Opa-locka’s budget deficit went from a projected $1.7 million to $2 million in twenty days, and somehow City Manager Kelvin Baker still has his job.

As reported by The Miami Times, “Mayor Myra Taylor created [a] task force to review the city’s troubled finances and make recommendations to remedy a mounting budget deficit.”

The four member appointed task force, which includes a former Opa-locka Commissioner, a former Miami-Dade County mayoral candidate, an accountant, and the Miami Lakes Town Manager, “highlighted unexplained number of open sub accounts in the general fund account; excessive expenditures from the general fund; and a city-issued gas card that was used 176 times over a three-month period.”

“Some of our findings were disturbing,” said task force Chairman Steven Barrett, the former Commissioner.

At a specially convened meeting, three fifths of the Commission passed a resolution calling for the city manager to review the findings of the task force and begin implementing the recommendations in the hopes of closing at least some of the gap before the end of the fiscal year.  The two dissenting Commissioners did not support the resolution, but gave no alternative recommendations of their own.

Completely unclear on the concept, Commissioner Joseph Kelly said he wouldn’t vote to implement the recommendations even though “many of the items you’re recommending, I have been fighting for, for the last six months.”

The former mayoral candidate, Roosevelt Bradley, told the Commission, “You have 39 to 49 part-time employees who are earning $20 per hour and getting benefits. That’s not part-time. That’s full-time. Safeguards are not taking place. There’s no accountability. You have to make sure people are being held accountable.”

Excuse me, but maybe I’m missing something here.

Isn’t it the city manager’s job to be accountable for the finances of the city?

Just asking.

In case anyone’s paying attention, it’s worth noting that Mayor Myra Taylor “pointed out that a budget deficit in three consecutive years  is cause for Governor Rick Scott to order state intervention by assuming control of the city’s finances, or through advisory oversight.”

I realize that math is hard, especially when attempted by the Commissioners of the City of Opa-locka (three of whom were endorsed by the Dade County Police Benevolent Association), but has anyone figured out that Kelvin Baker assumed the position of City Manager on July 3, 2012, or exactly “three consecutive years”  ago?

Again.  Just asking.

Task force Chairman Barrett emphatically stated, “Somebody has got to watch the store.”

You had one job, Kelvin.

One job.

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”