Longtime public servant Merrett Stierheim dies at 91 in Miami-Dade County

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Public servant doesn’t begin to describe the South Florida life and career of Merrett Stierheim.

Fixer, maybe? Savior? The smart, strategic mind they called in to fix what no one else could.

Stierheim was a former Miami city manager and was Miami-Dade County manager twice.

From Aventura to Homestead, Miami-Dade’s school district to the tourism bureau, Stierheim took on some of the most challenged and scandal-ridden governments, righted the ship and steered it forward.

He was known as a leader who was as ethical and principled as he was analytical and visionary, with a blunt, direct style.

What was supposed to be a six-month internship at Miami City Hall while getting a masters from the University of Pennsylvania, he ended up writing blueprints for reorganizing a tumultuous government and reforming politically tainted departments.

As Miami-Dade County manager during tumultuous times, Stierheim was the battle general behind the logistics of absorbing more than 100,000 refugees in the Mariel Boatlift and responding to an erupting city during race riots.

In the decades after, he would create economic engines for South Florida as CEO of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau and by creating the Beacon Council.

In the early 2000′s, Stierheim was brought in to take over a scandal-plagued public school district as superintendent and reversed what he himself called “a politically-ridden” system.

Stierheim, the fixer, has been called in to save cities all over the county from spiraling — in some cases without pay, including in Opa-locka, Doral and Miami Lakes.

His policy papers and work through the decades is preserved in state archives and in the library of Congress.

Stierheim, who died at 91 years old, is survived by his wife Judy, four daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Their message to South Florida: that they are lifted up with an outpouring of love from so many in this community.

Later this month, the county commission will take up a resolution naming part of the South Dade Busway between Dadeland South Metrorail Station and Southwest 112 Street as “The Merrett R. Stierheim Busway.”