Sarnoff Staff Concerns
This is a letter to the Miami Herald from Grove resident Mel Meinhardt, I don't think it was published in the Herald yet.
Like many Miami citizens, I consider even the taint of misbehavior by public servants unacceptable. And like the overwhelming majority of District 2 voters who voted for Commissioner Marc Sarnoff I was upset by the insinuations your paper raised in recent articles. (Here is one).
So I went to see for myself. I got the same records your reporters used, and spoke with many of the same people they did. I took the time to read and ask, and develop additional sources.I conclude that your editors could not have been more wrong. The charges of unethical conduct insinuated in your several recent articles regarding Miami Commissioner Sarnoff's staff are at best sloppy and irresponsible journalism. At worst your actions could be construed as a deliberate attempt to smear those involved. The only question left for me is your motivation to so grossly misrepresent the situation.
You seem to-but never directly-accuse Ms. Yvonne McDonald of benefiting from a federal community development (employer support) grant that was applied for after she stopped working for the group that might later receive funds. Credit goes to the City of Miami's Community Development department and Ms. McDonald for bending over backwards to be squeaking clean and thorough in their interpretation of the requirements for such funding.
After Ms. McDonald, a long-time and highly reputable advocate for the residents of the West Grove, left the UEC, the UEC's new director applied for the federal grant in question, the only such grant application from that part of the City. The City Community Development department recommended the grant and asked for concurrence from the Commissioner's office, which was granted. Your representation otherwise appears egregiously wrong.
Perhaps the history of abuse within the City has bred in you a knee-jerk reaction in the case of Mr. Ryan Alexander. Mr. Alexander's possibly naive error seems to have been to use his own money and initiative to do what his neighbors and City departments wanted done. He did not take money from the City, he GAVE money to the City. At his personal financial risk he made long-sought improvements to a park too small to gain the attention of anyone but the criminals who used it as a means to escape and the police that chased them.
For inquiring as to whether a portion (not all) of his verified expenses could be reimbursed (answer "no"), you attempt to pillory him. For this initiative Mr. Alexander has been temporarily suspended from his job. Thanks Herald.
Miami 21 is a controversial and complex undertaking in which all Miami citizens, business and property owners have a stake. Its effects on individual properties is clearly uncertain, and you so state "there is no evidence of wrongdoing". Nevertheless your report continues unimpeded, using quotes from unengaged academics or those with possible axes to grind against Mr. Peter Ehrlich to again insinuate sinister intent.
Shame on your editors. The Herald with its deservedly proud heritage of Pulitzer awards for investigative reporting is headed in the wrong direction. This is not a case of the fox guarding the hen house; it's a case of the guard dog stirring up trouble.
-- Mel Meinhardt, Coconut Grove
Like many Miami citizens, I consider even the taint of misbehavior by public servants unacceptable. And like the overwhelming majority of District 2 voters who voted for Commissioner Marc Sarnoff I was upset by the insinuations your paper raised in recent articles. (Here is one).
So I went to see for myself. I got the same records your reporters used, and spoke with many of the same people they did. I took the time to read and ask, and develop additional sources.I conclude that your editors could not have been more wrong. The charges of unethical conduct insinuated in your several recent articles regarding Miami Commissioner Sarnoff's staff are at best sloppy and irresponsible journalism. At worst your actions could be construed as a deliberate attempt to smear those involved. The only question left for me is your motivation to so grossly misrepresent the situation.
You seem to-but never directly-accuse Ms. Yvonne McDonald of benefiting from a federal community development (employer support) grant that was applied for after she stopped working for the group that might later receive funds. Credit goes to the City of Miami's Community Development department and Ms. McDonald for bending over backwards to be squeaking clean and thorough in their interpretation of the requirements for such funding.
After Ms. McDonald, a long-time and highly reputable advocate for the residents of the West Grove, left the UEC, the UEC's new director applied for the federal grant in question, the only such grant application from that part of the City. The City Community Development department recommended the grant and asked for concurrence from the Commissioner's office, which was granted. Your representation otherwise appears egregiously wrong.
Perhaps the history of abuse within the City has bred in you a knee-jerk reaction in the case of Mr. Ryan Alexander. Mr. Alexander's possibly naive error seems to have been to use his own money and initiative to do what his neighbors and City departments wanted done. He did not take money from the City, he GAVE money to the City. At his personal financial risk he made long-sought improvements to a park too small to gain the attention of anyone but the criminals who used it as a means to escape and the police that chased them.
For inquiring as to whether a portion (not all) of his verified expenses could be reimbursed (answer "no"), you attempt to pillory him. For this initiative Mr. Alexander has been temporarily suspended from his job. Thanks Herald.
Miami 21 is a controversial and complex undertaking in which all Miami citizens, business and property owners have a stake. Its effects on individual properties is clearly uncertain, and you so state "there is no evidence of wrongdoing". Nevertheless your report continues unimpeded, using quotes from unengaged academics or those with possible axes to grind against Mr. Peter Ehrlich to again insinuate sinister intent.
Shame on your editors. The Herald with its deservedly proud heritage of Pulitzer awards for investigative reporting is headed in the wrong direction. This is not a case of the fox guarding the hen house; it's a case of the guard dog stirring up trouble.
-- Mel Meinhardt, Coconut Grove
posted by Tom Falco at 10:10 AM
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17 Comments:
Don't want to beat a dead horse ... but I will.
I want to highlight that the neighborhood politicized exchanges the Miami area has are a large impediment to our area as a whole's future success.
This blog, understandibly Grove focused, has readers that are appalled by any negative press Mr. Sarnoff and his staff receives.
Why do we not feel the same energy/motivation to be distrustful of the negative press received by other public figures?
Whether it be Michelle Spence-Jones, Dana Nottingham, Mayor Diaz, Mayor Alvarez, or anyone else ... there is just as much chance that the Herald is biased/skewed in reporting negatives about these folks.
I would hope the Grove community would be just as distrustful of the Herald or any other criticism of our public figures. I have hope that if the Miami area as a whole more greatly supported all the neighborhoods and their public figures, then greater collaboration could be achieved leading to a greater good for all.
I want to like Sarnoff. I had hope that he was indeed different from the rest of the politicians at City hall. He has been a good proponent of the Grove when it matters most.
However some of the "improvements" (i.e. info booths) he spearheads leave many of us with a great big WHY and question marks floating over our heads.
This latest thing has me puzzled again.
Check it out here: http://news.miaminewtimes.com/2008-02-28/news/sarnoff-shmarnoff/
WHY?????
Mel Meinhardt is correct. The Herald dealt very casually with very serious issues. The Herald should do a better job fact checking before trashing three diligent individuals. This might be a one newspaper town but we expect more from the Herald.
You need a reality check Mel -
Marc Sarnoff is clearly not fit for public office. He is a LIAR. He lied about his lineage during his campaign. He create a phoney bio on his website. He harassed residents who did not agree with his "neighborhhood improvement plan". These are just a few of his misdeeds. He is clearly a sick individual. Mel, wake up! You ought to be embarrassed to have this clown in office!
Mel eloquently defended three staffers. Anyone can do the same research Mel did. The Herald should print facts not rumors.
You want facts? Here they are-
Phoney campaign against Home Depot
Phoney devotion to Democratic Party
Phoney relationship with Joe Arriola
Phoney opposition to Mercy Hospital project
Phoney memo about Spence-Jones
Phoney marriage
Phoney family history
What next?
Sarnoff should step down!!
I can't stand a liar! Marc Sarnoff has also lied about living in Coconut Grove for "over 20 years." He has really lived in the Grove for less than 10 years. Prior to that, he resided in Coral Gables, where he improperly ran a law practice from his home, similar to the one he now runs from the house next door to his Coconut Grove residence (on the corner of Shipping Avenue and Virginia Street). Why has he been able to run this law practice for so long, with four employees who park at the dog park (which he enginneered) every day?
You must work for the Herald; Sarnoff has never lived in the Gables, has lived in the Grove for 20 years, and yes he saved us from a Big Orange Box on McDonald and Bird and saved the grocery store and all the trees and stopped us from having a SW 8th St Home Depot in Coconut Grove. (pretty big win any way you look at it), and the guy has a marriage everyone hopes for. What have you done for the Grove lately?
H.B.D.
Home Depot is in a 70,000 sq. ft. space, not 130,000 sq. ft., but Grove residents now greatly regret not having a modern "New York Style" Max Strang Home Depot “Design Center” with roof top parking and brand new "gourmet style" Milam’s Market. Thanks to Sarnoff and his lies the Grove is stuck with a tacky, asbestos and rat-ridden shopping center for years to come. How embarrassing to live in city’s highest tax bracket yet have the most outdated shopping center! Thanks for that Marc, you liar.
No offense Bob, but Milam's has plans to take over the Walgreens space and make a much larger and modern store which is actually better than the Max Strang plan.
If the Home Depot had gotten their hands on the whole shopping center, there was no telling what would happen -- also now they do not allow lumber sales or outdoor items like plants and such and this has kept the store traffic free.
Yeah, and now I have to go all the way over to 8th Street for my plants and landscaping needs thanks to "Who's your Grandaddy Sarnoff". It would have been nice not to have to leave the Grove. Lets get this idot out of office before he screws up the Grove anymore.
Speaking of "Who's your Grandaddy Sarnoff", Just watch the Sarnoff Weasel Machine of Apologists try to slither out of his latest mess through misdirection ("let's talk about something else") and downright dishonesty ("many family relationships are 'complicated'" - as though there WAS a family relationship!). Give me a break. And oh yeah, lets talk about Home Depot...
Great, keep going to SW 8th St. for your plants. Without the residents fighting for the Grove you would have ended up with a SW 8th St. in the Grove AND NO GROCERY STORE.
That is Sarnoff "who's your granddaddy" rhetoric you are talking and absolutely none of it is true. Don't be fooled anymore. Stop repeating the rhetoric of a liar. The Max Strang Home Depot was going to be an upscale N.Y. City Style Design Center. If you’ve ever been there, it is not so bad. No lumber sales whatsoever. But whatever, it's over now.
And we are stuck with a liar as commissioner who lied his way into office. Just try not be a sucker anymore okay?
Sue McConnell, Michelle Niemeyer, Dave Collins, Ryan Alexander, put your time and energy into finding HONEST and FAIR representation for the Grove. If you don’t know anyone that fits that description then it’s time to widen your circle of friends.
Don’t continue to ruin your reputations by supporting "who's your granddaddy" Sarnoff. People are talking...
Rebecca (if that is your name) there is plenty of space here; tell us what you have done for the Grove lately...or ever. Have you headed up any groups, planted any trees, brought any new businesses to the Grove, helped the merchants in any way, helped the Coconut Grove Woman's Club, helped the artist community, served on any boards, attended any meetings on the waterfront......????? Or...have you just sat at your computer and complained about everyone else's efforts?
Actually, I have done all of those things and more and I am sick and tired of Sue McConnell, Michelle Niemeyer, Dave Collins, & Ryan Alexander supporting and promoting that Sociopathic LIAR Marc Sarnoff. What is wrong with you Sue McConnell, Michelle Niemeyer, Dave Collins, & Ryan Alexander? Don't you know that you are like the company you keep?
The point is the Herald should not bash innocent staffers using lies and rumors. The Herald writers and editors should be experienced enough to know that their stories should be based on hard evidence and hard facts and not whispers from jealous losers.
Miami night be a one newspaper town but the Miami Herald should still operate professionally.
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