Miami Beach Ferry Deal: $600K No-Bid Contract Criticized by Inspector General

Inspector General's Report on Failed Ferry Service

• 💡 A recent Inspector General's report concludes that a taxpayer-subsidized ferry service in Miami Beach never should have been approved.
• 🎯 The project, intended to ease traffic between South Beach and downtown Miami, collapsed after just 21 days.

Lack of Oversight and Due Diligence

• 🔍 The report details a severe lack of oversight, due diligence, and competitive bidding for the $600,000 ferry deal.
• ⚠️ Key safeguards were bypassed by waiving the competitive bidding process.
• 🚫 No formal due diligence was conducted on the company's financial stability, operational capacity, or service history.
• 📊 Background checks, reviews of prior failed ventures, and verification of vessel ownership, maintenance, or staffing were not performed.

Concerns and Criticisms

• 📌 The contract with Poseidon Ferry and its owner, Jonathan Sylvia, was never put out to bid.
• 🗣️ Then-commissioner, now mayor, Steven Miner, was the only commissioner to vote no, warning against the no-bid process.
• 📉 The Inspector General found that the operational success of the ferry was highly questionable before launch.

Call for Reform

• ⚖️ While the IG found no evidence of corruption or political gain, the report calls for significant reforms.
• 🚀 Despite the issues, the current mayor is focused on launching a new ferry service for Miami Beach next month.