It is a privilege to acknowledge the Honorable Jean Monestime!
Visionary, leader, businessman, and gentleman all describe Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jean Monestime. Since his election to the board in 2010, Commissioner Monestime has served with compassion, wisdom and tenacity and is focused and deliberate in his decisions. Although Monestime is of Haitian descent he, understands and embraces his role to serve all of
By Sandy Walker
the people of Miami-Dade County. The respect of his colleagues could not have been demonstrated stronger than electing him to serve as Chairman.
Jean Monestime is a man on a mission. His mission is to make a real difference in the lives of the people he was elected to serve. He serves with dignity, style and class. Monestime is strong when strength is required and he is calm when a sense of reserve better suits the moment
at hand. We have watched him hurt for the plight of the children, fight for the needs of families and embrace the frailty of the elderly.
In this edition of Born To Lead we are honored to honor him as a token of our appreciation of his service and resolve. Thank you Commissioner Jean Monestime! It is our prayer that God will continue to watch over you and your family for generations to come. BORN TO LEAD is published by The Gospel Truth Publishing Company. 11285 SW 211th Street. Suite 208. Cutler Bay, Fl. 33189 786-295-5596 www.thegospeltruthnews.com
Commissioner Jean Monestime strongly believes that there is no greater gift than the gift of service to others. Throughout his more than 30 years as a resident of Miami-Dade County, Monestime has worked hard to achieve the American Dream, becoming the first Haitian-American to serve on the Board of County Commissioners, where he has worked to expand opportunities for others, thus paving the way for future generations.
Monestime was first elected to represent District 2 on the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners on November 2, 2010. District 2 includes portions of the City of Miami, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Opa-locka, and the unincorporated areas of Liberty City, Biscayne Gardens and North Central Dade. He was overwhelmingly re-elected in August 2014 for a second four-year term, and in November 2014 chosen unanimously to serve as Chairman of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners for two years. On February 20, 2015 Commissioner Monestime was selected unanimously by municipal, school board, and commission colleagues to preside over the Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Governing Board.
Commissioner Monestime exemplifies an active life of service. He is a former City of North Miami Councilman and Vice-Mayor. He was a Delegate to the National Democratic Convention and later selected as a Florida Electoral College member for the 2012 U.S. presidential election, another prestigious and historic appointment!
Additionally, he is the President of JEMO Realty, Inc, a full-service real estate and insurance company, and JEMO Enterprises, LLC, a business consulting agency. Moreover,
he is a former Miami-Dade County Public School teacher and worked as an adjunct professor of management at the University of Phoenix, South Florida campus.
As an advocate for equal justice and economic development, Monestime has lectured and presented dozens of seminars. He has been a guest on several radio and TV programs on issues related to community leadership, business and financial matters, as well as local government and civism.
Among his extensive civic involvements, Monestime has served as a member of the NAACP, National Black MBA Association, Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition, the African-American NON-GROUP Coalition, Turner Tech High School Academy of Finance Board, Haitian American Political Action Committee, Little Haiti Optimist Club, the Society of Haitian-American Professionals and Entrepreneurs, the Florida Governor’s Haiti Advisory Group and the University and Community Zone Schools Advisory Committee. Commissioner Monestime has been an active member of Eden SDA Church since 1981, where he’s served as Head Elder and currently as Choir Director.
The Commissioner has an MBA from the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University and a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Florida International University. Mr. Monestime is also a graduate of the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
He is married to Kettia and they have two adult sons.
The door may read, “Office of Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jean Monestime, District 2” but enter and you will find a space alive with the ideas, concerns, interests, and lessons of the close to 200,000 residents served by Commissioner Monestime and the District 2 office. At the very top of our Organizational Chart, as Commissioner Monestime has always stressed, are the District 2 residents, businesses and stakeholders we serve.
The daily mission of Team Monestime is to strive to effectively deploy governmental resources toward the enrichment of life in our district and county, one person, one family, one neighborhood, one community at a time. To some, this may sound idealistic, but it is the core objective of this office. Commissioner Monestime believes this is attainable because we depend not on our own ability, but on teamwork, commitment, service, accountability, and the power of divine intervention.
I have great respect and admiration for Commissioner Monestime because he does not rest on past laurels. As the first Haitian American Commissioner and Chairman on the Board of County Commissioners, Jean Monestime takes to heart that there is no greater gift than the gift of service to others. His personal story of overcoming adversity has led him to foster a life of service.
In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Exemplifying an active life of service, Commissioner Monestime is a former City of North Miami Councilman and Vice-Mayor. He was a Delegate to the National Democratic Convention and later selected as a Florida Electoral College member for the 2012 U.S. presidential election, another prestigious and historic appointment!
For Commissioner Monestime, the office that he holds is not just a position but a way of life. Because of this, serving alongside him has become a lifestyle for his staff as well. His constituents have access to his personal cell phone because he wants them to know he is reachable. Even before the county had to adjust to life under Covid, he delivered food to homebound seniors. Now, he includes personal protective equipment (PPPs) with his deliveries. Mindful of the impacts of littering, he has been known to stop his car and pick up a fast-food container carelessly thrown out of a car window.
Watch him interact with his community and you will see that he is not doing these things out of obligation, but rather because he genuinely cares. Leading by example, he pushes us to embrace change and take on the challenge of meeting the needs of our community with a service driven, Christ-like heart (Matthew 20:28).
I have seen time and time again Commissioner Monestime mentor and encourage others to take on leadership roles in their communities. He is paving the way for future generations by seeking out opportunities to encourage diversity and inclusion. He believes to be truly impactful one must create a platform for others to emulate and even strive beyond one’s own accomplishments.
On January 14, 2019, Commissioner Jean Monestime changed the trajectory of my career by promoting me to Chief of Staff from Legislative Director, a position I held since 2015. This was quite an unexpected honor that speaks volumes to his character and generous nature. He looks to create opportunities for others beyond their sphere of influence. He believes wholeheartedly, “to whom much is given, much is expected.”
For Commissioner Jean Monestime faith and family are top priorities. He and his wife Kettia gather with friends and family each week at their home after church service. This is a special tradition that was started many years ago by Mrs. Monestime’s parents. It is a family routine that she has proudly adopted for her own family and circle of friends. Fellowshipping in this manner with different guests each week gives the Monestime’s an opportunity to stay connected with the people who are close to them. As time often gets in the way of maintaining meaningful connections, these gatherings are treasured by all who attend. The Monestime’s have been members of Eden SDA Church for 39 years and attending church service is not optional in the Monestime household. Their children were reared in a home with parents who demonstrated faith and commitment by actions and not just with words.
As an elected official Jean Monestime is laser focused and highly regarded by those he serves. Monestime’s leadership with the SMART Plan for transportation was a major accomplishment when he served as Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners. After visiting
and assessing several transit systems around the country he directed the Transportation Planning Organization staff to use some of the best elements of other cities to develop a plan for Miami-Dade County. City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez recommended that the local initiative be called the SMART Plan for Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit Plan. The SMART Plan is now the blueprint for the future of transit in Miami-Dade County.
Programs such as his Fit to Read and Community Clean Up Days bring him closer to the community. Fit To Read is a significant part of his literacy initiative for families. For the past six years this program has been a tangible demonstration of his efforts to improve literacy in his district. Each month Commissioner Monestime visits parks, libraries, nonprofits, etc. with scheduled sessions for him to read to the children. These reading sessions allow him to encourage the children while sharing his life story with them. They are introduced to the importance, value and fun of reading and are encouraged to read at home to their parents and siblings. Parents and grandparents are asked to share folktales as a way of expanding the appreciation of
creative thinking and cultural awareness. With the support of The Children’s Trust and other non profits this literacy initiative has been a great success. His commitment to youth is also demonstrated through his very successful summer jobs program that provides employment to high school students.
As a result of his very effective Summer Youth Employment Program Monestime is committed to seeking summer employment for high school students countywide by 2022. He is asking the Mayor to identify appropriate funding sources for youth employment as this would be of great benefit to students and their families.
When it comes to keeping his district clean Commissioner Monestime is all hands on deck. His Community Clean Up Days are designated to bring people together for the common goal of improving the safety, appearance and appeal of neighborhoods. Because of his efforts residents feel better about their surroundings and where they live. When there is a collective effort to work for the common good there is great progress.
Commissioner Jean Monestime has been a tireless advocate for the residents of District 2 ever since he was first elected to represent them at Miami-Dade County Hall in 2010. In our years together on the County Commission, I witnessed all the traits that make the Commissioner such an incredible leader and public servant. In addition to his expansive knowledge on the issues, the Commissioner also has a rare ability to find common ground with individuals of all backgrounds, life experiences, and political persuasions. I’m proud to work hard alongside the Commissioner to improve the lives of our constituents. Every day, I am thankful for his service to our community, and I know that the residents of District 2 and across Miami-Dade are as well.
“ here’s no greater gift than the gift of service to others”. This is a motto that Commissioner Monestime exemplifies. Working for the first Haitian American Miami-Dade County Commissioner and Chair gave me the opportunity to see firsthand his dedication and passion to serve a diverse district which he does with such humility and benevolence. Serving a diverse district comes with its challenges however he often says, “we should allow our diversity to strengthen our community instead of divide us.”
The past 10 years working with Commissioner Monestime to serve the residents of district 2 has been gratifying. I have witnessed many times when he would walk into a crowded room and goes out of his way to make everyone feel important no matter who they are. The joke in the office was he will give his last dime to anyone in need and will give yours away as well if you
were with him at that moment. He often speaks of always seeking ways to leave the person better than he met them.
Commissioner Monestime is an advocate for equal justice and economic development. He continues to work hard to expand opportunities for others by paving the way for future leaders. Commissioner Monestime has delivered for his district and has always done so with strong ethics and integrity. His vision as a public servant is to work hard for a better Miami-Dade and to always put the people first. He is a man of faith, when he enters his office, we all know he will need to spend a few minutes with God before he starts his day. It was an honor to serve the district 2 community with Commissioner Monestime and I will be forever grateful for the lessons learned.
“These needed changes to the Homebuyer Loan Program will make the dream of homeownership a reality for more low- and middle-income individuals in Miami-Dade County,”
The Miami-Dade County Commission unanimously gave final approval to an ordinance sponsored by Commissioner Jean Monestime to help more low- and middle-income individuals achieve the dream of homeownership.
The ordinance makes several improvements to the County’s existing Homebuyer Loan Program to facilitate its implementation. The Homebuyer Loan Program was created in 2015 by Commissioner Monestime to provide mortgage loan assistance to qualified low- and moderate-income individuals and families in the purchase of a primary residence. After its creation, meetings with members of the industry led to suggestions to make the program more workable.
The new ordinance makes the following changes to the program:
The income certification of applicants will be performed by an outside company selected through a competitive request for proposals process.
The income certification company and Certified Loan Officers will be able to charge industry standard fees and costs to either the County, applicants, or approved borrowers for
processing loan applications or qualifying borrowers for the County’s Homebuyer Loan Program. The County’s loan provided through the Homebuyer Loan Program will be a second mortgage loan in priority, subordinate to the first mortgage lender.
The Homebuyer Loan program will encourage homeownership in the County’s Vulnerability Ranked Eligible Block Groups by offering more favorable loan terms for Homebuyer Loans used to acquire homes in the County’s Vulnerability Ranked Eligible Block Groups.
Homebuyer Loans used to acquire homes in the County’s Vulnerability Ranked Eligible Block Groups will have a 1 percent compounded interest rate.
Homebuyer Loans used to acquire homes outside of the County’s Vulnerability Ranked Eligible Block Groups will have a 2 percent compounded interest rate.
“These needed changes to the Homebuyer Loan Program will make the dream of homeownership a reality for more low- and middle-income individuals in Miami-Dade County,” Commissioner Monestime said.
Sommer Davis, South Florida Real Estate Agent, Luxe Properties
