Watchdog Report Vol.24 No.25 July 30, 2023: EST:05.05.00 – I go when you cannot for 24-years with your past support: A community education resource
WATCHDOG REPORT
Miami-Dade, Fla.
Vol.24 No.25, July 30, 2023, Celebrating May 5th,2000: 24 -years of free weekly publishing! www.watchdogreport.net & Former Miami Herald news & editorial columnist. 05.05.00, I go when you cannot, for almost 22-years & a trusted free community education resource & news service, without the attitude.
>>> 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.)
>>> I WANTED TO APOLOGIZE FOR NOT GIVING MY READERS THE SCOPE OF INFORMATION THEY HAVE COME TO EXPECT : Further, if you would rather send a check send it made out to Daniel Ricker and mail it to 3109 Grand Ave., #125 Miami, Fla. 33133. Thank you, Dan. If I get a little help, I will be able to carry on another year and I know many citizens have many demands asking for help. Overall, I am a very low-cost solo operation covering all your major public institutions like none’ve before for 23 years free weekly. Thank you and please help if you can?
ARGUS REPORT: HEARD &SEEN ON The SREET
>>>> DeSantis & Suarez slow out of gate, you either have political charisma or you don’t, Suarez emphasizing new generation of leadership needed. Both are struggling to make debate stage.
It’s almost painful watching Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Gov. Ron De Santos attempt to run as the republican candidate for president. The governor has a stiff style of campaigning and Suarez who has had the Cuban community’s love has no excitement either. He is even trying to induce one-dollar donations with a free tee shirt emblazoned with Made in the 305 on the front. He has taken that further to offering $20.00 in exchange for a $1.00 donation to get the 40,000 small doner requirements to be on the debate stage. Both men have yet to catch fire and the governor’s campaign staff is shrinking as we see it.
STATE OF FLORIDA
>>> De Santis taps retired general as Bay County schools superintendent.
Press release: Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Mark McQueen as Bay County’s Superintendent of Schools. This appointment is effective August 1, 2023.
Mark McQueen
McQueen, of Panama City, is the City Manager for the City of Panama City. He is a veteran of the United States Army, retiring with the rank of Major General after 36 years of service. He is a current member of the Panama City Rotary Club. McQueen earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Auburn University, his master’s degree in counseling and human development from Troy University, and his master’s degree in strategic studies from the United States Army War College.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
Summary of the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics & Public Trust
PRESS Release: Meeting Held on July 20, 2023
MIAMI, FL (July 20, 2023) The Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust
held a public meeting on July 20, 2023. The following actions took place:
Former City of Miami Community Liaison Stipulates to Probable Cause Finding
C 23-05-02: Anabel Castillo, a former City of Miami Community Liaison in the Office of City Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, stipulated to a finding of Probable Cause and entered into a settlement agreement for violating the Prohibition on Outside Employment and the Exploitation of Official Position Prohibited sections of the Miami-Dade County Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance. A COE investigation revealed that Ms. Castillo failed to file, under oath, an annual report indicating the source of her outside employment, the nature of the work being done, and any amounts or type of money or other consideration received as required by the Ethics Code. Specifically, Ms. Castillo failed to report that, in 2020 and 2021, she engaged in paid outside employment by working for two political action committees and for the 2020 Reinier Diaz de la
Portilla Campaign for Miami-Dade County Commissioner. Furthermore, Ms. Castillo exploited her city position by using a City of Miami vehicle to transport herself to and from campaign[1]related activity in the City of Miami Beach. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Ms. Castillo will be issued a Letter of Instruction and will be required to pay a fine in the amount of $1,500.
Former Manager of Little Haiti Cultural Center Stipulates to Probable Cause Finding
C 23-28-06: The former manager of the City of Miami’s Little Haiti Cultural Center, Sandy Dorsainvil, stipulated to a finding of Probable Cause and entered into a settlement agreement for violating the Miami-Dade County Prohibition on Outside Employment section of the Miami[1]Dade County Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance.
A COE investigation revealed that Ms. Dorsainvil failed to file, under oath, an annual report, indicating the source of her outside employment and any amounts or type of money or other consideration received as required by the Ethics Code. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Ms. Dorsainvil will be issued a Letter of Reprimand
and will be required to pay a fine in the amount of $500.
Former City of Miami Beach Supervisor Stipulates to Probable Cause Finding
C 23-22-06: Former City of Miami Beach Department of Public Works Control Room Supervisor, Montrice Nichole McClain, stipulated to a finding of Probable Cause and entered
into a settlement agreement for violating the Miami-Dade County Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance. A COE investigation revealed that Ms. McClain failed to file, under oath, an annual report indicating the source of her outside employment and any amounts or type of money or other consideration received as required by the Ethics Code. Ms. McClain also violated the Miami[1]Dade County Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance by utilizing City of Miami Beach resources in furtherance of her outside employment activities. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Ms. McClain will be issued a Letter of Instruction and will be required to pay a fine in the amount of $1,500.
Complaints Filed Against Miami-Dade County Mayor Found Not Legally Sufficient
C 23-23-04: A complaint filed against Miami-Dade County Mayor, Danielle Levine Cava, was found Not Legally Sufficient, and dismissed. The complaint alleged that Mayor Levine Cava violated the County Charter’s Citizens’ Bill or Rights, County Code of Ordinances, state and federal law, and the United States Constitution when she allegedly abused her public position by failing to protect a then County employee from losing his County job. A separate complaint, C 23-25-05, also filed against Miami-Dade County Mayor, Danielle Levine Cava, was found Not Legally Sufficient and dismissed. This complaint alleged that Mayor Levine Cava violated sections 1,2, and 5 of the County.
Charter’s Citizens’ Bill or Rights, state law, and the United States Constitution when she allegedly failed to train or supervise, the acts or omissions of County employees.
City of Miami Community Liaison Stipulates to Probable Cause Finding
C 23-07-02: Julio Guillen, a City of Miami Community Liaison in the Office of City Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, stipulated to a finding of Probable Cause and entered into a settlement agreement for violating the Prohibition on Outside Employment section of the Miami-Dade County Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance. A COE investigation revealed that Mr. Guillen failed to file, under oath, an annual report indicating the source of his outside employment, the nature of the work being done, and any amounts or type of money or other consideration received as required by the Ethics Code. Specifically, Mr. Guillen failed to report that, in 2020 and 2021, he engaged in paid outside employment by working for two political action committees and for the 2020 Renier Diaz de la Portilla Campaign for Miami-Dade County Commissioner. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Mr. Guillen will be issued a Letter of Instruction and will be required to pay a fine in the amount of $500.
Lobbyist Stipulates to Finding of Probable Cause
C 23-21-04: Lobbyist Melinda Gentile stipulated to a finding of Probable Cause and entered into a settlement agreement for violating the Principal and Lobbyist Registration section of the Miami-Dade County Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Ms. Gentile will be required to pay $500 in investigative costs and the Complaint will be dismissed with a Letter of Instruction.
Hearing Dates Re-set for Case Involving City of Miami Commissioner
C 22-52-09: The Ethics Commission re-set the contested hearing dates for a complaint filed against City of Miami
Commisioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla. The new hearing dates are January 31 – February 2, 2024. The Ethics Commission previously unanimously found Probable Cause that Commissioner Diaz De la Portilla, violated the Exploitation of Official Position Prohibited section of the Miami-Dade County Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics
Ordinance.
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
>>> Miami Northwestern Senior High, known as the Bull’s, added its 19th Florida state championship for Track & Field events, as well as many being good students as well, honored at school board recently.
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST:
CITY OF MIAMI
COMMUNITY EVENTS:
ARGUS REPORT:
STATE OF FLORIDA
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST
CITY OF MIAMI
EDITORIAL
COMMUNITY EVENTS:
SPONSERS
>>> The Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel & Sun-Sentinel articles on the Watchdog Report published 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. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2003-01-20-0301190045-story.html
>>>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
>>> And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account that is easy to use and right now would be a great time: http://paypal.me/WatchdogReport
Further, if you would rather send a check send it made out to Daniel Ricker and mail it to 3109 Grand Ave., #125 Miami, Fla. 33133. Thank you, Dan.
>>>And having a member of the press at public meetings gives teeth to the Florida Sunshine Law (and why you get a Flu Shot) 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. And hope you can support the WDR efforts to have informed residents of public institutions issues, in our community.
>>> 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., 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.
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>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less
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>>>>> 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.
To contribute to the WDR send and make it payable to Daniel A. Ricker
Daniel A. Ricker
3109 Grand Ave.#125
Miami, Fla. 33133