Remember when then-North Miami City Manager Arthur “Duke” Sorey blew $6,564,184.62 so he could host the mother of all Super Bowl parties?
Good times!
We’re referring to Duke’s infamous Red Garden Sinkhole, one of his many irresponsible and outrageously expensive ventures when he was running the City of North Miami.
This particular disaster cost North Miami taxpayers $1,361,615 in cash payouts, including such things as $100,373 for tent rentals, $59,773.63 for “multi-media solutions TV and sound,” $44,350 for plants to Country Bill’s Lawn Maintenance, Inc. (remember this name), $111,050 worth of Artificial Turf, and $407,300 to Friends & Family “consultants,” plus an additional obligation of $5,264,184.62 in future lease payments.
By way of background, the Super Bowl event was held at a former blighted private property in North Miami, known as the “Denmark Property.” The Denmark Property, located along NW 7th Avenue, was long home to derelict statues and rocks, and was an eyesore for many years to the point the owner had accumulated over a million dollars of code compliance fines.
On December 12, 2017, the City of North Miami had already filed three Foreclosure Complaints against Alhambra Heights 12351, LLC, Alhambra Heights 635, LLC, and Alhambra Heights 645, LLC, for the non-payment of code violation liens as far back as July 11, 2012. These three companies owned the three parcels of land collectively referred to as the “Denmark Property.” The three Foreclosure lawsuits were filed due to unpaid code violation liens owed by the Denmark Property to the City of North Miami in the aggregate amount of $1,319,655.34.
Instead of foreclosing on the property, which the City was legally able and compelled to pursue, in May of 2019 former City Manager Larry Spring and then-Deputy City Manager Duke Sorey opted to enter into a Settlement Agreement with Alhambra Heights 635, LLC, the owner of Denmark Properties. According to the agreement, the city agreed to waive the million dollars in back fines owed to North Miami taxpayers, only to replace that debt with an $8,000 per month, or $96,000 a year, for the next five years, for a total of cost of $480,000, expend more than $2,000,000 on clean-up and renovations, and dub it the Red Garden.
If that weren’t bad enough, Duke Sorey then furtively entered into two more leases for two surrounding parcels, further encumbering the City of North Miami for a total of $4,049,546.87 in rent over the life of both leases.
And when all was said and done, after flushing $6,564,184.62 of taxpayer money down the toilet, the only tangible thing still standing, so to speak, is this now worthless field of Artificial Turf.
But, what does Duke Sorey care? It’s not HIS money!
Not content with single-handedly destroying the City of North Miami, he’s bringing his special “talent” to North Miami Beach.
And now that he’s running North Miami Beach, he’s spending your money as fast as humanly possible.
With the blessing and encouragement of the four Criminal Commissioners, Michael Joseph, McKenzie Fleurimond, Paule Villard, and Daniela Jean, Duke Sorey is bound and determined to go for broke.
Literally.
In case you missed it, at the last Commission meeting the four Pirates of the Caribbean voted to give themselves yet another raise. This is the third time they’ve increased their own salaries since Michael, McKenzie and Paule were elected.
On September 29, 2019, they passed a Resolution giving themselves an annual raise of $20,751, or 76.9%, from $26,999 to an outrageous $47,750.00!
And then, only five months ago on June 15, 2021 they decided to give themselves another raise for their “medical, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits,” worth approximately $10,000 a year each for themselves and double that if they have dependents, even though they already receive a generous expense allowance which was expressly designated to cover the cost of health benefits!
Let that sink in for a minute.
Under this same insurance plan, North Miami Beach employees have to pay a portion of their own premiums and the entire premium for any family members they want covered.
But that wasn’t enough to sate their narcissistic, voracious greed.
On Tuesday, November 16, 2021, the Criminal Commissioners gifted themselves an an additional $6,500.00 — for a part-time job.
And that’s just what’s on the books.
There’s no way of calculating how much graft they’re probably getting by illegally manipulating the bidding process to make sure their hand-picked vendors get all the gigs.
Like Country Bill’s Lawn Maintenance, Inc., for example.
But, that’s a story for another blog, so stay tuned.
This one is all about the latest incarnation of Duke’s Red Garden Sinkhole, which is almost identical to the disaster he left behind in North Miami.
Duke placed Discussion Item 15.4 on Tuesday night’s Agenda under Michael Joseph’s name, ostensibly for the purpose of “discussing” the “Acquisition of Properties for the Expansion of Washington Park.”
By now, it should be apparent that there is no such thing as a “Discussion Item” in North Miami Beach anymore. The four Criminal Commissioners, and their manservant, Duke Sorey, have no intention to actually “discuss” anything that they’ve already conspired in advance to collectively vote for.
They openly show contempt for Mayor Tony DeFillipo and Commissioner Barbara Kramer, and could not care less what either of them have to say.
They tolerate Commissioner Fortuna Smukler, but that’s only because she’s constantly sucking up to them in the hope they won’t run someone against her next November.
The four Criminal Commissioners squirm and stifle yawns during public comment, barely hiding their indifference to the peasants whose tax dollars are lining their pockets.
Every single item that they order Duke to put on any given Agenda will always pass with a 4-3 vote.
Every. Single. One.
And like the good little groveling manservant that he his, he complies. No questions asked.
Which is exactly why they hired him.
Duke’s latest debacle, the Washington Park Sinkhole, consists of three parcels of property owned by Avery’s Landing, Inc., which the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser has determined has a combined market value of $297,516.
According to Duke Sorey’s Notice of Intent to Purchase Real Property sent to Mildred Solomon, President of Avery’s Landing, Inc., he offered to spend $800,000 of your money, or 65% over its market value, for a piece of property that consists of two vacant lots and a dilapidated building that will need to be demolished for the alleged purpose of the “Expansion of Washington Park.”
Avery’s Landing, Inc. acquired this property on October 15, 1998 for $85,000 by a Warranty Deed from John Williams, who took back a Purchase Money First Mortgage for $65,000.00. According to the Promissory Note securing the Mortgage, Avery’s Landing, Inc. was to make monthly payments in the amount of $906.64 beginning November 8, 1998, continuing until paid in full.
Oddly, the Promissory Note does not specify the length or due date of the Mortgage. However, according to our calculations based on the interest rate and payment amount, the loan would have been amortized over 90 payments , or 7-1/2 years, and paid off on April 8, 2005. As of today, no Satisfaction of Mortgage has been recorded on this property, which means it is still encumbered by the $65,000.00 Mortgage.
According to the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser, there are real estate taxes due on all three parcels in the amount of $16,888.28, as follows:
- Folio No. 07-2217-018-1000 (Parcel 1, Lots 17 and 18): 2020 and 2021 taxes due in the amount of $3,195.44
- Folio No. 07-2217-018-1010 (Parcel 2, Lots 19 and 20): 2019, 2020, and 2021 taxes due in the amount of $4,779.28
- Folio No. 07-2217-018-1020 (Parcel 3, Lots 21 and 22): 2019, 2020, and 2021 taxes due in the amount of $8,913.56
Once the City of North Miami Beach takes title to these parcels, all past and current taxes already levied becomes due and payable.
And, just like the North Miami Denmark property, a/k/a Duke Sorey’s Red Garden Sinkhole, this property also has unpaid code violation liens owed by the owner, Avery’s Landing, Inc., to the City of North Miami Beach totaling $1,812,450.
Instead of suing to collect those unpaid liens on behalf of North Miami Beach taxpayers, Duke Sorey will magically make them disappear.
In addition to the $800,000 that Duke spends on a property that’s worth half that amount at best, North Miami Beach taxpayers will also be on the hook for $16,888 in unpaid real estate taxes, and $65,000 to pay off a mortgage still of record encumbering the property.
So for the bargain basement price of $2,694,338, Duke Sorey gets to “expand” a park.
Allegedly.
Duke Sorey would never be able to pull off his shady deals without a total lack of due diligence on the part of government and elected officials who conspire with him and sign off on his hare-brained schemes to advance their personal agendas instead of doing their jobs.
We here at VotersOpinion have filled that void by searching the public records and discovering what may be defects in the chain of title.
Although the previous owner, John Williams sold all three parcels to Avery’s Landing, Inc. by Warranty Deed on October 15, 1998, he did not have continuous possession of Parcel 3 (Lots 21 and 22) since September 8, 1992 when he transferred title by Warranty Deed to George Clifford Bell and Carrie B. Bell, his wife, who in turn executed a Purchase Money First Mortgage in the amount of $66,000.00 to John Williams and Mary C. Williams, his wife. There is no Satisfaction of Mortgage on record, which means that Parcel 3 is still encumbered by this lien.
It gets even murkier after that.
On January 11, 1993, the City of North Miami Beach filed a Lis Pendens initiating a lawsuit against George Clifford Bell and Carrie Bell in a forfeiture action for Lots 21 and 22. While there is no record of an actual Complaint being filed in the Circuit Court, on April 14, 1994 John and Mary C. Williams transferred Lots 21 and 22 by Warranty Deed to the City of North Miami Beach.
Oddly, however, on October 7, 1994, the City of North Miami Beach transferred Parcel 3 (Lots 21 and 22) to John Williams and Mary C. Williams, his wife by Quit Claim Deed,
When John Williams eventually sold all three Parcels to Avery’s Landing, Inc. on October 15, 1998, he was no longer married to Mary C. Williams, but she never signed the Warranty Deed consenting to the sale.
Technically, she still has an interest in the property.
Meanwhile, there are two Purchase Money First Mortgages still of record totaling $131,000.00, and no Satisfaction of Mortgage has been filed for either one.
Technically, these liens are still encumbering the property.
Had a simple title search been performed on this property, these title defects would have come to light before Duke Sorey presented his purchase offer to the owner of the property. It will take time, and even more money, to clear up title to the property.
As a qualified real estate paralegal who had already been officiating real estate closings for 18 years before NMB’s “municipal” attorney, Hans Ottinot, was even admitted to The Florida Bar, this blogger has, as usual, done his job for him.
Nevertheless, Mildred Solomon of Avery’s Landing, Inc. must be counting her lucky stars now that she’s about to be wealthy and debt-free — courtesy of North Miami Beach taxpayers.
Meanwhile, the true cost of Duke Sorey’s NMB version of his Red Garden Sinkhole remains to be seen.
Stephanie
Wowwww…. The voters of NMB need to get their act together, and vote all these four corrupted NMB politicians and their puppets out !!!! Wake up people VOTE,VOTE,VOTE!!! It’s your only chance to save whatever taxpayer’s money is left in NMB … Call the Herald , call the District Attorney … Report all of them they need to be investigated, I’m sure they are putting extra money in their pockets in addition to what they’re making …
Ref: the City of North Miami Beach
I am a 50 year resident in a home in the neighborhood just north of Washington Park. The last few days two trucks containing 12-foot trees and a water truck have been planting the trees at seemingly random spots in the easements in front of homes. I asked the driver who ordered the trees and he said the City. I can understand the attempt to beautify the neighborhoods but these are small homes with one driveway and most people have more than one car to park. My neighbor parks his work truck overnight and they planted two trees in the easement. I have a grated drain in the driveway attached to a french drain pipe that runs under the easement. I can’t wait for the tree roots to grow into the drain pipe. The driver said some people have cut the trees down or had them move the trees after just planting them. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THIS WAS COMING!. I smell a Duke Sorey plot.
There is no rhyme or reason to the things Duke Sorey is doing to the city. He has not hired any qualified people to take the place of those he fired or left because he’s such a piece of shit to work for. Were these city trucks? Or were they from Country Bill’s? I can tell you that if this happened when I lived in NMB and someone tried to plant a tree in our swale where we used to park, my ex-husband would have ripped it out before it had a chance to take root. Then again, knowing my ex, that tree wouldn’t have been planted in the first place. The swale might be on city property, but homeowners have rights, too. There are ways to make them listen.
Stephanie. I wish there were more honest bloggers like ke you! Keep bringing out the true…
Unbelievable. How does this continue to happen?
Elections have consequences. Especially rigged ones.
This is repulsive! How on earth could any of these idiots vote for this? Oh, I just answered myself. They’re idiots. Where are the authorities and The Miami Herald? Hey Jim Defede, look over here. The City of Miami is looking real good next to us.
There is one correction you have to make to your story the artificial turf is gone along with probably $100,000 worth of wire that was installed.
Why am I not surprised?
I’m also not surprised that Duke Sorey hasn’t been held accountable for that debacle. North Miami is the poster child for everything that’s wrong in government, most of which began when Duke Sorey became the Deputy Manager. He’s just using the blueprint he designed in NoMi to completely destroy NMB. There has literally never been a more corrupt public official in all of South Florida. If he thought his “lucky” streak won’t last forever, all he has to do is see how it worked out for Myron Rosner and Frantz Pierre. They thought they’d never get caught, either LOL!.
In this last meeting the corrupted commissioners held , they clearly show to the ones that where connected watching it how they had everything planned ahead to give themselves another raise, all they wanted to do was go to vote and that’s it !!! They knew that by going to vote they already had the raise in their pockets !! They have no consideration whatsoever for people’s money !! I’m sure Every time they plan something with the taxpayer’s money they pocket money into their bank accounts!!! That’s why they are always inventing something to do ! The same goes to whoever gets the contract for whatever big job the city has to do . Its call corruption!!!!!!!