Jean Monestime
| Jean Monestime | |
|---|---|
| Chairman of the Miami-Dade County Commission | |
|
Assumed office January 1, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Rebeca Sosa |
| Miami-Dade County Commissioner from the 2nd District | |
|
Assumed office 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Dorrin Rolle |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Haiti |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Kettia Monestime |
| Children |
Darnell Clarence |
| Alma mater |
Nova Southeastern University (M.B.A.) Florida Atlantic University |
| Profession |
Real estate businessman Politician |
Jean Monestime is a Haitian-born American politician, real estate businessman and a member of the Miami-Dade County Commission since 2010. He is the first Haitian American to serve as a Miami-Dade County commissioner, as well as the first to chair the commission.[1][2] Monestime represents District 2 in northeast Miami-Dade County, which incorporates portions of North Miami, North Miami Beach and Biscayne Gardens, as well as the Miami neighborhoods of Little Haiti and Liberty City.[1][2]
On November 24, 2014, Monestime's colleagues on the Miami-Dade County Commission unanimously elected him as the body's chairman for a two-year term.[1] Monestime, who began his term as commission chairman on January 1, 2015, became the first Haitian American to chair to the County Commission.[1] He succeeded outgoing Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa, who remained a member of the County Commission.[1] The commissioners are officially nonpartisan, although Monestime is a member of the Democratic Party.[1]
Monestime emigrated from Haiti to the United States by himself when he was just 17-years old.[1][1] He didn't speak English until he arrived in Florida.[2] In 1981, he was hired for his first job washing floors in a doughbut shop for just $3.50 an hour.[2]
Monestime received a bachelor's degree in finance from Florida International University and a Master's of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University.[2] A licensed real estate broker, Monestime owns and operates his own real estate firm, Jemo Enterprises.[2]
On November 2, 2010, Monestime defeated incumbent County Commissioner Dorrin Rolle in an upset in the runoff.[2] Monestime won with 53 percent of the vote, while Rolle placed second with 47 percent.[2] Rolle had faced several ethics investigations at the time.[2] During the 2010 campaign, Monestime accused Rolle of emphasizing divisions and disputes between the African American and Haitian American communities.[2]
Montestime, who campaigned on a promise to revitalize District 2's economy, secured $126 million in county funds to provide new sewage hook-ups throughout Miami-Dade County, including a commercial district near Northwest Seventh Avenue, which had previously utilized septic tanks.[2] The Miami Herald called the funds the "biggest achievement" of Monestime's first term as a commissioner.[2] He won re-election for a second term in 2014 in a rematch with Dorrin Rolle.
In January 2016, Montestime announced that he would not run for Mayor of Miami-Dade County in the forthcoming, county-wide mayoral election.[3]
Jean Monestime is not related to Carmelau Monestime, a pioneer of Haitian radio broadcasting in South Florida.[4]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Mazzei, Patricia (2016-11-24). "County commission elects first Haitian American chairman". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Hanks, Douglas (2014-08-04). "In a rematch Miami-Dade commission race, Jean Monestime faces Dorrin Rolle". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
- ↑ Hanks, Douglas (2016-01-07). "It's official: Miami-Dade commission chair Jean Monestime won't run for mayor in 2016". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
- ↑ Cohen, Howard (2016-01-28). "Carmelau Monestime, Haitian civic leader, Creole radio station founder, dies at 84". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2016-02-16.