Heard it through the grapevine: Frank Rollason is Marc Sarnoff's Chief of Staff. Hours Later: Now apparently I have heard it is not true -- he was considered but it did not happen. I would have removed the post but the comments came in so: NEVER MIND!
December 5th
Chief of Staff is: former Outreach Specialist at Team Metro: Maggie Mestre
37 comments:
What a disappointment.
Sarnoff could have done much better.
Are you kidding me? Sarnoff spent the entire primary campaign screaming that Rollason was the creep who invented the sleazy fire fee! Now he HIRES him?!?!? This is bullshit! Bring back Winton! At least his staff wasn't crooked!
Sorry you three wonderful comment people. Bad information came my way. Keep commenting! We will also have a lot of accurate news to report - to balance out the inaccurate news - so keep reading.
Recent Grove lawsuit is interesting as Haskins said Sarnoff folks did not appeal within 15 days to preserve issue for campaign and lawsuit - S. denied, denied, denied and supporters were furious, furious, furious - now suit is filed claiming didn't have notice to file in 15 days - obviously they did.
Next Sarnoff issue - firemen's pension which are sinking the City - H. said have to change and/or switch to county - lets see what S. does with firemen his biggest financial etc supporters.
catch who Sarnoff hired as his receptionist - emotionally unstable lady who fought Herald redevelopment by talking about shoreline when all she really cared about was her view. He is not starting off so well. Anyone know anything about Maggie Mestre, the person he did hire as chief of staff?
Well, speaking about inaccurate information, maybe I can help get the real story about the pensions out to you folks.
A few points about the pension , known as the Police and Firefighters pension btw.
First point being that the reason the city must pay so much is that the Court ordered the City to make restitution to the pension for the years that it was stealing money from the pension fund (GATES v. City of Miami).This is no sudden happening it has been going on for years.
Second ,The firefighters have given back to the City in various ways,ie no raisies ,forgiving millions of dollars in repayment to the pension etc. They have not kept up with other municipalities in compensation for years.
Contrary to Linda's statement, the firefighters do not retire multimillionaires, but they do retire with physical ailments and lousy insurance.
It should be understood that a municipality is established to provide service to the citizens not to be a profit maker and as such you need to pay your staff appropriately.
The City has a lot of catching up to do in that regard.
Too bad that the firefighters are getting all the negative attention when the focus should really be on the slew of incompetent ,overcompensated, friends of Manny working as consultants to the City.
Maggie Mestre. Never heard of her. Someone said she might live in Kendall. Might have been a code inspector. Weak.
Sure, sure, sure. Firemen are noble and brave. But I simply can't afford all their nobility and bravery! Especially when it includes massive abuse of disability provisions with very healthy and fit young men and women claiming near complete disability and undergoing expensive fraudulent "treatment" by an army of dishonest chiropractors and doctors.
Who the hell is Maggie Mestre?
I cannot wait for Dec 14th, Marc's first commission meeting. I expect he will do fine.
I hope everyone is following Rebecca Wakefield in the Sun Post regarding the Sarnoff staff saga. What I'd like to know is why didn't Sarnoff have a chat with our mayor prior to the swearing in. A few words from Diaz would have gone a long way to ease the tension between these two and Sarnoff could have gotten from the horse's mouth who was objectionable as a chief of staff. Let's get real folks, our new commissioner has to be able to work with the mayor or his first year will be a nightmare.
The Mayor did meet with Marc Sarnoff.
Frank Rollason is his own man and fortunately he is in a position where he can do exactly as he pleases.
Marc Sarnoff appears to have excellent advisors. Judge him by how he votes and by how he treats his constitutents.
Who are Marc's excellent advisors and what are their credentials? Are they the same ones who advised him to offer the job of Chief of Staff to two people?
The firefighters saved the City money???? How much money would you have to pay to get $300,000 at the age of 45 and a guaranteed annual pay of $70,000 per year plus cost of living adjustments for the rest of your life? With a life expectancy of 30 years it sounds like more than a million dollars to me. Is there a finance person out there who could weigh in the this? I'm tired of the old arguments from the firefighters.
What is the $300,000? And $70,000 per year plus cost of living adjustments? That adds up to $2,400,000!!!
Maggie Mestre's been a gov't staffer about 10 years. DC, Tally, Homestead, Sorensen's staff, Dade County Mgr Staff. Heard she held on to a county job after a shake up when Burgess needed room for more cronies. Haven't really heard anything earth shattering but nothing negative either.
Listen to Frank Rollason on the Jim Defede radio show. Jim says that perhaps Sarnoff was 'spinless' in the way he fired Frank Rollason
You have got to be kidding!! Maggie Mestre- 10 years in government and how many jobs? Homestead and the County when Burgess came back? Sounds a lot like Alicia Cuervo-Shrieber. Isn't Alicia Arriola's "good" friend and supporter who helped him out with giving $50,000,000 of no-bid contracts to his friends, including Steve Marin. Sounds like the plot is thickening.
Maggie Meastre? What does she know about Miami? And doesn't she live south of Kendall?
It appears Sarnoff hired a bunch of lightweights. Not promising.
I feel like an idiot - this was just another bait and switch. Sarnoff really never accomplished anything - a dog park, planted some trees and now,his claim to fame, Home Depot was really screwed up. He lied to us about Haskins' claim, he lied to us about the support from Arriola, he lied to us about hiring the best and the brightest. Next thing, he'll be supporting the streetcar and Mercy Hospital. If Cuervo-Shrieber and Mestre are friends as anonymous said above, then Cuervo Shrieber will be putting on the full court press for her employer (Related -the developer of the project). Can't say that I didn't hear Haskins say it but I didn't believe it.
To anonymous above, keep feeling like an idiot. Haskins was the person who told the residents of the Omni area she would protect them from high rises. Two days after the general election she demanded a 67 story tower on the waterfront lot zoned for 12 stories by DPZ. Haskins is the person who would not wait for the Parks Master Plan or for Miami 21 or for the results of the runoff election (where she got crushed). She demanded a high rise on the last vacant lot in the Omni area overridng all the consultants. Days later the developer gave her 25 checks.
Sarnoff is doing fine. Home Depot is on hold. Wait for the Mercy vote (if there is one). Wait for the $200+ Mil streetcar vote. Keep watching the commission meetings.
How do you protect the OMNI from highrises? They are everywhere there. I guess since yours was built you didn't think any others should be. I watched the commission meeting on the Herald Property - all of the OMNI CRA plans called for high density on that parcel. You think the developer was going to give it to the City for a park? You sound like a bitter person to me. Are you related to the emotionally unstable receptionist mentioned above?
To anonymous. I am not a receptionist, although there is nothing wrong with anyone holding that position. I am upset to see bad decisions rushed to meet false deadlines. I am upset when I see the City pay for expensive consultants only to have their recommendations ignored. Why hasn't the Goody Clancy Parks Master Plan been presented and implemented? Why weren't the Miami 21 DPZ recommendation followed? For 12 stories on that site? Why was that vote rushed ahead of the runoff election? Why did the developer who benefitted from that hasty decision write 25 checks to Haskins days later?
To concerned citizen - you should watch the meeting again and get better informed. Ana Gelabert said on the record that what was showing on the Miami 21 web site at that time was just a translation of the current zoning. In the final it was going to be consistent with the long-time OMNI master plan - high density and significant height. As to expensive consultants, I think you should ask Sarnoff's BIG supporter Joe Arriola and his sidekick Steve Marin. Why are there huge change orders on the no-bid contracts that went to Marin clients. Why is Cuervo Shriber's good friend Maggie now Sarnoff's chief of staff? The comment from Anonymous at 11:48 raised some very interesting questions. The other comments on the firefighters and home depot amaze me. Stop and smell the decaying roses. Sarnoff is the one who got elected and it is not looking pretty.
To anonymous 4:31, review Miami 21 again. DPZ proposes T-6-8 for the Herald vacant lot. Ana Gelabert misrepresented the facts. The facts are on the Miami 21 website. DPZ proposes a 8 story height limit for that site. It was Haskins who pushed and demanded the 67 story high rise, pleasing the developer who promptly gave her 25 checks to help bankroll her losing campaign.
The Miami Herald and the Miami SunPost reported that Manny Diaz recruited Joe Arriola. Many publications reported that Manny Diaz and Joe Arriola were "best friends" with lobbyist Steve Marin. So it was Manny Diaz's "best friend" who received several no-bid contracts, since increased with "change orders".
Anonymous 8:42,AKA Linda the loser,
Stop already with the misleading and incorrect financial statements!
I'd love to have a guaranteed 70k retirement and 300k at 45, but it ain't gonna happen,not according to my pay stubs that show I don't make that much right now .
Rollason is a decent guy. He didn't deserve to be treated like this.
Miami Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones voted to shut down Umoja Village in Liberty City, where people without homes have created a viable community. Sarnoff and Regalado voted against. she is turning into a real bitch.
there was a great comment on Defede the other morning re: the homeless village.
Max Rameau called Manny the district 2 commissioner!
When Defede tried to correct him, he said that Manny is the commisioner, Michelle only votes for him.
SO TRUE (and so disgusting)
What happened to Manny? He had a great start. I think he has turned into a man like Penelas, talking only to the lobbyists, losing touch with the people who put him in office. I know what these guys do. they have big paella parties for the oldsters and that is how they remian in office. Wrong. You have to reach out to more than the people satisfied with a free lunch.
Michelle Spence-Jones is the Manny Diaz installed commissioner of Dist 5. Marc Sarnoff is the independently elected commissioner of Dist 2. (Diaz supported Sarnoff's opponent.)
Manny "I love concrete" Diaz raised $300,000 for Spence-Jones eventhough she barely finished high school. Her low level city staff career was plagued with ethical and moral lapses. Now as a commissioner she has similiar problems.
Anyone read the Herald lately?
Linda Haskins took $25,000 from money that is supposed to be used to help Dist 2 and she gave it to staffers who left the Dist 2 office. These staffers left the empty of pens, papers and all files that could have been used by the City to solve constituent issues. They even took the TV's used to watch Miami TV. By coincidence, most, if not all, of the beneficiaries or this $25,000 gift had worked on Linda Haskins' campaign.
Linda Haskins again shows she had no interest in helping Dist 2.
Speaking of trust, the following is the City Code that Mr. Arriola violated when he visited City Commissioners in December on behalf of....? How much $$ was funneled to the 'Sarnoff Campaign'?
Sec. 2-612. Transacting business with city; appearances before city boards, etc.
(a) No person included in section 2-611 shall enter into any contract or transact any business with the city or any person or agency acting for the city, or shall appear in representation of any third party before any board, commission or agency of which such person is a member. No employee shall appear in any capacity on behalf of any third party before any board, commission or agency of the city. Any such contract or agreement entered into or appearance made in violation of this section shall render the transaction voidable. However this section shall not apply to an employee participating in federal economic development programs, the community development block grant assisted single family rehabilitation loan program, or the various affordable housing programs assisted through the home investment partnership program and state housing initiatives partnership program administered by the department of community development provided that the employee meets all criteria of the program and provided that the city manager approves the participation of the employee and that the employee is identified as being an employee of the city in applicable documents.
(b) The word "person" appearing in subsection (a) of this section shall include officers, officials and employees as set forth in section 2-611 hereof and the following family members of such "person": spouse, son, daughter, parent, brother or sister.
(c) The prohibition upon activity which is set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall remain in effect for a period of two years after the officer, official, or employee has left city service or terminated city employment.
(Code 1967, § 2-102; Ord. No. 9015, § 1, 11-8-79; Ord. No. 10823, § 2, 1-10-91; Code 1980, § 2-302; Ord. No. 11755, § 2, 2-9-99; Ord. No. 11816, § 2, 7-13-99; Ord. No. 11908, § 2, 4-13-00; Ord. No. 12401, § 1, 9-11-03)
State law references: Doing business with one's agency, F.S. § 112.313(13), (14).
Is the previous poster implying that it is illegal for private citizens to visit City Hall?
The accusation against Joe Arriola is too vague to understand.
Was Joe Arriola solicting more "no bid" contracts for his friend, and Manny Diaz's friend, Steve Marin? Perhaps Joe Arriola and Manny Diaz were discussing the fire fee fiasco? Maybe they were discussing how much money their friends would make from the proposed $200+ Mil streetcar?
We hear from our City Hall spies that Marc Sarnoff has hired Upper East Side resident and business owner Peter Ehrlich to help Dist 2. Peter is certainly a well known activist. This is a positive move.
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