North Miami Beach commissioners push for audit, question errors on federal funds distribution

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Political change in North Miami Beach comes with a stronger push for accountability, as records show what some city commissioners fear could be possible mismanagement of federal taxpayer funds.

In November, North Miami Beach voters reelected Commissioner Fortuna Smuckler and elected two commissioners, Phyllis Smith, and Jay Chernoff, to join commissioners Michael Joseph, McKenzie Fleurimond, and Daniela Jean.

Chernoff unseated Paule Villard, a former commissioner who faced accusations that she had allegedly used the distribution of $525,000 in taxpayer-funded Publix gift cards as she campaigned for reelection in October.

“It was all done on some type of software program,” Smuckler said about the city’s records of the gift cards’ distribution.

In December, North Miami Beach Mayor Anthony F. DeFillipo and the new city commission had their first public meeting. Three commissioners and the mayor wanted answers from Hans Ottinot, the city attorney, and Arthur H. Sorey III, the city manager.

Joseph did not attend and Fleurimond and Jean walked out of the meeting. This was while DeFillipo, Smukler, Chernoff, and Smith demanded Ottinot step down and pushed for an audit of the city’s operations under Sorey.

Sorey refused to answer questions on camera about the handling of the $525,000 in Publix gift cards since October. The commission passed a resolution allowing for the purchase of the $150 gift cards with federal funds that were meant to help North Miami Beach residents to deal with the difficulties of the pandemic.

City records show there were 1,157 distributed, but it lacked records on 343, a value of about $51,000. Sorey released a statement Wednesday afternoon saying a portion of the gift cards were mailed or delivered in person to homebound residents.

“There were 15 duplicates plus 3 unaccounted-for gift cards,” Sorey said in the statement. “There were also 3 non-residents who received cards which resulted in an approximate 1.8% margin of error based on the sample size of 1,158.”

Records show the one-per-household rule was violated and cards went to residents outside of the city limits. Also, the city did not have the recipients’ proof of pandemic-related hardship.

The city’s information technology department attributed some of the errors to technical issues, an internal memo showed. Sorey sent a memo to commissioners on Wednesday afternoon reporting 1,441 were distributed to the “NMB community” and 59 were “secured by staff and can be used for future community events and initiatives.”

Smuckler said she wants answers.

“As with everything that happens in our city, it should stop with him,” Smuckler said about Sorey.

Related records

Memo from city’s IT

USPS tracking results

City manager’s memo to commissioners

Local 10 News Assignment Desk Editor Wilson Louis contributed to this report. Reporter Glenna Milberg worked on the on-air story.