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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This decision is easy! Check on Gonzalez, Mancera, Fereiro, Hernandez and Cruz and try to find one single thing or action they have ever done for District 11 or anywhere. Please try to find it. See how two of them have lost every election. Now, check on our Councilman Christian Cevallos, go to his IG @councilcevallos and see his daily activities for the community. Just saying….
Cevallos all the way!!! He’s demonstrated his ethics and hard work for Kendall as a Councilman.
Mancera es un vago que se lanza un año por Colombia y el siguiente por Miami. Comunista amigo de Petro y del mismo Joe, por eso siempre pierde y por paliza. Como colombiano me avergüenzo de el. Jamás hizo nada por Kendall.
Cevallos has won two elections as Councilman for the same district 11, both with record of votes (12K & 17K) meaning people supports him. See his weekly actions for Kendall. The rest….good luck finding any action or news working for the community besides loosing 2,3,4 elections with the rejection of residents. I want my Councilman Cevallos to be my Commissioner.
We need someone like Cristhian Mancera! He ran with Martinez in 2020, he knows the district and he is not corrupt.
9 commissioners voted to increase their pay? Are the Police investigating?
” A robbery is in progress.”
You know it and a cop I know was telling me they added insane benefits which indirectly increase the raises way more .
If my call they would need to pay us in order to be a Commissioner as it is a self serving , pocket lining office which ONLY benefits them.
” It’s not a good look for elected officials to ask for a raise when so many Miami-Dade residents can’t keep up with the skyrocketing cost of living in South Florida. If you’re a county commissioner, you either a) air out the issue and make a valid case to your constituents, or b) sneak into the budget a 130% increase in pay and benefits for yourself.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/county-commissioners-try-to-raise-their-own-salaries-on-the-down-low-how-miami-of-them-editorial/ar-AA11K9Jy
I will Put My name in TOO ! That way WE may Finally have an Honest One at The BCC ! We Should Recall them* ALL *!
What about the 9 commissioners who secretly voted to increase their pay and benefit packages 130%? Has anyone called 911? A robbery is in progress.
OK he’s a nice guy but those fire boats are still 10s of millions spent on white elephants The crews spend more time “monitoring situations“ on the weekends then doing any fire fighting
Cevallos es un corrupto, usa su puesto para sacar provecho de la gente en el D11.