wpmobserver.com ursday, Sept. 15, 2011 50¢+ tax www.FirstColonyBank.net 407-740-0401 Page 12 Grafton Wealth Management William D. Grafton III, Sarah Grafton DeVoe William D. Grafton IV Financial Advisors (407) 646-6725 400 Park Avenue South Suite 300 Your Real Hometown Bank Winter Park, FL 32789 Merrill Lynch Wealth Management makes available products and services offered by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S) and other subsidiaries of Bank of America On Hwy 17-92 in Maitland Corporation. MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, member SIPC. Investment products: Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed May Lose Value Member FDIC Y unveils renovations © 2010 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. BUS_CARD 3.25” x 2” August 2010 Unforgettable Calendar Louis Armstrong comes back to life in the world premiere of “Satchmo at the Waldorf.” Page 8 Standing out Winter Park High student with SCAN HERE Down syndrome is recognized for Use your smartphone’s QR code reader his artistic, althletic talents. app to view more photos or visit Page 9 wpmobserver.com/photos/galleries PHOTO BY ISAAC BABCOCK — THE OBSERVER The Rollins College Concert Choir and Orchestra with members of the Bach Festival Choir, above, presented Mozart’s “Requiem” on Sunday, Sept. 11. What saying you’re d Peace, love and fi lm Yes to raises, Florida has become less accept- ing of those whose faith or ori- no to tax hike gin set them apart. Winter Park hosts Global Peace Film Festival on Sept. 20-25 Page 14 ISAAC BABCOCK BRITTNI JOHNSON “Our mission is to use the power of the mo- Observer Staff Observer Staff tion picture to help create peace on Earth, to en- gage people to do something in their own lives, Winter Park’s employee pay is in- The Global Peace Film Festival is bringing an- to do something positive,” Nina Streich, the Fes- creasing, but property taxes won’t, if other year of peaceful fi lms that hope to encour- tival’s executive director, said. a proposed budget makes it through age awareness and education, open dialogue Streich said the strong focus on a specifi c mis- a fi nal hurdle at the next City Com- and change. sion and vision — peace — is what sets the festi- mission meeting. The festival, running Tuesday, Sept. 20, val apart from others and makes it so infl uential The budget passed a fi rst reading through Sunday, Sept. 25, features fi lms with a on the community. 3-2, with Commissioners Carolyn range of subjects — from the environment and Filmmakers agree. Cooper and Tom McMacken dis- Publisher statement on page 4. USPS 00-6186 sustainability to confl icts in Africa and the val- “There’s power in that; things can happen,” senting, at the Sept. 12 meeting. ue of food — that all boil down to celebrating said Sylvia Caminer, a Deland fi lmmaker fea- The 2012 budget includes a 2.5 and learning from the struggles and triumphs of tured in the fest. “The story is the star.” percent pay raise for more than 500 people. And things do happen, Streich said. View- employees, which ends a three-year They’ll be screening at Rollins College, the ers have left Caminer’s peace pitch — before pay freeze for the city. Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education even seeing her fi lm — and have gone to Tanza- And once again the Commis- Center in Maitland, First Congregational Church nia, where her documentary fi lm “Tanzania: A sion voted to hold operating millage of Winter Park, the Orlando Science Center and Friendship Journey” takes place. steady, despite falling home values other Orlando venues. Students at Rollins College and Timber Creek in the area. High School in East Orlando have started proj- The operating millage rate as ects based on fi lm topics, and others have be- it stands will tax property owners Fair and pet parade come star volunteers in local organizations. Stre- $4.09 for every $1,000 in taxable ich said that’s what the festival is all about. value. That’s below the rolled-back Visit www.peacefi lmfest.org for more “At other festivals, going is the end of your millage rate of $4.2065 per $1,000, information about the festival, to buy experience, at the Global Peace Film Festival it’s which is where the city would have tickets and to see a full fi lm schedule. the beginning of your experience; it’s the start of to set the rate to collect the same rev- There is a street fair and Pet Parade for Peace something,” Streich said. enue as last year. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18 on Morse Most of the fi lms have that motive, too. Many But with debt service millage Boulevard between Park Avenue and Knowles propose a problem and then end with a call to added in, the effective rate decreases Avenue. Bring your action of sorts. They give viewers a way to help compared to last year. Last year’s ef- furry companions to participate contribute to the solution. fective millage was 4.4336. This year in a half-mile procession. ■ Please see GLOBAL Page 2 ■ Please see COMMISSION Page 7 Page 2 Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011 Winter Park / Maitland Observer GLOBAL | UCF and Rollins students showcase their peace films ■ CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE that moment of change that I think is so exciting.” Caminer’s fi lm points viewers to a charity to help. An education University of Central Florida student Aleksey Siman’s Before asking for change, though, viewers are educat- fi lm “Food for Granted” asks viewers to cherish their ed by the fi lms. Tillmann, a critical media and cultural food and to challenge the restaurant industry to do- studies professor at Rollins College, said that even nate rather than waste leftover food. from fi lms on topics she feels she’s very informed on, Lisa Tillmann, a Rollins College professor and the she fi nds she still gains new knowledge and insights fi lmmaker behind “Off the Menu” along with 24 of and believes others will too. her students, hopes her viewers will consider how “I fi nd myself taking away knowledge and hav- they relate to their bodies and food and make changes ing my consciousness raised about social issues,” toward a healthier relationship between the two. Tillmann said. “Their world is going to get rocked, There’s an opportunity to talk to fi lmmakers af- their foundation is shaken.” ter the screening, for sure in the case with all the lo- And sometimes feeling enlightened is the best way cal fi lmmakers mentioned. There will also be panels to illicit motivation in people. The fi lms, sometimes to discuss the topics addressed in the fi lms, including uplifting, sometimes angering, almost always make what peace actually is, how everyone has the potential viewers feel like there really is hope for peace, said to make a difference and how and why fi lmmakers Joe Siry, an environmental studies professor at Roll- choose peace as a theme. All that adds to inspiring ins College. “I think it reinforces some positive things the fi lms’ audiences to make their own versions of about being human,” he said. change, Streich said. “That’s the human way of doing things … when “My favorite part is seeing somebody inspired by you care, you make changes,” fi lmmaker Aleksey Si- FILM STILL COURTESY OF LISA TILLMANN something, seeing somebody changing,” she said. “It’s man said. “Off the Menu” was produced by a Rollins College professor and students. Maitland votes to maintain tax rate and stormwater fee JENNY ANDREASSON Council approved the fi rst saw a slight increase — less than and Art & History Museums had ankles. Observer Staff reading of the almost $22 million 1 percent — in total taxable value, already seen their budgets cut by Schieferdecker said the part- budget without any discussion. Management Services Director 15 percent in the past three years. ners should be treated differently Maitland City Council voted Councilwoman Linda Frosch as- Sharon Anselmo said. The city had originally asked them from city departments. “Our cul- unanimously Monday to keep sured residents that they had to keep their budgets fl at for 2012 tural partners bring in a lot of the property tax rate at $4.38 per been working on the document Cuts all around before it found out various utility money to our cities, and that’s not $1,000 of taxable property. A fi - since June and it was thoroughly Despite leveling off property val- fees were set to increase. seen here,” he said about the pro- nal vote is scheduled for Sunday, vetted. ues, city departments shaved 6 Mayor Howard Schieferdecker posed budget. “We need to take Sept. 26. “It’s been a long budget sea- percent off their budgets to offset and Councilwoman Bev Reponen that into account.” The city will operate with $3.88 son,” Frosch said. increased costs. Maitland’s cultur- fought for a lesser cut — 1.55 per- Councilman Ivan Valdes pro- mills and use $0.50 mills to pay The city gets 34 percent of its al partners took a $43,000 hit. cent — for the partners. On Aug. posed a compromise at 3 percent. bond debt tied to its new city hall budget dollars from property The Maitland Public Library, 22, Reponen likened a 5 percent But Councilman Phil Bonus, and fi re station. taxes. This year, the city actually the Performing Arts of Maitland cut to chopping them off at the ■ Please see TAX Page 7 56th AnnualHUGESpring ORCHID Orchid AUCTION Show WHEN: SATURDAY“Orchids – September by the 17,Lake” 2011 9 AM TILL PLANTSWHEN: ARE SOLD Saturday and Sunday, April 2nd and 3rd from 9 a.m.WHERE: to 5 p.m.