One thing some Miami Dade County Commissioners are good at is punishment. The Beacon Council, like DERM before it, found itself in the cross hairs of County Commissioner Lynda Bell's whim to seek and destroy. DERM, we remember, angered Lynda by enforcing wetland regulations for pal John Dubois' waterfront mansion and the 8 1/2 square people. Lynda held a town hall meeting and that was it. DERM was wacked hard and a compliant Mayor helped her. I remember Commissioner Moss saying to Lynda "I don't want to throw DERM under the bus" and that is exactly what happened with DERM. Bell held a workshop and let the community attack County Staff and she sat on the sidelines and let it happen. The DERM director quit soon after. She also got other commissioners to form a task force to rewrite wetland regulation. Total blitz.
I suppose the Beacon Council folks were not big on ring kissing because Bell accused them of treating her rudely and now they are her new target. They too are being cut down in a blitz of reforms but they don't appear to even have one Commissioner to speak up for them. Ask pool company owners what she did to them. The list is growing, one entity after another gets a stab in the back. How does Bell control her fellow Commissioners so easily that they blindly follow her? I don't get it. She appears to get everything she wants in spite of how she lectures them. They even made her their vice chair. If anything happens to Rebeca Sosa we will really be in trouble.
The Beacon Council, in a 10 to 0 vote, has been
I thought the Beacon Council was there to bring companies and business into the County. These little business grants are nice but do they really create jobs? Maybe for the mom and pop but not on any big scale. Don't half these businesses fail anyway? Bell mentioned her husband's small business. I don't see the reason to unfund a group in a vindictive fashion. If they are not doing a good job, address it directly with them first, don't squeeze and humiliate them. It looks to me it is the wrath of Lynda Bell striking again. Same script, different actors. Come on the rest of you Commissioners, get some balls already! Pepe Diaz, Bell treats you like shit, I heard her fight you on the military/airport issue trying to muscle in on your turf, what is wrong with you? Say what you will about Barbara Jordan, at least she is not a suck up to Bell.
A message to all you Commissioners: You might want to revisit this video where Bell insults you with her phony lobbyist resolution. I know you are all secretly happy Natacha Seijas is gone so she can't bully any of you anymore. So why are you creating a new bully Commissioner? Stand up to Bell, she is on her way to becoming Natacha II if you placate her!
Let's see where the hatchet strikes next. Bell said in Miami Today:
"I have more work to do with the Beacon Council."
That sounds like trouble. She said she will be bringing her Beacon Council legislation back (creates an advisory board, requires commission input in Beacon Council strategy and goals, ends automatic renewal of their contract, etc.). Here is hoping that legislation will not pass as it would destroy the Beacon Council, that claims they brought in 3,000 jobs last month. I don't want it to pass because it is an outright power grab.
Practice bending over Frank Nero, and do a little ring kissing too. Invite her to dinner at Arby's and you pick up the check. Make sure you also write a check to her husband's "pop" business.
Some of Lynda Bell's strange ordinances/proposals:
The Chain Link Fence Ordinance
Banning overnight Camping on County Property (directed at Occupy movement)
The Beacon Council
Regulation of Boat Storage
The Pool Contractors
Hog Legislation
Derm Taskforce Creation
44 comments:
Wow! Lynda Bell is the new Seijas who must be happy. Bell is a train. wreck.
Swish, swish.
That is the sound of me shaking my head.
Bell wants the travel budget. A few trips to Asia and she'll be quiet as a clam. Just like Seijas.
Bell knows how to whip up the opposition. She has a bucket list of anyone and everyone she ever wanted to get vengence from. What surprised me is how easily she is accomplishing her hits, like the Pool Corporation legislation that you mentioned that lifted licensing requirements for pool workers so they could go off on their own. De-regulate - T Party favorite.
Turkey, you don't get it. The Commissioners want Bell to go after the Beacon Council. They need a hatchet girl now that Natasha Seijas is gone. This is her job as vice chairman and she relishes the Wyatt Earp role.
Well who couldn't see this coming? It all started with her main supporters in Palmetto Bay, Peter England, James Thomas, Patrick Fiore, John Dubois, and the rest of the Palmetto Bay Village Voice group (except Flinn of course). The Palmetto Bay Business Association and Economic Development Council honcho, James Thomas, invited the Beacon Council to lunch and in front of 200 members set Frank Nero up for an attack by Grant Miller. Very memorable lunch that brought newspaper attention (if you can call the Miller papers real newspapers) and began the attacks by Bell. Economic Development Council is looking for funding from the County and they have the "ear" of Commissioner Bell. They are also looking to takeover the Beacon's role and of course their funding from the county eventually after Bell finishes gutting them. Let's see where some of this money goes. Right over to the James Thomas kingdom of Economic Development Council I bet.
Lynda Bell might be a witch but the Beacon Council is useless. Useless unless you are Frank Nero who has gotten rich making $350,000 per year plus benefits. Nero refuses to meet with local companies needing help and he spends all his time having his overpaid staff creating press releases touting "achievements". The Beacon Council should be abolished immediately.
Really a waste of $3.9 mil per year.
Looks like Lyndas staff is posting again.
This isn't so much about whether or not the Beacon Council is worthy to get funds.
It is the ambushes, the power grabs, the ulterior motives that I have a problem with. I don't like the T Party atmosphere taking over the county commission that was bad enough to start with.
What happened to Derm was a crime.
Do we need another layer of BAD at the county commission?
Nero you need a few of those lobbyists. May I suggest a team:
Ron Book
Miguel Diaz De La Portilla
Jose Luis-Castillo
They would put a stop to this Bell harrassment.
DERM sucks. If you know somebody at DERM you got a pass.
Stop rewriting history.
DERM doesn't suck. But thanks for your opinion even if it is wrong.
You are right Genius about the power grabs and ulterior motives not the worthiness of the Beacon. If you are Bell's friend all sorts of good things come your way. Let's see what happens when John Dubois appears before the Environmental Quality Review Board with his DERM problems at the next February meeting (2/13-14). I bet that they evaporate and he pays nothing and has to do no mitigation.
Let's look at the tape where Dubois says he doesn't want to discuss open cases that he has but says that he has been the subject of DERM prosecution and persecution for 10 years when he had a professional mangrove cutter cut the mangroves on his property.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kGptTtwkTy0
As an elected official in Palmetto Bay he should be held to a higher standard when it comes to lies and breaking the law. Remember, he was the environmental candidate
DERM's lawsuit against him is Civil Case 12-37012 CA 24
Friends in high places or how much can you contribute to a campaign or loan (gift) on a hotel mortgage for a commissioner.
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2008-03-20/news/poisoned-well/full/
DERM sucks! Your opinion is wrong Genius.
First that link is from a 2008 article. Second it is about Water and Sewer not DERM. Bill Brandt might have worked for DERM at one time but DERM regulation is not the management. Renfrow was DERM mgmt. after Brandt and he is a wuss. Don't confuse the Department, comprised of many dedicated scientists protecting our environment, with one head honcho, who is a political appointment, at the top.
I'm not a Bell fan but let's get our facts straight.
It was not Bell who sponsored the Bill regarding the Beacon Council. It was commissioner Sally Heyman. And it wasn't like she was alone in supporting the legislation. A majority of the Commissioners agreed Beacon needed to be reformed.
I cant believe that you, Genius, of all people, support the bloated, six-figure salaries of Beacon executives without any kind of oversight?
If this was a private company using private funds, who cares? But I'm a small biz owner who has to pay my taxes that a portion of which goes to Beacon.
What has "The Beacon" done for me?
Nothing, that's what! At least we some folks who still have the "cojones" or in this case, the ovaries to do something about this.
More power to Sally and people like her!
Lets get the facts straight. Bell started this Beacon Council war 10/16/2012 YES in OCTOBER.
http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/matter.asp?matter=122013&file=true&yearFolder=Y2012 LYNDA BELL THE PRIME SPONSOR
The same way she started the DERM war and others signed onto it including the Mayor.
The other commissioners jumped on the BELL bandwagon, like Sally Heyman. This is orchestrated by Bell. Look at the big picture once in awhile. I don't support anything with the Beacon and didn't say I did but I am smart enough to see when I am being conned.
Hey, DERM is a necessary agency which protects our environment, particularly our drinking water.
But you've got to have people with a clue in that agency. They operate like the "Gistapo."
I was at the Bell Town Hall Meeting and particularly remember this poor farmer who bought his land in order to farm it. He built his warehouse and was ready to go then DERM came knocking and told him that he had to demolish his farmhouse cause it sat on a wetland.
He demolished his warehouse and decided that he would farm fish, instead.
Months later he said that the DERM folks came back telling him that he could build his warehouse after all cause it was determined that his property was not ACTUALLY sitting on a wetland.
As I sat there, listening to this poor guy, I felt for him. He had to spend a lot of $$$ to buy his property, develop it, demolish it, prepare it for fish farming and after all that, it was all for nothing?
C'mon, folks we need DERM but let's get people who know a thing or 2 about actual environmentalism.
Here is when the beacon council witch-hunt started August not October:
It's time to pull the plug on Beacon Council
www.communitynewspapers.com/.../its-time-to-pull-the-plug-...
It's time to pull the plug on Beacon Council. By Grant Miller Date posted:
August 15, 2012.
Listen to the 81/2 square mile folks enough and you will want to strangle them. The dis-information out of them is notorious, Alice Pena their leader,trotted out by Bell and Martinez, is finally marginalized with the county commissioners.
Everyone that buys property in the 8 1/2square mile area has to sign a disclaimer that they know it is wetlands:
Since these lands are subject to routine flooding, a wetland disclosure statement was established 30- years ago following the Miami-Dade County 1981 Zoning Overlay Ordinance (Dade Ordinance 82-113).

More specifically, all transactions involving the sale or transfer of real property or interest in real property located within the East Everglades Area of Critical Environmental Concern include in the documents of conveyance the following statements:
“THE LAND WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS TRANSACTION IS LOCATED IN THE EAST EVERGLADES AREA OF CRITICAL CONCERN. THE LAND IS SUBJECT TO PERIODIC, NATURAL FLOODING, WHICH POSES A SERIOUS RISK TO PERSONS AND PROPERTY IN THE AREA AND MAKES THE PROPERTY UNSUITABLE FOR RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.
METROPOLlTAN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND THE SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT HAVE OFFICIALLY DETERMINED THAT FLOOD PROTECTION FOR THIS AREA WILL NOT BE PROVIDED WITH PUBLIC MONIES.
METROPOLITAN DADE COUNTY HAS ALSO DETERMINED THAT IT WILL NOT CONSTRUCT ANY NEW ROADS IN THE AREA OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN AND WILL MAINTAIN ONLY THE FOLLOWING ROADS: SW 136 STREET FROM SW 187 AVENUE TO SW 209 AVENUE; SW 168 STREET FROM LEVEE L-31N TO SW 237 AVENUE; INGRAHAM HIGHWAY (FORMERLY SR 27).
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE FOREGOING STATEMENT."
(Followed by a signature and date block that had to be completed by the party acquiring the property.)
"Environmental Concern designation: There have been dozens of publicly noticed meetings over the last 30 years so that local residents and land owners could receive detailed information on land use restrictions and environmental protection requirements applicable to this area.
Essentially all of the lands within the 8.5 SMA/Las Palmas Community are already zoned for agricultural uses, subject to environmental performance standards (Dade County Ordinance 81-121, Section 6. relating to dredge/fill, road construction, vegetation management, and agricultural practices). More specifically, the 8.5 SMA/Las Palmas Community is included in Management Area 1 and is classified as a "Modified Environment." Management Area 1 is located in the eastern-most and highest elevated portion of the East Everglades adjacent to the L-31N Canal. These lands are zoned for agriculture and to maintain their existing, low density rural residential character (i.e., 1 dwelling unit per 40 acres). While these lands include the highest elevated lands in the East Everglades, the 1981 ordinance recognized that groundwater levels were expected to be within one foot of the land surface for up to 30 days per year, and prolonged surface water flooding was expected to occur at least once in 5-7 years."
Was DERM abolished!?
Bell didn't start digging on Beacon, the businesses in the area did, as well the local business organizations in the south.
Gee, I wonder why?
With all these environmental arguments back and forth (right or wrong), I'm beginning to think that maybe Columbus should have stayed home. Geez!
These comments are all over the place except where they should be. There is a pattern emerging, Genius has pointed it out. Fellow readers, you are refusing to look at it, going out instead on tangents that are not important. This T Party favorite, Lynda Bell, is a manipulator. Start to recognize it commissioners and public alike. That is what I see in this blog article.
David it is also evident, from what has transpired, that the Commissioners would like to be doling out the funds in their districts rather than give it to the Beacon Council. They are trying to get control of the $4 million dollars by demonizing the Beacon Council. Most of the changes that the commissioners are proposing will give them more power over the dispersal of the funds. Perhaps the Director/CEO makes too much but that isn't the point of what is going on here.
Does anyone think the commission will actually do a better job with the money than the Beacon Council? I wouldn't trust any of them. The Council is suppose to bring business into the county, I looked up their mission:
"As Miami-Dade County's official economic development partnership, The Beacon Council is charged with bringing new, job-generating investments to the community, while assisting existing businesses in their efforts to expand. By doing this, The Beacon Council facilitates the creation of quality jobs for each and every resident of Miami-Dade County."
DERM was not abolished it was folded into another department. I don't even know their current name.
There's so much to comment on here. The Beacon Council is useless as far as I'm concerned. However, this is a money grab not for the benefit of the community but for the benefit of the commissioners and their re elections. Remember the Beacon Council wanted a air show next to the Homestead Air Base? I do. I also question the number of jobs & businesses they claim, but that's not where I'm going here.
Bell is a menace and a danger to this community. She is the worst environmental destroyer, starting with the nonsense at 8 1/2 sq mile where all those people were illegally building on lots smaller than allowed and then the farming run off right in to the Everglades.
Next up is the Cemex Rock mining which are her huge supporters and she played right in to Martinez who couldn't approved that fast enough.
It's like she tried to un do everything Katy Sorenson had supported and implemented. DERM was the biggest con on the public with all the BS from Pena and her group. When they flood, I hope they have boats because I certainly don't want FEMA bailing them out.
Then, the pool stuff, which to date I cannot figure out why but obviously a friend got caught without the proper licenses and insurance.
Okay, now to the Redland Hotel and the DuBois mortgage, interesting how this new company popped up the same time they bought the hotel well under market value.
Now I think she's tinkering with fences or something like that in addition to so much other crap I've lost count.
Bell is a VNS prodigy and the unreformable are happy to have her. She is totally destruction and does not work or care about the community just her own interest and her campaign donors.
I hope there are good candidates willing to pound pavement to run against her. She will have a war chest but is most certainly beatable on her record against the District. Palmetto Bay will only take her so far and that last election shows the community is split. She stank up what used to be a very nice place to live all for political gain.
And back to the Beacon Council.....It's about the money.
Sosa was trying to do something else and I cannot recall off hand what it was to bring more money in to the Commissioners slush (re eledtion) funds. It's really that simple. The argument is smoke and mirrors.
JMHO
Lets remember some of the things Mrs. Bell supported that did not pass. Pink slime hamburger meat: Assault weapons with more that 10 bullets: Arsenic: Second the motion to hear Mrs. Sosa budget be used county wide when the motion would have failed if Mrs. Bell had shut her mouth. She is a disaster !
You forgot one. She's trying to build a Mount Trashmore in the middle of Redland at SW 290th St. & SW 202 Ave. (the edge of the UDB) under the guise of a recycling center no on asked for and is not needed!
I just dont think Lynda Bell's remedy is correct. It should not go to commissioners to dole out to existing businesses for Mom and pop grants, it should go to regional business development councils and there needs to be accountability for what they do with the money.
Forget Lynda Bell and her personality defects. (All true, of course.) The Beacon Council is not cost effective and Frank Nero is not worth $350,000 per year. Commissioners should abolish the Beacon Council and return the money to the General Fund to reduce debt. Let Frank Nero become a greeter at Walmart.
I agree that if there is a change with the Beacon Council funding it should go to the general fund and pay down our debt (Marlins)!
Bell also voted to approved the Ross/Dolphin Billionaire bail out. Not very Tea Party if you ask me (and that's being cynical at best).
I agree this commission is placating her but there are reasons I can only speculate why. She's not the brightest bulb but is certainly more vindictive than VNS was, or at least more transparent when it comes to pay back.
I'm not a fan of Jordan and do give her kudos for not playing along with the unreformable or Bell.
Her ordinances are a ridiculous waste of paper and time. None of them benefit the District 8 community, just a hand full of special interests.
There's a reason why she was a one term mayor of a hillbilly town. She's just a bad apple going whichever way her donors tell her to go. I hope she will be a one term commissioner as well. She needs to find something else to do other than destroy the District & the County.
Reader: I didn't post your comment because asked and answered, here is answer again:
Geniusofdespair said...
Lets get the facts straight. Bell started this Beacon Council war 10/16/2012 YES in OCTOBER.
http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/matter.asp?matter=122013&file=true&yearFolder=Y2012 LYNDA BELL THE PRIME SPONSOR
The same way she started the DERM war and others signed onto it including the Mayor.
The other commissioners jumped on the BELL bandwagon, like Sally Heyman. This is orchestrated by Bell. Look at the big picture once in awhile.
Genius: Bell starts all wars. Palmetto Bay was doing just fine until she got involve. Now she is going countywide since she is now the vice chair. The other commissioners will have fire after fire to extinguish in their districts.
I like it when she didn't like what was happening in Homestead so she went to Talahassee to try to get them to take over the CRA (I think) sidestepping the City. The State declined. Odd action for a T Party gal, but it shows how far she will go to get what she wants. Vindictive.
On Lynda Bell - keep in mind that she was brought in to the commission and trained by Vile Natasha Saijas and Terry Murphy - she is just like them,
On the Beacon Council - There should be an independent report card on their services, I agree that it is given way too much money and Nero's salary is obscene. Besides, isn't there an economic development department at county hall?
It looks like a duplication of services to me. All of course paid with my taxes.
The Beacon Council and the City of Miami CRA's should all be abolished. Billboard Bockweg making a $180,000 pay and benefit package? Frank Nero $375,000? Too much waste and corruption.
The only thing that works in Miami is corruption.
The Natasha Seijas did not have to teach Lynda Bell much. If Natasha was there she would learn a few tricks from Lynda.
I agree Palmetto Bay was doing fine until she became the Comish. Vindictiveness is the reason. Flinn carried Palmetto Bay so she will teach those who supported him a lesson or 2 or 3. When was the last time she showed up there other than her office. Very interesting that she has chosen John Dubois as the heir apparent. Dubois who holds the mortgange on her hotel, gives parties for her at his estate, and is now looking to make a name for himself as vice mayor of vice. Let's not forget his DERM issue he's waiting for her to handle. Oh, almost left out her friends at the Economic Development Council, where the Beacon Council fight started. That lunch certainly was worth the $5 I paid when Grant Miller attacked Nero and the rest is history. James Thomas and Peter England have their hands out already. The only question is how much will she give them and who will get the paying job from the "County Grant".
Hopefully Lynda Bell will send Frank Nero back to New Jersey.
She IS BACK!!! Bell v. Seijjas Milan
AROUND 2:30:00 mark
of 2-05-13 BCC meeting....
MDC BCC Chair Sosa -Madame attorney is it possible to take item 7d out of order to accommodate a former commissioner who wanted to speak on that item..... Even though this is not a Public hearing on this Item i would like to recognize former commissioner Seijas who has requested to speak on this Item....
Control: Board of County Commissioners Status: Adopted Agenda Date: 2/5/2013 Agenda Item Number: 7D Notes: CROSS REFERENCE W/ LEGISTAR NO. 122413 Title: ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 94-104 REGARDING PARKING REGULATIONS FOR PERSONS TRANSPORTING YOUNG CHILDREN AND STROLLERS TO INDICATE THAT PERMIT-FEE FUNDS THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED TO ORGANIZATIONS MUST BE DISTRIBUTED TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT PERFORM COUNTYWIDE SERVICES AND HAVE A COUNTYWIDE PURPOSE; PROVIDING SEVERABILITY, EXCLUSION FROM THE CODE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE (SEE AGENDA ITEM 11A2)Indexes:STROLLERS
Sponsors: Sally A. Heyman, Prime Sponsor
LYNDA BELL, Co-Sponsor
Sunset Provision: No Effective Date: Expiration Date: REGISTERED LOBBYIST: NONE LISTED
Seijas as of 2011 still held the Community outreach position for the YMCA (AKA LOBBYIST???) There was also another Item on the agenda that had to do with a Monopoly for the YMCA that was deferred to april 16th....
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