We voted in 2012, by a whopping margin of 77%, that we wanted term limits on County Commissioners. Some have been serving for almost 25 years. So what were the Commissioners debating yesterday? Repealing term limits. WHAT? Yes, They wanted a revote on that. We voted for it because the lobbyists were ruling the County. It has helped a little. At least we will finally get rid of the demented Javier Souto who has served since 1993. What a blessing that he will be gone.
Here is what Commissioner Audrey Edmonson said about term limits -- I believe she is very close to a County Commission lobbyist (it is the rumor that she is dating Roosevelt Broadley but we do know she has had help from him in her campaigns):
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| Miami Herald Today: Audrey Edmonson's Unbelievable Quote. Hello, the County has always been run by Lobbyists. |
Because you are all in the mode of Facebook and Twitter, I won't bother writing anything more because you won't read it - go read the article in the Miami Herald.
But this is what TERM LIMITS got us for 25 years (some of the other Commissioners leave when he starts talking):
Here is a video I made of Javier Souto in 2011. Thank your lucky stars we will be rid of him soon. He mentions Miguel DeGrandy (a lobbyist) in this speech. He always, always mentions Cuba in every speech and he has a euphonium for me and some you: "The wine and cheese set living East of Biscayne Blvd." He did have one good vote against chain link fences in front yards.
Here is one I made from 2010 about bi-lingual phonebooks:
CDMP hearing Truck Parking outside the UDB:
Genting Casino hearing:
8 comments:
Miami-Dade County reinstates aide fired by Commissioner Javier Souto over police report
By Patricia Mazzei
November 15, 2012 11:06 PM
Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article1944639.html#storylink=cpy
After 19 years of service, Margarita Gonzalez was terminated after refusing to support the account Souto gave police when he called them to report a constituent who he felt was verbally abusive at the event.
The constituent denies the claim.
According to the police report, Souto said Greenwell “became irate and began to raise her voice.” Her boyfriend, the report says, “attempted to approach [the commissioner] in an aggressive manner.”
A witness cited in the report told police that Greenwell and her boyfriend “were verbally loud and unhappy” with Souto, “but at no point made any sort of threat” toward the commissioner or his staff.
Gonzalez, Souto’s aide, does not appear in the report, which lists the incident as a “verbal dispute.”
But two days later, Souto wrote Gonzalez a letter informing her that she was being suspended without pay as a result of the incident. Souto wrote that Gonzalez, 61, witnessed “the disrespectful manner” in which a constituent addressed him.
“When I stated that you were a witness to her behavior towards me, you stated that you had heard nothing despite the fact that you were present during the conversation and were less than 5 feet away from me,” he wrote.
“Your conduct in refusing to acknowledge that you were a witness to the conversation was disrespectful to me and was untruthful. In doing so, you engaged in conduct unbecoming a County employee and conduct that was offensive to me as your supervisor.”
Three days later, Souto terminated Gonzalez’s employment. She declined to comment through her attorney, Michael A. Gonzalez.
News of the firing spread quickly among County Hall staffers and insiders, who expressed disbelief that a nearly 23-year employee — Gonzalez had previously worked for Commissioner Mary Collins — would be let go over perceived disloyalty.
But the story didn’t end there.
Gonzalez sought the legal advice of her son, an attorney. A month later, she and the county attorney’s office signed a legal settlement reinstating Gonzalez. She will be “on loan” from Souto’s office to work at the West Kendall Regional Library. Her base pay of about $88,000 will remain the same, she will receive back pay since the date Souto fired her, and she will be eligible for her longevity bonus this year.
In return, Gonzalez will voluntarily resign as of April 30, 2013. And she agreed not to sue the county over the temporary termination.
Thank you for exposing the idiocy of what has become local government. Please let your readers who are pet lovers know that I just witnessed Haulover Dog Park maintenance workers spraying the deadly pesticide Roundup in the dog park and under trees in the parking lot. I was concerned when I saw all this blue "spray paint" sprayed under every tree in the large and small dog parks - it was sprayed on bushes and grass near the picnic tables. All animals need shade and all the shaded areas under those trees were sprayed with Roundup. I knew this didn't look right and I packed by dog and left. When I witnessed a maintenance worker spraying it under trees in parking lot, I asked him what it was and he said "Roundup". I was livid as my dog was laying in it and sniffing around it. I called Haulover management and the girl who answered was more mad at me because I was angry - she confirmed they sprayed Roundup and didn't seem to care. I called the Mayor's Office and got the same response and then was forwarded to a voice mail in the Parks Dept. Director's Office. I then called Sally Heyman's office - the young man had no clue about Roundup. This is what we are stuck with. I am never going back to that shithole.
The fact is, if anyone really cares, is that Cava and Bovo created the Constitutional Review Committee and the Board at the request of Cava decided to deliberate these items recommended. Repeal of term limits was sponsored by Bovo in 2012 and most ofd the level headed members voted it down. In fact it was Bovo who's voted killed both salary question and term limit repeal.
Furthermore, some of the Board members failed to understand that the public will not buy this argument that residents are worried they made a mistake, we knew exactly what we were doing.....8 is enough. Thank you Chairman Bovo and Commissioners Sosa, Souto, Higgins, Cava and Monestine for killing these bad idea brought forward by the CRC.
I about choked when I saw the agenda... I love term limits.
The BCC is about to get to vote on Moss' new city. 190,000 people in it. Includes 4 police districts. And meanders around south dade. The review committee voted 6 to 1 against it tonight.
Community activists seeking to go directly to the voters were knocked off the ballot after collecting thousands of signatures. The Clerk NEVER reviews petitions for legal sufficency, so the proposal headed to the ballot would fix it so the language was legally sound BEFORE residents do all that hard work.
Steve Bovo killed any effort to take away term limits. Don't give Cava, or anyone else credit. He sponsored 2012 legislation and was the deciding vote this time around.
How about money limit??????
I am new to the blog and I can not believe I did not pay attention to my local politics sooner! The straw that broke the camels back for me was the catastrophe of The Marlins Stadium. Now all these developers are guaranteeing votes for future developments by donating to the SAME commissioners for the 10-25 years! MIAMI-DADE COUNTY is sick and tired of the corruption!
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