Two incumbents were automatically reelected to the Miami Lakes Town Council when they ran unopposed and won another four-year term, while a third office holder must hit the campaign trial to keep his seat.
Tim Daubert (Seat 2) and Frank Mingo (Seat 4) drew no challengers following the end of the town’s qualifying period, which ended last week for the November 4 general election.
However, political neophyte Xiomara Pazos is challenging Seat 6 Councilmember Ceasar Mestre, who has served as the town’s vice mayor and acting mayor until voters chose Wayne Slaton in a special election last year.
Governor Rick Scott suspended Mayor Michael Pizzi following his arrest last August on corruption and bribery charges. Pizzi is currently standing trail.
Mingo, 54, won his seat during the special election to finish out the term of former Councilmember Nelson Hernandez, who resigned to run for mayor.
Mingo has resided in Miami Lakes since 1986 and lives with his wife, Carmenchu, of 31 years in the Silvercrest North neighborhood.
He is a supply chain manager for the Miami Lakes based Oliva Cigar Company.
Before he became an elected official, Mingo served on the Miami Lakes Economic Development Committee, Miami Lakes Police Department Review committee and as president of the Silvercrest North Homeowners Association.
Mingo and his wife have two children.
Daubert, 56, first won his seat in 2010 when he defeated then-councilmember George Lopez, who was appointed to Seat 2.
Daubert, who has been living in Miami Lakes for 20 years, said he was honored and humbled to run unopposed and is looking forward to serving Miami Lakes for another four years.
“I truly love serving the residents and businesses of the Town of Miami Lakes,” said the import accounts manager. “I can’t say how humbled I am and honored to be reelected to the Town Council.”
Daubert, a retired U.S. Marine Corps military policeman, said he will focus on fiscal accountability to ensure taxpayer’s hard earned money is spent responsibly, improving the town’s parks and recreation facilities and local traffic conditions, and support strong community policing and public safety measures.
Daubert is president of the Lake Carol Homeowners Association and won the Outstanding Community Involvement Award for Miami-Dade County Citizen’s Crime Watch.
Daubert is married to Caridad and they have a young daughter, Ashley.
The November election marks the first time Miami Lakes candidates can run for any council seat no matter where they live after voters changed the town’s charter to eliminate single-residential districts in favor of all at-large positions in 2012.
Mestre, 52, was first elected to the Town Council in 2010, when he defeated then-incumbent Nancy Simon. He was elected as vice mayor in 2011, 2012 and 2013 by a unanimous vote.
He is a native of New York and a graduate of St. Thomas University. He earned his law degree from University of Miami’s School of Law.
Before attending law school, Mestre was a South Florida police officer and special investigations detective.
He has been living in Miami Lakes for the past 22 years, where he and his wife have raised three daughters.
He has actively participated in community services and activities, including as a member of the executive board for the Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Miami Lakes Public Safety Committee, Sevilla Estates Park Committee, co-chairman for Cancer Relay for Life, Police Department Review Committee, Miami Lakes Bar Association and past president Royal Palm Estates Homeowners Association.
Pazos is CEO and president of Professional Medical Transportation Corporation in Hialeah.
Pazos, 57, said she chose to live in Miami Lakes because it is one of the best communities in Miami-Dade to raise a family.
She said it’s time for Miami Lakes to expect more from their elected officials and town leaders.
“More leadership, more substance and more solutions,” Pazos said. “For me, you can expect more cooperation, more action and positive changes, more responsiveness to residents’ ideas and more integrity and honor.”
Pazos is a past vice president of the Serenity Pointe Homeowners Association.
She graduated from Hialeah Miami Lakes High School in 1976 and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Miami-Dade College.
In 1992, she began working at Vitas Hospice and was commended for service in Patient Care.
She founded Professional Medical Transportation Corporation in 1996, which is a non-emergency medical transportation company, serving people in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
Albeit no resident contested their candidacy for office, Mingo created a war chest of $9,475 for a small-town election and Daubert raised $3,335 in campaign contributions.
So far, Pazos has mustered $2,250 for her campaign to Mestre’s $1,250.