Miami Lakes council picks Carlos Gimenez crony for town manager

Miami Lakes council picks Carlos Gimenez crony for town manager
  • Sumo

The Miami Lakes council caved Tuesday to the strong arm tactics of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and ignored the recommendation of a citizen selection committee, hiring Gimenez pal Ed Pidermann as the new town manager instead.

The committee, which met more than a dozen times over nine months to review 60 applicants, had recommended former North Miami Beach city manager Ana Garcia, principally because she has the experience they wanted and which, many believe, the charter explicitly calls for (though anyone can interpret it differently). Vice Mayor Nelson Rodriguez nominated her, but then withdrew the nomination when it became clear he didn’t have the votes — only Councilwoman Marilyn Ruano backed Garcia — and he wanted the new manager to start with unanimous support from the dais.

“I can count,” Rodriguez said. “Our manager, whoever that is, needs to have the full support of the council. and although it breaks my heart, because I know we are losing a superstar with super experience, I have no doubt that Mr. Pidermann will do a good job.”

Mayor Manny Cid said his vote was with Pidermann because the veteran firefighter is a resident of Miami Lakes and the other candidates hinted they were not eager to sell their longtime homes and move into the Northwest Dade town.

Read related: Carlos Gimenez pushes pal in Miami Lakes manager selection

But that can’t really be it, can it? Could Cid have completely alienated his citizens’ committee and shit on a painstaking transparent and public process just because of residency? “It’s a deal breaker,” he kept saying, me thinks protesting too much.

The process was intentionally and painstakingly public and transparent precisely to avoid political shenanigans or any perception thereof. To completely abandon it in light of the county mayor’s pressure seems to have also abandoned any attempt to keep the appointment politically clean.

Some observers think that maybe Cid made a deal with Gimenez and the residency issue gave him political cover. The city does need another fire truck. Is it possible that was dangled like a carrot? Or will Gimenez support Cid’s future bid for higher office? Gimenez holds the purse strings and the controls on so much of the planning around the American Dream megamall that will affect Miami Lakes residents probably more than anybody else, which could also be why it’s important to him to have someone close (read: controllable) at the top in the town.

The vote came after several firefighters — including the vice mayor’s brother — and the new Deputy Miami-Dade Mayor Maurice Kemp, another former Miami Fire Chief (photo, right), spoke on behalf of Pidermann. One firefighter suggested Nelson Rodriguez, who is a firefighter in Coral Gables, was betraying his own by backing Garcia.

Several residents spoke on behalf of preserving the process, including Maria Kramer, a longtime activist who was on the citizen review committee.

“Your fiduciary responsibility is to us, not the firefighters,” Kramer told the council. “Our number one recommendation on every vote we took was Ana Garcia (photo, right). No one had the kind of experience that she did. I remember Frank Bocanegra when we made that fatal mistake of going with the police chief because he had the knowledge. And it almost destroyed Miami Lakes.”

She is referring to the former police major turned town manager who has been accused of abusing his office in cahoots with former Mayor Michael Pizzi.

Read related: American Dream megamall developer would give us buses for our trouble

“Hiring a Miami Lakes resident has its pros and cons. You’re going to have a conflict of interest: ‘Am I going to do what’s right for my neighborhood or what’s right for everyone,'” Kramer stated.

“You have to choose who is most qualified. Mr. Pidermann is charming. he is committed to this town. But he has not even been an assistant manager. We need someone who can hit the ground running.

“Another Frank Bocanegra would be a disaster for this town.”

The surprise upset is a small political victory for new Councilman Josh Dieguez (photo, left), a Gimenez lackey who silently slid into the seat of former councilman Frank Mingo and had tried to stop the process to include more candidates (maybe Gimenez had a plan B).

“It’s about rounding out the list,” Dieguez said, because he wanted a shortlist of seven candidates, for whatever reason.

Then he started crying about some “gossip website” that called him a Gimenez minion — oh, wait, was he talking about little ol’ Ladra?

“It was just to give an option. It was not about distorting the will of the charter to even have this committee in the first place,” he said, although it is exactly what he was doing: Unhappy with the outcome of the process, he wanted to tweak it.

He eventually withdrew his motion, knowing it would have no support. But he spent several minutes showing his thin skin, talking about a public record being “leaked” — obviously he wanted to keep the Gimenez email secret — and how Ladra “attacked” him. Someone please ask the young councilman to explain how it is an attack to state the truth. And please explain that at no time did Ladra suggest that he “manipulated the mayor into writing this letter,” which is, indeed, absurd.

Dieguez is the mayor’s minion not the other way around. And that is why, after his big song and dance, Little Minion Dieguez nominated Pidermann.

Reading from an admitted script, Dieguez recalled a “stellar career in public service. Nt just that he was a firefighter. It’s that he has a service heart. He is someone who has managed a budget of over 100 million and hundreds of employees. M. pidermann was not my initial choice. additionally he comes highly recommended by members of this community.”

Dieguez said he met with Pidermann again just shortly before the council meeting Tuesday. “He assured me that he has a plan in place to ensure that the knowledge we will be losing when Mr. Ray leaves us. He ensured me he has a strong team to keep that institutional knowledge in town. That gives me great comfort.”

Well, I’m sure the members of the selection committee are comforted by that as well.

Councilman Jeffrey Rodriguez said he was “confident in his ability to work with people and I’m confident in his ability to work with this council,” especially after getting calls from residents, not the county mayor, he said.

And Councilman Carlos Alvarez first said he had a “duty to honor the time spent by the committee” and then did just the opposite by voting for Pidermann.

Mayor Manny Cid

Cid seemed somewhat ticked off that he didn’t get the same opportunity as his predecessors to name the next town manager. “That opportunity wasn’t afforded to me because of prior sins,” he said, adding that he would have suggested Tony Lopez, who never threw his hat into consideration.

“The process itself has been good. I think the committee did a great job. There are some bad parts of the process… the intrigue and discussions. I really dislike that I think it should be clear cut… but I didn’t get that opportunity.”

That’s when he said residency was a priority for him.

“We are a $40 million organization. I truly believe that the CEO of our town, whoever the next CEO of our town is,m should own stock,” Cid said. “I can envision all four of them doing the job. They all have their strengths. They all have their weaknesses. I come back to that question I asked.”

He wanted someone with “the same motivation to retire here, to raise their kids here. I really want to see that skin in the game.”

Nelson said the manager, whoever it was, could be fired within 72 hours at any time and that it was “unreasonable” to force candidates to move from longtime homes.

“But again I can count,” Rodriguez said. “The committee did their job. They recommended the number one person. I wish all these letters of recommendation would have materialized in their file in March.

Pidermann was visibly pleased. “I prayed to God and I think he produced the right result,” he said, thanking the council and offering that he was ready to start Jan. 1.

And Gimenezville seemingly expands.

17 Responses to "Miami Lakes council picks Carlos Gimenez crony for town manager"

  1. Jose Gomez,
    One of my aunts lives in Miami lakes and a couple of years ago she said that shockingly the political standards have gotten worse not better and the voters have ignored unethical behavior , corruption , low standards which they would have not 10 years ago .

    Go figure .

  2. …Not intended to affect anyone in particular, but a very respected lecturer used to quote, ” garbage in, garbage out “.

  3. I am totally correct on Nelson RODRIGUEZ. There is recording of RODRIGUEZ influencing Committee members to score him higher. When he failed to score any higher, then RODRIGUEZ influences the Committee to expand the cut lists of candidates from 15 to 17 (2 alternates). Piderman was 17 on the list. Folks the Town of Miami Lakes is about to hire a man who ranked the 17th best candidate in the pool of applicants. Do you not think this is being forwarded to the Feds?

    Members of the Selection Committee, Mayor and Council belong in jail. If this process is not thrown out, just watch.

  4. Here is the truth as someone who was intimately involved, I can believe part of your story. But you are wrong about Nelson Rodriguez he was totally for Ana Garcia, Now at this point I totally believe that Manny Cid was in on the deal, he clearly played everyone.

  5. Hey Iwannabefree of your sins you worthless piece of garbage, Chip was seen at the Town of Miami Lakes attending one of the meetings involving the City Manager selection process. He is on video. Also, where did I reference a letter in my previous comment? If you know anything on how these worthless piece of shits operate because they can’t get a job based on their merits, they put nothing in writing because it is subject to the Florida Public Records Act. Perhaps you can also be freed from you ignorance.

    To no fault of Ladra, they played her.

  6. Gimenez-Miami Fire Chief
    Kemp-Miami Fire Chief
    Iglesias-Miami first and Dade county chief of staff
    Pidermann-Miami Fire Chief, BSO Chief

    Mmmm, connections anyone

    • The Truth you’re definitely a creative writer. You know names of some players but your truth is incorrect. Chip Iglesias wasn’t at the meeting and there’s no evidence that he sent a recommendation letter. Your imagination is driving you crazy. Bovo didn’t write any letters either. You maybe an insider but your definitely not in the loop.

  7. Ed Piderman will do a good job is bullshit. He first had somebody contact Ladra to put a bug out there that Andrea Agha was a shoe in. As a result, Ladra publishes an article on May 3rd, 2018. Asking whether the next Manager was already decided. Ed Piderman gets Chip Iglesias to start lobbying on his behalf. Andrea is then convinced to sumbit an application for the City Manager’s job in Key Biscayne. If she does, she is guaranteed the position. Who was the former City Manager there? Chip Iglesias. Once Ed and Chip got her out of the way, then they reached out to Nelson Rodriguez and Manny Cid. Nelson pretends not to endorse him to avoid the obvious and has Josh Dieguez draft a resolution to start the process all over. This gives him cover. Chip Iglesias continues to talk Carlos Gimenez, Estevez Bovo, and Maurice Kemp. Their final push of influence occurred over the weekend and on Monday to make it happen on Tuesday.

    CORRUPTION IN MIAMI LAKES! IT IS TIME TO RECALL THE ENTIRE COMMISSION!

    Hiring City Managers is no longer an independent process in South Florida, as they are hiring lobbyist to influence the commissioners. You want evidence look at just happened in this process. I am in insider who can longer hold this in.

  8. Personally knowing both of these people and having worked with Mr. Pidermann I can tell you he is a man of integrity and a good administrator. Ana Garcia would have been the better choice because of her experience but Mr. Pidermann will do a great job for Miami Lakes.

    • Chief Pidermann may be a very good man, indeed. But the whole reason for a transparent process with a citizen committee and so many steps and input is to avoid the perception even of a political appointment, which is now what it seems they have.

      I am defending the process, and identifying enablers, not attacking Pidermann at all. I am sure he will do a good job. I just don’t like some of his friends.

      Love, Ladra

  9. Let’s Face it ? Their is NOT sufficient Corruption Inspector To put a Dent in The MDC # 1’s Problem Corruption and Fraud ? Does Any Other State in the Union Has More Politicians in Trouble Than FLA ? Welcome to the Swamp ?

  10. Yes, it needs to be mapped out. It needs to be made simple as possible so people can see all the connections and can follow the money. Like a family tree….but including all the corporations and electeds that kiss the ring too.

  11. Miami Lakes is quickly becoming an extention of Hialeah where politicians work to enrich themselves not the citizens they are supposed to be serving.
    The cancer known as Carlos Gimenez is nothing more than a gangster dressed in an Armani suit. From the absentee ballot fraud of 2012 to the sellout of our county coffers to unscrupulous lobbyists, the ragged teeth mayor has managed to expand his crime family through every city in the county. They will be naming buildings after that MF in 10 years. Total corruption brought to Miami Lakes by the Gimenez syndicate and a puppet mayor named Manny Cid.

  12. El Cid rode into town and proclaimed that he is the boss. Love it or leave it.
    El Calvo is the Circus Leader

  13. Ladra, you should do an expose on Gimenez’s the growing and expansive web of control he exerts over the county. You are really good at catching all this bullshit but it is honestly so big and intricate that its hard to keep track of it all.

    You could start with the China trip lol.

  14. ..HA HA profiles in courage..long on profile…short on courage..
    soon they will be changing the signs into the city to say “Welcome to Gimenenzville..”

    ..All Gimenez family and friend lobbyists are licking their chop this morning waiting for their paydays to come..Merry Christmas from Mayor DAD

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