As we reported in What is he hiding? North Miami Beach City Attorney Hans Ottinot wants to charge me $2,022.69 for copies of his legal bills!, on April 14, 2022 we made a public records request for “copies of all bills for legal fees the City has paid since February 2, 2021.”
Four and a half months later, we received an invoice dated September 1, 2022 for $2,022.69, which hilariously stated was due three days earlier on August 29, 2022, for “Extensive Use Fees.”
Even more hilariously, the “geniuses” working in the City Attorney’s Office allegedly needed 7.75 hours — or an entire day’s work — to locate .pdf documents which should easily be found in a folder filed under — “Legal Bills.”
At least we hope he has a filing system, but who knows?
Hans also added another 2.5 hours on behalf of the Finance Department just to pad the bill even more.
Needless to say, the invoice remains unpaid.
On April 20, 2022, then-Commissioner Barbara Kramer also made a public records request. for “all legal expenses and billing from our current attorney firm as well as outside legal attorneys and firms to NMB.”
She also received the exact same invoice from Hans for the exact same amount, which she also didn’t pay.
Well, we now know why he didn’t want us to get our hands on those legal bills.
According to his Engagement Letter to Mayor Anthony DeFillipo, Hans Ottinot’s gig as Interim City “Attorney” began on February 1, 2021.
For a “flat fee” of only $55,000 per month, the comically dubbed “boutique firm” of Ottinot Law, PA’s services would basically include showing up at meetings.
As you can see, Hans Ottinot’s “flat fee” did not include any of the matters that would normally be expected of a real full-service City Attorney.
Clearly Hans has dropped the ball with his “legal” advice on “sunshine rules, public records, and ethics,” as well as “responding to resident concerns” and “open lines of communication,” as evidenced by the dozens of emails from residents that have gone unanswered.
Hans is also obligated to be “available, accessible, and responsive to the Mayor, Commission and City Administration,” which he misread as “responsive to only four Commissioners and argue with the Mayor at every turn.”
As for the really important “legal” stuff that arises, Ottinot Law, PA has to charge even more money.
If that weren’t enough of a ripoff, Criminal Commissioner McKenzie Fleurimond generously spent YOUR tax dollars to gift his personal “boutique law firm” with a $5,000 a month raise at the April 19, 2022 Commission Meeting, even though this item was not on the Agenda.
According to the Minutes of the Meeting, McKenzie had hastily added “Discussion concerning the City Attorney Contract,” at which time he “requested Interim City Attorney Hans Ottinot to be promoted to the City Attorney and requested a vote on his contract for the City Attorney as $60,000 monthly rate with the same billable rate.”
If that weren’t horrific enough, here’s the part that should make your blood boil.
The City Attorney budget for Fiscal Year 2022 was $930,000 per year.
On October 1, 2021 (the beginning of FY22), Ottinot Law, PA was to be paid $55,000 a month, so his “flat fee” for the first seven months of FY22 was $385,000.
On May 1, 2022, his salary was increased to $60,000 a month, so his “flat fee” for the last five months of FY22 was $300,000.
In all, the total “flat fee” for Ottinot Law, PA during Fiscal Year 2022 should have been $685,000.
However (you might want to sit down for this), during Fiscal Year 2022, Ottinot Law, PA was paid an OBSCENE $1,189,759.37!
Not only is this amount more than twice his “flat fee” rate, but it’s also $259,759.37 MORE than the $930,000 City Attorney budget for the entire Fiscal Year!
Hans is literally stealing your tax dollars from right under your noses!
No wonder he doesn’t want you to see his legal bills!
We can’t help but wonder if he billed North Miami Beach taxpayers for the nine hours he spent “observing” Paule Villard’s court hearings when she unsuccessfully tried to get a restraining order against this blogger.
Just saying.
But, WAIT!
There’s MORE!
That’s not even close to all the legal bills paid in Fiscal Year 2022.
Even though the City Attorney budget was only $930,000, taxpayers shelled out A GRAND TOTAL OF $1,524,374.44 ON LEGAL FEES DURING THE FISCAL YEAR!
In one Fiscal Year alone, Hans Ottinot spent almost 65% MORE than he was budgeted for ALL LEGAL FEES!
No wonder he doesn’t want you to see his legal bills!
What’s worse, in just the first two months of the current Fiscal Year alone, North Miami Beach taxpayers have already paid out $339,746.23 in legal fees, or approximately $170,000 a month.
Even though Duke Sorey added another $60,000 to the City Attorney Budget for Fiscal Year 2022-23, increasing it to $990,000, at this rate the legal expenditures could exceed $2 million by year’s end!
There is a small silver lining to the very dark cloud that’s been hanging over North Miami Beach City Hall since February 1, 2022.
There will be no golden parachute when the Mayor and Commission terminate the City Attorney contract.
According to his Engagement Letter, there will be no pot of gold at the end of Hans’ rainbow.
The sooner Hans is given his walking papers the better.
Stephanie
No More Bullshit! End the North Miami way of governing North Miami Beach!
In February 2020 when NMB was outsourcing the City Attorneys Office, I said this was bad for the City. It remained bad until now. These Law firms first priority is their own pockets first and foremost. It matters not if it is my own brother’s law firm, or the one down the road. NMB does not need part time law service. We have the 2nd largest water plant in Dade County and the third largest in the State of Florida. We need full time law service for this alone. Previously we had minimum 4 attorneys and 2 helpers FULL TIME. The money paid out to one law firm every month, took care of the pensions, vacation time and everything else for 6 people working FULL TIME ON BEHALF OF CITY NMB. Show these law firms, the way thru the door. Take this option out of the Charter. It will NEVER be good for City NMB. EVER.
Sorry to say but Stephanie’s work is more entertaining than the theft of Peoples’ money by NMB is tragic. I find myself laughing out loud – a big belly laugh – at the mindboggling truth, backed up with real documents, that Stephanie presents. A lot of work goes into these editorials and the People of NMB should be grateful they have Stephanie on the case, so to speak. But it looks like the Good People spoke this election. Congratulations.
With all the good wishes in my heart, Stephanie, for all you do for civilization, glad tidings and good karma on you and yours this New Year season. Here’s looking forward to the New Commission in NMB, with the enormous assistance by you and your compatriots.
Increíble… all this money paid to this make believe firm of attorneys , is a scam !!! This money is not only going to this firm , this corrupts of commissioners voted to give this firm all this money with the only motive of splitting the money with them !!!!! Because there’s no way this shitty law firm has any honor nor lawyers that are prestige enough to be paid so much money it’s a disgrace!!!
Thank you for telling it like it is with “TAXPAYERS MONEY” going to City Attorneys…I am still waiting since a formal complaint was put into the Ethics Commission on October 11th 2022 on this same subject matter. Why has our Town Attorney from “Greenspoon Marder” still refusing to give a “BILLING SUMMARY” since being appointed by the Council (+/-) two years ago? Instead, Council once more gave him another raise (04-15-2022) of $15,000/mo. with no questions (BILLING SUMMARY) asked?
NOTE: We don’t even know what he was is billing for when he was both our (BHI) Town Attorney, and at the same time our Democratic” Florida State Representative, when a previous Council member was out “campaigning” and running for this particular November 8th. 2022 seat and lost?
I hope the Ethics Commission rules for probable cause, but don’t bet on it. Be prepared for them to tell you that this malfeasance is not a violation of the Miami-Dade County Code of Ethics. I’m not sure what actually constitutes “abuse of position” in the eyes of the Ethics Commission because I’ve never actually seen anyone be charged with this violation.
Joe Geller’s “Greenspoon Marder” can’t wait to takeover the NMB City Attorney’s office. He was on the first row sitting all night in the first row at last week’s Commission Meeting. Another vulture. He’s the next city attorney for sure…
I don’t think that will happen but you never know.
He needs to go right now and the city should prosecute him for embezzlement, Hope our dear friend Keith can help build the case.
Keith’s on it!
Sack-o-shit Joe Geller won’t get the City Attorney job no matter how long he plants his fat ass in the front row at commission meetings. He’s a vulture that always shows up when he smells a billable client. He wanders the municipalities of South Florida looking for road kill to feed him. He always speaks in a generic language that has no bearing on an issue and is the ultimate political hack. Go away Joe, NMB needs a fix, not another problem.
I couldn’t agree more. He’s definitely a vulture.
Shouldn’t the mayor take charge of NMB and clean up that place?
The Mayor doesn’t have the power that Dana Goldman thought she had in SIB. He may be the titular head of the commission, but he’s still only one vote of seven. The Criminals broke quorum at the December 20th meeting and everything came to a halt. I believe the Mayor is trying to reschedule that meeting for sometime in early January, but I have no other details yet. I can tell you that if the Criminals continue to refuse to show up and do their jobs, it won’t end well for any of them.
Just saying.
Geller was there either as a vulture who wants Ottinot’s job, or, my best guest, to help his buddy Duke should he have gotten fired. For those that don’t know, they’re longtime pals.