Arthur “Duke” Sorey is on a mission. He wants to be the City Manager of North Miami so desperately, he can practically taste his next pay raise.
On the day the Mayor and Council were planning to make a final decision, Sorey was so sure his appointment was a given, he strutted around City Hall telling anyone and everyone where he was planning to have his “after party.” [Hint: It involves a pole.]
Art Sorey had every reason to believe his promotion was in the bag once the former City Manager, Aleem Ghany, appointed him as Deputy and then announced his resignation a month later.
When Aleem finally did step down on October 1, 2015, and Sorey was appointed as Interim City Manager, he was so sure he was next in line. That’s when he earnestly started making his presence known to everyone at City Hall and attempted to convince the Mayor and Council to choose him.
Arthur Sorey even posted a YouTube video Message-slash-Resume on October 19, 2015, designed to espouse his many virtues.
He then followed up with his New Year’s Message video posted on December 31, 2015.
While the title of both videos refer to Arthur H. Sorey III as the “Interim City Manager,” it’s hard not to notice the banner at the bottom of the video advertising him as the “City Manager.”
Talk about sending a subliminal message! Trust me, this was no accident.
Despite Art Sorey’s desperate pleas for attention – and promotion – the Mayor and Council eventually chose the then-Finance Director Larry Spring to take the helm. Things are already looking up.
One of the things that worked against Sorey’s appointment was that he had previously taken advantage of the city’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), which is available to all North Miami residents who meet specific requirements. I reviewed Sorey’s entire NSP loan file, and it does appear to be in order for the most part.
At the time the loan was made, Sorey’s income was $48,505.60. Under the 2010 NSP guidelines, “applicants are considered eligible if their total household income does not exceed one hundred twenty percent (120%) of the area’s median income.” According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the median income at the time was $52,200.00. In that case, an individual earning less than $62,640.00 (120% x $52,200.00) qualifies for an NSP loan.
In stark contrast, according to the 2015 NSP guidelines, instead of the 120% of the area’s median income, the NSP loans now “must benefit households at or below 80%” of the area median income as published by HUD. Art Sorey would never have qualified for this loan under current guidelines. Just saying.
In addition, as Art Sorey stated to Scott Galvin in a council meeting, he received a Conflict of Interest Exception from HUD on September 9, 2010 (see page 147 of his loan file). Curiously, however, he obtained this exception nearly two months after he had purchased the home on July 16, 2010. How could this mortgage have been approved before the city received permission from HUD? What would have happened if the Conflict of Interest Exception had never been issued? Foreclosure, maybe? Just saying.
Also of interest is that City of North Miami loaned to Arthur Sorey the sum of $50,200.00 toward the purchase of this house in the form of a second mortgage. According to the terms of the NSP loan, not only is the second mortgage loan INTEREST FREE, but it is also “partially forgiven in the amount of $3,346.67 each year, over a Fifteen (15) year period, until fully forgiven at the conclusion of Fifteen (15) years.” On December 17, 2014 (page 137 of the loan file), a total of $15,192.95 was, in essence, wiped out from the original amount of the loan.
Courtesy of North Miami taxpayers, of course.
But, wait. There’s MORE!
According to the personnel actions in Art Sorey’s file, he was first hired on a permanent basis on March 8, 2004 as a budget analyst in Parks & Recreation earning $19.79 per hour. Sorey proceeded to receive two merit increases and several cost of living adjustments (COLA) for the next six years.
- On January 2, 2005, he received a COLA increase to $20.18 per hour.
- A month later on February 3, 2005, he received a merit pay increase to $21.26 per hour.
- On October 3, 2005, he was transferred from Parks & Rec to the Office of Management and Budget, and he received a COLA increase to $21.89.
- On January 19, 2006, he received a merit pay increase to $22.99.
- On October 5, 2006, he received a COLA increase to $23.79.
- On October 4, 2007, he received a COLA increase to $24.50.
However, on April 18, 2010, Art Sorey’s salary decreased due to a “Suspension of Longevity pay and reduction in pay step and pay in accordance with FY 09/10 Budget Amendments. Accordingly, his new hourly salary was lowered to $23.32.
But then Art Sorey’s career at the City of North Miami started taking off.
On October 3, 2010, after he closed on the NSP loan, Sorey was promoted to Budget Administrator and received a 24.5% pay raise to $29.91 per hour.
On December 2, 2012, he received another 10% pay raise to $32.91 per hour, and a $50.00 cell phone allowance because his title was changed from Budget Administrator to Budget Manager. Same exact job, but more pay.
On September 29, 2013, Sorey’s job title was changed again from Budget Manager to Budget Manager I. While this did not involve another pay increase, the renaming of the same position allowed room for future pay increases. (Gotta love government logic.)
On May 11, 2014, then-Interim City Manager Aleem Ghany approved another hourly pay increase for Sorey to $34.64.
Only a month and a half later on June 27, 2014, Aleem again promoted Art Sorey to Budget Director and gave him an hourly pay raise to $42.16. A 2% cost of living adjustment rounded off his salary to $43.00 per hour. Sorey also was now entitled to a weekly Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) payment of $205.77, and a monthly $250.00 car allowance.
On October 1, 2014, in addition to his regular salary, Sorry started receiving a weekly $407.69 from the CRA.
On April 22, 2015, then-Assistant Personnel Manager Joseph Roglieri sent a memo to City Manager Aleem Ghany directing him to increase Art Sorey’s CRA pay from $10,700.00 to $21,000.00 per year.
Two months later on July 27, 2015, Sorey was promoted from Budget Director to Deputy City Manager. His original pay was supposed to be $47.37 per hour; however, as you can see by the handwritten note attached to the document, Personnel Director Joseph Roglieri, a/k/a J Ro, gave his buddy Art Sorey a gift by increasing his pay to $52.37 because “he needs to be at least on par with P.W. (public works) Director and will be supervising others at this rate.”
This would be the same Personnel Director who demanded a pay increase of his own as evidenced in a November 17, 2015 Memorandum to then-City Manager Aleem Ghany, claiming that his “wages should be adjusted to maintain separation and to ensure parity with the Purchasing Director, as we had discussed.”
Like his crony Art Sorey, J Ro likes to give out huge raises so that everyone is “at least on par” with everyone else. In order “to ensure parity,” of course.
In addition, Roglieri also granted Sorey with monthly allowances of $50.00 for a cell phone and $450.00 for a car.
Only one month later on August 28, 2015, due to an “Internal Equity Adjustment,” Roglieri directed that Sorey’s salary be increased yet again from $52.37 to $57.73.
Courtesy of North Miami taxpayers, of course.
Then again, it’s not Joe’s money, so what the heck?
I hope you’re sitting down because…
Less than two months later on October 17, 2015, Arthur “Duke” Sorey III was promoted yet again from Deputy to Interim City Manager, and essentially gave himself a $28.08 per hour raise to $85.81.
Which was approved by Personnel Director Joseph Roglieri.
In addition, he will also receive a weekly amount of $480.77, or $25,000.00 per year, from the CRA.
In addition, according to this personnel action, “Employee will continue $600 allowance (whatever that means) and $750 car allowance.”
Sweet!
In less than twelve years at North Miami, Sorey’s base salary more than quadrupled from $19.79 to $85.51 per hour.
If you include his annual $25,000.00 CRA income, his monthly $600.00 “whatever” allowance, and his monthly $750.00 car allowance, all of which total an additional $41,200.00 per year, or $19.81 per hour, Arthur Sorey’s actual compensation is $105.32 per hour, or $219,065.60 per year.
All courtesy of North Miami taxpayers.
Now that Larry Spring is the City Manager and Arthur Sorey was “demoted” back to Deputy Manager, will his temporary salary and benefit increase be rolled back? Just asking.
By now, I’m sure you’re all wondering where I’m going with this. Well, here it comes.
As I reported in a February 17, 2016 blog post, “according to the public records of the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court, in 2012 Arthur Sorey was sued in a foreclosure action by his first mortgage company. The case was eventually dismissed when Sorey was able to negotiate a Loan Modification Agreement with a loan servicing company, but this is not a good sign. On top of that, in 2013 Arthur Sorey was sued by Capital One Bank (USA), N.A. for non-payment of a credit card bill in the amount of $1,997.95. The Court eventually ordered him to pay $1,800.44 of that bill, plus court costs of $210.00, which he was permitted to pay in two installments.”
But it wasn’t until I received a copy of Art Sorey’s background check dated August 17, 2015, which was ordered when he was promoted to Deputy City Manager, that I realized just how bad Art Sorey’s financial situation really was.
There is his Capital One account, which was settled for “less than full balance.”
And, despite the cell phone allowance Sorey receives from the City of North Miami, three of his telephone company accounts are also “in collection.”
But the real disaster is Arthur Sorey’s payment history with his mortgage company.
In the five years that Sorey has owned his home, his mortgage with Central Loan (which was transferred to Rushmore LMS) has been 120 DAYS PAST DUE 34 TIMES!
In fact, he was already 30 days past due less than a year after he bought the house. It only got worse from there.
But the worst part is that when the credit check was ordered, his mortgage was CURRENTLY 120 DAYS PAST DUE!
Then again, this scenario seems to be a recurring theme in North Miami. Keep in mind that Aleem hired Personnel Director (and Sorey crony) Joseph Roglieri, despite the fact that his credit report was also a complete disaster.
Also keep in mind that Aleem promoted Arthur H. Sorey III to the position of Deputy City Manager, despite the fact that he couldn’t even pay his own mortgage!
What the hell was Aleem thinking anyway? Good riddance to him, too!
As bad a city manager as Aleem was, imagine the damage Art Sorey could have done had he been appointed to take Aleem’s place.
This is an individual who is so fiscally irresponsible with his own finances, yet wants complete control of the city’s nearly $139 MILLION DOLLAR budget!
How scary is that?
Even scarier, he was just one vote shy of getting the job.
The city really dodged the bullet with this one. Good thing, too.
Because North Miami residents deserve so much better.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
That first video has to be the most pathetic thing I’ve seen in a long time. How much more self absorbed can one person get than to put out a video where he’s talking about himself as if he already has a job he hasn’t been chosen for?
Watch out Mr. Spring, the knife in your back may be swinging from a distance much closer than you imagine.
The City of North Miami should not have ANY individual in a position of dealing with ANY of the city’s monies who does not have an impeccable financial history. It’s time for Mr. Sorey to be put in a position that is in line with his record. It is also time for the city to look at the perks employees are receiving. Why Mr. Sorey would receive $50.00 a month for his cell phone and $450.00 a month for his car makes no sense. Why should anybody, other than the City Manager, be receiving such ridiculous and generous gifts compliments of the tax payers?
Ellen, according to his personnel file, Sorey is now receiving a $750 car allowance AND a $600 monthly miscellaneous allowance. WTF? Why are taxpayers subsidizing his car and whatever he’s spending the $600 a month on? This is seriously messed up.
If North Miami doesn’t get control over unnecessary spending it will become another Opa Locka! Every department must have a competent evaluation of what it is costing the tax payers. This should be done by an independent outside audit. Obviously Duke Sorey should not have any input in such an evaluation. That should also apply to all departments.
Self-indulgent doesn’t even begin to describe him. But no matter what position he has, if he doesn’t change his eating habits, it won’t be a long tenure.
Big Poppa spends his money on coke, whores and food. What else is more important? Put your Rolex in the air like you just don’t care.
He looks like he ate a small child.
“Get in ma belly!”
A child holds their tongue in their mouth better than “Duke” the so called City Manager. I guess he is looking to lick up more pay increase
What? This is crazy. I can’t believe tha the Major and members of the council know about this and yet do nothing. Is there something we can do? $750 a month in car allowance, please. North Miami is not that big. He didn’t even need $450 a month. We need to do something.
Thank you for publicizing this situation. Now: What can we, the residents of North Miami, do? This is not an elected official. How can we organize and be active so that we can take control of our city and put an end to this unacceptable corruption and inefficiency that is taking place at our expense?
Anya, the best way to take control of your city is to attend council meetings and voice your opinion during the public comment segment. You should also send a letter to the Mayor and Council, with a copy to the City Manager, and express your displeasure with the corruption and inefficiency that has been going on. Keep in mind that City Manager Larry Spring has only been in his position for two months, so he is not responsible for the stuff that’s gone on before under Aleem Ghany’s watch. Art Sorey’s promotions and raises began under previous administrations, but Aleem promoted him to deputy manager and gave him ridiculous increases in salary, which violated the intent of the Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP) that was supposed to reduce the city’s payroll by 30%. To make matters worse, Aleem was well aware of Sorey’s horrible credit report before he promoted him.
Sorey’s home was also still in foreclosure at the time Aleem promoted him to deputy manager. While he has been telling anyone who will listen that he is not in arrears with this mortgage now, the truth is that he did not fix his foreclosure problem until September 15, 2016, when he entered into a Mortgage Modification Agreement with his lender. By then, he had already been promoted.
But, here’s the thing. First of all, when Sorey obtained the NSP loan from the City of North Miami in 2010 it was based on his salary at the time, which was $48,505.60. Presumably, he would have been able to pay the mortgages. The real irony is that only a few months later his salary increased by over 24%, and continued to steadily increase after that, yet he ran into trouble less than a year after he bought his home when he was over 30 days late with his payments.
How does that happen? Usually, the more a person’s salary increases, the easier it is to pay one’s debts. In Sorey’s case, however, the exact opposite happened! By the time the foreclosure was initiated on June 21, 2012, Sorey was already earning $62,212.80, or $13,707.20 MORE than when he first took out the loan. He should have had absolutely no problems making his mortgage payments, and yet, he just got deeper and deeper into debt despite the fact that his salary kept on increasing.
At the time his credit report was ordered, Sorey was earning $89,440.00 in base pay, PLUS $10,700.00 from the CRA, PLUS a $3,000.00 car allowance (or a total of $103,140.00 per year), yet he had been over 120 days late 34 TIMES on his mortgage. Even worse, he was past due on his mortgage for the amount of $53,125.00!
And yet, Aleem promoted him to the second most powerful position in North Miami. No one this irresponsible with his personal finances should have any control whatsoever with the city’s budget. Period.
Stephanie have you posted the link to this blog on the Mayor’s facebook page as well as the rest of the council’s page? You should defnitely do so, and also post it on The City Of North Miami page, and defnitely in the NoMi Neighbors page. I am sure the majority of the North Miami residents are unaware of this… horrible corruptioin with our tax dollars.
Unlike North Miami Beach Faux Councilwoman Phyllis Smith, who claims she “never reads the blogs,” I know that most of the North Miami council members do. While I post my blogs on my own Facebook page, which is a public page, I don’t believe it’s appropriate for me to post them on the Mayor’s or any of the other North Miami pages. Others may feel differently, but I choose not to do that.
That being said, this blog is also publicly available to anyone who cares to read it and everyone is free share my posts anywhere they like. Thanks!
If it’s true that the North Miami council does read your blogg, It sickens me to knwo they have done nothing in regards to this matter and that they have not remove Arthur from his position.
And I see your are a heckler. Why not post at least in the NoMi Neighbors page? that is not a an official city page just residents of North Miami that want to know and want others to know what is going on in the city. I thought that was your stance as well. What good is to have knowledge if you are not willing to share it?
I realize now that you are a blogger and not a journalist. A journalist would confront and share her information. Defnitely at least share her info with the news media. Yes your page is public but not everyone knows of you. I came across you because you commented on the article about Chief Burgess that Councilman Galvin posted on his page. What is the point of your blog then if not to make people aware of all the wrong doings in our communities and system?
You’re obviously new here. Welcome to VotersOpinion.
I never claimed to be a journalist, but I do share with news media (google it). I’ve been informing the public for nearly six years. I have no idea why you never heard of this blog before.
Also, FYI, I am not familiar with the NoMi Neighbors page.
all that goes to the show the internet is a big place, and unfortunately no one collects or organizing the various local blogging/journalism that goes on.
Curious of course steps out of line when stating what a “journalist would” do. Most “journalists” get paid to turn a text document in to an editor. They don’t DO anything else.
what a dolt.
Investigative journalism is becoming a lost art. There are still a few good ones around, such as Jim Defede, and a couple at the Herald whose names I can’t remember at the moment. But for the most part, not too many take the time or have the resources to really investigate anymore. Editors are under pressure to get the stories out before the competition, and the research takes too much time. That’s why blogging has become so popular. We don’t have editors breathing down our necks and we can afford to wait, if necessary.
Among other things, how was this guy able to get a second mortgage while past due on his first one?
Unless I miss something in my train of thought that sounds like fiduciary negligence on the part of the organization responsible for giving out those loans.
The second mortgage was made at the same time as the first mortgage. That was the one with the City in North Miami under the NSP program. It appears that Sorey defaulted on the first but not the second. He was smart enough to realize that if he defaulted on the city’s mortgage, he’d be responsible for the entire amount. Under the terms of the NSP loan, if there is no default, the principle is eventually forgiven in its entirety. Courtesy of North Miami taxpayers, of course! What a racket, huh?
Why would someone get two mortgages simultaneously, I really don’t understand that.
Also slipped my mind…why is the CRA complimenting city employee salary? What does that have to do with blight?