Open Letter to North Miami Beach Interim Police Chief Larry Gomer
Dear Chief Gomer:
On the Agenda for Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, I note an LETF (Law Enforcement Trust Funds) request for $5,000.00 from councilman Frantz Pierre for “Back to School Crime Prevention Program,” which is an “event” scheduled for August 11, 2012. This “event” is supposed to be held at 1733 NE 162 Street, North Miami Beach.
First of all, this “event” is not listed on the city’s calendar. Secondly, there is no “Back to School Crime Prevention Program” that I can find anywhere. Third, the address where this “event” is allegedly to be held is the same address as two organizations for which LETF money has already been tapped, i.e., Center for Family Empowerment, Inc. and Social Harmony Foundation, Inc., for a total of $14,000.00 (see La Maison de Pierre). Last, this is also the same address of the organization Actions for Better Future, Inc., the president of which is Karyne Pompilus, who has been trying to snag LETF funding for months.
Needless to say, there is something not quite right about this request and I have several concerns, as follows:
1. Have you investigated this alleged “program” called “Back to School Crime Prevention Program?”
2. Is this a legitimate “program” and what 501c3 organization is responsible for running it?
3. Who is to actually receive the money and have you requested a proposal for the distribution of these funds?
4. Will there be any accountability follow up as to whether or not these funds were spent properly?
I have been investigating the ties between Mr. Pierre and all of these alleged “non-profit” organizations. I have found that the owner of the building located at 1733 NE 162 Street, Ledarp Enterprises, Inc., is run by a Mr. Pradel Vilme, who was not only a contributor to Pierre’s campaign, but that he also helped run Pierre’s campaign. He was also appointed to the city’s Redevelopment Advisory Board by Pierre.
The fact that all three of these alleged “non-profit” organizations are located at the same address is indeed suspicious.
I urge the North Miami Beach Police Department to reconsider donating any more funds that Frantz Pierre requests without a complete and thorough investigation of all the various connections between him and the “causes” he claims to be representing.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
I do not think any more LETF funds should be distributed to 1733 NE 162 street until every other child of every other ethnic group represented in this city receives equal funds. I want that event that will be held at 1733 (if they receive the money) videotaped by the City of North Miami Beach so all other children that live in this city can see that their parents tax dollars are being equitably distributed.
Sorry – not tax dollars but LETF funds.
Our City represents all people of this city. If these LETF funds are going to be used to prevent back to school crime, programs should be conducted by our police officers at each of the schools in NMB as this would enable ALL children in our city to receive the same benefit.
I hereby make a request that LETF funds in the amount of 5,000 be distributed to every school in the city of NMB to purchase updated ACCLERATED reader programs so these programs are current. That would benefit ALL children. Maybe if the children are kept busy with reading, they would be less apt to participate in crimes.
I may be wrong but the LETF funds are not taxpayer funded dollars. I believe they are forfeitures. Either way, if the money is going to be given away rather than used for the PD operations then enough is enough at 1733 and any related entities.
You are correct about the fact that these are not taxpayer funded dollars. I was so pissed off when I read this blog that I got carried away with my post.
What on earth is LETF giving money for a back to school crime prevention program when NMB has their own crime prevention program? Let Councilman Pierre bring this group to NMBPD and they can make a presentation for the children and the parents and it won’t cost a thing. I’m mortified by this and I suggest this Council pulls this item off the agenda.
Florida Law requires all non-profits soliciting funds must have a solicitation license. I checked and don’t see any of these organizations registered with the State of Florida. Maybe your City should use that as a guideline for qualification when giving funds away. Here is the link to their site: https://csapp.800helpfla.com/cspublicapp/giftgiversquery/giftgiversquery.aspx
Thanks for the tip!
Ah Frantz what a tangled corrupt web you weave. You are supposed to represent the entire city and not just your own special interests in the Haitian community, remember you hold an at large seat on the council as do all of the others. Now just what part of that simple concept is it you don’t understand???
You are allegedly a citizen of the United States of America yet on several occasions you have been heard to proclaim “that in my country…”, in a context that definitely does not refer to the United States of America. So what is it, are you a citizen of this country or do you still hold allegiance to Haiti??? If so, would you please remove yourself and your corruption from our shores and return to your native land.
IN MY COUNTRY the U. S. of A. we welcome all immigrants who arrive here legally, and in the passage of time they all can become citizens of MY COUNTRY. But, we demand allegiance to MY COUNTRY and condemn all attempts to import endemic corruption from their/your country of origin. We adopt customs that we like from other places and reject those that we find obnoxious, which is why for one thing we have ethnic restaurants scattered all over the fruited plain.
There is much to be admired in the Haitian community; hard work, family values, getting a meaningful education… I could go on but what we do not like is the endemic corruption. If you can’t adhere to that simple concept then we demand that you take yourself and your corrupt crap back to Port Au Prince immediately if not sooner.
You are one amazing woman! The problem is you make way too much sense! That will never do in North Miami Beach or North Miami. Two entirely different cities with the same political system in place. I’ve always loved the same address housing multiple questionable businesses/charities/non-profits, etc. I was surprised that the address wasn’t that, hard to find/non existent/oh never mind here it is property that has way too many “registered” voters residing there. Also connected to “Franzie” Pierre. Here in North Miami we have Andre Pierre. Now how does that work? Thanks for the info as always! Good job!
Aw, shucks [blushing]. Thanks, but I’m not amazing. Just relentless. Politicians like L’il Frantzie P think they’re above the law. For some weird reason he acts as if he OWNS North Miami Beach and that he can grab all the goodies for a small segment of the population. I just can’t fathom where that mentality comes from because it’s certainly not gonna fly around these here parts. Not as long as I’m a taxpaying resident of NMB!
😯 Just to be clear on this subject…the Police Dept. did not place this item on the agenda. Interim Chief Gomer was on vacation for the last 2 weeks and was not aware of this item getting slipped in there by someone at City Hall. This is not a recommendation the PD supports. But the questions should be asked!
I know the PD didn’t put the item on the agenda, nor was Chief Gomer even aware of it. I’ve been told there is no way he would approve this request and it has been pulled from the agenda. I’m sure the P Man isn’t too happy about it. Oh, darn.
The item is still on the agenda. See pages 78-82. Included is the standard memo from Gomer that includes the request (page 82). Granted it is not signed, and I’m sure it’s a form memo that may very well be completed by another individual. Nothing unusual about that, it happens in offices of all types all around the world every day, I’m sure. But is Unshackle suggesting that someone completely outside the department has highjacked this form? That bears some investigation indeed.
In the interest of full disclosure, City Attorney Darcee Siegel told me that she placed this on the agenda at the direction of Frantz Pierre. Chief Gomer was not aware of it as he was on vacation until yesterday. Darcee decided that it is better to put something on the agenda in advance, even if it gets pulled before the meeting, rather than to not have it on the agenda and then it comes up at the meeting for a vote. I’m glad she did this so we can see what L’il Frantzie P was up to in plenty of time for the residents to know about it in advance. Now that we’re all on to him, he won’t be able to get away trying to snag more money for his own personal agenda.
It’s not for his personal agenda. It’s for his people.
Same thing.
😥
If the item was pulled, then why was there a “Haitian Festival / book bag give away” on Aug 11th at the amphitheater?
I know it was pulled from the agenda as far as their receiving money from the Police Department’s LETF. I wasn’t at the council meeting, nor have I watched it because I was out of town, but I heard that Frantzie somehow finagled some funds from the council’s contingency fund and private donors. I also heard the event was a fiasco.
At the same meeting a sizable amount of money was awarded to a sports team, almost $10k I believe. You should know that the son of employee Jackie Shakespeare is on this team. They do not live in the city of North Miami Beach. While on principle I am disinclined to agree with ANYTHING Phyllis says, she is right about this point. Why do we give our money away to people who don’t even live here?
I’ve been so out of touch for the last two weeks because of my vacation and work. I don’t even know what that’s about. I’ll try to find out. Thanks for the tip.