Sorry, folks.  I have to veer from our own North Miami Beach political scene yet again because the ethics-challenged mayor and majority of the council of North Miami keep grabbing the headlines.  It’s sort of like watching a train wreck in progress.  I just can’t look away.

The lead story, or at least one of them, is the whole fiasco regarding the infamous Biscayne Landings.  Blogger geniusofdespair of Eye on Miami, who just posted a column entitled Inspector General Chris Mazzell’s Report on Landfill Money Spent (Wasted?) (click here), explains the latest snag much better than I could.  Please read the column, which includes a scanned copy of today’s Miami Herald article (Biscayne Landings negotiations hit snag) not posted online, to see all the gory details.  Great job, geniusofdespair!

The Miami Herald article referred to also mentioned that North Miami councilwoman Marie Steril has to recuse herself from voting in matters regarding Biscayne Landings (specifically with developer Michael Swerdlow) because, and I hope you’re sitting down, the Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust told her she had to.  In a report released March 1, 2012, the Commission’s report stated “because of [Swerdlow’s] recent contributions to her non-profit organization.  Councilwoman Marie Steril is the executive director of The Family Corners, Inc., which provides charitable work in Miami-Dade County and in Haiti. Swerdlow recently contributed $6,000 to the organization … Ethics Commissioners strongly recommended the councilwoman abstain from the issue since the donation indirectly benefited her and could be viewed as influencing her vote.”

Ya think?

As much as I criticize the Ethics Commission, I have to commend them for this one.  Then again, as the saying goes, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Marie Steril is one of the three council members, along with mayor Andre Pierre and councilman Jean Marcellus, who always vote in lockstep with one another.  She just can’t seem to avoid trouble.  Ms. Steril also received $2,000.00 worth of campaign donations from the principles of Waste Pro, the private garbage company that just contracted with the City of North Miami to replace the city’s garbage department.  Here’s a tip, Madam Councilwoman:  YOU ARE A PUBLIC SERVANT.  YOUR COUNCIL VOTE IS NOT FOR SALE.  SO CUT IT OUT!

Also of interest is a letter from the Ethics Commission to Andre Pierre dated January 26, 2012, which appears to be a response to several questions Pierre had asked.  In this letter, Executive Director Joseph Centorino responded to three issues, advising Pierre on (1) matters regarding the advertising of his private law firm on radio stations that are also vendors of the City of North Miami, (2) any personal loans to him made by “an institution or friend and/or family member” and restrictions on his borrowing from a city vendor, and (3)  recusing himself from voting on any matters in which he has a “debtor-creditor relationship.”

Oddly, the Commission felt it necessary to remind an elected official that accepting donations from someone in exchange for a council vote is a no-no.

Apparently, his colleague Marie Steril never got the memo, either.

Last, but not least, I just HAVE TO say something about Andre Pierre’s foreclosure problem.  Miami Herald article, North Miami faces foreclosure, states that Pierre bought his home in 2003 for $353,000.00, refinanced it in 2007 for $560,000.00 to “make improvements to his 1975 one-story home, such as fixing electrical issues, updating the air conditioner and replacing wood flooring.”  When the market went bust, Pierre’s house wasn’t worth what he owed on his mortgage.  He was quoted as saying, “When you realize your house is not worth what you are paying for it, you go to the bank and have a conversation.”

Okay, so let’s get this straight.  In 2007, he had no problem borrowing $560,000.00 from a bank, paying off the then current mortgagee approximately $260,000.00 (give or take a few thousand), netting approximately $300,000.00.  (That’s a LOT of home improvement, by the way.)  But by 2011, his house was only worth $233,552.00, and he still owed the bank tons of money.  Amazingly, “that same year his mortgage was modified to $432,538 with an interest rate of 4.375 percent annually for about 40 years,” according to the Herald, but, “his mortgage was about $200,000 more than the assessed value of the home.”

So, what did MAYOR Andre Pierre do?  He stopped paying his mortgage payments, of course!  Wouldn’t you?

PUH-LEEZE!

Even more troubling is that somehow Pierre thinks because he can’t pay his freaking mortgage payments anymore, it’s somehow the bank’s fault.  As ridiculous as that sense of entitlement is, consider this:  His mortgage payments are a whopping $1,900.00 a month!  And he can’t pay that?  Really?  In addition to his salary as mayor, which is about $42,000.00, he is also a practicing lawyer.  [BREAKING NEWS:  A reader just advised me that his base salary as mayor is $48,000.00, and this is not including a $750.00 a month car allowance, telephone reimbursement, a travel expense account and full coverage health insurance.]  I’m also told his wife is a teacher.  His kids are still young, so he has no college expenses.  Why can’t he make a modest mortgage payment of $1,900.00?  Sorry, but something really stinks to high heaven here!

[BREAKING NEWS:  A reader just advised me that his base salary as mayor is $48,000.00, and this is not including a $750.00 a month car allowance, telephone reimbursement, a travel expense account and full coverage health insurance.  WHAT?  NO CAR PAYMENT?  And he STILL can’t pay his mortgage?  WTF???]

The funniest part of this whole Pierre Mortgage Problem (at least to me) is that it’s already gone viral.  From liberal (here) websites, to  conservative (here and here) websites, and quite a few in between (here, here and here), Andre Pierre is the laughing stock of the country.  Hey, North Miami voters… Are you happy now?

Hopefully someone will alert Rick Scott about the stench in the political cesspool down here in North Miami.  I’d say it’s high time that mayor Andre Pierre be considered for removal from public office by the Governor.

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”