The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 186

NEWS FEATURE I 4 4 If 4 A i if 4 9 fc 4 4 6 7 J' SHARING COCDO i 4 -it 4 -fc -v 2 6 A CW GRIFFIN Miami Herald Staf Politics has taken a new turn in those Democratic bastions of Northeast Dade the condominiums Since the death last year of a unifying many new factions and leaders have emerged Too many fear some in the party GETTING TOGETHER: Dave Samson president of Concerned Citizens of Northeast Dade confers with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lawton Chiles during an Oct 28 party unity breakfast sponsored by group at Turnberry Isle Country Club Condo groups should quit taking positions before the primary he said was a breach and there still is a Mishcon said always used to take the position help all these Democrats not make these early And she knew how to play the political game as good or better than anyone ever But candidates insist that they mind dealing with scores of potential power brokers where before they had to court only Ackerman you talk about condo leaders there are probably 25 to 50 who consider said Jeff Mell who is running US Rep William campaign like dealing with different leaders By ANGIE MUHS Herald Staff Writer fhen Buddy MacKay Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor wanted to excite the crowd at a recent condo breakfast at Turnberry Isle Country Club he knew exactly whose name to invoke of this started with Annie MacKay told the 800 cheering condo activists got to make this election a memorial to Annie For two decades Ackerman bossed Northeast In election after election she marshalled the 27000-plus votes into a bloc hungrily courted by politicians One election season when illness sidelined Ackerman voter turnout in the area plunged to half its normal level Since Ackerman died in May 1989 politics in Northeast Dade been quite the same No longer do the predominantly Democratic condo dwellers march to the beat of a single drummer Now activists and candidates say there are several leaders and a more politically aware constituency less likely to listen to one individual Moreover the leaders are more apt to split openly on issues and candidates condo population now is much more sophisticated and informed and not as likely to follow one said gubernatorial candidate Lawton Chiles the guest of honor at the Oct 28 unity breakfast The friction between the two largest condo groups the Concerned Citizens of Northeast Dade and the Northeast Dade Coalition reached new heights this year when each endorsed different slates for the Metro Commission Concerned Citizens has been around for about 15 years The Northeast Dade Coalition formed four years ago but became politically active only two years ago Both groups represent condo associations that can sway thousands of voters and both claim they have the real clout in Northeast Dade are listened to said Samson the Concerned Citizens president name of the game is votes and Concerned Citizens can deliver For its part the Northeast Dade Coalition points to its sweep in the September primary The political arm endorsed four winning Metro Commission candidates Sherman Winn Alex Penelas Mary Collins and Art Teele demonstrated significant clout by getting Mary Collins into the said Patricia Rogers-Libert president of the Northeast Dade Coalition our first time out it was really got lucky" Samson said power means Concern about divisiveness The divisiveness worries North Miami Beach Mayor Mishcon He says it will only weaken the Democratic Party in Northeast Dade think kind of Multiple Gone are the days when there were only three the little hand-held crib sheets that blanket condo areas at election time listing preferred candidates In time condo voters got cards from the Concerned Citizens of Northeast Dade the Joint Council of Aventura or Ackerman herself If there were differences among the three they usually worked out an agreement and produced identical slates Not this year "There were 32 palm cards floating around in this said Dave Samson president of Concerned Citizens of Northeast Dade least Ruby Steiner chairman of the Joint Council of public affairs committee said he knew of no more than 10 to 15 palm cards would never have happened with Annie Ackerman Steiner said know what magic the lady had but we all loved her and we all respected Many of the this cards contradicted each other For example two groups the Joint Council of Aventura and the Aventura-Tum-berry Civic Association recommended different candidates in every race but one In Ackerman's day the Aventura-Turnberry Civic Association even distribute palm cards Residents in North Miami Eden Isles condo received a palm card that confused them said Sherwood Shane the president Instead of specifying what group was making the endorsement it said only leaders of Northeast even know who it came Shane said are you supposed to think when someone gives you a palm card that even have a name" Independent endorsements One reason there were so many cards was that several condominium presidents decided to make endorsements on their own not realizing it might hurt the party Steiner said "I think it was a case of misunderstanding and getting cleaned up Steiner said Others are more skeptical North Miami Beach Mayor Jeff Mishcon a board member of the two largest Democratic clubs in North Dade said some condo leaders are trying to take place atmosphere we have a lot of people with egos" Mishcon said not looking for leadership looking to provide it battling among themselves We just have a lot of very big egos and hurting The situation prompted a meeting a few weeks ago with about a dozen condo activists and Metro-Dade Commissioner Sherman Winn to discuss ways to promote unity Mishcon said No one came up with any solutions he said DRUMMING UP SUPPORT: Rosalind Goeler left makes calls to voters from Democratic club headquarters in Northeast Dade 3 co co 30 CD CD 2 2 THE MIAMI HERALD SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4 1990 RICK McCAWLEY Miami Herald Staff THE TORCH PASSES: Evelyn Schengrund left a Concerned Citizens vice president was a close friend of legendary condo leader Annie Ackerman who died in May 1989 Here Schengrund shows a photo of herself with Ackerman and state Rep Ron Silver Starr because they all have unique personalities and priorities and Evelyn Schengrund a Concerned Citizens vice president and close friend of said that having condo residents getting more involved is a plus apathy is disappearing in the Schengrund said see more and more people taking an active But others like Mishcon say more people need to be active followers Annie Ackerman called the shots where the shots were You either agreed or were history and you almost need people like that Now like a dog sled with 10 lead dogs pulling in different a RICK McCAWLEY Miami Herald.