Willis Howard, Mayor Kevin Burns’ campaign manager was putting out flyers in favor of 4 North Miami Charter amendments that would, among other things, help the Mayor stay in power and lengthen his term. Putting out competing flyers was Frank Wolland, the elected City Clerk. The 5 Charter amendments went down in flames and I believe that was the right call. The changes would have abolished term limits on the mayor, which seemed self serving when you consider Burn’s campaign manager was printing and distributing flyers trying to make it fly. Here is one proposed charter change which I found to be particularly loathsome in it’s language and scope of change:“Creation of New Charter: The present charter of the City of North Miami is hereby repealed and replaced with a newly reorganized modern City Charter document, conforming with State law provisions, making stylistic changes, and deleting matters more properly covered by City ordinances.”
I imagine sparks will fly from now on between Burns and Wolland. At the heart of this feud: Biscayne Landing (I call it Munisport), the mega-development in North Miami that was suppose to cure all ills in the City. There is a perception in the City that the developer has showered “something” on certain government officials within the city. Who knows. Just talk? (Hit read more, good stuff follows)
Below: photo of Howard and Burns from the Mayor's website.
I could not find a PAC by the name “Concerned Citizens of North Miami” registered in Miami Dade but Beverly Hilton says it is her PAC that put out this flyer.
7 comments:
What is wrong with the North Miami Commission, that they would ok these amendments? The Mayor couldn't have put these amendments on the ballot without their support.
Would the Charter changes have eliminated an elected Clerk? Maybe that is what the clerk was upset about.
Wow G, usually you write better posts than this. Real information with cogent analysis.
Did you compare the changes from the old charter to the new?
From your post, it certainly doesn't seem so.
Yet all 5 "down in flames" was the right call?
Why is moving the election from May to November wrong?
Look at the turn out numbers.
I guess less voter participation is the "right call".
What was the reason for opposing the increase to the personnel board?
You don't have one, and neither did the "concerned citizens".
But that's the right call too?
The City Council have four year terms with no term limits.
The Mayor is a two year term with a two term limit.
What is wrong with making them equal?
I like this blog because usually your writers are spot on in keeping your readers informed about local issues.
You whiffed on this one!
In a short three years Burns has done more than the other four council members combined in the last eight, that is what it's about.
Oh, and where did Wolland and that PAC get their money??
What has Wolland promised to Swerdlow??
Bicker on.
Biscayne Droppings is more appropriate ... as in the sea gulls that used to inhabit the toxic super dump.
It was actually a nice swamp before the developers surreal promotions re-trashed it.
After 10 years there, moving my studio from n miami was easy, I don't miss the place bit.
I know exactly who wrote the anon above....
When you have a zany couple of charter changes...the public trust is breached. The one I pointed out was pretty outrageous... the black leaders in the community didn't distinguish between the good and bad. Jacques, Kendrick, Lucie, Frederica and Alix didn't take time to say "Oh, maybe we should do just #217 yes, that one would be good." The baby went out with the bathwater, unfortunately, because you can't explain the good from the bad to a confused electorate on these 5. This was a radical charter change considering 211, which basically throws out the charter. And, I did look at the charter online. 22 or 23 pages...none of our readers care enough about North Miami to read a book about it.
I like Kevin, I like Frank, I like Scott and I like Michael but it doesn't mean I like what they are doing. I also like term limits. i don't have to read your charter to know I like term limits as a policy.
I think the length of the mayoral term could have been lengthened, so yes, had I been endorsing I would have said yes to 220 and 217. But this is an after-the-fact post and screw trying to explain the nuances to the public. As for Wolland and Swerdlow, I thought Swerdlow was long gone...I don't know where anyone got the money from...but I am pretty curious. There were a lot of fancy, glossy, flyers circulating.
We all know the defacto mayor of North Miami is Clifford Schulman. He has done more to reshape North Miami than anyone.
I didn't vote no on all 5 - I think moving the local elections was the right thing to do and am sad that didn't pass. As for the term limits, while I do think Mayor Burns is working hard for this city, I kept thinking about the potential for a "bad" mayor to gain control and stay in office when voters are so easily duped these days when they actually make it to the polls to vote. I mean, look at the County Commission, the local Diaz-Balart/Ross-Lehtinen strangle hold. There is no better example of the dangers of not having term limits!
I have to agree with Swampthing tho, N Miami has a slew of problems, imho a huge lack of code enforcement and a PD that think they're living in Mayberry RFD.. when the council is whining about having to slash the $1,500.00 yearly budget for coffee at the city council meetings, it seems clear these folks are out of touch..
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