Disturbed by behavior, judge orders North Miami Beach commissioners to attend meeting
A Miami-Dade Circuit judge ordered North Miami Beach commissioners to attend their next meeting this month, saying she was “disturbed” that there had not been a full commission meeting since October.
Judge Valerie Manno Schurr issued the ruling on Thursday after three commissioners — McKenzie Fleurimond, Daniela Jean and Vice Mayor Michael Joseph — refused to attend the meetings over questions about the mayor’s residency.
READ MORE: Does North Miami Beach mayor live in another city? Ethics complaint filed
“I thought they would do the right thing and attend the meeting to make a quorum so that the business of the city could continue. But I was wrong,” Schurr said at a court hearing. Without their attendance, the seven-member commission cannot reach the five-member quorum required to take action on city business.
“I am very pleased with the court’s ruling,” attorney Michael Pizzi, who represents Mayor Anthony DeFillipo, wrote in a text message to the Miami Herald. “This is a great victory for democracy. I am very happy for the people of the city that the citizens’ business will once again be done.”
Fleurimond and Jean were present at the December meeting, but both walked off the dais before the commission was set to vote on firing City Attorney Hans Ottinot. A November meeting was not held. The commissioners did not attend the January and February meetings.
“I really am very disturbed by the fact that there has not been a commission meeting since October of 2022,” Schurr said. “And I think that the people and the citizens of North Miami Beach deserve much better than that.”
LAWSUIT FILED: North Miami Beach commissioner files lawsuit to kick colleague out over attendance
A separate lawsuit was filed by Commissioner Jay Chernoff asking a judge to determine if Michael Joseph vacated his role on the commission by failing to attend a meeting for the past 120 days. The lawsuit alleges the last meeting he attended was in October. That case will be heard on March 8 at the courthouse.
Jean and Joseph did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Fleurimond told the Herald he plans to abide by the judge’s ruling, but said the ultimate reason the city is even in court is because of questions surrounding DeFillipo’s residency.
“My hope is that the judge will expedite the hearings on Mr. DeFillipo’s case, so that we can resolve this issue and put it behind us one way or another,” he said.
RESIDENCY CONCERNS: Does DeFillipo sit on the HOA of his Davie property?
Concerns regarding DeFillipo’s residency were raised in November when a report compiled by Countywide Investigations said he was living in a home in the Town of Davie.
In December, a resident filed an ethics complaint regarding DeFillipo’s residency concerns. The issue escalated in January when Heise Suarez Melville, hired by Ottinot to investigate the matter, issued a legal opinion saying DeFillipo vacated his seat and a special meeting must be called to discuss his residency.
DeFillipo has repeatedly denied the accusations, insisting he lives in North Miami Beach. He had acknowledged to the Herald, through his attorney, that he served on the homeowners association for his Davie property.
