Watchdog Report Vol.12 No.31 December 4, 2011 Est.05.05.00 – I go when you cannot

>>> The Watchdog Report publisher would like to thank the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation www.knightfoundation.org for funding by the Knight Foundation with technical support from the Knight Center for International Media http://knight.miami.edu within the University of Miami’s School of Communication www.miami.edu to maintain my webpage.

>>> RED ALERT: I NEED FINANCIAL HELP IF THIS IS TOO CONTNUE AFTER 12-YEARS: If you think it is important to have someone watching your public institutions consider becoming a supporter or sponsor. For there is no trust fund, and I do have to live and I hope you or your organization will consider helping in a small or larger way and help keep another voice on line in the media. A convenient form is at the bottom of this week’s Watchdog Report with all the instructions on how to support this newsletter and news service that has celebrated its 12th Anniversary May 5, 2011.

>>> I will be on Topical Currents, hosted by Joseph Cooper on WLRN/NPR 91.3 FM on Tuesday at 1:00 – 1:30 p.m. to discuss hot news items in South Florida and readers should listen in to the show. www.wlrn.org

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>> Federal prosecutors probe Marlins stadium deal, extensive records already in public domain, Braman & Lewis have extensive documentation

The federal oversight shoe has dropped with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) subpoenaing documents, meeting records, and campaign contributions to elected leaders and their administrations that had Miami-Dade County selling about $500 million in bonds, and the city of Miami on the hook for $200 million in bonds to finance the new Florida Marlins stadium and the surrounding garages http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/12/02/2529191/feds-open-sec-probe-into-miami.html . The deal premised on the false belief the professional baseball team was broke, and could only contribute a small amount of the money to the stadium in the scheme of things, but gets almost all the internal revenues associated with the game was criticized as a give away to the team and had billionaire auto magnate Norman Braman challenging the deal in a Miami-Dade circuit court a few years ago, but his attorneys arguments did not prevail at the time.

Since then, the stadium has gone up and is expected to be ready by the April 2012 deadline but critics have wondered when federal authorities might step in considering the deal was so lopsided in the Marlins favor. In this case, the contract with the team has the county and city assuming around 80 percent of the $634 million cost of the facility that includes a retractable roof, but when the 40 years of financing is factored in, additionally balloons to over $2 billion in new costs. Former County Manager George Burgess justified the financial plan in 2008 -2009 to county commissioners and the Miami commission as being like someone buying a house and financing it, but in this case the bulk of the payments are coming during the second half of the bonds life and people joke every child born from now on better have a baseball bat in their hands. If the stadium is to be filled with fans and not a drain on taxpayer general fund dollars.

The SEC federal prosecutor wrote the request for documents by Jan.6 does not mean the county or city ‘has broken the law’ but the federal authorities want to review how the deal was forged and was represented when the securities were sold to bondholders. The federal investigation also seems to be focusing on Marlins management (who say they will cooperate), and top professional baseball officials and there interaction with politicians and any ‘pay to play’ behind the scenes activity that might have influenced county and municipal commissioners and mayors that supported the project including recalled county Mayor Carlos Alvarez (Net worth $1.74 million) and former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz (Net worth $1.8 million).

The Watchdog Report attended some of the Braman lawsuit court challenge a few years ago, and Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Jeri Beth Cohen was on the hot seat when she made the decision that the deal between the parties, that also was part of a $2.9 billion Global Agreement that included the almost $1 billion Port of Miami tunnel when she ruled it could move forward and was later sustained in the upper courts. However, now Braman is beginning to feel vindicated he told The Herald in the front-page article Saturday and he had a classic quote of the day when he described leaders as “suckers” a while ago for approving the new stadium’s construction contract. After Braman was just told the Marlins actually made money to the tune of $33 million after, getting $92 million in league revenue sharing in 2008 and 2009 stated a sports website www.deadspin.com in August of 2010.

Further, Michael Lewis the publisher of Miami Today www.miamitoday.com also led the counter charge in the mainstream media fighting the stadium along with Braman’s court challenge, and the award winning newspaper man went through the contract with a fine toothcomb, and wrote countless editorials on the matter. And federal authorities have an information treasure trove and archive with Lewis, and Braman for both did considerable public records requests and research. If the two men decided to release the information to federal prosecutors for their review. Readers should stay tuned and we may get a glimpse how this contract came together, if it was on the up and up, or will become another Miami Moment that gives black eyes to Miami and Miami-Dade past and some current elected leaders who voted for the project, while stadium tourist taxes and potentially local taxpayers get the bill.

>>> White House press release: President Obama Nominates Three to Serve on the US District Court Bench ~ President Obama nominated Judge Timothy S. Hillman, Judge Robin S. Rosenbaum and Robert J. Shelby to serve on the United States District Court bench. “Throughout their careers, these nominees have displayed unwavering commitment to justice and integrity,” said President Obama. “Their records of service to the public and the legal profession are distinguished and impressive and I am confident that they will serve the American people well from the United States District Court bench. I am honored to nominate them today.”

Judge Timothy S. Hillman: Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts

Judge Timothy S. Hillman has been a United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Massachusetts since 2006. Previously, Judge Hillman served as a Justice on the Massachusetts Superior Court from 1998 to 2006 and a Justice on the Massachusetts District Court from 1991 to 1998. Prior to his service on the Massachusetts courts, Judge Hillman was in private practice for over a decade and served as City Solicitor to the cities of Fitchburg and Gardner and Town Counsel to the towns of Athol, Lunenburg, and Petersham, all in Massachusetts. He received his J.D. in 1973 from Suffolk University Law School and his B.A. in 1970 from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Judge Robin S. Rosenbaum: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Judge Robin S. Rosenbaum is a United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Florida, a position she has held since 2007. From 1998 until her appointment to the bench, Judge Rosenbaum was an Assistant United States Attorney in the same district, where she served as Chief of the Economic Crimes Section in the Fort Lauderdale office beginning in 2002. Before joining the United States Attorney’s Office, Judge Rosenbaum clerked for Judge Stanley Marcus on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in 1998, worked as a litigation associate at Holland & Knight from 1996 to 1997, and served as staff counsel at the Office of the Independent Counsel in Washington, D.C. from 1995 to 1996. She began her legal career as a trial attorney at the Federal Programs Branch of the United States Department of Justice from 1991 to 1995. Judge Rosenbaum received her J.D. magna cum laude in 1991 from the University of Miami School of Law and her B.A. in 1988 from Cornell University.

Robert J. Shelby: Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Utah

Robert J. Shelby is currently a shareholder at the Salt Lake City law firm of Snow, Christensen & Martineau, where his practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and catastrophic personal injury cases on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants in state, federal, and administrative courts throughout the country. Shelby was an associate at Snow, Christensen & Martineau from 2000 to 2005 and returned to the firm earlier this year as a shareholder. In the intervening years, Shelby was a partner at another Salt Lake City firm, Burbridge Mitchell & Gross. He began his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable J. Thomas Greene in the United States District Court for the District of Utah. Shelby received his J.D. in 1998 from the University of Virginia School of Law and his B.A. in 1994 from Utah State University.

>>> Press release: U.S. State Dept. STATEMENT BY MARK TONER, DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON ~ Two-Year Mark of the Continued Incarceration of Alan Gross

Tomorrow Alan Gross will begin his third year of unjustified imprisonment in Cuba. He was arrested on December 3, 2009 and later given a 15 year prison sentence by Cuban authorities for simply facilitating connectivity between Havana’s Jewish community and the rest of the world. Mr. Gross is a 62-year-old husband, father, and dedicated professional with a long history of providing assistance and support to underserved communities in more than 50 countries. We continue to call on the Cuban government to release Alan Gross and return him to his family, where he belongs. >>>Video Statement in Spanish: YouTube, Broadcast Quality Download

>>> U.S. Rep. Ros-Lehtinen hosts Florida Pre-Paid for kids, registration deadline Jan.31

Ros-Lehtinen will host a press conference on Monday, December 5th to urge parents to sign up their children with the College Pre-Paid Tuition Program as Florida’s tuition costs continue to rise. The deadline to register in the program is January 31st, 2012. The press conference will be held at Riverside Elementary’s Media Center at 10:30 am. The school is located at: 1190 SW 2nd Street, Miami.

Ileana believes that interested parents should contact the program and determine what specific package would most benefit them as there are many programs available. The Florida Pre-Paid College Tuition Program allows families to lock-in current college costs for their children’s future college education in public and private colleges and universities in Florida and in many other states. The program saves parents and students thousands of dollars because college costs increase dramatically each year. Ros-Lehtinen introduced the college pre-paid tuition legislation that became law in the State of Florida when she was a member of the Florida State Senate. For enrollment information, please call the Program toll free at 1-800-552-4723 or visit www.myfloridaprepaid.com

>>> Press release: IBOPE Zogby Poll: Paul Would Be Stronger 3rd Party Candidate Than Nader or Bloomberg 16% Say They Would Likely Vote for Paul

An IBOPE Zogby interactive poll measured likely support for possible third party candidacies of Ron Paul, Ralph Nader and Michael Bloomberg, and finds 16% saying they would be likely to vote for Paul compared to 9% for Bloomberg and 7% for Nader. These results are from an IBOPE Zogby interactive poll conducted from Nov. 23-28. If Ron Paul ran for President as a third party candidate in 2012, how likely would you be to vote for him?
Response All Voters Republicans Democrats Independents
Very + Somewhat Likely 16% 15% 8% 28%
Somewhat Unlikely +
Not At All Likely 76% 76% 85% 63%
Not sure 8% 10% 7% 9%
Totals may not add up to 100% due to rounding. Please click the link below to view the full news release on our website:
http://www.ibopezogby.com/news/2011/12/01/ibope-zogby-poll-paul-would-be-stronger-3rd-party-candidate-nader-or-bloomberg/

>>> National profile of the publisher in The Tribune papers Jan. 2003 & UNCCH 2004 media study that cites Watchdog Report having 100,000 readers weekly
To read a national story run in the Tribune papers on my life and how this all began done by Orlando Sentinel featured reporter Maya Bell go to: To read the section’s large front page story, but without the photos and smart box graphics, go to: `I Go When You Cannot’ – Sun Sentinel 20 Jan 2003 … Sometimes Dan Ricker lives in the dark so others may live in the light. … to his weekly Watchdog Report have finally mailed their checks. … http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190341_1_ricker-school-board-president-miami-s-first-cuban-american >>> And to read a University of North Carolina Chapel Hill study on the media in the Southeast United States that mentions the Watchdog Report with 100,000 readers weekly, done back in 2004 and to read the Southern Media Study go to: 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 … – – Cached.

>>> All photos in the Watchdog Report are taken from public government sites, and the Report goes on line at www.watchdogreport.net on Monday sometime during the day usually. >>> If you believe it is important to have someone watching your public institutions consider supporting the Watchdog Report for I am a low cost news service yet I do have to live, thank you! 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, twice in 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 the WLRN/NPR showTopical Currents on www.wlrn.org since 2000, including yearly election coverage since then, and also numerous times over the past decade. Further, I am a frequent guest on WWW.WPBT2.ORG on Helen Ferre’s show Issues, and have also appeared on Eliott Rodriguez’s show News & Views.

FLORIDA

>>> New South Florida legislative coalition formed to fight for stalled Everglades clean-up funding in Tallahassee

A new coalition of state lawmakers have formed the Everglades Legislative Caucus to fight for continued funding to get Everglades Restoration back on track that has lagged over the past few years. The state during the early to mid 2000s funded at a much higher level the restoration program but that has been stalled, after the Florida economy tanked, shaving billions in revenues from state coffers. The group of legislators has state Rep. Steve Perman, D-Boca Raton and state Sen. Thad Altman, R-Melbourne as the point of the spear in this effort and other South Florida legislators are expected to join the effort to jump-start the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) during the upcoming legislative session beginning in January.

Federal funding for the process was never near what was first anticipated, that has slowed as well, and the local congressional representatives have been fighting an uphill funding battle with their colleagues in the Capital. Further, Gov. Rick Scott (Net worth $103 million) was offered a carrot when Scott said the Everglades was important to the state yet got chided by former Florida governor and Senator Bob Graham in this regard recently in the www.miamiherald.com hoping he would keep that commitment that has critics questioning Scott’s commitment to the state. These people carping say while you may not have agreed with some of the past governors Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist (Net worth $461,000) policies over the years, it was clear they both loved Florida and many question if that is the case for Scott, who only came to Florida later in his life.

What do we know about Altman?

Altman, 56, was in Miami last week, and the Watchdog Report caught up to him and discussed some of the issues that South Florida faces and the issues at Jackson Memorial Health System and some of the unique cultural aspects we deal with here as well, like government’s addiction to money that had the Miami-Dade property tax base growing at 21.3 percent back in 2006 coming in with a $245 billion property tax base. And it was clear at the time and written about in the Watchdog Report that growth could not be sustained and more of this new public money should have been banked for a rainy day, by public institutions but was not. The former state representative from March 2003 to 2008 was elected to state Senate District 24 in 2008 and he is a contractor and consultant. He is married, has three children, graduated from Rollins College with a B.S. degree, and enjoys biking; hiking and hunting state’s his webpage bio.

Altman

http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/s24 >>> Statement by Senator Thad Altman Regarding Decision to File Joint Lawsuit against Governor Scott March 1, 2011

What do we know about his finances?

Altman through June 2011 had a net worth of $1.2 million and he lists no value for household goods. His home is worth $630,000, another house is valued at $154,180, a 15 percent ownership in the Pines Resort LLC is worth $780,000, and his cash life insurance policy is worth $237,261. The senator’s liabilities are $145,000 owed to Sun Trust, a loan that appears from his parents is owed $428,000, a credit union wants $17,256 and a bank loan is owed $7,883. He lists income for the year of $13,000 coming from Tara Management Services, sale of a lot kicked in $300,000, Pines Resort paid $10,200 and his senator’s salary was $29,990.

What about state Rep. Bileca’s finances?

State Rep. Michael Bileca, R-Miami was profiled in the Watchdog Report last week but I did not have his financial disclosure forms for the year at the time. The entrepreneur who represents House District 117, a coastal district along the eastern shoreline of south Miami-Dade had a net worth of $3.7 million through June 2011 and he lists $45,000 in household goods. His liabilities include an $874,000 mortgage, JP Morgan wants $65,800 and he owes $5,490 on a Toyota Sienna. The freshman legislator’s income for the year was $741,000 from Towncare Dental Partnership, Inc., ATG kicked in $38,724, and Portifino Dental Inc. contributed $20,196. His assets include a home worth $850,000, there is $213,000 in a retirement fund, a HSBC bank account has $228,000, Fidelity Investments has $721,000, and three private company stocks owned are worth $1.4 million, $415,000 and $263,000 and these are just some of the assets on his supplemental financial disclosure form for the year.

Bileca

>>> Children’s Trust gets new health and development head in Harvard trained physician Gorski

The Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade is having a “philosophical” debate after years now of learning what works with getting children from birth to five years ready for school and should even more resources be directed in those areas of the county that have the highest rate of poverty tracts based on the 2010 Census. Studies have shown high quality programs are more effective in the early years of a child’s life, but that progress can regress, especially in impoverished areas if this educational nurturing is not continued through the years of a child’s development. www.thechildrenstrust.org Editor’s note: I will do more on this story in the coming weeks, because the trust is amassing significant data on what is or is not working in the successful development of our community’s children.

What about any new senior staff?

A Harvard University trained physician, Peter A. Gorski, M.D., M.P.A., 62, has joined The Children’s Trust, he was introduced at the Childhood Health and Development Committee meeting Thursday, and he has impressive credentials and should be a strong addition to trust staff. His title is Chief Health and Child Development Officer, he previously was the Director of Research and Innovation for The Children’s Board of Hillsborough County states his resume, and he has an A.B. from Haverford College.

>>> Message from David Lawrence Jr., >>> I couldn’t be more pleased to be home! Quite a week on behalf of The Children’s Movement of Florida: It began with a speech early this week in Washington before more than 800 people at the “Partnership for a Healthier America” summit. Then, in turn: A discussion in Wesley Chapel with Speaker-designate Will Weatherford, who will have daughter Ella in VPK next year and who “gets it” on the subject of high-quality early learning. A meeting in Lakeland, hosted by Barney and Carol Jenkins Barnett, to discuss a forthcoming statewide early literacy initiative. A reading visit with a bunch of bright-eyed youngsters at The Movement’s sixth “Books and Cookies” event at the Hillsborough Community College Ybor City campus Child Care Center. Fellow readers were Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman and Early Learning Coalition CEO Dave McGerald.

A governor’s Children’s Cabinet meeting in which pre-K quality was a major discussion item. Editorial Board discussions with the St. Petersburg Times and the Tampa Tribune. And a presentation yesterday morning before the annual joint gathering of the Florida School Boards Association and the Florida Association of District School Superintendents. Onward…Dave Lawrence Chair The Children’s Movement of Florida P.S.: We are in our final month of The Movement’s Dream Prizes opportunity, and your buying a ticket helps us continue to build a real movement for Florida’s children. It’s simple. Just click here.

>>> MIAMI-DADE COURTS’ CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT DIVISION
WILL MOVE TO NEW LOCATION EFFECTIVE TUESDAY, DEC. 13th – The Miami-Dade Courts’ Child Support Enforcement Division, currently located at 100 S. Biscayne Boulevard, is moving to a new location effective Tuesday, December 13th, 2011. The new address, from December 13th forward, will be: OVERTOWN TRANSIT VILLAGE – South Tower, 601 NW 1ST Court, 2nd Floor (Courts), 12th Floor (State Attorney) MIAMI, FL 33136 -305-530-2600 >>> The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Child Support Enforcement Office and the Courts’ Child Support Enforcement Division at 100 S. Biscayne Boulevard will be closed on Friday, Dec. 9th, and Monday, Dec. 12th, in preparation for the move. Any hearings set for those two dates will be re-scheduled. However, members of the public, litigants and attorneys may still call in, without interruption, at the same central numbers for the State Attorney and the Courts: 305-530-2600 (State Attorney) and 305-579-2584 (Courts – Child Support Division).

The Central Depository counter will be open for child support payments on Friday, Dec. 9th, at 370 SE 1st Street, Room 200, and will reopen at its new location in the Overtown Transit Village, South Tower, 601 NW 1st Court, 12th Floor, starting Monday, Dec. 12th. The Courts’ Child Support Enforcement Division and the State Attorney’s Child Support Enforcement Office will reopen at their new location in the Overtown Transit Village, South Tower, 601 NW 1st Court, 2nd Floor (Courts) and 12th Floor (State Attorney), on the following day, Tuesday, Dec. 13th. The Overtown Transit Village is easily accessible via Metrorail by exiting at the “Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre” Station, and by Metro Mover by exiting at the “Arenas/State Plaza” Station. For more information, please visit www.jud11.flcourts.org or call 305-530-2600.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Will transmittal vote to state of commercial project in UDB haunt Commissioner Suarez in his 2012 reelection race?

Veteran County Commissioners Dennis Moss (Net worth $342,000) and Sally Heyman (Net worth $425,000) fought verbally hard to keep the county commission from transmitting to the state a commercial development project to review on agricultural land inside the Urban Development Boundary last week. But it may be Commissioner Xavier Suarez’s (Net worth $328,500) yes vote that could have political blowback when he runs again in Aug. 2012. Since he represents commission District 7 and past commissioners have helped generally block such moves. Suarez, a former Miami mayor was given a second political chance when he finally won county office in May after two failed attempts in 2001 and 2004 and this could be one of his most controversial votes since it has been a hot button with his district’s voters in the past.

The development’s transmittal was pushed by lead land use attorney state Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami (Net worth $486,093) and he argued the land was no longer viable as agriculture and the areas infrastructure was already in place. Commission Chair Joe Martinez (Net worth $238,000) argued, “Thousands of people would not have homes,” if the UDB had not been moved over the years and the “UDB never made sense,” to him. He noted even when they tried to analyze the boundary line when he was past commission chair in 2005-06, environmental critics “never came to the table,” he said. Martinez moved the item “to transmit but with no recommendation” except with a covenant that was added that would not allow homes to be built on the site. That fact of no housing had Commissioner Lynda Bell (Net worth $308,000) saying while she was “not very comfortable with this project.” I do “want to hear what the state of Florida says,” and her support was predicated on the “no housing restriction,” in the transmittal language before voting yes.

However, environmentalists and some commissioners cried foul and argued this application was the camel putting its head under the tent and Moss believed it would “open a floodgate” of new development requests inside the UDB. Commissioner Audrey Edmonson (Net worth $281,000) said there was a need for more infill, “I have not changed my mind” and “feel deep inside” that this is not something we should do. But the commissioners voting in favor sought to just get the state’s input on such a project and the commission was not approving the project but just voting to transmit it. And given the terrible economy Commissioner Bruno Barreiro (Net worth $728,000) said, “We will see where we are when it comes back,” in six months if approved and a final vote was planned. In his case, he has suggested in the past to have a permanent line that cannot be crossed, and he believes the county is having to do this “piece meal” rather than in a planned and rational way.

However, Suarez’s vote which could have been a no vote, while not changing the 7-5 vote outcome to transmit to state authorities given the sensitivity and politicization of this issue during the past decades. This controversial vote will definitely come up when he runs for reelection seeking a full term next year and will give any candidate challenging him a hot wedge issue. Since his district is on the affluent east coast of the county. And moving or any incursion into the UDB is considered a third rail with many of the district’s voters, and could put on hold any desire on his part to try to become the commission chair after the election next year.

Suarez

Martinez

Moss

>>> Homeless Trust looking for sponsors of parking meters, cost is $1,000, local artist’s Britto meters in stock

The Miami-Dade Homeless Trust is gearing up for Homeless Awareness Day Dec. 8 and the organization members are trying to sell more homeless trust parking meters done by local artist Romero Britto that people can donate too when they park. The first donation meters were brought anomalously after a $20,000 donation and these are spotted around Miami-Dade and a cluster of the colorful meters are seen at Joe’s Stone Crab on Miami Beach after the restaurant became a sponsor and the trust board is looking for people and organizations to pay the $1,000. to sponsor other meters. Ron Book the chairman of the Homeless Trust at a board meeting in the past said Macys and Bloomindales “have both been very helpful,” but the “challenge is to find other people to sell and buy a meter too.” He asked meeting attendees “to find me somebody,” because “I have meters in the warehouse,” and any of the donations “can be anonymous,” said Book. The attorney said the goal was to get more of these “meters installed on Homeless Day,” where the tally of residents who have died on the street the past year is announced, and in the past, given what one faces living this way, that has been no small number of people.

>>> Press release: FINALLY, A PROBLEM THAT IS SOLVABLE!
Thousands of Miamians Step Up to End Homelessness on December 8, Homeless Awareness Day ~From Biscayne Boulevard at 121st to Bayfront Park, A “Slow Roll” Brigade Along Biscayne Boulevard Brings Out Thousands of Volunteers

On Thursday, December 8, The Miami-Dade Homeless Trust is inviting Miami-Dade residents to join a Homeless Trust brigade aimed at ending homelessness in South Florida. The crux of Homeless Awareness Day 2011 is to remind people that despite traditional views that homelessness is an irresolvable issue in this community; it is a solvable problem. “We’re inviting people from all over our community to step out in an organized and peaceful manner to do nothing more than recognize that there are people who live on the streets that need our help, and that there are more effective ways to help them than giving your money to panhandlers,” said Homeless Trust chairman, Ronald L. Book.

How big is the problem?

Tonight, in Miami-Dade County, there will be more than 700 people living on the streets. One of the reasons why these individuals are on the streets is because there is not enough room in homeless shelters. According to a 2009 survey performed by Zogby International, 80% of the people in Miami-Dade County give money to panhandlers. The average gift is about one dollar in spare change. The total yearly giving per person ranges from $20 to $40. This adds up to more than $30 million in nickels, dimes and quarters given to panhandlers on a yearly basis. “The numbers are staggering,” said Homeless Trust Executive Director, David Raymond, “$30 million a year could end street homelessness in Miami-Dade County. We want people to think long and hard about giving money to panhandlers. In the right hands, it could be used to supply shelter beds and indoor meal programs, job training and in general, improve the dignity of these individuals.”

The Brigade: The most visible of the day’s activities will be a “slow roll and sidewalk march” down Biscayne Boulevard, led by Clear Channel radio personality Mobile Mike and his fleet of highly visible vehicles. The caravan will assemble at 2:30pm at The Office Depot on 121st and Biscayne Boulevard. They will leave The Office Depot at 3:30 and will arrive at Bayfront Park at 4:30. There will be free food and prizes at each of the stops. “This is great cause, it’s a great spectacle and if we can bring people out to build awareness to the homeless problem then we can also help end it,” said Mobile Mike. As in years’ past, teams of people will be gathering on street corners, holding up cardboard signs to draw people’s attention to homelessness in Miami-Dade County. Businesses along Biscayne Boulevard are encouraged to post signs and create displays of support for those organizations that are actively helping the homeless.

>>> M-DC Ethics Commission: Requests for Opinion

An Administrative Officer of the Miami-Dade Housing Finance Authority (HFA) may serve on a selection committee seeking private developers for public housing sites, as determined by the response to RQO 11-25. According to the Request for Proposals, the winning firms will obtain public and private financing for the housing projects and may seek bond financing from the HFA. But the Ethics Commission opined that since Taquan Williams-Aranha will not benefit directly or indirectly from the selection process and the HFA won’t be involved in bond financing until the conclusion of the award process, there is no conflict in her appointment.

The owner of a company that provides polygraph services for the Miami-Dade Police and Corrections Departments appealed an Ethics Commission response to an inquiry that found a conflict for Martha C. Jurney because her stepson is a police detective. Jurney & Associates, Inc., has provided polygraph services to the County since 1999, and the owner says Kent Jurney, Jr., has no involvement with the business. But last year, the portion of the County Ethics Code that prohibits contracts between vendors and departments that employ “immediate family members” was amended to include stepchildren in that definition. The Ethics Commission today ruled in RQO 11-29 that Jurney may not enter into a contract administered by the Police Department. Jurney may try to get a waiver of the opinion, but that would require a two-thirds affirmative vote of the Board of County Commissioners.

>>> Press release: www.POWER2GIVE.ORG , AN EASY TO USE, ONLINE FUNDRAISING PLATFORM DEBUTS IN MIAMI ON DECEMBER 14TH

The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Arts & Science Council and Knight Foundation introduce power2give.org, connecting people to cultural projects >> On Wednesday, December 14, 2011, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the Arts & Science Council (ASC) located in Charlotte, N.C. and with generous support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, is launching www.power2give.org, a new fundraising platform to support arts and cultural projects in Miami-Dade County. Local arts organizations are embracing innovative and creative new ways to engage their audiences and secure more resources. power2give.org, created by ASC, offers a direct way to connect local arts and cultural projects with individuals and corporations interested in turning specific needs into realities. Cultural organizations’ listed needs describe clearly identified projects – for example, instruments for children in a youth orchestra or costumes for an upcoming theater production. People visiting the site can pick a need that interests them and direct their giving to making that exact project come to fruition.

The site’s Miami launch is going to feature funding needs for dozens of projects from myriad and varied organizations. power2give.org debuted in Charlotte, N.C. in late August 2011 under ASC’s auspices, and has already generated more than $200,000 in directed giving in that community. The Miami portion of the site is housed within the same URL, and can be accessed by selecting “Miami” from the drop-down box at the top of the home page. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has joined the Department of Cultural Affairs and ASC as a founding sponsor of power2give.org, providing each community $100,000 in matching donations to the first $100,000 in contributions made in Charlotte and Miami through the site. “This new platform gives people a personal connection to the organizations that create culture in our communities,” said Dennis Scholl, Knight Foundation’s vice president/Arts. “power2give.org also strives to engage new audiences and donors – meeting them where they are, which is increasingly online.” Power2give.org, conceived and developed by ASC, is borne out of the recognition that future funding of the cultural sector requires increasingly diversified and innovative means, and is in direct response to current trends in philanthropy. Giving from high net worth individuals is down 71% from 2007 according to the Center on Philanthropy. Meanwhile, 2010 trends indicate an increased number of gifts with smaller average gift sizes, further growth in online donations and a strong desire from donors to see where their gifts go. The site also creates a closer relationship between donors and the organizations they support.

“Miami’s philanthropic patterns and opportunities, like much of the rest of the United States, continue to shift and evolve, and power2give.org is one example of how the cultural funding support model must adapt in order to attract the resources needed to fuel our cultural industry,” said Adolfo Henriques, chairman of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council. “Individuals and businesses have told us plainly that when they know the exact use of their contributions and can see the tangible impacts of their investments on making particular cultural projects possible, they feel greater senses of confidence and satisfaction.” Michael Spring, director of the Department of Cultural Affairs stated, “There are compelling needs within every cultural organization. power2give.org allows groups to describe those needs genuinely and specifically to their audiences and prospective donors, and to give those donors a broader understanding of just what it takes to make arts and cultural programs possible. It builds a deeper sense of involvement in and reality about the creative process for everyone.”

Currently, non-profit organizations that have received funding from the Department of Cultural Affairs within the past five years can post projects needing up to $10,000 on power2give.org. Organizations promote their projects to individuals through a variety of print, electronic and social media channels. Projects have up to 90 days to achieve their funding goals. The Department of Cultural Affairs and ASC are assessing the possibility of extending the opportunity to artists and other non-profits to post projects on the site in the future. Follow power2give.org on Twitter @power2give and ‘Like’ on Facebook at facebook.com/power2give. >>> About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation >> Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit www.KnightFoundation.org .

>>> Press release: RECORD ARRIVALS AT “THE NEW MIA” (MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT) FOR FIRST TEN MONTHS OF 2011

Passenger arrivals at Miami International Airport (MIA) increased for the first ten months of 2011 with international passenger arrivals up +8.4% and domestic arrivals up +5.7% when compared to the same ten months last year. Total arrivals increased in the first ten months of 2011 by +7.0%.

INTERNATIONAL MIA Passenger Arrivals
January – October 2011 January – October 2010 % Change
7,681,302 7,085,744 +8.4%

DOMESTIC MIA Passenger Arrivals
January – October 2011 January – October 2010 % Change
8,190,808 7,746,059 +5.7%

TOTAL MIA Passenger Arrivals
January – October 2011 January – October 2010 % Change
15,872,110 14,831,803 +7.0%

>>> Press release: ADOPT A PET FROM THE Animal Services DEPARTMENT SHELTER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON – Home for the Holidays… What better gift to give or receive than to adopt a pet

While shopping this holiday season, instead of buying the same old tie, shirt, blouse or perfume, what better gift to show someone how special they are than by giving them a shelter pet from the Miami-Dade Animal Services Department (ASD). Besides being a very special, unique and affordable gift, it’s the gift that keeps on giving long after the holidays are over. Thanks to the support and direction of Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, the Miami-Dade Animal Services Department is pleased to announce a reduced cost of half price for adoption fees during this holiday season from December 1, 2011, through December 30, 2011. To view available pets, visit www.miamidade.gov/animals.

“During these difficult economic times, the Department is pleased to offer a reduction in adoption fees in an effort to give our pets a second chance and even bring some joy into homes this season,” said Alex Muñoz, Director, Animal Services Department. Each year the Department receives more than 36,000 pets. The goal of Animal Services is to reunite lost pets with their families or find lifelong homes for as many animals as possible. What: Home for the Holidays. Half price adoption fees for shelter pets from the Miami-Dade Animal Services Department. When: December 1, 2011, through December 30, 2011 -Monday through Friday open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Where: Miami-Dade Animal Services Department, 7401 NW 74th Street, Miami, Florida 33166 For more information, visit www.miamidade.gov/animals or call 311.

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>> Audit vice Chair Kemp takes the helm for Tuesday’s community firewall of public tax dollars, the audit committee

The public’s firewall when it comes to protecting, reviewing how school tax dollars are being spent is meeting Tuesday, and the citizen-based School Board Audit & Budget Advisory Committee is doing an outstanding job in keeping watch how this $4.3 billion in public money is being spent. Willie Kemp, CPA, the vice chair of the committee is chairing his first meeting this week after taking the number two leadership spot on the committee a few months ago and he is expected to do a great job in this new role. The Watchdog Report continues to write about this transformation of the committee that years ago had a chair that held that capacity for over ten-years, even though school board rules said there were leadership term limits. Since the departure of Hank Mack around 2003, there has been a normal progression of leadership changes on the committee and former prosecutor Jeffrey Shapiro is the current chair, and for him. It was his second time in this leadership capacity on a committee that also has school board Vice Chair Lawrence Feldman, Ph.D. (Net worth $2.52 million) on the body and other board members many times also attend the meetings.

It is at this forum that the internal financial guts of the nation’s fourth largest public schools district are dissected and reviewed and the first place fiscal red flags pop up in areas throughout the district. A decade ago land acquisition and construction overruns resulted in the state creating a separate oversight board that had to sign off on state money designated for school land acquisition, building new schools and maintenance and the body was chaired by Edward Easton back then. The board was later dissolved but it reminded the administration and school board that this type of activity was not going to be tolerated at the state level. And having an effective audit committee was one of the indirect by products of all the scrutiny and one of the reasons the public is not hearing or reading about a lot of scandals at the public schools district in recent years when it comes to misspent tax dollars.

Feldman

Some Charter Schools are getting attention by the audit committee

A number of the over 90 district charter schools are in the spotlight this week and in the case of Balare Language Academy, the organization has only $22,092 in net assets and three Lincoln Marti Charter Schools have challenges as well. The Hialeah Charter School run by the organization had a $377,499 deficit through June 2011 and there is an unusual $24 million credit arrangement that the school district is flagging, and the district is awaiting further documentation on this loan’s structure. Further, Advanced Learning Charter School is also showing a $159,737 deficit for the year that ended June 30. For more information and the agenda for the meeting go to http://mca.dadeschools.net/AuditCommittee/AC_Dec6_2011/agenda.pdf

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> UM Dean Goldschmidt tells FRB “there will be consequences,” if physicians poach paying Jackson Memorial Health patients to UM hospital

When it came to the relationship the University of Miami Miller Medical School and the Public Health Trust, contrary to how it was portrayed in a long profile on the issue in the www.miamiherald.com .“I was quite surprised to read reports in the newspaper because we have an extremely constructive relationship in place and it has been a blessing for all of us,” said medical school Dean Pascal Goldschmidt, M.D. at Monday’s Financial Recovery Board meeting. The dean said past Annual Operateing Agreements (that has Miami getting around $99 million for medical services provided to Jackson patients this year, down from around $130 million a few years ago), but there have been charges university physicians were poaching paying patients from the health trust. Goldschmidt, a cardiologist said in the past AOAs there has been “confusion about what constitutes a Jackson or UM patient.” And when it came to the new AOA being worked on that definition “is much clearer and there is no confusion,” and is similar to the Trust’s affiliation agreement with FIU’s new medical school in its third year of students.

Further, the physician told the FRB that “people that violate” keeping patients at Jackson and send them to the university’s own hospital across the street. These physicians will find “there will be consequences” if patients are stolen from Jackson Hospital. The dean also reiterated that part of the tension over the past years has been PHT management turnover and since his arrival in the mid 2000s he has “gone through three administrations” with the most recent change in May when former banker Carlos Migoya took over the financially hemorrhaging health trust. Goldschmidt also stressed the new AOA being worked on now would be like FIU’s “and would eliminate some of the complexity in the past” and he “thank[ed the FRB] for the opportunity [for UM doctors] to work at Jackson Memorial Hospital and the other hospitals,” as he closed his remarks to the FRB.

>>> PHT Asst. county attorney Coleman says sayonara, heading to Barry U.

Karon Coleman, an assistant Miami-Dade County attorney is saying sayonara after 17 years in the county attorney’s office of which the last 10 years were working at the health trust giving legal advice. Coleman, a Cornell University undergraduate, got her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and first worked for Legal Services of Greater Miami fresh out of law school in 1994 and she got married while working for the county attorney’s office. And the Watchdog Report became aware of that fact when I randomly checked her financial and gift filings for one year and there were all these gifts listed and when I checked with then number two attorney Murray Greenburg. He told me these were wedding gifts. She has been a solid attorney and has kept her nose clean when it came to any controversies and she is joining Barry University after her stint in county government. The Watchdog Report wishes her good luck in this new capacity and you did a good job for the people of Miami-Dade County.

>>> Put this in the book that Miami is a small town when it comes to relationships

The Watchdog Report covered a Children’s Trust committee meeting last week and it was held in the United Way of Miami-Dade’s Ryder Board room but outside in the hallway, United Way has posters of past co-chairs of the organization’s yearly fund raising drives and in 2004-2005 the top leadership of the drive was now PHT CEO Carlos Migoya and Donn Szaro, the PHT’s Chief Strategy Officer hired by Migoya when he took over in May. Further, FRB member Joe Arriola and Joe Natoli (He was the CFO at The Miami Herald at the time but is now the CFO of UM) were also the driving fundraising forces in 2000-2001.

>>>Press release: FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE APPOINTS DIRECTOR TO NEW ENDOVASCULAR INSTITUTE
AT JACKSON NORTH MEDICAL CENTER ~ Dr. Håkan Charles-Harris appointed to the position

Håkan Charles-Harris, M.D., FACS, a renowned surgeon, board-certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Vascular Medicine – Endovascular, has been appointed by the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine as the director of the recently established Endovascular Institute at Jackson North Medical Center. A long-standing surgeon who has served the North Miami community for more than a decade, Dr. Charles-Harris’ expertise in endovascular procedures has made him the ideal leader to establish this highly anticipated Center of Excellence in North Miami.

In reaching out to our aging population, the Endovascular Institute will specialize in the minimally-invasive approach to treating blood vessel disease from inside the vessel using catheters, balloons and stents. Many patients in the community, especially of the baby-boomer generation and older, are suffering from the ill-effects of years of smoking, heart disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and claudication leading to peripheral arterial disease, commonly referred to as PAD. Common ailments that can be treated through endovascular means are peripheral artery occlusions; common, external, and internal iliac artery occlusions; renal artery stenosis; carotid artery stenosis; and abdominal aortic aneurysms. Renal failure patients also benefit from these procedures by treating AV-fistulas and AV-graft occlusions, pseudoaneurysms, and thombosed vessels.
In 2005, Dr. Charles-Harris successfully designed and established an Endovascular Surgery Suite in an operating room at North Shore Medical Center during his triple tenure as chief of surgery. Now, as the FIU COM Director of the Endovascular Institute at Jackson North, Dr. Charles-Harris is spearheading this new Center of Excellence which includes developing curriculum for training of medical students, collaborating with other specialists and disciplines who will participate in the institute, educating and raising awareness in the community regarding endovascular services, and providing an excellent resource for patients to obtain the best treatment within their own backyard.

Using modern, state-of-the-art digital and low-radiation equipment, the institute will provide the latest technology in the treatment of Endovascular procedures from diagnosing through angiograms, to treating with balloon angioplasty and stenting. Patients will benefit from increased blood flow and decreased pain, in addition to reduced need for major surgery, amputation and hospitalization. This highly advanced institute will be a beacon in the community for diagnostic testing, minimally-invasive procedures, centralized care, and both endovascular and vascular treatment options. During the last five years alone, Dr. Charles-Harris has performed more than 1,600 endovascular procedures. He is a member of several medical societies including the American College of Surgeons, the American Medical Association and the Society for Vascular Medicine. After being appointed Assistant Clinical Professor at FIU’s Wertheim School of Medicine in 2010, he accepted this new leadership role as Director of the Endovascular Institute. His office is located in North Miami. For additional information about the Vascular & Endovascular Institute or to make an appointment to discuss treatment options, call 1-855-CURE-PAD or visit his website at: www.all-surgery.com/endovascular .

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> The hits just keep on coming, New CFO chosen but no name yet, commission auditor still up in the air

The hits just keep on coming when it comes to the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission and the nightmare continues as legal bills begin to soar into the millions as the city tries to defend itself when it sold GOB bonds back in 2006 and now federal prosecutors have their eye on the Florida Marlins negotiations that Miami participated in and is on the hook for a couple of hundred million dollars in bonds. Further, while a new Miami Chief Financial Officer has been selected, the Watchdog Report has yet to get a name, and the CFO slot in the Miami budget was not included in the current year’s budget and needs to be funded. Further, with all this financial and oversight turmoil, the Commission Auditor slot is also vacant after long serving Auditor Victor Igwe’s contract was not renewed and he is suing the city. A knowledgeable insider told the Watchdog Report that originally there were three names suggested as the new auditor, but that may now be six candidates to fill the post that reports directly to the commission and was created in 2001 by city voters who approved its creation.

Now with this new federal wrinkle commissioners who are mostly new to the dais have to figure out how to proceed for this fiscal and legal turbulence will eventually be reflected when the bond rating companies review the city’s bond grade. And while Mayor Tomas Regalado (Net worth $7,500) and the five commissioners head to the upcoming holiday events, these recent fiscal presents were not what they wanted under the tree over the holidays.

Regalado

COCONUT GROVE

>>> Press release: Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill chosen as Grand Marshal! ~ Former County Commissioner Katy Sorenson placed on King Mango Strut’s endangered species list.

Meet the Grand Marshal – Wednesday, December 7th, 8 pm, Greenstreet Café, 3468 Main Highway, Coconut Grove – Unlike the congressional “Super Committee,” the bipartisan disorganizers of the King Mango Strut hammered out a quick resolution naming Ron Magill as Grand Marshal. With over 30 years as a wildlife expert and Communications Director for Zoo Miami, Ron has allowed Burmese Pythons to encircle his neck like the King Mango Strut encircles Coconut Grove. There’s no better king of the jungle to lead the animal house of MangoHeads. As Grand Marshal of the 30th annual King Mango Strut, he’ll reign supreme to ‘Occupy the Grove’ on Saturday, December 31st at 2pm in Downtown Coconut Grove. This year’s Strut Celebrity is Katy Sorenson, the never recalled/never indicted/never removed-by-the-governor, former commissioner of Miami-Dade County.

Katy has been much closer to King Mango than Facebook’s 4 degrees of separation. She was Strut’s co-founder, Bill Dobson, boss. We are grateful that she never held it against him. The annual satirical street parade has been a model of civic engagement and civil uprising with enough material for a pickapeppa spray and sauce combination. In this interactive parade, the spectators, the true occupiers, are encouraged to bring tents, lawn chairs and cardboard signs. For the King Mango royal watchers, it’s the big hats and fascinators. >>> King Mango is still looking for a few good MangoHeads to strut in the parade. There are no entry fees, no special skills or x-factor auditions required; just join the fun and strut your funny. If your group needs ideas or people, come to our next Disorganizational meeting on December 7th at GreenStreet Café. We also need behind-the-scenes help. >>
If you want to participate, contact the King at kingmangostrut@gmail.com or call the Mango Hotline at 305-401-1171. For more information check out our new website at www.kingmangostrut.org. Follow us on facebook at www.facebook.com/kingmangostrut for the latest Mango news & tidbits. Putting the NUT back in CocoNUT Grove since 1982.

Sorenson (Net worth $1.7 million)

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Beach activist and attorney Frank Del Vecchio calls for residents to rise up and oppose destination resort gambling

Email from Del Vecchio: Billionaire Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn is trying to squelch Miami Beach opposition to destination casinos by dangling the possibility that he will build a convention/casino complex for us. [“Las Vegas mogul endorses Beach for casino site”, Nov. 10 Herald article by Douglas Hanks.] http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/11/09/2494150/las-vegas-gambling-mogul-eyes.html#storylink=misearch This dangerous flirtation distracts us from the clear and present danger of a massive casino/convention center on the Herald/Omni site. The “Destination Casino” bill pending in the state legislature must be defeated to clear the way for an upgraded Convention Center on the Beach and avoid the nightmare of gridlock on MacArthur and Venetian Causeways. The casino bill can be defeated in the state legislature, but not if residents buy in to Wynn’s game.

Miami Beach knows better than to be taken in by the Las Vegas hard sell and the illusion of easy money. The sooner we scuttle the Destination Casino bill the sooner we can upgrade our convention center, capitalizing on our city s unique concentration of architecture, pedestrian ambience, art, music and dance, climate and beachfront. Casino industry hype is so intense; Miami Beach commissioners need confirmation that residents oppose casinos in Miami-Dade. >>> They will vote on this at their December 14 city commission meeting (item to be heard after 5PM). Opportunities for resident input: Meet with Mayor Bower, 6:30PM Wed., Dec. 7, Botanical Garden – City Commission Workshop, 4PM, Friday, Dec. 9, Convention Center Hall C, Room 134 — Chamber of Commerce “Gaming Forum”, 5:30PM-7:30PM Tuesday, Dec. 13, Convention Center Hall D — City Commission discussion item, after 5PM Wed., Dec. 14, city commission chambers
Residents should e-mail the mayor and commissioners on this matter: MayorBower@miamibeachfl.gov, Deede@miamibeachfl.gov, Ed@miamibeachfl.gov, Jerry@miamibeachfl.gov, Jonah@miamibeachfl.gov, Michael@miamibeachfl.gov, Jorge@miamibeachfl.gov

>>> Press release: Free NWS Concert for Miami Beach Residents – Miami Beach residents are invited to “Sights & Sounds of the Season,” a free New World Symphony holiday concert on Saturday, December 17 at 7:30 p.m. The complimentary tickets are available at the New World Symphony box office, 500 17 Street, Miami Beach. Tickets are available to residents with valid proof of residency on a first-come basis. The concert is made possible by the City of Miami Beach as part of its agreement with the New World Symphony.

CITY OF NORTH MIAMI

>>> M-DC Ethics Commission ruling: North Miami Officer settles ethics complaint

A police officer in North Miami accused of violating the ethics code by profiting from security measures taken at City Hall has agreed to settle the complaint (C 11-30) filed by the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust. James Mesidor, who also owns a security company, subcontracted work to install cameras in the mayor’s office with one firm and conduct security sweeps of the building with another company. After Mesidor submitted an invoice, he was told that, as an employee, he could not do business with the city. The investigation found that Mesidor had his nephew submit the invoice under a different company’s name, paid the subcontractors and pocketed the difference. According to the settlement agreement, Officer Mesidor will pay a fine of $500 along with restitution of his profit, which totaled $1,688.84.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

>>> Clock is ticking with new Biltmore Hotel agreement; commission awaiting the final document says Anderson and Cabrera

The hashing out of a new Biltmore Hotel agreement with the city is still percolating but commissioners are awaiting the final contract expected to occur in the near future. Mayor Jim Cason has said he would call a special commission meeting to review the final document but that has yet to occur. The Watchdog Report contacted the mayor and commissioners last week asking about any update on the matter and Commissioners Maria Anderson and Ralph Cabrera, Jr., responded to the email. Anderson wrote, “A conclusion is forthcoming, but as to when exactly, I won’t speculate. Enough said for now, but thanks for keeping up with this important issue,” wrote the veteran commissioner elected in 2001. Cabrera wrote, “At this time, the city has presented the agreement to Seaway (The Biltmore) and we are waiting for their comments and or execution. That all I know,” wrote Cabrera who was elected at the same time as Anderson.

CITY OF DORAL

>>> Press release: Survey Shows High Marks for Doral -96.4% of those surveyed would recommend Doral as a place to live and work-

At the bequest of the City of Doral, the Metropolitan Center at Florida International University conducted a telephone survey of 408 City of Doral households. And the results are in.. According to the survey, Doral residents show they are generally satisfied with life in the City of Doral.. The vast majority of Doral residents (95.9%) rated the quality of life within the City as good/excellent. The majority (96.4%) would also recommend the City of Doral as a place to live and work. The purpose of the survey conducted by FIU was to provide estimates of household size, and also assess consumer expenditures and needs. The majority of those surveyed approved the physical appearance of the shopping districts, the quality of goods and services, and the sense of comfort and safety. But there is always room for improvement. Residents would like to see more bookstores, nightclubs and restaurants.

>>> OTHER STORIES AROUND FLORIDA

BROWARD COUNTY

>>> School District comes in #15 in student loss since 2004-05, Miami-Dade #17 in falling enrollment around FL.

In a state audit of the public schools districts student enrollment loss around Florida, Broward ranked number 15 in student loss and the nation’s sixth largest public district went from a high in student enrollment of 269,041 in 2004-2005 to 255,174 students in 2009-2010 state’s the report. This shift coincides with the drop in population after multiple hurricanes slammed into South Florida in the mid 2000s and forced homeowner insurance rates through the ceiling and had many residents for the first time moving north and after decades. Florida for the first time lost population and that is reflected in the number of kids going to the public schools. Further, Broward was not alone with this reduction and Miami-Dade peaked in the earlier time from 362,253 weighted full time students to 343,953 enrollments in 2009, down some 5.05 percent to Broward’s 5.15 percent loss.

However, both districts during the boom times before this decline embarked on extensive new school construction, that had Dade with almost 3,000 portable classrooms and now the school district is dealing with massive capital debt and both districts are having difficulty servicing its debt since no funding for capital improvements will be coming from the state this budget year. Further, the school board has many new faces on it after a blistering Broward state grand jury report last year was released that had school board members pushing their own pet projects for years rather than what was needed. The grand jury would have recommended dissolving the school board if that was legal but it does show how dysfunctional it had become over the past decade, with a couple of past board members either in jail or awaiting trial. To read the Florida’s Auditor’s Report on enrollment loss go to
http://mca.dadeschools.net/AuditCommittee/AC_Dec6_2011/agenda.pdf

>>> 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.

OSCEOLA COUNTY

>>> Press release: Gov. Scott and Colt’s Manufacturing Co. Announce New Jobs Coming to Osceola County

Today, Colt’s Manufacturing Co. LLC announced its commitment to create 63 jobs in Osceola County for its new regional headquarters and product-manufacturing center. The center will hire people for engineering and manufacturing jobs, among others. In 2012, Colt is projected to begin phasing in the first of 63 jobs paying an average salary of $45,060 to be created during the following three years. Governor Rick Scott and Colt’s Manufacturing Company President and CEO Lieutenant General M. William Keys USMC (Ret.) were joined by the Osceola County Board of County Commissioners for the announcement. “As a supporter of new job creation and the Second Amendment, this announcement sends the clear message that Florida is both open for business and a defender of our right to bear arms,” Florida Governor Rick Scott said. “My primary responsibility as governor is to be our state’s chief advocate for job creation. My personal involvement in bringing Colt to Florida demonstrates my administration’s deep commitment to rebuilding our economy.”

Colt is making a $2.5 million capital investment in a vacant building, which the company will lease, that is owned by Osceola County. Governor Scott and his economic development team at Enterprise Florida Inc. and the Osceola County Economic Development Department worked with Colt to bring this project to fruition. State incentives include $250,000 from the Governor’s Quick Action Closing Fund and funds for workforce training. Osceola County is offering additional incentives, including renovation of the building and rent concessions.
“Colt looked at many possible sites across the nation, but we ultimately decided to locate our new facility in the State of Florida,” Gen. Keys said. “Florida offered a strong pro-business incentive package. Coupled with the low cost of doing business in Florida and a favorable regulatory environment, opening this new facility was very attractive to us. Governor Scott’s personal commitment to both Colt’s growth plan and America’s right to bear arms was instrumental in our decision.”

“Attracting an American icon like Colt, which is one of the world’s top brands, is a real coup for our economic development efforts,” said Commission Chairman John Quiñones. “Beyond creating new, high-wage jobs, Colt is going to be a great asset to our community.” “Colt’s expansion to Osceola County is a perfect fit for the region,” said Dr. Sanford Shugart, president of Valencia College, which will design a specialized training program for the company. “Valencia College stands ready to deliver the best trained, best educated workforce possible. We welcome Colt’s Manufacturing Company to Osceola County and commit to partnering with them and serving their employees and families for many years to come.”

LEON COUNTY

>>> Press release: Gov. Scott names three appointments to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.

Donald J. Weidner, 66, of Tallahassee, is Dean of the Florida State University College of Law. He succeeds Nicholas W. Romanello and is appointed for a term beginning November 29, 2011, and ending June 5, 2015.

Randolph Braccialarghe, 63, of Plantation, is a professor of law at Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad Law Center. He succeeds Clinton R. Losego and is appointed for a term beginning November 29, 2011, and ending June 5, 2015.

Louis T.M. Conti, 62, of Tampa, is a partner with Holland and Knight L.L.P. He succeeds Scott L. Baena and is appointed for a term beginning November 29, 2011, and ending June 5, 2015. >>The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

>>> Two Kristi House holiday events -Wednesday, December 7, 10 am – 10 pm: Shop to support Kristi House and help us raise awareness to end the epidemic of child sexual abuse. Five percent of Whole Foods’ profits on Dec. 7 will be donated to Kristi House! Make your shopping list and come out to the Coral Gables store (by Sunset Place) to show your support anytime during the day or evening. Kristi House volunteers will be on hand to distribute information and greet you in the check-out lanes! For details about this event, contact Marketing Team Leader Melissa Jacobs at melissa.jacobs@wholefoods.com or Mary Faraldo, Development Officer at Kristi House at mfaraldo@kristihouse.org

“The Miracle on 12th Street” Client Holiday Party -Saturday, December 10, 10 am – 4pm: The 10th Annual Holiday party for the Children we serve at Kristi House, Orlowitz-Lee Children’s Advocacy Center. On this day, each of our clients receives a wrapped toy, as do their siblings. Our children and their families enjoy a relaxing and fun-filled day. Please help us bring them the joy they need! Donate today! Volunteers needed! For volunteer information, please contact Abegail de la Fuente at 305-547-6800

>>> Downtown Bay Forum www.downtownbayforum.org Luncheon Meeting -Wednesday December 7, 2011 at 11:30 am — The Downtown Bay Forum Celebrates Our 20th Anniversary: What Does the Future Hold for the next 20 Years? Speakers include: T. Willard Fair Miami Urban League – Maurice Ferre Former Mayor of Miami & County Commissioner -Kathy Fernandez-Rundle State Attorney- Miami-Dade County — Michael Lewis Publisher- Miami Today — Bill Talbert President- Greater Miami Visitors Bureau >> Wolfson Auditorium at Temple Israel, 137 NE 19th Street, Miami. Free self-parking available. To reserve, call Annette Eisenberg, (305)757-3633 or fax (305)754-2015. Member with reservation, $22. Non-member or member without reservation, $26. Membership $30.

EDITORIALS

>>> MAM board sellout to Perez not sitting well with taxpayers, $100 million and prime land on the public’s dime, should name a wing for developer

Michael Putney on Sunday did a commentary on his show This Week in South Florida www.wplg.com and he objected to the new Miami Art Museum (MAM) being named after Jorge Perez since he would donate $35 million over ten years, of which millions would be in art, to the new museum being built on Bicentennial Park and set to open in 2013. The city of Miami donated this precious parkland overlooking the bay and the taxpayers of Miami and Miami-Dade have provided around $100 million of the $167 million raised to date. And Perez, who has just put up $5 million to date should reconsider the move and as Putney suggests name a wing of the facility after him, because this move not only shows a certain arrogance, but also sticks it to taxpayers. The bulk of the public money for this endeavor comes from the project being part of the $2.9 General Obligation Bond countywide voters passed in 2004 and that seems to be forgotten by the MAM board and that is too bad for this decision if it stands. Will come back to haunt these art mavens who seem to be out of touch with the mood of taxpayers who are not the Gucci and wine and cheese crowd as Miami-Dade Commissioner Javier Souto calls them.

Perez, a former city of Miami employee before striking out on his own decades ago doing first low cost housing has evolved and many of the new high-end condominiums downtown were built by his Related firm, but he also has generated controversy. And given the permanency of the art museum, there is no reason to doubt other issues may come up with Perez in the years ahead and the selling of the name of the museum makes it just like a professional football stadium, which it is not. And one needs only look at other world-renowned museums around the world and these reflect the place these are located in, not the Napoleon Museum of Art. Further, it makes the museum sound like just another art patron’s collection not the art ground zero museum for Miami-Dade it is supposed to be. And the MAM board is treading on thin ice with this maneuver and it reminds me of something an older retired woman from Miami Beach back in the early 2000s said. She said, “It did not bother me so much that we were a corrupt community, but it was that we were so cheap” that bothered her. And this is just another example of this cheapness for the museum was supposed to be for the 2.5 million residents of Miami-Dade and not some small group of people. And apparently, the MAM board does not get that fact even though the public money and prime land on the bay the board will take. And that is a sad commentary on all of us in South Florida and taxpayers would be in their rights to blast this sellout of what should be a community treasure that is largely being funded on the backs of the taxpaying public.

LETTERS

>>> Editorial: Water Management Districts: Intact, on Task and Spending Wisely

Myths and misinformation continue to swirl around Florida’s water management districts and their ability to do their job with lower revenues and smaller organizations. In South Florida, unfounded concerns have been expressed about the future of Everglades restoration, the capacity of our District scientists and the erosion of our regulatory authority. The facts can alleviate these unwarranted fears.

Fact 1. The establishment of Florida’s five water management districts is firmly rooted in statute. In Florida, water is a public resource. The districts were specifically created by the Water Resources Act in 1972 to manage and protect the state’s waters on behalf of our citizens. For four decades, we have fulfilled our responsibilities of managing water supply, water quality, flood protection and natural systems in the public interest through a solid regulatory framework, governing boards appointed by the Governor and state oversight through the Department of Environmental Protection. This framework has not changed.

Fact 2. The South Florida Water Management District is indeed building a leaner, more efficient agency by eliminating unnecessary expenses and getting back to its core mission. In doing so, we are saving South Floridians $128 million through a 30-percent tax reduction, the majority of which was realized by cutting overhead and administrative costs. This is welcomed news for taxpayers who expect cost-effective services, government transparency and accountability in spending.

Fact 3. The District continues to be a dynamic agency, providing more than 1,600 jobs across the region. Close to half of these jobs are dedicated to operating South Florida’s massive flood control system. To support water resource protection and environmental restoration, more than 25 percent of our workforce holds Ph..D. or Master degrees, and we have more than 150 certified professional engineers and geologists on staff. This highly qualified, capable and competent workforce is focused on efficiently achieving the agency’s water management responsibilities.

Fact 4. The District’s $576.1 million budget is being used to deliver tangible, meaningful results. For fiscal year 2012, more than 70 percent of the budget will go toward flood control and restoring the South Florida ecosystem. With a combined investment of more than $850 million in 2011 and 2012, we will be completing construction on a half dozen restoration projects. And over the next five years, the District will use financial reserves to invest another $350 million toward developing and protecting the water resources of this state and to improving the Everglades, Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee watersheds.

Fact 5. Our appointed Governing Board is highly engaged and actively guiding the agency’s work. Representing diverse South Florida interests, these volunteers have oversight of District activities and provide policy direction on all issues, including regulatory functions. The District continues to scrutinize permit applications to ensure water resource protection, and we share with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection the objective of improved statewide consistency while recognizing our regional diversity. There is no effort to weaken our standards.

These facts do not represent the actions of a disabled water management district. Just the opposite. They are the actions of a government agency true to its founding principles, clearly focused on its mission, streamlined in its internal operations and delivering efficient and cost-effective water resource management.

Joe Collins, Chairman
South Florida Water Management District Governing Board

>>> American Graduate initiative by WLRN to reduce dropout rates starts next year

Please see the attached press release regarding our launch of the American Graduate: Let’s make it happen initiative to help local communities find solutions to address the dropout crisis in the United States. WLRN Public Radio and Television is the American Graduate public media station for Miami. In addition, I would to extend an invitation to our event on January 10, 2012. Please go to this link for more event details and registration. http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=9dqtfgiab&oeidk=a07e5exp98g39631790

>>> LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & INITIAL SPONSORS IN 2000

ANGEL ESPINOSA – (Deceased) owner COCONUT GROVE DRY CLEANER’S
HUGH CULVERHOUSE, Jr.
THE MIAMI HERALD www.miamiherald.com (2000-2008)
ARTHUR HERTZ
WILLIAM HUGGETT, Seamen Attorney (Deceased)
ALFRED NOVAK
LINDA E. RICKER (Deceased)
JOHN S. and JAMES L. KNIGHT FOUNDATION www.knightfoundation.org
THE HONORABLE STANLEY G. TATE

>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $2,000 a year

FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT www.fpl.com
RONALD HALL
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.miamidade.gov
UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.unitedwaymiamidade.org

>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $1,000 a year

AKERMAN SENTERFITT www.akerman.com
RON BOOK
LEWIS TEIN www.lewistein.com
LINDA MURPHY: Gave a new laptop in Oct. 2001 to keep me going.
WILLIAM PALMER
SHUBIN & BASS www.shubinbass.com

>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less

CAMILLUS HOUSE, INC. www.camillushouse.org
CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.
CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH www.miamibeachfl.gov
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.cph.org
THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov
GREATOR MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.miamichamber.com
GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU www.miamiandbeaches.com
HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA www.hfsf.org
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.miamidade.gov
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschoolsnews.net
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org
THE BEACON COUNCIL www.beaconcouncil.com
THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org
THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES www.mdclc.org
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA http://www.firstgov.gov/
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI www.miami.edu

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 550 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, 2011, Daniel A. Ricker

>>> 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 >>> >>> To read the full section large two page front page story, but without the photos and smart box graphics, go to: `I Go When You Cannot’ – Sun Sentinel 20 Jan 2003 … Sometimes Dan Ricker lives in the dark so others may live in the light. … to his weekly Watchdog Report have finally mailed their checks. … http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190341_1_ricker-school-board-president-miami-s-first-cuban-american >>>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 >>> 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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