Watchdog Report Vol, 17 No. 30 December 18 EST: 05.05.00 – I go when you cannot – celebrateing 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 17 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. Red Alert 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 invoices and 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.

>>> Clarification: The Baptist Health South Florida charity care number last week is from AHCA and does “not include bad debt,” I apologize for any confusion.

 
ARGUS REPORT- Heard and seen on the street
 

>>> Trump tamps down “lock her up rhetoric,” continues to bash mainstream media, for getting race so wrong and humble should be the retrospection, PRC and drone issue just keeping Face, a critical component into what Middle Kingdom’s culture, Trump tamps down “lock her up rhetoric continues to bash mainstream media, for getting race so wrong and humble should be the retrospection, PRC and drone issue just keeping Face, critical component in what Middle Kingdom thinks, ignored at our peril  

 

President-Elect Donald J. Trump got a wake-up call last week after he made a call to the President of Taiwan and China this week captured a navy drone and negotiations are going on to get the device back that was doing environmental studies in the South China sea, near the contested area in the Philippines.

 

And Hillary Clinton is trying to blame the Russian hacking of the DNC for her loss in the race  against Trump and  in Orlando Trump backed off his rhetoric when the crowd at a rally started to chant “lock her up,” a frequent refrain when he ran against her and it appears he is trying  to walk back and tamp down some of his past remarks about the former secretary of state that so appealed to many of his supporters and Trump who is a neophyte when it comes to foreign policy will soon realize every act he does on the international scene will have blowback and Obama in his final press conference Friday suggested Trump until his teams together take congratulatory phone calls only, but be cautious and learn the issues and how America got to them and while people thought Obama would declare some response to the Russian hacking, Obama essentially said to Putin “stop it,” because we “can do that to you.”  And its role in Trump getting elected at the last press conference of Obama. And Clinton in a phone call to DNC leaders believes there was a ‘clear line,’ with Vladimir Putin because when she as secretary of state Clinton called out the Russian elections in 2011 saying they ‘were rigged,’ and Putin faced turbulence with his fellow Russians and something no political leader needs.

 

What about China capturing the navel drone, calling the pick-up a navigational issue and allows country to keep Face a critical part of Chinese cultural psyche?

 

And in the case of The Middle Kingdom. The capturing of a non- sensitive drone was pushing their sphere of influence and the area has been in dispute with the Philippines that has only gotten more intensified with China after creating an island that could get militarized http://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-us-navy-drove-appropriately-handling-incident/ and allow China to protect their interests. With diplomates from the two countries have come to the negotiating table and it appears the drones are coming back. However, with the Chinese saying they were concerned it could be a ‘navigation hazard,’ and this allows the nation to keep Face. Which  is a paramount cultural trait,  and here is a very extensive  explanation of “Saving Face,” and if you don’t understand the concept  it  will hamper your understanding of The People’s Republic OF China (PRC) http://www.china-mike.com/chinese-culture/understanding-chinese-mind/cult-of-face/ And here is another explanation on what it takes to get something done in China and is a must read and flows with after Saving Face http://www.china-mike.com/chinese-culture/understanding-chinese-mind/guanxi/    http://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-us-navy-drove-appropriately-handling-incident/

 

Further with China experiencing five smog red alert days recently the Chinese people are getting tired of having to get oxygen for their growing kids and banned from driving their cars in a country that has behemoth traffic congestion.

 

What about the Trump rally last week?

 

Further, Trump at a rally in Mobile Alabama said “no one had worked harder,” and then mocked the press for so blowing the election and dismissing Trump. However, Trump won Florida, then it was North Carolina and “I spent peanuts,” on the campaign and the press carped, “Donald Trump is not spending enough, and Trump cited again “the cost overrun of  the stealth “F-35 delayed and over budget.”  He also ticked off the states the media was wrong on New Hampshire “when you spend less money and you win,” that’s “great and the press,” says of Pennsylvania, “the bride got away,” since Pennsylvania is never going to elect. A Republican which he carried. And “Breaking news Trump wins in Wisconsin,” and they spent $7 million and fireworks don’t work if you lose.” “We offered to buy them out for five cents on the dollar,” but PA was called at 3:00 p.m. “They shattered that blue wall. It was shattered,”

 

Then the media announced, Trump has won Wisconsin and Michigan and could never get to the needed 269 electoral votes needed. The media said I would never get there never got above 269, he said. Further, ”There is no path for Clinton to the presidency, said Trump during his thank you tour and continued to slam the slanted press that totally blew it, And only Chuck Todd the moderator of CBS Face the Nation said he thought the media might “get a little more humble, after such misreading of the General Election that had Clinton almost in a lock but she believes the hacking and the FBI memo from the director added more mystery to the issue of classified emails on her private server.

 

Your days are over for drug dealers,” Trump said who are killing our kids,” “I am going to keep radical terrorists out  and there will be “extreme vetting,” “ethics reforms and we face many challenges  and his closing remark was “never give up,” saying  he considered it four or five times,” he said to the fired up GOP crowd.

 

What about Trump’s cabinet picks?

 

Who knew someone like Rick Perry was pushing wind power in Texas and during one campaign known as the “oops,” moment which was when he forgot the name of the EPA that he wanted to abolish and was created during the Nixon administration and is a key fire wall in the protection of the environment and people’s health. And when people ask me what I think of Trump who will probable win the Electoral College Monday that has many trying to get the College to revolt and not confirm Trump who lost the popular vote yet won the College and the nation is in uncharted waters and as one Trump supporter said “lets if he does what he says he will do.”

 

>>>> Will salt water crocs become a hazard for Shake-a Leg in the future?

 

Further, there is a pair of salt water Crocodiles in Dinner Key and the reptiles are living on an island used by shake-a leg and people are wondering if they pose a threat and maybe mating. Normally they shy but if they get hit they will bite 

 

What about President-Elect Donald Trump?

 

Trump is still deciding his cabinet and some of his choices are sending howls in parts of the foreign policy community and with environmentalist. Who are aghast but the billionaire businessman, picking some unorthodox people and it remains to be seen what transpires during the confirmation hearings in the U.S. Senate. Though the GOP has 52 seats enough to carry a Trump nomination and the nation with this man is in uncharted waters and the Democratic Party is trying to re build after the drubbing in the general election but in fighting is still occurring and the party has to rebuild its bench and here in Florida only one Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. has a statewide profile and he minority party has some soul searching to do to stay relevant in the world of politics.

 

What about the Coconut Grove Playhouse new master plan proposed?

 

The County’s Cultural Affairs department held a town hall meeting Thursday night in the 1,000 seat auditorium at Ransom Everglades school and presented the proposed master plan for the iconic Coconut Grove Playhouse shuttered in 2006 and vandalized including at one point a homeless encampment inside,  water intrusion and mold and the facade can be saved but the former silent movie theater must be gutted and a 300 seat facility created and another possible 1,000 seat theater if funding becomes available and would be part of FIU and run by GableStage.

 

However, preservationists question some of the architectural assumptions and their will clearly be a battle for the final concept that must “be on time and in budget,” said Spring who has $20 million in GOB funding tucked into a $1.2 billion countywide bond, for a host of projects including $160 million for the Frost Museum of Science.

 

Any surprises?

 

One of the key principles of getting the state to transfer the ownership of the theater back from the state was former state Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami, now the. Lt. governor of Florida and the man said there was a deadline to break ground by 2022 or it would revert back to the state, and be sold as a state asset and surplus property and he indicated there should not be any “retail or restaurants,” he said included in the master plan and includes a five story parking garage with a liner and would have some 30 lofts on top.  And to see the plans go http://www.miamidadearts.org/coconut-grove-playhousehttp://www.miamidadearts.org/coconut-grove-playhouse

 

But what is clear is the plan is still in flux

 

And the Playhouse also has a foundation, and Spring said the goal was to have a ‘flagship regional theater and such a facility “would keep local talent here, said the cultural maven to the public. He said a “thorough study of the historical nature,” of the Playhouse has been done and the county even has a “cost estimator,” to make sure it stays in budget after the Playhouse closed in its 50^th year. And for an update go to http://www.miamidadearts.org/coconut-grove-playhouse

The Miami Herald did a story on the future fate of the iconic Coconut grove Playhouse something that the County has been working on for years and includes $30 million in 2004 GOB bond funding and while the exterior façade can be saved much of the interior is unsalvageable given the condition of the roof and kids skateboarding and hanging out inside the facility years ago. Once, I saw some kids coming out of aside entrance door on Main Highway and I wrote about it back then. And for more go to: and the WDR first broke the state deadline last week and the clock is still clicking http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/coconut-grove/article118604468.html

 

What about the Knight Arts Challenge winners, includes Miami Herald Photag Juste, and guitars not guns bringing south Florida together through the arts?

 

The John S. & James L. Knight Foundation announced its Knight Art Challenge winners and it is a host of organizations that help bring diverse South Florida together through the arts and some winners include guitars over guns and the award winning The Miami Herald photographer Karl Juste and the photog after the Haitian earthquake caught the horror of the event on the people of Haiti and the WDR gives him a tip of the hat for risking his life in that environment. And people should remember just in the last year some 81 journalist were killed last year, and for more on the Knight winners go to www.knightarts.org

 

>>> Press release: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Supports Granting Congressional Gold Medal to Our Nation’s Intelligence Professionals during World War II

 

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27) made the following statement after passage of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Congressional Gold Medal Act. Ros-Lehtinen, a co-sponsor of the House version of the bill and a member of the Intelligence Committee, proudly honors the brave men and women who, through their diligent work, helped our nation win a crucial war which threatened not only our national security but also our democratic principles and way of life.

 

Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:  

 

“Intelligence professionals were crucial to our nation’s victory in World War II. The men and women of the OSS worked, at great sacrifice, to ensure our country was victorious in a conflict which cost so many American lives. These unrecognized heroes created human intelligence networks and tracked enemy movements in order to help our nation and allies win a long and terrible conflict which cost many American lives. I am proud to commemorate and celebrate their efforts which formed the basis for our modern intelligence community

 

>>> The Status Quo in Libya Is Unsustainable; the Next Administration Must Articulate Clear Objectives to Help Stabilize Libya and Protect Our National Security Interests, Says Ros-Lehtinen, “Libya is more politically divided than ever, its economy is in freefall, terrorist groups and criminals continue to exploit the power vacuum”

 

Press release: U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, made the following statement today at a joint subcommittee hearing entitled, “Libya Five Years after Ghadafi.” Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:

 

“December 17th marks the one year anniversary of the Libyan Political Agreement, making this an opportune time to review the administration’s policy on Libya. When this administration first participated in the intervention in Libya in 2011, many of us expressed concern with the administration’s lack of clearly articulated objectives, a post-intervention plan, or even an explanation about how it fit U.S. national security interests. Many of our worst fears have come to fruition, as more than five years after Ghadafi’s death, Libya is embroiled in a difficult civil war that shows no sign of abatement. If anything, it has only gotten worse since the UN-brokered agreement.

 

Libya is more politically divided than ever, its economy is in a freefall, terrorist groups and criminals continue to exploit the power vacuum. Multiple governing entities and their allied militias and armed forces compete for power, while the UN-backed unity government, known as the Government of National Accord, remains unable to provide basic security and basic services to the people of Libya. Criminals and terrorist groups, including ISIS, al-Qaeda and so many others, take advantage of the chaos, securing their own territory and using Libya as a launching pad for smuggling, for human trafficking, for terror attacks – endangering Libya’s neighbors such as Egypt and Tunisia. Libya is now the main transit point for migrants trying to reach Europe, and with little border security or governance, many are rightly concerned by the potential of terrorists reaching our own shores. While reports say that forces are close to retaking Sirte from ISIS, we should not allow this news to disguise the sad reality: ISIS’s presence in Libya is far from being eliminated. ISIS, al-Qaeda, Ansar al-Sharia – the group responsible for the 2012 Benghazi attack – as well as others, all continue to maintain cells throughout the country.

 

In a positive development, I was relieved to see the announcement last month that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was able to remove Libya’s remaining chemical weapons equipment. Another welcome development, if accurate – if accurate – is the reported killing by French airstrikes of the Algerian jihadist known as the “one-eyed terrorist.”  He is said to be responsible for organizing terrorist attacks in Libya, Algeria, and Mali – so many other places – and had funneled millions of dollars to al-Qaeda.

 

France’s airstrikes highlight the stakes that many outside actors have in Libya. Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and others continue to support Khalifa Haftar, the former Libyan National Army general who recently claimed victory in Benghazi and who was just in Moscow discussing Russian military assistance. Reports indicate that at least four countries have Special Forces on the ground in Libya right now, including our own, and, in some cases, are assisting forces on both sides of Libya’s civil war. It also worth noting that in recent months Haftar has seized many of the ports in Libya’s oil crescent which is Libya’s main source of revenue. With additional violence on the horizon, potentially between eastern and western forces, Haftar’s role must be addressed in Libya’s political dialogue – a dialogue that should come sooner rather than later.

 

Since the unity government took up residence in Tripoli in March, it has struggled to provide the kind of basic services and security that could engender the support that it needs in order to consolidate power. And as long as it keeps struggling in the west while its rival governing entities and security forces keep operating and making gains in the east, any chance that the current peace process had at succeeding will continue to be undermined. As we approach the one year anniversary of the Libyan Political Agreement, it is clear that the status quo in Libya is unsustainable and that there must be a new and revitalized attempt at reconciling all Libyan stakeholders. I look forward to hearing from our witness on exactly how the administration is working to help get that peace process back on track, the status of our counterterrorism operations against ISIS and others, and what kind of changes to our Libya policy and assistance we should expect moving forward.”

 

What about President elect- Donald J. Trump?

 

Trump is interviewing and picking his cabinet and his choice for attorney general is causing concern and the left is bumping up the fear and refrain that Trump has to be president to all Americans. But it is his pick of Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Al. as his attorney general is causing a stir and Sessions a former U.S. attorney is conservative did not support don’t ask or tell and he as a captain in the Army reserves and completed his legal studies at the university of Alabama Law Center and was considered a possible vice-president candidate for trump before the businessman picked vice- president elect Mike Pence and civil rights groups are concerned. And for more go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sessions#Political_career

 

And Trump with 4,700 federal appointees will find that anything these people do will be a reflection  on him and his fledgling administration and so far he has not allowed a media  pool like other presidents and the media was banned from his  private jet  and while  he called the race “rigged,” by the “crooked” media he benefited from the Wikileaks leaks and while he thinks he is having a bromance with Vladimir Putin, the real estate developer will find Putin an ex KGB agent in Leningrad is no pushover and is trying to  reestablish Russia’s stature in the world when during  the 1990s The then President Bill Clinton administration wrote the country off as no longer being a Super Power, broke, with rusting aircraft carriers and only after the boom in oil prices in the 2000s did Russia economically come back.

 

What about China?

 

Trump who had tough words for the People’s Republic of China is going to find the Chinese are no pushover either and deal in hundreds of years as it seeks its rightful place on the global scene. And China is introducing its new fighter with the J-20 stealth fighter After the Middle Kingdom hacked into the Pentagon and stole the plans    and for more go to http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/31/asia/china-zhuhai-airshow-j-20/

 

New J-20 with stealth technology.

 

And Trump will soon learn every word he speaks has real consequences as the nation digests how this could have happened and one millennial told me Saturday the race was “rigged,” even though all the polls and pundits had the nation going for Clinton. Who just had too many controversies, the Clinton Foundation and then the emails and people wanted some of that too end. And having her husband Bill campaign so much looking old and tired probable did not help and reminded many voters of his own controversial time in office despite being re-elected and popular. And now people are floating Trump might get indicted because of things at his Trump foundation.

 

Voters were tired of the status quo establishment candidates

 

But the polls and pundits were all wrong and Clinton’s rallies did not have the enthusiasm  as did early challenger Bernie Sanders, I-VT and while he tried to inject that enthusiasm onto Clinton’s campaign it did not occur and voters wanted something new and she admits the FBI Director James Comey’s letter put just another damper on her campaign’s success where many GOP women voted for Trump who also claims global warming and climate change are a Chinese “hoax,” he has said in the past and while he calls for rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure estimated to  cost over $1.8 trillion and where would that money come from given the $18 trillion nation debt mostly held by public institutions retirement funds and Americans.

 

And the nation while experiencing demonstrations must realize we get one president at a time and Obama voters did not turnout and it showed Obama’s Democratic Party base was only wild about him and candidates are like a new car and controversies and scandals are like dings on the candidate and Obama benefited from that when he ran against Clinton and that did not transfer to her and she had a lower turnout among African-Americans and Trump despite his rhetoric carried Hispanic voters and did well with women voters and the Clinton Foundation and  the epic fundraising turned off many people and now Trump has to heal and bring the nation together and Obama was right that he has to be successful for it will make the nation stronger and candidates many times change with the enormity of the office  and both political parties got a major wakeup call and want the senate to end insider stock trading and one of the reasons most senators are millionaires. And parties can no longer force candidates that aren’t’ supported by the base and trump believes social media gave him the edge and that it is “more powerful,” then people realized. And how Trump handles the challenges the office faces. The nation waits with trepidation and fear for some groups and we all will see what his administration believes in and how he welds power. And whether there is diversity in his staff or exclusively Anglo men and the nation does not know since he has never been a public servant or in the military what his governance style will be.

 

>>>October is Rett Syndrome Awareness Month join a strollathon

 

And friend of mine has a daughter with Reyes syndrome and it is a terrible disease that affects young children and for more go to http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/reyes-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20020083 And October is Rett Syndrome Awareness Month and to participate in a  www.strollathon.org/Julianne Espinosa2016  or for more go to www.rettsyndrome.org

 

STATE OF FLORIDA

>>> Gov. Scott drops hammer on CEO of Visit Florida over lack of transparency on $1million contract on beaches of Florida and featured a bevy an attractive women

 

Gov. Rick Scott dropped the hammer on the CEO of visit Florida for not releasing the contract with rapper Pitbull that was said to propriety and the rapper mister 305 is constantly promoting Miami and south Florida but the $1 million contract that included a video was seen as to much for the governor and put Visit Florida in jeopardy Since Scott was upset with the lack of transparency t the tourist agency and he sent a memo clearly stating how he wants the agency run in the future. However, given Pitbull’s popularity and advertisement mavens believe the million dollars were well worth it and it quells a revolt in the legislature.

 

>>>> Leg. Review of state constitution should be watched closely by the public and should be televised

 

With Gov. Rick Scott putting together  a commission to review the Florida Constitution the public needs to keep a watch on this for it is the soul of the state and The District Amendment ( and applies thaw redistricting is done) will be in their sights along with a host of other issues and it is one of those obscure political reviews that can have significant impacts on all Floridians and needs to be watched very closely and the proceedings should be televised so that Floridians can see the process in real time if state lawmakers have the guts to do that though there will be minutes.

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY 

>>> It’s choking us,” said a CITT trustee about the lack of parking at Douglas Station and the two big developments “are in the works, says county transit rep., says it is “temporary,” but what does that mean as metro Rail traffic down

 

“It’s choking us said a Miami-Dade Independent Trust trustee last week, and he was referring to the lack of parking at the Douglas Station, because drivers not using transit are taking the parking slots and the not taking public transportation so other riders can’t park and is the one major complaint he hears. Further, a near bye private schools and business employees, along with construction workers are also using the parking and while these interlopers have gotten citations or parking stickers at $120, a month but it is damping down transit riders. Further, Uber and Lyft have cut into transit ridership said Millard and there are now 29 trolleys thought the county and the CITT may have to  change its charter  written in 20002 And never contemplated such on demand ride services and the smaller cities that have less density.

 

However county transit person Robert Millard responded three major developments are in the works and  coming to two metro stations at Coconut Grove, South Miami and one will embody workforce housing and a parking garage. Further nearby “construction workers are using the parking spaces,” said the CITT trustee. Further, county staff noted that the Okeechobee station may get a large Related Group project as well and these projects are being approved to assist people using public transportation

 

Radio personality Footy gets Dec. 6 Day proclamation from BCC

 

John “Footy,” Kross (which was misspelled on the trailer for the proclamation) got a BCC proclamation on Dec. 6. And who knew the radio personality helped so many organizations especially “the military,’ since whenever Jose “Pepe” Diaz calls him for help. Footy would always say “when and where,’ Further a charity he runs has built a school  in North Dade “giving kids a second chance from ages 13b to 23,” said Commissioner Barbara Jordan during the presentation and it has a cooking school sponsored by Publix and Badia Spices, Inc. and has a host of other studies. And when I first started the WDR Footy out of the blue sent me some of his Wing-Ding sauce used on chicken wings and some other items in August of 2000 including a letter encouraging me to keep at the WDR back then. And it did cheer me up at the time. Mr. Kross you well deserve this award day named in your honor for all you have done to help’ South Florida be a better place.

 

And accolades were given from all the Miami-Dade Commissioners to Footy who was very modest and humble, and County Mayor Carlos Gimenez attended the event as well. And for more on Footy go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHYI-FM

 

>>> Tragically a “rough life on the streets,” claims some 162 people passing on the streets, up from 2014 where 80 passed that year and in 2015, 95 souls passed on the streets “given the rough life on the streets,” says Homeless  Trust Chair Book

 

The Miami-Dade county Homeless trust held its yearly vigil reciting the names of homeless people that died during the year on the Miami streets and it is a solemn affair with a bell rung for each soul that has passed after reading their name and some years the numbers are lower but periodically there are some spikes in the number of deaths over the years and in this current year some “142 souls” passed said trust chair Ron Book  at the trust’s monthly meeting Friday and he detailed the past years numbers to the board members. And in past years 2011 it was 97, 2013 had 100, 2014 was 60 and there is also 104 veterans this year in shelters where the trust helps fund Camillus House and the Chapman Partnership and the trust does this vigil every year and “is a sad commentary,” said Book solemnly. And “two decades ago,” the homeless in the thousands would gather in “Potterfield,” and the trust was created to have a continuum of care and the numbers have dropped dramatically to under 1,000 and has become a national model.

 

What about the County report on women and discrepancies in pay in the workplace released Tuesday?

 

On Tuesday The Miami-Dade Commission will release a report on the economic discrepancies women face in pay and Commissioner Daniela Levine-Cava is eagerly waiting for the study and she discussed it Friday on WPBT 2 Issues, hosted by Hank Mack who is apparently the new moderator.  http://www.wpbt2.typepad.com/issues/

What about the Charter Review Task Force?

 

Levine-Cava also talked about the creation of a County Charter review Task Force something done every year since 2000 and while these have been work programs for the WDR many of the recommendations do not come to fruition with many being killed by the 13 member county commission except for raising the commissioners pay from around $6,000 a year with another $40,000 or so in benefits but voters have rejected any pay raise 9 times and it appears to be a futile effort. But has a number of commissioners carping about the low pay even though they knew what it was and I have called these people disgruntled commissioners and there is a number of them including former state Rep. Sally Heyman and others periodically brig up the issue as well and the salary set in 1957 when the county was incorporated has not changed since

 
GMCVB  press release: RECORD LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY JOBS IN GREATER MIAMI AND THE BEACHES REPORTED FOR NOVEMBER 2016
Greater Miami’s Leisure and Hospitality jobs increased +3.0 percent in November 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, showing the continued strength of the destination’s travel and tourism industry in generating jobs for the community.  “The Miami area remained a top tourist destination and had another great year of job creation,” said Florida Governor Rick Scott in his press release of December 16, 2016.

Record Greater Miami Leisure & Hospitality Jobs
November 2016	November 2015	% Change
139,100	135,000	+3.0%

 

>>>> 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.

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

 

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 MIA?

 

At the County’s Tourism committee Bill Talbert, III, gave a update on the impact of Zika and Hurricane Mathew on tourism a key ingredient for a host of budgets and is a major county revenue stream for a host of cultural facilities and with Brazil one of the major Miami markets the numbers dropped some 28 percent and that decrease was first reported last week by the WDR

 

 What about tourism from Brazil?
The Watchdog Report caught up with MIA director Emilio T Gonzalez Friday and I asked if Zika affected the record passengers passing through MIA and he said with the turmoil in Brazil and now the president is being impeached. He said travelers from that country are down some 28 percent, he considered and MIA is almost a city in its own right and had a record number of passengers and in cargo but this money is needed to service the cost of the expansion of the $6.4 billion facilities debt.

 

What did William “Bill” Talbert, III say about the “headwinds,” hitting tourists levels after Zika and Hurricane Mathew in October said the tourist maven. Further Talbert noted that when one market is down the Bureau ups their game in other markets. Further, Talbert said Argentina was up “16 percent,” and Columbia is growing as well and the first “nine months were a record year through October the tourist maven told commissioners during a tourism committee.

 

What about the art of Black Miami during Basil?

 

Talbert said Art Basil was a major success and there were “25 other shows,” including African American art at the historic lyric theater and black art is ‘exploding,” in the county said Commissioner Dennis Moss at the tourism committee last week and included a black art kick off at the Catalina hotel on the Beach before Art Basil and included a black Art insert in the Miami Herald he noted and these events were well attended.

 

>>>And “The best law firm in town,” says commission Dennis Moss is losing one of its own judge Bolker tapped for court bench

 

Miami-Dade County assistant attorney Alexander Bolker has been elevated to a County Court judge and he was given a proclamation by the county commission and he was the attorney assigned to the CITT that oversees the half-cent sales tax and he will make a good judge.

 

>>> PAST WDR: 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 last 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

 

>>>> School board Audit committee votes on new leadership, was not always the case for community firewall, looking after your tax dollars, Atty. CPA Rayfield McGhee, Jr., Chair, vice-chair Wendelken, CPA, Charters account for “18 %,or 63,000 students” of nation’s fourth largest public schools district

 

The all-important Miami-Dade public Schools Audit and Budget Review committee met and selected its new leadership Tuesday and the committee is the community’s firewall for any wayward projects like buying land on an native Indian burial ground or land owned by a politically connected individually and the effective committee is one of the reasons you don’t see scandals like in the past and the leadership now rotates every two years per school board rules. But years ago when Hank Mack chaired the committee for almost ten years there was a “awkward pause,” when the committee voted a new chair Betsy Amos to take the leadership post but since then every two years it changes and this is good and the committee is made up of CPAs and attorneys.

 

New leadership?

 

And on Tuesday the Audit board elected Rayfield McGee, Jr., Esq., as the chair of the important board and Erick Wendelken, CPA is the vice-chair of the board.

 

What about Charter Schools?

 

The explosion of Charter Schools that offers parents’ choice and have become very profitable for people running them like Academica that manages 39 of the charters said audit staff. Further Supt. Alberto Carvalho noted that Charters student enrollment “reached 63,000 students,” or 18 percent,” of all the district’s enrollment and is a huge number of students and is similar in size to a school region.

 

However, some charters have some unusual practices and there are cases of loans unaccounted for and in one case district Charter School funding was sent to different county which is “illegal,” states a letter from the Florida department of Education. And to read all the agenda and back-up go to and the charter school reports are a great read.

http://mca.dadeschools.net/AuditCommittee/AC_December_6_2016/Agenda.pdf

 

And here is an IG report on stealing, http://www.miamidadeig.org/2016MDCPS/SB1516.1002CutlerBayArrest.pdf

 

And since the district is self-insured when it comes to Medicare fraud the IG 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

 

>>> 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

 

>>>PHT CEO Carlos Migoya updated the Miami –Dade Commission at the Prosperity committee on the progress updating Jackson Health System and its new clinics and was the result of county voters overwhelmingly passing a Jackson Miracle $636 million bond to refurbish the ageing campus with over 12,000 employees and affiliated with the University of Miami Stuart Miller Medical School

 

And does more transplants than any hospital in the nation and most of it is cutting edge medical care, yet is available to the public augmented by a half-cent sales tax that generated some $251 million, based on transit revenue numbers and is a similar number for JHS

 

>>> Miami-Dade BCC taps Rev. Walter T. Richardson as new trustee, “works hard,” says Commissioner Moss

 

The Rev. Dr. Walter Richardson was confirmed by the county commission Tuesday to be new trustee on the seven member PHT board chaired by Joe Arriola and he is a “hard worker,” said county commissioner Dennis Moss and the man was appointed to the Community Relations board where his leadership has helped deal with a host of issues over the years. The man is an adjunct professor in religion at St. Thomas University and is the Chaplin of the Miami-Dade County police Department and has been a calming community voice yet an advocate and is a good choice for the PHT board and he was at the last all day PHT committee meeting.

 

>>> Jackson South new trauma center gets busy over the weekends provides top notch trauma medical care for South Dade residents

 

The Trauma Center at Jackson South Community hospital is getting very busy on weekends and the new center is a community jewel with some of the best Trauma surgeons in the nation and when it first opened the state questioned if it was needed since Kendall regional also has a trauma center as well but this new location is busy on weekends and is much appreciated.

 

>>> Jackson Health System to open new renovated primary care clinic in lobby of Stephen P. Clark Center, Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.

 

Press release: We know that Miami-Dade County employees are true believers in the power of public services like Jackson Health System. We are proud to be re-introducing one of our specialized programs designed especially to serve them: the Downtown Medical Center in the lobby of the Stephen P. Clark Center.

 

The Downtown Medical Center has been recently renovated and upgraded to provide primary care services that are convenient for County employees, including both scheduled appointments and walk-in care. The center will continue operating from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

 

The physicians and staff at the Downtown Medical Center represent the same high level of expertise that you have come to expect from Jackson’s programs and facilities across Miami Dade County, and we know many County employees take advantage of these services near their homes and other work sites. Our centralized electronic medical record means we can provide a seamless experience regardless of which Jackson facility they choose. To celebrate this evolution in the center’s mission, please join us for a ribbon-cutting on Tuesday, November 15 at 9 a.m., with thanks to Chairman Jean Monestime for accommodating this reception.

 

>>> 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

 

>>> The 2017 mayoral race will be contentious but will candidates Suarez & Carollo remember why they are running or will mayoral perks be the reason. —heads would roll in private sector, “says Carollo to manager after police evidence contaminated in leaky moldy trailer, 11 guns missing from Homicide evidence room warned by Miami attorney not to discuss, causes a call for manager Alphonso to be fired saved after 2-3 vote but has to be super majority,

 

“Heads would roll,” carped Miami Commissioner Frank Carollo regarding the revelation that the Miami Police Department evidence room was contaminated and will subject the city with a host of legal cases, and Carollo said the city’s attorney Victoria Menéndez advised him not to discuss the issue in public given the legal ramifications and was brought to light by blogger Al Crespo and has attorneys lining up to sue the city an also includes the loss  of a number of guns  and the commission had an extensive discussion on whether  to fire Miami Manager Daniel Alphonso and commissioner Wilfredo Gort, and Suarez noted with the current form of government “It is not easy to work with commissioners,” Further Commissioner Ken Russel noted “there was an agenda error,” relating to puppy mills legislation he was proposing and the city has to tighten-up its act, if they want to pass a GOB in the future.

 

What did blogger Al Crespo say to commission Chair Keon Hardeman?

 

Crespo a frequent critic of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado’s administration said commissioners were wrong and not “Democratic,” when they discussed speeders on the South Grove streets after numerous people talked at the beginning of the meeting seeking some remediation measures like having residential streets be changed to only 20 m.ph. But they then went back to the discussion in the late afternoon after all the speakers had left and had commissioner Francis Suarez questioning the commission procedures trying to prevent this disconnect that Hardeman said was not the intention in the back and forth exchange. And at one point looked like he might cut him off but that did not happen and Al made his point. And to red Crespo go to www.crespogram.com

 

What about Miami Commissioner Frank Carollo?

 

Miami Commissioner Frank Carollo is mulling whether he should run for mayor next year since , Tomas Regalado is termed out and he will likely face Commissioner Francis Suarez who wants to follow in in his father’s footsteps Xavier  Suarez as mayor and Suarez years ago beat the elder Joe Carollo but the race was voided after one dead voter Manuel Yip, cast a ballot but the elder Suarez was never implicated or charged but the whole affair was tumultuous and gave Miami a major black eye and might explain why the younger Suarez is working the political circuit and showed up at the Miami-Dade School board meeting for the creation of student “safe zones,” that are being pushed to keep kids out of the line of violence that has been plaguing parts of Miami’s inner cities where young people have been getting  killed almost daily and has been vexing for local leaders to correct including a bullet missing a  child in a portable at Francis Tucker Elementary and had Supt. Alberto Carvalho saying this is totally unacceptable and had school  officials promising to redouble their efforts to stop this student carnage.

 

What about the sergeant of arms for Suarez?

 

Apparently Suarez the Younger felt he might be threatened for he had one of the commission’s sergeant-of-arms in tow and the job title was created when now deceased Commissioner Arthur Teele, Jr. was commissioner and it was in reaction to then Miami  Mayor Joe Carollo having a Israeli Masood bodyguard back in 2000 and most commissioners use them sparingly except for former commissioner Marc Sarnoff who acted like the detectives were Uber and he used them constantly to get to events including a past Art Basil where he noted how he and his wife Teresa were driven right to the front since the officer has a blue light a badge and gun and had him saying how easy it was to see the show while the average folks had to walk in the rain back then. And his wife Teresa has been MIA since her lost election to Commissioner Ken Russell.

 

And I bring up the use of the sergeants. Since I saw Suarez the younger at Versailles meeting with a group of people including Marc Sarnoff and some lobbyists Richard Perez including Mathew Greer now going to federal prison for three years for a affordable housing scheme that had him paying millions in restitution to the federal government while he pocketed millions. And Geer the scion to a prominent family that included his father Bruce and Evelyn a former mayor of Pinecrest and a past school board member who lost reelection to Dr. Lawrence Feldman now the board chair.

 

And Miami taxpayers should get ready for contentious elections next November and zip hope the candidates keep in mind why they are running for office and not an ego issue and cuts back on some of the perks like all the gifts that come into City Hall on Christmas and since some of the candidates are relatives Suarez the senior is always referencing his son, and both men Suarez and Carollo earned nicknames like` “crazy Joe” or  Mayor Loco in Suarez’s case and voters should ask themselves if they want political dynasties or new blood on the five member commission that continues to take hits though finally solvent with some $120 million in reserves which was not always the case when the elder Suarez and Carollo were mayors.

 

>>> Miami PD to get Ar-15s for active shooter situations, small caliber bullet can penetrate body armor many times worn by active shooters

 

The Miami Police department’s officers will be getting new rifles including the Bush master similar to a AR-15 since some situations put officers in a situation where they need the extra firepower and having the police chief citing the San Bernardino incident, Pulse and others tragic shootings from around the country. And here is more on the rifle that some3.5 million are estimated in circulation.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/crime/2013/01/02/gun_control_ar_15_rifle_the_nra_claims_the_ar_15_rifle_is_for_hunting_and.html And 59 police officers were killed in 2016 and is why the chief is suggesting this new hardware escalation.

 

>>> 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 $220 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.

 

>> 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

 

>>> Long time Miami Beach activist Del Veechio publishes fascinating memoires called “City Streets, the aviator has intriguing story to tell

 

Longtime community activist and community leader Frank Del Vecchio has a new book called “City Streets, “and it is a memoir of the naval aviators life after graduating from Harvard law and it is a great read and explains why he became so involved in local politics and at the Pensacola naval aviation school he roomed with Donald Rumsfeld and the man has had a very full life in public service and Miami Beach residents should check it out

 

>>> Convention Center naming Mohammed Ali Way ironic for some African Americans, since fighter had to leave Beach by 5:00 p.m., and stayed at Historic Hampton House in Overtown after gym workout

 

Some friends of mine that are African American think it is ironic the city of Miami Beach named a roadway after famed boxer Mohammed Ali since back in the 1960’s Ali had to leave the beach by 5:00 p.m. and he had to stay at the historic Hampton house in Overtown back then when Florida was segregated.

 

>>> While president-elect Trump says Climate Change is a “Chinese hoax,” octopus in water in Miami Beach parking garage says otherwise, more sea creatures on land expected in the future! Beach cleared of Zika zones says state

 

An octopus was found in a Miami Beach parking garage and brings home climate change and global warming and experts say to expect more creatures from the seas to be seen on land and while the city is trying to mitigate the sea level rise damage that has fish coming through gratings when the King tides hit as last week demonstrated and the moon was closer than it had been for years and for more go to http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/miami-beach/article115688508.html

 

>>> 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. Zika zone lifted by state

 

COMMUNITY EVENTS

 

 

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

 

>>>> Now open http://www.margulieswarehouse.com/#/home

 

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

 
> 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 305-434-9560www.dwntwnartdays.com

 

EDITORIALS

 

>>> Braman op-ed on hate in America is spot on, when one person loses to hate, we and our nation all lose, and what group will be next?

 

Norman Brahman in a speech  believes there is no place for hate in our America, and hateful symbols and attacks on minorities and religions are up in a frightening way and cuts across all ethnic lines and is an insidious and corrosive force in our society and is something that spreads like a cancer when it comes to them people or my people and here in Miami Dade there is a similar undercurrent and the auto magnet spoke at a function honoring Mike Fernandez for his efforts to try to blunt Trump’s rise and the strong divisive language he and his supporters were using and Fernandez took a gutsy and bold stance that others passed on.

 

And Braman is right hate breeds nothing good and when one group’s liberty is gone all of us are at risk, and president elect Trump has to deal with this deep divide and quell fanaticism for the very Republic could be at stake and the Great Experiment could come to an end. For Hate and bigotry is an equal opportunity message and when the blow torch of hate turns on you, its scorched earth policy will only cause the bleak charred remains of how special America was and hopefully people will fight this viscous racism and hateful acts. And to read his complete editorial go to: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article120067443.html

 

>>> Next week the story of how Jungle Island got created and the political connections

 

With Jungle Island being transferred to new investors in the coming weeks I will do an extensive story on how the initial deal came about and how a report to HUD for a $25 million loan the assumption was all the cruise ship passengers would then come to the attraction. However that did not pan out nor did the over 200 jobs that were supposed to be created but was pushed through the County commission back then and had the county for years paying the HUD interest payments and in many ways this project was doomed to failure but politically connected people were able to pull it off. And the facility when financial projections were based on almost every cruise tourist going or the attraction and that never materialized.

 

>>> After 564 cases compromised in Miami police wet and rusty evidence trailer, law suits will fly along with the miss-justice of Miami residents, what will final bill be?

 

Miami police rusted and leaky evidence trailer of contaminated evidence in 564 cases will cost taxpayers big time and denies justice in homicides and suicides

 

The contamination of Miami Police Department evidence  raises the question can Miami govern itself and provide justice as was the cases with the 564 criminal cases ranging from homicides and suicides  and is totally unacceptable that this was allowed to happen and police leadership must raise the bar for these kind of disasters just continue and after all the lawsuits it will make it more difficult for the city to pay more in police salaries because the law suits could result in real stiff settlements and frankly one can barely believe this was allowed to happen in an American city and Mayor Tomas Regalado has to raise the bar of performance and put an end to this. Since ‘Miami still stumbles through one disaster after another and shows a real house cleaning has to be done because it just keeps happening and an audit turns out to be bogus and why  did the blogger Al Crespo http://www.thecrespogram.com/story-page-mobile-.html  have to discover it. Which actually makes it worse and police leadership better get this cleared up and resolved quickly for it taints the whole arrest process and gives the impression that the city is an ongoing criminal enterprise and residents and taxpayers deserve much more of Miami if it is to continue to exist. Which something like this puts into doubt? And must end if the City is to survive and not have a citizens revolt something that has been percolating in some parts of the city.

 

>>> 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 2001 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. *************************************************************************

 

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