MIAMI-DADE
Jean Monestime unseats long-time Miami-Dade commissioner Rolle
Jean Monestime beat longtime incumbent Dorrin D. Rolle in District 2 to become the first Haitian American elected to the Dade County Commission.
BY MARTHA BRANNIGAN
MBRANNIGAN@MIAMIHERALD.COM
In a major upset, Jean Monestime defeated Miami-Dade County Commissioner Dorrin D. Rolle Tuesday, becoming the first challenger to unseat a sitting county commissioner in 16 years and the first Haitian American elected to the powerful local post.
Monestime, a 47-year-old real estate broker and former North Miami city councilman, collected less than one-fourth of Rolle's campaign funds. Yet his victory was sparked by discontent over conditions in District 2 -- encompassing much of Liberty City, Opa-locka and North Miami -- and a tireless door-to-door campaign effort.
``We want to take the district to new heights economically, and to serve with accountability,'' Monestime said from his campaign headquarters on North Miami Beach Boulevard late Tuesday, surrounded by jubilant supporters.
Hundreds gathered around a large flat-screen TV and computers, several speaking in Creole, with champagne bottles waiting to be popped.
Building on strong support among Haitian Americans, Monestime secured backing from some leaders in the black community who expressed disappointment with Rolle's track record over 12 years on the commission. The challenger was backed by a large contingent of volunteers, who worked precinct to precinct.
Rolle's vulnerability became clear in August when five challengers forced him into the runoff with Monestime, who at that time collected 25.7 percent of the vote to Rolle's 40.3 percent.
In October, all but one of the former candidates who lost the August primary came out in favor of Monestime. That included Mack Samuel, a retired telecom manager and community activist; Florence ``Flo'' Moss, an Army reservist; and Pastor Anthony Dawkins, who runs the Project Hope Outreach Ministries.
That momentum continued Tuesday, with Monestime pulling away from Rolle in a relatively close race. Rolle, with a war chest of $329,785 compared to his challenger's $74,845, spent heavily to stay in office.
HURT BY SCANDAL
He was wounded by ethics controversies related to his management of the now-defunct James E. Scott Community Association. He was fined by the Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust for misusing his sway at County Hall to advocate for JESCA.
During his 16 years at the helm of the nonprofit, federal and county funding was wasted. JESCA employees sometimes went unpaid and their retirement contributions were diverted. On July 21, a federal bankruptcy judge in Miami finalized liquidation proceedings for JESCA, which left unpaid claims of nearly $3.6 million. That included more than $600,000 in unpaid wage claims filed by nearly 90 former JESCA employees.
It also included $1.4 million in claims from Miami-Dade County, which was seeking to recover federal and county funds that JESCA wasted. Also unpaid: tax-supported Jackson Memorial Hospital, which sought $352,013 in unpaid employee health insurance premiums from JESCA.
The U.S. Department of Labor and the Miami-Dade state attorney's office have launched investigations into the diversion of employees' retirement contributions.
The scene at Rolle's campaign headquarters Tuesday was both boisterous -- and intense. With music blaring in the background, a Rolle supporter urged a Miami Herald photographer to leave the event because she wasn't welcome. Rolle has declined interview requests.
District 2 includes large blighted neighborhoods that have seen little economic development, even during the boom that preceded the current economic downturn. Several voters said they were also upset with a county commission that approved a tax-rate increase and big-ticket projects while not significantly upgrading their communities.
LONG IGNORED
``Rolle has not really looked out for District 2. I just don't see the leadership we would be seeing in a 12-year incumbent,'' said Lindsey Wilson, who has lived in the area all his life.
On Tuesday, both candidates had teams of volunteer drivers on hand to provide transportation to the polling sites. Herve Zamor, a Haitian American who worked on Rolle's campaign, stood outside the campaign headquarters at 8882 NW Seventh Ave. ``We have support from many centers in the community,'' Zamor said.
In the end, Monestime's grassroots effort prevailed at a time when many residents in the district expressed disaffection with the political process.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/11/03/1905842/jean-monestime-unseats-long-time.html#ixzz14HftlwWP
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