Watchdog Report Vol.18 No. 25 November 19, 2017 – EST 05.05.000 – I go when you cannot – Celebrating 18 Years of reliable Weekly publishing

>>> I know people’s pocket books are strained and in my case I lost 8 days of fundraising. Given the Vegas massacre and flattened Puerto Rico. I feel embarrassed asking for monetary help my fiscal position should be better but right now I am facing my own big issue and hope you would consider helping and to make a contribution go http://paypal.me/WatchdogReport

What about the make Miami better community discussion?      

This past week was a continuation of my struggle to keep the community informed and when it comes to a community discussion of how we can make Miami better.

I would submit that these community discussions are on the whole based on many times inaccurate or no information and that has been one of the problems I have talking with people and their lack of knowledge is widespread and we see it in voter apathy and lack of public participation at public meetings and when it comes to better and more ethical government having a member of the media changes the dynamics of citizens performance on public boards and even a camera flash gets people’s attention and if county government is only 1 percent more efficient that is a big deal since national IG’s estimate that is the case with many government entities. Further, I listen to people 24/7 from the County’s Community Relations Board (CRA) first created in 1992 as well as commission meeting speakers and for most people they do not have the time to know their political actors and the policies they might support and I wish this community dialogue the best but in many cases you are going against the tide when it comes to the public and their knowledge of their governance.

To host a conversation go to http://miamifoundation.org/my-miami-story-conversations-to-bring-thousands-together-to-talk-about-common-local-experiences-on-october-17/

Further government has come out of its dormant period and woke up in October when all the public budget meetings are held. And I will back in action next week with fresh news on how your billions in local public dollars are being spent and how your elected leaders are protecting your community tax dollars and why I cover the public schools Audit and budget review committee the community’s firewall made up of citizens and most have CPA qualifications, but was not the case a decade ago.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And to donate to my pay Pal account go to http://paypal.me/WatchdogReport that accepts most credit cards in a secure site found and if you can help keep me out in the field especially with all the new GOB bonds passed by JHS, M-DCC public school district and needs to be kept watch on, and I am one of the few press that covers these important oversite boards watching how your public billions are being spent. Further, as I close in on my 18^th year of weekly publishing. I think I have established myself and hope to continue for many more years with your support. Micro Soft has given my Pay Pal account a thumbs up and dropped the warning about the site since they thought I was a phisher

 

And here is my philosophy on why I do this?                   

 

This national story ran in all the Tribune papers around the nation and covers the early years of the WDR: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog and sand here is a different versionhttp://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190341_1_ricker-school-board-president-miami-s-first-cuban-american

 

>>> However, I have not used social media effectively to expand my audience with younger leaders trying to make their mark in Miami-Dade County. Further I have interviewed a large number of political candidates from former President Barack Obama, John Huntsman and presidential candidate John McCain, and a host of others since 2000 after Miami’s election fiasco back then.

 

>>>And having a member of the press at public meetings gives teeth to the Florida Sunshine Law and open meetings tape recorded keeps good governance in place and reduces waste fraud and abuse, and public corruption, and is why you don’t speed in front of a state trooper for example. >>>> Further the www.watchdogreport.net  in South Florida is an established news service presence, because most people are too busy to go to these important meetings. That is why my motto is ‘I go when you cannot.’

 

>>> Further, I am very efficient since I work alone and all the information comes through me as a central point allowing me to see things at a 100 mile altitude and being an early warning system when projects have overruns or other issues. But my job is to sound the alarm and I have done so many times over the past years in a host of ways.

 

CONTENTS

 

ARGUS REPORT: President Donald J. Trump got the usual pomp and ceremonies in China, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, Japan press thanks Trump for no harsh rhetoric on N. Korea – Trump will learn some things on 12 day trip to Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam and Philippines, stakes are high in tense South China Sea –Trump administration goes after nation’s opioid crisis, but no extra money- New worry will Japan start to rearm, will add tensions to region, China, and Russia? —Could community transportation dilemma be solved by solar powered self-propelled gondola, air conditioned, and system from Miami to Miami Beach, TPO looking at possible use on beach corridor?

OBITUARY: U.S. District Judge Hoeveler, passes at 95, long friend of the Everglades, will be missed

STATE Of FLORIDA: ‘Is I don’t remember,’ all one has to say too state to avoid prosecution, it worked for Judge Sarah Zabel, husband charged in $150,000 investment scheme, she unaware, home almost in foreclosure.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY: Massive $4.9 billion Water & sewer Re-plumbing has 100 active projects, $129 million or “20 percent,” goes to SBEs says director Sola to BCC — Opioid Task Force, dealing with scourge of overdoes, 33,000 Americans died last year, 3,000 alone in Florida, different treatment than heroin addiction – County’s Opioid task Force says, great need for public detox centers only 20, after state cracks down on pill mills and is exasperating this epidemic.

MIAMI-Dade County Public Schools: federal audit of Friends of WLRN shows fine could range from $1.128 million to $544,000. -District bond workshop Carvalho says $512 million spent, further revenue comes in after bond over could equal $1 billion “over the years,” says Carvalho–

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST: New report on how JHS spending $830 million bond monies, going well –BCC Taps Arriola and Dr. Wayne Steven’s as new PHT trustees– Community Crown Jewel Ryder Trauma Center has its Silver Anniversary last week, only Level 1 public trauma center in Miami-Dade, saves lives daily a community treasure!

CITY OF MIAMI: Some political ghosts from the past show-up at Reyes swearing in, Gonzalez, Hernandez, only Odio missing from removed officials – depending on Florida Supreme Court ruling, city could go “bankrupt,” if courts rule in favor of unions cut in pay, cost could be as high as $200 million, says union rep at commission meeting– Mayor Regalado rides into the sunset in November legacy is a mixed bag, created his own nemesis, Crespogram with some of his patronage hire – See all of Miami’s elected leaders financial disclosure forms for the year

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH: Voters overwhelmingly go with Gelber, follows in his father’s mayoral footsteps

EDITORIALS: Politicians don’t realize voter’s frustration is they are such hypocrites, many times in their own actions Florida Constitutional commission should insist on transparency, not darkness as Sunshine law gets diluted — Most politicians hate the press- Florida needs Sunshine Amendment many municipalizes out of control and get little press coverage or oversight, legislators on wrong side of this one

LETTERS: Commissioner Xavier Suarez on county’s use of half-cent sales tax — Fordham student Ram co-editor Knight intern studying how people get there local news, what about you where do you get your micro local news let us know? ­­— important mission of Lotus Village, helping women and children needs community support

 

>>> Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you. –Pericles (430 B.C.)

 

>>> If you wish to be deleted, just e-mail me with that message.

 

 

>>> 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 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 observe

 

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 newsletter, The Watchdog Report, celebrates its [18^h] 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!”

 

ARGUS REPORT: Heard Seen on the Streets

 

>>> President Donald J. Trump got the usual pomp and ceremonies in China, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, Japan press thanks Trump for no harsh rhetoric on N. Korea

 

Trump is calling his Asia trip a huge success and having lived in Tokyo I thought I would see what the press made of the trip and how the president was fêted, by the officials and while he validated the agreements of self-defense with America and the importance of the naval base in the Philippines, China continues to expand an island in the South China seas and has introduced a giant dredging machine, a technology the nation is dominating and while the trip had social connotations his sudden meeting with Vladimir Putin has been criticized and accepted Putin’s statement that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 election. To see what Japan is saying go to: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2017/11/16/editorials/mixed-reviews-trumps-asia & http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/04/politics/trump-tokyo-asia-trip-shinzo-abe/index.html

 

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article184872028.html

 

What about the new Trump tax plan?    

 

Nonprofits are crying foul with the tax plan and organizations like United Way which has organizations. In every state are expected to fight this lost deduction and it will impact the thousands of NGOs around the nation that play a critical role in filling in social service costs local governments cannot support.

 

Further, these organizations are expected to put up a spirited defense politically against losing the deductions that would also hurt the arts and a host of other organizations like WLRN and PBS.

 

However, with Trump in Japan. The nation is missing a major debate in Japan which is should the country rearm and just have no longer self-defense forces but also offensive weapons systems ending a 1954 ban on offensive weapons and the country a few years ago launched a large aircraft carrier a size last seen in World War II and why this debate is important is Japan and China have a dispute on some islands claimed by Japan and naval ships ply the area and historically when I spent 20 years in Asia the one question most people said no to was. Would you want Japan to rearm (this was back in 1988) and all would respond “absolutely not,” given the country’s history and brutal occupation in many of the countries.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/08/06/japan-unveils-new-carrier-like-warship-largest-in-its-navy-since-world-war-ii.html

 

The Watchdog Report covered the Miami-Dade County public Schools bond workshop and the $1.2 billion bond passed in 2012 and a host of schools have benefited from this capital construction infusion and small and minority subcontractors have benefitted and the OIG just busted a front firm awarded a minority electrical contract and to read the report go to: http://www.miamidadeig.org/Reports2017/FinalReportofInvestigationSB-1516-1006.pdf   And to read the bond documents go to: http://bondsforschools.dadeschools.net/in-the-news.asp

 

>>> North Miami Police Commander Sues City in Whistleblower Civil Rights Lawsuit

 

Press release Ben Kuehne law: North Miami Police Commander Emile Hollant initiated a civil rights lawsuit challenging the City of North Miami’s blatant and outrageous abuse of his constitutional rights. Having served honorably for two decades as North Miami’s first Haitian-American police officer, Commander Hollant will not allow the City to tarnish his highly regarded reputation in its attempt to cover up the truth of the July 2016 police shooting of an unarmed health care worker. Commander Hollant, as he has done his entire life, will work energetically to insure that the truth is revealed and justice prevails. His mistreatment by the City has been nothing short of a scandalous cover-up in retribution against his consistent effort to shine a light on misconduct in the Police Department. He proudly joins with the citizens of North Miami to hold the City and its Police Department accountable for its actions.

 

>>>> District bond workshop Carvalho says $512 million spent, further revenue comes in after bond over could equal $1 billion “over the years,” says Carvalho

 

The reason he issue of minority contracts has been a constant thorn is when the public district did its last bond over a decade ago and many of the contracts went to insiders and failed to stimulate small business enterprises and included buying some land on a Native American burial site or having to spend millions to “demuck,” a piece of land of a connected man. However with the bond Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has been going out of his way to expand that pool of certified minority firms and in the first year and “right these historical concerns,” he told board members and noted their “neck was on the line,” given what they told voters and 150 projects have been completed ‘on time and on budget,” the award winning superintendent just back from Tallahassee said 4512 million has been allocated and another $86 million is out there. Further for the first time with press present he noted there is a “$368 million revenue stream outside the bond,” “equaling $1 billion to spend over the next few years.”

 

What about the handout documents

 

And the school’s IG just released a memo on a straw minority electrical contractor and to read it go: http://www.miamidadeig.org/Reports2017/FinalReportofInvestigationSB-1516-1006.pdf

 

What about the physiological impact of Hurricane Irma on children and the loss of social media?

 

I have talked to a number of physicians I know about the effect of the storm on children and what these physicians said was the profound withdrawal from social media and the community has a great opportunity to study the impact of this social media and its denial among young people and could possible provide some empirical data of the effect how the technology has almost become an addiction for these young people of today and given the size of the potential cohort scientists should study the effects the outage had on our young given the large size of the affected co-hort. And some of our higher education public institutions like FIU should set up a study to see what this denial of social media did to our young people and their level of stress proceeding the storm for it could show what society is facing in the future, given the addicted nature of t-he technology.

 

What about the Coconut Grove Playhouse?

 

The county’s plan for the Coconut Grove Playhouse has landed with a thud and many people are calling it a mix use retail property with a theater and some residents have been fighting the design conceived by the locally politically connected Architectonica firm and people are looking for details on how the firm was selected for that project and under the eye of Michael Spring director of Cultural Affairs at Miami-Dade County. Since many people believe Richard Heisenbottle who has extensive preservation experience and did the city of Miami’s chambers restoration years ago And his final product is seen by commissioners everyday on the chambers and while the county has the $20 million set aside in the 2004 bond passed by voters but all plans have stalled to date and the theater languishes and is essentially becoming demolition by neglect. And I am going to ask about how the firm was selected and if it was a competitive process. Editor’s note: The state will not approve a grant based on the county’s design for its lack of historical integrity and could be a sign for another design since opposition has developed including the power couple with the architectural firm cutting a huge swath of protected mangroves and has stirred the ire of the community.

 

>>> Knight Foundation injects $2.5 million to fact check news

 

The John S. and James L. Knight foundation has committed $2.5 million to organizations fighting fake news and the idea of fake news I believe started when Dan Rather of CBS ran a story on George Bush II that turned out to be wrong and after that mistake broke a republican candidate when I was interviewing said “are you going to Rather me?” I joked back you want me to FOX you instead and that blunder on Rathers part started the ball rolling and then Brian Williams added to the fire when he embellished his military coverage and saying he had been under fire which was not true.

https://knightfoundation.org/press/releases/knight-foundation-announces-major-trust-media-and-democracy-initiative-to-build-a-stronger-future-for-journalism

https://knightfoundation.org/press/releases/knight-foundation-announces-major-trust-media-and-democracy-initiative-to-build-a-stronger-future-for-journalism

 

Further, Knight has donated $2 million for relief in Caribbean nations destroyed by Irma and hurricane recovery. For ore go to: https://knightfoundation.org/press/releases/knight-foundation-donates-2-5-million-for-hurricane-recovery-in-puerto-rico-u-s-virgin-islands

 

The Miami arts and culture community has grown considerable and Adolpho Henriques told Miami-Dade County commissioners that the arts in the county need a “permanent,” revenue stream and for every one dollar $32.000 comes into the community. He said some 300 studies have shown that the arts generates some $1.43 billion in economic impact and the Adrianne Arsht Center recently gave free tickets to some 2,700 public school fifth graders students. And exposure to the arts has grown the cultural community from the Walls of Wynwood to a host of other areas seeing a resurgence. County Commissioner Dennis Moss told the banker that through their work there has been “a profound impact [and in the past], the county was a cultural wasteland,” versus the burgeoning arts scene that now competes with Philadelphia, New York and is drawing some 40,000 art tourists to South Florida and seniors get golden tickets to events and the Arsht Center has become a major help in opening the world of the arts up to thousands of students and in the early years Mrs. Arsht would volunteer as an usher and the volunteers at the center save millions in public tax money.

 

Coral Gables Police Chief Ed Hudack is Miami Hurricane coach Mark Richt’s personal security detail in civilian clothes and the chief recently had a controversy after he was photographed in uniform at a bikini clad officers party he had been invited to and his wife Alena is the former first Miami-Dade County woman manager and is highly respected in the ranks, but in today’s environment everyone be warned a new lens gets put on this type of thing. And here is a media story on the matter https://www.local10.com/news/florida/coral-gables/14-coral-gables-police-officers-say-city-is-ignoring-sexual-harassment-claims-

 

New large monitor is on the loose in Key West and Nile Monitors are already seen in the Village of Pinecrest and to see the monitor in the Keys go to

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/look-large-water-lizard-the-loose-florida-keys/PaOxaKI5wsrcvlwyNoGSPI/

 

Asian monitor

 

>>PAST WDR: Could a vexing community transportation dilemma be solved by solar powered self-propelled gondola, air conditioned, and system from Miami to Miami Beach?

 

>>> A local millennial Cynthia Fleischmann, an artist and someone I know from Switzerland and an active environmentalist came up with the idea of using a solar powered self-propelled, air conditioned gondola from Miami to Miami Beach a barrier Island. And I showed these design renderings to a number of millennials who all said they had, “no problem riding,”   and one person I showed it to said it “was cool,” and two others had the same “cool” comment and of course would have no problem riding in the pod. And the terminal could be near a Metro station located around the old Herald property, if Genting bought into it and given there Asian connection might see the eloquence of the design that would become known around the world for solving a major transportation problem, especially using solar power. Further it could be one of the global iconic views of the Miami and Beach skyline especially at night and given Baylink a wireless street car est. costing $2.44 million, this design could be another creative feature to any mass transit to the beach.

 

Editor’s note: I have no financial interest in the project. But it could be a low cost way to fix a vexing long term community dilemma. Further, this is a guaranteed tourist drawer with families taking the gondola and seeing the Miami skyline. Especially at night and it would put the rusty pelican view of the Miami sky line to shame. But if leaders can think out of the box: http://gondolaproject.com/ Images By Cynthia Fleischmann & Edgar Alvarez

 

 
Out of the box: http://gondolaproject.com/ what do you think Miami Beach?

 

>>>> Update at the County’s” Transportation planning Organization (TPO) is looking at new emerging technologies and one is for the Miami to Beach corridors: And the Watchdog Report contacted TPO vice- Chair Francis Suarez and he responded when asked about the gondola project he wrote back, They’re looking at it, writing, “Yes on the Beach corridor,” wrote the Miami mayoral; candidate.

 

>>> A PBS Channel 2 program called The Crowd and the Cloud documents the thousands of people that are documenting water quality as Citizen Scientists and participants range from retired engineers and scientists and with the EPA budget cuts the local people on site in their community and these people from all around the nation

http://www.pbs.org/video/2365985099/

>>> Connect Miami is a new program trying to get residents to engage with their neighbors and friends to broaden community interaction something that at times may be difficult to do. And for more go to www.connectmiami.org And Many of the events are free.in the future.

 

OBITUARY

 

>>> U.S. District Judge Hoeveler, passes at 95, long friend of the Everglades, will be missed

 

U.S. District Court Judge William Hoeveler, passes at 95, and his rulings and oversight were key in the restoration efforts of the Florida Everglades and the man was frequently seen in his Coconut Grove neighborhood and his common touch served the courts and environment well. And my condolences to his family and friends.

 

STATE OF FLORIDA

 

>>> ‘Is I don’t remember,’ all one has to say to state to avoid prosecution, it worked for Judge Sarah Zabel, husband charged in $150,000 investment scheme, she unaware, home almost in foreclosure

 

In Miami-Dade to avoid being charged all one has to apparently say is ‘I don’t remember [or recall if I signed papers at a bank where a clerk remembers the Circuit Court Judge Sarah Zabel, where is the bank video?]’. Further her husband was charged with a $150,000 fraud charge after he used the proceeds for personal items and keeping a house from going into foreclosure and the jurist says she knew nothing about the deal and failed to even acknowledge if it was her signature on incorporation documents. For more go to:

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article184872028.html

 

>>> Gov. Scott press release: Please see the following statement from Governor Rick Scott regarding State Attorney Aramis Ayala’s failure to meet the deadline for filing a Notice of Intent to Seek the Penalty of Death in the State of Florida’s case against Emerita Mapp.

 

“It is absolutely outrageous that Aramis Ayala failed to seek justice in the case against Emerita Mapp who is accused of attacking multiple people and killing Zackery Ganoe. I have been clear that I stand with the victims of crime and their families and they deserve answers from the State Attorney’s Office on how this critical deadline was not met. I’ll continue to review reassigning cases from her office since she is failing to fight for victims and their families.” – Governor Rick Scott

 

>>> The Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade County continues helping our children thrive in a changing world where a host of obstacles can affect a child’s development.

 

In Miami-Dade County the Children’s Trust continues to have a profound impact on the youth of Miami and the organization gave some 6,686 eye exams and 61 percent of the children received glasses a critical ingredient if a child is too succeed in school back in 2016 and some $15 million went to health and wellness programs. For if a child is sick they will never learn at their highest level. Further the trust that year allowed some 195,000 students at 145 schools “to receive medical assessments, diagnosis, treatment, counselling and referrals,” states the 2016 trust Annual Report and for more on the great services and programs for children the trust runs go to https://www.thechildrenstrust.org/

 

>>>> PAST WDR: With the summer break the Children’s Trust of Miami –Dade has a host of summer activities including getting one free book for a young person and helps with a child’s reading ability. https://www.thechildrenstrust.org/parents/initiatives/read-to-learn-book-club

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

 

>>> Massive $4.9 billion Water & sewer Replumbing has 100 active projects, $129 million or “20 percent,” goes to SBEs says director Sola to BCC

 

A update of the county’s massive Water & Sewer replumbing and the $4.98 billion needed to complete the projects within the 15 year federal consent decree guidelines, where no fines have been assessed by the federal government and rehabilitating of aged pump stations is a central task said WASA Director Lester Solas in charge of running the massive project that has $129 million and some 20 percent of the work going to small businesses in the county said Sola.

 

He noted there are “100 active projects,” including “$215 million in rehabilitating pump stations,” a critical component and when it comes to passing this work to small business enterprises some $129 million has gone to these smaller companies and represents some 20 percent of the business let out said Sola last week.

 
RECORD LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY JOBS IN GREATER MIAMI AND THE BEACHES REPORTED FOR OCTOBER 2017
Greater Miami’s Leisure and Hospitality jobs increased +2.5 percent in October 2017 compared to the same period in 2016, showing the continued strength of the destination’s travel and tourism industry in generating jobs for the community.

Record Greater Miami Leisure & Hospitality Jobs
October 2017	October 2016	% Change
144,700	141,200	+2.5%

 

>>> New continuum of care center coming for homeless with mental issues, JHS involved one stop center

 

The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust along with Jackson Health System is opening a one stop public facility for homeless who qualify for a new diversion program with a mental illness and includes many veterans on the streets and is an old facility previously used by the state but it will offer a continuum of care and was briefly discussed at the trust board meeting Friday. The whole community has been seeking ways to resolve the mental health issues of the homeless now drawing in people with opioid addiction and a drop of fentanyl can kill and many times is cut with cheap yellow Mexican heroin that appeared years past and is causing thousands of overdoses and the city of Miami spent $150,000 in procuring the miracle drug NarCan that can revive a overdosed person almost immediately and these people cut across all ethnic lines and the issue was discussed Sunday on “This Week in South Florida,” and to see the show go to https://www.local10.com/this-week-in-south-florida/this-week-in-south-florida-oct-29

 

>>> And here is a broader explanation on the new facility Health System – Public Health Trust.

 

“Progress is being made to create a first of its kind mental health diversion and treatment facility which will centralize, coordinate, and provide a seamless continuum of care for individuals, including homeless individuals, who are frequent and high cost users of taxpayer funded services in the criminal justice and acute care treatment systems. South Florida Behavioral Health Network, Inc., DCF’s Managing Entity for administering state substance abuse and mental health funding in Miami-Dade County, will lead the renovation of a former state forensic hospital in Miami which will bring together community based treatment and social services providers under one roof.

 

The project will include an integrated crisis stabilization unit and addiction receiving facility, various levels of residential treatment, day treatment and day activities programs, intensive case management, peer support and mentoring services, outpatient behavioral health and primary care treatment services, and vocational rehabilitation/supportive employment services. All services will be designed to address the complex and co-occurring needs of the target population, including mental health, substance abuse, physical health, histories of physical and emotional trauma, and risk factors for future criminal justice involvement.

 

The facility will also include space for the courts and for social service agencies such housing providers, legal services, and immigration services that will address the comprehensive needs of individuals served.  By housing a full array of services and supports in one location, it is anticipated that many of the barriers and obstacles to navigating traditional community mental health, substance abuse, and social services will be removed; and individuals who are currently recycling through the justice system, crisis units, hospitals, and other deep end services will be more likely to engage in ongoing and sustainable treatment and recovery services.

 

The Mental Health Diversion Facility is championed by Judge Steven Leifman, who chairs the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust’s Finance & Audit Committee.  The project has been developed with input from the Department of Children and Families and the Agency for Health Care Administration, which will be responsible for designating and licensing service providers at the facility.  The Miami-Dade County Legislative Delegation spearheaded efforts to occupy the building based on a 99 year lease at $1/year.  The facility is funded, in large part, with county General Obligation Bond funds, with additional funding provided by the Jackson Health and The Public Health Trust, wrote trust PR person, “Lisa Mozloom.

 

>>>The arts have risen from the grave generating $1.43 billion in economic impact, 40% jump since last study, the last few years and people now come to Miami for the arts as well as New York, Chicago and Philadelphia where centuries have gone by versus Miami’s transformation during the last decade said Cultural Affairs chair Adolpho Henriques.

 

He noted there have been “300,” studies showing the economic benefits of the arts and the recent study showed a 40 percent increase in economic impact

 

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Rebeca Sosa is on a tear when it comes to selling countryman preferring a long term lease since the properties in many cases are in the unincorporated area UMSA and she believes these “properties are the people’s properties and an asset to the county.

 

What did Commissioner Xavier Suarez say about the 42,000 properties the county owns?

 

What about land for Key Biscayne deferred for a parking garage and possible government offices and Martinez asked if parking was going to be free given the $1 dollar lease payment and could not be converted to commercial use

 

Kendall Regional Hospital got approval for a nine story parking garage with a heliport on top of it for taking patients to the Class I Trauma center that is cutting into Ryders finances.

 

Also, Riviera Prep got authorized to expand its campus on 87 the Avenue at Wednesday’s county CDMP meeting after numerous speakers spoke concerning the local traffic but many noted rush hour traffic is terrible everywhere in Miami many speakers said.

 

What about county Legacy contracts #1 Moss?

 

At the last Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust meeting members discussed how the trust handled people on the streets and “some 600 homeless people,” were placed in shelters. Long time trust chairman Ron Book said the organization “with great passion,” tried to get as many people possible to safety as Irma approached and Book talked about one man he saw living on the seawall at the Bayfront Park site. He said the man was unresponsive and “barely had a pulse,” but Miami Fire Rescue came and gave the man a dose of NarCan and he was revived immediately and taken to safety and any homeless who would not go to shelters were Baker Acted following the “Laws,” so they would get to safety, said Book

 

What about the trust’s Rent Connect?

 

The trust has a new program where people with rental housing can register their rental with the county and for more on the program go to: http://www.homelesstrust.org/rentconnect.asp

However Jose Pepe Diaz went after the man giving him a dressing down for making such remarks and the board was trying to help him with what was a stat issue and not here locally but Diaz really put it to the man who essentially was just asking commissioners to get to the point an there are many people who feel that way if they have to sit in the chambers seats for hours to hear an item.

 

>>> Commissioner Daniela Levine-Cava said she along with Hasbro toys and Baptist Health South Florida donated toys to Puerto Rico and some 10,000 pounds of medicines to the beleaguered island smashed by Irma and commissioners also contributed monies from their personal commission budgets and the islands residents are expected to come to Miami or Orlando and could inject 28,000 more residents and they will need help in relocating during this tragic time for the residents.

 

>>> Animal Activist are getting some attention after the Miami-Dade County inspector General released a report on how successful the county’s Animal Services no kill rate was especially with cats and I had heard that some thousands of cats were killed because they were considered aggressive and also applies to dogs. Further the IG report puts more pressure on the Mayor Gimenez’ administration to get these numbers further lowered.

http://www.miamidadeig.org/Reports2017/1.%20IG14-39%20Transmittal%20&%20Executive%20Summary%206.26.17.pdf Further I have learned that many animals adopted are not checked on and some dogs are said to be “bait dogs” used in dog fights that can be held apparently easy in any empty swimming pool and is still occurring in south Dade.

 

>>> The Miami-Dade Office of the Inspector General is making some recommendations on an $11.852 million no bid waiver to modernization of the traffic control services at MIA and it is a great read with some suggestions and recommendations being made for the administration to consider and to read the report go to:

http://www.miamidadeig.org/Reports2017/TrafficControlModernizationServicesBidWaiver06.12.17.pdf

 

>>> PAST WDR: Americans died last year, 3,000 alone in Florida, opiate addiction different treatment than heroin addiction, but death toll nationally huge

 

PAST WDR because our Youth are dying at a terrible rate: because this is killing our kids and caused the creation of The Miami-Dade County Opioid Task force met and heard some of the committee recommendation on how to end this scourge that kills 33,000 people in the nation of overdoses and last year. Where Florida saw 3,000 deaths from overdoses and it cuts across all ethnic lines an even physicians are saying they were guilty as well after medical reviews indicated treating someone for pain was beneficial and the clinicians were told many of these drugs were less addictive than in the past which turned out not to be true and many users in pain shifted to cheap Mexican yellow heroin mixed with very toxic fentanyl mainly from China and is highly toxic and a drop can easily kill. Further, in New Hampshire they are arresting dealers as killers when one of their doses kills someone and here in Miami-Dade government leaders were warned about this scourge about three years ago when former addict now clean, Jon Schmidt told some commission staff the county was not prepared for the onslaught coming. And discussions are going on to increase the availability of NarCan, a drug that reverse the overdose but also has some addicts getting an immunity to the dose that may have to be given twice to the slumped over person. And the task Force will be presenting their recommendations in the coming weeks to Mayor Carlos Gimenez. Editor’s note: I keep running this story because it is such a scourge that kills across all ethnic lines. Further to read the county task force’s report go to http://www.miamidade.gov/mayor/opioid-addiction-task-force-group.asphttp://www.miamidade.gov/mayor/opioid-addiction-task-force-group.asp

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/21/20-facts-hurricane-andrew-anniversary_n_1819405.html has saved millions by refinancing the extensive bond holdings

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

 

>>> Federal audit of Friends of WLRN shows fine could range from $1.128 million to $544,000.

 

The federal audit of Friends of WLRN and its misstated finances on organization’s draw down of funds from the Public Broadcasting Corporation shows there is a range of penalties the fundraising arm of the station might have to pay from $1.128 million to only $544,700 and the report looks at the organization’s books from 2007 to 2015 and to read the reports go to http://pdfs.dadeschools.net/Bdarch/2017/Bd111517/agenda/E88.pdf . Here is    adjusted amount report http://pdfs.dadeschools.net/Bdarch/2017/Bd111517/agenda/E89.pdf

 

And long serving school board member Perla Tabares Hantman was elected board chair last week and as in the past she reviewed all of Robert’s rules of order for her peers on the nine member board and she is an astute political board member., that if you lose her support like in the case of a board attorney you may not be in that capacity for long. And I wish her luck in this post she knows so well and Dr. Martin Karp is the boards vice Chair.

 

>>> OIG report looks at minority owned firms getting contracts under GOB and is a priority with Supt. Carvalho

 

At the $1.2 billion GOB oversight board recently there was a discussion on how many minority contracts have been given to minority firms and primes since the school board let out contracts and Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has made this a crusade in that was promised when the bond was first voted on and the schools IG did a study of these minority contracts and to read the IG report go to:: http://www.miamidadeig.org/Reports2017/GOBIG0013FinalReport6.15.17.pdf

 

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

 

>>> New report on how JHS spending $830 million bond monies, going well

 

Here is the most recent update on the $830 million GOB passed by County wide voters to update the ageing facilities at Jackson Health System and the projects are going very well and includes minority vender participation similar the public schools oversight system and this public money is key to the communities health since there is a big push toward prevention and wellness has FIU physicians doing primary and family medicine and is a real boon in keeping healthcare costs down. To read the report go:

file:///C:/Users/DAN%20RICKER/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/8UMCRP67/Mayor-BCC-PHT%20-%20CAC%20Quarterly%20Report%20-%20July%20to%20September%202017.pdf

 

>>> BCC Taps Arriola and Dr. Wayne Steven’s as new PHT trustees

 

The board of county commissioners voted on two new trustees from a slate of candidates interviewed by the trust’s Nominating Council and PHT past Chair Joe Arriola who got nine commissioner votes and Dr. Wayne Stephens got one vote and for more on the pediatric dentist go to https://www.sharecare.com/doctor/dr-wayne-stephens and he is a Columbia University graduate and Arriola has led the public health care system along with CEO and president Carlos Migoya into the black and the approval of a $830 million GOB bond to upgrade the ageing facilities after years of the county shifting some $72 million in unfunded mandates since 2002.

 

CITY OF MIAMI

 

>>> Some political ghosts from the past show-up at Reyes swearing in, Gonzalez, Hernandez, only Odio missing from removed officials

 

I walked through a time portal Wednesday while attending the swearing in of new Miami Dist. 4 commissioner Manola Reyes after numerous tries for the office and his election brought out the older Cuban hardliners in the community and included a number of past commissioners who were removed from office in the mid-1900s and former commissioners Angel Gonzalez, Humberto Hernandez (Medicare fraud), all made appearances, and it reminded of how weird the town was back then and someone reminded me of when then County Commissioner Joe Gerstein once held a county commission committee meeting from a jail cell and telling county staffers later “I showed them,” the BCC. Where he would allow lobbyist to use his office and he later fled to Australia where he was granted political refugee status after he was charged (after having a tryst with a crack addict and later claimed his Mercedes Benz was stolen) and got charged by the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s office under Katherine Fernandez-Rundle at the time.

 

Further, new Miami Mayor Francis Suarez was sworn in at Dinner Key as well and while Francis may have been in his Priest’s principal’s office “very, very often,” friends say he was a good kid and smart after he left Belen and attended LaSalle Academy.

 

He said he learned from his father former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez that it was “the neighborhoods,” that one had to keep in touch with and Suarez the younger will be hosting community meetings in all Miami’s neighborhoods every month with the first Dec.2, he told attendees.

 

The mayor a transportation maven said people in Miami-Dade spend two weeks of every year in traffic and wants a tunnel under the Miami River instead of the renovated bridge and the candidate who raised around $ 3 million with the help of rainmaker Brian Goldmeier said he will use what is left of the money to help candidates and policies he supports he told the WDR.

 

What about the District 3 race pitting former Miami mayor Joe Carollo against Alfie Leon?

 

Carollo who is known for bombastic rhetoric and rubbing ethnic tensions to a fever pitch is making all kinds of accusations against the neophyte candidate Leon who has enlisted former republican state representative J.C. Planas and the attorney at a candidate debate got verbally into it with Carollo who once threw a paper tea box at his wife and would later at a teary eyed divorce announce that he was “worth more dead than alive,” he told the media and his reentry after a stint in Doral as manager and did not end well yet he got a settlement from the growing city. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/

 

Further Carollo a master at stirring up ethnic tensions and political intrigue is at it again and if elected would end the community peace since he seems to thrive on conspiracy theories and once told attendees at a GOP luncheon that he “personally,” stopped a 747 from crashing into Turkey Point after 9/11 he claimed at the luncheon and people are hoping some of his past demons are under control and won’t earn back the moniker Crazy Joe if he wins the commission seat with his take no prisoners campaign style. And Miami awaits its future fate if he wins with the election Tuesday.

 

Commissioner Russell holds event at Elizabeth Virrick Park where 200 turkeys, donated by Milam’s food Store, Grove Bay Hospitality Group were given out

 

The event was organized by congressional candidate Ken Russell the Miami Dist. 2 commissioner that includes Coconut Grove and it was a great relief for a number of families I talked to when I stopped by but did not find Russell in the crowd but he had been there and it was co-hosted by state Rep. Nicholas Duran, D-Miami, (net worth Dec. 2016 $183,739.17) and he was elected to the house in 2016 and was a member of the Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade County that same year.

 

Duran

 

>>> Mayor Regalado recounts how commission has changed over the years with five commissioners indicted over the decade including city manager Odio

 

Outgoing mayor Tomas Regalado gave a trip down memory lane Thursday while handing out proclamations (and the city spends some $75,000 or $15, 000 per year on these.) to all the commissioners and commissioner. However, Frank Carollo got a cake but Regalado whose son is running against the family nemesis Joe Carollo ( a runoff is likely) and the former journalist noted since he joined the commission 22 years ago many faces have changed. Since that time City Manager Cesar Odio was indicted, and Commissioners Miller Dawkins, Humberto Hernandez, Angel Gonzalez, and Arthur Teele, Jr., now deceased. However, Regalado escaped a number of issues like his gas card investigation back in 1999 and he and the family have problems following election campaign laws and is embroiled in a new scandal involving his son Tommy running for the district 3 seat against Carollo and it is an ugly race.

 
>> Further, the initial cost to Miami to clean –up after Irma is some $73 million with FEMA paying 95 percent and the state five percent said CFO Chris Rose on Thursday.

 

What about the Coconut Grove bus?

 

On Nov. 21, Tuesday the Miami-Dade Commission will vote on “eliminating,” of 2 bus routes and one includes Route 70 which is the “Coconut Grove circulator,” and is a major service adjustment since it also impacts the Mid-North Beach connection 115 and grove residents need to go to the county chambers and state your concerns if this bus service is to be eliminated probable because of lack of ridership since the county is trimming transit expenses and the vehicles are ridden for free.

 

What about the nickname “Crazy Joe,” and what could he be like on the five member commission dais?

 

Joe Carollo with a mercurial paranoid personality is planning on being a force again on the five member commission and if Francis Suarez the younger son of the elder Suarez is elected mayor as planned. He may find Carolllo is a major ongoing stumbling block and the mayor once flew to San Jose to complain to Miami Herald publisher Tony Ridder about the paper’s coverage of him and while I was a Herald editorial columnist I asked him why he just did not phone the man versus a flight to San Jose. Further, I asked was it on his dime or the city’s back then and he did pay for the flight. After I checked and he claimed at the time angrily “that I ws being used by the Miami Herald,” he insisted and ultimately I got up and walked out telling Ronda Vangates don’t call me again and “He hears things I don’t here,” I told her back in 2000 and while he got the moniker crazy Joe people would always say “at least he is honest,” no small achievement in Miami politics but the WDR anticipates he will be a continuous thorn in little Suarez’s side and he is very confrontational for more go to: http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=94153&page=1http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=94153&page=1 And here is more on Elian

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli%C3%A1n_Gonz%C3%A1lez_affair

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article124820224.html

 

>>> Depending on Florida Supreme Court ruling, city could go “bankrupt,” if courts rule in favor of unions cut in pay, cost could be as high as $200 million, says union rep at commission meeting

 

The Miami commission’s final budget hearing Thursday was a staid affair and earlier in the day FPO union head Javier Ortiz said the Florida Supreme Court was hearing their case concerning the city claiming a financial emergency and believes the city’s exposure could be some $200 million in past pay and said the city could settle now and if that doesn’t the union plans to demand the full amount and could “bankrupt,” the city something the police and fire rescue members don’t want to do. But he claims the lack of any negotiations in the waning days of Mayor Regalado’s administration and could sour his legacy in office that has had a number of controversies like taking his children on international trips contributed by a local airline and other perks while in office including asking for concierge service at MIA and while the mayor pushes himself as a populist but he has always been quick to have someone else pay for things.

 

What about all the past managers and some of his own new hires?

 

Further, Mayor Regalado has brought in a number of controversial people since he first became mayor. First was Angel Zayon as the city’s communication director and later fired after complaints by city employees and Regalado even created his own nemesis Al Crespo of the adult Crespo gram when he hired a local Grovite Harry Gottlieb to be the city’s movie czar who used to claim erroneously that he helped get the mayor get elected which was certainly not the case. Since he ran against former Commissioner Joe Sanchez who ran a very weak campaign and was associated with former Mayor Manny Diaz and the toxic Miami Marlins baseball stadium costing over $1.6 billion given the way the financing was constructed and is considered a “tainted” stadium an why major league soccer wanted a different location to the enclosed stadium and the team is up for sale after the team hood winked Miami-Dade County Commissioners who supported the deal like lemmings’.

 

However Regalado has a history of taking numerous international trips and many times takes his daughter Raquel (now running for congress) and his son Tommy now running for the commission and has in the past shown showed little interest in government and he is facing Joe Carollo in the commission race a former Miami mayor with the moniker “crazy Joe,”

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article170804042.html   Editor’s note: My criticism of the Regalado family and the way they govern has cost me a long time sponsor, but I will bounce back.

 

>>> And here are the July 1 financial disclosure forms for ‘Miami commissioners and the mayor Tomas Regalado

 

Commissioner Francis Suarez: file:///C:/Users/DAN%20RICKER/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/8UMCRP67/Suarez%20Francis.pdf

 

Commissioner Wilfredo Gort file:///C:/Users/DAN%20RICKER/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/8UMCRP67/Gort%20Wifredo.pdf

 

Ken Russell: file:///C:/Users/DAN%20RICKER/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/8UMCRP67/Russell%20Ken.pdf

 

Frank Carollo: file:///C:/Users/DAN%20RICKER/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/8UMCRP67/Carollo%20Frank.pdf

 

Keon Hardeman: file:///C:/Users/DAN%20RICKER/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/8UMCRP67/Hardemon%20Keon.pdf

 

Tomas Regalado: file:///C:/Users/DAN%20RICKER/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/8UMCRP67/Regalado%20Tomas.pdf

 

Miami residents warning!

 

The city is rushing a deadline to get a proposed development on Virginia Key in front of voters to approve and this has been a past tactic for years and the Flagstone development had this same urgency back in 2002 and voters should wake up because the city has a long history of voters getting suckered in these “terrible deals,” said Commissioner Frank Carollo in the past and the matter is being rushed so that it can be on the Nov. 7 ballot that will also likely include a $400 million GOB bond called ‘Forever Miami,” and city leaders use this urgency to many times pull a fast one and frankly it is about the money, that in a number of cases never materializes. And for more go to http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article159278724.who html

 

Further while there will be a oversite board the members will be picked by commissioners and generally they pick people to be on it who are the usual suspects and this cash bonanza becomes a feeding frenzy for many prominent lobbyist given past over sight boards.

 

What about mayoral candidate Francis Suarez and the 1,000 petitions he submitted to the Miami Clerk’s office and he would avoid paying the $100.00 candidate fee for qualification and is a nice   gesture and shows the young man is willing to do the work necessary to earn the job of mayor no small achievement given his age.

 

However, Miami at one point in the 1990s went through ten managers ( and later two managers went to jail) and the city since then has had to defend two bond offerings after the SEC found irregularities and Alphonso and his CFO Chris Rose also a budget guru, will be very helpful if the city’s voters approve a $250 million to $400 million GOB and requires fiscal transparency if the city is to not run afoul of the SEC again, And the Watchdog Report believes they have a gem in the manager and the city is on solid fiscal ground. But Miami has a history of appointing political managers and not based on their skill set and taxpayers should realize after the Great Recession the administration under Regalado has bounced back partially because of the rising tax base given the development of Brickell

 

The County Ethics Commission has a new civility program and Miami-Beach and Coral Gables have all signed on including Miami and to see the program go to:

http://ethics.miamidade.gov/library/2017-meetings/summary_jan_17.pdf

 

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article154960954.html

 

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

 

>>>Voters overwhelmingly go with Gelber, follows in his father’s mayoral footsteps

 

Beach voters overwhelmingly elected Dan Gelber as mayor and the former state senator was a federal prosecutor before falling in his father’s footsteps also a Miami Beach mayor and he is pushing the creation of an office of inspector general after a host of criminal activity has popped up over the years and his wife is a federal public corruption attorney in the U.S. attorney’s office and the former state senator has matured and should be a well-liked mayor and do a good job in this four year position.

 

Community EVENTS & Public Service announcements

 

From: COSMOS FLA <cosmosfla@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Nov 18, 2017 at 3:33 AM
Subject: Can We Talk (a free event) please Share
To:

COSMOS is proud to co-sponsor with MCCJ “Can We Talk” a very timely and informative event Uprooting systemic racism and speaking out against the forces of oppression and suppression is challenging work. Let’s roll up our sleeves and talk about solutions, and change the narrative of how we relate to those perceived as “other”. Then let’s get to work.

 

Please share

Coalition of South Florida Muslim Organizations (COSMOS)

 

SAVE THE DATE

COSMOS Annual Banquet
Sunday, March 4, 2018

Time 6.00 PM

Miami Airport Hilton

Keynote: Ms. Cheryl Little-ED Americans for Immigrant Justice

 

Photo credit: Leslie Harris