Watchdog Report Vol. 17 No. 19 October 30, 2016 EST.05.05.00 – I go when you cannot – Celebrating 17 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 public 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 I also keep watch for the all-important tourism industry and with the Zika Virus people are starting to understand how vital these tourists are for a host of amenities like culture and the arts, Jackson health System and transportation dollars all entities that benefit from tourism.

 

>>> And the Watchdog Report is reaching a tipping point after 16 years of using my own money to survive in the costlier Miami community. And while I have cut expenses I need my readers help (Since, my rent is becoming an issue unfortunately) in this fast changing world and with Pay Pal now you can easily use a credit card to contribute and I hope you will consider helping keeping someone out in the field. And I have not wanted to be a lobbyist but rather a lobbyist for everyone and is why I use the tag line ‘I go when you cannot’. But things are challenging made worse by spending 18 days in the hospital with a badly infected finger. And is why I am behind sending my traditional thank you letter to any supporters contributing and hop to catch up in the near future. And I thank these people from the bottom of my heart for the financial help.

 

>>> And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account at www.watchdogreport.net

>>>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 for as media resources contract residents still need to know that someone is also watching out for their interests. Because government watched is a better governing experience for voters and their local quality of life?

 

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 the case.

 

For an accurate public record is key and diminishes future 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.sun-sentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190341_1_ricker-school-board-president-miami-s-first-cuban-american    

>>> And here is the story done by Miami New Times when they named the publisher as the community’s Best of Miami and Best Citizen and to read the story go to: http://www.miaminewtimes.com/best-of/2003/people-and-places/best-citizen-6399517  

 

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 16^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.

 

>>> And here is the verbiage related to the award: Three years ago we said Ricker was our Best Gadfly. Given his dedication and perseverance, this new honor, Best Citizen, is well deserved. Ricker goes to 2500 mind-melting meetings annually, from the Public Health Trust’s purchasing subcommittee to the Efficiency and Competition Commission to the Alliance for Human Services’ nominating council to the school board’s audit committee. Sometimes he’s the only public observer. Object: to be the Public Citizen for all those out there who can’t attend, and to connect and serve as an information bridge among the special-interest-dominated Miami-Dade governmental institutions that seem so problematic and indifferent to the democratic process. This month his e-mail newsletter, The Watchdog Report, celebrates its [16th Anniversary. In a former life Ricker made a handsome living as an international salesman of heart pacemakers. As the hard-working publisher of Watchdog, though, he’s struggling financially — this despite the fact that his weekly compendium of meeting summaries, analysis, interviews, and commentary has become essential reading for anyone involved in public affairs. What his written work may lack in polish, it more than makes up for in comprehensiveness. So raise a toast to the man whose official slogan says it all: “A community education resource — I go when you cannot!”

 

>>> And checkout the new Watchdog Report merchandising campaign n featuring Knowledge is Bliss coffee cups and includes premium cotton super soft tee shirts.

 

ARGUS REPORT- Heard and seen on the street

 

>>> Will all the facts come out re FBI report on new Clinton emails from Huma Abedin’s husband Anthony Weiner? And what impact on election as she fires back to the FBI to release the new emails?

 

The voter excitement at the numerous early voting sites in Miami-Dade resembled voters going to the dentist to get a root canal and while lines were few and campaign workers may times outnumbered voters the lack of electorate energy is palpable at the sites and helps explain why Florid has 600,000 No Party Affiliation (NPA) voters and is the largest growing voting segment around the county and the lack of enthusiasm is something I have not seen since all the last elections. I have covered since Nov. 2000. And the lack of voter passion for a candidate neither has and is reminiscent of Obama’s 2008 campaign that was like a movement not a political campaign and Obama was a spectacular orator back then with 500,000 people attending a number of rallies and that past energy cannot be duplicated apparently as Clinton and Trump continue to descend on the Sunshine State and Ohio are both must win states for the candidates to prevail  and Trump is said to have a very tight path to win the election.

 

What about the new FBI revelations and Wieners lap top emails?

 

And The Hillary Clinton campaign got hit with a new bombshell after some emails were found by the FBI on a device used by former congressman Anthony Weiner accused of sexting to an underage girl and was being investigated by the Bureau when these new emails surfaced. And has Donald Trump once again crowing about ‘crooked Hillary,” and her supporters are crying foul given the last minute letter and includes three paragraphs about the FBI opening up its investigation they closed without charging Clinton but had Republican’s pounding the bureau and how it had done the original investigation. And while women voters are flocking to the polls this latest controversy could energize Trump supporters who believed he could never win the General Election. And could gin up Clinton supporters turnout given how the FBI memo is lacking details and credible back-up and appears to be against the unwritten rule that such announcements prior to an election by the justice department should not historically be done and more information on the matter is being demanded by Clinton.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article111340232.html

 

>>> Patrick Murphy, Furman spotted in the Grove, senate candidates sparring over Univision debate whether in Spanish or English, Furman long shot against U.S. Rep. Ros- Lehtinen

 

Florida Democratic Party senate candidate Patrick Murphy was in Coconut Grove Thursday and he had a fellow Democratic Party congressional candidate Scott Furman in tow, and Murphy is facing off against Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, R Fla. and the two men had a fiery debate last week and possible a third one sponsored by Univision and supposed to be done in Spanish, but had Murphy disagreeing since Murphy does not speak Spanish but Hispanic voters are key to winning in Florida and while the race is tight in the polls and early voting starting Monday. Rubio who called Trump a “con man,” has not distanced himself from the brash controversial billionaire.

 

What about Murphy’s campaign contributions?

 

Local Republican healthcare billionaire Mike Fernandez is supporting Hillary Clinton for president because of Trump’s intemperate and inflammatory comments donated $100,000 to a Murphy PAC and he was a big Jeb Bush supporter who has taken out ads in The Miami Herald critical of Trump using the parable of the frog and scorpion, who stings the frog because that is his instinct. For more go to http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article111026117.html

 

What about the presidential campaign?

 

Donald Trump is having women continue to come forward and say he groped them, which he denies and says it is a media setup and he does not know many of them but a video done in 2005 has him using “locker room,” language,” and has opened up the flood gates of voters questioning if he is a sexual “predator,” a term that is being used but given some of his past behavior many people that know him cannot say for sure this description fits the brash billionaire that is the GOP’s champion and his impact down ballot is an issue for Republicans who are just running their own races.

 

What about workforce and an affordable housing study in Miami-Dade?

 

A group of activists are pushing using shipping containers for affordable housing and this is being done in London and the cost of these two or three bedroom homes is some $20,000 to $35,000 states a handout on the designs. And these could possibly be powered using solar panels and look more attractive if these are located near a water body and elected leaders should take a look at this.

 

What about an affordable housing study done for Commissioner Betty Ferguson?

 

Last week at a Miami-Dade County Committee hearing a major discussion on affordable housing was initiated by Commissioner Barbara Jordan who noted her predecessor betty Ferguson requested where affordable housing was going and the report found the bulk of it was in her District 1 commission district and was not scattered throughout the county and this lack of affordable housing is causing hardship for people seeking workforce housing at a reasonable price.

 

However, Hillary Clinton is still dealing with a trust deficit with many voters and while the polls tighten. It remains to be seen how Trump will deal with this current issue and the man comes off as a sexual predator always on the hunt for women, even if they are married and the tape runs counter to Republicans and their idea of family values.

 

And Trump contributed another $66 million to his flagging Campaign and he originally said he would commit some $100 million of his own and thus not bought by special interests that have dominated Washington politics and has turned off Americans and is reflected in low favorability ratings of government and officials around the nation.

 

STATE OF FLORIDA

 

>>> State Sen Candidates’ Rodriguez & de La Portilla debate on “This Week in South Florida,” hosted by Michael Putney and Glena Milberg, charges of ‘dark money,’ dominate the heated debate

 

The Florida Senate District 37 race is getting ugly as incumbent Sen. Miguel Diaz de La Portilla, R-Miami faces off against Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami for the coveted seat and Portilla is being criticized for working as a lobbyist in county Hall and in municipalities that he claims do not influence what he does at the state capital and the two attorney’s debated on “This Week In South Florida,” http://www.local10.com/this-week-in-south-florida. And with the clock winding down to the Nov. 8 election the men are attacking hard trying to make their case with voters and a state that has 6,000,000 no party affiliation voters. And Rodriguez argues the ‘dark money’ charges are false and a smokescreen he claims. But Diaz de La Portilla comes from a prominent Cuban family and was a Miami-Dade County Commissioner who lost when he ran for mayor back in 2000 and lost to Alex Penelas.

 

>>> AT a Miami-Dade BCC meeting SEIU Local 1991 union President Martha Baker, R.N. Sounded the alarm to reduced funding’s the end of LIFT, June 17, and its impact on Jackson some $93 to $100 million hit in reduced funding

 

Martha Baker the President of the SEIU union at Jackson Health System warned County Commissioners’ that a federal funding program LIFT that is critical to JHS was ending June 17 and was going to cost some $93 million to $100 million in reduced funding for the public health system and she urged the Florida Legislature to approve a “Medicaid expansion,” that law makers are reluctant to do since federal funding is expected to be reduced and the state would have to make up the loss funding said County Commissioner Estephan Bovo at a Miami-Dade County Commission meeting Tuesday, but it puts a continued strain where the trust has 55 days of cash on hand and employees 11,816 health workers and is a community jewel.

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

 

>>> Will Regalado’s court challenge, of disputed Gimenez qualifying check be a Pyrrhic victory for her in looming mayoral race? VAB selects new attorney, Regalado’s last meeting on VAB

 

What happened at the Value Adjustment Board meeting Friday?

 

The Miami-Dade Value Adjustment Board (VAB) held its public meeting in the commission chambers and was televised. Outgoing County Commissioner Juan C. Zapata chaired the meeting attended by Jose Pepe Diaz, and mayoral candidate Raquel Regalado and the VAB interviewed candidates to be the board’s counsel and pays $150.00 per hour and a number people that applied nine would later withdraw and the man selected by a vote was Raphael Maraitz and a contract will be negotiated and come back to be ratified on Nov. 30. And this VAB is where homeowners appeal any county property assessment and the County IG did a study of the body and suggested some appeal attorneys were too close to staff and all the candidates mentioned that past friendliness and it to be free of such taint.

 

With elections looming will Miami-Dade get through the presidential general Election without confusion since the 2000 election, the County has had mixed results and included a past 20002 gubernatorial election that was run by the police department and cost some $12 million to run.

 

Incumbent Mayor Carlos Gimenez got some good news after new polling shows him ahead by 22 percent of his challenger school board member Raquel Regalado in the county wide mayoral race and she has been running a lean yet hard hitting campaign and forced the incumbent mayor into a runoff when he failed to get 50 percent plus one to win the race outright in August.

 

What about Regalado’s court challenge?

 

Regalado is challenging Gimenez’s filing check that was miss-dated yet corrected within the required deadline an she is seeking court action that Gimenez supporters are calling a Hail Mary move to keep alive her campaign that in polls has her down 22 percent in the two way race for county mayor

 

What about the UM pedestrian bridge being built across U.S.1, and a one year delay?

 

The pedestrian bridge is said to be open a year late after an elevator shafts orientation was wrong and is being watched closely by the community since a number of UM students were killed crossing streets and the County took the project on and began it just after Carlos Gimenez announced he was running for reelection again. And I mentioned the delay to assistant mayor Alena Hudack and she noted there had been “problems with the contractor,” she believed.

 

>>> County Parks to get signs warning of “wildlife in parks, using emogies for bears, alligators, and foxes are seen at “Amelia Earhart Park,” at night, says Bovo

 

Sen. Javier Souto sponsored the legislation to have new signs to try to warn people that there is a lot of “wildlife,” in Miami-Dade and when they come to the parks to be aware they might see a “bear,” panther and foxes are frequently seen at night at Amelia Earhart Park noted Bovo. And given the “20 languages spoken in the county. Souto once he learned what a mojoie was said to use these renderings and the tragedy in Disney World may have prompted this discussion. Further county attorney’s said there would not likely be any liability to the County since it is not providing a safe Harbour for the wildlife that exists in Florida.

 

What about the County’s mayor’s race?

 

Challenger Raquel Regalado is running some devastating campaign ads using a wheel of fortune and some of the things incumbent mayor Carlos Gimenez has done during his tenure in office since 2011. And she is focusing on his friend Rafael Garcia-Toledo who drives him around in a Cadillac Escalade to polling sites and he is a registered lobbyist “involving all county matters,” says his lobbyist form on file with the county.

 

However, people wonder if Regalado, a two term school board member and practicing attorney and Spanish Radio show host can run the county with some 27, 0000 employees and believe. She might have been better off running to be the Miami Mayor. Since her father Tomas Regalado is termed out. But Regalado says she has won “nine past elections and is giving Gimenez a run for his money in his reelection campaign and she is pulling out all the stops in attack ads against Gimenez, and it remains to be seen how low she will go to win the office.

 

And Regalado is getting hit with some devastating campaign pieces herself and Gimenez who sometimes comes off defensive appears more relaxed in his campaign ads but this is a spirited race and is getting down to who you can believe is better at running the sprawling county government.

 

What about MIA?

 

>>>> MIA awarded “Most innovative award,” by national association, storm had marginal impact

 

MIA Director Emilio Gonzalez told the tourism committee last week that MIA is like a “small city,” with “120,000 passengers daily and 40,000 county employees and he said the facility was spared when Hurricane Mathew approached and the storm may have had little impact on future numbers he believed. Further MIA won a national award as “being one of the most innovative in the nation,” and Gonzalez noted that was a big deal and with all the retail the mission is enhanced revenues for the international hub.

 

And the Greater ‘Miami Visitors and Convention Center Bureau CEO William Talbert, III’’, was upbeat as ever and the Bureau’s Annual meeting is being held at the Hard Rock Stadium Oct. 25 a Tuesday and all were invited he told commissioners and this lack of a major landfall by the storm will impact revenues but not as bad as I once thought. And with stadium’s renovations the Super Bowl is coming back in a few years.

 

>>> The Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is asking Gov. Rick Scott to appoint a member to the regional planning board and the request came from Rebeca Sosa and she is close with Scott. And other municipal representatives come from Dade cities with over 50,000 residents and back in 2001 one governor representative Ron Krongold tried to get the MPO back then to fund to the tune of $10 million a local A.M. radio station to-do traffic updates (owned by prominent Haitian Dr. Rudy Moise that I pointed out these were free from all the other stations and was part of their federal community benefit package with federal agencies. And had then Commissioner Joe Martinez said “You’re on fire, bail out,” he told Krongold who was fighting the issue on the MPO and Bush would later remove him from the body after this incident.

 

>>> And Commissioner Javier Souto wants the MPO to study water taxis and using the extensive canal and water routes to reduce road congestion and Miami used to be a major boating manufacturer he said during World War II and it could become a considerable tourist draw he suggested at the MPO on Thursday and the man is the longest serving commissioner along with Dennis Moss..

 

What about the IRP?

 

Many people at the public budget hearing wanted the Independent review Panel (IRP) resurrected and the board was sun setted out of business during the budget crunch years ago and had its executive director Eduardo Diaz, Ph.D. being well paid and the panel was controversial with the County’s police union and its leader John Rivera.

Gimenez said he supported the IRP but believed. The IRP because of this new technology is expected to have less cases than in the past and the Watchdog Report was the only press that attended these IRP meetings of the panel made up of attorney’s and the panel worked closely with the Miami-Dade Community Relations Board (CRB) in trying to keep the community calm after police incidents especially shootings that many times are including young children caught in the crossfire. And the CRB wanted to join a city of Miami amicus brief in support of the subpoena power the city’s Independent Review Panel has but was put off because of short time to join and it would need a BCC approval and with a deadline looming was considered not possible and the CRB Chair Ed Shoat is a top notch defense attorney and he has represented many high profile cases during his extensive legal career.

 

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

 

>>> OIG interlocal approved at last month’s school board meeting, IG plays crucial role in rooting out waste fraud and abuse, in nation’s fourth largest public schools district

 

The schoolboard last Wednesday approved an interlocal agreement with the County’s Office of the Inspector General Mary T. Cagle and the agency was brought to the district years ago after numerous scandals. And was the brain child of board Member Marta Perez. And the IG is an important tool in rooting out waste fraud and abuse.

 

And since the district is self-insured when it comes to Medicare fraud the office is much needed and recently discovered some coaches bringing baseball players from Mexico and Cuba who attendee sports academies in violation of Florida statutes and it is a great read. http://www.miamidadeig.org/2016MDCPS/SB.1213.1005.pdf

 

Mayoral candidate Raquel Regalado last month had her final meeting on the schoolboard, and she was given praise for her service by her peers, and says she still will be around but just at the “County,” she says.

School Board Member Raquel Regalado said sayonara to the other nine board members since after No. 8 and is running for County Mayor against incumbent Carlos Gimenez and she reminded her peers that she was not moving away but will “be at the county,” she assured the board members who gushed praise on her two terms on the board

 

>>> Pets for Vets and Teaching Responsible Pet Ownership to Kids

 

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:

 

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

 

>>> GOB oversight board doing good job, main campus hospital looks great, halls glisten and welcome patients to world class public healthcare, major change since 1997

 

The Watchdog Report covered the GOB oversight board made up of citizens with specific skills sets and is the public firewall of how the $830 million in GOB bonds are being spent. And the GOB committee chair is Jose Luis Gomez and the group overseeing these new dollars are taking their job very seriously and are doing a good job of overseeing the projects including approving new fuel lines for generators in dire need of replacement and cost $205,839 of which $234,489 will come from bond proceeds state’s committee documentation.

 

How does Jackson look?

 

Since 1997 I have covered Jackson health System and the hospitals transformation is remarkable and the hospital is more inviting and much easier to navigate through its glistening hallways that used to have a worn look and JHS is reaching new heights in patient care and patient experience at the public hospital that receives some $350 million in public funding but given the level of charity care over $500 million.. However, PHT CEO Carlos Migoya working with the unions has transformed the world class healthcare institution that is affiliated with the University Of Miami Miller Medical School into the community jewel we need.

 

CITY OF MIAMI

 

>>> Miami seeking to issue $45 million in ad valorum Special Obligation bonds for restoration of Miami Marine Stadium, iconic structure closed since 1992, and is a high priority on Mayor Regalado’s bucket list while still in office.

 

The City of Miami is considering issuing a “non-ad valorem Special Obligation bond to the tune of $45 million,” for the restoration of the iconic Miami Marine Stadium that has been closed since Hurricane Andrew struck back in 1992.

 

Further, Regalado at a MESA meeting last week said the city has the capacity to support such a financial instrument that still has to be approved by the Miami commission. For it to go forward but it is a new wrinkle in getting the facility open in the future that is in need of major structural repairs and has been a priority of Mayor Tomas Regalado who leaves office next year and appears to be on the mayor’s bucket list. Further city Manager Daniel J. Alfonso details it more in an Oct 18 memo on the matter. And Regalado thinks this could be a good way to resolve the funding matter of funding for the iconic structure’s rebirth and resurrection.

 

What about Miami commissioner’s net worth for the year?

 

Miami Commissioners Francis Suarez, Frank Carollo, Keon Hardeman, Ken Russell and Wilfredo Gort, and Mayor Tomas Regalado financial disclosures show Regalado’s net worth was $12,000 through July 2016, Carollo is worth $952,534 Gort lists $414,000 for 2016 Russell has $397,603 Hardeman has ($153,000.00) and Gort owns a property in Tavernier worth $200,000 and another house in Sebring Florida valued at $7,000.

 

Sayonara Dinner Key as an early voting site, one of the premiere locations in South Florida

 

One of the most beautiful and iconic early voting sites Miami City Hall at Dinner Key Marina is moving to the garage at the old Museum of Science and it is because of the expected volume of voters that years ago had some long lines for presidential elections but the site was a media mecca since there was the bay backdrop and one Aljazeera reporter from Sudan joked when “they voted in Sudan,” it was nothing like this, he said at the time.

 

And here is a story of a billboard proclaiming ISIS S…Ks and has the Muslim community fighting back some of this hate they are feeling http://www.local10.com/news/hey-isis-you-suck-billboard-rises-in-south-florida   

>> 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

Communications Coordinator

 

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2015/11/fSLSC website for more info, or email us (slsc@fiu.edu) with any questions and/or recommendations for other events to include. Thank you,

City of Sweetwater’s running man video totally different from the one in MIAMI and has certain City of Sweetwater edge to but it’s a must see it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t9M2zTxtfI

 

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

 

>>> Beach leaders continue to fight Zika, Mayor Phillip Levine goes on Sirius radio and discusses the issue with health experts

 

Residents packed the commission chambers last week and they were protesting the County’s spraying to kill the Zika virus mosquitoes and a thoughtful discussion on the matter was held on This Week in South Florida hosted by Glenna Milberg and Michael Putney and the panel had a strong medical bent and reporter Daniel Chang who covers health issues for the Miami Herald and to see the show go to http://www.local10.com/this-week-in-south-florida And while there is a passionate debate on the matter of spraying , County Mayor Carlos Gimenez says he will follow the medical communities and CDC recommendations when it comes to tamping down the number of cases and now includes all of the Beach.

 

PAST WDR: With Zika worries tourist mavens say “after 12 days we are open for business and doing well,” said William Talbert, III, the CEO of the Greater Miami Visitors and Tourism bureau (GMCVB) at a commission meeting concerning the Zika virus and he noted. Mayor Carlos Gimenez had been doing an outstanding job in interviews with the press trying to keep the issue in context and what Miami-Dade is doing to diminish the bugs impact on the critical tourism industry, whose taxes pay for a host of county facilities and organizations from the Homeless Trust to Jackson Health System to name a few and this revenue is critical to many of these organizations. As the County runs up to its public budget hearings in September.

 

>>> Mayor Levine press release: Dear Friends and Neighbors,

 

Miami Beach continues to implement and find solutions to aggressively stop the spread of the Zika virus. Yesterday, on my weekly radio show,  ‘The Mayor’ on Sirius Radio Insight 121 I had the opportunity two interview two top experts in the field, Dr. Michael Callahan of the Zika Foundation and Dr. Lyle Petersen of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

 

 

Both experts provided insightful information and recommendations. Please click on the link below to listen to the interview in its entirety. Sirius Insight 121 Interview

>>> Press release: Miami Beach Enforces All Prevention Measures – Miami Beach asking residents and businesses to do their part to reduce mosquitoes —

 

Miami Beach, FL – City officials continue taking all necessary steps to ensure effective and efficient elimination of mosquitoes in the Miami Beach area, including having Code Compliance Officers scour the city to determine and rectify potential risks.
“The city’s public works and sanitation crews have been on overdrive with addressing standing water on the public right-of-way, and we’re also doing our part to make sure the community is stepping up their game with the threat of Zika,” said Code Compliance Manager Sarah Saunders. “Our team is working tirelessly to ensure all business and property owners are complying with ensuring no standing water.”

 

If code inspectors determine that visible conditions within private property are an immediate threat to healthy, safety or welfare of the public, he/she may order the immediate correction of the violation at the expense of the occupant, owner, or operator. This violation, known as forthwith, carries a fine of $1,000 for the first offense and $2,000 per each additional infraction.

 

Since the beginning of June, crews have dispersed standing water on streets if it has been stagnant for more than 24 hours. Where a significant volume of water is involved, it is being vacuumed out or treated with an environmentally-friendly larvicide. All showers along the beach walk have standing water removed on a daily basis in the early morning hours, and crews inspect alleyways on a daily basis to remove any litter or illegally dumped waste, which could be a potential breeding ground.

 

As of January, all catch basins in stormwater drains have been either pumped out to eliminate standing water, or using larvicide where standing water could not be removed or prevented.

 

At pump stations, the set points on the floats have been adjusted to circulate the water; in addition to having larvicide placed in the wet wells. This year, the City of Miami Beach has invested over one million dollars in vacuum trucks to improve cleanliness of the system. City irrigation systems have also been adjusted to not activate if there has been a recent rain event, and broken irrigation line repairs have been prioritized. At city facilities, larvicide has been introduced into any dumpsters or containers holding water.  All other items collecting rain water have been removed or eliminated.

 

“All City of Miami Beach employees, working indoors and outdoors, have been provided with mosquito repellent,” added Morales. “We strongly encourage all businesses on this urban-island to take the same precautions with their employees.”

 

BROWARD COUNTY

 

>>>> Supt. Snipes what were you thinking when you used a Ric Case Honda showroom as a poll site in the August election?

 

What was Broward Supervisor Brenda Snipes thinking when the county used a Ric Case Honda showroom as a voting site and was picked up in a WPLG story on the elections and normally these are in public buildings, churches or schools but a car showroom almost defies belief and hopefully will not be seen again if Broward voters are to have confidence in their voting system.

 

>>> IG Press release on misuse of procurement cards for the Town of Davie

September 8, 2016 –Misconduct and Gross Mismanagement in the Use and Administration of Procurement Cards in the Town of Davie

 

Broward Inspector General John W. Scott announced today that the Broward Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has issued a report finding that between October 2012 and July 2014, employees in the Town of Davie engaged in misconduct and gross mismanagement in their use of procurement cards (p-cards) by ignoring policies and procedures and failing to engage in the reasonable oversight of the p-card program that would be expected from a governmental entity. Despite our small sample review size relative to the town’s total p-card expenditures, we identified $160,630.72 spent in violation of procurement policies, a startlingly high ratio of vulnerability we would not expect to see in a local government with proper policies and controls. The report can be viewed at www.browardig.org The OIG found that purchasing staff failed to detect obvious and prolific splitting of transactions to avoid procurement controls. In this report, we detail instance after instance wherein employees deliberately split up purchases to avoid limits on their p-cards. We also found that purchasing and finance staff failed to develop necessary controls to ensure proper authorized approvals. In multiple instances, the town paid more than it would have if proper procurement controls had been observed.

 

Regrettably, at many times during the investigation, the OIG was provided with misleading information and documentation. The submission of the false documents and explanations led to additional and unnecessary time to complete the investigation and damaged the credibility of certain individuals. The consistent and prolific pattern of the deceptions we detail herein is certainly disconcerting. Fortunately, the town has already begun to address the OIG’s concerns—communicated during the course of the investigation—with a number of new processes and policies which are also identified in this report. The OIG is encouraged by the remedial steps the City has taken in response to the preliminary version of the report. However, we have requested that we be provided with a status report in 90 days regarding the City’s additional corrective actions in response to this matter.

 

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!

>> Press release: The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science and Miami Science Barge join together to bring the expression of art to a scientific experiment. Visitors will have the opportunity to create artworks on a drift card that will be deployed into the ocean. These drift cards will help scientists gain understanding of how the ocean currents distribute debris through the Biscayne Bay. Admission is free.
Miami Science Barge
1075 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami 305-434-9560 www.dwntwnartdays.com

 

EDITORIALS

 

>>> SEC jury finds Miami not guilty of securities fraud, second time federal agency goes after city and its bonds, fiscal accountability and strong skill sets must be raised

 

The City of Miami has once again dodged SEC purgatory and in a jury trial was found to be not guilty of trying to defraud bond buyers. And it continues a trend of sloppy finances that is most relevant. Since Miami is asking voters to approve more bond sales? And while the city was vindicated Mayor Tomas Regalado blamed it on the previous Mayor Manny Diaz administration. However, this is the second time the SEC has investigated Miami and this cannot continue for taxpayers deserve better than flying by the seat of our pants which seems to occur more often than not and while Regalado is termed out he needs to look at employees and demand better and accountable performance for too many years there was not a performance bar

 

>>> Now what? Will you at least vote? “Reset & “Pivot” should be banned from campaign speeches, just be honest and tell the truth

 

Public officials should banish the term “pivot,” and “reset,” and just tell voters the truth and be honest about their positions and this verbal fluff is not what voters want to hear. Instead honest and clear plans will get candidates what they want to be elected. And while I have been going by early polling sites from the West Dade regional Library site this past week candidate turnout at the polls is surprisingly low in comparison to past years where candidates stood in the rain talking to voters but that is a rare sight today. And that is a shame for this is a test of commitment to elected office and every candidate needs to experience this process. For it makes them a better person and voters now have their chance to help their community. And once again the Watchdog Report asks, NOW what? You did not run yourself, will you at least vote?

 

>>> 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 done by FIU and is at www.FIU.edu

 

>>> 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

President Pets’ Trust

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

 

***** LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & Initial sponsors since 2000

 

>>> LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & INITIAL SPONSORS IN 2000

ANGEL ESPINOSA – (Deceased) owner COCONUT GROVE DRY CLEANER’S

HUGH CULVERHOUSE, Jr

FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT www.fpl.com .

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

 

Mr. NORMAN BRAMAN http://www.bramanmotorcars.com/dealership/normanbraman.htm

BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com

RONALD HALL

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.miamidade.gov

UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.unitedwaymiamidade.org

 

>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $1,000 to $5,000 a year

 

COLSON HICKS EIDSON, PA www.colson.com

Badia Spices www.badiaspices.com

BERKOWITZ POLLACK BRANT Advisors and Accountants www.bpbcpa.com

JEFFREY L. BERKOWITZ TRUST

RON BOOK

LINDA MURPHY: Gave a new laptop in Oct. 2001 to keep me going.

WILLIAM PALMER www.shutts.com

Rbb PUBLIC RELATIONS www.rbbpr.com

ROYAL MEDIA PARTNERS www.royalmp.com

SHUBIN & BASS www.shubinbass.com

WILLIAMSOM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP http://williamsonautomotivegroup.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

CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu

THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov

GREATER 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 COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE CHAIR www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ETHICS & PUBLIC TRUST COMMISSION

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/

MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/

MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY www.miamidda.com

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org

THE BEACON COUNCIL www.beaconcouncil.com

THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org

THE GOOD GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE http://goodgov.net/

THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES www.mdclc.org

THE MIAMI FOUNDATION www.miamifoundation.org

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA http://www.firstgov.gov/

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI www.miami.edu

 

>>> 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

CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu

THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov

GREATER 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 COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE CHAIR www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/

MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION ON ETHICS and PUBLIC TRUST www.ethics.miamidade.gov  

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/

MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY www.miamidda.com

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org

THE BEACON COUNCIL www.beaconcouncil.com

THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org

THE GOOD GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE http://goodgov.net/

THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES www.mdclc.org

THE MIAMI FOUNDATION www.miamifoundation.org

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA http://www.firstgov.gov/

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

Publisher & Editor

Watchdog Report

Est. 05.05.00

Copyright © of original material, 2016, Daniel A. Ricker

 

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

 

Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, the (FL)

CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS

 

Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, the (FL)

MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED

 

Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog

 

>>>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/best-of/2003/people-and-places/best-citizen-6399517

 

>>> 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. *************************************************************************

 

Watchdog Report Supporters Invoice-Form Thank you

 

Supporting Sponsors $5,000

Sustaining Sponsors $2,000

Corporate Sponsors $1,000 (All levels above will be listed in the report with web-site link if desired)

 

Large Business Supporters $500

Small Business Supporters $250 

Individual Supporter $150

 

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Send to     

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