Miami

‘Sarnoff Memo’ Declared Public

Memo recounts conversation with ex-city manager regarding Spence-Jones’ alleged payoff demands

By Erik Bojnansky

Former City Manager Joe Arriola denies the conversation ever took place.

A May 15 memo written by Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff regarding The Related Group’s push for high-rise zoning near Mercy Hospital recounted a conversation he had with former Miami City Manager Joe Arriola about the motivation behind Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones’ vote.

The Related Group sued Sarnoff for defamation as well as the memo, claiming it prompted a Miami-Dade State Attorney’s investigation into the Grove Bay high-rise condo project. The Miami Herald also sued for the document, which was written in Sarnoff’s private law office, insisting that it was public record. Although the defamation suit was dismissed, the 3rd District Court of Appeal ruled that the document was public record and must be released.   

In response to a public records request, Sarnoff’s office released the memo to the SunPost late Wednesday evening.

In the memo, Sarnoff wrote that “Arriola had called and requested a meeting concerning a conversation he did not wish to have over the telephone.” During the meeting at the Grand Bay Hotel, Arriola said he attended a lunchtime meeting on April 30 with former city administrator-turned-Related Group employee Alicia Cuervo Schreiber, Miami Public Works Director Stephanie Grindell and Mary Conway, then director of the city’s capital improvement section. “Alicia Cuervo Schreiber told Grindell, Conway and Arriola that to achieve Michelle Spence-Jones’ vote in favor of the Mercy Project, it was required that Barbara Hardeman receive $50,000, that Barbara Carey-Shuler receive $50,000 and that $50,000 be provided to a third undisclosed person.”

Carey-Shuler is the former chairperson of the Miami-Dade County Commission. Hardeman is a political advisor.

The memo goes on to state that “according to Arriola, Alicia Cuervo Schreiber is willing to provide testimony regarding this payment, as a result of her intention to leave the Related Group for her new job.”

Arriola also claimed that Spence-Jones “requires $50,000 from the Crosswinds applicant,” referring to the controversial mixed-use condo project in Overtown that was to be built on public land by Crosswinds, a Michigan-based developer. Arriola went on to state that Crosswinds was not going to be heard on May 10 because Barbara Hardeman had not yet been paid the $50,000. “Parenthetically, as it turns out the Crosswinds project hearing was deferred as a result of Michelle Spence-Jones saying that she now has second thoughts on the project at the CRA meeting, which was convened shortly after the City Commission meeting,” Sarnoff wrote.

The Miami City Commission approved Crosswinds again on Dec. 13. Spence-Jones was among those voting in favor.

Crosswinds representatives could not be reached by deadline. Spence-Jones, Hardeman and Carey-Schuler also could not be reached by deadline.

Matt Gorson, an attorney representing The Related Group, said the memo was “based on multiple levels of hearsay.” Hardeman and Carey-Schuler were hired for “community outreach” to build support for the Grove Bay project, Gorson said.

“Neither Jorge [Perez] nor Related Group would not tolerate any inappropriate activities,” he said. “What you got is the typical thing who tells someone something who tells someone something else … things get twisted.… I think the State Attorney’s Office understands.”

Sarnoff said he received information about the conversation from “two different sources.” As for the memo, “My only point was to make sure it was investigated because there were allegations of possible criminal misconduct. I think it is imperative that we maintain ourselves beyond reproach. I don’t know if we did that.”

Contacted by phone in Madrid, Arriola said the conversation with himself, Schreiber, Grindell and Conway never took place. “I never had that conversation with [Sarnoff],” he said. “I have no idea why the man would write himself a memo.”

Read the memo.

Comments? E-mail erik@miamisunpost.com

home