Doral councilman succeeds in ousting clerk — now what?

Here we go again.

Doral went three for three last month when City Clerk Barbara Herrera became the third charter official to be fired in less than a year – the third termination for what seems like political rather than professional reasons.

Councilman Pete Cabrera said he wanted to fire Herrera because of inefficiency and unprofessional behavior, not being in the office when he called at 10:30 in the morning one day and matters such as denying public records requests on a “selective” basis.

“I haven’t been here 16 days,” Cabrera said, in reference to the number of days after he was elected it took him to inquire about how to fire Cabrera, something that critics have pointed to as a sign that he had always planned to retaliate against Herrera because she won a lawsuit settlement after she accused him of gender discrimination in 2009 (the first time).

But he did not back that up with any documentation and it seemed pretty evident to everyone that her firing was political payback.

One resident said the termination move was “simply to satisfy the voracious appetite of a new council member” for revenge.

Herrera filed another discrimination lawsuit against Cabrera after he threatened to fire her. This time in federal court under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission protections. The first settlement between Cabrera and Herrera cost the city about $30,000 in 2011. One has to wonder how much this one might cost the city.

There were plenty of people who spoke on behalf of Herrera, even though they were sorta threatened under veil when Councilwoman Sandra Ruiz reminded them that they had the right to have the Sergeant at arms remove anyone who got out of hand. Shudder.

But Cabrera had his defenders, too. Including a couple of women who apparently ignored the multiple discrimination claims made against him to presen the councilman – who served in office for eight years before running for mayor and losing in 2012 — as a gentleman who would never demean the fairer sex.

Yes, both the councilman and the city clerk apparently summoned their friends and supporters to speak on their behalf.

But it wouldn’t have mattered in the end. The votes were already there. In fact, although some (including Ladra) had predicted a 3-2 vote, the measure passed 4-1 after Councilwoman Cristy Fraga – who was the one that moved April to fire former city manager Joe Carollo — decided to back her newest colleague.

“It’s difficult for all of us here to work together when there is hostility between two people. We are not talking with one council member, we are talking about two,” Fraga said, referring to Ruiz’s own issues with the clerk.

“When I or another elected official cannot work with a charter official, it is a direct disrespect to the voters who elected that person,” Fraga said. “It is not fair to the rest of us, because he’s elected for four years. She’s elected for another two years.”

Maybe she thinks he will help her become mayor in 2016.

Councilwoman Ana Maria Rodriguez was the only one who voted no and noted that in almost 10 years at the city – as Doral’s longest serving charter official by far – Herrera had never been disciplined and that charges against her were deemed unfounded.

“We’ve been through a revolving door of charter officials. It’s going to continue making us the laughing stock of Miami-Dade County,” Rodriguez said, adding that she would be surprised if the same council members who voted for the clerk’s 20% raise last year would vote to terminate her.

But two did: Fraga and Mayor Luigi Boria, who shares a campaign consultant with Cabrera.

Apparently, Herrera was surprised with Boria’s vote, but expected Fraga’s. But she saw it coming. The city clerk could barely contain her emotion as she read the motion to have her terminated.

Rodriguez saw it coming, too. “It’s sad. But from what I’m seeing, it is your last day as city clerk,” she told Herrera.

She also suggested the severance package that the council ultimately passed after Cabrera’s sharp objections.

“Absolutely not. I don’t reward misconduct,” he said, before backing down when he saw Fraga would support it.

Several of the voters who left in disgust after Herrera – who called for the vote of her own firing and had to then pick up her belongings and leave in the middle of the meeting – told us that they would not reward misconduct either.

“He has four years and that’s it,” said one woman. “We won’t forget this when it comes time to vote him out.”

We may not have to wait that long.

Some observers are predicting that the city manager also changes again before the end of 2015 – maybe by summer time. They believe that former city manager Sergio Purrinos, who was at Cabrera’s November swearing in – will eventually get his job back.

Here we go again.

Doral, Pete Cabrera, Sandra Ruiz

Doral councilman succeeds in ousting clerk — now what? added by Ladra on January 5, 2015
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