Barbecue Grill Dispute Sparks 2 Year Feud, Leading to Coconut Creek Commission Race

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The contention began two years ago with a dispute over a barbecue grill.

Philippa Sklaar and her partner, Joe Wade, wanted to install a barbecue grill pad at their condo in the Martinique building in Wynmoor.

According to Sklaar, Wade was instructed by Fred Michael, the director of association affairs, to install a paver pad and an awning to accommodate a barbecue grill.

To install the pad, 75 percent of the building’s residents had to vote in favor. Michael conducted a proxy vote. On December 21, 2022, Michael announced to the Martinique board that the pad was approved.

According to Sklaar, on December 23, 2022, Coconut Creek Vice Mayor Jackie Railey called Wade and John Lionetti, the late Martinique president, into a meeting and said she wanted the pad removed and would arrange for Wynmoor owners to pay for the removal.

This led to a dispute between Sklaar and Wade over the leadership of Wynmoor, as Railey also served as president of the Wynmoor Community Council, which heads up 44 independently run associations within Wynmoor.

According to Wade, he had the necessary votes and permits to install the pad and grill and did so. According to Railey, he did not have a permit.

However, the city eventually granted a permit, and the pad remained.

This and other incidents have led to a two-year conflict between Sklaar, Railey, and board members of Wynmoor. Sklaar created a Facebook page called ‘Wynmoor Residents Only Uncensored’ to expose the truth of what happened in Wynmoor under Railey’s leadership.

Sklaar decided to challenge Railey for Seat B on the Coconut Creek Commission.

“I don’t like how she treats the residents at Wynmoor. She is abusive and a bully,” said Sklaar to Coconut Creek Talk.

Sklaar and Wade attended association meetings and began asking questions that annoyed Railey, she alleges. Sklaar claims that residents, many of whom are older, have been treated with contempt and that $20.5 million was omitted from the 2022 financial audit.

Sklaar alleges that Bruce Bandler, the Wynmoor administrator, signed two contracts, and Railey signed one before the council representatives approved them.

Sklaar said that in retaliation to her allegations, a bag of poop was sent from Poopsenders via UPS to their home and that swastikas were found painted in a utility room next to their unit.

Railey contacted the Coconut Creek police several times and complained that Sklaar and her associates created divisions in the Wynmoor community. No specific crimes were listed, and no arrests were made. Railey also reported that Wade had been stalking her for nine months. This was the only criminal allegation against Wade.

The stalking case was eventually dismissed because Assistant State Attorney Margaret Carpenter could find no evidence that Wade had stalked Railey. In a statement, Carpenter wrote there was no substantial likelihood of a conviction if the case were to go to trial.

Sklaar said that Broward County Commissioner Mark Bogen filed three lawsuits against Sklaar alleging defamation on behalf of Railey, Bandler, and Keith Arnold, the CFO for Wynmoor. Bogan filed a fourth lawsuit against Sklaar because someone used his name to donate money to Sklaar’s GoFundMe page she created to raise money to pay for legal fees.

Railey vehemently denies any of Sklaar’s complaints and charges against her. She said all community council meetings and records about decisions made by the council are open to unit owners’ inspection. On December 13, Railey noted that she wanted to keep her work on the council separate from her work on the commission and would welcome an investigation of Sklaar’s complaints.

“She has decided to run against me for the commission after two years of criticism,” said Railey. “All her accusations against me are false, and I have a lawsuit against her for defamation.

She said they were not hiding documents and that Sklaar was neither an owner nor a renter of her unit. Broward County property tax records show that Wade owns a unit in the Martinique building, but they do not list Sklaar.

Railey insists that every action the council took was legally correct and that the meetings were run properly.

“We have an agenda at each meeting, and nothing is done here without board approval. Everything we do is by the book,” said Railey.

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David Volz

David Volz has worked as a writer in South Florida for 35 years. He has written for the Sun-Sentinel, Hollywood Gazette, School Transportation News, South Dade News Leaders, Observer among others. He has an MA in Communications from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Communications from Valparaiso University. Volz teaches Communications at Miami Dade College and Palm Beach State College. He lives in Coral Springs and enjoys running and participating in 5Ks and half-marathons.