Open Letter to Miami-Dade County Manager Burgess

Dear County Manager:

While checking out an old 311 (county answering service) complaint, I discovered that the 311 system still had the complaint and a report number. Much to my amazement, the records part of 311 system is working.

More unhappily, however, what I also discovered was the fact that the complaint was ignored. There was no enforcement action taken whatsoever. How much money is the county losing with these neglected complaints? How many disabled people are directly impacted county-wide by the lack enforcement diligence?

How many other 311 complaints get the "county treatment"?

Having this 311 complaint blown off must mean the owner of the property is connected. If you wish to prove my claim of "connected" is in error, then please examine each and every one of this property owner's properties and tell me how they resealed all the parking lots and did not provide disabled parking according to the code. Tell me how they are allowed to install all those speed bumps with no passage for wheelchairs.

However, since Miami-Dade's own Building Department has many improperly designed 42 inch counters in place when a 36 x 36 counter area is required, I know where part of the problem exists. It is a shame that a disabled person's only alternative for getting help with a simple counter issue has to come through the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice because as our County Manager you do not require your Department Directors be in compliance with the law.

So, in the end, it should not be a surprise that when a constituent follows up on a 311 reported ADA complaint that there would be no enforcement or follow-up completed. It is a page straight out of the Operating Manual from the Building Department's Code Enforcement Book or perhaps, it is more than just sloppy enforcement. Mr. Manager, if you are not interested in the how and why of enforcement issues, maybe the new FBI director might be.

Sincerely,
Dignity