Two days ago we told you how the three Criminal Commissioners Michael Joseph, McKenzie Fleurimond, and Daniela Jean, completely ignored Interim City Manager Mark Antonio’s call for a Special Meeting on April 4, 2023. He called this meeting for the sole purpose of voting on the legislative items on the Agenda for the unfinished March 21, 2023 Commission meeting.
Since the three Criminal Commissioners only attended the March 21st meeting because they were under a Court Order to do so, they unilaterally decided to keep playing the same game of holding the City government hostage by boycotting meetings for the last five months.
Well, play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Instead of attending a properly called meeting of the North Miami Beach City Commission on April 4, 2023, the three Criminal Commissioners were served with yet another Court Order to attend ALL “City Commission meetings in compliance with Resolution 2022-153.”
The Honorable Valerie R. Manno Schurr issued her Order on the very same day she received an Agreed Motion to Clarify and Enforce This Court’s Order of March 5, 2023 filed by attorneys for Mayor Anthony DeFillipo.
Judge Schurr don’t play.
The Resolution referred to in the Order was passed as required by Article II, Sec. 2.4 of the City Charter, which states, “The City Commission shall hold at least 11 regular monthly meetings in each calendar year, at such times and places as the City Commission may prescribe by a Resolution adopted by November 1, of each year establishing the schedule and number of Council meetings for the following calendar year.”
Accordingly, the Mayor and Commission passed this Resolution October 18, 2022, the last meeting that Michael Joseph bothered to attend on his own free will, which included the following scheduled meeting dates:
Thanks to the derelict Criminal Commissioners, there has only been one Commission meeting this year so far. According to the City Charter, ten more meetings must be held in the next nine (9) months before the end of 2023, so there will need to be an additional meeting scheduled sometime before then.
Barring a valid and verifiable excuse by a Commissioner, according to Judge Schurr’s Order, “all Members of the City of North Miami Beach Commission to attend City Commission Meetings.”
Unless Michael, McKenzie, and Daniela want to test Her Honor’s patience, the stupid games should stop now.
Stephanie
Judge Manno-Schur is very fair, and thorough and metes out justice equally. She will come down hard on them if they keep playing games.
I can see that. She gave them a lot of leeway in the beginning of this case, but they pushed the envelope too far. I hope they realize the game is over now.
There should be 2 commission meetings per month. They should have a reasonable stop time of 11 pm. These commissioners earn a salary now. It’s not like the volunteers of yore. We expect them to earn their salaries, not party like it 1999.
On November 8, 2016, the Charter was amended by referendum. One of the Amendments had to do with having only 11 meetings a year, and that Amendment was approved by voters. However, that’s just the bare minimum, and the Commission can choose to hold meetings more often. In fact, Jay put it on the Agenda as a discussion item for the next meeting.
Let those 3 keep at their games. That way the city will rid of them faster.