A mystery group will give you a $25 gas card if you support Marlon Bolton’s $2 million dollar Shaker Village clubhouse purchase at tonight’s Tamarac city commission meeting. REDBROWARD obtained a copy of a letter Shaker Village residents received earlier this month. According to the letter, this pro-Bolton Shaker Village deal group was “Organized independenty [sic] of the Shaker Village Condo Association or the City of Tamarac and its officials.”

Um, ok.

These pro-Bolton Shaker Village Deal forces are responding to growing outrage over the $2 million dollar deal to purchase the dilapidated Shaker Village clubhouse. Residents were stunned in July when Bolton and fellow commissioners Kicia Daniel and Morey Wright voted to approve a deal to purchase the obliterated shell of the Shaker Village clubhouse for $1.9 million dollars. Mayor Michelle Gomez and Commissioner Elvin Villalobos voted against the purchase. REDBROWARD revealed the decision to purchase the dilapidated Tamarac clubhouse could land a hefty payday for a church operated by Commissioner Marlon Bolton.

Since he was first elected in 2016, Marlon Bolton lived in different properties in Shaker Village. Bolton currently lives in a unit on Ann Lee Lane.

According to Broward County Property Appraiser records, the unit where Bolton lives was purchased in May 2023 by Praise Experience World Outreach, Inc. of North Lauderdale.

According to Florida Corporation records, Marlon Bolton is the director of Praise Experience World Outreach, Inc. This is the same name and address of Bolton’s church.

If the deal to purchase the clubhouse is approved by the Shaker Village Homeowners Association, each property owner would receive a share of the $1.9 million price tag. One Tamarac official estimated each property owner could receive $5,000 from the deal.

In addition to the payments, Shaker Village property values may rise with the removal of an ugly eyesore.

Bolton has been a longtime champion of the Shaker Village deal. In 2021, Bolton hosted a carnival-like meeting to discuss the clubhouse deal. A Facebook post by Bolton states free food would be provided to attendees.

Just days after our initial report, the Broward Office of Inspector General (OIG) informed Tamarac it wanted answers about the controversial deal. The OIG asked Tamarac for the following information:

• Records of any meetings between Commissioners, city officials and Shaker Village homeowners association members and residents between 2019 and 2023.
• A copy of a park feasibility study and resolution to adopt the study.
• All communications between Tamarac Commissioners and City employees with Shaker Village HOA members regarding code enforcement and liens.
• Any legal opinion written by City Attorney Hans Ottinot or other legal representatives regarding the purchase of the Shaker Village land as well as Marlon Bolton’s involvement in the purchase.
• All contracts and drafts between the City and Shaker Village HOA.
• All emails, telephone calls and text messages between Marlon Bolton and city employees about the Shaker Village purchase.

The City of Tamarac provided the information.

Tonight, a “shared use” agreement between Shaker Village and the City is on the agenda. Residents fear such an agreement would put taxpayers on the hook for millions of dollars in construction costs and operating fees while the private neighborhood retains control over the clubhouse and its facilities.

Residents from all over Tamarac plan to protest the deal.

The pro-Bolton letter claims, “A few residents from the westside of Tamarac are fueling a misinformation campaign in order to stall or overthrow the project…so, now more than ever, your participation is needed.”

The group wants supporters to speak “at the mic or simply standing in solidarity” at Wednesday’s meeting.

Claiming other communities will offer free rides to meeting, the pro-Bolton group states, “Since this community does not have a bus, we are offering anyone willing to go a $25 gas card as long as he/she is wearing our unity shirt.”

Who is paying for these gas cards?

Who is paying for these “unity shirts?”

REDBROWARD called the number on the letter. Voicemail. Seconds later, we received a text from the number.

According to a telephone database, this telephone number belongs to a Miami resident.

Is someone running a campaign in support of this deal?

Tamarac residents deserve answers.