Tag Archives: king’s point

Mystery Group Offers Gas Cards To Supporters Of Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton’s $2 Million Dollar Shaker Village Deal

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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.

Tamarac Vice Mayor Elberg Mike Gelin Bashes Police Officers When Asked About Crime At Kings Point Debate, Fails To Tell Seniors He Only Wants Thirty Deputies Patrolling City

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Elberg Mike Gelin Wants To Defund The Police. Will That Make Tamarac Safer?

Gelin said 107 deputies were not needed to protect a safe city like Tamarac. Gelin felt Tamarac needed just 30 or 40 police officers.

July 2020

Crime is the number one issue on voters’ minds heading into the November elections. Case in point, crime was the very first question at last week’s Tamarac mayoral debate at the Kings Point community. Elberg Mike Gelin debated popular incumbent Mayor Michelle Gomez in front of hundreds of energized senior citizens.

With sixty percent of Broward cities safer than Tamarac, a debate moderator asked the candidates how they would address crime rates and street violence in the city. Mayor Gomez praised the efforts of the men and women of Broward Sheriffs Office (BSO) who protect the residents of Tamarac. She noted the most recent statistics show a decrease in crime. Gomez said she would continue to work with BSO to make Tamarac even safer.

Gelin waved around a copy of February 2022 police survey which showed eighty-one members of BSO worked for the city. Gelin stated the Tamarac officers “don’t have a great reputation.” He said police officers would rather work in Plantation or Boca Raton than Tamarac.

In her rebuttal, Mayor Gomez stated the Tamarac officers were “not treated properly” and should be respected.

In September 2019, Gelin made national headlines when he embarrassed a BSO deputy during an awards ceremony. Gelin recognized Deputy Joshua Gallardo as the man who arrested him in during a 2015 incident.

“Joshua Gallardo, can you come down for a second? It is good to see you again,” Gelin said. “You probably don’t remember me, but you are the police officer who falsely arrested me four years ago. You lied on the police report. I believe you are a rogue police officer. You’re a bad police officer, and you don’t deserve to be here.”

In July 2020, REDBROWARD revealed Gelin attended a meeting of local radicals supporting a “Defund The Police” movement in Broward.

Gelin and other Broward elected official spoke during the “Reimagining Public Safety” webinar was hosted by Broward Dream Defenders, Black Lives Matter Broward and the Broward Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). These same groups organized protests in downtown Fort Lauderdale and all across Broward. REDBROWARD previously exposed how these groups urged followers to read books by Mao and Stalin. In another webinar, the host revealed the groups’ goals are the abolition of police departments, the abolition of prisons and the elimination of the Broward State Attorney’s Office.

Elberg Mike Gelin explained his long-term plans to defund police which included ending a contract with the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO). Gelin said 107 deputies were not needed to protect a safe city like Tamarac. Gelin felt Tamarac needed just 30 or 40 police officers.

Gelin said drunk drivers should be ticketed and sent home in an Uber instead of being arrested. Gelin claimed the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school could have been avoided if they defunded the police.

Unsurprisingly, Vice Mayor Gelin did not discuss his views at the Kings Point debate.

Does Gelberg really think firing 50 BSO deputies will make Tamarac safer?

Does it sound like Elberg Mike Gelin really cares about crime in Tamarac?

A “Not Gelin” Sign Pops Up In Tamarac