NORTH MIAMI, FLA. (WSVN) - North Miami officials moved forward to fire their city manager, despite support from residents during a special council meeting on Tuesday evening.
Rasha Cameau will be suspended until May 14 before her termination officially goes into effect after a 3-1 vote was cast to fire her as city manager, just after one year at the job.
7News captured a visibly emotional Cameau as she was hugged by supporters and spoke about her plans after being terminated.
“It’s been very emotional for me,” said Cameau. “I am definitely gonna be taking a break [chuckles] and go on vacation and reassess.”
Councilman Scott Galvin was the one member to standby Cameau’s side.
“In my 25 years and 13 city managers that I had the privilege to work with, you stand above them all,” said Galvin.
Some supporters of Cameau tell 7News they are disappointed with the council member’s decision.
“Really what we witnessed this evening was just a coup, pure and simple,” said Nicholas Davies, who supported city manager. “A palace coup from the city officials.”
“The three misguided souls on all days decided to go off the cliff and fire her,” said Jim Garret, who supported city manager.
Some residents decided to place their faith in the council’s decision.
“These officials — they are really working hard and they make decisions according to what’s best of what they see every day,” said Romelito Charles.
On April 9, Councilwoman Kassandra Timothe brought forward the resolution to remove Cameau, and Vice-Mayor Mary Estimé-Irvin and Councilman Pierre Frantz Charles voted in favor.
“I lack the confidence, trust, faith that you are best fit to lead this city, and with that, I would like to move that we terminate your employment,” said Timothe.
Members cited they had a lack of confidence in the city manager. Along with accusing the city manager’s “lack of acceptable oversight and effective leadership.” As well as mention the city manager’s “failure to follow councilmember’s direction and instruction,” as reasons for the resolution to remove Cameau.
Residents at that meeting made it clear they were not in favor of removing Cameau.
“I am very upset, I am trying to control myself,” said a resident.
“This is personal,” said a resident.
“I just think it is very unfair,” said a resident.
“How many times can this city start over based on somebody’s personal agenda as opposed to the constituents,” said a resident.
North Miami Mayor Alix Desulme agreed with residents stating, “It’s just a sad thing to see in North Miami.”
North Miami residents rallied in support of Cameau on Tuesday afternoon as they hope that one of the council members would change their vote to keep Cameau as city manager before the special council meeting.
“She gives us hope. Before this happened, we had lost hope,” said Eileen Bicaba, North Miami Neighbors Association. “Nothing was happening in this city.”
“We need Rasha,” chants could be heard from participants in the rally.
“Rasha Cameau has done wonderful things for the City of North Miami and we need to keep her,” said Bicaba.
With one year as city manager, residents said they are seeing good things happen and improvement in the quality of life in the city, which most credit Cameau.
“Why is it that we have somebody who has taken so much initiative to make improvements in our city now being asked to leave,” said Sara McDevitt, concerned citizen.
“They giving all these vague things and innuendoes without really giving what happened and that’s not fair,” said Bicaba. “You have a problem with her, let us [know] but what we see, we see the changes. In one year we seen massive changes that they never did.”
In the initial vote, Mayor Desulme and Councilman Galvin voted against the resolution to fire Cameau.
“She has been fantastic,” Galvin tells 7 News. “She is accessible to residents. She is looking at the bottom line. She is professional. She is organized. Whenever I need her, she is right on the spot.”
Community Redevelopment Agency Executive Director Anna-Bo Emmanuel, Esq was named the interim city manager.
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