The Miami Herald published an article yesterday, North Miami fires top community development officials, regarding City Manager Aleem Ghany’s decision to fire CRA Coordinator Lesly Prudent and CRA Finance Manager Aldwyn Thomas, in an effort to reorganize the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency.

As expected, Lesly Prudent has gone on Haitian radio decrying his termination.  He’s been attempting to incite the Haitian community into complaining to the powers that be on his behalf.

Never mind that Prudent didn’t qualify for this position in the first place.

Never mind that he was merely gifted with this political appointment under former Mayor Andre Pierre’s Friends & Family Plan.

Never mind that under his “leadership,” he published no meeting agendas, no meeting minutes, no Annual Activity Report for Fiscal Year 2010-2011, and no Financial Statements for that year or for Fiscal Years 2011-2012 or 2012-2013.

According to Lesly Prudent, he’s entitled to this job, and the $110,000.00 salary package that goes along with it, despite his lackluster performance.

Why?  That’s anyone’s guess.

The fact that no Financial Statements have been made available for over three years now, also makes one wonder what CRA Finance Manager Aldwyn Thomas has been doing to justify his $109,000.00 salary package.

Even funnier is the statement he made to the Miami Herald:

Thomas called Ghany’s move a “terrible decision” citing his seven years of work with the CRA, and said the move came as a surprise.

“I don’t know if the decision was a correct one, because the CRA is distinct from the city, and I think any decision like that should go before the board,” Thomas said.

To Lesly and Aldwyn, here’s a news flash:

According to Resolution No. R-CRA-2011-5 of the Chairman and Board Members of the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency effective October 1, 2011, which stated that in accordance with Section 2.4 of the CRA By-Laws, the Board appointed the North Miami City Manager as the Executive Director of the Community Redevelopment Agency.

As such, Aleem Ghany, as North Miami City Manager, also holds the title of “CRA Executive Director.”

The not-so-fine print in Section IV of the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency Policy and Procedures Manual, which was adopted October 23, 2007, reads:

What that means is that, as CRA Executive Director, Aleem Ghany has the sole power to hire and fire anyone!

Read it and weep.

Oh, wait!  Lesly already did that!

I heard he had a very public meltdown in the lobby of City Hall Friday morning, demanding stuff, throwing a tantrum, and crying like a baby.

Oh, to have been a fly on that wall.

Memo to Lesly and Aldwin:  Sorry Dudes.

The City Manager put you there.

The City Manager can take you out.

Oh, wait!  Aleem already did that!

Sweet!

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”