Political War Between the Council Members in the City of Doral.
Editorial
By Ettore Sabatella
It is no secret that in the last few days, the City of Doral has been the topic of conversation and not for the better of the City or its citizens. The last council meeting on Monday, March 18th, managed to grab the attention of everyone. The tensión and overall hostility could be felt throughout the chamber and what many anticipated happened, an open war was declared among the council members.
All of this happening at the heals of Mayor Luigi Boria requesting at the previous meeting held the previous meeting that Vice Mayor Sandra Ruiz be removed from her position since she had become an obsticle in his administration. Since this momento, the tensión has been building and a campaign to recall the then Councilwoman Bettina Rodriguez Aguilera from the council was launched by the president of Miami Voice, a Political Action Committee, Vanesa Brito whom alleged wrong doing by Rodriguez Aguilera’s company during her employment with the City of Doral as Economic Developer and her (Rodriguez Aguilera’s) lawsuit against the City.
As expected, Mayor Boria consulted with Council and guided the re-appointment of Sandra Ruiz and Bettina Rodriguez Aguilera was nominated and voted in as Vice Mayor with a three to two vote, Councilwoman Fraga and Sandra Ruiz voited against the re-appointment.
The mood came to a boiling point and the overall aspect of the meeting took a circus like persona when the accusations from the Council Members which caused the observers to applaud as well as voice their discontent at others. From that point it became a free for all and the Councilwoman Ruiz stated that it is normal to disagree with council members at times and labeled Mayor Boria’s actions unjust and somewhat of a “dictatorship”.
To which, the Vice Mayor Rodriguez Aguilera responded with allegations that Councilwoman Ruiz had used the City’s credit card to make personal purchases at Victoria Secret’s. She reiterated that the personal attacks against her were a mockery of the democratic process.
“Vanessa Britto says that I have a lawsuit against the City. It is true that lawsuit is agaist Sandra Ruiz and Pete Cabrera for abuse of power, intimidaction, and discrimination. This occurred before and not just with me but with at least ten other different women”, said Vice Mayor Rodriguez Aguilera.
She also reaffirmed that there had been telephone calls made to the citizens of Doral spreading rumors and lies about her and that the Department of Finance of Doral had informed that there were no contractual issues from the allegations.
Ruiz denied and involvement any campaigns against Rodriguez Aguilera. However, both have come face to face on political conflicts in the past.
With all of this happening, I ask the residents of the City if you are in agreement with said “war”? And, what makes it so difficult for these politicians to work together as a team?
During the campaign, the candidates reiterated on many occasions that they would work together for the better of the community. However this is not what the citizens are actually experiencing and witnessing.
More than the discrepancies and discord between the councilmembers is the larger persona which thirst for recognition, leadership, and power which creates to the inability to communicate and what makes their task of working together in an efficient manner for the benefit of the community that voted for them a challenge.
The citizens of Doral, I include myself, demand that our elected officials work together. It is difficult, but not impossible. They must realize that they are the face of Doral, the image of our City, and a reflection of what we are and feel.
More then who is Vice Mayor or not or who is a better leader or not, the important thing is that they must find a way to resolve these issues and come to an accord for the better good of the community. They must learn to listen to one another and support one another’s ideas even if it is not their own.
Guerra política entre las autoridades municipales de Doral.
Editorial
Por Ettore Sabatella
No es un secreto que en los ultimos días, Doral ha estado en la boca de todos y no precisamente por ser la mejor ciudad para vivir.
La ultima reunión de Concejo el pasado lunes 18 de marzo, acaparó la atención de todos. A leguas se notaba un clima hostil en la sala y se veía venir lo que muchos predecían: una guerra política entre las máximas autoridades municipales.
Todo esto paso a raíz de que el Alcalde de Doral, Luigi Boria solicitara la remoción del cargo a la entonces Vicealcaldesa Sandra Ruiz durante la reunión efectuada el pasado miércoles 6 de marzo, argumentando no sentirse cómodo con ella, y de la cual opinaba que “se habia convertido en un obstáculo para su administración”.
Desde allí las tensiones se hicieron cada vez mas evidentes, a la par que se da inicio a una campaña para destituir a la (para aquel entonces) Concejal Bettina Rodríguez Aguilera, auspiciada por la presidenta del Comité de Acción Política Miami Voice, Vanesa Brito, argumentando supuestas contrataciones de la empresa de Rodríguez Aguilera durante su desempeño como Coordinadora de Desarrollo Económico de Doral y la demanda que ella hiciera a la ciudad.
Tal como se predecia, el Alcalde Luigi Boria, guió la destitución de Sandra Ruiz y tras pedir la consulta al Concejo, Bettina Rodríguez fue electa para ocupar el puesto de Vicealcaldesa con tres votos a favor. Tanto la concejal Christi Fraga como Sandra Ruiz votaron en contra.
Los ánimos se caldearon cada vez mas. Y quienes observaban lo que estaba pasando, llegaron a calificar el ambiente como un “circo”, por las fuertes acusaciones entre los mismos funcionarios municipales, causando aplausos y gritos entre la audiencia. De allí, los dimes y diretes de cada uno fluyó abiertamente!
La concejal Ruiz, dijo que es normal tener desacuerdos entre los concejales y el alcalde en algunos asuntos, por lo que tildó la actuación de Boria como “injusta” y parecido a una “dictadura”.
Por otro lado, la Vice Alcaldesa Bettina Rodríguez Aguilera, tras recibir manifestaciones encontradas, decidio hablar de cómo Ruiz había usado la tarjeta de crédito de la ciudad para hacer compras personales. Además reitero que el ataque a su persona tiene un tinte político y es una burla al proceso democrático.
“Vanessa Britto dice que he puesto una demanda contra la ciudad. Esa demanda es una queja contra Sandra Ruiz y Pete Cabrera por el abuso de poder, intimidación y discriminación. Esto ha ocurrido mucho antes, no sólo yo, hay por lo menos diez mujeres diferentes con quejas” dijo Bettina.
Además afirmó que las llamadas telefónicas realizadas a los ciudadanos difunden rumores y mentiras sobre ella, y que el Departamento de Finanzas de Doral informó que no existía ningún contrato o registro sobre los contratos que la involucraban.
Ruiz rechazó que estuviera detrás de la revocatoria contra Rodríguez-Aguilera… Ambas han protagonizado enfrentamientos políticos en el pasado.
A todo esto, surge mi pregunta, sobre si los residentes de Doral, estan de acuerdo con esta Guerra? Y que hace tan díficil que los politicos puedan trabajar en equipo?
Durante las campañas, los candidatos reiteraron en varias ocasiones trabajar en equipo para lograr el bienestar de la comunidad, sin embargo, eso no es lo que ven los residentes de Doral actualmente.
Mas allá de las discrepancias entre los oficiales electos, se aprecia los personalismos, caudillismos y liderazgos mal entendidos y eso es lo que impide realizar un buen trabajo colectivo armónico y eficiente para beneficio de la comunidad.
Entre las excesivas ganas de protagonismo de las autoridades municipales, las ansias de poder y una sed de reconocimiento, es lo que hace difícil ser parte de un equipo con roles y funciones definidas, que permitan trabajar por beneficio de quiénes votaron por ellos.
Los residentes de Doral (y me incluyo) requerimos que nuestros oficiales trabajen en equipo. Es difícil. Pero no imposible… Deben saber que ellos son la cara de esta ciudad y por ende, son el reflejo, de lo que somos y sentimos.
Mas allá de quien sea Vicealcaldesa o no, o quién tenga mas liderazgo, lo importante es que se respeten y busquen la mejor forma de trabajar y resolver los distintos temas, grandes o pequeños, de saber escuchar, aplaudir y apoyar las ideas así no sean de su bando.
I used to do a lot of business in Doral, but over the last couple of years I’ve tried to avoid it if I can. Not becuase of the business’s, they are good, productive and forward thinking. Not because of the people who are some of the best Latinos I’ve ever come across. I avoid it because as I got to know those in the politics of the town it quickly became obvious that they are in it for themselves. Self absorbed “wannabe” politicians with big egos! It’s a shame, Doral has a lot of potential but it looks like a joke right now. Pull it together Doral, it’s not high school!
I think it’s time for the citizens of Doral to wake up! We, have a sitting council woman, Bettina Rodriguez, who, while under oath, lied to a judge regarding her homestead, just so she didn’t have to pay her fair share of property taxes. Her salary comes from our property taxes that we pay. Yet, she tries to escape her responsibilities. If she has any dignity, she needs to resign instead of being recalled. This woman also has publicly stated that she was abducted by aliens years ago. This is insane.
We also have a dictator for a Mayor. Luigi Boria has no concept as to how to run a city. Try going to a council meeting. Aside from not speaking English, Mayor Boria has no concept as to how to run a council meeting. He is totally lost. He has to rely on his translator, Joe Carollo to tell him what to do. Luigi Boria did not allow the citizens of Doral to publicly speak at the last council meeting to voice their concerns of Sandra Ruiz being removed as Vice-Mayor. Maybe the mayor should be reminded that we voted him in and he works for us and not the other way around. Citizens of Doral, lets take back our city before it’s too late.