NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – North Miami Councilwoman Marie Steril agreed to a settlement Wednesday after admitting to charges of using her position to arrange for upgrades to her mother's home.
The Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust approved the settlement which stemmed from a 2009 complaint claiming Steril had asked the manager of North Miami's Community Planning and Development to find a home for her mother through a federally-funded program intended for residents who need assistance in buying a house.
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It was while her mother's home was being renovated in 2011 that Steril demanded that her mother receive higher quality countertops and appliances.
According to the complaint, other homeowners had asked for similar upgrades, even offering to pay for the difference, and were denied.
Steril will pay almost $5,000 in restitution to the city of North Miami as well as $500 in investigative costs to the Ethics Commission.