At the July 15, 2025 City of North Miami Beach Government Commission Meeting, Commissioner Lynn Su used her Commission Report to raise serious concerns about equitable treatment, unprofessional conduct by the City Attorney, and the alleged leaking of internal information related to her initiatives.
We’re sharing her full statement, and the video of her remarks, so the community can stay informed and hear directly from one of its elected officials.
What was equally disturbing, however, was the behavior of some of her fellow commissioners. At least two elected officials were visibly disengaged during her report, one appearing entirely uninterested, the other distracted and inattentive. But perhaps most telling was the complete silence that followed her remarks. Not a single colleague acknowledged her concerns, asked a clarifying question, or offered even a basic response. The lack of professionalism and empathy was on full display.
This kind of dysfunction is not just disappointing, it’s unacceptable. When one commissioner publicly voices serious concerns about internal conduct within City Hall, the expectation is that others on the dais will take notice and engage. Each commissioner may occupy an individual seat, but together, they are entrusted to govern as one unified body.
If our elected leaders believe the public isn’t watching, or won’t hold them accountable for their silence and disengagement, they are sorely mistaken.
Read her full statement below, and as always, we welcome your respectful feedback.
Good evening, colleagues, residents, and staff.
This evening, I want to use my Commission Report to speak candidly and transparently about matters that have weighed heavily on me for several months. As someone who ran on a platform of openness, collaboration, and ethical governance, I believe it is my duty to raise these concerns. While I would prefer to address them privately, our form of government requires us to govern in the sunshine. For that reason, I feel compelled to bring these matters to light—professionally and with great humility.
Recently, I took the initiative to meet with a neighboring city’s mayor and their administration. As a new commissioner, my intent was simple: to build goodwill, introduce myself, learn from others, and seek ways to strengthen regional collaboration. No policy decisions. No private deals. Just professional outreach.
Before the meeting, I informed and invited our Interim City Manager to join me. He later called to say he would not attend, citing a legal opinion from our City Attorney, Mr. Geller of Greenspoon Marder LLP, advising against it. That alone raised questions. But what followed was even more troubling.
That same evening, I received a call from someone completely unaffiliated with our government. This individual somehow knew intimate details about my conversation with the Interim City Manager, internal legal guidance, unpublished resolutions, and even which commissioner I co-sponsored them with—none of which had been made public.
So I must ask:
• Why is someone outside this government privy to confidential legal matters?
• Where is the line between transparency and a breach of attorney-client privilege?
• How would someone not employed by the city have access to my schedule or internal communications?
• Is our City Attorney sharing privileged information externally? And if so, with whom?
If the answer is yes, it represents a serious breach of trust. At best, it compromises the integrity of our processes. At worst… I hesitate to imagine the implications.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated event. I’ve observed a broader pattern—one that raises concerns about fairness, professionalism, and whether all commissioners are being treated equitably.
Each of us was elected by our residents to represent their voices. That includes the right to place items on the agenda and engage in legislative dialogue. Yet too often, my requests have been met with resistance, delay, or silence.
Last month, I submitted my agenda items early—well ahead of the deadline. The City Manager’s office confirmed receipt and even identified staff support for each item. But when I followed up with the City Attorney to ensure they were moving forward, I was not met with collaboration—but with condescension and disrespect.
Though Mr. Geller issued a public apology at our June commission meeting, the behavior reflected a deeper issue: a lack of respect—not only toward me as a commissioner, but toward the residents I represent. And let me be clear: if any one of you on this dais were treated that way, I would stand up for you. I hope you would do the same for me.
Consider another example: Commissioner Jean and I co-sponsored a budget resolution last month. She later chose to withdraw it. In anticipation that it might not return, I asked that my original version be placed on the agenda. Instead, it was ignored—without explanation, discussion, or acknowledgment of my role as a duly elected official. That silence spoke volumes.
These are not procedural mishaps. This is a pattern—with real consequences. When some commissioners are supported while others are sidelined, whether intentional or not, the result is the same: fractured trust and diminished morale.
Residents have noticed. I’ve heard from many, and I’m sure you have too—concerned not just about policies, but about professionalism: unanswered emails, offhand remarks, inconsistent standards, and the troubling perception that our City Attorney at times acts more like a legislator than legal counsel.
They’ve also noticed the tone of our meetings: the dismissiveness, the lack of engagement, the figurative—and sometimes literal—disengagement from someone expected to guide us with focus and integrity.
We all came here to serve. To make a difference. To work with honor on behalf of the people of North Miami Beach.
So I ask you, my colleagues: If your proposals were quietly dismissed… if your meetings were undermined… if private conversations were somehow made public… how would you feel? Would you feel respected? Supported? Would you feel like your role as a commissioner was being upheld?
I am not asking for special treatment. I am asking for fairness. For professionalism. For transparency across the board.
And as we head into our discussion later this evening—where I will share additional concerns related to the City Attorney—I ask that we set politics aside and focus on what’s right for this city. Let’s reflect honestly: Are we treating one another with the same standards of respect and professionalism that we expect from those who serve us? Are we upholding the trust our residents placed in us when they elected us to lead?
Because the culture we allow is the culture we create.
And tonight, we have a chance to raise the standard.