UPDATED: The mayor has appointed two women to two department director positions that had been left vacant in recent weeks — and both get about $30,000 more a year.
Inson Kim, his longtime advisor who followed him
from the District 7 commission office to the 29th floor, will be the director of the Community Information and Outreach Department.
And Tara C. Smith has become the successor to Lester Sola, heading the Internal Services Department. She was the assistant director since 2013, having moved to the department from the Elections Department, same as Sola.
“Throughout her career with Miami-Dade County, Ms. Kim has continued to succeed as she has grown in responsibility,” Gimenez said in a memo announcing the appointment Thursday. “With her knowledge, skill set and work ethic, I have full confidence will successfully lead the Community Outreach and Information Department.”
Needless to say, with her skyrocketing public career almost completely owed to the mayor — Kim was a “promotions coordinator” in the aviation department 10 years ago when she hooked up with the right commissioner — she will also be loyal. Maybe we can expect the department to promote Gimenez and his “achievements” — surreptitiously, of course — during next year’s election cycle.
Read related story: Lester Sola gets $30K and everyone wants his job
The mayor wasn’t as effusive about Smith, an 11-year county employee who has been overseeing Internal Services since Sola was tapped to head the Water and Sewer department in February. That includes the management of 60 county facilities, more than 4,700 parcels and 55 capital improvement projects with a $550 million budget.
“I am confident that Ms. Smith will lead the Internal Services Department successfully,” is all Gimenez said, asking everyone to extend their support to her in her new role.
Smith currently makes $149,994 a year and her salary goes up to $180,000. Still, not as much as the $222,857 that Lester Sola made in the same position, but he got a $30,000 raise, too, to move over to water and sewer.
Kim makes $127,998 annually but is now going to be making $155,000 — or a $27,000 raise.
What did she do wrong?
How come the press release and statements don’t come with that information?
Two new county directors include mayor’s longtime aide added by Ladra on
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Mr Fulanito I think you forgot to address the impeccable MALE attire she uses every day ( shoes and tie included). Which is probably what empowers her to express herself as a rude truck driver (to be fair most truck driver are well mannered ). But thank you for writing the reality of those that are part of the mayoral elite. Bar none she is the most obnoxious. When she goes to Paris will her passport read Ms or Mr Ison Kim, I guess I am kind of confused?? I hope no one takes offense.
Mr.Kendall Farce still… we don’t know your name. From a goggle search. Finlay from Irish ancestry, Grajales from Yoruba (African extraction) and Marti (Spaniard) what part of the woods are you from? probably… you are a Miami politician….
To: KendallFarce or Force is your name Panfilo Cubanazo? Display your name ….are you hiding your ancestry? and Yes past political practices landed you here…..
“Hiding your ancestry” and “landed you here”, talk about a response from a prejudiced man! How can someone coming from an ancestry that gave us Jose Marti, Mariana Grajales, Carlos J. Finlay and so many other luminaries not be proud of his ancestry? What is right down shameful is that in this day and age we still find obtuse men such as yourself who pigeon hole entire groups of people to justify your shortcomings. Look into your own ancestry Gustave, I am sure you will find much more nepotism in that neck of the woods.
Cubans never did learn from the practices of nepotism and amiguismo = Communism = Disaster. May God save Miami-Dade bring Diogenes back to search for a “honest man”…..Going back on time .We in Dade County are going from bad to worst Mayors…..
What does being “Cuban” have to do with amiguismo? Are you naive enough not to think that non Cuban mayors Steve Clark, Bateman and Pizzi did not suffer from the same ethical lapses in their time?
Corruption crosses all ethnic lines and Gimenez is corrupt because he chooses to be not because he has Cuban ancestry. Please, before you come here and push your personal prejudiced agenda against a specific group of people look at your own ancestral background. I am sure you will find plenty of instances of corruption there.
More Botellasos Politicos ¡ God Save Our County !
Another Inexperience Administrator .
Musical chairs in the Gimenite world! Individuals without professional experience and lacking the moral strength to tell the mayor to take a hike are placed in key positions in county government simply to permit the graft and theft of public dollars by Gimenez’s preferred lobbyists and consultants.
Why are those important impositions as listed here not advertised so qualified individuals can apply? Why are those positions simply awarded by LA LEY DEL DEDAZO (the “appointed” way) by our corrupt mayor? Regardless of how many issues we had under the old county manager system in the past, at least individuals were chosen based on interviews and their experience and not on whom they know.
The explanation for this fiasco is based on the fact that by creating chaos in every county department, Gimenez is able to squeeze every possible county contract and benefit from each and every department. The morons that are placed as heads of every one of these departments are content to keep their mouths shut, allow the thievery and fraud to continue for the sake of taking home a juicy paycheck and benefits.
This is the legacy of the strong mayor format of government. A tyrannical system where a blue blooded wanna be mayor assisted by the likes of Norman Braman and wealthy contributors continue to squeeze county workers and citizens for every penny they can. Good luck to those poor souls who will now have to work for Inson Kim! Her lack of manners, her mistreatment of employees and foul mouth are legendary in the annals of Miami Dade County.