Miramar delays vote on hiring firm to collect unpaid resident debts
Without comment, Miramar city commissioners on Wednesday night pulled from discussion a proposal to hire a law firm to help collect overdue fees and fines from residents.
The item had been scheduled for a vote as part of the city’s March 18 consent agenda — typically reserved for routine measures approved in a single motion — but was removed by Mayor Wayne M. Messam before commissioners began their meeting.
First reported by the Miramar News on March 17, the measure would have marked a more aggressive step by the city to recover unpaid debts from residents and property owners that have lingered on the city’s books.
The item could be brought back for consideration at a future meeting.
The measure would have authorized the city to hire The Belony Law Group, a Miami-based firm, to pursue unpaid code enforcement liens and other past-due balances, including debts that have remained unresolved for years.
Under the proposed agreement, the firm would have handled collections and litigation, if necessary, and would have received 20% of any money it recovered. The city would not have paid hourly legal fees but would have reimbursed approved litigation costs.
City officials had described the effort as a response to a “critical need” to more systematically address delinquent accounts and enforce compliance with city codes. It’s unclear how much the city is owed. A request by the Miramar News for the city to reveal the amount has not been answered.
The proposal targeted long-standing unpaid liens — often tied to property violations — as well as overdue invoices that had not been resolved through standard administrative processes. Miramar’s plan reflects a broader practice across Broward County, where cities frequently rely on outside attorneys to pursue difficult-to-collect debts. It appears the city had not hired outside representation for collections in the past.
Municipalities such as Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Pembroke Pines have used similar arrangements, often paying firms a percentage of recovered funds to minimize upfront costs.
Code enforcement liens can accumulate daily fines and grow into large balances, sometimes requiring legal action to resolve. For now, the future of Miramar’s proposal remains uncertain.
