There was a time that Rhonda Sibilia, the Communications Director of the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics & Public Trust, used to send me press releases announcing notices of meetings, public hearings and decisions made by the Commission.  I can’t say for sure when I was removed from her mailing list, but the last one I could find in my files was from December of 2012.  It’s quite possible I’ve received more recent press releases and simply deleted them, but I do know that I didn’t get the most recent one issued on November 14, 2013.  Luckily, someone did and forwarded it to me.

This current press release described the disposition of a complaint filed against North Miami former mayor Andre Pierre for his “free use of public parks for his private soccer club.”

As I reported on April 2, 2012 in Soccer-Gate, “from October, 2009 through September, 2011, Pierre used the fields “for private soccer practice” without paying the tab of about $29,000.00.  He reserved the field for the last time on September 10, 2011, but on September 17, 2011 a group called the North Miami Taxpayers Club started reserving the field.”  The abuse just continued from there until January of 2012.

This is one of those rare occasions that the Ethics Commission actually found probable cause against a public official, as noted in a press release issued November 27, 2012.  Nearly a year later, the agency “approved a settlement” whereby Andre “will accept a Letter of Instruction, pay a fine of $500 and investigative costs of $4,634.70 to the Ethics Commission, as well as reimburse the City of North Miami the amount of $2,181.72.”

While the complaint alleged that Pierre used the City of North Miami’s “fields more than 100 times without paying,” at a cost of $29,000.00 as originally reported by the Miami Herald, I’m told it was actually higher than that figure.  The Ethics Commission, however, gave Andre a huge pass by only making him cough up $2,181.72 of those fees, or slightly over 7% of the actual cost to the city.

The taxpayers of North Miami gets to pick up the remaining almost $27,000.00 tab for Andre & Co.’s personal soccer games.  Isn’t that special?

But you guys should take comfort in the fact that the Ethics Commission was fully reimbursed for its “investigative costs” in the amount of $4,634.70 (more than double the city’s “settlement”), so all was not lost.  The COE had no problem screwing the taxpayers of North Miami as long as the Commission was reimbursed for having to get off its collective ass and do some actual work for a change.

So there you have it folks.  Between the “free” house councilwoman Marie Steril’s mother received at a taxpayer cost of over $154,000.00, and another nearly $27,000.00 for the former mayor’s recreational enjoyment, no one can say that North Miami residents don’t take care of their elected officials.

No wonder so many people “move” to North Miami to run for office.  Who wouldn’t love that job?

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”