Taxpayers in North Miami Beach are on the hook for a hefty legal bill following a court battle between city officials that went on for months.
According to the city's chief procurement officer, the city paid over $311,000 to lawyers who were brought in by former mayor Anthony DeFillipo and former city attorney Hans Ottinot.
There was not much discussion about the payments during the commission meeting in July but Commissioner Michael Joseph raised some concerns.
“We're trying to move the city forward and I think that we will,” Joseph told NBC6 Investigators during an interview. “It all depends on if we're willing to do it the right way.”
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Joseph has been a critic of DeFillipo, who pleaded not guilty to voting fraud charges, accused of not residing in the city where he ran and voted. He was eventually suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“We have to get our house in order," Commissioner Joseph said.
But at what cost?
In February, a fellow commissioner said the following about one lawyer involved in the court battle.
"This man standing before you is the only man who has been standing up for the city,” said Commissioner Jay Chernoff, who is now serving as the acting mayor. “And guess how much he is getting paid ... pro bono. He's working for us.”
He was referring to attorney Michael Pizzi and he would not ultimately work for free.
“At one point, we were trying to assist the city, but ultimately we had to file a lawsuit and attend several hearings,” Pizzi said, when asked about Chernoff’s comment.
The price tag for his services: $37,171.
The amount is part of the $111,513 paid to attorneys DeFillipo brought in, and an additional $200,012 paid to attorneys hired by the city to fight against their own mayor, according to the city’s chief procurement officer.
That’s over $311,000 in all.
Earlier this year, Pizzi was hired by then-Mayor DeFillipo to file a lawsuit against the city when several commissioners stopped attending meetings, putting most of city business on hold.
But in court filings, attorneys representing the city argued DeFillipo's lawsuit lacked merit because he could not serve as major having been found living outside the city.
DeFillipo maintained he’s resided in the city since taking office.
“None of this was done to help Mayor DeFillipo. This was done on behalf of the taxpayers and the people of the city to make sure (Commissioner) Michael Joseph showed up to work like he was required to do,” Pizzi said.
“It wasn't us not attending that kept the city moving forward. It’s the fact that he would not relinquish or walk away from the dais. And I'm talking about, you know, Tony, Mr. DeFillipo,” Joseph said.
David F. Jeannot, a city spokesperson, told NBC6 the commission approved the payments for the attorneys representing DeFillipo (Benedict P. Kuehne, David P. Reiner, II and Michael Pizzi) in April, but “only as to the quorum dispute as the prevailing party” following Florida Supreme Court precedent.
As for the outside law firm that defended the city against DeFillipo’s lawsuit, Heise Suarez Melville (“HSM”), it said the suit was “a blatant attempt to stifle investigations and evade accountability for his actions,” adding “the City’s Charter expressly authorizes the City Attorney to ‘prosecute or defend’ the City against ‘all complaints’ in which ‘the City is a party before any court.’”
The former city attorney, Hans Ottinot, did not respond to our request for comment.
“The ultimate outcome with Mayor DeFillipo is totally irrelevant to this case,” Pizzi said. “Commissioners have to show up (to meetings) no matter what.”
Pizzi, who is also representing DeFillipo in his criminal case, says his work broke up the political gridlock.
“I was paid a very small sum, but as a result of my work, the city commission is up and running and they’re operating, and I think you can’t put a price tag on it," Pizzi said.
Reiner and Kuehne echoed the sentiment writing in statements they were able to “obtain an outstanding result that enabled the City Commission to function as the Charter required.”
They noted a judge ordered commissioners to attend meetings and said they dropped thousands of dollars from their bills “as a service and benefit to the City and its citizens.”
