Target Identified

A battle over a shooting range speaks volumes about a commissioner's tactics

A A A Comments (12) By Francisco Alvarado Thursday, Jun 7 2007

Back in April 2003, Miami-Dade County Commissioner José "Pepe" Diaz attended an anti-cancer charity shoot at the Trail Glades Gun Range. It was a balmy, sunny day just east of the Miccosukee casino on the Tamiami Trail, and several dozen recreational shooters hurried through 200 target competitions. Most were members of the Club de Cazadores Cubanos -- a hunters group with a long and storied history.

Jacqueline Carini

Commissioner Diaz´s 600-yard range is bad news, says Miami physician and recreational shooter Manuel Abella (pictured)

Jacqueline Carini

Pepe Diaz's $12 million pet project goes here, says Abella

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Diaz approached Glen Bugbee, a big-bellied Fort Lauderdale resident whose company, Sporting Clays International, operated a target-shooting business at Trail Glades. The commissioner said he wanted to open a huge space for law enforcement to practice shooting at targets six football fields away.

"He wanted to know if I was going to use all the land [on the site]," Bugbee recalls. "I told him yeah, I needed it." Just a few days later, building inspectors descended and cited Bugbee for violations like exposed electrical wiring and using car batteries to power skeet-shooting machines. The harassment continued for months until Bugbee shut down in late 2004. "When I started, it was great," Bugbee remembers. "Everybody was behind me. But when Diaz decided he wanted the 600-yard range, it got really miserable."

Diaz, who is under federal investigation in an unrelated matter, did not return New Times's phone calls seeking comment or respond to an e-mailed list of questions. But his interference at Trail Glades, which has been the subject of two never-before-disclosed ethics complaints, give a good indication of how the five-year commissioner does business. He came up with a plan to close off part of the gun range (the county's only publicly owned target-practice facility) to sportsmen, spend millions in taxpayer dollars on the project, and destroy precious wetlands. In doing so, he bullied a private businessman (Bugbee) and likely overstepped his authority.

Located on civilization's western fringe, the 650-acre range serves about 3300 men and women each month. In 1997 the county contracted Bob Oliver, a retired Colorado businessman, to develop a course in sporting clays -- shooting clay pigeons catapulted by machines -- on sixteen acres on Trail Glades' west side. Three years later, Oliver sold his business to Bugbee, who added two more courses, 45 covered shooting stations, and 97 sporting clay launchers. During the four years he ran the course, Bugbee attracted tournaments such as the Florida State Shoot and the Caribbean Cup.

Shortly after the 2003 charity shootout, Diaz, an avid marksman since his days in the U.S. Marines, met with parks officials and shared his idea for developing the 600-yard range, which could be used by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to train their marksmen. The Park and Recreation Department hired consultants to incorporate the commissioner's idea into plans to renovate the long-neglected, poorly funded shooting facility. Then, on November 2, 2004, voters approved eight million dollars to fix Trail Glades as part of a bigger bond issue.

But the consultants determined it would cost the county another $14 million to implement Diaz's plan. The public wouldn't be allowed -- presumably because the new range would require high-powered sniper rifles. Moreover, the Miami-Dade Planning and Zoning Department in early 2005 ruled the 600-yard range didn't conform to the county's master plan, and that it would have a negative impact (lead contamination from spent bullets) on nearby wetlands. The Miami-Dade Environmental Resources Department, the South Florida Water Management District, and the Army Corp of Engineers have also raised the issue of lead contamination.

Yet last year the county spent $1.9 million to buy almost 20 acres that will be used as a buffer zone. Diaz continues to champion the range.

The commissioner's proposal has outraged some Trail Glades users. "Here is a guy who sits on the Everglades Restoration Committee, and he is pushing a shooting range that is going to have a negative impact on the Everglades," says Miami physician Manuel Abella. "[Diaz] has acted with impunity while exponentially raising the cost of the range's redevelopment."

Back in 2005, an anonymous citizen complained about the commissioner's meddling. In a follow-up probe, investigator Karl Ross (a former Miami Herald reporter) learned that the parks department hired Miami engineer Clark Vargas in 2004. Vargas soon worked up a design that placed the long-bore range on Trail Glades' westernmost fringe, close to Krome Avenue.

Administrators didn't like that plan. An errant bullet might hit a passing motorist. So they had to come up with something new.

And this is where things get hazy.

According to assistant County Park and Recreation Department director Howard Gregg, Diaz contacted his boss, parks director Vivian Donnell Rodriguez, about the project. The commissioner, Gregg claims, suggested Richard Whiting, president of the West Virginia NRA, to design the new course. Rodriguez then ordered Gregg to hire Whiting. "Some people recommended, through commissioner Diaz, that we get Dick Whiting down here," Gregg told Ross during an April 19, 2005 interview.

If Diaz directly contacted Rodriguez, it would violate the county charter, which prohibits commissioners from instructing county bureaucrats on which private contractors to hire.

But Rodriguez denied chatting with the commissioner. She said she learned about Whiting through a recreational shooter, possibly Miami businessman and Diaz friend Raul Mas. "It may have been Mr. Mas," the director claimed. "I think Mr. Mas spoke to the commissioner. I can't recall."

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dante 04/29/2009 6:03:00 PM

Pepe Diaz is a Crook, First in Sweetwater, now Miami-D. Co. (Miami-Dade (3rd World) County) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reply to: comm-ebyh9-1141225957@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?] Date: 2009-04-26, 4:06PM EDT Why does PP Diaz's name keep coming up in these things. Last time it was with his friends the DeCespedes crooks. He is at every freebee function like the one featured in this story. Chauffered at our expense, even though he gets $800/mo for his escalade. No one has even mentioned who (we taxpayers) pays for the black luxury sedans that are used. What a pig. Check it out: When you're a Miami-Dade commissioner, danger lurks at every ribbon-cutting. Just ask Jose ''Pepe'' Diaz. His job is so perilous that he often leaves his county-leased Cadillac Escalade parked at home and, instead, has a gun-toting sergeant-at-arms deliver him to official functions. This happened at least 144 times in 2007 and 2008, at a hefty price to taxpayers. Diaz doesn't like the term ''chauffeur.'' ''They are there for our protection,'' he said last week. The sergeants-at-arms are sworn police officers who have been traditionally used to keep order at commission meetings. However, since 2006 the county has paid the officers at least $630,000 in overtime, most of it for driving certain commissioners around in ``dignitary vehicles.'' Sometimes they even escort commissioners on trips out of town. That might sound outrageous to taxpayers unaware of the hidden risks facing local politicians who dare to show their faces in public. In a memo last week to Commission Chairman Dennis Moss, Diaz maintained that the sergeants-at-arms ''ensure the safety of commissioners'' when they attend ``ceremonies, awards, presentations, political events, galas, etc. . .'' One example of such a combustible situation was the grand reopening of the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach last November. Accompanied by Officer Paul Hernandez, Diaz courageously attended the celebrations, which were crawling with glamorous celebrities and other suspicious characters. On the first night, Heidi Klum was slinking around with two dozen sullen supermodels from Victoria's Secret. Kate Hudson and Gwyneth Paltrow hovered menacingly in the shadows. Paris Hilton showed up late with her motley entourage, as did the brazen Mariah Carey. Meanwhile, unpredictable Martha Stewart was spotted on a spiral stairway, her intentions unknown. Despite these eminent threats, Pepe Diaz refused to be intimidated or run off. He'd gone to the Fontainebleau to represent the good citizens of Miami-Dade and, by God, that's what he intended to do. Late on opening night, long after other elected officials had Breathalyzed themselves and gone home, Diaz fearlessly held his ground. According to the logs, the commissioner's driver didn't clock out until 3 a.m. In fact, the records show that Officer Hernandez arose early the next morning, a Saturday, and put in another 5.5 hours squiring Diaz here and there. On Sunday the sergeant-at-arms was again stoically behind the wheel, this time for 12 hours. If Hernandez got paid the usual police overtime rate, he collected more than $1,500 for his eventful Weekend with Pepe. And there's no question that the officer did a superb job of protecting the commissioner from potential assailants. During all those Fontainebleau festivities, Diaz wasn't kidnapped, accosted or snubbed by a cocktail waiter. It's quite possible that nobody even recognized him, but remember: All it takes is one disgruntled voter, armed with a toothpick from a cheese puff. Still, some believe Diaz and other commissioners have a grossly inflated view of their own importance if they think they deserve personal drivers -- especially since the county already gives each of them $800 a month for auto expenses. Some commissioners, like Moss, drive themselves to public functions. But Diaz, Bruno Barreiro, Audrey Edmonson, Barbara Jordan and others frequently get chauffeured by a sergeant-at arms. One who has driven Barreiro, Rene Cortinas Lopez, made so much overtime last year that his pay jumped from $79,410 to $141,107. Another officer, Jorge Brito, earned $136,353. No one seems to know how often the commissioners are using drivers this year because, according to the lead sergeant-at-arms, ``There are no records being kept.'' However, Moss has cut back the number of officers working at the commission, and he promises to resume keeping logs of who's getting chauffeurred and how much it's costing. The chairman said the new system should reduce the overtime charges substantially. Last month he made a rule banning any of the 13 commissioners from using law-enforcement officers as ``personal chauffeurs.'' No wonder Diaz wants to call them something else. The man needs an armed driver because he's got ribbon-cuttings to attend, and you know what that means: Some fool running around with giant cardboard scissors. But Pepe will be there anyway, because that's how he rolls. Danger is his middle name, even when he's riding in the back seat.
highwater 05/26/2008 2:45:00 AM

Oh , did I mentioned that the old bastard is gone and how glad all the patrons are thats he's no longer a county paid employee who's only task was to ruin your vistit to the range? For those who never met the Bastard , you're lucky . Those who can relate ,know the level of crap this old waste of a county parks paycheck could generate. May he retire in some convelecant home for old bed wetters . Glad you're gone old timer,make sure you stay off of Krome when ridin your bike cause truck mirrors are a bitch at 50mph . And oh yeah ....dont come back!
Highwater 05/26/2008 2:18:00 AM

Some work's been done since this article was written. Hope the trend of improvemnets will continue . Another bit of good news is that the old grumpy bastard range officer that's been there forever is gone , good ridance cause that Sorry S.O.B ruined many a weekends for visitors . His not being there is the best thing thats happened to that range ever . I've complained to managers on several occasions with no results. Hope we never see that ......person ever again. Hope some day we see the 600yd range plus improvements on the skeet side as well. Happy Shootin
GM 09/24/2007 10:20:00 PM

Trail Glades needs to be open for ALL shooting sports and not just Clays. A 100-yard range does not fulfill the needs of shooters that want to use their long guns or that action shooters must use a range that is smaller than a tennis court for their matches. The article states that Trail Glades is 650 acres but does not state how many of those acres are dedicated to shooting sports other than clays. Is Trail Glades a Clays Only facility that somewhat tolerates the other shooting sports but places them in a sub par area for appearances sake? And then have a �shooter� Mr. Abella who complaining about developing a range for other shooters and its effect on the environment. This is a cheap shot and does nothing to eradicate the image of highbrow elitism that clay shooters have in the eyes of the rest of the shooting community. Mr. Abella should be careful about what he wishes because other people might have to consider the negative effect on the environment that clay shooters have and decide to shut down the range altogether.
Glenn61 06/11/2007 5:28:00 AM

Bravo Francisco Alvarado,,,I herd chatter about this issue but was woefully uninformed until I read your article. Been hitting the range on weekends since 1987..... I love going out shooting at Trail Glades even though it's been hurting in the maintenance department and the latest bunch of staffers are usually hostile and participate in a low level harassment of the patrons. I just put the problem off to the fact it's not a well paying job there working for Parks and Rec. I'll be out there punching holes in 1 inch black dots at 100 yards with my Bushmaster V-match heavy barrel,, unless it's raining.
Fred 06/09/2007 2:54:00 AM

After reading this post and article I phoned a friend who shot at the Miami club and has spoken in the past about the problems. He stated Miami has changed as has the politics. He has no doubt that the commissioner has put pressure on the parks department. The range is in his district. He further stated that when Mr. Bugbee began having problems with Dade county officials and he began getting notices of violations of county codes, the rumor was that the commissioner wanted his north course for his rifle range. Knowing the rumor, a couple of shooters had a meeting with the commissioner, parks director and manager. It is not my place to name the shooters. However, they are known and I believe what they have stated to other shooters. A meeting did take place in an attempt to save the sporting club. During the meeting the commissioner was confronted and asked specifically about the rumor of a 600 yard range. The commissioner, director and manager all denied any knowledge of a 600 yard range. It was later learned that drawing and plans for a 600 yard range had been drawn up 6 months earlier than the meeting they were all sitting in at that moment blatantly denying any knowledge of a 600 yard range! During this span of time is when the harassment began in earnest. Verbal approvals given to make additions to the courses and other building projects that were given the nod to proceed were now under fire and in question for possible code violations. The county stated he could not use extension cords to operate his trap machines, suggesting possible electrical danger to the public when the machines operate on batteries! They wanted the wires buried! They also stated that they wanted structural plans and now required permits for his shooting stands that had been in use already, for several years, and suddenly they also required electrical engineering plans for the 80 plus Promatic trap machines that had been in use without previous problems, for several years. Mr. Bugbee received and paid heavy fines in excess of $100,000 in an attempt to stay in business, but the harassment just got heavier. Another shooter, an attorney was helping Bugbee at no charge. He was able to remove some of the violations but it was obvious by that time that there was no hope of saving Bugbee�s operation, and that it was also obvious that the county wanted that property for its own use, and was using its influence and power to get Bugbee out. The sad truth is that after they succeeded in removing Bugbee and closing the sporting range, the EPA and DERM would not and will not permit a 600 yard range on the existing property so all the conniving and dirty tricks to get access to the land was for nothing. Nevertheless, the commissioner has refused for over 3 years to give up his pet project for the 600 yard rifle range, and by doing so, is stopping any refurbishing of the remainder of the park and the inclusion of a NEW sporting clays course, cowboy action shooting, and a new combat range by clinging to his personal agenda and using the power of his office to try a railroad through something that the majority of shooters never wanted! This is today�s Miami politics. They should fire or transfer the parks director and manger as they are just as guilty. As to the ethics violation cited in the article he had no knowledge. He furthered stated he doubts anything will come out of it as they are politicians also. Fox guarding the hen house. He stated Miami will not see sporting clays again anytime soon.
Fred 06/09/2007 2:53:00 AM

After reading this post and article I phoned a friend who shot at the Miami club and has spoken in the past about the problems. He stated Miami has changed as has the politics. He has no doubt that the commissioner has put pressure on the parks department. The range is in his district. He further stated that when Mr. Bugbee began having problems with Dade county officials and he began getting notices of violations of county codes, the rumor was that the commissioner wanted his north course for his rifle range. Knowing the rumor, a couple of shooters had a meeting with the commissioner, parks director and manager. It is not my place to name the shooters. However, they are known and I believe what they have stated to other shooters. A meeting did take place in an attempt to save the sporting club. During the meeting the commissioner was confronted and asked specifically about the rumor of a 600 yard range. The commissioner, director and manager all denied any knowledge of a 600 yard range. It was later learned that drawing and plans for a 600 yard range had been drawn up 6 months earlier than the meeting they were all sitting in at that moment blatantly denying any knowledge of a 600 yard range! During this span of time is when the harassment began in earnest. Verbal approvals given to make additions to the courses and other building projects that were given the nod to proceed were now under fire and in question for possible code violations. The county stated he could not use extension cords to operate his trap machines, suggesting possible electrical danger to the public when the machines operate on batteries! They wanted the wires buried! They also stated that they wanted structural plans and now required permits for his shooting stands that had been in use already, for several years, and suddenly they also required electrical engineering plans for the 80 plus Promatic trap machines that had been in use without previous problems, for several years. Mr. Bugbee received and paid heavy fines in excess of $100,000 in an attempt to stay in business, but the harassment just got heavier. Another shooter, an attorney was helping Bugbee at no charge. He was able to remove some of the violations but it was obvious by that time that there was no hope of saving Bugbee�s operation, and that it was also obvious that the county wanted that property for its own use, and was using its influence and power to get Bugbee out. The sad truth is that after they succeeded in removing Bugbee and closing the sporting range, the EPA and DERM would not and will not permit a 600 yard range on the existing property so all the conniving and dirty tricks to get access to the land was for nothing. Nevertheless, the commissioner has refused for over 3 years to give up his pet project for the 600 yard rifle range, and by doing so, is stopping any refurbishing of the remainder of the park and the inclusion of a NEW sporting clays course, cowboy action shooting, and a new combat range by clinging to his personal agenda and using the power of his office to try a railroad through something that the majority of shooters never wanted! This is today�s Miami politics. They should fire or transfer the parks director and manger as they are just as guilty. As to the ethics violation cited in the article he had no knowledge. He furthered stated he doubts anything will come out of it as they are politicians also. Fox guarding the hen house. He stated Miami will not see sporting clays again anytime soon.
Frances Gallogly 06/09/2007 2:24:00 AM

It is a shame what political in-fighting has done to the Trail Glades range. I used to drive or fly down annually from Connecticut to Miami to shoot at Glen Bugbee's Caribbean Cup. Several hundred competitive clay target shooters attended. We stayed at the Miccosukee and other nearby accommodations, ate at local restaurants and had a wonderful vacation. Each year the targets were set by a famous British clay target champion whom Bugbee brought in so we could enjoy a truly challenging competition. The range has been closed for several years now. Instead of going to Miami, I now attend competitions in Gainesville/Ocala and Ft. Pierce. The Miami community has lost a premier public sport shooting facility and a substantial tourism draw. What a pity!
Lawrence Reed 06/08/2007 9:03:00 PM

As a soon to be ex-employee of Miami-Dade Parks I for one can testify that this is business as usual here. We have many parks that the commisoneers hold onto like jewels in their hands to manipulate at re-election time or to repay political favors (i.e. Tropical, A. Earhart and many of the larger parks). Leadership is sorely lacking here as we are led by non-park professionals and being entrusted to execute a 400 million bond issue which already is costing a fortune in cost overruns and just plain less than experienced project managers overseeing and implementing changes which a very expensive and sometimes not part of the designers intention. This is having a negative effect within our department on all levels.
Al 06/07/2007 11:49:00 PM

As a long time Trail Glades user (25+ years), I would really like to see the park fixed up. I use all of what the park has to offer, from the handgun range to the shotgun and rifle. Most of the buildings are falling apart and the place looks terrible. But, what good would it do me to have a 600yd range if I can't even enjoy it. I am sure once it is built the police departments will take it over. Every time a freaking politician gets his/her hand in something they screw it up for everyone else. If there is $8 mil to spend, spend it on getting what is there already up to par and remodel the place. The only new thing I have seen there in years is the canopy over the handgun range. Even the stands are old wooded pierces cheaply repaired and not replaced.
Al 06/07/2007 11:49:00 PM

As a long time Trail Glades user (25+ years), I would really like to see the park fixed up. I use all of what the park has to offer, from the handgun range to the shotgun and rifle. Most of the buildings are falling apart and the place looks terrible. But, what good would it do me to have a 600yd range if I can't even enjoy it. I am sure once it is built the police departments will take it over. Every time a freaking politician gets his/her hand in something they screw it up for everyone else. If there is $8 mil to spend, spend it on getting what is there already up to par and remodel the place. The only new thing I have seen there in years is the canopy over the handgun range. Even the stands are old wooded pierces cheaply repaired and not replaced.
Al 06/07/2007 11:49:00 PM

As a long time Trail Glades user (25+ years), I would really like to see the park fixed up. I use all of what the park has to offer, from the handgun range to the shotgun and rifle. Most of the buildings are falling apart and the place looks terrible. But, what good would it do me to have a 600yd range if I can't even enjoy it. I am sure once it is built the police departments will take it over. Every time a freaking politician gets his/her hand in something they screw it up for everyone else. If there is $8 mil to spend, spend it on getting what is there already up to par and remodel the place. The only new thing I have seen there in years is the canopy over the handgun range. Even the stands are old wooded pierces cheaply repaired and not replaced.