I read a very interesting article in the Miami Herald this morning entitled, Dania Beach commissioner resigns after residency dispute. Since voters here in North Miami and North Miami Beach had issues with candidates in our recent elections who don’t live in our respective cities, the title caught my eye.
I remembered reading about commissioner Pat Flury last summer when her residency was challenged because she sold her Dania Beach home and was caught spending more time at her partner’s Fort Lauderdale home and a house she owns in the Keys. At the time, she claimed she still lived in Dania Beach because she rented a home in that city.
Flury’s challenger in the last election, who lost, set out to prove that the commissioner only set up shop in Dania Beach, but that she really lives outside the city. With camera in hand, Patrick Phipps followed her around town “filming her comings and goings.” A judge denied her request for a restraining order, so on Tuesday night she resigned from the commission. Flury claimed that she was concerned about her reputation, but I’m guessing she couldn’t keep up the farce much longer.
The obvious moral of the story is that voters are entitled to be represented by elected officials who are ethical, honest and who actually live in their constituents’ district.
The not so obvious moral of the story is that no Identity Politics were played in this drama!
Pat Flury can’t claim she’s being victimized because she’s black or Haitian or Hispanic or Asian or any number of racial or ethnic groups. She’s clearly white.
Pat Flury also can’t claim she’s being harassed by someone of a different race or ethnic background because, as you can see, he’s clearly white, too.
One could also note that religion doesn’t appear to be an issue here, either.
The issue is a question of residency, plain and simple. Apparently, Commissioner Flury’s residency is more than questionable.
The ultimate object lesson in this story, or the bigger picture, is that corruption knows no color, ethnicity or religion. If voters want to be represented by honest and ethical leaders they have every right to expect that candidates are duly qualified to run for the office to which they aspire. Bogus cries of “racism” are nothing but red herrings and should be treated as such.
Former North Miami Beach city council candidate Yvenoline Dargenson was proven in a court of law to have lied about her residency. Her race and ethnicity had nothing to do with the fact that she lives in MIRAMAR.
Newly “elected” North Miami mayor Lucie “Coco Douce” Tondreau’s residency is seriously in question. Her race and ethnicity has nothing to do with the fact that she most likely does not live in North Miami. Apparently, voters didn’t care about her lack of residency. Or her lack of decorum, for that matter.
As proven by the case in Dania Beach, where both the office holder and her challenger are white, voters should care about where their representatives live, not their skin color.
Voters also don’t care whether you’re Haitian or not. We just want you to tell the truth and stop playing the race card already. It’s getting old.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
Elected officials are subject to public scrutiny. If they don’t like it, they should not run for office. Period.
Now, we all know Lucie Tondreau will cry racism as soon as the voters start scrutinizing her. She can do so. We don’t care. We will be paying attention at her every move, and as soon as she tries something funny we will cry corruption.
She will complain of racism, but we all know, she knows that the color of her skin has nothing to do with it.
Yesterday channel 10 did a story about 3 other politicians that don’t live in there districts, it’s posted on their website. This problem is epidemic!
Knowing more than anyone about this particular issue, I found your article to be extremely well written. I agree 100%. Thanks for your contribution!
Dr. Patrick Phipps
Thank you, Dr. Phipps. I appreciate your visiting my website. I’m happy that the residents of Dania Beach are concerned with fighting fraud and corruption. Citizens have a right to an open and transparent government that responds to the will of the people. The only way sleazy politicians get away with treachery is when people don’t vote and don’t get involved. Plato once said something to the effect that if you don’t involve yourself in politics, you end up being governed by your inferiors. So true!
This is garbage, Phipps shoud be ashamed of himself. Sore loser. Look at your friends Dukes of Hazzard. For years we did not have a clue as to where they lived. Stalk Them! I am upset to the utmost that we have such sick and immoral people in this town. Lisa Duke throws a stone and hides her hand. She is a coward. Always writing something negative about our city and officials. Enough is Enough! Your life is centered around hurting and saying disgusting things about others on Social Media. Better watch out, there are people that knows things about you and Phipps.
Concentrate on the positive at least once in your life. Think, a child maybe watching you.
This is appalling and becomes a tit-for-tat. I’m so happy I am not involved in politics because it is corrupt. I know more than Mr. Phipps than I cared to know and this was because of a mutual acquaintance. He is a vile human being and a hypocrite. He was pissed that he lost and this is what he did to seek revenge. Sure these two people were white and it wasn’t racially motivated but why is that even a possibility to blame it on? There can be quarrels in politics with people of the same race. Did anyone notice that both of these individuals are gay? And there is more to Phipps and Flury as far as that goes? probably not. There is no question of residency that Phipps wanted to prove. Him and Flury have a history of bad blood and that is what it was about. Phipps himself has a history of property violations and shouldn’t be calling any kettle black because he is blacker than the residue of charcoal in a pile of volcano ash. This seems like an innocent story involving a respectful Dania resident. IT’S NOT people. IT’S NOT. Do your research.