Tension between Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi and Councilmembers came to light at their regular meeting on June 2, where lawmakers insisted they each follow the three-minute rule for discussion and debate for each agenda issue to keep the session moving along gracefully.
But Pizzi, who has a penchant for speaking so long that some council meetings have not ended until midnight, took exception to the rule and said he won’t be silenced while expressing his points for the people who elected him to political office.
The June Council meeting was the first Pizzi chaired since he was reinstated as mayor following his acquittal on public corruption charges last year.
The drama unfolded when Councilmember Ceasar Mestre suggested the entire council stay in compliance with the three-minute rule for discussion, which the town adopted from Robert’s Rules of Order that governs how meetings are run.
“Since the town has a long agenda tonight, including two public hearings, I would like to make sure we continue talking on time and abide by the rule which limits discussion,” Mestre said.
Pizzi objected, saying as chair of the Town Council, he won't limit lawmakers and residents' dialogues if they are making intelligent comments and reasonable points.
“Anyone making a point and is not finished and needs a little more time, I will not silence them,” Pizzi said. “I am not going to be silenced in expressing my opinions, and I also will never unreasonably limit the right of any elected official representing the people to make a point that they believe is important.”
Councilmember Frank Mingo made a motion to appeal the mayor’s decision, saying the council must follow the rules.
“The rules are clear, it’s in our Rules and Regulations,” Mingo said. “We have to abide by it and you don’t have the right, by yourself, to make that decision.”
The Council approved Mingo’s motion on a 6-1 vote, with Pizzi the sole dissenting voice.
Pizzi said enforcing the three-minute rule was orchestrated by Council members to limit his discussions.
“Unfortunately, this is how we are starting off,” he said. “I pledged to work with everyone up here and we are starting off with a measure to make sure I and others are limited in speaking.”
Mestre intervened, saying the three-minute rule was not a personal attack on the mayor. “We have a rule to follow and we want to make sure it applies to everyone,” Mestre said. “If you don’t like the rule, then we can change it. Nobody’s here to silence you or silence anyone else.”
Pizzi said limiting discussion could have a downside for Miami Lakes.
He said the town may want to know about safety issues and someone needs 25 minutes to discuss measures on preventing kids from drowning, as well as pubic safety and fire protection and economic issues.
“I don’t want an economic crisis because we limited someone who has knowledge to three minutes cause we didn’t want to sit here for another three minutes listening,” he said.
Mingo accused Pizzi of grand-standing instead of acknowledging the fact lawmakers must follow the rules.
Pizzi said his comments were inappropriate and ruled him out of order.
“Rules are in place, is it too much to ask that we follow the rules?” Mingo asked. “Rules are in place to keep the meetings going quickly and getting the people’s business done quickly.”
Following a brief recess, a contrite Pizzi said he believes the council was not conspiring against him. “I think everybody is here in good faith,” Pizzi said. “It’s my goal that we can all work together as colleagues and friends and do good things together.”
In other Town Council news:
• Miami-Dade Fire Chief Sam Downey said the new Miami Lakes West Station 64 on N.W. 154 Street and 77 Avenue is expected to be ready and open sometime this year with a grand opening celebration and a tour for residents and council members. Council members are shooting for July.
Downey also presented a report on the status of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, which included adding advance life support for heart attack patients and stroke treatments, adding 30 new fire and rescue trucks, and adding 100 firefighters by the end of 2015.
He said the county is graded by how fast the units can respond to emergencies. In 2014, the two fire stations in Miami Lakes were able to respond to life-threatening calls faster than the county-wide average.
The response time in Miami Lakes was six minutes, 15 seconds, while the county-wide average was seven minutes, eight seconds. For fires, the county average response time was 6 minutes, 15 seconds, while Miami Lakes was six minutes, 18 seconds.
• Lawmakers gave their final approval for an ordinance delegating the authority to reduce civil penalty reductions to the town's special master. The new ordinance doesn’t include residents who failed to take advantage of the town’s amnesty period to bring the code violations in compliance for reduced fees.
• The Council approved a conditional use to allow South Florida School of Excellence to establish a private school facility for 200 kids with special needs in an industrial area, 15900 N.W. 57 Avenue.
• Councilmembers approved a contract in the amount of $145,031 to Union General Contractors. Inc. to furnish and install stucco, gypsum board and wall insulation for the construction of the Park East Youth Center.
• Councilmembers approved a resolution to co-designate Lock Ness Drive as Sergio Campos Way. Campos was president of the Loch Ness Homeowners Association for years. He died of cancer in April.
• Councilmembers approved a resolution to authorize the town manager to award a contract in the amount of $2,286,398.35 to Acosta Tractors for Lake Martha Roadway and Drainage improvements.
• Lawmakers approved Councilmember Tim Daubert’s request for town staff to come back with a proposal regarding the swales, driveways and easements not in compliance with the town’s code in Serenity Pointe and the West Lakes area.
• Councilmembers approved Pizzi’s recommendation to have town staff attend meetings of any entity, including FDOT and Hialeah, that discuss opening the overpass at I-75 and N.W. 170 Street, and to conduct a study to determine the impact on the town. Pizzi said he heard of plans to open up the overpass.
• Next month’s regular council meeting was rescheduled for Tuesday, July 21, at 6:30 p.m.