Watchdog Report Vol.11 No. 3 May 23, 2010 – Celebrating my 11th Anniversary since May 5th

CONTENTS

Argus Report: U.S. Atty. Ferrer honored by county, committed to fight fraud, public corruption; will these federal activities touch the counties?

Florida: Are gubernatorial candidates McCollum, Sink, Dockery and Scott resonating with voters, appears lukewarm so far

Miami-Dade County: Commissioner Rolle hit with four ethics violations for trying to steer county money to JESCA

Broward County: Feds pop man for attempted robbery at Regions Bank in Cooper City

Palm Beach County: Former Guatemalan Special Forces combatant indicted for false statements on federal form concerning 1982 massacre of villagers

Orange County: Gov. Crist appointed Patricia A. Doherty to the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court.

Monroe County: Administrator Gastesi says come on down to Keys, “Water is extremely clear for diving”

Miami-Dade Public Schools: Friends of WLRN board chair Altman fires back at last week’s WDR story, in her own words

Public Health Trust: Seijas tries to clear the air by letter in The Herald about Jackson, usually slams the paper and “people who buy ink by the barrel”

City of Miami: With city budget in dire straights, complete count in 2010 Census must be top priority, tens of millions over the decade in funding

City of Miami Beach: Litter, litter everywhere, beaches, and parks must be kept clean through education and zero tolerance enforcement, says Libbin

City of Coral Gables: Residents get face time with Mayor Slesnick at lunch Monday

Community Events: Florida Legislative round-up luncheon at Downtown Bay Forum Wednesday

Editorials: Budget gurus looking grim at all levels of public institutions with another round of significant cuts coming —- Miami Herald Ombudsman takes swipe at local papers, what about stories written by government employees?

Letters: PHT trustee on Commissioner Souto’s remarks about PHT board last week – Reader on Watchdog Report past work

Sponsors – Publisher’s mission statement & Subscription information is at the bottom of this issue

>>> Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you. –Pericles (430 B.C.)

>>> The Watchdog Report publisher would like to thank the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation www.knightfoundation.org for funding the University of Miami’s Knight Center of International Media http://knight.miami.edu within the University’s School of Communication www.miami.edu assistance to rebuild my web site www.watchdogreport.net that is now on line again, since the previous one was shut down in July 2008. Past reports will continue to go on line in the future, potentially as far back as May 2000.  This institutional support is a major break through for me, and I am deeply appreciative of the help these two substantial international institutions have given me at a time the site was an unbudgeted expense and to keep the Watchdog Report a community education resource, while also being a decade old news service.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>> U.S. Atty. Ferrer honored by county, committed to fight fraud, public corruption; will these federal activities touch the counties?

The Miami-Dade County Commission honored Wilfredo “Willy” Ferrer, the new U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida last week. Ferrer, 43, was an assistant county attorney the last few years after being a federal prosecutor in the Clinton Administration. Commission vice Chair Jose “Pepe” Diaz sponsored the proclamation and the event had Commission Chair Dennis Moss saying the selection of Ferrer by the Obama Administration shows the county “has the best law firm” in town, something he mentions periodically from the dais. The new top federal cop told the media last Tuesday www.miamiherald.com that he was embarrassed that South Florida led the nation when it came to all the varieties of fraud and he plans to do something about it. Ferre said he plans to have the office work with all the enforcement agencies at all levels to root out the community’s ills and with around 460 FBI special agents here along with ICE, ATF and many other federal law enforcement agencies. He has some back up in this endeavor. Ferrer is expected to shake up the office in some ways and the community from Fort Pierce to Key West waits to see what happens under his leadership of one of the nation’s busiest federal districts.

>>> M-DC Press release: Vice-Chairman Jose “Pepe” Diaz and County Commission congratulate Wifredo “Willy” Ferrer on appointment as U.S. Attorney

On May 18, Vice-Chairman Jose “Pepe” Diaz called for a special presentation with his colleagues on the County Commission in Chambers to congratulate Assistant County Attorney Wifredo “Willy” Ferrer on his appointment by President Barack Obama as the U.S. Attorney for the South District of Florida. Ferrer, who had been with the County Attorney’s Office since 2006, was awarded a proclamation naming May 18th “Willy Ferrer Day” for his service to Miami-Dade County. “Mr. Ferrer has done an excellent job representing our community and we wish him the best in his new role,” said Vice-Chairman Diaz. “On behalf of the County Commission, we are extremely proud that one of our own has been recognized by our nation’s leaders for his work.”

>>> Miami Monthly magazine takes a “hiatus” until sour economy turns around writes publisher Carpenter

Elena V. Carpenter, the publisher of Miami Monthly magazine in a letter to subscribers recently says the magazine will be back after a “hiatus” and the sour economy turns around for advertisers and the media alike. The magazine first started as a monthly newspaper in the 1990s and morphed into the glossy version during the height of the real estate boom around 2005. Carpenter last year was on a panel at the Downtown Bay Forum monthly luncheon discussing the press, and its long-term survival. At the time she said her organization’s motto was the Bee Gees song Staying Alive and she was trying to go to a subscriber business model that had readers picking a number of levels of financial help, but apparently it was not enough to keep the magazine publishing that recently went to bimonthly status. The Watchdog Report hopes that Miami Monthly gets back on its feet in the future for the lack of news reporting, and just general community event outlets is getting smaller by the day, and that is not a good thing. Here is the last issue on the webpage:  Welcome to Miami Monthly Magazine Miami Monthly is a city-regional glossy serving the Greater Miami area. Regular sections include community news, personality profiles, dining, www.miamimonthlymagazine.com

>>> White House Press release: President Obama Establishes Bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling Names Former Two-Term Florida Governor and Former Senator Bob Graham and Former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency William K. Reilly as Commission Co-Chairs

In this week’s address, President Obama announced that he has signed an executive order establishing the bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling with former two-term Florida Governor and former Senator Bob Graham and former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency William K. Reilly serving as co-chairs. The bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling is tasked with providing recommendations on how we can prevent – and mitigate the impact of – any future spills that result from offshore drilling.

The commission will be focused on the necessary environmental and safety precautions we must build into our regulatory framework in order to ensure an accident like this never happens again, taking into account the other investigations concerning the causes of the spill. The commission will have bipartisan co-chairs with a total membership of seven people. Membership will include broad and diverse representation of individuals with relevant expertise. No sitting government employees or elected officials will sit on the commission. The Commission’s work will be transparent and subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act.  The Commission will issue a report within six months of having been convened.

President Obama named the following individuals as Co-Chairs of National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling:

Senator Bob Graham is the former two–term governor of Florida and served for 18 years in the United States Senate. Senator Graham is recognized for his leadership on issues ranging from healthcare and environmental preservation to his ten years of service on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence — including eighteen months as chairman in 2001–2002. After retiring from public life in January 2005, Senator Graham served for a year as a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.  From May 2008 to February 2010, he served as Chairman of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism whose mandate was to build on the work of the 9/11 Commission. Senator Graham was also appointed to serve as a Commissioner on the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, established by Congress to examine the global and domestic causes of the recent financial crisis.  The Commission will provide its findings and conclusions in a final report due to Congress on December 15, 2010.  He also serves as a member of the CIA External Advisory Board and the chair of the Board of Overseers of the Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida. Senator Graham has been recognized by national and Florida organizations for his public service including The Woodrow Wilson Institute award for Public Service, The National Park Trust Public Service award and The Everglades Coalition Hall of Fame. Senator Graham earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida and an LLB from Harvard Law School. He is the recipient of an honorary doctorate of public service from his alma mater, the University of Florida, and honorary doctorates from Pomona College and Nova Southeastern University.

William K. Reilly is a Founding Partner of Aqua International Partners, LP, a private equity fund dedicated to investing in companies engaged in water and renewable energy, and a Senior Advisor to TPG Capital, LP, an international investment partnership. Mr. Reilly served as the first Payne Visiting Professor at Stanford University (1993-1994), Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1989-1993), president of the World Wildlife Fund (1985-1989), president of The Conservation Foundation (1973-1989), and director of the Rockefeller Task Force on Land Use and Urban Growth from (1972-1973).  He also served as the head of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Earth Summit at Rio in 1992.  Mr. Reilly is Chairman Emeritus of the Board of the World Wildlife Fund, Co-Chair of the National Commission on Energy Policy, Chairman of the Board of the ClimateWorks Foundation, Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University, and a Director of the Packard Foundation and the National Geographic Society and a member of Gov. Schwarzenegger’s Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force. He also serves on the Board of Directors of DuPont, ConocoPhillips, Royal Caribbean International and Energy Future Holdings, for which he serves as Chairman of the Sustainable Energy Advisory Board.  In 2007 Mr. Reilly was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He holds a B.A. degree from Yale, J.D. from Harvard and M.S. in Urban Planning from Columbia University. >>>The full audio of the address is HERE. The video can be viewed online at www.whitehouse.gov.

>>> Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Washington, DC

One month ago this week, BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded off Louisiana’s coast, killing 11 people and rupturing an underwater pipe. The resulting oil spill has not only dealt an economic blow to Americans across the Gulf Coast, it also represents an environmental disaster. In response, we are drawing on America’s best minds and using the world’s best technology to stop the leak. We’ve deployed over 1,100 vessels, about 24,000 personnel, and more than 2 million total feet of boom to help contain it. And we’re doing all we can to assist struggling fishermen, and the small businesses and communities that depend on them.

Folks on the Gulf Coast – and across America – are rightly demanding swift action to clean up BP’s mess and end this ordeal. But they’re also demanding to know how this happened in the first place, and how we can make sure it never happens again. That’s what I’d like to spend a few minutes talking with you about. First and foremost, what led to this disaster was a breakdown of responsibility on the part of BP and perhaps others, including Transocean and Halliburton. And we will continue to hold the relevant companies accountable not only for being forthcoming and transparent about the facts surrounding the leak, but for shutting it down, repairing the damage it does, and repaying Americans who’ve suffered a financial loss.

But even as we continue to hold BP accountable, we also need to hold Washington accountable. Now, this catastrophe is unprecedented in its nature, and it presents a host of new challenges we are working to address. But the question is what lessons we can learn from this disaster to make sure it never happens again. If the laws on our books are inadequate to prevent such an oil spill, or if we didn’t enforce those laws – I want to know it.  I want to know what worked and what didn’t work in our response to the disaster, and where oversight of the oil and gas industry broke down. We know, for example, that a cozy relationship between oil and gas companies and agencies that regulate them has long been a source of concern. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has taken steps to address this problem; steps that build on reforms he has been implementing since he took office. But we need to do a lot more to protect the health and safety of our people; to safeguard the quality of our air and water; and to preserve the natural beauty and bounty of America. In recent weeks, we’ve taken a number of immediate measures to prevent another spill.  We’ve ordered inspections of all deepwater operations in the Gulf of Mexico.  We’ve announced that no permits for drilling new wells will go forward until the 30-day safety and environmental review I requested is complete.  And I’ve called on Congress to pass a bill that would provide critical funds and tools to respond to this spill and better prepare us to confront any future spills. But we also need to take a comprehensive look at how the oil and gas industry operates and how we regulate them. That is why, on Friday, I signed an executive order establishing the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. While there are a number of ongoing investigations, including an independent review by the National Academy of Engineering, the purpose of this Commission is to consider both the root causes of the disaster and offer options on what safety and environmental precautions we need to take to prevent a similar disaster from happening again.  This Commission, I’d note, is similar to one proposed by Congresswoman Capps and Senator Whitehouse.

I’ve asked Democrat Bob Graham and Republican Bill Reilly to co-chair this Commission. Bob served two terms as Florida’s governor, and represented Florida as a United States Senator for almost two decades. During that time, he earned a reputation as a champion of the environment, leading the most extensive environmental protection effort in the state’s history. Bill Reilly is chairman emeritus of the board of the World Wildlife Fund, and he is also deeply knowledgeable about the oil and gas industry. During the presidency of George H.W. Bush, Bill was Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and his tenure encompassed the Exxon Valdez disaster. I can’t think of two people who will bring greater experience or better judgment to the task at hand. In the days to come, I’ll appoint 5 other distinguished Americans – including scientists, engineers, and environmental advocates – to join them on the Commission. And I’m directing them to report back in 6 months with recommendations on how we can prevent – and mitigate the impact of – any future spills that result from offshore drilling. One of the reasons I ran for President was to put America on the path to energy independence, and I have not wavered from that commitment. To achieve that goal, we must pursue clean energy and energy efficiency, and we’ve taken significant steps to do so. And we must also pursue domestic sources of oil and gas. Because it represents 30 percent of our oil production, the Gulf of Mexico can play an important part in securing our energy future. But we can only pursue offshore oil drilling if we have assurances that a disaster like the BP oil spill will not happen again. This Commission will, I hope, help provide those assurances so we can continue to seek a secure energy future for the United States of America.

>>> ZOGBY POLL Press release: Zogby Interactive:  71% Don’t Like ‘Bank Bailouts,’ But Small Majorities See Necessity of Government Intervention

Anger Over Perceived Wall St. Abuses More Important Than Acknowledgement of TARP’s Benefits

More than seven in 10 likely voters do not favor the federal government’s “bank bailouts,” but small majorities do agree that the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) was necessary, helped stabilize the economy and may have averted a Depression. Those results come from a Zogby Interactive poll of 2,063 likely voters that was conducted from May 14-17 and has a margin of error of +/- 2.2%. Near the beginning of the survey, which also included several other topics, 71% of voters said their opinion of the “bank bailouts” that began in September 2008 was unfavorable, including 43% who chose very unfavorable. Please click the link below to view the full news release on our website:
http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.cfm?ID=1866

>>> If you believe, it is important to have someone watching your public institutions, consider supporting the Watchdog Report for essentially no money came in over the last week and I do have to live, thank you! The report is also shorter and with less real content because I am still weak and do not have my past energy level that allowed me to write all day Saturday and Sunday as in the past almost 11-years  that I have been doing this. I ask for my readers understanding during this time. >>> Further, I have been honored over the years by being named a WFOR-4 Hometown Hero in 2000, being profiled in a major way by The Miami New Times, The Miami Herald, and the Orlando Sentinel which ran as a nationwide story on me in the Tribune papers on Jan. 2003 and UNC Chapel Hill naming me one of the top columnists in Florida in a  multi-state study of the media back in 2004. I also thank Joseph Cooper for the opportunity to be on Topical Currents on www.wlrn.org since 2000, including yearly election coverage since then and also the opportunity to be on Helen Ferre’s show Issues on issues@wpbt.org numerous times over the past decade.

>>> PAST WDR: I have been in the hospital after emergency surgery, one more procedure to go, need the community’s financial help to keep at this!

I have not communicated or sent out a Watchdog Report since the end of January because I had a catastrophic medical issue that required one emergency surgery and another in a few weeks after about two months of convalescing at the hospital and home. I would like to thank surgeon Jorge R. Rabaza, M.D., (Recently honored and awarded the Person of the Year at South Miami Hospital) and the rest of his vascular surgery team of Verdeja, Rabaza, Gonzalez, P.A., who practice at South Miami Hospital (http://www.miamihope.com/doctors/index.asp.). I went to the emergency room Feb. 8 and later in the evening, the operation was done, and it was touch and go. I also want to thank all the nursing and support staff located in the forth floor annex of the hospital who took care of me for over a week after the operation and your kind manner and medical attention was deeply appreciated. I have not had the strength and mental clarity to write until the last few days and to say I need a miracle is an understatement regarding my financial survival. I have been unable to send invoices to past supporters and just paying my rent currently is a big deal and hope you will consider doing what you can to keep me out in the field and reporting back after I get back on my feet and I am feeling better. The support form is at the bottom of this truncated issue for your convenience and if high definition transparency of what your public institutions are doing is important to you. Please help and support me financially during this particularly rough patch. >>> Editor’s note: If you see people that represent these two organizations, let them know you appreciate how they helped me keeping this free news resource out in our community for all to read if desired.

>>> See what was said about the Watchdog Report in the Miami New Times 2003 — Best of Miami — BEST CITIZEN  — Daniel Ricker –

watchdogreport1@earthlink.net

Three years ago, we said Ricker was our Best Gadfly. Given his dedication and perseverance, this new honor, Best Citizen, is well deserved. Ricker goes to 2500 mind-melting meetings annually, from the Public Health Trust’s purchasing subcommittee to the Efficiency and Competition Commission to the Alliance for Human Services’ nominating council to the school board’s audit committee. Sometimes he’s the only public observer. Object: to be the Public Citizen for all those out there who can’t attend, and to connect and serve as an information bridge among the special-interest-dominated Miami-Dade governmental institutions that seem so problematic and indifferent to the democratic process.

This month his e-mail newsletter, The Watchdog Report, celebrates its fourth anniversary. In a former life, Ricker made a handsome living as an international salesman of heart pacemakers. As the hard-working publisher of Watchdog Report, though, he’s struggling financially — this despite the fact that his weekly compendium of meeting summaries, analysis, interviews, and commentary has become essential reading for anyone involved in public affairs. What his written work may lack in polish, it more than makes up for in comprehensiveness. So raise a toast to the man whose official slogan says it all: “A community education resource — I go when you cannot!”

FLORIDA

>>> Are gubernatorial candidates McCollum, Sink, Dockery and Scott resonating with voters, appears lukewarm so far

Alex Sink, the Florida Chief Financial Officer cannot seem to get a break with some people, especially with women not being aware she is a female Democratic Party candidate for governor. Sink, (Net worth $8.6 million) a retired Bank of America senior executive first ran for the CFO office in 2006 and in that case, she essentially coasted to victory. The only potential opposition for her would be if Lawton “Bud” Chiles III, the son of the deceased governor decides to throw his hat into the ring but that has yet to happen. Sink in 2002 got her first taste of running for office when her husband, attorney Bill McBride, the Democratic Party gubernatorial champion, ran against Gov. Jeb Bush. The Republican incumbent easily beat the attorney who as a political novice running a statewide race had a number of difficulties during the campaign. In her case, she would stump for him at events and I told her at the time, she was the candidate but to date in the governor’s race she has run a hesitant, careful campaign and she is very careful when speaking to reporters from my experience.

Bill McCollum, (Net worth $1.2 million) the state’s attorney general still has her trailing him in recent polls www.miamiherald.com but only by 34 to 32 percent and it is the 34 percent undecided voters that are the key swing vote in November’s General Election if they are the party’s candidates. Further, a new face has popped up on state voter’s television sets in the past weeks and it is former healthcare executive Rick Scott, now also running in the Republican Primary against McCollum and state Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland (Net worth $2.8 million) for the state’s top spot. Scott, a senior healthcare executive retired from Columbia/HCA is willing to spend $25 million of his own money in this effort to win the August primary but he also has past baggage. Scott’s company after he left the firm settled with authorities paying $1.7 billion in the agreement and McCollum has already made the man’s money, and how he made it an issue. In the poll done by Ipsos Public Affairs, McCollum garnered 46 percent to Scott’s 22, and Dockery had 3 percent support with another 30 percent undecided during the polling of 607 registered voters state’s St. Petersburg Times/The Miami Herald.

Why was Gov. Crist at UM Lois Pope LIFE Center Tuesday?

Gov. Charlie Crist did a redo signing ceremony at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine of the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act bill passed by the Florida legislature and the governor signed the legislation a few days earlier. The bill is aimed to reduce and stop red light runners with cameras at intersections. The citations cost will vary around the state and municipalities are hoping to pick up some extra revenue as well. The bill also directs some of that money to The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis headed up by Marc Buoniconti. Along with Crist was a host of notables including the two bills sponsors, state Sen. Thad Altman, R-Melbourne (Net worth $1.64 million) and state Rep. Ronald Reagan, R-Bradenton, (Net worth $628,000). >>> For more information about donating go to www.thebuonicontifund.com

What about the $50 million for Jackson in the state budget?

The Watchdog Report asked Crist twice about the $50 million in state funding inserted into the state’s $70.4 billion budget for Jackson Memorial Hospital, and the money is critical to the hemorrhaging health trust system. The governor said he could not commit on the finding yet since it is still under review but I believe he will support the appropriation. In the future, he can veto, sign, or just do nothing and the bill passes and becomes law.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Commissioner Rolle hit with four ethics violations for trying to steer county money for JESCA

The Miami-Dade Ethics and Public Trust Commission hit Dorrin Rolle, the long serving county commissioner representing District 2 Wednesday with four counts of probable cause for trying to steer county money to the James E. Scott Community Agency where he served as the chief executive, and thus had a financial interest. Rolle, (Net worth $1.02 million) in 2002 had a similar run in with the commission after he wrote a letter to then County Mayor Alex Penelas asking for money for JESCA using his official office letterhead and that story was first broken in the Watchdog Report.  In that same year he also had a tough commission seat race and he has since retired from JESCA that is currently facing financial issues that has persisted over the past decade. Rolle in that leadership capacity at the Black community’s oldest social service agency founded in 1925 was paid over $170,000 and back in 2004. The organization had over $150,000 in bounced check charges and I wrote about that in The Miami Herald back then.

>>> Here is what the ethics commission advocate wrote in the Rolle charging document :>>> COUNT ONE and TWO -10.  On or about March 13, 2007, Respondent violated Sections 2-11.1 (g) and (n) of the Code when he appeared before Assistant County Manager Muñoz and discussed funding for JESCA and when he participated in official action directly or indirectly affecting a business in which he has a financial interest. To wit: Respondent sought funding for JESCA, a non-profit organization that employed Respondent as its President and Chief Executive Officer. COUNT THREE and FOUR -11.  On or about September 11, 2007, Respondent violated Sections 2-11.1 (g) and (n) of the Code when he appeared before County Manager Burgess and discussed funding for JESCA and when he participated in official action directly or indirectly affecting a business in which he has a financial interest. To wit: Respondent sought funding for JESCA, a non-profit organization that employed Respondent as its President and Chief Executive Officer. 12.  To the extent that the factual allegations contained within the Probable Cause Memorandum are relevant to Counts One, Two, Three and Four of this complaint the Probable Cause Memorandum is hereby incorporated and made a part of this complaint herein.  At the time, Respondent violated Sections 2-11.1 (g) and (n), these were punishable by imposition of a fine of $250.00 for a first violation and $500.00 for each subsequent violation as well as an admonition or public reprimand.[1] 13. Pursuant to Section 2-1074(p), the ethics Commission has the power to issue an order imposing the penalty under the ordinance being enforced. Wherefore, the Advocate requests the Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust to enter an order against respondent, DORRIN D.ROLLE, finding him in violation of Sections 2-11.1 (g) and (n), administering a public reprimand and ordering the payment of fines. >>> [1] Respondent faced a similar complaint in February 2002. That complaint, C02-06 alleged that Respondent met with County Officials and discussed the budgetary needs of JESCA. Respondent pled No Contest to those charges and paid a $750 fine.

>>> Hills cry’s foul when critical county e-mail abut him goes out to 1,900 employees

Stan Hills, a 27-year Fire-Rescue employee at Miami-Dade is upset and told commissioners Tuesday that his “reputation” was damaged after an e-mail to 1,900 people went out on a county e-mail address. Commissioner Natacha Seijas (Net worth $655,000) sponsored the Special Presentation at the commission meeting and she has been a long time friend and supporter of the department and its union. Hills, who apparently has lost his leadership position in the union says the electronic transmission is against county policy and the misrepresentations of him should be cleared in the future in a public way. Commissioners and Mayor Carlos Alvarez, (Net worth $1.66 million) noted the seriousness of the comments and the administration is investigating the matter. Alvarez acknowledged the fact that Seijas brought –up the matter and that this type of presentation had really only been done rarely before. The last was for former Transit Director Roosevelt Bradley a few years ago after he was replaced, but with controversy.

>>> This is why the Watchdog Report makes a big deal of government e-mail lists

As I have written in the past, regarding some municipalities using public e-mail lists for things not related to the city or county. This is a serious breach, and it appears the message in someway might be sponsored by the public entity, which is clearly out of line, even if it is for a $100,000 wedding contest contestant, or a political candidate as I have seen before. Mayor Carlos Alvarez has said he will review the matter and he should because from one list of say a couple of thousand people. An email can take a life of its own as it is forwarded and why this type of action is wrong and unacceptable from a public employee.

>>> The county commission backtracked last week and decided now is not the time to ask voters for a raise from the current $6,000 plus about $52,000 in benefits to a new salary figure of essentially $92,000. The commission since 1957 has not had a raise but voters almost a dozen times have shot down any raise that many times in the past had an unclear ballot question when it came to the matter.

>>> At the end of a discussion by commissioners concerning the legislation that would be implemented if Jackson Memorial Hospital became unable to pay the institution’s salaries or procure goods and was a “tool” just in case it was necessary, said Commission Chair Dennis Moss (Net worth $477,000). A measure was suggested that would loosen the Sunshine Law requirements about meetings between the county administration, the mayor and PHT trustees. An amendment to the health trust’s bylaws will be proposed in the future that will make the mayor and county manager no longer Ex-officio members on the PHT board allowing them to hold meetings with PHT staff and trustees without it being a public meeting if passed.

What did Moss carp about when it came to the media?

Moss during the end of the discussion said he was tired of hearing in the media that “the county commission impeded Jackson Memorial Hospital” and had stopped “something it wanted to do” was just plain false, he said. Moss noted the body voted for union contracts, bonds and other matters the health trust wanted over the years and these representations were just not right. However, the commission has influenced the health trust over the years including the addition of two new hospitals, Jackson North and South. The hospital in the south was keeping a promise made to the public and voters back in 1991 said Moss when a half-cent-sales tax was proposed to help fund the main hospital downtown and the tax did pass. Further, there was political pressure to provide a public hospital to residents in the north of the county and as part of a settlement with the federal government. A private hospital chain sold what is now Jackson North for $33 million in 2007 and the hope was the new facility, would be a moneymaker but did not materialize after the global economy tanked along with a change in patient mix.

What did former CEO O’Quinn say about Miami-Dade?

Marvin O’Quinn, hired after a national search was done in the summer of 2003 to run the public health system after about six-months here in Miami-Dade. He told the Watchdog Report back then “this place is so political” and I responded, “No kidding,” at the time.

>>> Anything funny happen at Tuesday’s commission meeting?

“I need to get a hybrid phone,” joked Commissioner Javier Souto (Net worth $856,000) after his cell phone went off during a commission meeting and Chair Dennis Moss gently asked the former state legislator to turn it off. The comment came after Commissioner Katy Sorenson (Net worth $1.34 million) suggested making some of the administration’s new county vehicles, about 267 cars out of the county’s over 3,000 vehicles hybrid but she noted when it came to police and fire rescue vehicles. The manufactures do not make flashing light arrays on the roofs for these new types of vehicles. She asked the administration to ask companies to come-up with a new design that could be fitted on a variety of hybrid cars.

>>> Will new $1 billion port tunnel fill help clean up toxic site on Virginia Key? Commissioner Gimenez hopes so

At Thursday’s Metropolitan Planning Organization, the subject of what to do with all the fill that would result from the new Port of Miami tunnel was discussed. Commissioner Carlos Gimenez asked how it was going to be disposed and suggested an alternative might be to be fill for a toxic dumpsite on Virginia Key, and there is county GOB money for the cleanup. Officials from FDOT said they were flexible and if there was synergy after a study, it sounded like an interesting idea for a site that years ago absorbed a large earth-moving machine into the slime.

>>> County Press release Friday: Dieldrin not found in Miami-Dade Water Supply

A small group of homeowners in the Falls area of south Miami-Dade County have been contacted by the Miami Dade Health Department regarding their private well water being contaminated by Dieldrin – a pesticide. Affected homeowners should contact the Health Department at (305) 623-3500. Homeowners who receive their water from Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) are not affected by this issue. WASD tests for the presence of Dieldrin annually and there have been no detections found. WASD tests its water supply 100,000 times a year and the water meets or exceeds all local, state and federal guidelines. The department recently released its annual Water Quality Report and mailed it to each of its customers in early May. You can find an electronic copy of it at www.miamidade.gov/wasd to review the high quality, safe water that is delivered to more than two million customers daily. It is the priority of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department to provide safe, reliable service to its customers.

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Miami Metrozoo’s Birthday Celebration With its 30th birthday fast approaching, Miami Metrozoo is going all out with a three-day bash, July 3 – 5, to thank the community and out-of-town patrons for their unfailing support of the zoo throughout the years. > Join the celebration

>>> Press release: The Honorable Lourdes Simon will be officially sworn in as County Court Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit at 12 p.m. Friday, May 28, 2010, in Courtroom 6-1 of the Dade County Courthouse, 73 West Flagler Street. Members of the media are welcome. This past February, Judge Simon was appointed to the County Court by Governor Charlie Crist to fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Antonio Arzola to the Circuit Court. Prior to her appointment to the County Court Bench, Judge Simon served for more than 15 years as an Assistant Public Defender with the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office. Judge Simon joins the County Court Civil Division at the South Dade Government Center.

BROWARD COUNTY

>>> Feds pop man for attempted robbery at Regions Bank in Cooper City

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office, and James K. Loftus, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department, announce that defendant Oscar Lopez, 27, has been arrested and charged with the attempted robbery of a Regions Bank in Cooper City, FL, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113.  If convicted, he faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. According to the allegations in the complaint affidavit filed in this case, on May 20, 2010, Lopez attempted to rob the Regions Bank, located at 9100 Griffin Road, Cooper City, Florida.  Lopez allegedly displayed a demand note that read “BANK ROBBERY” and told the teller “Hundreds and fifties.”  Lopez fled from the bank on foot without taking any money after bank employees announced that the bank was being robbed.  Law enforcement officers identified Lopez from surveillance photographs, eyewitness identifications, and law enforcement databases.

According to the allegations in the complaint affidavit in this case, Lopez had also robbed the Chase Bank, located at 9499 Sheridan Street, Cooper City, Florida, on March 17, 2010.  Lopez allegedly displayed a demand note that read, “This is a robbery,” and also told the teller “this is a robbery.”  He also allegedly demanded all of the hundred and fifty dollar bills in the teller’s drawer.  Lopez took approximately $2,000.00 in U.S. currency from that bank. U.S. Magistrate Judge Lurana S. Snow appointed the Federal Public Defender’s Office to represent Lopez.  An arraignment is scheduled before the Fort Lauderdale Duty Magistrate Judge at 11:00 a.m., June 7, 2010. >>> A complaint is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami-Dade Police Department and Broward Sheriff’s Office.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Linder. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

>>> Thank you for using the Broward County Commission Agenda E-mail Notification System. A new Broward County Commission Agenda is available. Point your browser to http://www.broward.org/commission/welcome.htm to view the new agenda.

PALM BEACH COUNTY

>>> Former Guatemalan special forces combatant indicted for false statements on federal form concerning 1982 massacre of villagers

A former Guatemalan special forces soldier was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Palm Beach County, Fla., for lying on his naturalization application about his participation in a 1982 massacre at a Guatemalan village known as Dos Erres, announced U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer for the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, and Assistant Secretary John Morton of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  The one-count indictment charges Gilberto Jordan, 54, of Delray Beach, Fla., with unlawful procurement of U.S. citizenship.  Jordan was previously charged via a criminal complaint on May 5, 2010. The indictment alleges that in approximately November 1982, a Guatemalan guerrilla group ambushed a military convoy near Dos Erres, Guatemala, killing soldiers and taking a number of rifles. In response, a patrol of approximately 20 Guatemalan special forces soldiers, known as “Kaibiles,” including Jordan, were deployed in approximately December 1982 to the village of Dos Erres to search for the stolen rifles and find suspected guerillas. According to the indictment, members of the special patrol entered Dos Erres on or about Dec. 7, 1982.  Another group of approximately 40 Kaibiles allegedly established a perimeter around the town to prevent anyone from entering or escaping.  Members of the special patrol allegedly interrogated the villagers, searched their homes, and separated the men from the women and children.

The indictment alleges that the special patrol then proceeded to systematically murder the men, women and children at Dos Erres by, among other things, hitting them in the head with a hammer and then throwing them into the village well.  Members of the special patrol also allegedly raped many of the women and girls at Dos Erres before killing them. According to the indictment, Jordan participated in the crimes committed at Dos Erres, including murder. According to the previously filed criminal complaint, a Guatemalan judge appointed an Argentinean forensic anthropology team approximately 12 years after the Dos Erres massacre to exhume the corpses at the village.  According to the complaint, this forensic team uncovered approximately 162 skeletal remains from the village well, whose deaths were presumed to have occurred in December 1982 as a result of traumatic injuries and gunshot wounds. According to the court documents, Jordan applied to become a U.S. citizen in September 1996. The indictment alleges that in the application, Jordan falsely denied that he had ever served in the military or committed any crimes for which he had not been arrested. In July 1999, Jordan was interviewed by a naturalization examiner, and swore under oath that the statements he had earlier provided on the application were true and correct.  Jordan was sworn in as a U.S. citizen on Aug. 25, 1999.

If convicted, Jordan faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and revocation of his U.S. citizenship. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Hillary Davidson and Brian Skaret of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Marie Villafaña of the Southern District of Florida. The case was investigated by ICE’s Office of Investigations in West Palm Beach and ICE’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs as well as ICE’s Offices of International Affairs provided assistance in this matter. The Criminal Division announced the formation of HRSP on March 30, 2010, as part of the U.S. government’s efforts to bring human rights violators to justice and deny those violators safe haven in the United States. The new section represents a merger of the Criminal Division’s Domestic Security Section (DSS) and the Office of Special Investigations (OSI). ICE’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit’s (HRVWCU) mission is to deny human rights violators and war criminals safe haven in the United States using all of its legal authorities. HRVWCU provides programmatic oversight over ICE investigations involving foreign war criminals, human rights violators, and those who within ICE’s jurisdiction, violate laws that fuel widespread overseas human rights abuses and conflicts. These include investigations relating to torture, genocide, war crimes, and the recruitment of child soldiers; and immigration and visa fraud where the underlying offense is based on substantive human rights abuses and war crimes. >>> A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

ORANGE COUNTY

>>> Press release: Gov. Crist appointed Patricia A. Doherty to the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court.

“During Patricia’s 23 years of legal practice, she has gained much expertise in analyzing cases and applying the law,” said Governor Crist. “Her leadership within the community and among fellow attorneys indicates the strength of her character and intellect.”  Doherty, 55, has practiced privately with Wooten, Kimbrough, Gibson, Doherty and Normand since 1983.  Previously, the firm has operated under the names Wooten, Honeywell, Kest and Martinez, as well as Wooten, Honeywell and Kest. She also worked as a physical therapist from 1977 to 1980. Doherty earned both her bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Florida. Doherty will fill the vacancy created by the death of Judge Robert Wattles.

MONROE COUNTY

>>> Administrator Gastesi says come on down to Keys, “Water is extremely clear for diving”

The Watchdog Report contacted County Administrator Roman Gastesi on Saturday about the presence of any oil from the Gulf of Mexico gusher, after the oil blobs appeared on the Keys beaches recently, but were found to be not from the well over one-month old crude oil spill that has vexed experts on how to plug the leak at 5,000 feet below the gulf’s surface. I asked the administrator how things were going at the Southern most tip of the nation and he replied. “Yes, everything is OK for now regarding actual oil pollution in the keys. The oil is still hundreds of miles away and there is still a good chance that we will not be affected at all. Even so, until the leak is plugged, the uncertainly continues to create concern for everyone in the keys. The oil is a Sweet Crude mostly made up of single-bonded carbon chains that biodegrade more readily than other crude oils. So we hope that if it does head this way it will be very “weathered” and inert.

Please let everyone know that we are open for business, the water is extremely clear for diving, and the early season dolphin fishing is one of the best in many years…come on down,!” wrote the veteran administrator and former water czar for Miami-Dade years ago. For more information about what is going on in the Keys go to :>>> The Monroe County tourism council continues to update its http://www.fla-keys.com <http://www.fla-keys.com> website with information regarding the spill and its relationship to the Keys. On the website are NOAA forecast tracking maps, a map showing the spill site in relation to the Keys, links to area webcams and more. TDC social media sites include: http://www.keysvoices.com • http://twitter.com/thefloridakeys • http://www.facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest >> Spill-related websites, primarily focusing on affected areas, include: http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com • http://www.noaa.gov

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>> Friends of WLRN board chair Altman fires back at last week’s story, in her own words

After last week’s Watchdog Report on what happened at the school board Audit Committee recently regarding Friends of WLRN, Janet K. Altman, the chair of the not-for-profit responded back giving the organization’s side of the story. I am running the complete response from Altman. >>> “You wrote in July 2008, “A strong, vibrant and responsible press is the glue that keeps public institutions and elected leaders restrained.” I see in this morning’s Watchdog Report that Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Superintendent’s office provided you with a statement about negotiations between WLRN and Friends of WLRN.  I’d like to provide some additional information which the public needs to know.

Recently there has been significant tension between WLRN, the School Superintendent, and Friends of WLRN.  Friends of WLRN is an independent, private non-profit organization dedicated to the support of WLRN Radio and Television.  Friends doesn’t own WLRN — but neither does the School Board own Friends. Miami-Dade County Public Schools is the licensee for the Stations.   Friends has supported the station, raising funds through membership, underwriting, special events and grants, for more than three decades.  When listeners and viewers give to support public broadcasting, Friends of WLRN receives the gift, manages the funds, and pays bills for WLRN, including the bills to content providers like National Public Radio.  WLRN’s General Manager drives the Friends’ budgeting process, identifying upcoming funding needs.  Friends has never, to my knowledge, refused a funding request from WLRN.

Our budget for the coming year, which is scheduled for approval at our May Board meeting, forecasts $4.2 million in contributions to WLRN. The Superintendent of Schools appears to desire to end a 35-year relationship with our group — an independent organization that is dedicated to supporting the valuable assets of the School Board.  He is insisting that we revert to 15-year old by-laws, which give his office control of our leadership and governance.  That’s just not good for WLRN.   Rather, we believe it’s critically important that WLRN and Friends have an operating arrangement which provides for independence, transparency, cooperation, and informed consultation between the organizations.

Friends has done all we can to communicate constructively with Superintendent [Alberto] Carvalho.  Since the January Audit Committee meeting where we were tasked with negotiating an operating agreement, we have made every effort to resolve the issue.  We provided our draft of the agreement, which we called Principles of Cooperation, on February 11.  But WLRN refused to review that draft, and participants from WLRN were unavailable to meet to negotiate their version of the agreement until late March.

Why have a separate organization to raise money?

Friends is uniquely suited to raise money for WLRN.  We can do many things the School Board cannot. The Miami-Dade County Public Schools must operate under the Florida Sunshine Act.   If they were to absorb the fundraising role, all membership data (including donors’ contact information and giving history) would be available to anyone who requests it. As an independent group, we are able to attract members and underwriters who would not be comfortable contributing directly to an organization with taxing authority. We can raise money from members outside of Miami-Dade County. Incidentally, that now represents nearly half of the funds we raise. Importantly, the relationships our volunteer Board members have in the community give us access to potential major donations. We’re able to move quickly and effectively, as we did when we helped preserve the WLRN-Miami Herald News.

What are the issues?

The Superintendent is concerned about the cost of fundraising – and so are we.  We recently undertook to benchmark our results against other public radio stations, and we discovered that our cost-per-dollar raised is lower than many of our sister stations, including the #1 station in the country, WNYC.

The Superintendent is concerned about transparency – and so are we. John LaBonia, General Manager of WLRN and an employee of the School Board, is on Friends’ Board.  The General Manager’s position on our Board is secured in the bylaws.  The General Manager is also on the Executive Committee and the Finance Committee.  This ensures total transparency, through the General Manager, with the Stations and the School Board. The Superintendent is concerned about fiscal responsibility – and so are we.  Fiscal responsibility is key to our ability to raise these funds from the public. We are audited by one of the top accounting firms in the country, Marcum Rachlin.  In the past two years, we have stepped up our vigilance in many ways, including hiring a CFO with CPA firm experience, creating a financial procedures manual, introducing a conflict of interest policy for the Board and most recently establishing an audit committee.

The Superintendent is concerned that we don’t respect the School Board.  We regret any communication that caused offense.  At the most recent Audit Committee meeting, as part of the argument that Friends should be controlled by the School Board, the Superintendent read a five-year old memo which expressed some strong opinions.  According to its author, “This five-year old memo, which was written at a time of high emotion and considerable frustration, does not represent the opinions of either the staff or the Board of Friends of WLRN.  In fact, more recent documents and actions clearly repudiate the ideas suggested in the memo.  I apologize to any it may have offended.”  Friends of WLRN and the School Board share a common interest – the support of WLRN-FM and WLRN-TV.  With cooperation from WLRN and the Superintendent, I am confident we can conclude an agreement that continues our independent service to the South Florida community,” wrote the Friends of WLRN board’s chair on May 17.

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> Seijas tries to clear the air in letter to Herald about Jackson, usually slams the paper and “people who buy ink by the barrel”

Natacha Seijas, a Miami-Dade County Commissioner wrote an excellent and well thought out letter published in The Miami Herald http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/letters/ on Thursday concerning the Jackson Health System and she believes one of the great strengths of the organization is the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, and the trust made a mistake when it came to the health trust’s past business model. The medical school has been affiliated for over 50-years with Jackson and Florida International University’s new medical school also has an affiliation and the commissioner is right about the importance of both academic centers to South Florida’s health. Seijas was also responding to a letter that ran recently from 41 local leaders that have studied the problems with the trust over the last few months. These people believe the current model is broken and the role of the commission should be reduced in the oversight of the public hospital system. Seijas said on the commission dais Tuesday, when the discussion of legislation concerning commission oversight of Jackson, that there was a lot of misinformation out in the community and in the media regarding what the body legislatively was proposing, and the letter appears to be her way of clearing it up with readers of The Herald, a organization regularly verbally vilified by some commissioners including her.

Seijas, 73, over the years has been a frequent critic of aspects of how Jackson was managed and run, and she definitely had a problem with the CEO and others salaries that were larger than what the county manager or mayor was paid. She has also been a strong supporter of the county’s unions and is active in issues dealing with children, domestic violence victims to name just a few of her community interests. However, critics charge she can be politically ruthless and while one of the most veteran elected leaders who has dispatched any challengers to the office over the years easily. She rails against the media and press from the dais, and in the past would say she does not read The Miami Herald, the Miami New Times and after 2003 the Watchdog Report. >>> Editor’s note: Seijas was the first commissioner to contribute $500 to my endeavor back in the fall of 2000, but since then our relationship has had its difficulties over the years, depending on the issue.

What about an opposing view on Jackson’s governance?

Linda S. Quick, the president of the South Florida Hospital & Healthcare Association www.sfhha.com and one of the 41 leaders studying the PHT wrote an effective and thoughtful response to Seijas and the health trust issue of governance Sunday. To read the Opinion piece go to www.miamiherald.com/opinion

>>> Upcoming meetings: May 24^th -Jackson North Financial Sustainability Advisory Board Meeting 8 to 10 a.m., JNMC, 2nd FL Auditorium, 160 N.W. 170th Street, North Miami Beach, FL

>>> May 24^th : Televised PHT Board Meeting -3 to 6 p.m., Ira C. Clark DTC Bldg., Room 259 – main campus.

>>> PAST WDR:  This is why I have been doing the Watchdog Report for 11-years — Since May of 2000, I have been covering the PHT in all its aspects over the years and its financial challenges since then have never been far below the surface of any story over this time. In 2004, I ran the headline about the $84 million charge the organization was having to take for the year and the numbers in many ways never got that much better, week after week, month after month, to where we are today. Some of the county commissioners are carping about all the sudden press and media attention the hospital system with 12,000 employees is getting but that is what happens in Florida where the state sunshine and open records laws makes all these activities public events. However, the commissioners should also be asking why they and the Fourth Estate did not kick in earlier to alert South Florida of the pending financial train wreck. The chronic problem was apparent to anyone that read the Watchdog Report over the decade, but in many ways, my role seems to be of Cassandra for we, as a community did not necessarily have to be where we are today, if corrective action had occurred years ago.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> With city budget in dire straights, complete count in 2010 Census must be top priority, tens of millions over the decade in funding

Census workers doing the 2010 count were spotted in Coconut Grove last week on foot going to households where the confidential census forms were not returned in April. The Census, a decade national count that will determine which communities get some of the $400 billion in yearly federal funding and political representation in Congress and the endeavor is critical to Miami and Miami-Dade County after the 2000 count fiasco. Elected leaders should be discussing this ongoing process on any media they can get on. For there are many misconceptions about what happens with the information and how it could affect someone or their family in an adverse way such as deportation.

Miami during the last count was in the middle of the Elian Gonzalez affair that involved a young Cuban boy who floated ashore on a raft that had his mother perishing back in November 1999. The child captured the Cuban community’s heart and the matter escalated in tension between the federal government and relatives taking care of the child in a home in Little Havana that became a media mecca with news crews coming from around the world to capture a glimpse of the small boy over the subsequent months before he was extracted by federal officials the Saturday morning, around 4:00 a.m., before Easter Sunday back then. The Watchdog Report a short time later started this e-mail newsletter a short time after that traumatic community event that had Anglos and Blacks protesting the Cuban community, caught in a Miami Herald photo back then that had some of the White people carrying a Confederate Flag, and it was a surreal photo event. However, that is not the case now and every public official and resident should make sure this activity is as complete as possible, though I still hear about enumerators being threatened with a homeowner’s dog if they don’t get off the property immediately. And a dramatic undercount of residents cannot occur again, for it will fiscally cripple us for the next ten years for a second time and that is unacceptable. >>> 2010 Census -The results are in and 72 percent of households mailed back their 2010 Census forms — the same rate achieved in the 2000 Census. Check out your community’s http://2010.census.gov/ – 28k – Cached

>>> City staff says “easy million” assets already sold off

The budget advisory board had its seventh meeting Thursday and the spirited discussion raised a number of questions, but no easy solution is available for the looming budget hole. The city apparently has over 700 assets, but any “easy millions” from these holdings have already been sold off or under lease said staff. The group is meeting again this Thursday and having a new set of eyes looking at these issues could be a productive activity, but certainly not easy given the financial realities the city’s current and future budget faces.

>>> The following e-mail was sent  to (now former) Mayor Manny Diaz using his e-mail address on his extensive city web-page on Sept. 13, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. and to date there has been no answer from the mayor. It currently goes to his new e-mail address.>>> “Mayor Diaz, I wanted to ask you in the chamber today but not in front of Chair Joe Sanchez. My question is where did the extra $400,000 in the 2007 disclosure form come from? I will run what ever you respond unedited but I would appreciate closing this issue, as I am sure you do. Sorry but I have to ask.  Best to all. Dan”  >>>> The Watchdog Report through Dec.7 has yet to get a response or catch-up with Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz on where he got the extra $400,000 in cash listed in his 2007 financial disclosure forms. To see what CBS 4 reporter David Sutta’s take on this issue and the other city leaders financial disclosures go to cbs4.com Blogs . >>> Readers should stay tuned and catch the meeting on the city’s cable station channel 77. >>> Stream Channel 77, for all City of Miami meetings, (Commission, Village Council meetings, Waterfront, Zoning, PAB, Code, etc. hearings)    http://videos.miamigov.com/

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Litter, litter everywhere, beaches, and parks must be kept clean through education and zero tolerance enforcement, says Libbin

Litter, litter everywhere but with all the budget shortfalls hammering counties and municipalities who and how is all this garbage on beaches, parks and along road ways ever going to get picked up in this “new normal” when it comes to public entities finances. A small group of people, less than a dozen at the county along with Miami Beach Commissioner Jerry Libbin met in a 10^th floor conference room in government center Friday afternoon to discuss what to do about the issue. Jack Kardys, the Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation director said when it came to litter at the parks and beaches. It is unbelievable what these visitors leave behind. He noted some of the worse offenders were high school and college age kids and they just refuse to pick up after themselves. A suggestion is to activate these students to help through education and perhaps as community services projects, or part of trips to these destinations to participate more in the effort, that has to be free since government does not have the money.

Libbin has been an pick-up the litter advocate on Miami Beach and has held numerous beach clean-up details and a new public relations blown-up photo depicting trash on the beach asking people to pick it up is on buses and other city vehicles in South Beach, that includes a large sign on the highway going into the Beach noting the city’s litter laws, and the fact these are enforced. The commissioner has pushed for education, but also “enforcement” and over 400 citations have been written since the crack down. He also said the city gives out biodegradable trash bags for people to use and suggested the county use the same type in their effort for a drastic clean up, possible first to be tried this summer at Haulover and Crandon Parks beaches.  Further, given Libbin’s new gig as CEO of the Miami Beach Chamber, this clean up also makes good business sense and is a win-win for him in his new capacity of business cheerleader. However, beaches and parks are living environments with all kinds of creatures nesting and any clean-ups must also be environmentally sensitive to the living habitat these areas provide for multiple species. >>> Here is further information about the county’s park and recreation department and programs during the summer break.

Jack Kardys – Director Miami-Dade County’s Park and Recreation Department – Phone: 305-755-7800, Mission: To create outstanding Recreational, Natural, and Cultural experiences to enrich you and to enhance our community for this and future generations. www.miamidade.gov

>>> Press release: Washington Park is Going to the Dogs -Groundbreaking Paw-ty, Wednesday, May 26, 6:00 p.m., 201 2nd Street, Miami Beach, FL 305.673.7730. Amenities to the park will include a water spray fountain, extra benches, trash receptacles, dog bag dispensers, and an eco-friendly rainwater collection system that will augment the park’s irrigation. To assist in the fundraising for the extra features, engraved memorial bricks were sold and will be placed in the park. The project is a collaboration of the City of Miami Beach with the SoFi K9s organization and RDO (Responsible Dog Owners). Link to more info: http://web.miamibeachfl.gov/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=58429 Link to Miami Beach Bark Parks: http://web.miamibeachfl.gov/parksandrecreation/scroll.aspx?id=49658

>>> Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club features Prego of FDOT on port tunnel

State FDOT District Director Gus Prego and Tunnel Contractor Rep. Chris Hodgkins will brief the public on the construction schedule for the Miami Port Tunnel project, Tuesday, May 25, 8:30AM – 10:00AM, David’s Cafe II, 1654 Meridian Ave., Miami Beach, FL. http://www.portofmiamitunnel.com/Documents/POMTProjectSiteMap.pdf >>>

Since 1996, the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club has been gathering every Tuesday at 8:30AM at a local Miami Beach restaurant for informal, non-partisan discussions of issues – political, governmental, etc.  It is not affiliated with any other organization.  We are currently meeting at David’s Cafe II, 1654 Meridian Ave., Miami Beach, between Lincoln Road Mall and Macy’s (formerly Burdine’s).  There is plenty of parking at that hour in the adjacent municipal parking lot.  One orders from the menu or simply has coffee.  Guest speakers range across the political, governmental, business, and social issues spectrum.  Sessions are open to everyone.  Simply show up. www.mbtmbc.com

>>> City press release: Memorial Day Weekend 2010 – Miami Beach Community Information – Miami Beach will once again play host to many visitors over the holiday weekend. To ensure everyone’s safety, enjoyment and cooperation of quality of life issues, the City of Miami Beach will be implementing its Major Events Plan (MEP) that enhances staffing and services over the weekend. Click here > to read more about the plan and restrictions to traffic and parking. Click here <https://mail.miamibeachfl.gov/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103414337039%26s=847%26e=001XP5TMcDTKeOpri2ktewJ6x8t8mOUBHkFM_mj6FwOvgJfs87eHmjRsdRkiLy9apCQxbdS7dcGNit8bH1Sg8dlNAvSXq8o58X1zyLYihb3ajS1_S-znLl-WSuoRaBeYud5yz1WKs4DU9XiPUumqLax6qcnY0Tjsa1-1mg9nKvlrXk=>  to read more about the plan and restrictions to traffic and parking. >>> Information hotline: 305.604.CITY >>> Tourism hotline: 305.673.7400 — COMMUNITY NOTICE: http://web.miamibeachfl.gov/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=58503

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

>>> Residents get face time with Mayor Slesnick at lunch Monday

Voters and residents of Coral Gables can get some face time with Mayor Donald Slesnick,II on Monday at noon at JohnMartin’s Irish Restaurant located at 253 Miracle Mile. He is the featured speaker at the event. The lunch is $20.00 for members and $22.00 for nonmembers. You can RSVP for the lunch by e-mailing Richard Martin at rwmartin20@yahoo.com . Slesnick was first elected in the spring of 2001 along with Commissioners Maria Anderson and Ralph Cabrera, Jr., and the candidates ran against an entrenched group of incumbents but prevailed after a significant development and road closing wedge issue reared its head in the race. Since then, all three candidates have gotten the voters nod to stay in office but for the mayor. He has faced some bruising political times in the tony town where local politics can become a real contact sport, including multiple hurricanes that had residents in his face complaining about the delay in getting their power back. After these weather disasters, he told the Watchdog Report that it was times like this when one considers if it is all worth it being an elected official in a low paying job, but he has persevered and could become the longest serving mayor in the city’s history. The city recently celebrated its 85^th birthday and for more go to Coral Gables celebrates its 85th birthday – Coral Gables … 30 Apr 2010 … Visitors stream into historic Merrick House to mark the occasion. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/30/1605930/coral-gables-celebrates-its-85th.html

COMMUNITY EVENTS

>>> Florida Legislative round-up luncheon at Downtown Bay Forum Wednesday

Downtown Bay Forum  luncheon: WEDNESDAY MAY 26, 2010–11:30 AM –LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP – SPEAKERS: ANA RIVAS LOGAN, School Board Member, KAREN ARONOWITZ, President United Teachers of Dade, ANA MARIA RODRIGUEZ, Baptist Health South Florida, MARY LOU TIGHE, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Public Health Trust, VICTORIA HERNANDEZ, Miami Dade College, JACOB COKER-DUKOWITZ, Director of Advocacy, Human Services Coalition, JOE RASCO, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Miami Dade County; MODERATOR BOB LEVY, ROBERT M. LEVY AND ASSOCIATES >>> MARRIOTT HOTEL–1633 N. BAYSHORE DR., MIAMI, $5.00 Valet Parking Available at Marriott Hotel – Call ANNETTE EISENBERG (305)757-3633 Fax (305)754-2015 RESERVATIONS REQUIRED – Membership Application &/or Luncheon Reservation (please print clearly) Name: ________________________ Business: ________________________________ Address: ________________

Phone No:     _____________E-mail ___________________ Fax  No. ___________$30 Membership     ­­­___ $22 Lunch, member w/reservation   __ $52 Membership & Lunch   __$26  Non-Member or Member without reservation if space is available  ___$250 Table of 10 –DOWNTOWN BAY FORUM   P.O. Box 371633, Miami, FL 33137-1633 www.downtownbayforum.com

EDITORIALS

>>> Budget gurus looking grim at all levels of public institutions with another round of significant cuts

To say people look grim if they work in public institutions budget departments is no joking matter, because after three years of financial cuts, that were partially mitigated by federal funding. The federal funding free ride is over and in the case of Miami-Dade for 2010-2011; another big hit is coming in an effort to find the $340 million in cuts after an expected revenue shortfall and includes over the past three-years over $800 million reduction in costs. County Commissioners like elected leaders around the nation face a hostile electorate when it comes to raising taxes in many cases, and with the sour economy. A fundamental question will be asked in the months ahead, will tax payers react to a diminishment of public services, or just role with the consequences that will be seen in the community at all levels. For we as a community “want to go to heaven, but don’t want to die,” says County Commission Chair Dennis Moss periodically when it comes to what residents expect but also are willing to pay for.

Miami, Hialeah, Miami Gardens, Miami Beach and all the other 30 something municipalities that populate the county in one way or the other is going to feel this further financial pinch as well and the man of the hour is Pedro Garcia, Jr. The county’s elected property appraiser and what his valuation number is in June of the aggregate reduction in property taxes and whether it is a, 10, 12 or 13 percent decline or worse say 16 or 18 percent. The final number will only confirm the next round of pain for public institutions is on its way. Further, the school district is going over a fiscal cliff next summer as the last of the federal stimulus money dries up that helped close fiscal gaps over the recent years.

The Watchdog Report has watched government in a serious way since 1998 and with these reductions in service and people. I am also worried public employees might take some of their frustration out on residents and services provided, something that is known to happen periodically in any public organization. I am starting to see more people complaining about their work as a public servant and a trend like that is only likely to grow as the pressure builds on who will stay and who will go when it comes to public employees.  These public entities need to be careful as they navigate this human minefield with employees but the budget tealeaves are clear, that we are moving into another round of tough times and how we collectively deal with this difficult fact is critical to our overall success. For if you live in Miami-Dade County you are on a ship, and as I have said in the past, especially when we had in 2006, a 21.3 percent county property tax base increase pushing it up to $245 billion, up from $212 billion the year before. It was clear this bubble could not be sustained and government must watch the public dollars but that fell on deaf ears back then. However, the reality is now upon South Florida and our public institutions must deal with it, and the attendant pain that will come with these further cuts of people and services.

>>> Herald Ombudsman takes swipe at local papers, what about stories written by government employees?

The Miami Herald Ombudsman, Edward Schumacher-Matos had an interesting column Sunday on the paper’s www.miamiherald.com relationship with smaller local papers and blogs found around Miami-Dade County and the Keys. He notes some of these organizations or people may have conflicts of interest and some of the stories might be slanted or for their benefit and contrary to good journalism ethics. However, the Ombudsman missed one aspect and that is the county’s Community Periodical Program that actually pays newspapers to run stories across a whole range of subjects written by county employees. Miami-Dade County has about 50 papers that participate in this program and I have written about this over the last 11-years. I highlighted it in 2003 when a county audit found six papers got around $20,000 each but did not exist when county auditors tried to confirm there existence.

My beef with the papers that can be very influential locally and are “feared” by many politicians who go out of their way to accommodate the fledgling press that prints in multiple languages is that there is no indication that a byline is actually a government employee, and whether it is a paid community service ad. Over the years, I have run many of these press releases but I also indicate it is a press release for without that disclaimer. The stories can take on characteristics of propaganda for public institutions and that has to be monitored very closely, just as county government monitors local media stories now. For it is a slippery slope and can be an insidious process if one is looking for “truth in government” something coined by  County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez a few years ago. An independent and accurate press is a key component of this equation and when that line is blurred. Only the general public in the long run will suffer and that is not a good thing for a vibrant, strong and active Republic and our governance.

LETTERS

>>> PHT trustee on Commissioner Souto’s remarks about PHT board last week

My friend, I wish you had added my comments to this story on Commissioner Javier Souto’s comments. You might remember I reminded him that the actions/comments of the PHT board that day on closure of the nursing home all related to the budget he and the BCC approved which we have the responsibility to implement and frankly are late in implementing. Frankly, another exhibit to the governance dysfunctionality ever present between the County and the PHT.

Jorge L. Arrizurieta

Trustee

Public Health Trust of Miami-Dade County

>>> Reader on Watchdog Report

I am familiar with your work, and very appreciative.  There have been too many cuts to investigative journalism.  The major media companies (like the Herald) are too often compromised, but don’t disclose ethical conflicts that exist. It is essential to those who are trying to make the world a better place that we have a level playing field.  We are constantly reminded that this is not the case.  Thanks for your work to bring transparency to Miami.

Sam V. L.

>>> Publisher’s Statement on the mission of the Watchdog Report and the special people and organizations that make it possible:  Government Subscribers/Corporate Subscribers/Sustaining Sponsors/Supporting Sponsors

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The Watchdog Report covers a few of the meetings attended weekly. It remains my belief that an informed public will make better decisions. Therefore, I go to meetings, make the presence of an informed citizen known, and bring the information to you.   The Watchdog Report is in the fourth year of publication and it has been an honor to be able to send this information to you. It is sent to readers in Miami-Dade, Florida, the U.S. and the world. The Watchdog Report is sent to thousands free and while readers have been prodded to subscribe the results have been mixed. Over 250 reports and Extra’s have been sent since May 5, 2000 and over one million words have been written on our community’s governments and events.  The report is an original work based on information gathered at public meetings, interviews and from documents in the public domain.

LETTER POLICY

I welcome letters via e-mail, fax, or snail mail. Letters may be edited for length or clarity and must refer to material published in the Watchdog Report.  Please see address and contact information. Please send any additions and corrections by e-mail, fax or snail mail. All corrections will be published in the next Watchdog Report. If you or your organization would like to publish the contents of this newsletter, please contact me. Please send your request to watchdogreport1@earthlink.net

Daniel A. Ricker

Publisher & Editor

Watchdog Report

Est. 05.05.00

Copyright © of original material, 2010, Daniel A. Ricker

>>> Watchdog Report is expanding as a new service and this content is now available to other news media, no longer exclusive to The Miami Herald

The Watchdog Report is no longer exclusively with The Miami Herald, and excluding the one story a week that is printed in the paper on Monday in the Metro & State section by me. The rest of the 20 or so news stories weekly sent out Sunday in the Watchdog Report are now available to television stations web pages, and all the newspapers and other media in South Florida if the publishers have an interest to run part or all of the stories. Further, in 2000, I used to have some paper’s running the report in the Spanish press, that option is available again, and publishers should contact me.  The news content will not be free, but you can pick and chose the stories of interest, edit them if necessary but you must still keep the general story intact.  If you are a news outlet and would like to learn more about, the Watchdog Report and this offer contact me at watchdogreport1@earthlink.net for further information.

>>> Here is what past newspapers have written about the Watchdog Report publisher including a survey and regional study done by the U. North Carolina at Chapel Hill on the media in the southeast United States.

>>> The Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel & Sun-Sentinel articles on the Watchdog Report publisher over the years.

Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, The (FL) CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS

Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, The (FL) MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED

Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed.

>>>Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times  —The publisher would like to thank the weekly alternative paper Miami New Times for bestowing their 2003 Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored.  Thank you. To read the full story go to http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/2003-05-15/citylife2.html/1/index.html

From the spring of 2003:  U. North Carolina, Chapel Hill:  Southeast U.S. Media Report lists Watchdog Report publisher as leading Florida commentator >>> Selected excerpts from the report on Florida’s media sources

Those who do read the newspaper in Florida have a bevy of options for state government and political coverage. The dominant newspapers in the state are Knight-Ridder’s The Miami Herald (Acquired by The McClatchy Company in 2006) and the Poynter Institute’s St. Petersburg Times. Both papers endorsed Gore in 2000 but split on the 2002 gubernatorial race, with the Herald endorsing Republican incumbent Jeb Bush and the Times backing Democratic challenger Bill McBride.

Daniel Ricker of The Miami Herald also writes an influential column as well as an email newsletter called the Watchdog Report that goes out to more than 100,000 subscribers. FEBRUARY 2004 – Florida: Columnists in Abundance —ERIC GAUTSCHI, graduate student, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, UNC-Chapel Hill – D) LEADING COMMENTATORS – Resource Commentator Organization Type Web site –Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times Column www.sptimes.com/columns/bousquet.shtml -“First Friday” WPBT TV (Miami) TV Show www.channel2.org/firstfriday/issues.html –Lucy Morgan St. Petersburg Times Column www.sptimes.com/columns/morgan.shtml –Daniel Ricker Miami Herald/Watchdog Report Newsletter –www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/columnists/dan_ricker/ >>> Readers who would like to read the complete University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Southeast United States Media Report go to view the complete report or download all the data used in this study. >>> Watchdog Report Editor’s note to the NCU/CH study: The subscriber number referenced is incorrect and applies to readership.

General subscriber’s names will not be published in the Report. To subscribe to the Watchdog Report please use the form below as a subscription invoice.

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