival At Another Milestone

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When reflecting on our incorpora-tion in 2005, we can rejoice for what wesee today. For approximately five years,our City was granted use of office spacefor staff and various functions by theTown of Pembroke Park, for which weare very grateful. We held Commissionmeetings a mile away at the CarverRanches Library. However, knowingthat the arrangement could not be perma-nent, we began our efforts to establish apresence for our City.

Let me say at this juncture that nonew taxes were needed nor required tofund the approximately 7,000 squarefoot City Hall and debt was kept to a

minimum.The design of the City Hall is

intended to focus on customer service,transparency and accessibility to theentire community. This is an excitingtime for all of us with benefits for bothresidents and staff. This design will notonly help us provide services more effi-ciently, but will provide better access toour community.

Our administrative offices movedand began operations in the new CityHall on April 1, 2011. Feel free to stopby and see another phase in our progressas we continue to make our City a greatplace to live, work, and play!

Page 2 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM May 2011

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PUBLISHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grant MillerEXECUTIVE EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Michael MillerWRITERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ron Beasley, Robert Hamilton, Gary Alan Ruse, Lee Stephen, Al Sunshine, Richard YagerADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Albie Barnes, Roberta Bergman, Beatriz Brandfon, Celia Canabate, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Diane Chasin, Enrique Chau, Sharon Christian, Lori Cohen, Amy Donner, Cecile Fanfani, Dianne Maddox, Denzil Miles,

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GRAPHIC ARTISTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Isabel Ortega, Catalina Roca, Vera Salom, Marie Scheer, Isabel Vavrek, Sergio YanesPUBLISHER EMERITUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ron Miller

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May 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 3

BY VICE MAYOR FELICIA M. BRUNSONMMMothers are every-thing to us when we aresmall... our lives revolvearound her. For every-thing we need, we callmother. To protect usfrom all perceivable dan-gers, we want her around

us. To take us, out we hold her arms. Tokiss away our wounds, we run to her. Andfor a warm hug and love, we look for her.She is the focal point of our lives, the great-est human being in the world or should wesay divinity on earth. On the special occa-sion of Mother’s Day pay tribute to yourmother - the greatest blessing to you!

What can we do in West Park to honormothers?

On Mother’s Day Shower your Mother!Mother is a gift of God. She is an angel

who protects you from all the evils of theworld and gives you a secure shelter in herlap whenever you feel stressed and inse-cure. Irrespective of how we look orbehave, our mother showers us with allpossible love and blessings in the world.Despite how successful we may become,she still can’t ignore her little concernsabout us. Despite our maturity, we remain a‘silly darling kid in momma’s eyes.Though she is a guardian angel to us, wehardly ever take the opportunity to thankher for being our dearest pal and best com-panion ever. On this Mother’s Day, showeryour Mother. Tell her you love her and noone else could ever take the position sheholds in your heart.

On Mother’s Day Thank your Mother!There is simply no way we can ever

really thank mother for all she has done forus. She is the one who will be awake allnight when we are sick. Mothers are theones who would forever complain that we

are not eating enough or not eating right.They would cook all sorts of things so thatwe are strong and healthy. Mothers in fact,worry more for our examinations than wemust. They would take pains to completeour school projects leaving all other worksbehind while we play around with friendsor just while away time watching movies.

On Mother’s Day Apologize to yourMother!

Isn’t it tough to imagine how she musthave borne our temper tantrums when wewere teenagers – or adults? And how hardwe must have made her life by sometimesbeing rude and difficult. Yet she was soastonishingly cool. Mother’s Day is thetime to apologize for all the stress we mayhave caused our moms over the years.

On Mother’s Day Celebrate with yourMother!

This is the perfect day to celebrate thejoys of having a mother. Strive to makeMother’s Day absolutely hassle free foryour mother and take on her responsibili-ties for a day. Pamper her a little on thisspecial day just as she pampers you all yearround. Give her a warm hug and a big kissas you wish her a Happy Mother’s Day!

As we salute moms, we should pauseand thank them for their love and guidance.They are our first teachers. I would like towish a Happy Mother’s Day to all themoms in West Park and to those who fillthe role of mothers. And for those whohave taken the reigns to fill those shoes,thank you for your unconditional support!

I also extend a special thought and prayerin memory of the moms who are no longerwith us on earth, but remain in our heartsand minds because they have touched oursouls.

ON MEMORIAL DAY, LET USNEVER FORGET!

This month we will also pay tribute toveterans on Memorial Day. We honorthose soldiers, sailors, airmen and marineswho died serving our country. We honorthose who fought for us. Peace has mean-ing the protected will never know. Eachsoldier who falls is a great tragedy. Thougheach death is a tragedy, we honor and thankall who served and made the ultimate sacri-fice. They gave us our freedom and itbehooves us all to be our best selves, out ofrespect for what they gave us.

We look to our veterans for guid-ance—guidance for the present and guid-ance for the future. We shouldn’t look atthe era in which they toiled and sacrificedas if we were visiting a museum or anarchaeological site. We should look at whatthey actually did and how they did it and, indoing so, honor them by imitating theircourage, sacrifice and excellence. Theiraccomplishments are astonishing and weshould learn from them.

Our veterans have left us a legacy offreedom. They taught their children andtheir children’s children the value of sacri-fice, hard work, and virtue, the necessaryconditions of freedom. They also taught usthe love of country and what it means to bea citizen. They have become our teachers.Their words and deeds exemplify humanexcellence and the values we stand for, anddemonstrate the courage necessary to pre-serve these values.

How can the City of West Park honorour veterans?

Perhaps we cannot do any better thanto call our veterans the Greatest Generationof the greatest country in the world.

Perhaps we should make certain that theirstories are told to the young. Perhaps weshould try to imitate both their purposesand lives, in both peace and war. Perhapswe should just sincerely thank them formaking sure that this land of liberty willcontinue in strength. Perhaps echoPresident Abraham Lincoln and say: “Goldis good in its place; but living, brave, patri-otic men, are better than gold.” Perhaps wecould support the Veterans of ForeignWars, Post #8195 more and the wonderfulwork they are doing for veterans that call ithome.

As we remember these brave warriorsand their comrades in arms on thisMemorial Day, we must look to the futurewhile we remember the past. In today’sworld, freedom comes cloaked in uncer-tainty. America still relies on her sons anddaughters to defend her liberty. The cost ofindependence remains high, but we arewilling to pay it. We do not pay it gladly,but we pay it with deep reverence and grat-itude to those who have sacrificed theirlives for America. We know that in theyears to come, more brave souls will sacri-fice their lives to preserve our freedom. Weshould remember to include them in ourthoughts and prayers today and every day.

In conclusion, to the City of WestPark’s honored fallen, we hold you in ourhighest esteem. You are our heroes! Wesalute you! We honor you! We live ourlives in freedom because of what you gaveus! There will never be a time that we donot give you our solemn honor. This andevery Memorial Day, we the residents ofWest Park must never forget the meaning ofMemorial Day and remember those proudpatriots who made the ultimate sacrifice indefense of liberty’s blessings! We are inyour debt and we thank you! May Godalways bestow His blessings upon you!

To my beloved West Park residents: Havea Happy Mother’s Day and a blessedMemorial Day!

A Special Tribute to West Park Mothers and Veterans!!

On Mother�s Day, pay

your most humble

tribute to Mother!

Never Pay Another Expensive Repair Again

Ly Espinol

Page 4 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM April 2011

BY COMMISSIONER RITA ‘PEACHES’ MACK MMAs I sit behind mydesk reflecting onwhere we are and wherewe came from, I amoverjoyed to know thatthrough good and badtimes, and through upsand downs, we made it

through. Sometimes odds have a way ofmaking us stronger. I feel that the CityCommission is working well as a teamand our force is greater than ever. We aresitting in places where we have never satand are a part of projects that give us avoice.

Residents depend on me to get the jobdone and I continue to diligently make myvoice heard on your behalf about issuesthat matter a great deal. You have trainedme, believed in me, and trusted my judg-ment. For that I say thank you.

I have always been available to hearyour concerns – all the more so now that

I can sit down and dialog with you in myoffice at the new City Hall. It is never toolate for your voice to be heard, and I amquick to take action when you share yourconcerns.

It is with a grateful heart that I loveand serve this community, the very placewhere I was born and raised. I had a fewtragedies this year, but I held on to myfaith that everything has divine order.

This term I earned my master’sdegree in Educational Leadership and wasthe first City Commissioner appointed tothe Broward County Regional PlanningCouncil, where I can truly be a voice forWest Park. Additionally, I was recognizedby “Who’s Who of Black South Florida.”Considering my pathway, I believe theknowledge and experience I will gainfrom these efforts will allow me to betterprovide the service you deserve from myleadership role in this community.

Please do not hesitate to drop by andshare what’s on your mind. I look for-ward to seeing you.

FROM THE DESK OF COMMISSIONER MACK

Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson(FL-17) is proud to announce theopening of her office in the City ofWest Park’s City Hall, located at 1965South State Road 7, West Park, FL

33023. The office will be open the first

Monday of every month beginningMonday, May 2, 2011. Her office canbe reached by phone at: 954-989-2688.

Congresswoman Frederica S. WilsonOpens Office in West Park

President Barack Obama and Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-17).

Barbara Buxton, J.D., LL.M.Florida Attorney

Nursing Home Medicaid • Elder Law & Estate PlanningFlorida Medicaid Planning & Eligibility

Asset Protection • Wills, Trusts, Living WillsPowers of Attorney • Guardianships

Probate: Estate Administration

Serving Dade, Broward & Palm Beach CountiesTel.: 305.932.2293 Miami-Dade County

954.760.7077 Broward Countywww.buxtonlaw.com


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Do you have a story to tell about how great your mother is? In celebration of Mother�s Day, we wantto hear your story. In 500 words or less, tell us why your mother is the world�s best mom! The deadlineto submit essays is Monday, May 2 by 5:00pm. Essays should be submitted to:

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Members of our Education Advisory Committee will select winning essays. Winners will be notified byWednesday, May 4 and will be expected to attend The City of West Park�s Annual Mother�s DayBreakfast on SSaattuurrddaayy,, MMaayy 77 ffrroomm 1100aamm ttoo 11ppmm aatt MMaarryy SSaauunnddeerrss PPaarrkk.

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Each essay should have the following information on its cover sheet.

Child�s First Name and Last NameMailing Address

Contact Phone NumberMother�s Full NameSchool Child Attends

Teacher�s NameGrade

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Mother�s Day Essay Contest and Breakfast

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Page 6 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM April 2011




Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8195 Celebrates 50th Anniversary

The Board of Directors of Visions of Images, Inc. presents a plaque toCommander Bobby White for the VFW’s support with programming.

W. Ajibola Balogun, City Manager, Vice Mayor Felicia Brunson, MayorEric Jones, County Commissioner Barbara Sharied and CommissionerSharon Fyffe.

Phillip Davis, Mayor Eric Jones, Stella Brown, Dora Dean and FelixRoberts.

Marvin Price, Commander Bobby White, Mayor Eric Jones, and ViceMayor Felicia Brunson.

William Frazier, Clarence Pipkins, Mayor Eric Jones, Aaron Cobb,Michael Sharpless and Tony Witherspoon.

CONGRATULATIONS!From the City of West Park City Commission and Staff

New K-4 and K-5 Learning Center. Call for a private visit.Visit our website and apply online www.conchitaespinosa.com or call 305.227.1149.

Conchita Espinosa Academy

Applications are now available for the K-4 through 8th grade 2011-2012 academic year.

Bringing out the extraordinary in every child

McNicol Middle School students haveonce again taken learning to the next level.Sixth, seventh and eighth grade pre-engineer-ing student teams spent three weeks learningthe laws and principles of motion, forces andenergy transformations. Student teams thenapplied their knowledge and skills to designand build race mousetrap cars. The studentsrecently demonstrated their knowledge, skillsand race mousetraps cars during FloridaAtlantic University’s Engineering Week,where they squared off with other middleschool teams using vehicles propelled by thespring of a mousetrap.

All teams were required to have a mouse-trap car constructed and running, a blueprint oftheir car, and a technical report on car con-struction and operations. Emil Kadhum’seighth grade team, Red Hornets, beat out theother eighth grade teams with a distance of11.9 meters, while Krystal Vias’ seventh gradeteam, June Bug, received the trophy for a dis-

tance of 15.7 meters by a race mouse car. For the second year in a row, the students

also brought back the first place trophy inFAU’s STEM (science, technology, engineer-ing, and mathematics) banner-making contest.

For more information on how you canbecome involved please contact McNicolMiddle School at 775544--332233--33440000.

McNicol Middle School Science & Pre-Engineering Magnet Students ShowcaseSkills at FAU’s Engineering Week

SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOLSPage 10 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM May 2011

The City of West Park is proud to offer college scholarships for the 2011 academicyear! Scholarships are open to all high school seniors who reside in West Park during theirsenior year of high school, and will be attending a two- or four-year college or vocationalschool in the U.S. Scholarships will be awarded, based upon submitting the followingitems, which will be reviewed by the West Park Education Advisory Committee:• Completed scholarship application• Double spaced essay (see essay topics below) on standard paper size with numbered

pages• Two letters of recommendation• Official or unofficial high school transcript (community service hours must be reflected

on the transcript

EEssssaayy ttooppiiccss::

1. Discuss an issue of local concern. Why is this issue important to you? How do you thinkit should be addressed?

2. Academic excellence and community service – the importance of each in making my community and/or the world a better place.

3. Share an experience through which you have gained respect for intellectual, social, orcultural differences. Comment on how your personal experiences and achievements would contribute to the diversity of the university you wish to attend.

The top applicants will be selected by the Education Advisory Committee. The selec-tion criteria are as follows:

• Student must be eligible for graduation with a standard diploma from a high school.• Student must have a minimum 3.0 unweighted cumulative GPA at the time of applica-

tion• Student must demonstrate community involvement and/or participation in school activi-

ties (i.e., sports, student government, journalism, service clubs, band, drama, etc.)• Student must be a West Park resident.

Scholarships are to be used for tuition, fees, books, room and board, or other educa-tional expenses owed to the school. Upon notification of receiving a scholarship, the stu-dent must provide proof of acceptance and enrollment into a college/university of choicefor the 2011-2012 academic year, along with an official certified enrollment form. Thescholarship check will be paid/mailed directly to the college/university the student attends.

CCoommpplleettee application packets are due by WWeeddnneessddaayy,, MMaayy 1111,, 22001111 and winners willpresent their entries at a Commission meeting. All application packets must be hand deliv-ered to City Hall, located at 1965 S. State Road 7, West Park, FL 33023 no later thanWWeeddnneessddaayy,, MMaayy 1111,, 22001111 bbyy 55::0000 ppmm..

For more information, contact City Hall at: 954-989-2688.

EEDDUUCCAATTIIOONN CCOORRNNEERRCITY OF WEST PARK OFFERS

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2011

NOW OFFERINGPRIMAL RAW.

SINGLE SOURCERAW DIETS AND

TREATS

Open 7 Days a Week


BY COMMISSIONER SHARON FYFFE

MOne afternoon lastweek I was drivingacross the parking lotfrom the post office toHome Depot when Inoticed the new “City ofWest Park” sign acrossthe top of the building infront of me. I stopped

my car, turned the engine off and just satthere and looked. It was a quite a sight,AND IT WAS FOR REAL. After severalyears, we finally have a city with a home.How nice. So many people worked so hardfor this and I know we all feel great aboutthis accomplishment – this milestone.

The negotiations for the City Hall,preparation of the space, and the RibbonCutting ceremony held on Thursday, April14, were the result of much hard work byour City Staff and our new City Manager,W. Ajibola Balogun. I am amazed at howsmoothly and quietly the transition wasfrom our old offices to the new location. It

was business as usual while workmen werestill doing the finishing touches. OurRibbon Cutting ceremony went without ahitch. Everyone was talking about ourbeautiful new City Hall!

Mr. Balogun, thank you for doing somuch to make us such an attractive, fullyfunctional, high-tech City Hall. It is a jobwell done and a City Hall we will always beproud of.

I am looking forward to bringing somecultural arts events to our City. To startwith, I presently am displaying two oilpaintings in my new office at City Hall.They are both original oil paintings createdby West Park artist, Mary Bapty, who is along time resident of our area. Please stopby and see them. I would like to hear fromany other West Park artists who have origi-nal artwork they would like to display.Please call me at 954-963-7745. I am hope-ful we will soon get together a Cultural ArtsCouncil for our City so we can fully supportall the arts and arts lovers here in West Park.

Have a pleasant rest of the month. Always call on me for any concerns.

FROM THE DESK OF COMMISSIONER FYFFE

1.What is Stormwater?

Stormwater is rain that runs off surfaces such as rooftops, paved streets highways, and parking lots into storm drain systems, lakes canals, streams and rivers.

2. What is Stormwater Utility?

Stormwater Utility is a “stand-alone” service unit within the City government which generates revenues through fees for ser-vices . The Florida Legislature, through adoption of section 403.0893, Florida Statues, specifically authorizes and encour-ages local governments to provide stormwater management services as a utility function for which service charges may be levied. A stormwater utility is responsible for funding the oper-ation, construction, maintenance of stormwater system, for stormwater system master planning and improvement and Na-tional Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) per-mit.

3.Why do I have to pay a fee to the stormwater Utility?

Rainwater is either absorbed into porous surfaces like grass, forest, farm fields, vacant parcel of land, and other areas of “open ground”, or the rainwater collects on non-porous (impervious) surfaces like streets, built-out vacant lot, and parking lots. It is these impervious areas where rainwater collects that is the challenge for stormwater planners. A developed vacant lot creates impact to needed drainage systems in the area, because of the removed porous surface. You also pay a fee to the stormwater utility because of the silt, oil, gasoline, ferti-lizers, pesticides and other litter that is carried by the stormwater to the drain-age systems that have been developed to prevent flooding during heavy rainfall. The stormwater utility funds a wide variety of activities and programs that re-duce flooding and pollution.

4. What is an impervious area?

An impervious area is any part or parcel of land that has been changed by actions of persons to reduce the land’s natu-ral ability to soak up or hold rainfall. This includes areas that have been cleared, graded, paved, graveled, compacted or covered with structures. This excludes lawn areas, landscape areas, and gardens or farming (agricultural) areas.

5. How much is the fee?

Each single-family parcel will be charged a fee. A typical West Park resident lot is considered one Equivalent Resi-dential Unit (ERU) of impervious area and will pay $3.50 per month or $ 21.00 per 6 months, or $ 42.00 per year. Non-residential developed parcels will be charged based on how many ERU’s or off run is generated from the par-cel, at $3.50 per ERU, per month.

6.How is the stormwater fee calculated?

The City uses an engineering approach to determine its fee structure. The City obtained the size of a given property that is “impervious” to rainwater and calculates the fee based on the figure that way. The stormwater utility is charging a fee based on the runoff generated from those impervious surfaces (like rooftops and parking lots), since this runoff is what the stormwater utility is going to have to handle.

The City conducted a statistical analysis to establish on Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) for residential proper-ties. The value of the ERU is set at 1, 351 square feet and incurs a charge of $3.50 per month for residential proper-ties. The $3.50 a month stormwater utility fee is one of the lowest rates in Florida.

g y g p p g g g gstandards and City capital investment, flooding from rain storms has been dramatically reduced; however, trouble spots still remain.

10. What is an NPDES permit?

The Clean Water Act prohibits anybody from discharging "pollutants" through a "point source" into a "water of the United States" unless they have an NPDES permit. The permit will con-tain limits on what you can discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt water quality or people's health. In essence, the permit translates general requirements of the Clean Water Act into specific provisions tailored to the operations of each person discharging pollutants.

11. What is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program?

Polluted stormwater runoff is a leading cause of impairment to the nearly 40 percent of surveyed U.S. water bod-ies which do not meet water quality standards. Over land or via storm sewer systems, polluted runoff is dis-charged, often untreated, directly into local water bodies. When left uncontrolled, this water pollution can result in the destruction of fish, wildlife, and aquatic life habitats; a loss in aesthetic value; and threats to public health due to contaminated food, drinking water supplies, and recreational waterways.

Mandated by Congress under the Clean Water Act, the NPDES Stormwater Program is a comprehensive two-phased national program for addressing the non-agricultural sources of stormwater discharges which adversely affect the quality of our nation's waters. The program uses the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting mechanism to require the implementation of controls designed to prevent harmful pollutants from being washed by stormwater runoff into local water bodies

City of West Park - Stormwater UtilityFrequently Asked Questions

12.What is polluted runoff?

Water from rain and it either seeps into the ground or “runs off” to lower are-as, making its way into streams, lakes and other water bodies. On its way, runoff water can pick up and carry many substances that pollute water.

Some - like pesticides, fertilizers, oil and soap – are harmful in any quantity. Others – like sediment from construction, bare soil, or agricultural land, or pet waste, grass clippings and leaves – can harm creeks, rivers and lakes in sufficient quantities.

In addition to rain, various human activities like watering, car washing, and malfunctioning septic tank can also put water onto the land surface. Here, it can also create runoff that carries pollutants to lakes.

Polluted runoff generally happens anywhere people use or alter the land. For example, in developed areas, none of the water that falls on hard surfaces like roofs, driveways, parking lots or roads can seep into the ground. These impervious surfaces create large amounts of runoff that picks up pollutants. The runoff flows from gutters and storm drains to streams. Runoff not only pol-lutes' but erodes lakes and stream banks. The mix of pollution and eroded dirt muddies the water and causes prob-lems downstream.

13.What can I do to reduce the amount of stormwater pollu-tion I contribute?

If you own a car, maintain it so it does not leak oil or other fluids. Be sure to wash it on the grass or at a car wash so the dirt and soap do not flow down the driveway and into the nearest storm drain.

If you own a yard, do not over fertilize your grass. Never apply ferti-lizers or pesticides before a heavy rain. If fertilizer falls onto drive-ways or sidewalks, sweep it up instead of hosing it away. Mulch leaves and grass clippings and place leaves in the yard at the curb, not in the street. Doing this keeps leaves out of the gutter, where they can wash into the nearest storm drain. Turn your gutter downspouts away from hard surfaces, seed bare spots in your yard to avoid erosion and con-sider building a rain garden in low-lying areas of your lawn

If you have a septic system, maintain it properly by having it pumped every three to five years. If it is an older sys-tem, be sure it can still handle the volume placed on it today. Never put chemicals down septic systems, they can harm the system and seep into the groundwater.

Pet owners should pick up after their pets and dispose of pet waste in the garbage. Keep lawn and household chem-icals tightly sealed and in a place where rain cannot reach them. Dispose of old or unwanted chemicals at house-hold hazardous waste collections sites or events. Never put anything in a storm drain. Don’t litter.


Commercial, industrial and non-residential properties are calculated using the same ERU concept, but account for the exact footage of a facility and all impervious surfaces when determining the total monthly stormwater utility fee.

To determine the stormwater utility fee for non-residential properties, take the total square footage of the proper-ty’s impervious surfaces, divide by 1,351 (size of one ERU) and multiply by $3.50 (the cost of one ERU). As an ex-ample, a non-residential property with a total impervious area of 4,053 square feet would pay $10.50 per month in stormwater utility fee {(4,053/1,351)* $3.50 =$ 10.50}.

7. Is this a tax and why is my stormwater utility fee on my water bill ?

The charge is a service fee, not a tax. In addition in a effort to reduce overall costs for the processing of bills and postage costs, we asked the county to include the stormwater utility fee in the water bill. The cost savings and greater efficiency of operation are passed on to all stormwater utility customers. Customers without water ac-counts receive their stormwater utility bill separately.

8.How long will you be charging me this fee?

The fee will be collected in perpetuity to ensure adequate maintenance of the City’s drainage systems, within right- of-ways.

9.What are the problems with Stormwater?

Pollution: Every time it rains, the rainwater that is not absorbed into the ground or evaporated (called runoff) will carry contaminants from lawns, streets, buildings and parking lots and deposits them directly into our City through the underground storm sewer system. Better pollution control and treatment is needed to reduce the amount of contamination flowing into our local water bodies.

Flooding: Early stormwater management practices focused on preventing flooding. Because of rigorous design

W E S T P A R KTHE CITY OF POSITIVE PROGRESSION1965 S. State Road 7 • West Park, FL 33023

P: 954-989-2688 • F: 954-989-2684

BY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES DEPARTMENT

As part of the City of West Park’s ongo-ing commitment to managing stormwaterand improving the quality of our surfacewater while preventing flooding,Envirowaste has been contracted to providecitywide storm drainage system cleaningservices.

We ask residents and businesses toplease cooperatewith Envirowasteby moving theirvehicles fromswale areas toallow access tothe drainagestructures whenrequired.

For any ques-tions regardingour storm draincleaning programor our stormwatermanagement pro-gram, please callCity of West Parkat 954.989.2688.

Stormwater Maintenance Program:

Preventing Flooding


AnnouncingCAMP B.R.A.V.E.R.Y.SUMMER PROGRAM!

BBuildingRResponsibleAAwesome

VVital EEcstatic

RRespectableYYouth

Camp B.R.A.V.E.R.Y. is the annual summer camp provided by the Parks andRecreation Department. Camp B.R.A.V.E.R.Y. stands for Building ResponsibleAwesome Vital Ecstatic Respectable Youth and that is exactly what our summer campaccomplishes!

This year’s camp will be an instruction based with an emphasis on reading, lan-guage arts, math, and science and will include breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks aswell as paid field trips. The camp will also include cultural arts programming (singing,dance, public speaking, and acting), arts & crafts, social skills building, physical edu-cation, and nutrition classes. Depending on your household income your children maybe able to participate at no charge. This is made possible for Broward County resi-dents through funding from the Children’s Services Council and the State of FloridaDepartment of Education.

Space is limited! Registration has already begun. Forms need to be completed assoon as possible to reserve a spot for your child. Registration packages can be pickedup, e-mailed, or faxed to you upon request. Staff will be available from 9:00am to7:00pm, Monday to Friday until all of the spots are taken. HHUURRRRYY so you can ensurethat your child has a fulfilling summer in a wonderful environment as part of CampB.R.A.V.E.R.Y.

For more information, call Parks and Recreation at 954-985-1990.

Looking for a FUN summer day camp?


BY SARAH SINATRA GOULD, AICP Planning Department Manager

From February 5, 2005 throughFebruary 11, 2005, residents and businessowners of West Park participated in a com-munity visioning process known as theMiramar/West Park Strategic Master PlanCharrette series. The visioning process wasconducted to work with the community onplans to improve the economic and aesthet-ic conditions along the SR 7/US 441 corri-dor. One goal was to increase mobilityalong the corridor through enhanced trans-portation and land use coordination.

As a major north-south transit route,the SR 7/US 441 corridor has the county’shighest transit ridership levels and is cur-rently designated by Broward County forRapid Bus or Bus Rapid Transit service inthe near future. Longer term projectionsindicate that light-rail service may be pro-vided along this designated premium transitcorridor. The existing land use designationsalong the corridor provide limited opportu-nity for transit-supportive development.Therefore, a new land use category was pro-posed and was adopted by the City in 2007.The Transit Oriented Corridor land use cat-egory provides the City with the necessarymix of land uses, density and design thatwill encourage the creation of an environ-ment that will promote transit usage and asense of place currently lacking along thecorridor. The uses are consistent with theUrban Land Institute (ULI) regional MarketStudy conducted for the corridor and theCharrette master plan.

Plan:• Beautify SR 7 adding landscaping, dec-

orative street lights, bus stops, benches,trash cans, signage, etc.

• Create a town center along SR7/US-441 with retail, restaurants, offices, andresidences

• Build mixed-use buildings with park-

ing in the rear along main roadways• Build 3- to 6-story buildings wherever

possible with entrance features• Blocks of buildings with the mass

located towards the street with side andrear spaces for courtyards and publicspaces

• Setbacks are landscape buffers withshade trees for transit amenitiesThe Transit Oriented Corridor land use

category encourages redevelopment alongSR7/US-441, in the form of 575,000 squarefeet of commercial, 500,000 square feet ofoffice, 200 hotel rooms and 1,500 residen-tial units.

Along with this future development,the plan includes amenities to serve resi-dents, visitors and employees within thedevelopment and encourage a pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented environmentincluding benches, street furniture, shadestructures, landscaping, light fixtures, trashreceptacles and bicycle parking. This mayalso include other amenities within publicplaces such as plazas that include fountains,sculptures and green space. Streets will

include pedestrian and transit amenitiessuch as street trees, bus shelters and infor-mation kiosks to serve the residents andemployees within.

The scale, organization and style ofarchitectural components will contribute toa sense of place for this urban village. Atthe street, buildings will be proportioned

for pedestrian orientation. Buildings willfront the street with minimal setbacks, cre-ating continuity of streetscape interestthrough continuous storefronts and directvisual connections to building entries.Architecture will also be used to createattractive landmarks and gateways to thedevelopment. Bus shelters and limitedsurface parking will encourage the transitenvironment and support transit usage.Furthermore, the buildings, rather than theparking, will front the street. This will alsoencourage residents, employees and visitorsto utilize transit.

Current Development Plan

The Transit Oriented Corridor landuse and zoning designations wereemployed to prepare the State Road 7 cor-ridor for redevelopment. The area includ-ed in this plan is 88 acres made up of 64auto oriented businesses, 10 pawn shops,9 restaurants, 3 office buildings and a postoffice. Since the development programwas initiated, the City has approvedapproximately 130,000 square feet ofcommercial at the corner of State Road 7and Pembroke Road, which recentlybecame the home of the new City Hall.

Building a Quality Mixed-Use District: SR7/U.S. 441 RedevelopmentMay 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 15

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Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Special Meeting - April 14, 2011Hundreds joined the festivities at our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Special Commission Meeting on April 14, 2011 tocelebrate the opening of the new City Hall and Commission Chamber, located at 1965 South State Road 7, West Park.

Thank you to all who attended and participated!

Page 16 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM May 2011 May 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 17

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Special Meeting - April 14, 2011Hundreds joined the festivities at our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Special Commission Meeting on April 14, 2011 tocelebrate the opening of the new City Hall and Commission Chamber, located at 1965 South State Road 7, West Park.

Thank you to all who attended and participated!

Page 16 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM May 2011 May 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 17


BBYY TTHHEE PPAARRKKSS AANNDD RREECCRREEAATTIIOONN DDEEPPAARRTTMMEENNTT

Remember when people came frommiles around to the annual GoombayFestival held at Mary Saunders Park? Well,it’s back! This year, the Goombay Festivalpromises to be BBIIGGGGEERR AANNDD BBEETTTTEERRTTHHAANN EEVVEERR!

Come join us on Saturday, May 21 atMary Saunders Park, 4750 SW 21 Avenue,West Park, for the 2011 Goombay Festival!

The event will feature the crowning of

Mr. and Ms. Goombay (fundraiser partici-pation), the Junkanoo Band, great food andentertainment for the whole family. Don’tmiss this opportunity to enjoy the “NEW”Goombay Festival, which will be reminis-cent of the “good ole days”.

For more information on how to securevendor space, register to be a sponsor, orjust join in on the fun, please contact:Commissioner Rita Mack (954) 889-4156;Ms. Sheila Powell (954) 274-2725; or theCity of West Park (954) 989-2688.

HOORAY FOR GOOMBAY!May 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 19


CCOONNGGRRAATTUULLAATTIIOONNSS!!FFrroomm tthhee WWeesstt PPaarrkk CCiittyyCCoommmmiissssiioonn aanndd SSttaaffff..

RECENT CITY EVENTSWWeesstt PPaarrkk WWeellccoommeess NNeeww PPoolliiccee CChhiieeff

Nichole Anderson was recently swornin as West Park’s new Police Chief, becom-ing the Broward Sheriff’s Office’s firstfemale African-American police chief.

Since November 2010, Andersonserved as interim chief for the City of West

Park and the Town of Pembroke Park.Chief Anderson, a graduate of Dillard HighSchool, joined the Broward Sheriff’s Officein 1996 as a road patrol deputy after work-ing as a Florida Highway Patrol trooper fortwo years.

FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT

The Broward Sheriff’s Office,Department of Fire Rescue and EmergencyServices, Fire Marshal’s Bureau providedworkplace fire safety to the staff at theSouth Regional Family Success Center inWest Park on April 15th. Fire safety iseveryone’s job in the workplace. In recentyears, workplace fires have cost businessesmore than $2.3 billion dollars and injuredmore than 5,000 workers across the coun-try. To help reduce fires in your workplace,here are a few fire safety tips:

HHoouusseekkeeeeppiinngg:: Make sure you keep yourwork station clutter free. Make sure all exitsand stairways are free from debris.

AApppplliiaannccee aawwaarreenneessss:: Turn off or unplug allappliances including coffee makers, hot

plates, and burners at the end of each day.Keep heat generating pieces of equipmentsuch as photocopiers and computer termi-nals away from any combustibles. Neverstack books or papers on top of this equip-ment.

EElleeccttrriiccaall SSaaffeettyy:: Electrical fires can startdue to damaged electrical cords, extensioncords or faulty wiring. Prior to use, alwaysexamine equipment for damages. Do notoverload the electrical circuits. Never runany electrical cords where they can bestepped on, where equipment can flattenthem, or under a rug or carpet.

Through fire prevention, education,and preparation you are helping to create afire safe workplace for employees and visi-tors. If you would like to schedule a publiceducation presentation in your workplace,please contact our office at: 954-831-8210.

FFRROOMM TTHHEE FFIIRREE DDEEPPAARRTTMMEENNTT

The Broward Sheriff’s Office FireRescue West Park District personnelresponded to an accidental kitchen fire mid-day on April 13. The resident occupying thehome at the time of the incident was deepfat frying on the stove when the oil bubbledover and ignited, injuring the resident.

In an effort to reduce kitchen fires theBroward Sheriff’s Office, Fire Marshal’sBureau would like to share the followingkitchen safety tips:• Don’t leave cooking unattended.• Roll up your sleeves when cooking, orwear snug or short sleeved clothing• Establish a No-Kid Zone around the stoveor barbeque grill.

• Put pots and pans on the back burners andturn their handles inward so they don’t getknocked over.• Always use heavy oven mitts and potholders when handling hot pots, pans orutensils. Use an oven stick to pull out orpush in the oven rack.• Never hold a child and hot liquids at thesame time.• Don’t leave hot items, such as liquids orfoods, at the edge of the table or counter.• Remember foods that come out of themicrowave can be very hot. Let them standfor a few minutes before handling.

If you would like more information onfire prevention in the home and educationalprograms available, please contact ouroffice at: 954-831-8210.

Fire Prevention in the Workplace

Put a Lid on Kitchen Fires



City of West Park RecognizesOlder Americans Month

www.communitynewspapers.com

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BY ANDY NEWMAN

In January 1912, the first OverseaRailway train rolled from the Florida main-land through the Florida Keys to Key West,forever changing the face of many of thepreviously isolated islands by connectingthem with the mainland and each other.

A celebration to honor the historic rail-road, lauded as the most unique railway inthe world upon its completion, has begun inthe Keys. Events are to culminate Jan. 22,2012, the 100th anniversaryof the inaugural train’s arrival.

Conceived by Standard Oiltycoon Henry Flagler, con-struction on the rail linebegan in 1905, motivated byan announcement that thePanama Canal would bebuilt. Flagler thought KeyWest had the potential to bean important port and traderoute with Cuba and LatinAmerica, as well as a vitalsupply stop for ships enteringor exiting the Panama Canal.

The railroad’s trackstretched more than 100

miles out into open water, requiring trail-blazing construction techniques andHerculean efforts. At several points in theconstruction process, more than 4,000 men

were working on the project.Flagler gambled nearly all ofhis wealth on the venture,which was so daunting andunproven that many out-siders called it “Flagler’sFolly.”

Officially named theFlorida East Coast Railway’sKey West Extension, the linebecame known as theOversea Railway and wassometimes referred to as “theeighth wonder of the world.”The bridges and viaductsconnecting the Keys, includ-ing the landmark Seven Mile

Bridge at Marathon, were regarded as anengineering marvel.

For more than two decades after the rail-road’s 1912 completion, it carried passen-gers to the Keys and Key West, affordingthem a breathtaking sense of steamingacross the open ocean.

The Oversea Railway’s heyday abruptlyended when a portion of the line wasdestroyed in a 1935 hurricane. Less thanthree years later, a narrow highway forautomobiles replaced the tracks.

Today, many of the original railroadbridges still can be seen alongside thebridges that support the modern OverseasHighway, the contemporary connectionfrom mainland Florida through the Keys.

Other reminders of the historic railroadinclude Pigeon Key, a five-acre island thatlies beneath the Old Seven Mile Bridge atMarathon. A base camp for workers duringconstruction of the original railroad bridge,the tiny island now features carefullyrestored structures and a museum dedicatedto the railway and its builders.

Celebrations commemorating theOversea Railway’s centennial year arebeing organized throughout the Keys.

Planned elements include history toursshowcasing Flagler sites, bicycling expedi-tions, educational presentations and explo-rations of Pigeon Key — all leading up tothe 100th anniversary of the first train’sarrival in Key West.

Celebration highlights include “Flagler’sSpeedway to Sunshine,” an exhibition andspecial event series that already has begun atthe Key West Museum of Art & History atthe Custom House in Old Town Key West.

The exhibition includes a re-createdFlorida East Coast railcar, a scale replica ofa section of the Seven Mile Bridge, vintagefootage of the journey from Pigeon Key toKey West, a film recounting Flagler’s storyand the arrival of the first train, rare arti-facts including a conductor’s uniform andrailroad worker’s tool chest, and memora-bilia that brings alive the fascinating storyof the railroad that went to sea.

A comprehensive website focused on theOversea Railway centennial, featuring adetailed schedule of events, is being estab-lished at <www.FlaglerKeys100.com>.

For more information about the FloridaKeys & Key West, visit <www.fla-keys.com>.

Railroad that ‘went to sea’ to mark 100th anniversary

Trains traveled from the Florida mainland to Key West on the Overseas Railway.(Historical images provided by Monroe County Library)

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

NEWS

Henry Flagler–––––––––––––––––



BY PÍA CRUZALEGUI

Miami Dade College has announced thesigning to a national letter of intent for sixMiami-Dade County players and four fromCentral Florida. The 10 new high school play-ers will be part of the new 2012 softball team.

The powerful squad includes: CarolineOtero of Gulliver Preparatory, Alli Schnaidarof Florida Christian, Ellen Morgan of MiamiSouthridge, Ericka Acevedo of DoralAcademy, Kayla Ogle and Megan Lee ofSouth Dade, and Carmen Nadal and NicoleOsterman of Osceola High School andHashel Figueroa of University High Schoolin Orlando, as well as Paris Prusak of BishopVerot High School in Lee County.

The new 2011-12 team will bring a power-ful offense and defense to Miami DadeCollege’s Lady Sharks as these new playerspresently lead their high schools softball pro-grams. On 2010, Otero was Second Team AllDade selection, Schnaider was First Team AllDade County, Morgan earned All DadeSecond Team selection, Nadal and Ostermanearned First Team All County selection, andParis Prusak was First Team All Lee County.

Acevedo earned an All Dade First Team selec-tion in 2009 and 2010, and Third Team All Statein 2010. Lee received Second Team All DadeCounty Honors in 2010. Ogle is a 2010 All DadeFirst Team selection and Figueroa played in thePuerto Rico Junior National Team.

Since 2006, 15 players received theNJCAA-NFCA All American Honors and fiveplayers received the Academic All AmericanHonors. In 2009 the MDC Lady Sharks wereranked sixth in the National Fastpitch CoachesAssociation “Girls Got Game” academicachievement with a GPA of 3.537. In 2010 theywere No. 23 in the same category.

As a result many Miami Dade Collegesoftball players continued their college edu-cation with softball scholarships at universi-ties across the country including Universityof Tennessee at Chattanooga, Fresno State inCalifornia, Nova Southeastern Universityand Marshall University, among others.

MDC’s athletic teams have earned a totalof 33 NJCAA titles, including 13 in women’ssports. Most recently, the college’s softballteam became national champions and wonthe 2010 national ladies fast-pitch softballchampionship.

MDC signs 10 softball playersto scholarships for 2011-12

wwwwww..ccoommmmuunniittyynneewwssppaappeerrss..ccoomm


BY REBECCA STANIER-SHULMAN

Miami native Russell Thomas returns to

the concert stage in a recital accompanied

by Orchestra Miami’s artistic director

Elaine Rinaldi at the piano.

In his first appearance in Miami since

his triumphant win at the Francisco Viñas

Competition in Barcelona, Spain, Thomas

and Rinaldi will present a program of

music by Beethoven, Griffes, Verdi,

Donaudy, Tosti, Britten and Vaughan

Williams.

“I first met Russell when he was a

student at the New World School for the

Arts,” Rinaldi said. “I have taken great

pleasure in watching Russell grow as an

artist, and I’m thrilled to be able to

bring him home to perform for the

Miami public.”

The recital will be on Saturday, May 14,

8 p.m., at the First Presbyterian Church of

Miami, 609 Brickell Ave. Tickets are

priced at $40 for priority seating, $30 for

general admission seating, $20 for seniors

and $10 for students. A special reception

with the artists will be held immediately

following the recital in the Fellowship

Hall, proceeds of which ($20 per person)

go to the benefit of Orchestra Miami.

Tickets for the recital and reception can be

purchased online through Orchestra Miami’s

website (www.OrchestraMiami.org) or by

calling 305-274-2103. This recital is one of

the events celebrating 115 years of service

from the First Presbyterian Church of Miami

(www.fpcmiami.org).

A native of Miami, Thomas quickly is

establishing himself as one of the most

exciting vocal and dramatic talents on

the international opera and concert

scene, most recently as the First-Prize

winner of the prestigious “Viñas

Competition” in Barcelona (First Prize,

Audience Favorite and Best Tenor) and

at the “Competizione dell’Opera” in

Dresden. He has sung at many of the

world’s most important opera houses,

including the Metropolitan Opera

(Tamino in Magic Flute; Steuerman in

Der Fliegende Hollander; Forresto in

Attila; Andres in Wozzeck), Oper

Frankfurt (Faust in Berlioz’s Damnation

of Faust), Welsh National Opera

(Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly;

Tamino in Magic Flute).

Conductor Rinaldi is fast making her

mark among the ranks of rising young

American conductors. Critics have called

her performances “brilliant” and her inter-

pretative work “impeccable.” As founder

and artistic director of Orchestra Miami,

Rinaldi has brought a new level of profes-

sionalism and quality to the local arts

scene. In addition to her work with

Orchestra Miami, Rinaldi is much in

demand as a recitalist and vocal coach.

Founded in 2006 by Rinaldi, Orchestra

Miami quickly has established itself as an

important part of Miami’s vibrant cultural

community. In its brief history, Orchestra

Miami has presented the finest in classical

symphonic, Latin jazz and opera, with

some of the most important and recognized

names in the world of music.

For more information about this recital

and the orchestra, visit the website at

<www.OrchestraMiami.org>.

Tenor Russell Thomas returnsto Miami in recital on May 14

Mayor Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.889.4153

Vice Mayor Brunson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.889.4164

Commissioner Dorsett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.889.4163

Commissioner Fyffe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.963.7745

Commissioner Mack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.889.4156

City Administrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.989.2688

City Attorney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.768.9770

City Clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.989.2688

Building & Permits Dept. . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.989.2688

Business Tax Licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.989.2688

Public Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.964.0284

Trash/Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.964.0284

McTyre Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.964.0284

Mary Saunders Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.985.1990

Code Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.766.2715

Zoning Dept. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.266.6495

Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.689.4804

Police Dept./BSO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.765.4321

Fire Dept./BSO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954.831.8210

CITY DEPARTMENTSDIRECTORY




The Kia Sportage always has been a nifty lit-tle CUV, but the 2011 version is simply adelight; it’s pleasing to look at and fun to drive.

The all-new Sportage retains the functional-ity and versatility of the previous model, buthas been repackaged into a sleek, modern andbold style, with new proportions and a com-pletely new look. It was recognized as a TopSafety Pick by the Insurance Institute forHighway Safety and received top ratings forfront, side, rollover and rear impact protection.

Beautifully redesigned to be longer, widerand lower, Sportage now has a more flowingsilhouette. It also has increased performanceand efficiency, comfort and convenience, andthe latest automotive technologies.

With a high beltline, sweeping angles andmore pronounced wheel flares, the newSportage has a spearing shoulder line thatvisually connects the headlights and tail-lights. From the side, the pronounced C pillargives the vehicle a sense of solidity and bal-

ance, while the front end has the new face ofKia with the signature grille, sculpted hood,swept back headlights, tabbed grille outlineand distinctive lower fascia.

Sportage exterior design flows seamlesslyinto the interior with an inviting and comfort-able ambience and many technology features,including the signature three-pod instrumentcluster set prominently within the dash.

Available in four trims — Base, LX, EX andSX — pricing for the compact CUV starts at$18,295, with standard convenience featuresincluding air conditioning, power windows,door locks and mirrors, Sirius Satellite Radio,MP3 connectivity and Bluetooth4 wirelesstechnology, along with the options of apanoramic sunroof, navigation, push-buttonstart, rear camera display, LED daytime run-ning lights and an air-cooled driver’s seat.

Under the hood, Sportage has more powerwith a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder 176 hp engineand improved fuel economy (21/28 mpg).

Base has 16-inch alloy wheels matchedwith 215/70R16 low-rolling resistance silicatires, body-color door handles and electrical-ly adjustable side mirrors; and a six-speedmanual transmission ($18,295).

LX has side mirror LED turn signal indica-tors, keyless entry and tinted glass. Comesstandard with air conditioning, power win-dows, 12-volt power outlets in the front and

cargo areas, power side mirrors with integrat-ed LED indicators, tilt-adjustable steeringwheel, keyless entry with panic alarm andmulti-way adjustable front seats. Stylishlycloth seats are comfortable, while rear seatssplit and fold 60/40 for cargo needs($20,295).

EX has a leather-wrapped steering wheeland shift knob, telescopic steering wheel,illuminated vanity mirrors, automatic foldingrear seats, a dual-zone temperature controlair-conditioner with ionized filtration, illumi-nated and cooled glove box, and a power dri-

ver’s seat with lumbar support for additionalcomfort and support. Also adds 18-inch alloywheels, roof rails, a rear spoiler and chromebody trim and door handles ($23,295).

SX is the top-of-the-line and has Kia’s effi-cient and powerful new 2.0-liter turbo GDIengine ($25,795).

Ron Beasley is the automotive editor forMiami’s Community Newspapers. He may becontacted by calling 305-662-2277, ext. 261,or by addressing email correspondence to<[email protected]>.

Redesigned Kia Sportage has more power, technology

LET’S TALK CARS

Ron BeasleyNew Kia

Sportage islonger, wider

and lower; has amore fluid silhouette.

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GREAT PRIZES1

KitchenAid Food Processor

$4000 Best Buy® Gift Card

IN-STORE DEMONSTRATIONS

and tech tips

Free Coca-Cola beverages2

PLUSA special gift

for Mom2

1 NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PURCHASE WILL NOT ENHANCE CHANCES OF WINNING. Open and offered only to legal residents of the 50 U.S./D.C. (excluding P.R.), who are 18 or older (except residents of AL and NE, who must be 19 or older) at time of entry. Void in P.R. and where prohibited.PARTICIPATING BEST BUY STORE ADDRESSES: Ft. Lauderdale, 2829 N. Federal Hwy, Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Sawgrass, 12301 W Sunrise Blvd, Plantation, FL; West Kendall, 12495 SW 88th Street, Miami, FL; Tropicaire, 7751 Bird Rd, Miami, FL; Hialeah, 4001 W 20th Ave, Hialeah, FL; Cutter Ridge, 19191 S Dixie Hwy, Miami, FL; Dadeland, 8450 S Dixie Hwy, Miami, FL; Aventura, 21035 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL; Pembroke Pines, 11450 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines, FL; Coral Springs, 650 N University Dr, Coral Springs, FL; Florida City, 33590 S Dixie Hwy, Florida City, FL; Margate, 3300 NW 62nd Ave, Margate, FL; Miami Beach, 1131 5th St, Miami, FL; Doral, 10760 NW 17th St, Miami, FL; Pinecrest, 11905 S. Dixie Hwy, Miami, FL. ENTRY PERIOD – START DATE/TIME AND END DATE/TIME: 2:00 p.m. local time on May 8th, 2011 to 4:00 p.m. local time on May 8th, 2011 HOW TO ENTER: Complete an official entry form, while supplies last, and deposit in the entry box. Limit one (1) entry per person per day during the Entry Period. A separate random drawing for First Prize will be held at each participating store from among all eligible entries received at that store. Each participating store will award one (1) First Prize. A separate random drawing for Grand Prize will be held on or about 5/12/11 from among all eligible entries received at all participating stores. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Winners need not be present to win. PRIZES: Grand Prize – 1: $4000 Best Buy Gift Card ; ARV: $4000 each. First Prize – (1 per store; 15 total): KitchenAid Chef’s Chopper Series Food Processor; ARV: $49.99 each. Total ARV of all prizes: $4749.85. Subject to Official Rules available at participating stores during the Entry Period. Sponsor: Best Buy Stores, L.P., 7601 Penn Av. S., Richfield, MN 55423.

2 Beverages and gifts available while supplies last.

© 2011 BBY Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

FLOWERS ARE NICEFREE KITCHEN APPLIANCESARE BETTERCome in to any Best Buy® in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area on Mother’s Day, May 8th, 2-4PM. We’re celebrating moms with:

Visit BestBuy.com/storelocatorto find a Best Buy store near you.


Documents

West Park News May 2011