Hialeah's $45,000 farewell to Bovo: When public money pays for private parties

Miami Herald

2 days ago

'Hialeah first, Hialeah always.'
That was the slogan proudly displayed at the four-hour farewell luncheon for then-Mayor Esteban 'Steve' Bovo on April 25, held at the Milander Center for Arts and Entertainment — a city-owned venue typically reserved for public gatherings and cultural exhibitions.
But at what cost? It came straight from the pockets of Hialeah's taxpayers.
Public records from Hialeah's city clerk show that the city spent over $45,000 on the farewell party. For comparison, the median annual household income in Hialeah is just over $53,000.
The send-off was anything but modest, drawing 350 guests from across Miami-Dade's political spectrum, including council members, commissioners, mayors, and other elected officials — but the public was not invited. The event featured an elaborate ice sculpture and custom mug sets emblazoned with Bovo's personal logo.
The expenses of the farewell party included $20,250 for Brazilian grill catering and $8,015 for decor such as navy blue Capri linens, gold charger plates, napkins and elaborate floral centerpieces. Another $7,155 went toward printing, lighting and additional decorations. The city also purchased 350 custom espresso cup and saucer sets for $4,667.50 and paid $1,500 for a deluxe espresso and cappuccino bar staffed by two baristas. Seating and table settings, including gold Chiavari chairs and dinnerware, cost $1,620. The rental for decorative plants, including 30 areca palms, 20 ferns and 20 silver bays, was $1,080, and $745 was spent on one ice sculpture, with Bovo's seal: 'Hialeah first, Hialeah always.'
The event's expenses were never brought before the City Council for a vote or formal approval. Several council members privately expressed surprise and discomfort to the Miami Herald upon learning that the city had spent more than $45,000 on a farewell party for the departing mayor. However, none were willing to comment publicly, reflecting the reluctance of local politicians to openly criticize controversial decisions in a city governed by a strong-mayor system.
More than a month after the Miami Herald requested public records on April 29, the city has yet to provide documentation identifying which department authorized the event or which municipal budget the funds were drawn from—leaving taxpayers with more questions than answers. It remains unclear whether Bovo personally approved the expenditures for his own farewell or if a department director acted on his directive.
The Herald requested comment from Bovo and the city's current chief operating officer, Ismare Monreal — who previously served as Bovo's chief of staff — but neither responded.
Under Hialeah's protocol as a city with a strong-mayor government, any expenditure must be authorized by the mayor, the finance management director and the purchasing director after the department directly involved requests the money — in this case, the director of the Division of Special Events, which operates under the Parks and Community Engagement Department.
The farewell was framed as a tribute to Bovo's nearly 30-year political career and his early — and for some, unexpected — departure from office. Bovo stepped down seven months before the end of his first mayoral term to join Corcoran Partners, a lobbying firm reportedly offering 'way more' in compensation. As mayor, Bovo earned a $150,000 annual salary, along with a $40,000 expense account.
Bovo's career in public service began in 1998 when then-Mayor Raúl Martínez, a Democrat, helped appoint him to the Hialeah City Council—marking the beginning of his long tenure in elected office.
Though once political allies, that alliance is long over. Martínez criticized the farewell party in sharp terms: 'If city money was used to celebrate a mayor who didn't complete his term and whose performance was mediocre, it amounts to a robbery of the taxpayers,' he said. 'Those who supported it are complicit in misusing public funds.'
Although Bovo repeatedly told the Herald that he had no intention of leaving for another position, he ultimately departed early when a more lucrative opportunity arose, leaving Hialeah in a state of political uncertainty. His early exit created a power vacuum that has yet to be resolved. Interim Mayor Jacqueline Garcia-Roves, now in her first month in the role, has struggled to lead the City Council toward appointing someone to temporarily fill her former seat. Meanwhile, the race to succeed Bovo is already heating up, with several council members and Miami-Dade Commissioner René Garcia vying for the office.
Before leaving, Bovo received a reimbursed retirement benefit of $44,594, despite a decade-old rule in Hialeah prohibiting retired elected officials from collecting retirement benefits while holding office. The City Council amended the rule in March—just one month before Bovo publicly announced his departure. Although Bovo officially announced on April 7 that he would leave office on April 27, the Herald had broken the news in February. The council unanimously approved the amendment unanimously, making it retroactive to October 2021 —one month before Bovo was elected mayor — effectively lifting the restriction.
An interesting side note to the cost of the farewell party: It was more than the $44,000 annual salary of a Hialeah council member earns.