Watchdog Report Vol.23 No.11 April 16, 2023 EST 05.05.00 A trusted community education resource for 23-years free-I go when you cannot
WATCHDOG REPORT
Miami-Dade, Fla.
Vol.23 No.11, April 16, 2023, Celebrating 23 -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 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.)
ARGUS REPORT: HEARD SEEN ON THE STREET
>>> New, Florida state budget has $20 million for Biscayne bay & septic to sewer, 9,000 septic systems failing, says county DERM, after flooding rain bay shows hot levels of bacteria in bay, says www.waterkeeper.org Rachel Silverstein. Miami only cleans drains once a year. Miami instructed to hire 3 more staff after Brickell Sea flooding, will it lower real-estate values? And what of insurance costs?
The Biscayne Bay septic to Sewar program is slated to be $20.million in the state house and senate budget, said county assist attorney Jess McClarty, at the Biscayne bay Watershed Management Advisory board Friday. The members discussed the recent rain event that had all of the Waterkeeper test sites showing levels of bacteria in the bay.
The county has 120,000 septic tanks and 9,000 are failing, said DERM staff at, the meeting. The good news is some 9,000 properties are close to existing infrastructure, said WASA Dir. Lourdes Gomez. The cost to convert varies but is not cheap for homeowners.
>>> WLRN celebrating 60-years on the air, is a vital resource in diverse south Florida from Palm Beach to Key West, needed now more than ever, helped create the WDR, in 2000
WLRN.org is celebrating its 60th year on the air and it needs the community’s help in delivering unbiased news. I was fortunate in 2000 through 2006 to be a regular radio guest on Joe Cooper’s Tropical Currents, and that helped me expand my readership and impact. I also was the only person contradicting that Al Gore won Florida versus other commentators who believed otherwise. For more on the station or to donate go to:
WLRN Homepage | WLRN, HTTPS://WLRNRADIO.PLEDGECART.ORG/WEB/HOME
A normal WDR will return next week, with the story “I can’t be defeated,” says Miami Carollo.
FLORIDA: Gov. Ron De. Santos on campaign trail as two major cities underwater, bad look for the governor signing 6-week abortion bill at night. Is he looking wishy washy on the campaign trail, where protesters came on stage to the shocked De Santos.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY: County’s Famus IT system at county overpaying, glitches expected, in new complex IT. System replacing 1970s technology, needs $8.6 million more to complete $66 million upgrade, CFO Marquez accepts lack of info to unions, and new constitutional offices in 2024, had to be included: >>> Will Home Rule Charter & Septic to Sewer? Be top legislative county lobbying issues in Tallahassee, Regalado asks.
City of MIAMI
>>> The city of Miami for years has had a culture of friends and families getting city jobs or promotions, but it came up when civil service chair Troy Sutton said those words while hearing the case as a lowly firefighter and he is excluded from such closed door closed discussions, he put on the record. The practice is endemic in the city, but first time said in public.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Charter schools have expanded to 155 schools and receive $797 million from the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The schools do not have to follow the same procedures as public districts, and many are managed by private for-profit companies. The district does audits of these schools. Further, the Fla. Leg.is proposing expanding vouchers, that could cut funding over 20 percent, adding to the charter school hit.— Cardiac EKG screening should be required by state, number one killer of young athletes in schools, highlighted at school board Wednesday.
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST: JHS goes 11years of clean audits, states KPMG audit, firm used by many public institutions, including the school district in the past. audits.https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/jacksonhealth/b071ed27-6113-11ed-95a3-0050569183fa-6872cee3-98a7-4865-85f1-4b68344022ed-1669154377.pdf,receivables at $265 million& other not-for -profit-systems, under employee cost strains & state cuts to Medicaid matching funds of concern
CITY OF MIAMI: Covo has Carollo speaking for her Thursday on need for better drain cleaning with Brickell under water, will it affect property values?
EDITORIAL>>You may not take an interest but that does not mean politics may not take an interest in you.
Community Events: https://historymiami.org/ The ART Warehouse https://www.margulieswarehouse.com/
CITY OF MIAMI
>>> Carollo in Broward federal court Tuesday with case of targeting certain restaurants in Little Havana, costing city millions in legal fees.
>>> Now cameras at Miami City Hall, in lobby because past Com., didn’t want a record of who was going in, says Reyes, and WDR knew in 2002, police to make study& recommendations on security passes no discussion on dais issue kryptonite to commissioners.
With the mystery of who vandalized Miami Commissioner Manolo Reyes office deepening. The lack of cameras in the city hall lobby is because “commissioners didn’t want a record of who was coming into the building,” which I knew from back in 2002 when the chambers and lobby were updated to what it is today.
He confirmed that Saturday, to the WDR at the swearing in of new commissioner Sabina Covo to District 2 replacing out going commissioner Ken Russell who resigned after running for congress, which he lost. She beat out 13 rivals for the coveted seat along the bay. Covo beat out Eddy Leal and fourth was disgraced judge Martin Zilber, who raised the most money got support from Carollo, and Diaz de la Portilla, but had too much baggage resigning the bench for using staff for personal errands and skipped fifty-one paid days of work, not authorized.
What about races being non-partisan?
The idea of municipal races being non-partisan races in Miami is over since Covo is a democrat. The two republican commissioners Joe Carollo and Alex Diaz de la Portilla, did not attend the swearing in and constantly were taking digs at Russell who told the WDR in “the divided nation, being partisan is the only way to win.” Covo, had the support of county mayor Daniella Levine Cava, county commissioner Eileen Higgins both democrats. Covo, a former member of the media, will have her hands full fending off the two commissioners. The WDR wishes her luck and when it comes to honesty, and good government you can’t be a little bit pregnant. She also falls under the Miami-Dade County ethics and public trust commission and their investigators.
What about the lawsuit involving city attorney Vicky Mendez, and her husband, just stirring up trouble, she said Sat., at city hall. She has also said the charges are libelous in the media.
The city attorney’s office should be the center board of good government though one attorney I asked, who do you work for the citizens? He remarked “I work for three votes on the commission,” he said back then.
Former Miami mayor Tomas Regalado is considering running for mayor again, since Francis Suarez is termed out. He originally won, years ago because of the Marlin’s stadium debacle, that after financing costs some $1.6 billion, and cannot be paid off early and has large future debt payments. Regalado has been doing a television show since he left the office and claims Suarez is not working in the office. Suarez is also mulling a presidential campaign, which many consider a long shot.
>>>Redo important: Miami-Dade County Alert: The county’s election department should mandate voter workers wear their county I.D. Since, the current Miami special election is a prime example of this problem. That I witnessed Saturday at 3:45 P.M. at the Miami city hall early voting site.
Men were loading Ryder trucks with one man wearing his ID, but many others had none as they brought out the voting machines and black trash containers. County employees not complying. to reduce the public perception people might be tampering with the equipment. County employees not wearing identification has been a persistent problem around the county for years, except at JHS, since a hospital.
With all the voter conspiracy rumors going on the county’s Christine White the supervisor, should jump on this for the Miami Dist. 2 commission race has only some 4,000 votes so far and will likely be a close race that hopefully doesn’t elect disgraced judge Martin Zilber and his massive war chest for the race versus the challengers, and support from two commissioners Joe Carollo and Alex Diaz de la Portilla, big Zilber fans and is seen as an ally for them.
Former mayor Miami commissioner Carollo once again suggests that any non-Miami resident should not be heard.
>>> Sen. Fetterman’s, D-Pa. addressing clinical depression after a stroke, very common, a godsend to public with similar symptoms, including me after my own stroke in 2013.
Sen. John Fetterman’s stroke and being treated for clinical depression, is something I personally felt after my stroke in 2013.My neurologist Dr. Ajay Pande, M.D., at Baptist Health, suggested I seek treatment for the subsequent depression, at the time and I am glad I did, and his advice, has kept me writing the WDR to this day. ,
>>> County’s use of herbicides on foliage reduction, variation of Round-up to control foliage run-off to Biscayne Bay, says county resiliency officer Murley, trying natural solutions, when possible, coastal storm surge walls out for now with corps new diagrams show.
Miami-Dade County with “30066 miles of canals,” uses pesticide to keep foliage trees later leaches into Biscayne Bay. The county is trying to use natural efforts but herbicide like Roundup is frequently used and shows up in fish and peoples urine state Florida universities’ studies on the chemical impact of such foliage removal compounds. Further cars in canals have been a persistent problem. They are also trying to reestablish the Balsam Torchwood tree, long extinct.
The issue came up Friday at the Biscayne Bay Watershed Advisory Board in the commission chambers and Chief Resilience Officer Jim Murley, in discussion with storm surge. The corps plan for surge walls along the water are being replaced with natural solutions if they fit the circumstances after the walls faced a huge public outcry and two charettes to discuss the plan are in the months ahead, with a final plan in 2027, anticipated. The cleanup of Biscayne Bay with state and federal governments, spending millions to clean up the bay.
Which is also should be using the scavenger vessel more with only one in operation and is a technological bargain at $1 million for a second such vessel, to help the bay and Round-up use should be reviewed in Miami-Dade County.
>>> Anniversary of life saving procedure when I was septic at South Miami, Baptist Health, hospital in 2009, and I thank you Dr. Jorge Rabaza for saving my life, back then.
The next few days is the anniversary of my almost passing in 2009. I was septic and operated on at 2;00 p.m., “because I could not wait,” not something you want to hear from a surgeon, said Jorge Rabaza,M.D. at South Miami Hospital back then and he said, “I was a flip of the coin,” that I survived, he said and since then every day is a free day.,
FLORIDA
>>> The Florida Ethics Commission has $799,569.in ethics fines unpaid and the list is a cross section of people on state boards and to see the list go to:
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
The Miami-Dade County Children’s Trust is celebrating its 20th anniversary and during its time. There have been no scandals except some trust tee shirts being sold in little Havana decades ago. They trust the brainchild of former Miami Herald publisher David Lawrence, Jr. and mayor Alex Penelas and Will Bleckman,M.D. For more on the trust go to: https://www.thechildrenstrust.org/
View a comprehensive list of all the previous project updates at https://miamidadearts.org/coconut-grove-playhouse-updates.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Charter schools have expanded to 155 schools and receive $797 million from the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The schools do not have to follow the same procedures as public districts, and many are managed by private for-profit companies. The district does audits of these schools. Further, the Fla. Leg.is proposing expanding vouchers, that could cut funding by over 20 percent, adding to the charter school hit.
What about students’ threat assessment teams?
The board’s student advisor Ms. Cori Anna White, with a unique perspective made some saliant comments recently when the school’s code of conduct was being discussed. With all the mass shootings she noted “student safety was paramount regardless of zip codes. She inquired about the role of “threat assessment teams,” and “reporting lines,” and their role “in identifying patterns of behavior,’ of students.
Dr.Steven Gallon, III, a former principal overseeing 3,200 students said the goal was not “to suffer situations that take away opportunities to educate. He said, “parents send the best students they have, and the district policy was going to be applied with “firmness and equity.” Noting a large public school “is one of the most challenging education jobs there is said the veteran teacher
>>> Past WDR: Cardiac EKG screening should be required by state, number one killer of young athletes in schools, highlighted at school board Wednesday, after Bills player cardiac arrest should ACDs? be included on the field?
Student Athletes dying from sudden cardiac death, was highlighted at Wednesday’s school board meeting. Sudden death is common with athletes and the need for a EKG screening is important. And advocates say screening should be mandatory. And Florida has nine districts that have this screening requirement before entering school. Further, some parents are hesitant to screen, and just have to be notified, said advocates including a girl with an implantable defibrillator. For more go to: https://nzdsos.com/2022/09/09/unexplained-coincidental-collateral-damage/
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
What about students’ threat assessment teams?
The board’s student advisor Ms. Cori Anna White, with a unique perspective, made some saliant comments recently when the school’s code of conduct was being discussed. With all the mass shootings she noted “student safety was paramount regardless of zip codes. She inquired about the role of “threat assessment teams,” and “reporting lines,” and their role “in identifying patterns of behavior,’ of students.
Dr.Steven Gallon, III, a former principal overseeing 3,200 students said the goal was not “to suffer situations that take away opportunities to educate. He said, “parents send the best students they have, and the district policy was going to be applied with “firmness and equity.” Noting a large public school “is one of the most challenging education jobs there is said the veteran teacher
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST
>>> JHS goes 11-years of clean audits, states KPMG audit, firm used by many public institutions, including the school district in the past.
March 28 agenda unedited: KPMG Audit Results for the Year Ending September 30, 2022 Monica Flaviani, Managing Director, KPMG introduced Andrew Wetzel, Audit Manager, KPMG. Mr. Wetzel and Ms. Flaviani are the managers in charge of the audit. Ms. Flaviani presented the audit results for fiscal year ending September 30, 2021. The audit centered around KPMG’s commitment to delivering an exceptional client experience for Jackson Health System (JHS) by focusing on quality, experience, productivity, and insights. An overview of the results of the yearend audit began with a summary of the audit results required communications and other matters, overview of significant accounting policies and practices, review of significant accounting estimates, and summary of uncorrected audit misstatements. With there be no significant audit findings identified to report, Ms. Flaviani stated that the KPMG audit team appreciate the opportunity to work with JHS management and accounting team. Mr. Lopez-Castro, III recognized Mark T. Knight, Chief Financial Officer, and the accounting team for all of their hard work and working together with the KPMG managers in charge to timely and successfully complete the fiscal year end audit. Mr. Lopez-Castro, III requested a motion to accept KPMG Fiscal Year 2022 Audit Results with a favorable recommendation to the Fiscal Committee. Antonio L. Argiz moved to accept KPMG Fiscal Year 2022 Audit Results; seconded by Matthew J. Allen and carried without dissent. See the full agenda here:
EDITORIAL
>>> You may not take an interest but that does not mean politics may not take an interest in you.
The nation is facing two—days of wondering if former president Donald J. Trump will be arrested (or is this like when Trump said Mikhail Gorbachev would come to Trump Tower, and did not), after his message on Truth Social Saturday. The announcement unconfirmed, states he will “be arrested”, and the nation is bracing for what might occur. After the Jan 6,insurrection.He wants his supporters to protest, “and take back our nation,” he wrote, and republican leaders are hedging their bets.
Editor’s note: having gone to G.W.U. in Washington And given how divided we are as a nation. I have great reverence for the Constitution. And actually, carry a mini version in my reporter’s notebook. I also listened to many congressional debates on Vietnam. Plus, all the years living in Asia and first going to China, in 1976 with a medical delegation and it was like stepping back to 1890, and children froze when they saw me. That’s why on Saturday morning the news broke. I Had trouble thinking of local issues still important, but this is a historical event if it occurs, and will further, muddy the political waters, hopefully be peaceful. The issue is a hush fund payment to an adult star Stormy Daniels seven years ago. Trump supporters think these may be bogus political charges, especially so long ago, and the future is unknown. Next week I will be back to normal and want to thank the John.S. and James L. Knight Foundation for all the support since 2000 and too this day.For more on:www.knightfoundation.org
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>>> 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 to 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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