Saturday, August 08, 2009

Commissioner Javier Souto has gone off the deep end. By Geniusofdespair

He has to bother the Mayor with this piddly shit? He is what you call a pot hole commissioner, focused on the little stuff without a clue on the rest:

To: Mayor Carlos Alvarez
Fr: Commissioner Javier Souto
Re: Municipal Service Problems Identified in Inspections of District 10
Date: August 6, 2009


The problems below were found in my district today during a routine inspection of residential neighborhoods. These are all problems with municipal services in the Unincorporated Areas which comprise my district (District 10), which impact the quality of life of the taxpayers. Although I am the “policy maker” or “legislator,” I am forced to do the work of administrators who won’t leave their desks to drive through the community to make sure the services are reaching the clients (taxpayers). If I can’t get the Administrators responsible for oversight of municipal services to inspect the residential neighborhoods, which are paying extremely high property taxes, they will fall into neglect as you can see below from just my personal inspection of a few city blocks. I will continue to forward these inspection reports directly to you. I hope that at least, since I am doing half the work myself for a salary that amounts to pennies per hour, you can get the Administration to resolve these issues as quickly as possible on behalf of these neighbors and taxpayers.

I thank you in advance for your kind assistance with all of these issues. (Now you all have to hit read more to see his list...)



SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT
(Bulky Waste Piles & Shopping Carts
Abandoned in the Public Right-of-Way)

Trash Pile at 8651 SW 32 Terrace

Trash Pile at 7741 SW 21 Street

Trash Pile at 7781 SW 20 Street

Trash Pile at 7860 SW 18 Terrace

Trash Pile at 7975 SW 17 Street

Trash Pile at 7851 SW 16 Street

Trash Pile at 1405 SW 78 Avenue

Trash Pile at 1415 SW 78 Avenue

Trash Pile at 8001 SW 14 Terrace

Trash Pile at 8033 SW 9 Terrace

Trash Pile at 8200 SW 10 Street

Trash Pile at 2021 SW 82 Place

Trash Pile at 2141 SW 82 Place

Trash Pile at 2224 SW 82 Place

Trash Pile at 8320 SW 18 Street

Trash Pile at 2420 SW 83 Court

Trash Pile at 8420 SW 27 Lane

Trash Pile at 8561 SW 27 Lane

Trash Pile at 8311 SW 28 Street

Trash Pile at SW 30 Street between 83 Court and 84 Avenue

Trash Pile at 8371 SW 30 Street

Trash Pile at 8221 SW 35 Terrace

Trash Pile at 8260 SW 35 Terrace

Trash Pile at 8320 SW 38 Street

Trash Pile at 8325 SW 38 Street

Trash Pile at 8120 SW 36 Terrace

Trash Pile at 2725 SW 80 Avenue

Trash Pile at 3030 SW 92 Place (Big)

Trash Pile at 9850 SW 12 Terrace

Trash Pile at 2810 SW 95 Avenue

Trash Pile at 3925 SW 88 Court

Trash Pile at 3705 SW 89 Avenue

Trash Pile at 1201 SW 92 Avenue

Trash Pile at 4900 SW 92 Avenue

Trash Pile at 9225 SW 43 Terrace

Trash Pile at 4398 SW 97 Avenue

Trash Pile at SW 62 Lane and 139 Court

Trash Pile at 13261 SW 71 Street

Trash Pile at 13221 SW 71 Street

Trash Pile at 13250 SW 68 Street

Trash Pile at SW 13554 SW 65 Lane (FPL Easement)

Trash Pile at 1345 SW 64 Terrace

Trash Pile at SW 102 Avenue and 28 Street

Trash pile at SW 24 Street between 90 Avenue and 91 Avenue

Trash Pile at 4105 SW 98 Avenue

Trash Pile at 4551 SW 98 Avenue

Trash Pile at 2810 SW 95 Avenue

Trash Pile at SW 62-66 Street and 138 Court

Trash Pile at 4142 SW 102 Court

Trash Pile at 4138 SW 95 Avenue

Trash Pile at 8515 SW 47 Avenue

Trash Pile at 11912 SW 37 Terrace

Trash Pile at 11780 SW 34 Street

Trash Pile at 3431 SW 117 Court

Trash Pile at 11762 SW 34 Avenue

Trash Pile at 3430 SW 23 Court

Litter Can Full 146 SW 56 Street

Junk Furniture on Sidewalk at 13221 SW 71 Street

Shopping Cart at SW 89 Avenue and 34 Street

Shopping Cart at 3625 SW 89 Court

Shopping Cart at 3711 SW 90 Avenue

Shopping Cart at SW 56 Terrace and 131 Court

Shopping Cart at SW 72 Street and 135 Court

Shopping Cart at SW 56 Street and 112 Avenue

Shopping Cart at SW 65 Street and 128 Avenue

Shopping Cart at SW 59 Terrace and 130 Avenue

Shopping Cart at SW 71 Lane and 143 Place

Shopping Cart at SW 41 Terrace and 112 Avenue

Shopping Cart at SW 66 Street and 137 CT

Shopping Cart at SW 62 Street and 147 Avenue

(4) Shopping Carts at SW 56 Street -147 Avenue through 137 Avenue

Shopping Cart at 13554 SW 62 Lane

Shopping Cart at SW 66 Street and 137 CT

Shopping Cart at SW 62 Street and 147 Avenue

Shopping Carts at 129 Court between 63 Terrace- 68 Streets

(8) Shopping Carts at SW 62-66 Street and 138 Court

(4) Shopping Carts at SW 56 Street -147 Avenue through 137 Avenue

Shopping Cart at 13554 SW 62 Lane


OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD COMPLIANCE

Overgrown Yard/Abandoned House at 7855 SW 18 Terrace

Large Graffiti on Roof at 44 ST SW 99 Ave

Overgrown Yard/Abandoned House at 8000 SW 16 Street

Overgrown Yard/Abandoned House at 2300 SW 84 Avenue

Overgrown Yard/Abandoned House at 8310 SW 27 Terrace

Overgrown Yard/Abandoned House at 8521 SW 27 Lane

Overgrown Yard/Abandoned House at 8230 SW 30 Street

Junk and Trash Overgrown Yard/Abandoned House at 8030 SW 36 Terrace

Overgrown yard/Abandoned Foreclosed Houses at 7760 SW 32 Street

Overgrown yard/Abandoned Foreclosed Houses at 9201 SW 24 terrace

Overgrown yard/Abandoned Foreclosed Houses at 9371 SW 27 Drive

Overgrown yard/Abandoned Foreclosed Houses at 4235 SW 98 Court

Overgrown yard/Abandoned Foreclosed Houses at 4221 SW 99 Avenue

Overgrown yard/Abandoned Foreclosed Houses at 4530 SW 97 Avenue

Overgrown yard/Abandoned Foreclosed Houses at SW 59 Street Between 137 Avenue- 130 Avenue

Overgrown yard/Abandoned Foreclosed Houses at 13553 SW 65 Lane

Overgrown yard/Abandoned Foreclosed Houses at 9360 SW 43 Terrace

2 Illegal Commercial Signs on Fence at 72 Street SW 137 Ave

Graffiti on Neighborhood Wall at 5612 SW 132 Avenue

Commercial Signs at 14232 SW 62 Street

Commercial Sign on Telephone Poll at SW 96 Avenue and 44 Street

Overgrown Yard/Abandoned House at 10265 SW 37 Terrace

Overgrown Yard/Abandoned House at 3540 SW 104 Avenue


Public Works

Clogged Storm Drain at 132 Avenue SW 72-68 Street

Drain Needs Cleaning at SW 68 Street from 137 Avenue to 132 Avenue

Replace Street Sign at 132 Avenue SW 72 Street

Pot Hole at SW 68 Street and 144 Court

Pot Hole at 13326 SW 61 Terrace

Replace Stop Sign at SW 71 Lane and 139 Place

Replace Street Sign at SW 72 Street and 139 Place

Replace Signs at SW 66 Street and 139 Court

Replace Stop Sign at Street and SW 62 and 139 Court

Replace Sign at SW 57 Terrace and 146 Court

Missing Street Sign at SW 59 Terrace and 144 Place

Replace Stop Sign at SW 62 Street and 134 Place

Replace Stop Sign at SW 64 Terrace and 135 Avenue

Replace Street Signs at SW 56 Terrace and 132 Avenue

Replace (130 PL) Street Sign at SW 57 Terrace and 130 Place

Replace Stop Sign at SW 69 Terrace and 132 Avenue

Replace Stop Sign at SW 65 Terrace and 125 Path

Replace Stop Sign at SW 66 Street and 128 Avenue

Replace Stop Sign at SW 66 Street and 127 Path

Replace Stop Sign at SW 61 Street and 127 Place

Missing Street Signs at SW 130 Avenue and 56 Terrace

Replace Stop Sign at SW 59 Street and 128 Place

Trim Trees Blocking Stop Sign at 6805 SW 39 Place

Pot Holes at 14232 SW 62 Street

Broken Sidewalk at SW 59 Terrace 146 CT- 144 Place

Replace Stop Sign at 135 Ct SW 72 Street

Need Storm Drain at 1040 SW 43 Street

Replace Street Number Sign 31 Terrace and SW 117 Court

Torn Swale at SW 66-68 Street and 137 Court


Parks Department

McMillan Park : Replace Wood Perimeter Fence (bad shape and broken all around perimeter)

McMillan Park : Bathrooms Filthy( have not been cleaned in weeks)

McMillan Park : Graffiti in bathroom stalls

McMillan Park: Totlot sand pit full of litter

McMillan Park : Totlot bench broken sideways

McMillan Park: Walkway Broken

McMillan Park: Why is there a payphone stationed at the park? (may illicit drug trafficking and other illegal activities at a neighborhood park)

West Kendale Lakes Park (Repair Broken Wood Fence in Parking Lot)

Miami-Dade Police

Tractor Trailer/Truck in Swale at SW 36 Street and 99 Avenue
Car With No Tag at 4165 SW 98 Court

2 Commercial Vehicles Parked on Street at 129 Court between 63 Terrace and 68 Street

Speeding on SW 68 Street Between 137 Avenue and 132 Avenue

Commercial Vehicle on Swale at 5035 SW 111 Avenue

Van on Swale No Tag at 9041 SW 34 Street

Boat on Swale at 3621 SW 102 Ave

21 comments:

TheRealEdwin said...

If he doesn't point it out then it simply won't get done. What's the alternative?

Anonymous said...

I had two initial thoughts:

1) The memo to George Burgess was so full of insight, what happened?

2) Why the heck won't the County let area incorporate so they can pay taxes to their own City for services instead of UMSA?

What he did in this memo is show his constituents he's "there" and the other side of this showed me why areas need to be allowed to incorporate since he has painted an inept picture of UMSA.

Maybe I need more coffee, too!

Geniusofdespair said...

If he can't get the little stuff done --- that he is so focused on --- what good is he?

Anonymous said...

Genius I agree with you. However I think we have been left behind by Commissioners who always think big but never small. Ravaged with broken curbs and trash all over the place. Foreclosed homes never cited or pursued.

But Souto doesnt do crap.

Anonymous said...

Souto has to step up and assume some responsibility for the abandoned homes; after all he voted for the overbuilding.
Souto is following the script written by commissioners during the strong mayor battle. They all gave as their reason for being against it, "the mayor can let our communities deteriorate and we will get the blame". Well-played Souto; expect more commissioners to follow suit. In fact, it smacks of laying the groundwork for a reversal of the strong mayor. How can he demand the same level of services when the economy is in shambles. Maybe Souto could donate his million plus discretionary fund to fill pot holes. Or maybe he should have been more diligent in preventing the crisis in Miami-Dade, like not approving every construction project, voting to give away money to scamers, worthless cattle shows, and approving all those contract changes for MIA, Performing Arts Center,and all the other over-priced projects.
Souto is dumb like a fox and he has the mentality of a third world dictator; keep the people happy about no trash piles.

sparky said...

I agree with anon immediately above--placate people with picking up the trash and you can get away with murder.

V.P. said...

Maybe the commissioner would be better served convincing his constituents to stop behaving like pigs and expecting the government to clean up after them. Does Souto think people are driving in to District 10 from the outside to dump their garbage, put up illegal signs, leave shopping carts around and damage parks facilities? If the people of District 10 choose to allow their neighbors to make the place look like a 3rd world country, what is the government supposed to do about it?

Anonymous said...

The beaurocrats that run the asylum are far worse than the elected leaders. Don't ever forget that. I know. I live it every day.

Anonymous said...

Bravo VP!

m

Anonymous said...

Hey Souto, put this information in your taxpayer funded Blackberry you currently use as a vibrating paperweight to entertain yourself. Stop writing, Code Enforcement awaits your texting.

Code Enforcement
Stephen P. Clark Center
111 NW First Street, Suite #1750 Miami, Florida 33128
Telephone: (305) 375-2333 Business Hours: 9:00am- 4:00 pm

Anonymous said...

Yes if you dilute services over too many sprawl neighborhoods, the existing neighborhoods will suffer. My city is clean, nothing like Souto describes, but I am a member of a community that Souto describes as the:
Wine and Cheese set.

Code for white folks.

Anonymous said...

George Burgess needs to give up some of that salary. To much fat

Anonymous said...

Wine and Cheese Set guy makes a good point. I, however, am glad that the Commissioner pointed out the inadequacies of the maintenance because it underscores the underlying message clearly. It's time to connect the dots.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the mayors staff will have something to do now?

Anonymous said...

This memo is a reminder to Alvarez that there is more to management than ribbon cuttings and parties.

Alvarez/Burgess has not done anything exactly amazing for anyone but the mayors good buddy's. They are as entwined with the lobbyists as any group of politicians. Alvarez hides it better.

Just take that list and multiply it by 13 to get the idea of how nasty dirty the community is. Soto's district is cleaner than most because he rides butt on the county staff...

I guess George has gotten used to ignoring those people he can look at and say he doesn't work for. BUT, he does work for us, the people, even if he thinks otherwise. If I drive through Soto's district even if I live north of it, don't I benefit by his efforts?

ricardo said...

i like that the excessive spending of the administration is being observed. however, the notion that the top county administrator should spend 3 hours every week in a single district is absurd. 13 districts x 3 hours = 39 hours per week. Is souto off his rocker?

Anonymous said...

from someone who worked for a county commissioner (not Souto but adjacent to him) for over 4 years this does not surprise me. but he isn't alone. many commissioners have staff members whose sole purpose is to drive around all day...and i mean ALL DAY...and report these problems. first of all...that entire list was put together by that staff person. Believe me...he didnt scope out a single one of those locations. commissioners often send those lists to county managers and assistant county managers on a monthly, bi-weekly or weekly basis. that list is not anything new. souto is off his rocker. he is certifiably nuts. district elected commissioners is the wrong way to go but that is a tough thing to change...lets hope when the next mayoral elections rolls around (except a big dog fight between several hispanic commissioners and other non-elected community persons) to empty out some of those seats held by these commissioners. this county needs some new blood in those seats.

youbetcha' said...

Ricardo,

Don't you think one of the county administration people should be looking at the ground level living conditions that our county presents to the community members and the visitors?

If the county employees don't care and county leaders don't lead by example, no one is going to care or even learn to be better than they are.

A lot can be learned about community issues, hope, poverty and how well the county is doing as living entity by driving the streets. Shouldn't all our elected officials and county employees be touching the daily lives of the people in the county? In a positive and helpful matter, I mean. :)

Anonymous said...

ricardo...no but he can send one of his many assistants...the point is he and his staff are ignoring certain basic services...

Anonymous said...

I am sorry, I like that he is complaining. For every $3 collected in this neck of the woods, $2 is leaving for some other place. Towns are formed, areas are annexed. Maybe other things aren't happening, but talking about this is not a bad thing. We are too big, we have sprawled, they have shoved thousands of homes that we don't need down our throats. OK, Dade County, take care of what you have got before you make the county any larger.

Anonymous said...

We should all consider his opponent for next year's race. Miriam "Mimi" Planas.

www.mimiplanas2010.com

She's been doing a great job of meeting with residents in order to really understand their problems, rather than sending out guerrilla complaints without substance.