Is he shacked up in a comfortable condominium on NE a hundred and seventieth Street within the metropolis he is imagined to symbolize — or lurking throughout the expanse of a stately two-story home within the city of Davie in Broward County?
This query has been high of thoughts for city commissioners and lots of metropolis residents for the previous two months, ever since DeFillipo was first publicly accused of residing in Davie, about 15 miles away from North Miami Beach, in violation of the town’s constitution. In December, a resident filed a criticism towards the mayor with the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust, alleging that he lives within the Broward County municipality, which might disqualify him from remaining in workplace.
DeFillipo has repeatedly denied the accusations, saying the claims towards him are politically motivated. He says he is a bona fide North Miami Beach resident however owns funding properties throughout South Florida.
“This is my livelihood. It’s what I dwell from… I purchase, promote, and make investments,” the mayor stated at a December 20 fee assembly throughout which the problem of his residency got here up.
Facing calls to step down, a revolt on the town fee, and mounting allegations that he made Davie his new abode, DeFillipo insisted he is not going wherever. City authorities has since been delivered to a standstill.
It’s been a labyrinthine saga, with unhealthy blood effervescent between DeFillipo on the one hand, and Commissioner McKenzie Fleurimond and Vice Mayor Michael Joseph on the opposite.
For those that want a fast refresher on the fiasco, this is a chronological look again at how we obtained right here:
December 2021: After greater than a decade proudly owning his household dwelling close to Greynolds Park Elementary School in North Miami Beach, DeFillipo offered the homestead residence.
July 2022: DeFillipo purchased a house within the newly constructed Sierra Ranches neighborhood of Davie for $1.2 million, in response to Broward County property information.
Located within the swanky Sierra Ranches neighborhood, the home’s entrance yard was adorned with outsized sweet canes and a sleigh with reindeer statues through the Christmas season.
Via Broward County Property Appraiser
December 14, 2022: While making an attempt to make contact with DeFillipo on the Davie property, New Times spots the mayor via the clear entrance doorways of the house. He subsequently declines to reply the doorbell.
December 17, 2022: A resident information a criticism with the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust towards DeFillipo, alleging that he resides in Davie.
December 20, 2022: The ethics criticism towards DeFillipo falls entrance and middle on the North Miami Beach metropolis fee assembly. Commissioner Fleurimond questions whether or not DeFillipo’s standing as mayor and refuses to vote on DeFillipo’s movement to terminate metropolis lawyer Hans Ottinot. Lacking quorum, DeFillipo’s try to fireside Ottinot fails.
January 13, 2023: Ottinot receives and concurs with a authorized opinion from a third-party lawyer who decided that DeFillipo has forfeited his seat as mayor by transferring exterior the town limits. The opinion cites a non-public investigation by a neighborhood group, which discovered DeFillipo’s identify registered within the entry field to the Davie dwelling and turned up pictures and video allegedly displaying that the mayor lives primarily at that residence.
January 17, 2023: Michael Pizzi, DeFillipo’s lawyer, information a lawsuit asking a Miami-Dade County Circuit Court choose to permit North Miami Beach to manipulate with 4 commissioners, as an alternative of a five-person quorum as required by the town constitution.
During a metropolis fee assembly later that night, Ottinot declares the assembly unlawful and leaves after refusing to acknowledge DeFillipo as mayor. Commissioner McKenzie Fleurimond and Michael Joseph selected to not attend, questioning whether or not DeFillipo had authority to preside over the assembly; Commissioner Daniela Jean was absent as effectively. With solely three of the six metropolis commissioners current — and thus no quorum — almost two hours of public remark from residents ensues, throughout which many name out the town for being dysfunctional.
January 23, 2023: DeFillipo confirms via his lawyer to the Miami Herald that he sat on the board of the Sierra Ranches Community Association, which is the householders affiliation for the Davie dwelling he bought final July.
January 31, 2023: A Miami-Dade Circuit Court choose guidelines that North Miami Beach can not in the reduction of the variety of commissioners required for a quorum to get enterprise accomplished at conferences. Judge Valerie Manno Schurr stated she was unable to vary the town constitution, which requires commissioners to function with a five-person quorum.