WATCHDOG REPORT Vol.24 No.103 April 27 EST 05.05.00 – Celebrating May 5th, 2000: In 11 days 25 – years of free weekly publishing! www.watchdogreport.net & Former Miami Herald featured, news reporter & education resource & news service
WATCHDOG REPORT
Miami-Dade, Fla.
Vol.24 No 103, April 27, 2025, Celebrating May 5th, 2000: In 11 days 25 -years of free weekly publishing! www.watchdogreport.net & Former Miami Herald featured, news reporter & education resource & news service, without the attitude.
>>> Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you. –Pericles (430 B.C.)
>>> ARGUS REPORT: HEARD SEEN ON THE STREETS
>>> I got some very bad medical news, and seeing physicians this week re prognosis, with 11 days to go to Celebrate my 25th weekly Anniversary, I want to thank all who helped my on this strange fork in the road life.
I was able to use the Internet, Sunshine Law, Miami Herald, WLRN, PBT, to share the information I had. By making it free, everyone became my mini watchdogs from security guards, to staff and I learned the hierarchy of government by the size of their chambers, versus municipalities.
Why over those ears I focused on the county public schools and Jackson Health System, rather than colorful Miami since all are linked to our community and diverse society.
>>> Context: I want to thank The Coconut Grove SPOTLIGHT: FOR the profile: 25th anniversary of the Watchdog Report, done by Mike Clary, someone I met long ago in 2000 at county hall during the Gore Bush 2000 election, when he was with the L.A. Times.: To read the story click here: https://coconutgrovespotlight.com/2025/04/14/still-barking-a-watchdog-at-25/: here are other stories from the past.>>> Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2003-01-20-0301190045-story.html
>>> Here’s some further context to my story. I first came to Miami in June 1975, in an executive management program With Cordis Corp., based in Miami I then went to Claremont California, working for Cordis as a salesman technical specialist and Cordis was an innovative powerhouse in the highly competitive cardiac pacemaker industry just getting into widespread use of around 50,000 implants yearly, selling a life savings device, and its service involved being in the operating room, with a surgeon and a pacing system analyzer to be sure the electrode, placed, by surgeon or cardiologist in right ventricle had the right electrical specifications too pace the heart and I tested some 2,000 leads including in Shanghai China in 1977. And here in Miami I had to get a certified check at Jackson once with Dr. Richard Thurer, on the OR before I could give him a pacing electrode, why I keep watch on JHS, and critical to all of us.
Cordis was the first programable pacer that was noninvasive a first to change a patient’s heart rate. I would later become Dir. Of The Pacific Area Operations, for Cordis which had 3,600 employees, back in 1987, in Miami Lakes and new headquarters near FIU, now the universities engineering school. The company had many Cuban employees back then. I commuted from Miami to Japan for years, before going to Sydney, from my home in Coral Gables, I sold when going overseas.
However, after an FDA Class I recall (this FDA warning says a device had to be removed in 30-days or serious injury or death can occur,) on its pacemakers.
The company’s pacing business was sold to an Australian company and I was the ranking American to move to Australia in this new business configuration where Japan (that I commuted to from Miami, because cheaper than living there) was the big market.
Since, Japanese companies didn’t want to get involved in such a risky and deadly business. Akio Morita, the co-founder of Sony, told me once, the company spent $1 billion promoting the Sony’s name and how would it “look If a Sony pacemaker killed a grandmother in Sendai?” he told me back then. Agreeing a risky venture and was why Japan did not make their own cardiac pacemakers and bought and used American pacemakers.
>>> The county has begun the demolition of the Coconut Grove Playhouse and the county’s agreement by retired Dir. Michael Spring are being discarded as historical unique items in the process pictures show. Spring a standard issue county employee. Was given cover by a number of commissioners Salley Heyman Javier Souto over the years especially with overruns at Frost Science and Arsht Center. Fore more go to: https://coconutgrovespotlight.com/2025/04/24/playhouse-demo-begins/
>>> This is not the first time the county has used the theater as a voter hook, to get the 2003 Building Better Communities Bond passed with $20 million to go to the regional theater, but later held till the theater slowly became an unsafe structure that had Ransom students going in to smoke neck etc. Here’s more: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/management/building-better-communities.page
>>> To contribute to the WDR send and make it payable to Daniel A. Ricker
Daniel A. Ricker
3109 Grand Ave.#125
Miami, Fla.33133
>>> Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times
>>>> Miami-Dade County is starting a free Civics Academy, with $150,000, budgeted money texted Mayor Levine Cava last week, and some of the money goes to other organizations, she texted.
Civics and the role of government has taken a beating over the years with the advent of the internet. The academy wants to show how people can get involved with government, and shape policy. By being calm and dressing normal will get out much more than when funky, in government meetings and being calm insulates you from others who are loud and almost hysterical l
The PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST
The PHT trustees approved the following Resolution to facilities outside the county. The trust has 3,200 Broward employees from the county and may want to do something for them in the future while, keeping to their mission, wrote a senior staffer in a text after the meeting that approved all the agenda listed resolutions and has to be approved by the count commission.
4.f RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO SEEK MIAMI-DADE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS’ APPROVAL TO ESTABLISH POLICY AUTHORIZING THE TRUST TO LEASE AND OPERATE FACILITIES OUTSIDE OF MIAMI DADE COUNTY CONSISTENT WITH THE AUTHORITY GRANTED TO THE TRUST PURSUANT TO SECTION 25A-4 OF THE CODE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, PROVIDED THAT 1) THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FINDS THAT THE LEASE AND OPERATION OF SUCH FACILITY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE MISSION OF THE TRUST AND 2) NO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY FUNDING IS UTILIZED; AND AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO TAKE ANY AND ALL ACTIONS REQUIRED TO EFFECTUATE THE SAME (Daniel J. Chatlos, Director Real Estate Services, Jackson Health System
>>> Further, Jacksons Golden Angel Ball raised some 3.5 million April 22, and Ryder Trauma Center is celebrating 30 years of life saving services to some 4,000 patients a year. The center was a community project when other hospital CEOs, agreed one incredible ER was better than multiple small ones being in inundated with trauma patients. And trains Army surgeons before assignments like Iraq etc. since 2000, and physicians come with their support staff as well, and is a community jewel.
>>> Context: I want to thank Coconut Grove SPOTLIGHT: FOR the profile: 25th anniversary of the Watchdog Report, done by Mike Clary, someone I met long ago in 2000 at county hall during the Gore Bush 2000 election, when he was with the L.A. Times.: To read the story click here: https://coconutgrovespotlight.com/2025/04/14/still-barking-a-watchdog-at-25/: here are other stories from the past.>>> Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2003-01-20-0301190045-story.html
>>> Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times
The publisher would like to thank the weekly alternative paper Miami New Times for bestowing their 2003 Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored. Thank you. To read the full story go to http://www.miaminewtimes.com/best-of/2003/people-and-places/best-citizen-6399517
>>> Unbelievable on Thursday, Gabala asked again and got same answer from Miami City Attorney George Wysong couldn’t tell Gabela how much in legal fees were spent, defending Carollo, and city, not asking for launch codes, is a damaging hit for new attorney, one of city’s major problems, lack of accurate information, further who signed the payments should be asked as well?, after a past city attorney when I asked who does he work for residents’ or taxpayers? “He responded “three votes on the commission,” the pragmatist attorney said.
The problem of the City of Miami, was summed up Thursday at the commission meeting when city attorney George Wysong, couldn’t answer commissioner Miguel Gabala’s simple question, “asked “20-times of how much had the city spent on attorney fees,” from litigation against Commissioner Joe Carollo. The amount would include other legal representation. But Gabela has not gotten it and should show who approved the payments for full transparency.
He is not asking for launch codes, and not having the amount public is unacceptable to taxpayers and Wysong has taken a hit. There is becoming a pattern of minimum regarding information, as well of deletion of body camera footage in the boat crash involving broker George Pino. Further poor production of televised meetings mics not clear or people not speaking into the mic, leads to inaccurate public record and litigation. Again, meetings would be shorter if Clerks put a form on podium asking for name and address asked constantly by clerks and is an easy solution to this repeated annoying problem.
MIAMI-Dade County
MIAMI-DADE COUNTYPUBLIC SCHOOLS
>>> Wednesday’s school board meeting, a new internship and apprentice job programs among a host of subjects and medical experience has had the district partner up with Baptist Health, for learning experience in a variety of medical fields, said staff, to the board.
WHAT about Carvalho?
Alberto Carvalho, now the superintendent of the LAU Public Schools is resisting allowing ICE agents in middle schools. He is quoted in a NYT article saying he would be a “hypocrite,” having been undocumented and once homeless himself, if he did not fight this intrusion of student learning.
>>> A vender of school student trips got busted by the districts Inspector General Felix Gimenez. $3 million district money in fraud and bid rigging operation, see full report below:https://www.miamidade.gov/resources-oig/pdf/2025-MDCPS/2025-04-07-memo-to-board-debarment-ig22-0003-si.pdf
>>> Here’s AI’s take on me and the WDR: I assume you are asking about the Watchdog Report by Daniel A. Ricker. The Watchdog Report is a weekly e-mail newsletter that covers government news from the nation, Florida, Miami-Dade County, Miami-Dade Public Schools, the Public Health Trust, Miami and other municipalities in the county 1. Daniel A. Ricker is the publisher and editor of the Watchdog Report 1. The Watchdog Report is widely read by government insiders and a veritable who’s who of Miami 2. It is a compilation of the tidbits and observations he synthesizes from his tireless rounds 2. The Watchdog Report is estimated to bring in about $30,000 a year 2. I hope this information helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
>>>The Watchdog Report will celebrate its 25th anniversary, May 5, 2024, and much has changed since then when I saw our public institutions employees treating residents like only a nuisance and “working there was a right, not a privilege,” and savings could be seen, but ignored especially at MIA where director Gary De Lappa, kept saying regarding overruns “it’s not county money, over and over again” only challenged by mayor Raul Martinez, “ who said “its someone’s money,” and you better find out whose,” the Hialeah mayor suggested. And are why no low-cost carriers are at MIA because landing fees are so high.
OPINION
>>> I believe in America’s Constitution and laws after living in countries like China, and I have a copy of their glowing constitution, and others in Asia. But, the continued attack on the courts and judges, has to be reined back for the soul of the nation is at stake, as a trade war with friends like Canada Americas great northern neighbor are straining relations. The tariffs a Trump campaign promise seem like a sledge hammer especially to farmers and dangerous.
>>> I have been asked by the media why I started the Watchdog Report, and why me, because no one else stepped up and I appreciated everyone getting emails back in 2000 and emails would later take off big time.
People back then would say “my email is on the card,” and you weren’t at the top of your game without email. I made it free since I was the only expense, because I didn’t want just insiders but the WDR to be a local, state, or national community education resource now almost 25-years later. Many, people told me they could have done it, and a few have but none this long. And I guess I created a job that needed to be done at the time and since then with the generous help of my supporters, I have continued on despite some medical scares over the years, and “one a flip of the coin if I survived,” said my Baptist South Miami Hospital surgeon Jorge Rabaza, M.D., in 2009, and since then I have continued so far, thank you Dr, Rabaza.
Saving taxpayer money est. 10 % of public money is wasted, say past IG analysis, and savings are almost easy when there is probably $20 billion in collective public institutions. And debt for the county in 2022 was $29.2 billion, and we are a donor county to the state some $11,164,767,000 in that year. Former Florida, CFO Jeff Atwater told The Greater Miami-Dade County Chamber of Commerce years ago, that Miami-Dade was the big enchilada when it came to state funding “36 percent of the state’s 79.3 billion budget in 2017.” Further Miami-Dade is the “economic engine that carries the state,” said the former senate president and banker.
I bring this up because we have a disproportionate amount of political influence and we need our fair share. Further, because Miami-Dade County accounts for such a large amount though many in north Florida see South Florida like an anomaly of nature socially and ethnically, some legislators doing redistricting hearings at Miami Dade County Community College, were proud to say “I am just a proud cracker,” one legislator said, when responding during the diverse ethnic public hearing, they pretty much ignored.
The IG was created by the commission after continuous scandals. The office created in the 1990s, by the commission has worked diligently to stamp out fraud waste and corruption. The forging of an assistant airport director and false notary certification, are both felonies. To read the full investigation go to:2025-04-02-memo-to-bcc-arrest-ig24-0006-i.pdf
CITY OF MIAMI
>>> Florida park staff dumps barnacle trash at MSD, cottage on Stewart Ave., concern of change in “resident to assembly,” in cottages proposal to see more www.coconutgrovespotlight.org
The Miami Historical Preservation (HEP) board on Tuesday, made some recommendations on the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas cottage where the author wrote The Everglades: The River of Grass.
Douglas a community treasure to many environmentalists, passed decades ago, and never owned a car, said one public speaker objecting to a parking area for state trucks, further, garbage from the historic Barnacle is being sent to the site for pickup said a neighbor.
PHT chair Amadeo Lopez Castro, III said the progress at JHS is because “Migoya never satisfied,” “and the of one standard of quality care, regardless of ability to pay,” is the mission.
Commissioner Rene Garcia, a leader in trying to the reduce the number of uninsured in the county, said he was “skeptical,” Migoya a former banker could run the large struggling public hospital hemorrhaging money in 2011 and 2010, but Migoya had done that turnaround.
>>> The WDR now has two sources of having internet archives My webpage and The Wayback Machine where I was selected to archive because the WDR is a free no pay wall community education resource on the internet archive records permanently. I am feeling ill but will be back next week, with a normal WDR entering 25 years in May.
>>> The global economy is if wondering that all the tariffs will have a global domino effect around the globe, as retaliation continues. Stability is what has made the U.S., economy great and rule of law but the stock markets are reacting in a negative way and could end Trump’s honeymoon with voters. Further, his declaration of national threats of Venezuelan gangs adds another wrinkle to the administration, giving the president more sweeping powers only checked by the federal courts.
“Trust,” has always been a defining strength of America and has evaporated under President Trump and 48-years since WWII to build while some mistakes We always fought for free democracies, as America in the UN voted with Russia and China on a bad resolution. Something never done before, but has sent shivers to our longtime allies. He firing of so many government workers in NOOA, to Medicine not preparing for next ears flu vaccination and federal special agents across these areas of security, only another incident of terrorism may bring the nation to its senses as weather and medical disasters occur.
Editor’s note: I normally don’t write about this often but the federal agents I know are very solid at their risky jobs and have had some very unusual experiences. Further, China has instituted tariffs on Canadian goods, hurting the farmers also a great foreign policy friend of America.
ALERT: Johns Hopkins University has had its federal funding cut and is one of Americas greatest research universities and developed the implantable Defibrator, Dr Michael Murkowski, and his team of engineers. I met the physician and he told me how skeptical people were at the time but is now commonly used for people with arrythmias issues, including vice president Cheney.
CITY OF MIAMI
>>> Grove erupts in protest to County’s plan to demolition part of historic Grove playhouse, state deal with FIU, and county, theater must be in operation by 2022, or become surplus state property, which needs the money, a condo property sale would bring into the state.
The demolition of the Coconut Grove Playhouse vacant since 2006, is moving forward with the smaller playhouse plan. The county approved plan, of 100-seat theater was pushed by Cultural Affairs Dr. Michael Spring, who was a standard issue county employee( who lied to me about how the new Frost Science Museum was going and on budget, when it wasn’t and needed a $100 million injection to complete), who ignored county rules that any member of the Public Health Trust, had to resign from any county, boards but ignored Martin Zilber, on, health trust’s notarized application. Zilber would later resign as a county circuit judge in a scandal
Coconut GROVE: tree loss comes to El. Prado Blvd. workers working sometimes seven days a week, city inspectors rarely seen
The city and Coconut Grove tree canopy loss is now happening in the south grove on El. Prado Blvd., where seven homes have cleared the precious canopy and one reason the area is getting so hot. The workers sometimes work seven days a week and city inspectors are rarely seen at the sites with many out-of-town workers, by the license plates, or credentials markings on vehicles.
>>> The idea of Frank Carollo (his net worth in 2011, was $748,000) running again to replace his termed-out brother Joe, a controversial commissioner nicknamed “crazy Joe”, and maybe rehabilitate his brother image like he did in his first stint on the body. Frank a CPA is less violable than his brother. He was also on the public school’s audit committee years ago and has been showing up at commission meetings recently.
What about the mayor’s race & ken Russell?
Former District 2 commissioner Ken Russell has filed papers to run and as an Anglo, a democrat, he is considered a long shot with a minority majority Cuban community. He says he wants to end the conflict on the commission, and would chair the body himself. The WDR will do future profiles of the man who has been a lobbyist for the local Sierra Club branch.
“Nobody is a saint here,” said Commissioner Miguel Gabela after an exchange on the legal costs of commissioners. The city attorney George Wysong said he had a “$9 million budget, with 35 attorneys” and said he has had $500,000 in legal fees, but no total cost to date, and that was odd given the seriousness of the issue and community interest.
>>> Associated Press being banned at WH : But is a punishment for not recognizing The American Gulf, on maps and is seen as retribution to the press and First Amendment and AP is taking it to court.
Oval Office round one over after Ukraine president cancels mineral deal and security, package, off the table, getting worse denying US military intelligence information
>>> Further, with Trump making English the nation’s official language Hispanics, and now immigrants across the board be threatened with deportation has many in fear will be concerned of this impact, on their lives and will be felt deeply here in Miami-Dade County, and adds another social issue for South Florida.
>>> Further, the cuts of 600 NOAH employees, is scary and the weather forecasting is critical to the nation and alerts with Miami & Florida a target. And some two dozen were at the Virginia Key site and are a vital weather component that has water flooding adding to wind speed. And Local legislators should protest this move and restore the funding.
COMMUNITY EVENTS: The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse
591 NW 27th Street: Miami, FL 33127margulieswarehouse.com The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse591 NW 27th Street Miami, FL 33127
I will be back next week but in need of new funding and hope to be in better writing shape, wish me luck and some financial support this week came in, thank you Dan Ricker. Also not feeling that well.
>>> A new scam is being texted saying that you have unpaid toll charges, and is just another phishing scam. NOW includes a sun pass bill due just recently. And now includes SunPass asking for money fake
>>> Another scandal for Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo and BayFront Park Trust hires law firm associated with former commissioner Marc Sarnoff (who is also representing the city in the Flagstone suit), to defend him in the suit. Carollo has become a legal liability to Miami and one commissioner Gabela wants to remove Carollo as chair from Bayfront Park Trust, that has faced numerous scandals over the years, and in 2001 was under investigation. The man is a legal liability as law costs going, to millions, during his time on the commission.
This was updated Thursday with Carollo bringing an item requiring all senior commission staff have a “complete background check and drug test,” and commissioner Miguel Gabela went after Carollo, “why now” after he had some controversial employees in the past now with a court case against Carollo, Gabela asked why is “he interested now?” said “the commissioner who is trying to keep the city of lawsuits,” he said. The item died because no second by a commissioner. But the commission chaos continues, sadly.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
Miami-Dade County continues hiring FDOT district secretaries
>>> Stacey Miller was recently appointed director of transit and follows a host of FDOT past secretaries, from Alice Bravo, now a lobbyist and Johnny Martinez and have always had a superior position in transportation but an inferior position when at a federal level and I hope she makes more progress than the past FDOT directors.
County unlikely to save $160 million like jHS, different mentality and culture at public hospital system, and don’t have secret sauce CEO Migoya: county so political why few comments when discussing
Miami-Dade County considering using McKinsey after Jackson Health System saved $160 million after a two-year program called reimagine Jackson that was aggressively pursued with all employees on teams without firing anyone through the firms’ recommendations plus people working with the administration to achieve these savings while keeping medical care high and safe, after reductions reducing length of stay.
And some patients like staying but the key sauce to this equation is CEO Carlos Migoya and was left alone re political considerations, that will be absent at the county. Medical personnel have a work together attitude not always shared at the county level. With that I agree the count should look at finding savings especially if property taxes are eliminated, by the legislators and voters, are scared and a bad scenario for society as a whole in a county of 2.7 million residents.
>>> What about the tax appraiser using new office seal that will have to change again when they leave cost over & $7million in sheriff change in Broward County with removed Sheriff Ken Jenne, and would be more now.
>>> The Tax Appraiser asking for 2 percent of property taxes GF from the county and 34 municipalities is another blow to these entities budgets that have to balanced budget at the beginning of the year.
>>> State of the Arts in Miami-Dade County is well, said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava Thursday at her arts ceremony Thursday, hosted by lobbyist Al Dotson,
Brian May chairman of the cultural affairs council. The Arsht Center along with a host of others have made Dade no longer a “cultural arts dessert,” to a vibrant hub of cultural activity generating some $1.5 billion in tax revenue, said May also a lobbyist.
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST
>>> New JHS ER on the main campus “progressing well, will have a second floor with heliport landing space, said Migoya. Also, CEO Migoya contract extended to June 2025, has been a unique leader working for a common goal patient quality and holistic healthcare.
CEO Carlos Migoya last Wednesday at the board meeting said the new ER is progressing well, “is one of the largest and most advanced.” The facility replacing what one time was terrible with uninsured crowding the facility. Using funds from the $750 million revenue bond paying off old bonds and saving the trust some$20 to $78 million in refinance savings, CFO Mark Knight said to the board in February.
What about the new ER?
The 54,000 sq.ft., new facility will now have a second story shell on the roof and helipad, said Migoya whose contract was extended from Feb.25 to June 2025. The man who has an eye for leadership senior staff, he had gotten the highest marks in his review done by a diverse board of community leaders and trustees.
$250 million revenue bond, for “neglected infrastructure,” roofing air handling needed upgrades, said CEO Migoya, and approved by county commission recently
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
The State of the Arts in Miami-Dade County is well, said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava Thursday at her arts ceremony Thursday, hosted by lobbyist Al Dotson, Brian May chairman of the cultural affairs council. The Arsht Center along with a host of others have made Dade no longer a “cultural arts dessert,” to a vibrant hub of cultural activity generating some $1.5 billion in tax revenue, said May also a lobbyist.
The Children’s Trust has also played an important role in exposing young people to the arts, said May. He also noted Gov. Ron De Santos in his preliminary budget has $27 million dedicated to the arts, said May and urged people to support the bill and keep the funding after being zeroed out last year in the state budget by the governor. The Knight Foundation has been a major cultural arts accelerator over the decades, and around the nation.
>>> Will new constitutional officers hamper mayor Cava’s cost be cutting in falling tax dollars after federal funds gone?
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The school board Audit and Budget review committee is holding a meeting April 4, at the district’s school administration building. This committee made up of accountants CPA’s is the community firewall but that was always not the case with political appointees and was not a good watchdog for the community but that changed after I hammered the board members back then and is a solid committee for the community. To see the agenda go to: http://api.dadeschools.net/WMSFiles/23/pdfs/24-25/AC_February_4_2025/Agenda.pdf
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST
>>> Jackson Health System seeking $250 million revenue bond, for “neglected infrastructure,” roofing air handling needed upgrades, said CEO Migoya, and approved by county Tuesday
The county commission approved this revenue bond on Tuesday at the BCC without fanfare. After the public system got its confidence back with taxpayers after years of losing money in past decades, but has changed under the leadership of CEO Carlos Migoya over the past12-years.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
>>> Will new constitutional officers hamper mayor Cava’s cost be cutting in falling tax dollars after federal funds gone?
County Mayor Daniela Levine Cava in her State of the County speech recently stated with revenues tight after federal dollars were being depleted that she is pushing efficiencies in the county administration even though hiring many employees in her first term.
THE WDR has watched county government for 24-years, and while fire and police do a good job with the new constitutional offices and consolidations millions can be saved by not changing the seals of the new officers’ that when Ken Jenne in Broward was elected it cost $7 million to change all the police cars that all had his name on them and these new officers’ they must be cost effective in creating their new officers and the money.
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST
>>> Jackson Health System seeking $250 million revenue bond, for “neglected infrastructure,” roofing air handling needed upgrades, said CEO Migoya, and $250 million Rev. bond approved by BCC Tuesday, for facilities maintenance.
Wednesday’s Trust board meeting was an eventful event. CEO Carlos Migoya announced the appointment of a new COO David Zambrana, R.N., MBA., Ph.D., and the man a nurse with an MBA and Ph.D. is a trusted member of Jackson’s management team said, Migoya to the board.
He also announced that the health system was requesting the county commission to support a new revenue bond. Of $250 million for the Jackson campus and the last revenue bond was in 2005. The public health care system was approved a $830 million GOB. The new funding will integrate the Cerner technology critical to patient safety, and other dated technology, said Migoya.
Migoya said for every one dollar of the bond by leveraging revenues $2.00 was returned to the trust he said. The new revenue bond is because of “capital neglect,” over the years. The trust in 2005 had some $500 million in capital needs and could not finance such needs. Migoya a former banker was reviewed by the trust chair Amadeo Lopez-Castro, III, whose father was a past chair of the health trust in 2002.
What about the CEO’s review?
Lopez-Castro did the review with others of Migoya and Castro said he received the “highest rating,” for Migoya who not only turned around the beleaguered institution but worked closely with nursing and physician staff.
He also partnered with medical staff and nurses and uplifted public healthcare for the institution that had the reputation of where “the poor went to die,” was the popular perception for years and that has changed with the voters passing the bond years ago and created new updated facilities including a much-needed rehabilitation facility. If one went into the basement in Jackson before the bond it was frozen in turn of the previous century technology.
SPONSERS:
Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, the (FL)
CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS
Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, the (FL)
MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED
Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2003-01-20-0301190045-story.html
>>> Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times
The publisher would like to thank the weekly alternative paper Miami New Times for bestowing their 2003 Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored. Thank you. To read the full story go to http://www.miaminewtimes.com/best-of/2003/people-and-places/best-citizen-6399517
>>> And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account that is easy to use and right now would be a great time: http://paypal.me/WatchdogReport
Further, if you would rather send a check send it made out to Daniel Ricker and mail it to 3109 Grand Ave., #125 Miami, Fla. 33133. Thank you, Dan.
>>> And having a member of the press at public meetings gives teeth to the Florida Sunshine Law (and why you get a Flu Shot) and open meetings tape recorded keeps good governance in place and reduces waste fraud and abuse, and public corruption, and is why you don’t speed in front of a state trooper for example. And hope you can support the WDR efforts to have informed residents of public institutions issues, in our community.
>>> Further the www.watchdogreport.net in South Florida is an established news service presence, because most people are too busy to go to these important meetings., and all the information comes through me as a central point allowing me to see things at a 100-mile altitude and being an early warning system when projects have overruns or other issues. But my job is to sound the alarm and I have done so many times over the past years in a host of ways.
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THE HONORABLE STANLEY G. TATE
>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $2,000 a year
MARTIN MARGULIES margulieswarehouse.com
BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com
RONALD Hall
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.miamidade.gov
UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $1,000 to $5,000 a year
BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com
BERKOWITZ POLLACK BRANT Advisors and Accountants www.bpbcpa.com
JEFFREY L. BERKOWITZ TRUST
BERCOW RADELL FERNANDEZ & LARKIN & Tapanes www.brzoninglaw.com
RON BOOK, Esq. https://rlbookpa.com/team/
BENEDICT P. KUEHNE, Esq. http://www.kuehnelaw.com/
LINDA MURPHY: Gave a new laptop in Oct. 2001 to keep me going.
Rbb www.rbbcommmunications.com
SHUBIN & BASS www.shubinbass.com
WILLIAMSOM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP http://williamsonautomotivegroup.com/
>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less
CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.
CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH www.miamibeachfl.gov
CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu
THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov
GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.miamichamber.com
GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU www.miamiandbeaches.com
HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA www.hfsf.org
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov
MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE CHAIR www.miamidade.gov
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ETHICS & PUBLIC TRUST COMMISSION
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/
MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/
MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY www.miamidda.com
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org
THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org
THE GOOD GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE http://goodgov.net/
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA http://www.firstgov.gov/
>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less
CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.
CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com
CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu
THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov
To contribute to the WDR send and make it payable to Daniel A. Ricker
Daniel A. Ricker
3109 Grand Ave. #125
Miami, Fla. 33133