Accountability in Pines

Neighbors, We just wrapped up our final City Commission meeting before the summer break, and I wanted to update you on the important decisions made, and how I’m continuing to fight for transparency, fairness, and affordability in our city.

We unanimously approved the charter school budgets for our seven campuses. These schools serve thousands of families across Pembroke Pines, and this $86-million investment reflects our commitment to maintaining excellence in education.

The city approved a renewed contract with Operations Management International (OMI) for utility operations. While I recognize the great work OMI has done, I pushed for a five-year limit to these kinds of contracts. Why? Because every contractor should be held accountable, and that means open, competitive bidding. I’ll keep fighting to ensure we don’t lock ourselves into long-term deals without proper transparency, excellent customer service, and verifiable cost savings for taxpayers.

When you elected me to be your city commissioner, you elected me to be an advocate for you, not only as residents but as consumers. I'm proud to be a consumer advocate. There are so many people in our community, especially our fixed-income seniors, who are already being pinched by inflation and home and insurance costs beyond what they can handle. What we need right now is to stand up for better deals from utility contractors and collaborate with private sector partners to ensure we have a fair and competitive procurement process.

I also supported the purchase of 70 acres of land near U.S.-27 that could be used for future municipal purposes. This job is about planning smartly and creating opportunity — not just for today, but for tomorrow.

Last week, the city of Pembroke Pines hosted its first Juneteenth celebration. I was proud to present at the city’s event last Friday and recognize this important moment in U.S. history.

Inaugural Juneteenth Celebration in the City of Pembroke Pines

Also this past weekend, we held the Mayor’s Kids’ Day event. It was a great opportunity to meet with families and children from across our city. The kids had a lot of fun, and I had a great time talking with all of you.

Mayor's Kids' Day

Stay safe, stay informed.

— Mike Hernández