Miami Beach Official Insults Merchant for Complaining

Photo of Pissing Wall before officials remove parking permit machine due to stench

PUBLIC OFFICIALS INSULT MERCHANT FOR COMPLAINING ABOUT DANGER AT WASHINGTON AVENUE & 9TH STREET

Filed January 18, 2012

South Beach

According to a Washington Avenue merchant, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, six officials, two of them in city uniform, appeared at about eleven o'clock this morning in the public parking lot at Washington Avenue and 9th Street, apparently following up on a running three-year complaint that the lights there do not work, creating a nuisance and hazard for residents and visitors.

He said that when he saw the officials looking at the lights, he approached them to discuss the issue. but one man said, in a confrontational manner,"We fixed these lights all ready," and then he turned to the other officials present and said, "You see, these people make complaints, but they don't know what they are talking about, because we have fixed the problems."

The merchant was indignant, and said, "What? You are calling me a liar! I am telling you that the lights don't work!"

As a matter of fact, I have walked through that little parking lot every evening as part of a regular patrol for a story I am doing about improvements in the enforcement of ordinances. Every time I have traversed the lot, including the last five nights, there has been no lighting.

Absent moonlight, the area is perfect for muggings and hijackings, and it also provides cover for urination at the Pissing Wall, which stinks so badly that the city removed a parking permit machine it had newly installed there. The darkened area has also provided cover for vagrants and dope deals and prostitution for many years. As long as I can remember, for the last three years, the place has been dark at night.

I too was informed by email by Public Works that the light has been fixed. After I insisted that it had not been fixed, I was informed a couple of days later that a private contractor had appeared to fix the light, and that he said the city was remiss in fixing things, apparently due to budgeting problems. He promised one tenant that he would return the following morning. to the best of my knowledge, he did not return.

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