As I reported to you a few days ago in North Miami’s Sidewalk-Gate, the City of North Miami was contemplating awarding a bid to a company called IMECO, Inc.  Last night at the City Council meeting, the bid was approved by a vote of 4-1, with Councilman Scott Galvin being the only one to vote it down.

It turns out that there’s more to this bid than meets the eye.  Someone “on the inside” in North Miami had the ability to ensure that IMECO would be the winning bidder.  Someone who had the opportunity to benefit from this unholy alliance.

For the original bid to “clean” the sidewalks, per page 73 of the CRA Agenda for the meeting held on September 11, 2012, a letter signed by Faustin Denis Jr. as General Manager of IMECO, Inc., was addressed to Mr. Aleem Ghany, the Public Works Director of the City of North Miami.

It took some digging to find a connection between Aleem Ghany and Faustin Denis Jr., but if you follow the electronic paper trail, you can connect the dots.

Aleem A. Ghany also happens to be the President of a company by the name of Anafa Engineering and Construction, LLC., which is located at 6321 SW 26 Street, Miramar, Florida 33023.  According to Broward County public records, this address is a private residence owned by Aleem Ghany and his wife, Naima Ghany.

Naima Ghany is a public school teacher in Broward County and has been associated with a Nur-Ul-Islam Academy in the past.  An article in the Sun Sentinel on January 28, 2005 states, “During the winter break, Naima Khan-Ghany, a teacher at Perry Middle and mother of the student government president there, worked with the student government association of Nur Ul Islam Academy in Cooper City, United Muslim Youth of Nur Ul Islam, Islamic Movement of Florida and the Caribbean American Islamic Association to collect more than 500 backpacks, 500 mats and an additional $2,000 for school supplies.”

According to the supporting documents of IMECO, Inc.’s bid for a $270,980.60 job for North Miami’s Pioneer Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Project, three references were listed:  Village of Virginia Gardens, CH2M HILL and Nur-Ul-Islam.

Aha!  Mr. Aleem Ghany, the Public Works Director for the City of North Miami managed to help IMECO, Inc. score a $25,000.00 job with Nurl-Ul-Islam Academy in the past.  How convenient!

As for the company CH2MHILL, Inc., when Councilman Galvin contacted this reference, he was advised that IMECO, Inc. got the $800,000.00 “pumping station” job, NOT THROUGH A BIDDING PROCESS but by “word of mouth.”  When questioned further, CH2M HILL’s representative told him that North Miami Public Works Director Aleem Ghany and former mayor Joe Celestin “brought him” to Faustin Denis and a deal was struck.

In an not so coincidental twist, this $800,000.00 “pumping station” job is the “Biscayne Landings deep injection well.”  Since this job just started, the representative for CH2M HILL couldn’t tell Councilman Galvin if he was satisfied with the work yet.

Apparently, the Public Works Director for the City of North Miami has very close ties to Faustin Denis.  He managed to secure an un-bidded $800,000.00 job for Faustin Denis with the infamous Biscayne Landings project, who listed the company handling the development as a reference, even though they haven’t yet finished the job.

Not a bad score for someone like Faustin Denis, who is about to stand trial on Felony Racketeering charges this Friday for bribing an Opa-locka commissioner to obtain government contracts for jobs, that commissioner being Terence Pinder, one of Faustin Denis’ co-defendant in the Felony Racketeering case.  The third Defendant at this trial, Dante Edward Starks, is described by the Miami New Times as a “former lobbyist and disgraced former cop.”  That would be the same Dante Starks who is a friend and campaign worker for State Representative Barbara Watson, who is now presently the subject of a lawsuit allegedly tying her to absentee ballot fraud.

“Honor” among thieves?

On top of all this, Faustin Denis Jr. has the distinct “honor” of getting himself on the Federal government’s Excluded Parties List System, which states that “The Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) includes information regarding entities debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, excluded or disqualified under the nonprocurement common rule, or otherwise declared ineligible from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits.”

Faustin Denis Jr. is barred from procuring Federal government jobs, but in North Miami, that certainly doesn’t matter.  This city puts out a welcome mat for crooks.

As long as ethically challenged city employees, current and former elected officials, and their cronies have the opportunity to secure government contracts in North Miami, the possibilities for corruption (and kickbacks) are endless.  North Miami can certainly give Chicago a run for its money.

Move over Opa-locka.  North Miami truly has earned the distinct “honor” of being known as The Most Corrupt City in Miami-Dade County.

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”