Miami Dade College limiting public access to new library vote
To undercut a lawsuit alleging a lack of transparency, Miami Dade College’s Board of Trustees is retaking its vote to give away prime downtown land to be used for Donald Trump’s presidential library — but still isn’t holding a formal public hearing about the proposal.
During an official public hearing, “any citizen is entitled to speak” with or without prior approval, according to Miami Dade College rules. Tuesday’s 8 a.m. Board of Trustees meeting, however, is not being treated as a public hearing under this policy.
The college is instead telling members of the public they must seek permission to address the board through an emailed, written request. That’s according to both the public notice of Tuesday’s meeting and an email the college sent to a prospective public commenter, John Ise, that he shared with the Miami Herald.
Tuesday’s meeting, occurring immediately after a holiday weekend, “indicates that MDC simply wants to limit public input, rather than solicit it,” Ise said in an emailed response to the college.
The Board of Trustees is also not planning to livestream the meeting because “the College typically does not live stream Special Meetings of the District Board of Trustees,” like it does its standard monthly meetings, according to an email the College sent to another potential public commenter, William Quinlan.
“It’s just disappointing to see that the Board has not taken their brushback in court to heart, that they are not fulfilling the spirit of the public transparency laws,” Quinlan said.
The college did not respond to a list of questions from the Herald about public transparency, or what type of meeting would qualify as a public hearing under the college’s public comment rules. Tuesday’s in-person meeting on the plan is taking place at the College’s Hialeah campus at 1780 W 49th St., in conference room 5101.
The distinction the college is making between this special meeting — requiring pre-approval for public comments — and an official public hearing where anyone can address the board comes even as the college has publicly said the purpose of Tuesday’s meeting was to “provide the community a second opportunity to address the District Board of Trustees.”
Tuesday’s new vote comes amid an ongoing legal battle over whether the college violated Florida’s Sunshine Laws the first time it voted to give away the land in late September, with no public announcement of which land was being given away or for what purpose.
A state board controlled by the governor and the Florida Cabinet voted to give the land to Trump’s presidential library foundation at no cost with few restrictions a week later. Neither the college nor Trump’s library foundation has laid out any specific concessions or cash for the college like the Board of Trustees was demanding the last time the board solicited proposals to develop the 2.6-acre, Biscayne Boulevard property.
A Miami Dade Circuit Court judge has said Marvin Dunn, the historian and activist bringing the Sunshine Law case, has “substantial likelihood of success” and set a trial date for August. She has also blocked the college from transferring the land while the case is ongoing.
Board members have indicated they don’t plan to change their vote in favor of the land transfer, but they are hoping to avoid a protracted legal battle.
“At this point, given that it could drag out a full year, we might as well go ahead and call for a meeting and vote on it as a board,” board Chairman Michael Bileca said during a regularly scheduled trustee meeting last week.
Dunn told the Herald he plans to continue fighting in court about whether the college violated public transparency laws, even after Tuesday’s second vote.
“Even if they redo the land giveaway, they still broke the law on their first try, and we will hold them accountable for that,” Dunn said.
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