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Written by Janetssy Lugo on July 16, 2025
A team that is to recommend needed changes in Miami-Dade County’s formal structure – the charter, its equivalent of a constitution – has set the framework for how it plans to proceed in the next year and put in place its leaders as it prepares to get down to work.
Members last week unanimously chose as chairman Dennis A. Kerbel, appointed by Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, who brought the legislation that created the charter review task force. Mr. Kerbel, an attorney with Akerman who is formerly of the county attorney’s office, told team members he had a long county career working on issues that the task force will cover.
Elected unanimously vice chair was Mike Redondo, a member of the Florida House of Representatives who was appointed by County Commission Chairman Anthony Rodriguez. Mr. Redondo was one of three members of the review task force who did not attend the first meeting in the county commission chambers.
“The first two meetings,” said Mr. Kerbel in outlining the task force study targets, “would be [discussing] the constitutional officers, then the next meeting would be the structure of county government…. Then the fourth one would be …annexation incorporation… Then land use and resiliency level rise issues, and then finally, a standalone budget meeting.”
What they will be studying is fundamental to the county’s structure and operation.
In 1956 the state constitution was amended to make Miami-Dade a home rule county. County residents were granted the power, within certain areas, to adopt their own rules for governing, with the county commission as the governing body. In 1957, the Miami-Dade County Home Rule Charter was adopted.
The charter requires a review of its contents at least every five years to determine if revisions are needed. It does not specify how or by whom.
Commission debate that focused on how the review would function began in February 2024. A resolution by Commissioner Cohen Higgins offered a team structured as in prior reviews, with all 13 commissioners naming one member, the mayor one, and the county’s legislative delegation another.
Most appointees were at the first Miami-Dade County Charter Review Task Force meeting. Three were not: Andre D. Pierre, Mr. Redondo and Joshua Dieguez.
Mr. Pierre, appointed by Commissioner Marleine Bastien, previously was mayor of North Miami. Mr. Dieguez, appointed by Commissioner René Garcia, is mayor of Miami Lakes.
The other appointees introduced themselves as they shared their experiences and careers.
Steven D. Losner, appointed by the legislative delegation, has been mayor of Homestead since 2019. “Prior to that,” he said, “I served as vice mayor councilman in Homestead from 2001 to 2007. I have to say that if I hadn’t had the opportunity to serve again as mayor, my legacy was that I led a charter review committee in 2002 that overhauled our charter for the first time in Homestead since 1963, which resulted in 11 significant – all 11, everything that went on the ballot – was approved by over an 80% margin.”
Eric Eikenberg, appointed by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, has been a county resident for 13 years and is chief executive officer of the Everglades Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1993 due to an algae outbreak in Florida Bay.
“We are science based and at the forefront of the important work to protect America’s Everglades right here in our own backyard, the drinking water supply for Miami-Dade County,” said Mr. Eikenberg. “Prior to my time at the foundation, I served as chief of staff to Gov. Charlie Crist.”
Jose Jimenez, appointed by Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez, is the principal of JMZ group, a small legal and governmental consulting firm. His experience includes being assistant city manager of Miami Beach.
Alexis Calatayud, appointed by Commissioner Roberto J. Gonzalez, represents District 38 in the Florida Senate, covering southeast Miami-Dade from Key Biscayne to Homestead.
Dennis C. Moss, appointed by Commissioner Kionne L. McGhee, said he served as a commissioner for “27 and a half years, [and] also served as chair of this board.”
Iris Escarra, appointed by Commissioner Raquel A. Regalado, has been a land use lawyer at Greenberg Traurig for about two decades, she said. “I’m a board-certified lawyer in city county local government,” said Ms. Escarra, “so this is the stuff I do every day.”
Robert H. Fernandez, appointed by Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis, is managing partner at RHF law firm. He said his practice consists of procurement, business, commercial litigation and election law.
Commissioner Eileen Higgins appointed Rebecca Wakefield. “I started out as a journalist and found my way into public service and worked for elected officials in Miami Beach, City of Miami and the county,” said Ms. Wakefield.
Rafael E. Granado, the city clerk of Miami Beach, was appointed to the task force by Commissioner Micky Steinberg. Mr. Granada said he has been involved in two charter reviews for the city.
Crystal Wagar, appointed by Commissioner Keon Hardemon, is a previous mayor of Miami Shores, where she “implemented a charter review task force to review our own charter, which was woefully out of date. Currently,” she said, “I’m a lawyer, and I am a partner at The Southern Group.”
Stephanie Daniels was appointed by Commissioner Oliver G. Gilbert III. “I retired from the Miami Dade Police Department as the director,” she said. “I did 30 – almost 33 – years with the department.”
The meeting began with a welcome video from Ms. Cohen Higgins, who touched upon the pivotal state at which the county sits. In November, the county for the first time elected five officials who aren’t under county commission control: a sheriff, property appraiser, tax collector, supervisor of elections, and clerk of the circuit court.
“Today marks the beginning of a crucial process, one that looks both forward and inward,” said Ms. Cohen Higgins in the video. “You are not just simply to review words on a paper, but to ensure that the foundation of Miami-Dade County’s government, the home rule charter, reflects the moment we are currently living in and the future we would like to build. The charter is our county’s rule book; sets the parameters of how we govern, how we share power and how we serve our amazing residents of Miami-Dade County, and like any living document, it must evolve.”
“In 2025,” she continued, “the county experienced a historic shift. We returned to independently elected constitutional officers… These changes significantly alter how our government functions, and that’s why this review cannot come at a more important time.”
The task force’s recommendations said Ms. Cohen Higgins, will culminate in a public report with proposed amendments for the 2026 ballot. The process, she said, is driven by the single goal of ensuring the charter serves the people of the county “fairly, effectively and equitably.”
Michael Valdes, assistant county attorney, explained that the task force took effect June 1 and is to operate 365 days, until May 31, 2026. No later than Nov. 4, the task force is asked to provide an “initial written report containing preliminary recommendations.” The final written report “containing all recommendations is to be filed no later than 14 days prior to the Board of County Commissioners’ first regularly scheduled meeting in April of 2026.”
The reason for this, he said, is as the resolution laid out, any proposed amendments to the charter must “undergo public hearings after the Board of County Commissioners considers those items, and there needs to be advance notice so that that information can be placed on the ballot prior to the November election, and so there’s significant advanced deadlines as to when charter amendments need to be approved by the Board of County Commissioners.”
The task force confirmed the next meeting will be Aug. 1 at the main library, as the commission chambers will be closed in August due to renovations.
