NORTH MIAMI – Last Tuesday, April 9, was a challenging day for Ms. Rasha Cameau, who has been the City Manager of North Miami for the past 14 months. District 2 Councilwoman Kassandra Timothe, expressing dissatisfaction, proposed a motion to terminate her contract during the city council meeting taking many attendees in the room by surprise.
“Madam City Manager, throughout the past year with the City of North Miami, I have harbored serious concerns. I am not inclined to voice opinions publicly or cause embarrassment. However, at this juncture, my confidence in the representation you provide to our city has diminished. Therefore, I believe it is necessary to consider the termination of your employment,” said the youngest member of the city council.
“I was not in support of your hiring and have consistently had issues with the manner in which you were hired. We would like to proceed with your termination,” added Timothe.
Following Councilwoman Timothe’s motion, the city manager Jeff P. H. Cazeau interjected, noting that termination is not so straightforward, citing the city charter and the agreement within the city manager’s contract as protective measures.
The city attorney further explained that, even if the council votes on the matter tonight, the immediate outcome would be to mandate the city attorney’s office to draft a resolution detailing the reasons for her termination. This resolution must be prepared within thirty days, during which she will continue to serve as city manager. Subsequently, a hearing will be required. It’s only after the preliminary resolution is presented that suspension could be considered.
Councilwoman Thimote countered by reading a section of the contract to the city attorney, highlighting that the City Manager could be placed on administrative leave with pay during the process. Following this exchange, Vice Mayor Mary Estimé-Irvin seconded the item for discussion.
At that moment, District 1 Councilman Scott Galvin intervened, addressing Councilwoman Timothe by saying, “If we are to vote on this item tonight, you need to state the reasons. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair to proceed with the vote on this motion. If we’re going to talk about firing someone, we need to discuss why.”
Urged by Councilman Galvin, who clearly expressed his support for Rasha Cameau by declaring his full confidence in her, to elucidate the reasons for suggesting her dismissal, Councilwoman Timothe elaborated, “When we appointed the city manager, there wasn’t a formal hiring process— a period for applications to be submitted and reviewed. I was not supportive of the hiring method at that time and had reservations about it.”
She added that she encountered issues with Madame Cameau during her tenure in the CRA department, noting problems that required attention, which were notably disregarded despite recommendations.
Timothee further stated that, according to the contract, termination could occur with or without cause. She chose not to disclose the reasons publicly, indicating that they would become known once the resolution is drafted and presented.
Councilwoman Timothee ultimately shared two key reasons behind her decision to terminate the manager: 1) the manager’s opposition to the CRA extension, coupled with the mismanagement of the P3 project, and 2) a charter violation stemming from the creation of a new department without council approval.
Mayor Desulme took the microphone to share his perspective on Councilwoman Cassandra Timothe’s motion, advising her to be very cautious with her decision. He noted that she would soon be taking maternity leave, emphasizing the importance of having someone experienced to manage city operations in her absence. While neither supporting nor refuting Timothe’s complaints against the city manager, Mayor Desulme suggested that the timing might not be right for Timothe to seek the manager’s dismissal, given the need for stable leadership during her leave.
Vice Mayor Estimé-Irvin supported Timothe’s assertion that the city manager had acted against the city’s interests during a previous public meeting, pointing out that this incident was indicative of the city manager’s general conduct.
District 4 Councilman Pierre Frantz Charles followed up by sharing that he had a positive relationship with the city manager while collaborating with her as a member of the CRA advisory board and that he led the vote to hire her. Charles clarified that he did this without seeking any personal favors, stating that he feels blessed by God and has everything he needs to live a decent life. His expectation of the city manager was simply to oversee the staff, bring stability, and foster unity within the city’s administration.
Councilman Charles then detailed how he felt disrespected by Mrs. Cameau, particularly highlighting an instance when he approached her with requests for the wellbeing of his District 4 residents, only to be redirected to the CRA. This, according to Charles, signaled a disregard for his position on the council.
Charles pointed out that a portion of the fiscal year budget had been allocated for projects in his District 4, which remain incomplete due to financial constraints. He stressed that the city manager’s disrespect towards him, as one of her supervisors, was unacceptable. Reflecting on the decision to hire the city manager, Charles noted it was made based on trust in her ability to bring stability and unity, despite there being no formal hiring process or evaluation of other candidates. This decision underscored the council’s collective desire for stability and unity.
When the floor was opened to public comments, several residents, mostly non-Haitian, spoke in support of retaining the city manager. An exception was a woman named Paola Pierre, who revealed she has known the manager for over two decades, collaborating in various capacities, considers her a friend, and now regards her as family. She urged the council members to reconsider their stance.
One woman expressed her shock, arguing there should be a gradual process of addressing dissatisfaction leading up to any termination. She voiced concerns over the timing of the proposed dismissal, especially with the deputy city manager’s impending departure, upcoming elections, and numerous ongoing development projects.
Another resident suggested the motivation behind the termination appeared personal. She presented a document to the audience, a request for $100,000 to sponsor Haitian activities (notably, the Haitian Compas Festival), implying the council members sought to dismiss the manager because she was unlikely to approve this funding.
Kevin Burns, former Mayor of North Miami, spoke positively about Manager Racha Cameau. Deputy City Manager Aneisha Daniel revealed a newly approved water plant project valued at $410 million, a significant development for North Miami. With numerous projects in progress, she expressed concerns over the potential lack of a clear succession plan and the consequent instability. Daniel highlighted her worries regarding the city’s future trajectory while clarifying her aim to remain detached from political disputes.
Around 9 pm, after delivering his final remarks, the mayor invited City Clerk Vanessa Joseph to call for a vote on Councilwoman Cassandra Timothée’s motion to terminate the city manager, a motion that Vice Mayor Marie Estimé-Irvin had seconded. The motion was approved with a 3-2 vote: Councilmembers Timothe, Irvin, and Charles voted in favor, while Galvin and Mayor Desulme opposed.
The City Attorney was the last to comment on the matter, clarifying that the vote does not prevent the city manager from showing up to work the following day; she is expected to work. The next meeting is scheduled for May 14, by which time a resolution must be drafted. The City Attorney emphasized that councilmembers who voted for termination need to provide written justification for their decision, which will be included in the resolution.
By Dessalines Ferdinand
