Watchdog Report Vol. 17 No. 20 November 6, 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 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 has reached 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. 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 were made worse after 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 past 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, it is no easy task 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 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. And I thank my supporters 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 featuring Knowledge is Bliss coffee cups and includes premium cotton super soft tee shirts.

ARGUS REPORT- Heard and seen on the street

>>> Clinton Trump razor tight in the Florida polls, only poll that counts is Election Day, millions of absentee votes in Florida in the bag

With the presidential election race razor tight in the polls many people believe America is moving into uncharted waters and has Trump at rally’s calling for “draining the swamp” said to be first said by President Ronald Reagan since Washington was built on a swamp and the phrase was a call for smaller and limited government has been used by many politicians promising ethics reform and ending inside lobbying in the nation’s capital and has been a source of concern to many voters. And Trump since he is not beholden to special interests is pushing this theme and President Barack Obama in his message of hope and change also indirectly suggested that was one of his goals. And for some history on the phrase go to: http://www.redstate.com/diary/barrypopik/2010/07/29/origin-and-history-of-drain-the-swamp-mother-jones-reagan-rumsfeld-pelosi/

>>> At Greater Miami Chamber Dr. Eduardo J. Padron honored as Alvah H. Chapman, Jr., Award for Excellence for his vision and leadership of downtown Miami

The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Wednesday at the organizations monthly luncheon at Jungle Island gave out the Alva H. Chapman, Jr., Award of Excellence and Chapman the former publisher of The Miami Herald was a driving community presence and force and after Hurricane Andrew in 1999. President George Bush asked the man to head up the We will Rebuild Campaign in Homestead after the storm flattened South Dade. And he was a driving force in the creation of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust and the Chapman Partnership to end homeless and these organizations have helped reduce homeless from around 9,000 people living on the streets to around 900 people living on the streets and the trust is working hard to get that number to zero including any veterans on the street. And for more on Chapman go to https://www.chapmanpartnership.org/ And Camillus House is also an important component to this reduced homeless on the streets.

The recipients included educator and economist Eduardo J. Padron, Ph.D., who was awarded the Alvah H. Chapman, Jr. “Award of Excellence for his vision and Leadership of Downtown Miami.” Padron the head of Miami-Dade College with some 165,000 students and awarding 300 various degrees is a community treasure for educating our diverse young people and I know a host of budding students that went through the system with one women going to Emory University and graduated with two degrees including a Master’s degree and another non English speaker from Columbia graduated with honors receiving a Civil engineering degree at Florida International University, after graduating from M-DC. And both these young people were also working and even sometimes meeting their first girlfriends and I used to get briefed on how the juggling of school and work was going and these were motivated young people who will make their mark in the world and it is Padron’s institution that makes these kind of stories happen every day. And he gets a Tip of The Hat for such a job well done.

And Swire Properties was given the organization Award for vision and leadership of downtown Miami for its development of Brickell City Centre a $1.05 billion mixed use project and its new shops that opened recently to great fanfare and Swire is an old Hong Kong trading firms and founded in 1850 and is one of firms in James Cavell’s book “Tai-Pan” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai-ounty apan And past local CEO Steve Owens has been the driving force in getting the project off the ground and navigated the City of Miami politics in getting the approvals’ in the Brickell financial District downtown.

>>> Transit Tsar Alice Bravo was tapped for the Young Leaders Award, says Mayor Gimenez charged her to create more “mobility,” synchronization of traffic lights coming soon says former FDOT secretary.

And Miami-DadenTransportation Director Alice Bravo, PE was also honored with the Young Leaders Award. for her work on transportation issues and improving mobility and she was a former Secretary of the Florida Department of transportation and also worked at the city of Miami prior to being recruited by the County to head up the transit department.

>>>>Commission Chamber’s no longer has “In God we trust,” under County seal, was controversial when first done

At the Miami-Dade County Commission Chambers what happened to the “in God We Trust” motto under the Miami-Dade County seal right behind Commission chair Jean Monestine’ s location on the dais and the issue was hotly debated by the 13 member body but it was absent from the wall Tuesday so it must have been removed for some reason that had some groups concerned about the mixing of church and state in government but also appears on money and I will try to find out what the explanation was for its removal.

>>> PAST WDR: 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 candidate poll workers who get overly aggressive?

I have heard numerous complaints of aggressive campaign workers and the candidates should reign in this activity for it turns off most voters nd is a real Hassel for older voters who in the future will drive the number of absentee voters through the roof because the ageing baby boomers are getting old fast and in a decade will have a hard time navigating early voting sites and these people may need to sit down while voting. And this ageing demographic is coming on strong as the years click bye and elections departments need to keep in mind these changing demographics that on Miami Beach Friday was very evident as well as in Coconut grove and Coral Gables and somewhat less so at the Miami Regional Library in west Dade. Since last week I was going to multiple early voting sites around the county.

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 and Portilla brings his new family into the campaign ads

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 at 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.

And Diaz de la Portilla is running ads with his new family since he has remarried

And is now emphasizing his family and family values but his brothers Alex and Renier are colorful people who have had a variety of controversies and the incumbent senator is trying a new image in this political contest.

>>> 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

>>>> Commissioner Jordan breathing life into the IRP, county’s $100,000 funding for task force work group on how to create body with independence coming from commission’s Auditor’s department, will include three members picked by the PBA

“I just want to get it done,” said County Commissioner Barbara Jordan on creating a working group task force to study the best way to create an Independent review Panel, (IRP) dissolved during the great recession when budgets were tight. She wanted the panel to include three members picked by the Police Benevolent Association and also members picked by the League of Women Voters, Save Dade and a member from the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) suggested by Daniella Levine Cava and the effort is to make the panel as nonpolitical as possible and above “reproach,” said Commissioner Estephan Bovo, Jr., at Tuesday’s commission meeting. Funding for staff, and a future IRP is $100,000 which was found in the Commission Auditor’s budget after Chief Auditor Charles Anderson passed suddenly last year and his replacement has yet to be found. However, The IRP which hears residents’ complaints from police to a host of other issues was hated by PBA head John Rivera and he crossed swords with the old IRP many times, sometimes complaining about the body to commissioners and Bovo wanted to be sure in earlier discussions that law enforcement knows “we have their backs,’ he has said in the past. And Jordan hopes to get the recommendations in the next 90 days and the county commission will review the matter again, she said Tuesday.

What about Commissioner Juan C. Zapata’s term on the body that is winding down at the end of the month. Zapata during his four years in office has focused on infrastructure of many projects the county does but cannot maintain the facilities. He also wanted his district 11 in the west Dade to get its fair share of county funding that has lagged over the years and he is being followed into office by former commission Chair Joe Martinez who after 10 years in office was termed out and he lost his race to be county mayor to Carlos Gimenez.

Zapata a contrarian to how the county has operated in the past was a good member on the body and the former state representative bought a new perspective to his District 11 seat and has fought hard for his western Dade community that faces horrendous traffic if someone wants to go downtown and will be missed on the body and the Miami Chamber of Commerce Wednesday gave him a shout out and he brought a different perspective on how County government worked and drew attention to internal administrative costs and procurement issues.

And an employee of Miami-Dade County Clerk Harvey Ruvin was arrested by the OIG for credit card fraud and to read the report go to http://www.miamidadeig.org/newsreleases2016/IG15-02%20Thompson%20Plea%20%20Sentence%20Memo%209%2015%2016.pdf

>>> 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, judge threw out the case and she wants an elected elections supervisor

Past WDR: 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 last week?

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. And the argument was rejected by the courts but she is now calling for Miami-Dade County to have an elected Supervisor of Election like the other 57 counties in Florida and given some of the election problems in Broward County. Such an office is no panacea and just creates another office that politicians can run for whether they have the qualifications or not as was seen with Miriam Oliphant who after a couple of botched elections was removed from office by then Gov. Jeb Bush. But after this legal setback Regalado seems to have found another issue to keep her name in the spotlight after Tuesday’s General Election and her race for mayor that has incumbent Mayor Carlos Gimenez posting a record campaign war chest that dwarfs her own fundraising efforts.

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 $9 billion 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 Mathew 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.

GMCVB press release: During the month of September 2016, passengers through PortMiami reached record levels and increased by +23.9 percent compared to the previous 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.

Record PortMiami Passengers

>>> 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 Rudy Moise, D.O. 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 Commissioner 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

>>>> A Cutler Bay athletic teacher arrested for stealing funds from students for years OIG report finds

And here is the report http://www.miamidadeig.org/2016MDCPS/SB1516.1002CutlerBayArrest.pdf

>>> 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 Nov… 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.”

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 taxpayers better hold on to their wallets as leaky rusted police evidence trailer has 564 cases compromised from homicides to suicides, will be a wok program for suing attorneys and calls into question the integrity of all these cases and is another unacceptable Miami moment that will have legs

What the heck is going on at the City of Miami Police Department that has a rusty leaky trailer as the evidence room for some 564 cases including homicides and suicides compromised because of exposure to the elements under the 1-95 underpass near police headquarters and was exposed by blogger Al Crespo and to read the disturbing story go tohttp://www.thecrespogram.com/miamis-police-chief-and-city-manager-need-to-be-fired-mobile-.html

>>>>The 35 King Mango Strut is coming to Coconut Grove on Saturday Dec. 31 at 2:00p.m. And the organization is getting $10,000 in funding from the Miami Exhibition and Sports Authority (MESA) and the item passed at a past MESA meeting that the Watchdog report covered. And the zany parade is a real tourist draw with media from around the world covering the satirical show that lampoons political leaders and others.

What about potential lawsuits against Miami?

While the city is flush with some $200 million in reserves Miami taxpayers better hold on for attorneys are salivating at the lawsuits they will be able to bring and given the condition of the container this neglect may have come while Johnny Martinez was city manager because the determination and rust is significant. However, this kind of neglect is almost criminal and defendants cannot be cleared or correctly charged for some of these violent crimes and this kind if dereliction of duty and responsibility to Miamians is beyond belief and since this kind of stuff still surfaces it must not be condoned for taxpayers and the code of justice for all deserves better as the city fills its coffers with traffic congestion and overdevelopment.

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.

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

>>> New title at Beach City Hall helps people navigate their government mayor and commission have a Director of First Impressions, a welcome sign first seen at Baptist Health South Florida

The Office of the Mayor and Commission has a great new tag line with the receptionist having a card that says Jacqueline Velazquez is the Director of First Impressions and it is a welcome title for people trying to navigate local government and I first saw the line at South Miami Hospital owned by Baptist Health South Florida and these first impressions especially with government are important in the 34 municipalities in Miami-Dade.

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. >>> 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

>>> 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.

 
>> 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