NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – Through the doors at North Miami City Hall, City Manager Rasha Cameau has — by most accounts — righted the ship, reversed a decline, saved money and raised morale.
So why do at least two of five city councilmembers want her gone?
“My mind is like, what?” resident Claudia Pazmino said during an April 9 council meeting. “It’s like, wait, what?”
Multiple residents expressed dismay over the possibility that Cameau could be on the outs.
“I’m in shock too,” resident Deborah Davies said. “We are so lucky to have Rasha.”
Councilwoman Kassandra Timothe is behind the motion to oust Cameau.
“This is for me, personally, I’ve had issues that I’ve brought up,” Timothe said.
A vote is now scheduled in a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Longtime Councilman Scott Galvin supports Cameau, heaping praise on the city’s top administrator.
“I think Rasha Cameau has been a fantastic manager,” Galvin said. “I’ve worked with her for several years in office. She’s hardworking, she’s smart, she’s looking out for the bottom line of the residents.”
Concerned residents have asked the Miami-Dade State Attorney to investigate.
They suggest Sunshine Law violations among commissioners meddling in Cameau’s staff decisions.
Also, the city manager objected to the vice mayor’s request for $100,000 for a festival’s organizers.
“We were speaking apples and oranges,” Vice Mayor Mary Estimé-Irvin said during the meeting.
Estimé-Irvin declined to comment to Local 10 News, citing attorney’s advice. But which attorney?
At her request, the city added outside counsel — Hans Ottinot, neighboring North Miami Beach’s resigned city attorney — who literally ran away from reporters during that city’s drama last year.
Residents plan to hold a rally in support of Cameau ahead of Tuesday’s meeting.
“She’s balancing the budget, not squandering money, keeping everyone out of trouble, she’s a true professional,” resident Kenneth Each told councilmembers during the April meeting.
Cameau has been city manager for about a year.