A Biscayne Gardens candidates’ forum that was meant to educate voters on where District 2 County Commission candidates stood on the issues turned into a sparring match last week.
The once six-person race has dwindled down to just two challengers.
The runoff candidates, nonprofit leader Marleine Bastien and North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime, did not mince words when speaking of each other.
(Johania Charles for The Biscayne Times)
North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime chuckles while listening to his opponent, Marleine Bastien, answer questions from the audience at a forum last week.
“The big difference between me and my opponent, she’s been spending 30 years talking about addressing issues,” said Bien-Aime, who served as a North Miami commissioner before his mayoral role. “I’ve spent 10 years addressing issues and solving problems in the city of North Miami, that’s what I’ve been doing.”
“I’ve led a nonprofit organization for the past 30 years with a $2 million budget,” said Bastien, the executive director of Family Action Network Movement (FANM). “I have the skill set, the experience and the integrity to be a commissioner.”
“The mayor claims that he’s been a [good] mayor and that North Miami is thriving,” she continued, “but with all due respect Mr. Mayor, had it not been for the pandemic, the city of North Miami would have been under the state’s supervision, and you know it, just like Opa-locka … You would still have been in a $14 million deficit.”
Chaos ensued during the Biscayne Gardens Civic Association’s Q&A portion of the event, when candidates continued to take jabs at each other to point out why their opponent was less qualified for the job.
“We don’t want to get into a sparring match or anything, we just want the questions answered,” said the moderator, trying to diffuse the situation, but many of the questions were not answered directly.
Some residents decided it was simply not worth sticking around and left the forum early, while others who shouted outbursts at the candidates were threatened with being escorted out by peacekeepers.
“What I saw [Thursday night], I thought was very passionate,” said Wallace Aristide, who ran against both candidates for the District 2 seat during the primaries this year. “Both candidates are passionate and they’re working hard to see if they could win but I think the forum was looking for something a little different. For them, I think it was about demonstrating which candidate should have the position.”
(Johania Charles for The Biscayne Times)
Marleine Bastien, a candidate for the District 2 county commission seat, displays images on her mobile phone accusing her opponent of trying to bribe his way into office, as a forum moderator reaches for her microphone.
While in the running, Aristide said he made every effort to run a friendly campaign and to not tarnish anyone’s name.
That was not the case for the final two candidates going back and forth last Thursday.
Unanswered questions
With early voting beginning in just two weeks, many District 2 residents were banking on the forum to help sway their vote – and many left feeling even more uncertain.
“Whoever is elected, I want them to do a good job,” said Seaton “Annette” Ferguson, who said she’d need more time to determine who will get her vote. “I just want that person to go in there and keep their promise … I know [Bien-Aime] but I don’t know [Bastien], but that doesn’t mean that because I’m familiar with him that he’s the better person.”
Tensions were high when conversations about Biscayne Gardens’ failed incorporation resurfaced.
Overwhelming support for Bien-Aime during the forum seemed to come from those who supported the incorporation. Those who opposed cheered on Bastien, who was very vocal last year about not wanting to see Biscayne Gardens incorporated.
Bien-Aime says his agenda, if elected, will consist of more pressing issues as opposed to focusing on the incorporation debate.
“When it comes to incorporation, I won’t even entertain the discussion for the next four years,” he told the audience, explaining that there is far too much to focus on, on the county level.
“I will not sponsor any resolution unless the voters organize and say they want it,” said Bastien about whether she would support incorporation if the topic arose in the future. “Those of you who know me know that Marleine Bastien has never said something just to do something different. I will stand by you and that is what I’ve done.”
Elizabeth Judd, a resident who supported the incorporation measure, expressed concern about electing someone with no political background who would have to learn the ropes along the way.
“As a commissioner, [would] you have the political skills, [would] you have the government skills,” she asked Bastien during the forum. “I asked one of the commissioners, how long does it take for a commissioner to be acclimated? Raquel Regalado gave me this information. She said if they have no experience, it takes them two years. I don’t have two years to wait. She says if they have experience, it’s a normal probationary period.”
Judd questioned whether the candidates had the experience to manage the county’s budget and address issues dealing with transportation, airport, parks and recreation, as well as within other county departments.
Bastien says Bien-Aime’s experience is the very reason why he should not be elected as county commissioner.
“The mayor claimed I supported him,” said Bastien, admitting to endorsing Bien-Aime for the North Miami seat years ago. Yes, I supported you – but I thought you would’ve done a better job.”
Countywide issues
District 2 residents expressed their discontent with how difficult it was to get in touch with their current commissioner, Jean Monestime, and wanted to know what the candidates would do differently to help create an open line of communication with their constituents.
Bastien promises to have an open-door policy and plans to host community forums through organizations like the Biscayne Gardens Civic Association to ensure that voters get a chance to vocalize their concerns.
Bien-Aime says he will hire well-paid staff to handle communication lines should he be elected into office, as he accused his opponent of becoming Monestime 2.0.
“It behooves me to be at this forum,” said Lola Capers, explaining that she would not be able to confront Bastien if it were not for the event. “This is the second time I come to a forum on the east side [of Biscayne Gardens] and I see all the candidates, but if you have a forum on the west side I don’t see all the candidates.”
Capers, who was escorted out of the event after getting into a shouting match with Bastien, was interested in knowing whether the next county commissioner would implement programs for juvenile offenders and those wishing to reenter society.
Bien-Aime says he looks to model a North Miami program in partnership with Florida International University that allows youth to work at a local water plant. He also mentioned his commitment to fight for single-parent families, homeowners and businesses.
“It’s not about working with residents,” he said, offering a rebuttal to Bastien’s promise to include residents in the problem-solving process. “The problem has been sitting there forever, it’s how you’re going to solve it … There’s money that has been sitting at the county for years that can be used.”
Bastien says FANM’s economic development arm has educated efforts to invest into small businesses and entrepreneurship programs, and will be resourceful for countywide initiatives if elected.
When the talk turned to illegal dumping, Bastien said she wants to adopt Miami’s strategy of ticketing violators and sending out mailers about where trash should go, in an effort to avoid garbage pileup in the county’s neighborhoods.
“When you get down to it, it’s really about administration,” said Aristide, throwing his vote behind Bien-Aime. “With his experience and leadership, I think those are some of the things that will be helpful for this position. He talked a lot about trying to solve problems and working with different communities to make that happen. I’ve personally seen him trying to help.”