Incumbents keep their seats in North Bay Village.
Mayor Connie Leon Kreps beat challenger Jorge Brito 59.98% to 40.02%.
Commissioner Jorge Gonzalez finally beat Mario Garcia 56.33% 43.67%. The last time they faced off, Garcia won more votes but had longed stepped out of the race.
Pic via NBV
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Miami SunPost. By Frank Maradiaga
May had a curious buzz to it in North Bay Village. Aside from the new City Hall digs, the results to the resident survey was due. There had been an onslaught of solicitation to participate in the survey: it was mixed in with bills, village notices, and links sent through mailing lists. The village held a special commission meeting just to hear it. It seemingly did not disappoint: through a third party residents had their collective concerns amplified and commissioners were handed a map.
The 62-page marketing plan, which many on the commission carry a full-color copy of in their binders, is a treasure trove of issues and opinions most politicians would spend considerable shoe-leather and campaign funds to acquire.
Promptly it was praised by the commission, the sentiment being that it was unbiased and professional.
Yet, as the SunPost previously reported, buried in the report is a murderously-hostile take down of the elected officials in NBV. It said the Village lacked: transparent government, sincere leaders, democratic principles, civility, actual law enforcement, good decisions, residents willing to rate the administration, communication, and any solution for problems.
Recently the SunPost brought the survey’s assessment to the attention of the Mayor and Vice-Mayor of North Bay Village, Connie Leon-Kreps and Eddie Lim respectively. They seemed to not have been aware of these harsh words,and asked for the page numbers where the criticism appear.
“Corruption within and self interests in public offices is at its peak,” Lim read word for word from the report. He snorted “What the hell are they talking about?”
At first a jovial Lim brushed off the harsh words by suggesting that the report was talking about government in general.
Yet a closer inspection of the writing found that most assumptions made in report ended in the phrase “in NBV.” If the report didn’t use “NBV” it used the moniker “Village,” making whom the report was referring to insufferably clear.
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Editor’s note: A version of this story was submitted to the Miami SunPost. When they update their site, a link will be provided.
A recent survey conducted by Barry University students found many weaknesses in North Bay Village, but the harshest words were reserved for government officials.
The student project categorized the government as having “corruption” and “self interest” in its’ inner workings.
According to a copy of the report obtained by the SunPost, the students also found that NBV has “almost no good and democratic leadership,” and also lacks sincere leaders.
“There is a lack of sincere leaders at NBV,” states the report. “They make campaign promises to the community and attain their votes, but afterward any sound communication efforts between them and the residents ceases. “
The report was created by two business classes at Barry University between the fall of 2013 and the spring of 2014. It’s based on a survey students distributed among residents. The report centers around problem areas the residents found most problematic such as cleanliness, traffic speed, flooding, and safety. However, the most scathing portion is buried with in the “weaknesses” section where the report takes aim at government officials and their handling of power.
From the report:
“Lack of agreement amongst leaders of the community and no strong sense of unity take the public’s interests away from them and thus hampers the development and the business activities in the area.
People on the Board are fighting with each other for power. Almost no good and democratic leadership exists in NBV.”
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By Frank Maradiaga
A waterfront deck collapse at a North Bay Village restaurant sent 24 to the hospital, with two in critical condition.
Shortly before halftime in the Miami Heat game Thursday, the waterfront deck at Shuckers Bar & Grill collapsed sending up to 100 people into dark waters.
That number is an estimation by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, who also believes everyone was accounted for.
Shortly after midnight the scene was turned over to North Bay Village Police. The incident is under investigation.
MORE TO COME…
By Frank Maradiaga
Assuming no one drops out, the North Bay Village Commission will publicly interview two finalists for the City Manager Position. The position was left vacant since Dennis Kelly was fired in April.
As of the city listing, the two Finalists were Frank Bocanegra and Colin Donnelly.
Frank Bocanegra is a career lawyer police officer turned lawyer who managed the Town of Miami Lakes for a year and a half. (December 10 2008 to May 31, 2010) Since then he has been appointed an Assistant Public Defender for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida. In addition to that gig, he heads his own law firm.
Bocanegra says the reason for leaving the Miami Lakes position was to retire and take advantage of the city’s D.R.O.P. Pension Program.
Colin Donnelly is currently the Assistant City Manager in Dania Beach. He has served there since late 2006. Before that he served as the top administrator for the Town of Newton in New Jersey for roughly three years. He was terminated from that job after three years for what Donnelly attributes to a “change of political leadership.”
In his application package he touts his experience working with small municipalities, and the day to day that comes with it.
“By necessity, working for small municipal governments requires emplyees to wear many hats, which provides for a wide variety of responsibilities and experiences,” says Donnelly’s cover letter.
The meeting will be held at the Treasure Island Elementary cafeteria, 7540 East Treasure Drive, at 7:30 in the evening.
By Frank Maradiaga
To the chagrin of some residents, no date is currently set for the commission hearing of a building proposal that might bring a strip club to North Bay Village.
The proposal was not heard at the December commission meeting, and it has opponents fearing it might be slipped into a special meeting with very little public notice beforehand.
“I hate to see the type of parliamentary deception that happened last year,” said Kevin Vericker, a blogger on the city, and opponent of the strip club.
He is referring to a previous strip club proposal that was heard at a special commission meeting that Vericker feels had inadequate public notice for the important topic.
“I would hope that the commission, when and if these plans come before you, would commit to do this at a regular meeting with the usual adequate notice,” he told the commission at the meeting.
“It makes it very difficult for the residents to be prepared to discuss the issues on hand,” he said.
Others similarly found it strange the topic was not on the agenda.
Read more on the SunPost Weekly
By Frank Maradiaga
The Resignation of Mayor Corina Esquijarosa left an empty seat on the commission, as well as the need to appoint a new mayor and vice mayor.
Out of nine applicants, Richard Chervony of North Bay Island was chosen by the commission amidst groans from the crowd. One woman just repeated “no no no” above the commotion.
Interim-Mayor Connie Leon-Kreps tried to keep order at the meeting she chaired. “I’m asking you to be respectful,” she said. “You asked us not to nominate Mr. Trujillo and he withdrew his name, no one knew he [Chervony] was going to be selected. “
The vocal backlash did not agree.
“It was orchestrated,” said resident Jorge Brito. “If it wasn’t Plan A it was Plan B.”
Brito admitted to being a little emotional after vote. Earlier in the evening there was a perception that applicant Reinaldo Trujillo, a former commissioner and active political figure in the city, was sure to get the seat.
The belief was also held by Commissioner Frank Rodriguez.
“We all know here, that you[Leon-Kreps] and Mr. Lim are going to appoint Rey Trujillo to the position of commissioner,” Rodriguez said. “It’s not a big secret.”
Read More on the SunPost Weekly
North Bay Village Residents Oppose Proposed Adult Nightclub
By Frank Maradiaga
Donna Anderson stood shoulder to shoulder with about 30 others who could not find an empty seat for the November Planning and Zoning meeting in North Bay Village. A proposed gentleman’s club was on the agenda, and the small commission chamber grumbled with the disapproval of residents. As the attorney representing the project made his case, Anderson scribbled down notes on an opposition flyer she received from another resident that featured the the crossed out silhouette of a stripper grinding on a pole. She wrote the word “oasis” on it, and underlined it.
“I am worried about the security of North Bay Village,” Anderson told the board. “This is an oasis in North Miami Beach and it needs to be preserved.”
The crowd erupted in applause, and around the time most applause would die down- it reached a new zenith. Preserving the village’s image and safety is a recurring theme with residents who oppose adult entertainment businesses in NBV.
Read more at the SunPost Weekly
