The Chief

Tonight at the commission meeting, I brought up a recently uncovered issue with the Chief.  His wife, Michelle I. Malkin, is listed as an active, part time officer in the North Bay Village Police Department on the Herald Tribune's FDLE data base.  You can see the record here .

This is a problem on several levels.  Our charter is completely clear that nepotism, that is hiring your relatives, is forbidden.   Here's the relevant section.  Bold emphasis is mine.  

From the Village Charter, Article 4.03

No person related to the second degree of consanguinity to an elected or appointed City official (department head and above) shall be eligible to hold a remunerative position with the City. Any appointed City official who shall knowingly make such an appointment may be deemed guilty of misfeasance or malfeasance in office and subject to removal. The person so employed may be subject to dismissal. This provision may be waived during conditions deemed as emergencies by the City Commission.  (my note:  I copied this from http://www.municode.com/Library/FL/North_Bay_Village which does not contain the new language from the November 2012 Charter amendment but there was no substantial change to the proviso regarding nepotism.) 

 I've requested the public records for the hire and hope to report on those soon.  This is a serious problem, legally and ethically.  

The commission and the village manager need to suspend Bob Daniels and launch a full investigation into what happened here.  Either the Village Charter has been violated if Ms. Malkin was duly hired or fraudulent reports have been filed with the FDLE.   Regardless, until the full investigation is done, Daniels should be out. 

In other news, the Chief was unable to provide a full public safety because of the Village Hall issue, which remains closed.  I didn't know the computers had been affected and strangely, I have the stats if anyone on the commission wants them.  

The Chief came under criticism for his nearly three year old suspension of the PAL program, which he blamed on short staff and  an ongoing investigation of the PAL officer.  But one thing he made clear was that he would not tolerate politics in the PAL, a pointed jab at me.  

This is definition of chutzpah - he  creates the situation and then complains that people are being "political".  You want politics?  Over the years I have fought with then commissioner Rey Trujillo, current commissioners Kreps, Lim and Chervony, among others.  Old fashioned street fights but we always agreed that the PAL needs to be continued and it was Rey Trujillo who specifically made sure there was money for it.  Chief, when you see the parents, the commissioners, the village loudmouths like me all agreeing on one thing, that's not politics, that's community.  

There's more from the meeting and I will write more later this week but we have more than a sick building on our hands now - we've got a rotten situation in the PD.  

Kevin Vericker

March 12, 2013