I haven’t yet decided where I stand on the issue of privatizing the sanitation department here in North Miami Beach. I’m still waiting to see what the private companies are willing to offer and to see if it’s even feasible. When I spoke with Mayor George Vallejo about it, he told me that there are three possible outcomes. First, it could turn out that the city would save “a ton of money,” in which case it would definitely be worth considering. Another scenario would be that the city would possibly save some money, but the loss of jobs and the possible risk involved might not be worth it. A third possibility is that we’d find out that our department is doing such a stellar job at such a great price that we’d be crazy to even think about privatizing. The Mayor said that the only way we’ll know where the city stands is to analyze the situation and then make a decision based on all these factors.
To be honest, my first inclination is to believe that private companies are better on many levels than almost anything a government entity can do. The main reason is because, unlike the government, a private business needs to please its customers and operate efficiently in order to stay in business. If it fails to serve the buying public, a competitor is usually waiting in the wings to take its place. In other words, competition is a great motivator. As we’ve already seen, since the government doesn’t have to compete with anyone or anything, it can pretty much gouge the public and provide little to no customer service. The “buying public” has no choice but to put up with the only game in town.
On the flip side, there are quite a few valid arguments against contracting with a private garbage company. For one thing, the sanitation business is pretty well known for its potential corruption and illegal activities. Think The Sopranos.
If you want to familiarize yourself with the arguments for and against privatizing the sanitation department, there are many good books on the subject and some great information on this website.
Suffice it to say, that this topic needs to be studied in depth so that the city can arrive at a workable solution. Since I don’t have a crystal ball, and no one yet knows the actual figures involved, I will reserve my opinion on this issue. I do, however, feel that the method being used by the city manager to make a determination is the proper one. Whatever the outcome, it will most likely be in the best interest of all the residents in the city.
On the other hand, North Miami’s rush to privatize, based on the usual 3-2 vote of its City Council, is beyond suspect. In an article published in today’s Neighbors section of The Miami Herald, Trash pickup set to be privatized, it appears that North Miami is moving full steam ahead, despite the fact that a great many residents are protesting this decision.
While I believe that our NMB City Council will eventually make the right decision based on what is the best choice for our residents, any time North Miami mayor Andre Pierre pushes something it’s usually only his own agenda. Considering all the blatant, in-your-face corrupt things this man has done and gotten away with during his tenure so far, one immediately questions his motives every time he does anything. If you’re not up on the Andre Pierre Corruption Body Count, you can read all about it here, here, and here. Pierre has no problem getting a majority vote in North Miami since two of his colleagues never fail to vote as a bloc on any legislature he wants passed. It’s like they’re joined at the hip. You can also pretty much bet that any deal the three of them want to sign will somehow benefit either themselves or their family members, or both.
The best part of today’s Neighbors article is the closing quote by mayor Pierre:
“I will never vote to get anything less than what our residents are accustomed to. I want to make sure we have the best rate possible under the sun and the same or better services than the city is providing, and thirdly that it is a fair and open process to make sure everyone can participate.”
I almost fell off my chair laughing at Pierre’s comment about there being a “fair and open process.” I’m guessing that he’s referring to the “fair and open process” of public records requests that disappear into thin air, or holding secret committee meetings without public input, or having a nephew who shakes down local property owners for council votes. Or perhaps he meant the “fair and open process” by which a Porsche mysteriously appeared in his driveway. Maybe he was referring to the “fair and open process” followed when he had his former police chief/present city manager install secret cameras in his office. Yeah, sure sounds like a “fair and open process” to me.
Combine the three part Council corruption with the potential corruption perpetrated by sanitation companies in general, and those sanitation companies in which Andre Pierre has a stake in, either directly or indirectly, in particular, and you just can’t help but be suspicious.
Apparently, what Andre Pierre wants, Andre Pierre gets. The corruption on that City Council is above and beyond the likes of which most of us have ever seen outside of Chicago. Just like Tom Brady when he’s in the pocket, mayor Pierre seems to be untouchable. No matter what Andre Pierre does, and no matter how much doo doo he steps in, nothing ever sticks. If ever there was a time for the Governor to step in and remove a public official from office, I’d say this is it.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
There has been nothing fair and transparent, from the first vote to privatize in January 2011, which second vote was postponed with a bribe to the mayor’s nephew to the steamrolled ordinance this week, which the public received no notice (unless you speak creole and listen to Haitian radio, then you would have heard the mayor telling his constituents he was lowering the water bill).
Fair process? If the mayor liked what was being said, one could o on as long as they wanted. Anyone he didn’t want others to hear, were cut off at 3 minutes,
One Haitian gentleman speaking against the mayor was about to be escorted away by police at less than two minutes.
Sunshine? As previously written, there is no sunshine in North Miami.
That is quite shocking, to say the least. Are you saying that this resolution wasn’t published in advance? In a legal opinion dated February 6, 1984, the Attorney General of Florida specifically dealt with Florida Statute 166.041, which establishes a specific procedure for the adoption of municipal ordinances and resolutions, including public notices. Please see http://myfloridalegal.com/ago.nsf/printview/ABE830AB587ED96985256584004BA9A1.
If this particular resolution was passed without proper notice, someone needs to file a complaint with the AG immediately.
As for the public speaking disparity, how can this dictator get away with such blatant discrimination? Wasn’t a Herald reporter at the meeting? Didn’t he or she notice this?
The blatant corruption and abuse of power that goes on with this mayor is unbelievable! I am speechless. Literally.
Fair is the word being spread around like there is no tomorrow. Have no comments for North Miami when my own back yard reeks with a pungent smell. Compared to Denmark , that would now smell like a rose.
If Mayor Vallejo and NMB council wanted to be fair, they should have been having our city requesting public records from other cities that are already using the private enterprise to pick up their garbage and see what IS THEIR ACTUAL COST. Instead our mayor and council threw out a known figure to the private sector what it now cost us and told them to beat this. Only a jerk company would come back with a higher figure in their bid. LIke any other private company today, they would submit a very low bid and after a very short time, they will raise this. Their substandard services equal to none. Check out DIRECTV $29.99 per month for 6 months deal or AT Uverse 3 services for $100.00 per month and know what I am speaking of immediately. Turning on your TV and flicking through your channels, you would realize immediately the shows you are accustom to, is no longer there for the “LOW” price.
Some of us already know some NMB elected officials are bent on cowering to special interest groups who are lobbying heavily for the private sanitation companies. The money wasted behind the Dog and Pony show of sending out for RFB could better be spent pulling public records and asking our own workers to compete with this.
In the reality show “Undercover Boss” the first show was about a waste management company. It showed the workers do not even get toilet breaks. The women have to relieve themselves in tin cups for later disposal. Yet the CEO for this company make millions at the expense of his workers. NMB has a motto, “A city where people care” is only for decoration purposes.
For all my years living in North Miami Beach, I have not had complaints about our sanitation department. They have been doing a stellar job. They have kept our city clean and even the mayor and council never had complaints about them, yet they are willing to close this department down? To please who? SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS? Just questions that will be answered in time to come.
The many workers that live in our city that work for our city and have mortgages to pay, can now look forward to having their homes foreclosed upon. I would think we wanted to alleviate the foreclosure problem and not add to it.
In 2006-2007 Gov. Charlie Christ asked for cuts across every city and county in Florida to meet the short fall of the state’s budget. The state’s budget has been declining ever since. Our own county and city were exempted from meeting these cuts. All 100% of our workers in our city should know by now, their salaries have to be cut. It is an injustice to target ONLY the small man and the voiceless, while the rest go untouched.
I would suggest to our elected officials they too can save money. They can sell or park thier their motor vehicles and take transportation from the public buses or car pool. They will move from point A to point B at a lesser price. Mr. Mayor and Council, what you do not like for yourself, you should not do unto others.
Warmest and sincerest,
Mubarak Kazan
NMB resident
Kazan, do you know for a fact that the mayor and/or city manager are not requesting records from other cities in order to compare services and costs? You also made an allegation that “some NMB elected officials are bent on cowering to special interest groups who are lobbying heavily for the private sanitation companies.” I assume you have proof to back up your accusations or you wouldn’t be making them. You also continue to insist that the NMB police don’t patrol “south of 159th Street,” or that the cops’ off duty pay is pensionable, neither of which is true, despite being shown evidence to the contrary.
I’m not sure why you would make blanket statements without backing them up with absolute proof. There are people who don’t agree with either one of our opinions at times, but when you state something as a fact, you’d better be prepared to back it up with actual evidence to prove your statements. Accusing the council of pleasing “special interest groups” is a very serious charge. I assume you will be able to back this statement up with actual proof.
It is my belief that the mayor and council are attempting to save taxpayer money, if at all possible. Also, it is my belief that if the results are such that there is no substantial savings by privatizing, it will not happen. There are four council members up there with enough smarts and good sense to know the difference between a good deal and a scam. You are automatically jumping to conclusions that they won’t do the right thing. I had absolutely no faith in the previous administration, which was run by a majority of idiots. With the addition of a new mayor and councilwoman replacing their predecessors, I have to believe we have a much better chance at fixing our city’s problems.
With regard to your statement, “For all my years living in North Miami Beach, I have not had complaints about our sanitation department. They have been doing a stellar job,” please note that they may be good, but they are not perfect. A mutual friend of ours had her garage apartment damaged when one of our garbage trucks happened to plow into the building for no apparent reason. That must have cost taxpayers a pretty penny. Just last week, the crew picking up our garbage dropped a couple of bags when emptying the cans into the truck. They didn’t bother to pick them up. I also can tell you of several occasions when our garbage wasn’t picked up altogether.
You constantly complain about our police department and never cut them any slack. As much as I complain about some individual cops (on LEOAffairs, for example), I still feel that our PD is one of the best in the county. Yet, here you are claiming that our garbage department is perfect at any cost, when the truth is that nothing and no one are perfect. Present company included.
Stef, let me know where I said cops off duty pay is pensionable. I know this is NOT, but chalking up over time would allow them to put more of their salaries into a pension where our city promised them, for every dollar they put from their salary, we will double it.
I live South of 159th St and I would tell you proactive patrolling is absent except for Washington Park. Also, west of 6 th Ave in the Uleta area, I heard active residents complaining patrolling is absent as well.
At 2:49 am I sent yourself and others a letter, part of which stated, “A department with stellar performance to show, complimented by all. Not perfect, but better than most. The envy of other neighboring cities.” end of quote. This was speaking of the sanitation department. Never said they were perfect.
Easier to ask for public records to satisfy your understanding if they asked for public records. As per meetings I attended, this was not mentioned. One would think it would be the fairest thing to do.
As per costing the “taxpayers a pretty penny”, one can only start counting the millions of dollars our city spent is doling out compensation packages to families who had their members gunned down by our police officers, be it if they were right or wrong. The list includes two autistic residents, two teenagers and a cripple in a wheel chair among others. Our cops used our cars and chalked up more accidents outside our city limits than ever occurred in the actual city. Accidents occurred as far as Jacksonvile, while another killed a woman T boning her miles away from our city. Eye witness claimed the woman was in the right. Just sayin.
Stay well.
Warmest.
Perhaps if the prospect of losing one’s job to privatization was felt by EVERYONE, things might be a little different. Why not go all the way? The city of Sandy Springs, Georgia, with a population of about 90,000 was incorporated in 2005 with only four employees (except for police and fire services, which are required to be provided directly by the public sector under Georgia’s state constitution). According to Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos: “Every other government aspect, the public works, all the community development, all the administrative stuff, the finance department, everything is done by CH2M-Hill, an international firm that oversees and manages day-to-day municipal operations.” If something as basic as sanitation, which we all can actually witness on any given day, can be done more efficiently, think about all the waste in other more “obscure” departments.
I have to give a special shout out and honor to North Miami Activist and Patriot, Claudio Sanchez who is quoted in the article as beautifully saying:
When resident Claudio Sanchez mentioned it during her public comments, the mayor was told he was not to address anyone who was not on the council.
“Can I mention your nephew or not?” Sanchez said. “Listen, people of North Miami, these people want to go private and they want to make money under the table.”
I’m glad I don’t live in North Miami.
Norman
For NMB, I think it is a good idea to get estimates and bids and see how the city services compare. Stephanie quotes Mayor Vallejo with his idea of three potential outcomes of that exploration in the main article. This approach makes sense.
Thanks for your blog. It gets even better. We have a interim city atty at the moment. I’m told finalists in order for NM city atty are Regine Monestine, supp no relation, Jeff Cazeau, major real estate atty, ( Bisc Landings?) and Andre Pierres campaign treasurer, SURPRISE! Renee Lee, former Hillsborough County atty who was doing her own criminal activities and got booted out but not before she recieved a golden parachute when she left, SURPRISE! Ray Irrizary and Joe Montclair. Haven’t dug up anything on these two yet but will be digging as time permits. Got a copy on dvd of the last council mtg and once again i will contact the useless Katherine Fernandez Rundle. This is absolute insanity. And what about Dr Claude? Not a MD and not sure what she has a doctorate in. This gang is making and taking oodles of money. Unbelievable, but not really. I’ll keep you posted. Incest much?
We have a few of those “Doctors” floating around in NMB, too, including our former city manager. No clue what he got his doctorate in, but I can assure you it wasn’t public administration.
I heard about your upcoming City Attorney Pageant. Whoever wins the crown, you can bet it will involve a payback of some kind. I’ll be sure to dig some dirt on that one. Should be very interesting. Not that it’ll matter. Useless Katherine’s office was once the home of Let ‘Em Go Joe Centorino, who never met a criminal he agreed to prosecute.
The former city manager was a “Doctor of Divinity.” (Maybe divine intervention will help him find a new job.) To my knowledge there is only one other “doctor” on the staff, and he has a real PhD.
I was going to say Doctor of Divinity, but I was afraid someone would think I was making fun of him. I never do that! Not me. 😎
The council will announce the winner of the city atty pageant on Tuesdays council meeting. If anyone enjoys the circus and are low on funds you can attend this side show for free. 7 pm at north miami city hall. This show is better seen in person rather than watching it on channel 77. Wonder who they’re going to pick. The suspence is killing me, I hope it will last.
Sandy Springs, Georgia, recently FIRED CH2M-Hill, the ginormous company that was running the city for many years.
the city found it much more cost effective to contract DIRECTLY with private vendors such as waste and recycling haulers, than to have CH2M Hill as the middle man.
CH2M Hill just wasn’t offering value once the city figured out how to manage contracts directly, something that isn’t very hard.
pretty much most of NMB can be outsourced. in the case of police, transferred to miami-dade.
our city really needs to look at everything. and i mean everything. we can’t afford not to any more.
we can’t allow a few residents to drown out the debate on this issue. not when there’s so much of our tax dollars being spent, and potentially being saved.
The original NMB Civil Service System could produce actual leaders that work their way up & know the operation from entry level. Instead the last couple of decades hiring trend was for more expensive degree holders with irrelavent experience, that apparently couldn’t cut it in the private sector so they switched to playing politics. Place is infested with YES men/women and incompetent workers that suck up to the bosses while the actual better employees are disenfranchised.
Fix that Bonner.
“…more expensive degree holders with irrelevant experience, that apparently couldn’t cut it in the private sector so they switched to playing politics.”
Boy, does that sound like someone familiar! People, PLEASE! Next time vote responsibly.
I’m just saying.