The City of North Miami’s $14,697,136 deficit is now legendary, thanks in no small part, to the soon-to-be-ex-Interim City Manager Arthur “Duke” Sorey.

As we recently pointed out, the City’s running deficit started with Fiscal Year 2015-16, the same year Duke was promoted from the Budget Department to Deputy City Manager.

And the deficit has only gotten bigger since then.

Meanwhile, the same OpenGov transparency portal that Duke takes credit for implementing and launching still has not yet been updated since Fiscal Year 2017-18.

And even the bar graphs of expenses and revenues, which reflect a General Fund Deficit of $3,099,178, do not coincide with the calculations in either the final figures published on page 145 FY2017 CAFR, which reflects a General Fund Deficit of $4,842,075 …

… or what was depicted as the “FY17 Actuals” on pages 41 through 44 of the FY2019 Adopted Budget (PDF).

According to this document, FY17 Actuals show a surplus of $9,022,263 –  or a surplus of $9,415,385 – depending on whether you’re looking at the Total General Fund Revenue listed on page 41 …

… or the Total General Fund Revenue listed on the very next page.

Only one of those numbers can be correct, but we have no idea which one.

Curiously, the Expenditures for FY17 are listed the same on page 43 …

… as they are on page 44 …

… yet the figures for the General Fund Revenue clearly don’t match.

Either way, both amounts are wrong since we now know that Fiscal Year 2016-17 did not end in a surplus, but in a deficit of $4,842,075, according to the FY2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.

You’d think the Mayor and Council would have been smart enough to notice this glaring discrepancy before they approved the Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget.

Well, except for Councilwoman Mary Estimé-Irvin, who hasn’t quite grasped the confusing concept that her own considerable debts need to be paid, which she refuses to do despite getting a compensation package of $194,044 per year.

Courtesy of North Miami taxpayers.

But we digress.

We’re also not sure why we continue doing the job that the grossly overpaid Mayor and Council won’t do for absolutely no compensation, and yet here we are.

But, let’s move on.

Last month we gave you the running tally of the true cost of the soon-to-be-gone Interim City Manager Arthur “Duke” Sorey’s pet project known as the Red Garden.

Even though the General Fund Budget for his signature event, “Uncle Luke’s World Superbowl Experience”, was only $200,000, as of March 31, 2020, taxpayers had already shelled out a whopping $680,485.

As of today, the City’s online check register has finally been updated through June 4, 2020, and lo and behold, Duke’s Super Bowl expenditures have increased to $698,214.

The additional $17,729 was paid to the following vendors:

1. Dignitary Services, Inc. on April 7, 2020 in the amount of $5,024
2. Roadsafe Traffic Systems, Inc., f/k/a NES Traffic Safety on May 21, 2020 in the amount of $7,830
3. Blanchard Machinery, Inc. on May 21, 2020 in the amount of $4,875

We also reported that the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), which was limited to spending a total of $500,000 on the clearing and renovation of the Red Garden property, had spent $482,654 as of February 28, 2020, and was still under budget.

Not anymore.

Since that date, the CRA has paid an additional $39,339 to the following vendors:

1. Ace Construction on March 12, 2020 in the amount of $26,871
2. Innovative Multimedia Services on March 12, 2020 in the amount of $925
3. FPI Security, Inc. on May 8, 2020 in the amount of $11,543

According to our updated spreadsheet, as of June 4, 2020, the North Miami CRA spent a total of $522,092 on the Red Garden property.

And yes, a public records request has been made for copies of these new invoices.

In summary, North Miami taxpayers, so far you’ve shelled out A GRAND TOTAL OF $1,201,577 so Duke Sorey could play the big shot by hosting the Super Bowl Party of his life.

 

In case you’re wondering what Duke Sorey’s Hedonistic Pleasure Palace Red Garden Sinkhole looks like today, wonder no more.

Here you go.

Lovely!

Considering that North Miami residents have been severely damaged by Duke Sorey’s $1.2 million train wreck, we are particularly amused by the ironic placement of a billboard advertising the personal injury Law Firm of Cohen & Cohen.

Just saying.

The only light at the end of this very dark tunnel is the fact that Duke Sorey was rejected by the Mayor and Council for the position of permanent City Manager.

With any luck, his undeserved gig at City Hall will soon come to an end.

North Miami residents deserve better.

Stephanie