The Miami-Dade Commission on Tuesday will consider giving away a county-owned property at 100 NE 84th Street to Family Action Network Movement, Inc, — better known as FANM — a non-profit that was founded in 1991 by Commissioner Marleine Bastien, who watched it grow over two decades into a globally recognized model for providing life-enhancing services to low and moderate-income families.
Bastien, who was elected in 2022 to succeed former Commissioner Jean Monestime, resigned as executive director last December. That’s less than five months ago.
The giveaway requires a two-third vote and the resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Keon Hardemon, waives the requirement of four weeks advance written notice. The 10,800 square foot property, with an assessed value of $906,000 (market value is $1.1 million), would be declared surplus, sold at a “nominal” price — and FANM would also be forgiven any owed, past due rent from the lease of the property.
Their past due rent is $140,920, according to the resolution before the commission Tuesday.
“In light of the nature of the proposed use of the property for the benefit of providing vital community services, and substantial 
expenditures which will be made by FANM, to construct, expand, and improve the property, plus the continuing costs of maintenance, a substantially compelling reason exists to convey the property for nominal value rather than to lease it to FANM and to waive the prior obligations,” the resolution reads.
But that’s not all. The resolution, would also waive the review by the bond program advisory committee of a “significant modification” to the Building Better communities general obligation bond program, and allocate about $1.4 million to FAMN for capital improvements to the property they just got, ahem, will get for “nominal value,” ’cause they’re fixing it up.
More than $750,000 of that is the balance of the $12.6 million “New Haitian Community Center,” which was completed under the budget, according to the resolution. Another $615,000 is unused balances from this project and the general project described as “acquire or construct various multi-use County government facilities in order to bring services closer to local communities,” originally $39 million.
Bastien did not return calls to her office. Rhenie Dalger, her chief of staff, said the commissioner would recuse herself from the vote and discussion Tuesday.
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The resolution says “FANM’s use of the property represents a purpose consistent with promoting community interest and welfare, and FANM has represented that it will use the property consistent with its mission, and in support of community interest and welfare purposes.”
Bastien resigned from FANM in December, Dalger said, because “it’s time for her to do new things.” She didn’t leave sooner probably because the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust said she didn’t have to.
In a 7-page opinion that Bastien sought, then Ethics Commission Executive Director Jose Arrojo said there was no conflict of interest. “As long as Commissioner Bastien’s terms of employment with FANM are analogous to those afforded similarly situated employees in comparable scenarios, and she does not receive compensation directly or indirectly from County grants awarded to FANM, for any work that she may have performed in connection with securing the grants, then she may be employed by the County grants recipient,” Arrojo wrote in the December, 2022 opinion.
“She may not continue her employment with FANM, if she will be compensated, directly or indirectly, from County grants awarded to the nonprofit organization.”
Isn’t that technically what happened, if all the money goes into the same pot?
Also, maybe Bastien had some things to finish. Like getting this property into the non-profit’s hands, something that the organization has been working on since 2015.
Ladra reads the Miami-Dade Commission agendas and covers the meetings so you don’t have to. Thank her! Support independent, grassroots watchdog journalism with a contribution to Political Cortadito today. Thank you!
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