Commissioners Jean, Joseph and Fleurimond,
The January 19, 2023 Channel 7 article, New study reveals how much more some Miami Gardens residents are paying for water, is exactly what I wrote to all of you almost a year ago. I mentioned to you that North Miami Beach is charging about 20% higher rates than Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Authority (MDWASA) on base rates and with the additional 25% surcharge, outside the city water customers are paying 45% more than if they were using County water.
This scenario applies to all the unincorporated areas and cities NMB Water is servicing. I warned that we were in danger of losing our customer base should the County step in and provide water to the unincorporated areas and that we should not further increase our rates.
I recommended to all of you that you vote to abate the remainder of the previously approved four annual 4.5% rate increases. Instead, you voted not to do that and use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to pay the 2023 increase for city residents only. Of course on October 1st of this year, another 4.5% increase is slated to occur.
This means that our own residents will feel the full effect of the two 4.5% increases at the same time since there will be no ARPA funding to pay the 2023/2024 increase, making the rate disparity even greater.
As the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) chairman, I have attempted, on numerous occasions, to have direct one-on-one conversations with Commissioners Jean, Fleurimond, and Joseph only to have my calls not picked up, not returned, or get a hostile attitude from the one commissioner who returned my call.
The three of you could care less about discussing water rates and surcharges, millage rates, or anything else for that matter that affects ALL of our residents financially. Simply curbing your unnecessary trips and food consumption would cover the 4.5% rate increase abatement for the residents.
While reading the Channel 7 article, I could not help recalling Commissioner Joseph’s statement to the manager during a budget discussion where he stated that “a reduction in the millage rate only helps a certain class of people” and that he was not for it. I also remember hearing Commissioner Fleurimond make the statement that a .01% reduction in the property tax millage rate “would only result in a $100 savings for the average homeowner and that the city could make better use of that money”.
For the past two years, I have witnessed the “better use” of the money the four-member majority commission made possible, starting with giving a mediocre attorney a $720,000 contract and then allowing him to bill an additional 1/2 million dollars in extra services his firm provides. Wasting $67,000 on a tennis court development charette that wasted taxpayer funds because the city attorney did not do due diligence on the property.
Providing police officer chauffeurs to shuttle certain commissioners mall shopping, and food-gorging events was another illicit use of taxpayer funds. Also who could forget the four-commissioner-approved $525,000 vote-buying gift card giveaways. Adding in the admin expense it’s more like $625,000.
Let me also mention the donations made to the Democrat party and Haitian Lawyer’s Association made with City credit cards.
I also should mention at this point the complete disregard of the City’s P Card policy in which numerous employees and some Commissioners used the card to purchase restaurant food, buy groceries for themselves, and other non-compliant purchases all with the full knowledge and approval of everyone involved in the P card approval process. Not once did anyone state “You can’t use the P card for that!!” because the majority of you were guilty of violating the policy yourselves. A great example to the junior employees and residents … NOT. Throw in some double dipping where meals were paid for with a P card while the holder was getting a City paid per diem. Let’s not forget the non-competitive pricing that was used to contract “wink-wink” event providers who billed anything they wanted and it was approved, no matter that the price was half the previous year.
The four of you, now thankfully down to three, have allowed an anything-goes mismanagement of the City with your votes to approve all the excesses that have occurred and continue to occur under your watch. You act like reckless teenagers in adult bodies that were given a credit card by a rich dad.
NMB has become the laughingstock of all the Cities in the state. Thankfully that is all about to change as soon as a new management team is hired to correct all the excesses and free up funds to reduce the cost of services to our residents and customers.
Your delaying tactics are only extending the excessive costs the taxpayers are paying and are putting your character on full display for everyone to see. Voters will be reminded of who is responsible for this mess in a year and a half from now when those of you still sitting on the dais open up your re-election campaign accounts. You have given your opposition candidates plenty of fodder to use to create some great campaign ads at your expense.
Above all, the most amazing thing I have noted is that the three of you have learned nothing from the recent election in which one of your colleagues was voted out for her excessive spending and other excesses.
As recently as January 1st, Commissioner Fleurimond had a police officer, on a Sunday and on holiday rate, pick him up from his rented apartment near city hall and drive him to the Spanish Monastery less than a 1/2 a mile away. He had the officer wait till he finished eating, and then drive him back to his apartment several hours later. His “better use” of the average taxpayer’s $100 property tax savings. It appears three or four “average” homeowners paid the tab for that trip with the tax rate cut they did not receive.
As a resident wanting to do my part to have good government in our City, I have volunteered many hundreds of hours of my life assigned to City Boards and Committees over the past 25 years. I have never been paid for anything nor expected to be. It disgusts me to see certain elected officials and city staff use the city treasury as their own personal piggy bank, taking meaningless trips they could not afford to pay for themselves, gouging themselves on endless trays of food and beverage, and all the while not knowing what it’s like to pay a mortgage payment, homeowners insurance, or property taxes and are making financial decisions they are not qualified to make, and our city management reflects that.
Bruce Lamberto
Excellent letter, not just to the three unruly commissioners, but to all the residents of North Miami Beach. Our city is in disarray from all fronts and we the residents must stop it.
Great letter, it should go viral on social media so the rest of the public knows what is going on!!
Well said Bruce!
Shameful conduct that will catch up to them sooner or later! I also heard Daniella Jean say at the swearing in ceremony that she was going to observe and learn from new leadership and would allow them to mentor her since they were “seasoned”. But guess not. So far she’s continued mimicking the childish and counter-productive behavior of those mentioned above. Care to respond Daniella Jean?
I’m guessing she does not.
Excellent letter. The three commissioners don’t care about the residents of the city they are suppose to represent. They only care about milking us dry. I wonder where they learned these tactics?
From Andre Pierre, their puppetmaster.
Thank you Bruce. Your concerns are echoed by the NMB community, and has been shared with appropriate entities.
Thank you Bruce Lamberto for writing it and to Stephanie for posting it. Excellent letter, a must read.
If with this, the bias media doesn’t get it right; then It will be up to us to plant some sense on their brains, so they can see the truth as it is.
Thanks to all for your comments. Keli reminded me of one item I missed telling the three Commissioners. They obviously do not care or represent the other 80% of the population of NMB. That’s why they will not be re-elected,
Everyone reading this needs to start thinking about the November 2024 election in which these three nefarious commissioners will be seeking your vote for re-election. We need to identify residents in our community who will make good candidates to run against them. Several have already indicated they would. Fortunately, these three will not have use of City funds to use for their campaigns as the last of their lot did in the 2022 vote-buying gift card election so our candidates will be on a level playing field.
If you haven’t already done so, join WakeUp NMB and be a part of a citizens group that will vote these people out at the next election and help elect Commissioners who will represent ALL of us and lower our property taxes and water rates.
Bruce forwarded me a letter he sent to the Commission on April 29, 2022 letting them know what’s coming. Of course, they ignored him.
From: blamberto@aol.com; mckenzie.fleurimond@citynmb.com ; paule.villard@citynmb.com ; daniela.jean@citynmb.com ; fortuna.smukler@citynmb.com ; barbara.kramer@citynmb.com
To: michael.joseph@citynmb.com
Cc: arthur.sorey@citynmb.com
Sent: Fri, Apr 29, 2022 9:48 am
Subject: October 1, 2022 4.5% Water Rate Increase
Dear Commissioners
Three years ago the NMB City Council voted to increase water rates over a five-year period. The first increase was 21% followed by four annual 4.5% increases. This amounts to an over 40% increase in water rates as the rates are compounded each year. The rate increases were recommended as a result of a water rate study recommended by the former utility contractor. The study used rate comparisons of cities and towns that had extraordinarily higher rates due to settlement agreements for infrastructure improvements and other issues that are not the norm. Cape Coral was one of the rate comparisons utilized and they are among the highest rates in the state. This was done purposely and as a result of the extreme desire to increase revenue so that it could be utilized for the myriad of needed and un-needed work orders by the former contractor. As you are aware, the water utility paid for such unnecessary expenditures by the contractor for such things as “best practices” to the tune of $750,000 for one individual who was an employee of the contractor. It was items like this that resulted in the contractor encumbering all of the utility reserves for duplicative capital projects and unnecessary $184 to $269 an hour contractor staff who were allowed to work 40-hour full-time jobs in our facilities.
Since the majority of the City Commission made the correct decision to terminate Jacob’s contract. the successive contractor now has a substantially smaller financial expense footprint. The City is enjoying the benefits of saving several million dollars per quarter in expenses over the previous contractor billed amounts. The new city management team running the water utility is doing a great job at cost containment and will continue to do so. A new rate structure for paying the contractor for the next fiscal year will reduce costs going forward.
Additionally, since the City took over the collection of delinquent water and sewer accounts, the City has been able to collect millions of dollars in delinquent bills, something the previous contractor failed to do. I requested a water rate comparison study be made with the City of NMB, the City of NM, and Miami-Dade County. The results of the study indicated our water rates are 20% higher than Miami Dade County’s rates and 10% higher than the City of NM. Combined with the recent solid waste increases that are collected in our water bills. it is really affecting the ability of many of our customers to pay their bills. Although the rates our residents pay is 20% higher than the county, 75% of our customers residing outside our city are also paying the 25% water surcharge. They are paying a rate that is 43% higher than what Miami Dade County charges. Be aware that a large portion of the areas we serve are located in unincorporated Miami Dade County and we run the risk of losing service to those customers. At least one candidate running for County Commission in District 2 is making that part of his campaign issues.
The bottom line is that we no longer need the next two 4.5% rate increases scheduled for this October 1st and the following October 1st. If you really want to do something for our residents….All of our residents, please vote to waive these next two water rate increases. Everyone in our operating area will get some relief from the progressive and successive rate increases everyone is suffering. This is your opportunity, as a Commission, to set an example that you are representing the resident’s interests and vote to waive these unnecessary increases.
Sincerely
Bruce Lamberto, Chairman
Public Utilities Commission