Opa-locka City Manager Kelvin Baker still “can’t seem to get nothing done.”
And the City Commissioners still haven’t devised a plan to solve their budget problem.
So they decided to ignore it instead.
Yep. Math is hard.
As reported by the Miami Herald, at their meeting Wednesday night the commissioners also couldn’t agree how much of a deficit they’re (not) looking at, but they guesstimated it could be anywhere between $700,000 and $2,000,000.
Since one of those numbers has five zeros and one comma, and the other has six zeros and two commas, the commissioners were obviously confused.
After all, big numbers involves math.
Not only did they ignore their looming deficit, the commissioners also tabled “an ordinance to amend the city charter on the distance between alcoholic beverages and schools, religious institutions and churches.”
Because calculating distance also involves math.
They did, however, decide that they could solve their “negative waste fund balance,” which is “down $680,000,” if they raised the “waste collection rate by 6 percent.”
City Manager Baker justified charging Opa-locka residents more money by claiming, “This is a mechanism to pay and ensure that financials are stabilized.”
Which translates to, “I may be over budget, but it’s your fault, not mine.”
The news isn’t all bad, though. To compensate for the rate increase, residents “will also now have access to drop off their trash three days a week instead of two.”
Wait, what?
Opa-locka residents have to “drop off their trash?”
It doesn’t get picked up?
WTF?
The commissioners, however, thought it was a good deal because they approved it unanimously.
The commission also unanimously voted for an ordinance to “amend garbage and trash code, adding stricter rules for illegal dumping,” and a resolution “to update the citywide fee schedule for permits, community development and public works, among other items.”
No mention was made in the Herald article if those agenda items involved math.
Kelvin Baker has been the Opa-locka City Manager for three years now, yet somehow no one has figured out that he has absolutely no idea what he’s doing.
Until maybe now?
During the manager’s report, according to the Herald, Commissioner Luis B. Santiago said, “I would like to see real numbers and real problems we have in the budget.”
Good luck with that, Mr. Santiago.
Many have tried to get a straight answer out of Kelvin Baker.
None have succeeded.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
When a city is considering someone to have anything to do with any financial part of government they should be able to pass the check book test. What’s that you ask? They should have the ability to balance a check book repeatedly error free. They should also have a great FICO score proving financial responsibility. At one time the City of N Miami had a great finance director. Of course, he was pushed out years ago. The other night, at a city council meeting, some mental wizard stood up in front of the council and said he had more information to give the IRS, but had yet to do so. The IRS had fined the city more than $30,000. Why don’t any of these cities have standards for employees involved in financial matters?
‘Cause it’s good fishing in troubled waters.
Standards? You expect cities to have standards?
This mess is crazy but I “guess” there’s not a person sitting on the dais willing to call some authorities in to review, demand and make changes. Maybe all will be held accountable and go to jail and that’s why nothing is being done, just a thought.
In Miami-Dade County, that’s referred to as “wishful thinking.” Remember, there are no “authorities.” Ask North Miami Ellen. She’s always looking for them, but they’re nowhere to be found. It’s easier to find Waldo.
It’s good fishing in troubled waters.
Wow. I live in Unincorporated Biscayne Gardens (not to be confused with Miami Gardens) and after reading about all the corruption and incompetence in the cities surrounding where I live (Opa-Locka, North Miami, Miami Gardens, and North Miami Beach) I’m scared shitless by the small group of wanna-be politicians who live in my area. For over a decade they have been pushing incorporation into a city thinking that they will be elected to the newly formed town council. The problem is that they have no clue on how to run a city or what it costs. Besides, by incorporating, all they will have done is create a new petri-dish for more political corruption to take place. I’m sure that as soon as the new city were to be incorporated, the smell of a new election will lure the likes of NMB’s Weasel, or North Miami’s Andre Pierre, Marie Steril or Lucy Tondreau, or Opa-Locka’s Terrance Pinder to move into Biscayne Gardens to run for office there, for all the wrong reasons.
Right now I can pick up the newspaper and read all about the corruption that takes place in the cities where these people governed and feel wonderful that unincorporated Biscayne Gardens doesn’t have to deal with any of that or worry that my property taxes will go through the roof because of incompetent City managers like Mr. Baker, who apparently can’t find his ass with both hands.
That’s what makes it a special place to live. In this case, less government is better government.