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HomeMy Public PortalAboutLTC 111-2015 - Colin Baenzinger & Associates Background Report - Dwight S. DanieAAL H OUR F 1.0 RI1)A'S PARADISE OFFICE OF THE VILLAGE MANAGER NO 111 _2015 LETTER TO COUNCIL TO: Mayor Martin Packer and Members of the Village Council FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, Village Manager V� DATE: June 19, 2015 SUBJECT: Colin Baenziger & Associates Background Report — Dwight S. Danie The purpose of this Letter to Council (LTC) is to transmit the Bal Harbour City Clerk Candidate Report for Dwight S. Danie, provided by Colin Baenziger & Associates. This report is supplemental information to Agenda Item R7C — Approving an Employment Agreement for the newly appointed Village Clerk, included in the June 23, 2015 Council Agenda. If you have any questions or need any additional information, please feel free to contact me. Attached JMG/par jgonzalez@balharbour.org Subject: FW: Email Address Attachments: Danie, Dwight - Bal Harbour City Clerk Candidate Report.pdf We did not find anything of concern. I would have liked to see more references. Dwight gave us twelve references on June 111h. So far we have only been able to reach three. We have called multiple times and sent emails and asked Dwight to call them to encourage them to respond. We will keep trying but this seems to be a tough group to get return calls. Best wishes! Colin @ Colin Baenziger & Associates Cell: 561-707-3537 ... Visit our website at www.cb-asso.com 1 COLIN BAENZIGERI"ASSOCIATES *114011yNU 11X411iJ1�[tl Dwight S. Danie Bal Harbour City Clerk Candidate Report TABLE OF CONTENTS BACKGROUND CHECKS CB&A REFERENCE NOTES PAGE INTERNET SEARCH 11 CB&A Background Checks Page 3 of 14 Background Check Summary for DWIGHT S. DANIE Criminal Records Checks: Nationwide Criminal Records Search No Record Found County Miami -Dade County, FL No Record Found State Florida No Record Found Civil Records Checks: County Miami -Dade County, FL No Record Found Federal Florida No Record Found Motor Vehicle Florida No Record Found Credit Excellent Bankruptcy No Record Found Education Confirmed Employment Confirmed Page 4 of 14 Background Check Summary for DWIGHT S. DAME Personal Disclosure Personal Disclosure Questionnaire Name ofApplicanl: DWIGHT S DANIE The following questions are designed so that we will be able to make PoII disclosure to our client concerning your background. Please answer them honestly. Cutting comers or misreprescming your past will result in you being eliminated from all further searches conducted by this firm. We understand that frivolous charges are sometimes made and that charges do not mean you were guilty. We also understand that you may have been wronged and needed to seek compensation. The bottom line is that we want to be chain that our client is fully informed. If you have any questions, please contact us for clarification. Please cvP144 rAlji 3L —ftv"iEea a seoerart shetr a/aAW, 1. Have you ever been charged or convicted-of/a Muny? Yes 0 No ff' 2. Have you ever been accused of or have been involved in a domestic violence cr abuse incident? Yes 0 No IY 3. Have you ever declared bankruptcy or been an owner in a business that did so? Yes 0 No Q 4. Have you ever been the subject of a civil rights violation complaint that was investigated or resulted in a lawsuit? Yes 0 No bI S. Have you ever been the subject of a sexual harassment complaint that was investigated or resulted in a lawsuit? Yes 0 No ♦3 6. Have you ever laxu wnvicted of driving while intoxicated? Yes 0 No y 7. Have you ever sued a current or former employer? Yes 0 No B/ 8. Do you have a personal My Space, Face Book or other type of Web Page? Yes li No 0 9. Do you have a personal Twitter Account? Yes G/ No 0 10. Is there anything else in your background that, if made public, would cause you, our client or our firm embarrassment if it came to light through the press or any other mechanism? Yes 0 No 9th 11. ploase provide a list of any lawsnits in which you are or have been a party either as plaintiff or defendant. Attested to: a &S.g,,s�.,,).f Applicant Please email this form via PDF DOCUMENT to kknubon*cb�asso corn or via faa to (888)539-6531 a hat r has S 00 P C (Note! Please Please he sure to sign the form with your actual signature if you are sending Fax or PDF Document) Property of Colin Baeoziger & Associates m� Page 5 of 14 CB&A Reference Notes Page 6 of 14 Reference Notes Dwight S. Danie Alina Mencio — Planner II, City of Miami, FL 305-416-1400 305-302-3684 Ms. Mencio met Mr. Danie in 1998 when they were working for the Department of Children and Families. He is the best boss Ms. Mencio has worked for. Mr. Danie is a great boss and a pleasure to work for. He is extremely organized and handled even large and complicated projects well. He compiled information from different cities in the County. He coordinated with the police department and the health department on various tasks. Because Mr. Danie made good choices when hiring personnel he had a very good team. His decision making in general is very good, he has the leadership capacity to head a department and handle large projects while overseeing daily operations. He has been working as a city clerk for 10 years and has performed perfectly. Part of Mr. Danie's daily work is to maintain public records. He is very experienced and understands the requirements of both the Public Records Act and the Public Meetings Act. One of his strengths is his technical ability. He is good with computers and statistics. Mr. Danie applied methods for employees to work faster and better. He did his best to create and maintain efficiency. He maintained the organization at a high performance level. He provided a high degree of leadership and kept everyone informed. He is a very conscientious person and works well with both the elected officials and the public. He is #1 at providing customer service and is always concerned about meeting deadlines. As long as Ms. Mencio has known Mr. Danie he has not been involved in anything controversial. She is not aware of anything in his background that would concern an employer. Ms. Mencio would hire Mr. Danie. He is the best and she was surprised when he was not selected for the position in Miami. He is excellent and will be a good asset for any municipality. Words or phrases used to describe Dwight Danie: • Knowledgeable, • Techy, • Leader, • Organized, • Team worker, and • Cordial with customers. Strengths: Very prepared, good leader, coordinates to keep everyone working in concert, creates a great work environment, disciplined. Weaknesses: None identified. Page 7 of 14 Reference Notes Dwight S. Danie Christina White — Deputy Supervisor of Elections, Miami -Dade Elections, FL 305-499-8403 Ms. White met Mr. Danie in 2006. He is the Elections Coordinator and serves as the liaison between the City and the Election Department. Every other year Miami contracts with the Elections Department to conduct their primary and general elections. Mr. Danie works with Ms. White's department to coordinate every aspect. She oversees 34 cities in Miami -Dade County and works with 34 different individuals. Some are excellent and others need to have their hand held. With Mr. Danie as the liaison the elections always run smoothly. He supplies everything they need and communications lines are open. They never encounter any problems. Mr. Danie performs very well. He is very professional, timely, never missed deadlines, attended all the required meetings, has great follow through skills, and is very pleasant. Ms. White only interacts with Mr. Danie on elections but attests that he can easily handle any election related task and assignment. The City is required to store election related documents for a specific retention period. Mr. Danie handles that responsibility and does it well. He always tries to work in a better and more efficient way. For example, they used to hold separate meetings for various items. Mr. Danie suggested they consolidate meetings so that the public did not have to come to the Elections Department multiple times, which was much appreciated by residents. Ms. White is happy to say that she knows of nothing controversial related to Mr. Danie. Ms. White's staff members work with Mr. Danie more frequently than she does and they all hold the same opinion of him. Ms. White would hire Mr. Danie. She has enjoyed working with him and would hate to see him leave Miami but she wishes him the best. Words or phrases used to describe Dwight Danie: • Professional, • Courteous, • Responsible, • Friendly, • Efficient, and • Productive. Strengths: Approachable, easy personality, wonderful follow through skills, completed every assignment promptly and perfectly, never lagged in meeting requirements, performed in all capacities very well. Weaknesses: None identified. Page 8 of 14 Reference Notes Dwight S. Danie Osmel Lopez — Analyst, City of Miami, FL 305-416-1083 Mr. Lopez reported to Mr. Danie from 1999 to roughly 2004. His responsibilities at the time were similar to what he is doing now. He works in the IT (Information Technology) department and the GIS lab. He learned much from Mr. Danie. Mr. Danie is a very professional person and exerts all of his energy into attaining goals. He hired good employees. He consistently and frequently made good decisions. He handled every day decisions related to the budget, projects and the workload. Mr. Lopez believes that Mr. Danie understands the protocols related to maintaining public records. They were responsible for adhering to Florida confidentially laws pertaining to data. He might have a law degree and he understands laws and regulations. Mr. Danie implemented a system to manage customer requests from grant writers and the general public. The system allowed them to expedite the request and compute the turnaround time for the customer. They had deliverables for projects that spanned multiple years. They always completed projects in the timeframe allocated. During his tenure Mr. Danie always looked for better ways to work. He maintained the organization and provided a sense of direction for the staff. He held weekly meetings to keep everyone informed. He had a great relationship with the elected officials and the public. Mr. Lopez is not aware of anything controversial related to Mr. Danie. Due to limited funding the Center was facing closure. Mr. Danie recognized how tenuous their situation was and left for a different opportunity. Mr. Lopez stayed on and was laid off three months later. Mr. Lopez does not know anyone who has a negative opinion of Mr. Danie. Mr. Lopez would hire Mr. Danie. He would be a good City Clerk. Mr. Lopez owes his career progression to the tutelage of Mr. Danie, he was a great mentor. Words or phrases used to describe Dwight Danie: • Smart, • Dedicated, • Professional, • Leadership, • Understanding, and • Respectful. Strengths: Very understanding, set attainable objectives, set expectations with staff and trained them. Weaknesses: He sometimes spoke in a way that was not always understandable to some of the lower level staff members. Page 9 of 14 Reference Notes Dwight S. Danie Walter Foeman — Former City Clerk, Miami, FL 305-460-5207 Mr. Foeman was the City Clerk in Miami but retired and accepted a position in Coral Gables before Mr. Danie was hired. They have had professional conversations over the years but they have not worked together. While they do not have a personal friendship their professional relationship has always been cordial. They have only discussed election related issues. Mr. Foeman has a good opinion of Mr. Danie but does not know him well enough to provide detailed answers to the questions asked. Words or phrases used to describe Dwight Danie: • Polite, • Professional, • Responsive, • Communicative, • Detailed, and • Direct. Strengths: Very professional, good knowledge of the subject matter. Weaknesses: None identified. Prepared by: Lynelle Klein Colin Baenziger & Associates Page 10 of 14 CB&A Internet Research Page 11 of 14 Internet — Newspaper Archives Searches Dwight Danie (Articles are in reverse chronological order) Miami Herald, The (FL) May 28, 2014 State election board overturns $5,500 fine for former Miami Commissioner Richard P. Dunn II Author: Charles Rabin, crabin@MiamiHerald.com A state elections board has ruled that the Rev. Richard P. Dunn II does not have to pay a $5,500 fine for submitting a late campaign treasurer's report. Dunn traveled to Tallahassee on May 6 to testify before the Florida Elections Commission, and persuaded the panel to override the fine handed down by Miami elections coordinator Dwight Danie during a November City Commission race. Danie fined Dunn $500 a day after determining that he was at fault for submitting the report 11 days past the Nov. 1 deadline. FEC board members gave Dunn five minutes to argue his case. He said he accepted full blame for his paperwork's being late, but he explained there was enough of an "unusual circumstance" to overturn the fine because his treasurer, Claytosha Owens -Fields, quit just before the third quarter report was due. An "unusual circumstance" is a technical term used by the FEC that allows leeway to a candidate for certain campaign -finance reporting errors. Dunn told the board Owens -Fields became unnerved when she saw her name in print, and quit the campaign. He said he had to talk her into returning, which was why the report was late but still signed by her. The board voted 5-3 to overturn Danie's decision to fine the Dunn campaign. Dunn, senior pastor at Faith Community Baptist Church, lost the November election for Miami's District 5 City Commission seat to political newcomer Keon Hardemon. Dunn had been appointed to the District 5 post twice by commissioners. Another time, he won a special election after a commissioner was removed from office. Page 12 of 14 Internet — Newspaper Archives Searches Dwight Danie (Articles are in reverse chronological order) Miami Herald, The (FL) September 26, 2012 Miami Herald, The (FL) February 3, 2006 WASTE TRUCKS TRASH A LUSH LAWN Chuck Rabin - crabin@MiamiHerald.com At least five times in the past 18 months, Dwight Danie has planted shrubbery and new sod in his front yard because of city of Miami solid -waste truck drivers who steer a little off course. For some inexplicable reason, the heavy debris trucks veer slightly off Northeast 72nd Street, puncturing and muddying the turf on Danie's lush, green lawn. The rest of the lawns on his street seem fine. Danie realizes the problem is minor, but it still drives him crazy, still creates a mess, and is becoming expensive. "I'm the only one on the street who gets bent out of shape about it," Danie says, pointing at shrubbery east of his driveway that was planted to keep the trucks away. "But I think it's just that they're not paying attention. They're not caring." The other side of Danie's driveway now sports new sod. There's also a small wire fence that boasts some string and wood, and little yellow ribbons. Danie, a past president of the Bayside Residents Association, said city officials began returning his calls last April. Each time, they promised to send someone to assess the damage, but he never saw anyone show up, he said. RESPONSE AT LAST On Wednesday, a message was left on his voice mail. It was from a solid -waste employee who said someone went out and took pictures. The caller also said the city driver admitted to driving on Danie's lawn. No explanation was given. Mario Soldevilla, who directs the Solid Waste Department, said his department recently has acquired new equipment - smaller, more efficient trucks - that "staff is becoming familiar with." Soldevilla said another problem is that the street is extremely narrow. Agreed. I measured it at 15 feet across. Still, that's not a valid excuse for city workers to be tearing up private property. Dump trucks and regular garbage trucks are just as big, and Danie said he hasn't seen them damage his lawn. He's lived there since 1994. "The cleanup after [Hurricane] Wilma was fine," Danie said of the hired contractors who removed tons of trash after the storm. "I'm just asking how I can get them to stop. I'm at a loss," he said, pointing to a sharp, boulder -like rock his neighbor put on his front lawn to keep the trucks away. Page 13 of 14 Internet — Newspaper Archives Searches Dwight Danie (Articles are in reverse chronological order) FOR CLOSE QUARTERS Soldevilla said the city has purchased new trucks that will replace the two that now provide the service. One truck has an arm to pick up the debris; the other acts as a container. "The combo trucks specifically address the problem of narrow streets, cul-de-sacs and dead end streets throughout the city," Soldevilla said. "A supervisor went to see the damage caused in this particular case and the city will be following up with this gentleman soon to begin to resolve this problem." Sounds fair to me. Who Promised To Help Miami Solid Waste Director Mario Soldevilla said the city has purchased new trucks that are smaller and more efficient. He also said a damage assessment is being made at Danie's home. Anyone who feels they have a similar problem involving solid waste can contact Soldevilla or his administrative assistant Lina Blanco at 305-575-5106, ext. 163, or email Iblanco@ miamigov.com. Completed by: Keith Knutson Colin Baenziger & Associates Page 14 of 14