MIAMI MIRROR TRUE REFLECTIONS

Photo of obstructed alley behind 618 Euclid Avenue taken 19 February 2015

MARK CODE COMPLIANCE ABSENT AGAIN

19 February 2015
Filed by: David Arthur Walters
MIAMI MIRROR

Miami BeachTrash dumped behind 618 Euclid has been mounting for several weeks now,
blocking the alley as well as ingress and egress from neighboring buildings.
Where are the Code Compliance officers that patrolled the alleys in the neighborhood regularly
after the FBI arrests of compliance officers a couple of years ago? Mark them absent now. The

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MIAMI MIRROR TRUE REFLECTIONS

former Code Compliance Division of the Building Department now has its own department
hence increased discretion to do or not to do what the administration likes.
The regime running the city has not really changed much despite the termination of a handful
of superior officials and a dozen subordinates. The commission and administration focused on
the usual political football, a new version of a convention center not really needed, and the
new regime carefully took credit for the storm water and Alton Road resurfacing projects
started by the previous administration after much foot dragging over costs.
The mess behind 618 Euclid Avenue is just another example of the typical neglect and lack of
proactivity of city officials including but not limited to the mayor, city manager, and code
compliance officials. That place has been a neighborhood dumping ground for years. George
Castell, the Code Compliance Administrator, got his men on it several times due to complaints,
but now they have slacked off. Neighbors are not inclined to complain unless their own car is
blocked. After all, they may want to dump their rubbish there.
And another issue is the negligence of the Parking Department in respect to enforcing the code
after no parking signs were placed in that very area, not to mention violating the code
themselves when parking in No Parking areas or double parking at the Las Olas Caf on the
corner for their own coffee, and not writing any tickets for others doing the same thing there,
including tow trucks double parked for coffee with cars towed from down the block. City
officials could care less about the Las Olas complaints because they park illegally there too.
The Miami Mirror has already covered the Parking Departments discrimination against Russell
Galbuts construction project in South Pointe. Trucks illegally parked behind 618 Euclid Avenue
would probably be ticketed and towed if the project were Galbutian; developer Russell Galbut
is rumored to be in a titanic battle with the new mayor because he supported his opponent in
the last election.
Not that we believe construction workers should not get a break. They often do, and there is
some reason to suspect passes are given under the table. The mayor has ignored a plea we
made to do something about construction workers taking all the parking spots early in the
morning in the Collins Park area. We heard from employees, businesses, and residents in the
area who did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation from public officials, a fear still
prevalent on the beach where the primitive law of revenge prevails.
And why should officials respond? They do not have to as long as they can get five-thousand or
so votes from the apathetic electorate, or get themselves arrested. If they get sued, they just
plead sovereign immunity like little kings. The majority of residents, especially if they voted for
them, believe they are doing a good job. That is, until they have a complaint and dare to make
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MIAMI MIRROR TRUE REFLECTIONS

it to deaf ears, or until they are put off with bullshit. Otherwise, they might elect Mussolini
under a different name.
Well, by the time this article is filed, a Take With Order may have been issued to Sanitation to
clean up the illegal dump again in the alley, at city expense as usual. Sanitation workers who
have complained about the unfairness of what gets selected for a Take With Order or no long
talking if they are still around.
Please remember that the weather on our lovely beach is really nice and the architecture
beautiful, or you may get depressed with the reality of the City of Miami Beach, which is not
really the best of all governments, to say the least.

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