I want to begin with a note of thanks to the Code Enforcement Officers in the City of South Miami.
The job they do is pretty much thankless. They have to go out and make sure that the ordinances of the city are properly and fairly enforced and quiet often, code violators yell, scream and threaten them.
Under our Charter, the manager has the power to hire and fire employees and to direct their work. The members on the city commission, including our mayor can give directions to the manager and they are not supposed to deal with employees, including and not limited to the folks in the code enforcement department.
But it doesn’t look like that’s the way things work in South Miami. It’s a dirty little secret that members of the commission frequently pick up the phone and call staff and tell them what to do. Can’t help but wonder of that happens to Code Enforcement?
Drive through city in any direction starting at City Hall and you will notice that there are certain parts of the city that the streets are clean, where life is calm and beautiful. Then there are some neighborhoods where it looks like the code enforcement folks and the Public Works Department have not been there in years.
There are boats in backyards without tags that have been sitting around for what seems to be years just rusting away. Cars are on concrete blocks being repaired, sitting there without licenses.
There even are some homes that the plants, trees, weeds and landscaping go all the way to the street blocking the right a way. Property owners have a responsibility to cut the grass on the swale, but they can’t treat the property like they own it. And yet some do.
A quick drive along Commerce and Progress lanes seems to show a few violations including, but not limited to cars with faded decals and some without any license plates at all. Makes me wonder, once again, what the city should and can. Sure looks like a favorite few get special treatment.
Why the difference in treatment?
We know that some commissioners have no hesitation in picking up the phone and telling Code Enforcement officers where to find violations and demand quick action. We also are aware of plenty of situations where friends of commissioners or a contributor are cut a great deal of slack. Yet, folks that are not connected are more apt to be hit with hefty fines and told to make things right quickly.
Back in the 1980s the “broken window” theory of governing emerged. It goes along the lines that where code enforcement is uneven and things like broken windows are tolerated, the quality of life in those neighborhoods begins to nosedive. Where the laws are not enforced the theory goes, crime and decay begin to seep in.
We are starting to see that here in South Miami.
What’s the solution? The city needs to treat the people and the neighborhoods equally and fairly. It doesn’t matter if the scofflaw is a friend of the mayor or a commissioner. If something is wrong, it must be set right.
We also need to tell our commissioners to take the phone numbers of the Code Enforcement staff and the department officials off their speed dial. If they have a beef, they need to call the city manager and raise the issue, just like the charter requires. If the manager can’t resolve it, there’s also a process in the charter.
The mayor and commission ought to consider bringing up their code enforcement concerns at a properly noticed commission meeting and do it in the sunshine where it is beamed by Channel 77 into the homes throughout the city.
And if a commissioner is going to ask for a favor for a friend, he should do it on the record so that everyone knows who is doing what and why.
The residents and taxpayers in South Miami deserve to be treated fairly and equally. Your quality of life in South Miami should not change based on who you know.
