The Times

2 TIMES/GUIDE Weekend of September 4/5, 1976

the sun shines on City Hall watchdog: That's one label, but he's been called less complimentary names

By EDWIN KNIGHT Staff Writer He has been called a Citizens' Advocate, a City Hall Watchdog and an Active, Concerned Citizen. Others, some in South Miami government, have given him other, less complimentary labels over the years. Who and what is this man, Bert Albert? And what prods him, at a time of life, age 71, when he could be lounging at his place in the Florida Keys or at home, to take up citizen causes and cry out, "Hey, South Miamians, look what's going on in city hall now." "It's simple enough," replies the tall, sharp-featured retired businessman. "We have a fine country and a fine city here in South Miami. And I feel that I am just paying my dues to the community. "I realize over the years that I have stepped on some toes, but many of those toes deserved to be stepped on. "I have no selfish motives, just deep concern with what is going on in city hall." Albert is not one of the city's long-time citizens or even one of the better-known ones. He realizes he comes on strong and concedes that he may have made some enemies along the way. It all began about nine years ago, he remembers, when he began to champion the causes of blacks in the Lee Park section of South Miami. Gone today are most of the shanties that were so prevalent then. And grown to manhood are the youths who longed for a place to shoot baskets and play softball on a diamond that was something other than a dust bowl. "I was the one who appealed to the city council for a recreation area for the blacks on that five-acre tract down there," Albert admits. His timing was right. Being an election year, the city council created Lee Park from a weed-patch in the heart of the city's black residential section. With success in this endeavor, Albert gained the confidence of the black ministers in Lee Park. He served somewhat as a spokesman for them in attempting to overturn years of tradition in the separation of the South Miami white and black areas. It was Albert who was asked by the blacks to serve as that community's spokesman in dealing with Little HUD in the creation of the massive Neighborhood Development Program which has already revamped much of Lee Park. And it was Albert who helped create the city's unique probation and rehabilitation department within the city's court. "I believe I look upon this as one of the most worthwhile of my accomplishments," said Albert. "'I realize that over the years I have stepped on some toes, but many of those toes deserved to be stepped on. I have no selfish motive, just deep concern for what is going on ...'" He has fought for higher pay for city police officers. He has advocated equal treatment for black officers within the police department and he has worked toward higher liability Insurance for city policemen "who should be compensated for taking the risks they do for South Miami's citizens." More recently, Albert was appalled when he learned that city officials, including City Manager Jack Present and Police Chief Sal Vizzini were facing a suit brought by the owners of a South Miami adult book store with the city having no provision for the payment of punitive damages. In an attempt to rid the city of the book store, Albert has spearheaded a survey of the citizenry to determine the moral climate in South Miami. Albert's present sights are set on the makeup and the means of voting on the city council. "It is undemocratic," Albert feels. "Mayor (Jack) Block, who I helped put in office, has the votes to do what he wants, and it's not good for the city." Bert Albert was the only South Miamian to attack the new city budget which goes into effect Oct. 1. The mayor's $2,500 expense account and $1,080 annual car allowance felt the full effect of Albert's wrath, as did the practice of the city paying for the mayor's wife to accompany him on out-of-town junkets. The effect: The city council has since passed a resolution prohibiting this practice, unless the council approves of the trip by vote. Many of the changes that Albert has worked for down through the years are in effect now. Others have been lost through bureaucratic bungling. "I'd like to quit all this business, but morally I can't," he reasons. "There are too many things that are wrong in city hall, and I just can't walk away from it."

No false alarm

Don't be alarmed at the sight of Coral Gables firefighters walking the streets with signs. They're not picketing for themselves, but soliciting from others to help raise cash to combat muscular dystrophy. Photos by ELIZABETH OWEN