The business of governing stops for no crisis, even a viral pandemic. North Miami Beach city officials take their responsibility to keep the government running very seriously.
Most of them anyway.
In order to hold the March 17, 2020 Commission Meeting, City Manager Esmond Scott initiated an extensive list of safety protocols designed to ensure the safety of all who attended, while still allowing for public participation, as follows:
Accordingly, four of the seven Commissioners attended the meeting in person, while three attended by telephone.
As you can see for yourselves, there were less than 10 people seated inside the large Commission Chambers during the meeting.
Because the elderly are most affected by this deadly virus, 73-year old Commissioner Phyllis Smith, who is practicing self-quarantine, rightfully chose to attend telephonically.
For some puzzling reason, the two youngsters on the dais, 37-year old McKenzie Fleurimond and 38-year old Michael “Mike” Joseph, decided their physical presence was not necessary.
While we would never take issue with someone for protecting themselves during a deadly pandemic …
We find it extremely curious indeed that Michael and McKenzie had no problem donning their official North Miami Beach Commissioner polo shirts to campaign distribute food at a Farm Share event yesterday hosted by four local members of the Florida Legislature.
As you can also clearly see by a photo posted on Michael’s Facebook page, he and McKenzie were hardly social distancing themselves from each other.
Then again, wherever Michael goes, McKenzie follows.
And vice versa.
For these two budding career politicians – and conjoined comrades – running the City of North Miami Beach government is inconsequential.
Politicking for votes to get re-elected is their raison d’être.
Interestingly, in a newsletter distributed by Michael Joseph, he writes that “we are inviting the public to join in a free food distribution tomorrow.”
We assume he was referring only to he and McKenzie, since Michael would never consider including the entire Mayor and Commission, or the 45,887 residents of North Miami Beach, for whom these two clowns obviously have no use whatsoever.
Then again, what can you expect from someone who’s clearly delusional about his own importance?
Like that time Michael boorishly growled, “We have a lot of power!” at a May 22, 2019 Strategic Planning Session after lying about receiving death threats.
WATCH!
News Flash, Michael: Public service does not give you power.
The voters of North Miami Beach have all the power.
They put you in office, and they sure as hell can take you out.
The same goes for your Mini-Me, McKenzie Fleurimond.
Come November, we’ll be sure to remind those voters just how powerful they are.
Stephanie
Stephanie, if Commissioners Smith, Fleurimond and Joseph were not there and its a 7-member commission, doesn’t that mean there were 4 commissioners present, not the 5 you stated?
Yep, math is hard. Fixed it. Thanks for pointing that out!
While it’s commendable to be volunteering in a dangerous environment with this virus, why weren’t those two governing in their city ten days ago?
And of course they donned their city uniform, they had to be sure their constituents recognized them in a sea of other public officials. The perfect Kodak moment, SMH. Sometimes good deeds don’t need to be advertised, but when you’re campaigning, well, humility is a forgotten virtue.
I agree. Hubris at its best in a time of real crisis. Excuse me while I go puke.
It is disgusting and they’re not practicing the six feet social distance on that photo… One of them is wearing gloves and one of them is wearing a mask..
Shouldn’t both of them wear a mask and shouldn’t both of them wear gloves..and be 6 feet apart I guess they won’t fit into a picture so they can post on social media how good they’re doing…..
McKenzie also posted a similar photo on his Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10163347309675602&set=pb.805335601.-2207520000..&type=3&theater
Because they both share one brain, it works for them that way.
Ah, that explains it all.
Thank you for sharing the information for the upcoming election. There are candidates already running in seat 3, I believe three have filed thus far, Dianne Raulson, Henry Dube and Ketley Joachim. All of them ran in the last election and of the three, Dianne Raulson had the most votes so we need to study her. Ketley Joachim ran a number of times before and Henry Dube made his appearance in North Miami Beach when he ran against Comm. Kramer. A former employee of North Miami Beach is running in Joseph’s seat, this I noticed when I actually saw a car driving with a sign on it for his campaign. I asked the Mayor if he knew him. His name is Ortega. The Mayor is supporting him from posts I saw on facebook. If you read this blog, you know why. The Mayor didn’t tell me anything when I asked about him, just that he was running. I will see what information I can get, I can ask him again now that I know he is supporting him.
Let’s get through this pandemic, the election is seven months away. No need to think about this now, but for those of us who care, we must make sure we have the right stewardship in office. We don’t need no stinkin’ Hubrises like Oak Grover mentioned.
I have been watching this commission for five years since I moved here, I don’t know who this Michael Joseph is I don’t know why he turned out to be a commissioner on that seat..
He doesn’t seem to be the sharpest knife in the drawer.
Certainly no experience on that dais.
Please fill me in on his background.
And by the way what seats are open for the next elections please keep us updated..
I have been getting your emails now and enjoying the truth not fake news about the city that I love and respect,
Matthew.
Seats 1 (Mayor DeFillipo), 3 (Phyllis Smith-not eligible to run due to term limits), 5 (McKenzie Fleurimond), and 7 (Michael Joseph) are the seats open in the November 2020 election.