By Dessalines Ferdinand
The City of North Miami Beach is governed by an elected mayor and six-member City Commission who are responsible for carrying out any lawful purpose for the advancement of the interest, welfare, health, morals, comfort, safety, and convenience of the city and its inhabitants, as outlined in the City Charter.
This year (2018), six of seven seats were up for election, and sixteen candidates ran, more than any other municipality in Miami-Dade County.
Three of six Commissioners and the Mayor had been all appointed to their posts during the first half of 2018, although the Mayor was previously an elected Commissioner.
The previous Mayor, George Vallejo, resigned in April as part of a plea deal regarding campaign finance violation charges brought against him by the State Attorney’s office. One commissioner, Marlen Martell, stepped down to take a job as City Manager for North Bay Village. Haitian-American Frantz Pierre was removed for chronic absenteeism, reinstated by a judge, and then removed again after being charged with multiple counts stemming from an accusation that he took money from a strip club owner in exchange for votes. Pierre is currently awaiting trial.
In the Primary election held August 28, three past Commissioners and one newcomer won, with two seats that headed to a runoff.
Commissioner Anthony DeFillipo, 41, won the mayoral race after winning 54.2 percent of the votes and beating his two challengers outright.
Fortuna Smukler, 55, (appointed to seat seven in May 2018, after a series of vacancies left the commission without a quorum), and longtime incumbent Commissioner Barbara Kramer, 54, won a resounding 67.9 percent of the vote in the first round to represent council groups four and six, taking 54.2 percent and 67.7 percent of votes respectively. The other outright winner in the primary was Michael Joseph, 37, who took 63.3 percent of votes to win group seven. The newcomer to the Commission beat current Commissioner Ingrid Forbes. Forbes was appointed to the Commission in May 2018.
However, Paule Villard, 58, and McKenzie Fleurimond, 36, had to go to the runoff election held on Nov. 20 since no candidate gained majority of votes (more than 50 percent) needed to win outright.
In the race for seat two, Villard took 63.1 percent of votes to defeat her opponent Jay Chernoff, 60, a real estate broker and former councilman from North Miami Beach (1989 to 2007). Seat two was vacated by Anthony DeFillipo when he chose to run for Mayor.
Fleurimond, who served as an appointed Councilman from 2010-11 and on various community boards in subsequent years, missed winning outright during the August 20 election by just 126 votes — less than 1.5 percent of the total cast. He won his runoff, taking 62.7 percent of votes to beat another former Commissioner, David Templer, 56, a Miami-area trial attorney.
The most recent meeting held last Tuesday (November 26) marked the turning over of a new leaf for some, new beginnings for others, and still the end of the road for others.
A trio of newly-elected Haitian-American City Commissioners [ Paule Villard – Group 2, McKenzie Fleurimond – Group 5, and Michael Joseph – Group 7 ] joined first-time elected Commissioners Fortuna Smukler – Group 4, Barbara Kramer – Group 6, incumbent Commissioner Barbara Kramer, longtime Commissioner Phyllis S. Smith – Group 3, and new elected Mayor Anthony F. DeFillipo for the swearing-in ceremonies, that Tuesday night.
This was the first time since the end of the era of the trio Philippe Derose, Frantz Pierre, and the late John Patrick Julien (in 2013) that the City Commission has seen a new trio of Haitian-Americans leaders.
Villard worked for the Miami Police Department for 28 years and retired as a Sergeant; McKenzie Fleurimond is the owner of McKenzie Insurance Group Inc., and Michael Joseph is an associate at the Galbut Walters & Associates law firm.
What Should the Haitian Community Expect from These New Leaders?
North Miami Beach has a population of 44,124 residents (census 2010), a large percentage being middle class Haitian-Americans. As of 2000, North Miami Beach had the fifth highest percentage of Haitian residents in the U.S., with 19.90% of the populace. With the presence of three Haitian-American Commissioners out of a total of seven members, logically the Haitian community in that city is now well-represented in terms of percentage (about 43% of the Commission’s voice).
Now the question is: What should the Haitian residents and business owners expect with this strengthened representation on the Commission?
It is a fact that many Haitian voters came out to support these three candidates. At least two of them had unsuccessfully run for a seat in the past. If they showed tenacity, that should mean they are hungry to make a difference in their new positions. While all of them are supposed to work primarily in the interests of all residents of the city, Haitian voters who overwhelmingly voted for these three in order to put them in power, should expect a lot in return. This Haitian community must now believe that their voice will finally be heard at the table during Commission meetings.
The voice of this large Haitian population had never been heard in the past, despite at certain period when the Council counted three members of Haitian descent.
Based on the performance of the old trio (Derose-Julien-Pierre) who primarily focused on the interest of ‘special interests’ rather than those of the citizens of this wonderful city, Haitian residents and business owners are justifiably cautious with this new hope.
Philippe Derose scurried away from his position after more than a decade of service without any concern or care that his seat could be filled by another Haitian-American.
Derose was the first Haitian-American elected to public office in America. Sure, it was a great achievement, historically speaking, but when we look closely in his political career in North Miami Beach, it is hard to point to any major achievement that could make Haitian voters proud for having voted for him; he did nothing to help improve the lives of our precious Southern Florida Haitian population.
An International Flowering Tree Garden dedicated in Derose’s name is the only thing that can remind people there was ever a Haitian-American Councilman named Philippe Derose. The park is located at NE 13th Avenue between 151st and 159th Streets. So insignificant, it’s easily missed, even when you stroll right past it.
Looking back at the late Jean Patrick Julien (deceased in 2013) and former Councilman Frantz Pierre, those two also had accomplished nothing of any value for the Haitian community. Records showed that neither Derose, Julien, nor Pierre ever proposed any serious legislation from which the minority community could benefit. When Derose, Julien and Pierre were not ‘fighting’ amongst themselves, they basically sat up on that dais, ready to vote with the majority.
A New Hope?
Villard, Fleurimond, and Joseph are newcomers to the political scene. We are proud of their accomplishments, both culturally and professionally and we have great expectations for their service to our community, both Haitian-American and American alike. All three of these men and woman have been involved in some level of community service before, so they are not unfamiliar with politics.
It has been many long, challenging years since we have witnessed a strong presence of Haitian-American representatives on the Commission. The turnout on this special election highlighted how passionate our community is for true change and strong leadership.
May this new Commission and Mayor listen to our voices and be the leaders we’ve been looking for, the leaders we voted for. Commissioners Villard, Fleurimond, and Joseph, you serve the people who elected you. Please honor their faith and do us all proud.