Residents of Homestead received another email this afternoon from Concerned Homestead Citizens. It reiterates the same story that all the major news outlet are reporting. The media blitz on the Mayor has been relentless but the Mayor has provided the fodder even if his heart is in the right place. It's one thing to try to bring jobs to Homestead by any means necessary. That is a position one can easily defend. It's quite another to try to profit from it at the same time. The Homestead voters will be the judge come November.
Showing posts with label Mayor Steven Bateman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mayor Steven Bateman. Show all posts
Tuesday, 2 July 2013
Residents of Homestead received another email this afternoon from Concerned Homestead Citizens. It reiterates the same story that all the major news outlet are reporting. The media blitz on the Mayor has been relentless but the Mayor has provided the fodder even if his heart is in the right place. It's one thing to try to bring jobs to Homestead by any means necessary. That is a position one can easily defend. It's quite another to try to profit from it at the same time. The Homestead voters will be the judge come November. 
The problem with his exuberance is that now the Mayor finds himself being investigated by the State Attorney's Office for this and the Dade Medical College conflict of interest. The City of Homestead is no stranger to controversial Mayors. We had Steve Shiver already, another Mayor and subsequent County Administrator during Alex Penela's County Mayorship, who was sent packing for his ethically challenged ways. Ironically, Mayor Bateman wants to bring back Steve Shiver as City Manager but doesn't have the votes on the City Council to get rid of George Gretsas. Indeed, the sewer backup at City Hall is worse than we're led to believe.
It has become evident that Mayor Bateman has serious issues with holding office and his private enterprise. However, the only ones that can directly hold him accountable are the voting citizens of the city of Homestead come this November, regardless what the State Attorney's office determines.
You can read the expose on this link, there's even a video.
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/07/01/homestead-mayor-privately-paid-by-firm-seeking-his-help/
The Miami Herald also has the in-depth story.
The Miami New Times now has a chronology of Mayor Bateman's ethical lapses.
http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2013/07/homestead_mayor_steven_bateman_2.php
http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2013/07/homestead_mayor_steven_bateman_2.php
Saturday, 22 June 2013
Bait and Switch: Dade Medical College Theatre site plan was really an Urgent Care Center in disguise
Below are excerpts from the indignant City Council members, which appears to be more theater and not one that any person would pay good money for either.
“I’m a little confused,” Councilwoman Judy Waldman said Wednesday. “I sat through all those meetings and thought the whole intention was a school. To me, that’s not full disclosure. They have a letter of understanding with Miami Children’s Hospital, and this is the first I’ve heard of it? This opens a whole big bushel of
Councilman Steve Shelly questioned the timeline and asked how staff would reconcile the mismatch between the site plan they received and the college’s new intentions. Corradino’s answer was the same one he gave during the review:
“He is getting approved for what is on this sheet of paper. You want to change the theater into something else, you need to get that reapproved.”
Vice Mayor Jon Burgess reacted similarly. “My concern is that an urgent care center isn’t a part of a university. To me, that’s different. I was sold one bag of goods and am getting another.”I mean really does anyone think we're buying this supposed bait and switch theatrics? Fact is this fiasco has been in the works for awhile now and it can stop but only if there's political will. To top it off it's all perfectly legal. Here's another excerpt from the Miami Herald:
In the city’s option agreement with Dade Medical, however, one of the allowed uses of the CRA property is a medical outpatient facility such as the one Perez was talking about.
The worst part of this Looney Toons Theater is that according to the Miami Hearld, Mayor Steven Bateman is in clear violation of ethics rules. He sat through the whole meeting knowing full well his wife has represented Dade Medical College in real estate transactions. Mayor Bateman is either extremely stupid or a sociopath. Either way, he's got some big cojones to sit there and look everyone in the face and act as if nothing is absolutely wrong with this picture.
Miami Herald Excerpt:
Miami Herald Excerpt:
According to a Jan. 16th memo sent by Joseph Centorino, executive director of the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics, to elected officials across the county, the county code requires those with a voting conflict to “absent himself or herself from, [the] meeting during the discussion of the subject item.”
Councilwoman Waldman's opinion:
“He should not have been part of that discussion,’’ said Waldman. “I was shocked.”
Yes indeed, we all are; November can't come soon enough!
Full article on link below:
Full article on link below:
Thursday, 20 June 2013
The Homestead City Council in their infinite wisdom and transparently duplicitous way are disavowing having supported Dade Medical College. The scandal that is shaking the Homestead political scene in an election year has the incumbents running for cover. Except, we have photographs that prove otherwise. 
First we have Elvis Maldonado being home schooled by CEO Ernesto Perez. Then we have Mayor Steven Bateman and Vice Mayor Judy Waldman holding up a check from Ernesto Perez. Looks like support to me. Interestingly enough there are no books on the bookshelves at this college. Must be an e-book college, impressive! Then we have Mayor Bateman shaking hands with Mr. Perez again. While the picture looks like they posed, they appear to be like Best Friends Forever (BFFs). Last, we have the grand avert of all. Similar to those runway pictures famous people take when they're promoting a product or charity. The Mayor's jolly face infront of the Dade Medical College wall sure does look like he support the college a lot. You can opt to believe them in spite of the evidence though.
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