As if North Miami Beach Commissioners Michael Joseph, McKenzie Fleurimond, Paule Villard, and Daniela Jean, a/k/a Team Apocalypse, haven’t done enough damage yet by giving their newly hired manservant, City Manager Duke Sorey a generous raise, they are also planning to give themselves another raise!
On tonight’s Commission Meeting Agenda is a Resolution, which will gouge taxpayers for their “medical, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits,” even though they already receive a generous expense allowance which was expressly designated to cover this cost.
At a September 29, 2019 Commission Meeting, nine months after Michael Joseph and Paule Villard were first elected, the City Commission passed Resolution R2019-87, which approved the modification of “the executive expenses of the Mayor and Commission, which includes the cost of health benefit costs in accordance with City Charter Section 2.3.”
According to the Agenda’s Coversheet, “On July 22, 2019 and subsequently on August 21, 2019, staff presented a survey reflecting the benefits provided to the elected officials at other cities and the City Commission’s consensus was an adjustment to the executive expense (a taxable fringe benefit) rather than an increase in salary.”
Then-City Manager Esmond Scott recommended that the Commission approve Resolution R2019-87, agreeing to “a modification to the Commission Compensation to reflect increases in expenses, including health benefit costs.
Before this Resolution was passed, the Mayor received a total compensation of $31,999, and each of the Commissioners received $26,999.
That Legislation, which was instigated by then-freshmen Commissioners Michael Joseph and Paule Villard, who didn’t understand the concept of “part-time job,” increased the Mayor’s compensation by $16,983, or nearly 35%, to $48,782, and each of the Commissioners’ total compensation by $17,751, or nearly 66%, to $44,750 — which was more than enough to cover the costs of their own health insurance!
Raise your hand if you’ve ever received a 66% raise nine months into a PART-TIME JOB!
Anyone?
Yeah, we didn’t think so.
And now these greedy, shameless swindlers want even more of your tax dollars!
Michael Joseph and Paule Villard seem to have forgotten that they had already voted to increase their own salaries for the purpose of paying for health insurance because, according to tonight’s Agenda, because they are now pushing for Resolution R2021-60 to force North Miami Beach taxpayers to “provide direct payment for full premium of Mayor and Commission medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits.“
This is in addition to the astronomical Executive Expense allowances they already receive.
And to make sure of that, their Resolution specifically states that, “the payment of insurance benefits directly by the City shall not reduce any expense allowance previously granted to the elected officials.”
They even had the chutzpah to place this Resolution on the Consent Agenda, which is only supposed to contain items that were approved in advance by all seven elected officials.
Angered by yet another unethical, and fiscally irresponsible, move made by her colleagues, Commissioner Barbara Kramer had it pulled from the Consent Agenda immediately. This proposed Resolution will now be discussed under Agenda item 11. Legislation, where it should have been located in the first place.
In addition to this health insurance money grab, did you know you’re already spending approximately $200,000 so these bandits could hire personal assistants?
Because, heaven knows, party planning is hard work.
Then again, why should they care? It’s not their money.
If you care — and you should — then you need to remind these clowns that they work for you, not the other way around.
Give ’em hell at tonight’s meeting by attending either in person or via Zoom: Meeting ID: 860 7384 1855 Passcode: 187878
See you there.
Stephanie
Once again it is necessary to have the state ethics committee, or who ever is the applicable individual, looking into the finances of N Miami Beach. As was requested years ago in N Miami, a FORENSIC AUDIT is now desperately needed in NMB!! As we all know most people do not receive the Miami Herald. Duke Sorey is no different in NMB then he was in NM. NMB had been fiscally responsible, but no longer!!! It’s astonishing that those paying taxes in NMB are oblivious as to what is going on. Every resident, every homeowner’s association and every condo association in NMB should have detailed information about this “theft of city funds” and the potential cost to the budget of NMB.
Hi Ellen ….. We miss you in North Miami .. You are 110% correct in your analysis … NMB Residents .. Please listen to Ms. Abramson as she was one of the first person who rang the alarm bell in NoMi about our city’s finances and budget .. Future moves will be a big bond issue to build a luxurious city hall along other city facilities under the word of “aging infrastructure” … it will be paid off to their campaign donors (i.e. architects, engineers, consultant, contractors, etc) in exchange for their campaign contributions to their re-election campaigns ….. NoMi’s Style
What can we do??? Better yet, how other cities take care of similar problems which I’m sure does happens. I’m NOT!!! trying to defend anybody wrong is wrong. I’ll be looking at the mtg.today
hopefully something will fix these guys.
Unfortunately there is little you can accomplish considering the individuals on the NMB city council. Those that are indifferent to everybody and every issue that doesn’t reward them financially are now in control. As in NM the public has little say. The only way to stop this insane corruption, and that’s exactly what it is, is to complain to the regulatory agencies above them and encourage all residents to of NMB do so and to vote. The members of the NM council, and now the NMB council, don’t give a damn about the tax payer’s money. All they want what they can get for themselves!