North Miami councilwoman who settled ethics case won't seek reelection

via @LDixon_3

A North Miami council member has announced that she won't seek re-election in the city's upcoming May election.

Marie Steril, who has represented District 4 since 2005, will not run to extend her term on the council. In a press release Tuesday she said she wants to return to the private sector, calling it a difficult decision.

"I have tirelessly worked to address concerns that impair residents' well-being," she said. "I have embraced District 4's many challenges and transformed them into opportunities for the betterment of the community."

Unmentioned: that Steril, the first black woman and first Haitian-American woman elected to the city council, has also faced her share of ethical issues during her time in office.

Steril settled a Miami-Dade County ethics commission case last October after the commission found probable cause that she exploited her position when she requested more than $8,000 in upgrades to her mother's city-subsidized home renovation.

The councilwoman was ordered to pay about $5,000 in fines to North Miami and plead no contest to charges that she violated the county conflict of interest and code of ethics ordinance.

Despite her missteps, many in the Haitian-American community and in her district continued to support Steril and her work on improving the Northwest Seventh Avenue corridor and Northwest 131st Street.

"I used her work in her district as a landmark for what I've done in my district," Councilman Philippe Bien-Aime said. "I hope the community is going to come together to replace her with the same devotion she gave to serving the community."

Two other candidates have filed to run for the District 4 seat so far. Carline Paul, the political consultant also known as "Teacher Carline," and Beverly Hilton, who lost to Steril in 2011.

Councilman Scott Galvin, who has served on the council since 1999, said he was surprised when Steril told him she wouldn't run again. He thanked Steril for her years of service and expressed confidence in the council going forward even with them losing Steril's experience.

"I feel good about the group that's serving now even though the three of them have had a shorter tenure," Galvin said. "If she was going to pick any time to step down, I think this was the right time." 

Steril settled a Miami-Dade County ethics commission case last October after the commission found probable cause that she exploited her position when she requested more than $8,000 in upgrades to her mother's city-subsidized home renovation.

The councilwoman was ordered to pay about $5,000 in fines to North Miami and plead no contest to charges that she violated the county conflict of interest and code of ethics ordinance.

Despite her missteps, many in the Haitian-American community and in her district continued to support Steril and her work on improving the Northwest Seventh Avenue corridor and Northwest 131st Street.

"I used her work in her district as a landmark for what I've done in my district," Councilman Philippe Bien-Aime said. "I hope the community is going to come together to replace her with the same devotion she gave to serving the community."

Two other candidates have filed to run for the District 4 seat so far. Carline Paul, the political consultant also known as "Teacher Carline," and Beverly Hilton, who lost to Steril in 2011.

Councilman Scott Galvin, who has served on the council since 1999, said he was surprised when Steril told him she wouldn't run again. He thanked Steril for her years of service and expressed confidence in the council going forward even with them losing Steril's experience.

"I feel good about the group that's serving now even though the three of them have had a shorter tenure," Galvin said. "If she was going to pick any time to step down, I think this was the right time."