Add former Miami-Dade Fire Chief and ex president of the International Association of Firefighters Al Cruz to the shortlist of District 11 residents who could be appointed to replace Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez, who is facing a public corruption trial.
Gov. Ron DeSantis hasn’t yet suspended Martinez, who was charged with unlawful compensation for taking $15,000 in exchange for legislation. But he’s given every indication that he will. Someone close to the talks about Grumpy’s replacement told Ladra Wednesday that the governor said he would name someone in a couple of days. Is that two? Yeah, this feels like a Friday thing.
Cruz joins a shortlist of possible successors that include Annette Hernandez, an aide to Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart and treasurer of the Miami-Dade Republican Party, Esteban “Steve” Fereiro, chief of staff to Miami Commissioner Manolo Reyes, and Rob Gonzalez, an attorney and Republican Party of Miami-Dade committee member who ran for House District 119 in the primary and came in second. There’s a grassroots push for Cristhian Mancera, a Colombian activist who ran in 2018, and a few people have said that only Christian Cevallos, a member of Community Council 11, has the zoning and land use experience for the job.
Read related: Ron DeSantis to suspend Miami-Dade’s Joe Martinez–when he finds a stand-in
But Cruz, who worked at the county for 32 years and created the famous Venom Response Team known as Venom One, has an advantage.
When term limits push the last dinosaur off the dais in November, Martinez — who has two years left on his term — would have been the only union member. The only former public employee. The only first responder. When he is gone, those groups lose that voice.
The IAFF has been in talks with Team DeSantis for days, encouraging that a firefighter gets the position. DeSantis is expected to suspend Martinez, which means Commissioner Grumpy could come back to the dais if he’s exonerated or the charges are dropped. The appointment would last two years, until the end of Martinez’s term in 2024.
Some thought that the Police Benevolent Association was doing the same thing to get a cop on the board. But PBA Steadman Stahl told Ladra that they were not pushing anyone.
Read related: State attorney: Joe Martinez broke our trust for $15,000, help with bank loan
Cruz was president of the IAFF from 2005 to 2016 where he represented about 2,500 firefighters, drafted legislation and served on Health and Safety and Service delivery boards. Also attended numerous classes and seminars on Labor Relations, Human Relations, Investing, Pension Management, Workers Compensation, Health, and Safety.
And in 2014 he fought County Hall to restore funding for a fire boat at the Port of Miami.
Cruz did not return calls and text messages.
Former fire chief is on the short list for Joe Martinez seat in Miami-Dade added by Ladra on
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