Watchdog Report Vol.17 No.9 August 14, 2016 EST: 05.05.00 – I go when you cannot Celebrating 16 years of weekly reliable publishing

>>> 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 www.knightfoundation.org   to maintain my webpage. The Watchdog Report webpage is free, has no pops-up and is just the news in a mainstream reporting manner.

>>>> The Watchdog Report publisher for 16 years now, has reported back weekly on how your billions of public dollars in local government are being spent. And how to help support me providing this information is at the end of the WDR. And I hope you will consider keeping an independent news service out in our community, where what is going on with all our government entities is of critical benefit for both the public institutions but voters as well l. Thank You.

And to my Supporters I pledge to keep ‘going when you cannot.’ And we have about $9 billion in GOB funds being spent through a variety of institutions and that is no small number and in the past I have broken the story on Cuban refugees coming in droves and also the Oriental fruit fly quarantine and its huge economic impact to name just a few of the more recent stories in past WDR’s.

>>>And you can now easily support the Watchdog Report by going to my new PayPal Button account, you know you want to do it at www.watchdogreport.net

 

However, because of fiscal issues I was barely able to publish this week as Miami continues to get more expensive. It is no easy task financially to do the WDR weekly. And years ago the county Ethics Commission did a report that suggested over the past decade some $50 million had been spent fighting waste fraud abuse and public corruption and having the press at public meetings (some very obscure) changes the tone of the meeting (and is why you don’t speed past a state trooper, if you’re smart) Further, I have tried to be an information electrolyte available to all free (and that is a problem) between these large public institutions when I first started back in 1997. And many public meetings back then were not being recorded except by me and that is no longer R the case.

For an accurate public record is key and diminishes legal action. For you either have an accurate public record or you don’t. And I hope you will consider helping me in this effort to keep the community informed and saving taxpayer monies in the process. For I need your help and Thank you for the past support over the last 17 years. And to read a national story and profile of the WDR publisher in the early years and background back in 2003 go to: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-0-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdogm

And the credibility I have established over that time of news you can trust without an attitude. And to help me in this quest to keep the community informed can easily be done since I know have PayPal at www.watchdogreport.net     and it accepts a host of credit cards and I hope you will consider supporting me allowing to have someone watch over how your public tax dollars are being spent. And few web blogs have the duration and community history as I have given in this effort and has people saying “you were blogging before we even knew what it was,” And I hope I get a decent response so I can get back to what I do best ‘go when you cannot,’ and the Watchdog Report will only return when my fiscal health is in better shape and to any of my past contributors. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. >>> May 5^th was my 17^th Anniversary, and I thank all my supporters and can’t believe it has been that long and hope you will help keep me in the field and reporting back how your public tax dollars are being spent.

>>>> Mayoral Candidate Regalado makes her cases in debate with incumbent mayor Gimenez, he claims, “you make stuff6 up,’ He charges in debate, clock is ticking how low will the campaigns go?

 

With only days before the Aug.30 Election Day challenger and early voting starting Monday Raquel Regalado,42, is amping up her campaign pitch( and here is her financial disclosure for the year http://public.ethics.state.fl.us/Forms/2015/234873-Form6.pdf ) and given her Spanish Radio shows she has a smooth and Natural oratory delivery and she claims her rival Mayor Carlos Gimenez (and here is his financial disclosure for the year http://public.ethics.state.fl.us/Forms/2015/97170-Form6.pdf) governs like the past Miami Fire and Rescue fighter he was at the City of Miami and he is only “proactive,” especially when it came to the Zika Virus and the hot zone in Wnwood.

She believes Gimenez should go to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and ask for money to cover the economic damages once the CDC, made the health warning and she claims Gimenez does not want federal monies and is why she said the County’s grant department was eliminated, she said to the lunch crowd attending the Coconut Grove Rotary club luncheon Thursday. And a campaign piece sent out by the Gimenez campaign criticizing Regalado’s attendance record (and she does attend the school board Audit and Budget Advisory Committee etc.) on the school board is off the mark she told the Watchdog report that the legislation cited was only “Proclamations,” and are ministerial and generally are done in the early part of school board meetings saying she has a “good attendance record,” and the campaign piece was misleading. And during the Putney show debate Gimenez repeatedly said to Regalado that some of her statements that “you just make stuff up,’   said the incumbent mayor, now termed out and former Miami Fire chief and Miami manager, who Regalado considers a professional bureaucrat and a creature of the county’s “pay to play,” culture and she believes if you are a friend of the mayor’s you will get his help she charges. And she debated Gimenez on Michal Putney’s show on WPLG for an hour on This “Week in South Florida,” and to see the debate go to http://www.local10.com/this-week-in-south-florida/this-week-in-south-florida-aug-7 and for more on the race go to

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article95513472.html

What about Zika and Mayor Gimenez trying to clean “5,000, storm drains a day countywide?”

 

Mayor Carlos Gimenez told county commissioners last week that when it comes to reducing standing bodies of water in streets. The county is trying to clean out some “5,000 drains a day,” he said, but he noted some are in the municipalities and since there are some “150,000, storm drains countywide,” this is no easy task and the county needs the cities help said Gimenez. And Regalado has been hammering the mayor that he should have been more proactive when it came to Zika and he responds that he had taken earlier action. But early voting starts Monday at a host of sites including Miami City Hall and others around Miami Dade.

Question of Homestead Exemption still out there, she says it will be resolved by ex-husband’s involvement

 

County Mayoral candidate, Raquel Regalado continues to have controversy dog her personal life, since she was hit with back taxes on property, using Homestead Exemption, she says part of ‘messy, ‘divorce,’ but excuses are getting old with voters.

The Zika Virus outbreak is infecting the Miami Dade County Mayoral race pitting incumbent Carlos Gimenez against past school board member Raquel Regalado who continues to have missteps and self-inflicted political wounds including a unpaid property tax bill   http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article94128262.htmlm and the story first broke in the www.crespogram.com http://www.crespogram.com/index_public_html/INTRO_PAGE.html published by reporter Al Crespo last week and the story is another ding on Regalado in a race where many of her foibles ( including getting campaign contributions from the owners of the love Hotels on 8^th street are beginning to- add up) in this high stakes race to run a county government with 27,000employees and a $7 billion budget all under a strong mayor form of government.

What about the WDR publisher’s health?

I am slowly coming back after I heal from a major infection of my right index finger’s tendon and had me in a hospital for some 18 days getting antibiotics IV and to be in a hospital for that long of a period gives one time to reflect on this unique and colorful community. And I thank all the readers wishing me well since then and continuing to support my efforts to keep the community informed while I have been on the sidelines but I continue to monitor our local public institutions via cable and other methods and should be back in full- form in a couple of months. If not sooner God willing.

>>>M-DC Homeless Trust gets new senior JHS member Esther Abolila, Greater Miami Chamber picks Migoya to fill their seat on trust and Abolila seats in for JHS president that has close collaboration with trust

And the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust has a new member from Jackson Health System (JHS) and senior staffer Esther Abolila is the new designated member representing Jackson health for CEO Carlos Migoya on the large board looking after the services provided to homeless residents and the next County homeless Census will be due in August.

PAST WDR: What did FIU President Mark Rosenberg say to the Miami-Dade County Commission about China? CITIZEN’S PRESENTATION BY FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY’S PRESIDENT MARK B. ROSENBERG ON ”OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATION’

Incoming Greater Miami Chamber President Marc Rosenberg, Ph.D. the president of Florida International University (FIU) gave a passionate citizen’s presentation in front of the Miami-Dade Commission and the role the Peoples Republic of China is playing in South Florida and how he believes just as foods are from all parts of South America the community needs to foster the availability of great Asian cuisine if we are to effectively lure a greater number of Asian tourists and a direct flight from Miami is a must and Cathay Pacific is looking at a long distance aircraft for such a flight but is still up in the air. However FIU has an extensive presence in the Middle Kingdom including a school of hospitality in Tianjin and for more on FIU go to www.fiu.edu

>>> MD-C IG publishes 2015 annual report also keeps watch on public schools district,

The Miami-Dade County Office of the inspector General Mary Cagel has issued their 2015 annual report and the Watchdog agency created in 1997 amid numerous scandals also keeps watch of the public schools district and a host of county’s 25 departments including Jackson health system and to read the annual report go to http://www.miamidadeig.org/annualreports/2015AnnualReport.pdf

G&MCVB press release: During the month of June 2016, passengers through PortMiami increased by +17.9 percent compared to the same time last year. Growth is due in part to the addition of a new ship offering year-round service and the extensive cruise options offered by PortMiami.

>>> Miami-Dade Ethics Commission Press release: County supervisor chastised after saying “I do” to ethics complaint

The Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust (COE) today approved a Letter of Reprimand for a division chief in the County’s Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources who pled no contest to a charge she exploited her official position by asking her employees to help with projects associated with her son’s wedding, both during and after their normal work hours.  Last month, Mallika Muthiah, Chief of Air Quality Management, agreed to settle the complaint (C 16-08).  The Reprimand states, among other things, that imposing personal tasks on government employees “wastes public resources, diminishes the public’s faith in government and violates the public trust.”

A Letter of Instruction was approved for Miami’s Police Chief, who last month admitted he unintentionally violated the Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance by failing to report free tickets he was given to a Marc Anthony concert last fall as gifts.  Chief Rodolfo Llanes has since reported the gift as part of the settlement to the complaint (C 16-20). The Letter reinforces the definition of a “gift” as including entertainment and that, even if he considered the singer a friend, the concert tickets would still have to be reported if their value exceeds $100.

Miami-Dade County employees who earn extra income by completing on-line marketing surveys could be required to abide by outside employment rules if they do it on a regular basis.  The Ethics Commission determined that today in response to a Request for Opinion (RQO 16-01) from the Elections Department that was seeking clarity on where to draw the line to consider such activity as outside employment.  County regulations require workers who engage in private business to request permission for outside employment from their supervisors each year and report their earnings.  However, occasional profit-making activities, such as garage sales or infrequent activity on internet trade sites, is not considered outside employment.  In the opinion approved today, the COE stated that if employees complete ten or fewer marketing surveys per year or earn no more than $1,000 in compensation, they do not have to seek approval and file the required paper work.  The opinion emphasizes that, under no circumstances, can employees use County time or resources to complete the online surveys.

The COE agreed today to hold the Fifth Annual Ethical Governance Day on Thursday, October 20, 2016.  That’s when hundreds of community, civic and political leaders will address 12^th grade students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools on the importance of civic involvement and engagement.  The Miami-Dade School Board is considering a resolution in support of the event at its meeting this afternoon and recruitment of volunteer speakers will begin soon.

Ethics Commissioners went on record supporting a resolution going before voters in Miami Beach in the November 8^th general election that would amend the city’s lobbying ordinance.  Currently, those who register as lobbyists in Miami Beach are required to submit expenditure reports each year, even if they have no expenses associated with their lobbying activities.  Those who neglect to do so are fined for each day they are late and are reported to the Ethics Commission, which spends a great amount of staff time investigating the cases.  Most “violators” are not regular lobbyists, but architects or other individuals who are retained to work on a limited basis and are not familiar with the rules. They appeal the fines to the Ethics Commission during monthly meetings and are usually granted substantial reductions or waivers of the fines because of the disproportionality of the penalty to the offense.  If the resolution is approved by voters, as supported by the Ethics Commission, the COE would continue to enforce the rules for lobbyists who actually do incur expenses and fail to report them.  Miami-Dade County eliminated a similar onerous requirement several years ago at the request of the Ethics Commission.

The Ethics Commission approved minor amendments to the agency’s Rules of Procedure, requiring that an individual named as the respondent of an investigation be notified when the complaint is found to be legally insufficient and dismissed. The revised rules would also require that respondents to complaints be informed about the confidentiality of the investigation.  Another change requires that when the COE orders a public hearing on a complaint, the respondent and complainant be provided with the Probable Cause memorandum at least ten days before the hearing.

>>> Two employees of the City of Opa-locka filed a complaint (C 16-12) against City Attorney Vincent Brown, accusing him of deliberately spreading the word that they were being subpoenaed to testify before a Federal Grand Jury, subjecting them to threats, harassment and potential job-related retaliation.  The investigation determined that Brown did send an email blast to all city employees this past March informing them about the subpoenas when he was asked by an FBI agent to send it only to the 20 individuals listed.  However, it appears that the email blast did not violate any confidentiality requirements and, therefore, there was insufficient evidence to prove any violation of the Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance.  The COE dismissed the complaint with a finding of No Probable Cause. The former budget director for Opa-locka claims he suffered retaliation when he reported mismanagement, malfeasance and gross neglect by city employees and was later fired from his position. Keith Carswell was hired in December 2015 and soon uncovered serious problems associated with water and sewer utility billing, inventory and meter-reading, among other areas.  After months of reporting his concerns with various officials, Carswell was fired by Interim City Manager Yvette Bessent-Harrell in June.   The Ethics Commission does not have jurisdiction over whistleblower allegations in the municipalities, so the complaint (C 16-25) was dismissed as Not Legally Sufficient. Carswell has also filed suit in Circuit Court.

No Probable Cause was found to a complaint (C 16-16) filed against attorney Kent Harrison Robbins for improper lobbying.  Robbins registered as a lobbyist in the City of Miami before appearing before the Historic and Environmental Board (HEB) On May 5^th on behalf of the Spring Garden Residents Association, but had not taken the required lobbyist ethics training.  Robbins acknowledged as much when he appeared before the HEB, stating that he would take the course that was to be held May 13^th and asked to be allowed to speak, which was granted.  Since Miami’s lobbying code allows board members to permit a person to lobby before taking the ethics course, the complaint was dismissed. The Ethics Commission was created in 1996 as an independent agency with advisory and quasi-judicial powers. It is composed of five members, serving staggered terms of four years each. Through a program of education, outreach and enforcement, the Commission seeks to empower the community and bolster public trust.   

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>> “More arrests are coming,” when it comes to Medicare fraud ring in District with $400 million self-insured health insurance program, money stolen from students and teachers, and thieves will be caught, says Carvalho.

Alberto Carvalho the superintendent of the nation’s fourth largest public schools district said the busting of a Medicare fraud ring is just the beginning,” and “more arrests,” are coming since the self-insured district has a $400 million health insurance program. And he said this money stolen is coming from the classrooms, students and teachers he asserted at Wednesday’s school board meeting. And the man vowed to use a, variety of law enforcement resources to root out this South Florida scourge.

>>> Child Advocate Modesto Abety throws hat into school board Dist. 6 race, for vacated seat held by Raquel Regalado running for county mayor

Child Advocate Modesto Abety filed to run for the school board District 6 seat vacated by Raquel Regalado and the man was the Children’s Trust of Miami Dade’s first CEO and is a solid candidate and worked at the county for years and is coming out of retirement for the race.

>>>> Facebook Post: Modesto Abety added 2 new photos — checked in to Miami-Dade County Elections Department.

June 24 at 5:10am · Miami, FL ·

Family, friends, and colleagues for children: it’s official! I have qualified as a Candidate for Miami Dade County School Board; District #6 (the seat that Raquel Regalado is vacating to run for Miami Dade Mayor). After a couple of fabulous years of retirement, I am so excited to get back to advocating for children, families, and community full time, and I am so looking forward to fighting for teachers… It goes without saying… Cause you know me: I’m in it, to win it! Only 60 days to the election. It will be fast and furious. More soon…

Press release: County Commissioners have unanimously adopted two initiatives, sponsored by Commissioner Sosa, to better the lives of Miami-Dade County’s pets. In a move to help connect veterans with pets, Commissioner Sosa advanced legislation that waives adoption and spay/neuter fees for qualifying individuals. This new initiative is meant to give Miami-Dade County’s over 60,000 veterans of war greater access to the health benefits of pet ownership. Recent evidence suggests that bonding with animals greatly reduces stress and the effects associated with PTSD, a condition identified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as afflicting the veteran population.

Additionally, Commissioner Sosa filed legislation to expand the Responsible Pet Ownership Curriculum. The incredibly successful program, an initiative sponsored by Commissioner Sosa in 2013, now teaches over 89,000 elementary school students the principles of responsible pet ownership. This new measure seeks additional funding to bring the program to our community’s junior high and high school students.

“I truly believe that our veterans are this community’s greatest source of pride, and I know that they will give our pets warm and loving homes,” said Commissioner Sosa. “We are forever indebted to them for their service and protection of our freedoms.” Continued Commissioner Sosa, “In 2013 when I sponsored the initiative to teach our children the importance of responsible pet ownership I could never have imagined just how great the program would have turned out. It is my hope that we can grow the program to our older students, who can play a larger role in saving animals.”

Pets for Vets legislation: http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/legistarfiles/Matters/Y2016/160987.pdf

Responsible Pet Ownership Curriculum Expansion legislation:

http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/legistarfiles/Matters/Y2016/160987.pdf

>>>> Here is the office of the inspector general’s annual report for the nation’s fourth largest public schools district

>>> AOA agreement with U university of Miami Miller Medical School gets heated over non-exclusive transplant agreement,

Calm voices and restrained tempers need to prevail at PHT board meetings these meetings cannot go back to old days when a major security presence was necessary. After CEO Ira Clark was replaced and there were contentious meetings and one was so packed that there was extensive security. And in this case there was a hot exchange between a UM physician and the PHT board Chair Joe Arriola who is known for his temper but this is a public setting where decorum is a must because in the past some of those meetings erupted into shouting and in that case back then racial undertones reigned and the volunteer board has done a remarkable job turning the health trust around and heated exchanges must maintain the decorum and not become the norm.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>>PAST WDR: Commission Chair Hardeman storms off dais after elderly man mentions “Haitians,” his temper of concern, Chair apologizes on air later,

Miami Commissioner Chair Keon Hardeman walked off the dais in a huff after a man in a walker made some mention to the Haitian community last week and people are wondering about the former public defenders temper and whether being commission chair is his calling after being appointed by Mayor Tomas Regalado.

>>> Upcoming Sea Level Solution meetings-Please see the following list of upcoming events this month, more details for which can be found on our Sea Level Solutions Center (SLSC) Events Calendar.

Tomorrow (Friday, June 3), an information session will be held at 2pm in the Miami Beach City Hall 4th Floor (City Manager’s Large Conference Room), to discuss a Grant Opportunity for Environment and Sustainability.

The City of Miami Sea Level Rise Committee will next meet on Tuesday (June 7), at 6 PM in the Miami City Hall Commission Chambers. Hope to see you there!

Last but not least, the FIU School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) is proud to present work done by undergraduate students in a recent Spring Visual Storytelling course that contributed to the FIU Digital Commons, by curating research, storytelling, art, and communication related to work on sea level rise conducted by FIU faculty, students, and staff. Their project is titled, “Submerging the Sunshine: Explore Sea Level Rise in South Florida” and categorizes stories of rising seas into four main narratives that highlight FIU’s work on this pressing issue.

Some of the media captured, digitized, and archived for this project includes what’s been published on eyesontherise.org and work conducted in other units at FIU. Students in this course were introduced to cultural themes of visual communication, museums, and libraries. Through practical application and collaboration, they created digital narratives, using the content that is already in – and that was added to – the collections to make the archives approachable and sharable for wider audiences.

But they are not done, and THEY NEED YOU:

As you can see, there are several units represented, but a lot may be missing. Please help to promote this project for its potential for interdisciplinary curricular integration, and feel free to contribute work to this collection, which can be as easy as emailing a PDF, URL, or other file (even if some things aren’t captured, they can help with that, too)! Contact Jamie Rogers (rogersj@fiu.edu) or Dr. Robert Gutsche Jr. (rgutsche@fiu.edu) for more information, or to add the work of your units or recommend others.

As always, you can visit our SLSC website for more info, or email us (slsc@fiu.edu) with any questions and/or recommendations for other events to include.

 

Thank you,

Communications Coordinator

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2015/11/francis-suarez-sworn-into-office-makes-case-for-new-miami.html an here is a video of Miami PD doing the running man challenge very funny especially the end and has 179,000 views as of last week.https://twitter.com/wsvn/status/731197152110616576

>>> Attorney Gongora goes for the gold wants to replace retired Sen. Margolis in Fla. upper house, works at high profile law firm, failed in his bid for mayor a few years ago

And former Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Gongora has announced he is running for Sen. Dist. 38 previously held by retiring Sen. Gwen Margolis, D-Miami, and Gongora failed to become Mayor of the beach losing a few years back to Mayor Philip Levine and he is an attorney at Becker Polokoff, a prominent municipal law film and was spotted a while ago at a Brickell homeowners meeting along with former Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, and it is surprising Sarnoff did not jump into this senate race once Margolis announced she was withdrawing and the other candidates are state Rep. Daphne Campbell Anis Lemur, former mayor Kevin Burns, Don Festge Jason Pizzo ound out the field looking to replace Margolis in the state’s up house. Here is more on the race http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article85808552.html

CITY OF OPA LOCKA

>>> U.S. Atty. Southern District Press release: Former Opa Locka City Manager David Chiverton and former Opa Locka Assistant Public Works Director Gregory Harris have been charged for their participation in a two-year long bribery and extortion under color of official right conspiracy, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371, 666(a)(1)(B), and 1951(a).8

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement. Chiverton is charged by  Information with conspiring with an unnamed Opa Locka elected official (“Plic Official A”), former Opa Locka Assistant Public Works Director Gregory Harris, and others to use their official positions and authority with the City of Opa Locka to solicit, demand, and obtain thousands of dollars in illegal cash payments from businesses and individuals in exchange for taking official actions to assist and benefit those businesses and individuals in their dealings with the City of Opa Locka. The case against Chiverton is assigned to United States District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga, Case No. 16-20596-CR. Chiverton is scheduled for an initial appearance before United States Judge John J. O’Sullivan on August 8, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. As alleged in the Information, in exchange for the illegal payments, Public Official A would direct Chiverton, Harris, and other City of Opa Locka employees to assist the paying businesses and individuals by issuing occupational licenses; waiving, removing, and settling code enforcement matters and liens; initiating, restoring and continuing water service; and assisting with zoning issues.  Public Official A would pay Chiverton, and also would tell the businesses and individuals to pay Chiverton directly in exchange for these official actions.  Chiverton is also alleged to have directly and indirectly solicited and obtained illegal cash payments in exchange for official actions assisting businesses and individuals with the same types of issues as described above.Earlier today, former Opa Locka Assistant Public Works Director Gregory Harris made his initial appearance on a separate Information.  The case against Harris is assigned to United States District Judge Beth Bloom, Case No. 16-20589-CR. In that separate Information, Harris is alleged to have participated in the Public Works Department aspects of the broader conspiracy set out in the Information filed against Chiverton.  In particular, the Information filed against Harris alleges that both Public Official A and Chiverton would direct Harris to take actions such as restoring water service to businesses which had paid them illegal bribes.  The Information alleges that Harris also obtained illegal payments in exchange for using his official position to assist those businesses and individuals by taking official actions including stopping the shutdown of water service, and directing that their water service be turned back on.

If convicted, Chiverton and Harris each face a maximum statutory sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI Miami Area Corruption Task Force This case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Edward Stamm.

An Information is merely an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.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. USAO – Florida, Southern

COMMUNITY EVENTS

>>> Press release: FFCR’s Claws for Kids Luncheon is an annual tradition! Whether you’re a regular or have never been before, don’t miss out. Mark your calendar and keep your claws ready to grab a ticket! In the meantime, check out these pics from last year’s event. Save the Date! Online Ticket Sales Opening Soon! Sponsorship Packages Available! Please contact Candice Maze at cmaze@fostercarereview.org or 305.679.2735 for more information or to inquire about Sponsorship packages.

http://www.margulieswarehouse.com/index.php#/exhibitions

The Swimming Lesson, 2014

Dear Friends, It is my pleasure to invite you to the Cynthia Fleischmann Gallery to view paintings done by artist Jacqueline Gopie.www.JacquelineGopie.com

Bodypaintography works by Cynthia Fleischmann will be presented in the Cottage Gallery. I hope you can make it to enjoy the art, wine and aperitifs.

Date: Friday, August 19^th, Time: 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm; CF Gallery & Cottage: 4035 El Prado Blvd, Miami 33133 (Coconut Grove) Artist Talks: Starting at 8:00 pm.

Feel free to extend the invitation, and please park with care and consideration around the neighborhood. Warm Regards, Cynthia Fleischmann

>>> And the Margulies Warehouse will be closing the season in weeks and to see what art is on display and when it plans to close the season for this community treasure go to http://www.margulieswarehouse.com/#/home

>>> Public institutions Collaboration must be our goal if South Florida to reach its greatness

Collaboration should be Miami-Dade’s watchword for we are too big with too many challenges and collaboration was one of the main topics at the Greater Miami Chamber’s Goal conference and with FIU President Mark Rosenberg, Ph.D. being chair of the Chamber. South Florida has never been a better position to leverage the academic excellence from the local public institution and not to go it alone and our other public institutions need to work together, like the Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade did recently and helped create some over 3,000 summer jobs with the assistance of the county and public schools district but with the limited resources it is important every tax dollar is used effectively and tax payers are getting there, money worth of these precious and scarce money. And this working together includes the 34 municipalities that many times signore what tis the common good an generally just produces more traffic and chaos since from the homeless population to many other issues there are no boundaries and what happens in one part of Miami-Dade impacts somewhere else for our 1.6 million residents are essentially on a ship and we have to learn to for our public institutions to learn and work together. If we are to attain the greatness South Florida can be while maintaining our environment. >>> And is one of the recommendations on an economic prosperity report doe by FIU and is at www.FIU.edu

>>> Congrats to Miami Herald for runner –up Pulitzer for investigative story ‘License to Launder,’ highlights how critical investigative stories are to a community

The Miami Herald being a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize highlights the importance of in depth investigative reporting and while the Watchdog Report has not reached that depth over the past 16 years I have put a light to many government activates from Jackson Hospital to the city of Miami that once went through 10 mangers in a few months and arrests were becoming rampant. And back in 1998 it looked bleak an someone from the public needed to step forward especially after a major political operative said to me “You little people we are going to crush you,” and I thought the public needed someone to look after their interests and the introduction of the internet gave me that opportunity as well as being an editorial and news columnist for The Miami Herald an experience that cannot be described unless you experienced it and here we are today and May 5, 2016 will be my anniversary and hope with my readers help to continue on but I do need financial help and to read what the early years were like go to and I know your hard earned money is sacred. I hope you will honor me with your trust news you can trust without the attitude and my best to all my friends who have supported me. And to read a national story on the early years go to: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog

>>> One of Watchdog Report’s main missions is to keep watch on all the host of Trust’s in Miami-Dade and these organizations involve some serious public money in the billions

Residents in Miami-Dade County periodically ask why I cover all the trust’s found in the county, from the Children’s Trust to the Public Health Trust to the County’s Homeless Trust and it is because elected county leaders are always looking for new funds and while the raids of these public dollars periodically occurs like in the case of the Citizens Independent Transit Trust where the county is slowly paying back the sales tax dollars absorbed by the county’s transit system in what was called “unification,” by county leaders

But the Public Health Trust was also raided back in 20002 when county commissioners shifted some $ 70 million in unfunded mandates on to organization and that cost has risen to over $100 million a year and was one of the reasons the Public health trust needed a $830 million GOB passed overwhelmingly by voters a few Years back to upgrade its infrastructure and ageing main campus

After this past money was diverted over a decade by the County commission that does provide some $250 million in public funds for a maintenance of effort contribution. But in Miami-Dade where everything is political. I keep watch so that these organizations are kept whole and politics is kept to a minimum and this oversight helps keep the organizations on the straight and narrow when it comes to public dollars and it is no small amount of money and helps explain why there have been so few scandals in the past that plagued the county back in the 1990’s and was a frequent topic in the media.

LETTERS

>>> A Reader on danger of yellow pole barriers on 195, and sign petition asking FDOT to modify polls https://www.change.org/p/florida-department-of-transportation-change-i95-plastic-poles-to-unable-movement-in-and-out-of-the-express-lanes

>>> Great story on the Pets’ Trust.  I’d love to speak with you and tell you more.  You are right…..it will be an issue in the Mayor’s race.

Please watch this…      Pets’ Trust…the Story    password is     movie

And read this……..  http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/joe-cardona/article2087823.html

 

Michael Rosenberg

Rita Schwartz Cofounder

>>> And another reader sent the following the shocking truth about Miami-Dade Animal Services, http://www.animalliberationfront.com/ALFront/Actions-USA/MiamiAnimalServices.htm http://www.examiner.com/article/questions-about-fatal-mauling-by-group-of-dogs-miami-dade-county

 

DR

Coconut Grove

>>> The Watchdog Report is Celebrating 17 years of weekly publishing since May 5^th 2000 and when I started back then I never thought I would be doing this so

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog. And while I have taken a licking over the years including some medical issues I have kept at the job thanks to my supporters who I thank so very much over the many years. And the community’s public institutions are better when it comes to them knowing what the other is doing and why I have tried to be an information electrolyte for these giant institution’s leaders and things and here is a national story done on why I started to watch government back in 2000 http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog and to all the people along the way that have helped me I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI www.miami.edu

>>> 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 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 Extras 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. I welcome letters via e-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

And to contact me go to watchdogreport1@earthlink.net    OR TO USE PayPal go to www.watchdogreport.net