It’s campaign season again in North Miami Beach and the usual suspects are up to the usual tricks. Candidates are out there doing their best to sell themselves (and their souls, if they have one) to a mostly apathetic electorate who are too busy to learn about the people running for office.
Even if you aren’t all that interested in politics, it’s important that you find out as much as possible about the people who want to occupy a seat on the City Council dais.
Over the last five years (thanks to a certain former corrupt mayor who stupidly reported me to Code Enforcement for criticizing him), I’ve made it my business to discover everything I can about the city council candidates for both North Miami and North Miami Beach. The winners of these races become your representatives at City Hall. They are your voices in government. You need to be able to trust that they’ll make the right decisions on your behalf.
Elected officials enact the laws with which residents are expected to comply. All too often, these politicians believe those same laws don’t apply to them. The best way to ensure that you get honest, ethical and law abiding representatives is to weed them out before the election so you know who NOT to vote for. Because once they’re elected, corruptocrats are harder to get rid of than used motor oil.
If you can recognize the Future Frantzies of America and prevent them from getting elected, you’ll save yourselves from years of regret.
Your representatives are your voice in government. You deserve to have elected officials who will look out for your best interests, not their own.
You also deserve to know if the people enacting the legislation by which you govern yourselves are also capable of complying with the law themselves.
Unfortunately, many candidates violate the municipal election laws while running for office. This is never a good sign. Just imagine what havoc they can wreak after they win.
Speaking of signs, the City of North Miami Beach has laws regarding political signage. Article XIII, Sec. 24-147.2(1) describes in great detail the size and types of signs allowed, and where they are permitted to be placed.
Part of Section 24-147.2(1)(a)(1), for example, states, “Residential Zoning Districts. Temporary political signs shall not exceed six hundred sixteen (616) square inches per sign on any residential property.” It also states, “The maximum height to the top of the sign, including posts, other sign membranes or appendages shall not be more than three (3) feet above the ground in residential areas.”
Section 24-147.2(1)(a)(2), dealing with signs on commercial property, states, “Nonresidential Districts. Temporary political signs displayed in any nonresidential area shall not exceed sixteen (16) square feet per sign.” Furthermore, “The maximum height to the top of the sign, including posts, other sign membranes or appendages shall not be more than six (6) feet above the ground in commercial areas.”
This Ordinance is written in plain English. There is nothing confusing or contradictory about it. And yet, candidate Paule Villard placed this sign on her residential property:
As anyone who knows ANYTHING about North Miami Beach campaign signage laws, this sign is the size that is allowed for commercial property, but NOT for residential property!
No way is this sign only “six hundred sixteen (616) square inches!”
No way is this sign a maximum of “three (3) feet above the ground!”
And yet, this is a candidate who wants you to elect her to represent your best interests at City Hall, when she is obviously serving only her own.
I’d love to tell you that this sign violation is merely a novice mistake. I’d love to tell you that Ms. Villard would never, ever violate a rule, law, ordinance or statute.
But I’d be lying if I did.
Apparently, like her mentor L’il Frantzie P, Ms. Paule Villard has a history of not complying with rules and regulations.
Consider her career at the Miami Police Department.
As a Public Service Aid, she received two written reprimands for violating Departmental Orders and Departmental Rules and Regulations.
The first one was due to an incident that took place on January 15, 1988 when she received a purse that a Southern Bell employee and found and turned into the Station. She didn’t bother turning it in to the Property Unit and obtaining a receipt number until eight days later on January 23, 1988. Her supervisor noted, “On January 27, 1988, hidden among other papers … I found the incomplete hard copy report made by PSA Villard reference the found purse. Besides being poorly written, the report did not have a narrative.” When she signed the written reprimand, Paule Villard checked the boxes marked “I DISAGREE WITH THE FACTS STATED” and “I REFUSE THE ACTION RECOMMENDED.” Despite her refusal to accept the facts, the written reprimand is a permanent part of her personnel file.
Villard’s second written reprimand was issued when she went AWOL for four days. On April 1, 1988, she advised her supervisor that she had to “go to Haiti to visit her sic sister.” She said she would return on April 8, 1988. According to the Inter-Office Memorandum dated May 2, 1988, “Ms Villard did not return of call on 4-8-88. She was absent without leave for four days.” She eventually returned to work on April 14, 1988. Again she checked the boxes marked “I DISAGREE WITH THE FACTS STATED” and “I REFUSE THE ACTION RECOMMENDED.” Nevertheless, her supervisor wrote, “Due to the seriousness of this violation, I recommend a copy of this reprimand be placed in P.S.A. Villard’s permanent file, believing this action will be sufficient to obtain the desired results.”
Paule Villard was hired as a Police Officer by the City of Miami on December 21, 1993, and received a permanent appointment as a Police Officer on November 5, 1994.
She received her first written reprimand as a Police Officer in response to an incident that occurred on March 2, 1996, when she arrived late for duty, did not “pick up a marked vehicle for her tour of duty,” did not immediately check in for service, and “left her detail unattended without permission, while attending ‘C’ Shift roll call.” It was determined that Villard violated four Departmental Orders and Section 14.2 of the City of Miami Civil Service Rules entitled Grounds for Dismissal, Suspension and Demotion. Instead of being dismissed, suspended or demoted, Villard received a written reprimand that was made a permanent part of her personnel file. Unsurprisingly, she again checked the box, “I DISAGREE WITH THE FACTS STATED,” but accepted the action recommended and waived her right to a D.D.R.B. hearing.
In her position as a Miami Police Department Community Affairs Unit PAL Officer, Paule Villard received her annual Employee Evaluation on January 23, 2013 for service during the period of December 26, 2011 to December 25, 2012. In five of 62 categories, Villard received a rating of “Needs Improvement (NI),” and “Satisfactory (S)” in all the rest except for “Grooming and dress,” for which she received an “Above Average (AA)” rating.
Villard’s supervisor noted that Villard received the NI ratings in the following categories:
- Leave and Attendance: “Officer Villard failed to notify her immediate supervisor that she would be out of the office for two months due to a personal injury.”
- Supervise activities/events: “Officer Villard must supervise all PAL activities/events. She cannot exclude herself because she is not familiar with the sport.”
- Situational awareness: “Officer Villard must remain alert and aware of her surroundings while on duty.”
- Generate and submit monthly PAL reports: “Officer Villard must submit monthly reports as required without being told to do so.”
- Accepts supervision and direction: “Officer Villard failed to follow directives from the Unit Commander.”
For each of the above infractions, Paule Villard received “counseling.”
Officer Villard, however, did receive the following notation for her one AA rating:
- Grooming and dress: “Officer is always neat and well groomed.”
Although Officer Paule Villard signed her Employee Evaluation on January 23, 2013, she noted: “I do not agree with the evaluation. I want to do a rebuttal.”
I imagine she was neat and well groomed at the time.
Officer Paule Villard received a Record of Formal Counseling for an incident that occurred on April 7, 2013 for calling out sick for a scheduled off-duty job for a Special Event. She was found to be in violation of a Departmental Order regarding Special Events, which violation calls for an automatic suspension “from working off-duty events for a period of no less than 30, days.” Surprisingly, Villard signed the Formal Counseling without objecting to the Supervisor’s Statement.
Paule Villard received another written reprimand for violating “the chain of command by delivering a certificate directly to the Chief of Police for his signature.” On July 21, 2014, the Chief’s office contacted Villard’s supervisor, who had no knowledge of the certificate, and who noted, “the supervisors under my command had no knowledge of the certificate. Officer Villard did not have authorization to bypass the chain of command.”
More disturbingly, Villard’s supervisor stated, “This is not the first incident in which Officer Villard has violated the chain of command. Officer Villard has been verbally counseled by the Deputy and Commander and both Sergeants regarding the chain of command on separate incidents.” Villard was found to be in violation of two subsections of a Departmental Order regarding Chain of Command, and for the second time, Section 14.2 of the City of Miami Civil Service Rules entitled Grounds for Dismissal, Suspension and Demotion, regarding (1) an act of insubordination; or (2) a serious breach of proper discipline.
Again, unsurprisingly, Paule Villard checked the boxes marked “I DISAGREE WITH THE FACTS STATED” and “I REFUSE THE ACTION RECOMMENDED.” Again, the written reprimand is a permanent part of her personnel file.
Last August, shortly before she retired from the Miami Police Department, Officer Paule Villard received two final written reprimands that are now also a permanent part of her personnel file.
On August 5, 2014, it was discovered that Officer Villard made two unauthorized purchases of supplies, and then “paid for the items only after being directed to.” Villard apparently “failed to submit a redline memorandum with a purchase request form through channels,” and was again counseled “in regards to keeping her supervisors informed.” It was also noted that she had already “received a reprimand on August 7, 2014, for violating the chain of command.”
Her final written reprimand was issued because she went AWOL again. Officer Paule Villard was scheduled to work a security detail at Curtis Park on August 13, 2014 “during practice hours from 1800-2000.” Her supervisor noted that she called in “at approximately 2020 hours and stated that she left work early because she was ill,” but did not notify anyone before she left her assignment. It was determined that Officer Villard violated two subsections of a Departmental Order regarding Absence Without Leave and Leaving post without permission. She was also deemed to be in violation – for the THIRD time – of Section 14.2 of the City of Miami Civil Service Rules entitled Grounds for Dismissal, Suspension and Demotion, regarding (1) an act of insubordination; or (2) a serious breach of proper discipline.
And, somehow, yet again, she took absolutely no responsibility for either of this two violations by yet again checking the boxes marked “I DISAGREE WITH THE FACTS STATED” and “I REFUSE THE ACTION RECOMMENDED.”
Paule Villard was hired as a Police Officer for the City of Miami on December 21, 1993. Twenty one years later to the day, on December 21, 2014 she retired as a Police Officer for the City of Miami.
During Paule Villard’s rather unremarkable career in law enforcement, she showed no initiative for advancement, was reprimanded on far too many occasions, was disciplined for being absent without leave, disregarding directives from her superiors, refusing to participate in activities, not turning in reports without being told, making unauthorized purchases and not following the chain of command, and in general, did not appear to take her position seriously.
She also took no responsibility for her actions.
But, to her credit, she was always well groomed.
Apparently, Paule Villard has her priorities.
North Miami Beach City Council Candidate Paule Villard wants you to vote for her on May 5, 2015.
We can once again thank the Council Weasel Frantz Pierre for recruiting yet another “quality” candidate to oppose one of his own colleagues on the dais.
What a guy, huh?
Needless to say, it is so important to learn everything you can about the candidates who want your vote. If you fail to do so, you get the government you deserve.
On May 5, 2015, please vote responsibly.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
Wow! And to think that there is anyone out there after reading this blog that would vote for her, that would still keep her sign on their yard. She wants a new vision for our city? What can her vision be? Certainly not a responsible one as she is so irresponsible it nauseates me. TRULY.
NMB residents should refuse to vote for Paule Villard
“I DISAGREE WITH THE FACTS STATED” and “I REFUSE THE ACTION RECOMMENDED.”
Aren’t cops supposed to set a good example?
Wow, finally an article about SOMEBODY ELSE’S SIGNS! I was fully aware of the illegal signs she has been putting up all over South Florida as I’ve received a dozen calls on them already.
From my seat, I have never, ever, put up an illegal sign ANYWHERE. I have received dozens and dozens of permissions to place my signs in everybody’s yards. In fact, if you don’t have one of my signs in your yard yet, give me a call and I’ll make sure Woodrow pounds yours right in.
With that being said, before I sign off, I want to give a shout out to Washington Park for their fabulous Easter Egg hunt that I was not able to attend as I was on the phone with the Governor, who wants to buy a home in Eastern Shores, and who I told him I wouldn’t be able to vote on any variances he might need as I might be selling him his house. And with that, I’ll say good night everybody.
Oh, one more thing, I want to update you on how our fabulous detective squad was able to track down the guy who spray painted “Go Back To Montana” on Woodrow’s tailgate. They got him. He was caught while he was installing my signs in somebody’s yard whom did not give me permission.
Hilarious! Just hilarious!
I’m glad this blog has attracted a higher caliber wit these days instead of the usual crap from the droll and shrill ninnies.
Now that’s just plain mean! Unless, of course, you’re talking about the Cupcake Lady or Fake Teacher Carline.
That can’t be Commissioner Phyllis Smith writing that, but who ever did….I never laughed so hard. That is just how she sounds on t.v. meetings.
What do you mean it can’t be Commissioner Phyllis writing that? First off, in my seat, I am a Councilwoman, not a Commissioner, and while I am not very computer literate, my daughter is a wiz at it and she handles everything just like it was me. And second, from my seat, it’s all about getting it right and representing everybody. I am your voice, and you will always hear me, even when you don’t want to, whether you are just one person, or one of the dozens of people who call me every day, I am here for you. In fact, I’ll give you an envelope with my name on it in case you want to thank me personally.
In an effort to handle the dozens of phone calls I get everyday, I have installed a new phone mail menu system as shown below:
Press “1” if you need a yard sign
Press “2” if you need me to pick up a yard sign placed in your yard by accident.
Press “3” if you spot one of my signs in a garbage can.
Press “4” if you’re from Montana and you need a license plate.
What do I press to shut you up?