As you all know, L’il Frantzie P has been the subject of five Internal Affairs investigations by the North Miami Beach Police Department.  I have already written about four of them here, here, here and here.  For your entertainment pleasure, I have finally gotten around to reviewing a fifth IA Report, even though this investigation took place several years before Investigating Frantzie became a routine exercise for Sgt. Silberman.  Now you can again enjoy the fruits of his labor.

In a Memorandum to (former) Chief Rafael P. Hernandez, Jr. from Sgt. Richard Silberman dated November 16, 2009, Sgt. Silberman noted fourteen separate days from May 31, 2009 through September 27, 2009, during which Frantz and assorted unidentified persons were caught entering and exiting City Hall at unusual times, sometimes carrying questionable items out of the building.  On several of those occasions, Frantzie also “accessed the city manager’s office,” carrying items in and out.  Mostly out.

Whether or not Frantzie was aware, his comings and goings were recorded by security cameras located in and around the building.  Let’s take a quick peek at some of the shots caught on camera for posterity.  Watch L’il Frantzie P as he parties hearty on our dime!

At the end of Sgt. Silberman’s Memorandum, he noted:

“Items which raise questions are:

1.  The removal of cases of City bottled water.

2.  After hours use of council/City Hall facility for unknown business with other individuals.

3.  Allowing unescorted non-city employees access to the building.

4.  Unknown use of the City Manager’s office area.  (Council have their own copy/fax service equipment in the council office area.) “

In a separate Memorandum No. 10-115 from Chief Rafael P. Hernandez, Jr. to Joe Centurino, Division Chief of the Public Corruption United, dated May 3, 2010, the Chief summarized the investigation in detail beginning “on or about September 26, 2009,” with “a suspicious late hour alarm activation [that] occurred at City Hall.”  Mr. Baker had asked the Chief to “review the after hour visits to the City Hall Council Chambers, and the City Manager’s office area, by the Honorable Councilman Frantz Pierre.”

Yes, he did use the word “Honorable” in the same sentence as “Frantz Pierre.”  A little cop humor, I surmise.

Chief Hernandez gave a rundown of the sequence of events, his meeting with Sgt. Rick Silberman, the subsequent investigation, interviews of both Frantzie and Kelvin Baker, as well as Mr. Gregory Williams from Public Services, “who is responsible for the distribution of bottled water for the city,” and noting:

“A review of the surveillance video pictures reveals the Honorable Councilman Pierre and other individuals taking boxes of bottled water out of City Hall.”

Let’s take a look at some of those snapshots, shall we?

The Chief showed Frantz all the surveillance videos and pictures and asked him about the events in question.  Some of the answers Frantzie gave for his bizarre tour-guiding behavior and taking of city property included (a) identifying the unknown individuals he brought into City Hall as “Wife, cousin, auntie and nephew,” (b) throwing former city attorney Howard Lenard under the bus by claiming that he gave Frantzie permission to “come at anytime, referring to City Hall, you can come in 24/7,” and (c) claiming that the pilfered bottled water was for donations “to churches.”  Never mind that there are specific request forms to be completed in order to take the bottled water, apparently only non-Frantzies had to comply with rules.  (Don’t you know who he is?)  The P Man claimed he received “verbal approval” from Greg Williams to take the water “when he was not able to complete the paperwork requesting the bottled water.”

When he was not able?  Is completing a request form really that difficult or time consuming?  HARDLY!  L’il Frantzie P obviously just didn’t want to be bothered.

Former city manager Baker, however, made it very clear, according to the Memorandum, that “council members have the authority to remove boxes of bottled water with prior approval.  He also stated that he was not aware that Councilman Pierre had received prior approval.”

Here’s another curious shot of Frantzie – all decked out in his finest Saturday night duds, taking water from City Hall in the wee hours of the morning.

When Mr. Greg Williams of Public Services was interviewed, he noted that “water is distributed to the various departments, including the delivery to our Honorable Mayor and Council members.”  He also concurred that the council members “have the discretion to distribute the water to non-profit organizations, churches and other entities.” However, he did state for the record that the city encourages the council members to allow those outside entities to request the bottled water directly so that the city can “track the reuse, uh, the recycling bottle, and we can also keep track of who got the water.”  Under oath, Mr. Williams told of the city’s protocol about issuing bottled water, how much they distribute, who usually receives the water, and the types of events at which the water is distributed.  One thing for sure is that Greg Williams knows his water!

Interestingly, Mr. Williams also stated that Pierre has on occasion filled out the proper forms, however, “there have been times that people who knows…that know him have tried to call names or tried to use their influence with knowing him to um, to get more water than we can possibly give them.  But I don’t allow that to work.  I, I let them know that this has nothing to do with Councilman Pierre.  That we have to look at how much inventory we have, the size of the event, and make a decision whether or not we can do it.”

Chief Hernandez wrapped up the interview with Mr. Williams with the following exchange:

Hernandez:  Mr. Williams, is there anything I have failed to ask you that…ask you that you would like to add to this statement?

Williams:  I just want to say, Chief, that, you know, at times um, uh, Councilman Pierre has called me for water, and I made it very clear that um, I have to get approval from my bosses.  And that I can’t just…if he asks me for…listen, I need 30 cases.  Well, I need to get it approved.  I can’t just deliver it.  I got to get it approved.  And so I made that very clear with him. So…

Hernandez:  And, that’s been what the process have been?

Williams:  Yes.  Yeah, but not…and largely because I, I let him know I can’t do it any other way.

Hernandez:  Yeah.  So that means he can ask, but if it’s not done properly, it won’t happen?

Williams:  It, it won’t happen, sir.  It won’t happen.  Not on my watch.

Good for you, Mr. Williams!  Don’t let the Putz Bully of NMB push you around!

Here’s the thing.  Ever since he was first elected in 2007, Frantz Pierre has been nothing but trouble for the residents of North Miami Beach.  He struts around City Hall as if he owns the place.  He has been the subject of FIVE, COUNT ‘EM, FIVE Internal Affairs Investigations.  So far.  Pierre has tried to throw his inconsiderable weight around by bullying employees and trying to get those who don’t do his bidding fired.  There are lingering, unanswered questions about his involvement with the “non-profits” that have finagled money from our coffers, and we STILL don’t know how many people actually live in his house.  The answer to that question will determine whether he’s violating our city code or breaking state election laws.  But, he’s definitely doing one or the other!

We now also know that Frantz Pierre likes to help himself to bottled city water.  And lots of it.  Whenever he wants it.

Dude, the water might be cheap, but it’s certainly not free.  Those little plastic bottles cost money, too!  At the rate The P Man takes liberties with our water, he’s racking up some tab on our dime.

Bottom line is, unless he’s finally arrested and convicted on one or more of any of the above alleged crimes, we are stuck with him until May of 2015.  I certainly hope that by then the residents of North Miami Beach will wake up and vote this joke of a “council person” out of office!

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”