‘Our best days are ahead’. New Miami commissioner sworn-in and ready to get to work
Standing alongside her two sons, newly elected City of Miami District Two Commissioner Sabina Covo was beaming as she stood in her pink pant suit in the commission chambers waiting to be sworn into duty Saturday afternoon.
“We know that our residents want to love where they live and to achieve this we must move to protect and enhance the quality of life of our community,” she said. “I know our best days are ahead and that we can get things done if we work together....”
Judge Lody Jean, of Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court, swore Covo into office — but not before noting that the new commissioner was the first Hispanic American and woman to serve Miami’s district two.
“When Justice Ginsburg was asked when will there be enough women on the Supreme Court, she famously answered nine. So I want to congratulate Commissioner Covo for breaking another glass ceiling,” Jean said.
After thanking her family, campaign team and the community that came out to vote for her, Covo, 43, said she is ready to get to work and better the community.
“We need to push past the disarray in differences seen at times and unite as one city, concentrating on our residents,” she said in a small speech. “Because I truly believe there is more that unites us than divides.”
Covo is a communications professional and former television journalist who lives in Coconut Grove. She previously served at the Spanish-language spokeswoman for former Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who endorsed her in the special election.
She will hold the seat until at least November, completing the term vacated by her predecessor Ken Russell. Russell, who supported Covo’s election, had to resign after an unsuccessful bid for Congress. Covo has already said she will run to hold onto the seat in the regular November election.
Covo’s swearing-in caps off a two-month process that started with a debate over whether four city commissioners should appoint someone to finish Russell’s term. After some disagreement, they called a special election, which drew 13 candidates and sparked more than $1.4 million in political fundraising.
On Friday, Covo had a series of meetings with the city’s human resources staff, where she said she was warmly welcomed. She told the Miami Herald she plans to keep some of Russell’s staffers in her office. She’ll hire for other jobs she wants to fill, including three “community advocate managers” who would connect with residents in the neighborhoods.
She also said she plans to have mobile offices in the district, which stretches from Coconut Grove north through Morningside, and she wants to schedule times each week so she can be personally available to meet with residents in the neighborhoods.
“They need to know they’re going to be heard,” Covo said, a plan she emphasized she will pursue during her swearing-in ceremony.
Covo runs a public relations company, Sabina Covo Communications, that represents several private clients. One of her clients, Melo Group, is an active real estate developer with projects in her district, in and around downtown. She said on Friday she would recuse herself from any matters related to Melo Group that came to the City Commission. She also said her work for Melo Group and most of her work is exclusively in Latin America.
“I won’t be taking any business from anyone that does business with the city of Miami,” Covo said.
Covo shared her client list with the Herald: Onda Bay Harbor, S Natural Oil, Vertiblinds, Melo Group, Newgard, Glr Network and a40Grados, an athletic clothing company for tennis players.
Covo will have to get to work immediately. Her first commission meeting is Thursday.
“I’m going to be briefed on Monday,” she said.
%20Cropped%20(2).jpg)
