City commissioners in Miami could officially give the redistricting consulting contract to Miguel de Grandy on Thursday.
That’s expected. The contract was taken from former State Sen. Bill Galvano, a pal of Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, last month and De Grandy was already spoken of as the chosen replacement.
What’s not expected or even explainable is that a conflict of interest waiver is not just to be established with De Grandy but also with his entire law firm, the giant Holland and Knight.
De Grandy is a natural selection. He did the city’s redistricting in 2012. But he also has other business with city boards and committees. He’s represented clients who wanted business with the Omni CRA and Virginia Key Marina RFP, which is not completely resolved yet. He most recently represented the company that brought electric mopeds to the city.
Can you imagine how many other issues other H&K attorneys have before the city? What does this waiver mean? And does it set a precedent?
Read related: Bill Galvano bows out of Miami redistricting gig after commission dis
De Grandy, who will bill the cit $100,000 for the job, lalready told City Manager Art Noriega that his work would include meeting with each of the five commissioners — who already met with Galvano in October. Can you imagine the wheeling and dealing that is going to happen under our very noses?
Las malas lenguas say that Galvano was actually fired — or, rather, his contract was terminated — because Commissioner Joe Carollo wasn’t getting the changes he wanted, which he believes he needs to win re-election in November. These sources close to City Hall told Ladra Carollo wants to lose The Roads — birth of the recall process against him — and grab some of Commissioner Manolo Reyes‘ district. He may have actually even wanted to carve out former Commissioner Joe Sanchez, who has been rumored to run against Crazy Joe, even though he keeps denying it.
De Grandy, who was Carollo’s unabashed choice, might be more amenable.
The city commission meeting begins at 9 a.m. Thursday and can be seen on the city’s website.
Miami could give law firm carte blanche in ‘conflicts of interests’ in redistricting added by Ladra on
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