{"id":3099,"date":"2026-06-24T23:04:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T23:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southfloridamovingguides.com\/?p=3099"},"modified":"2026-06-24T23:04:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T23:04:11","slug":"legal-issues-mounting-against-north-miami-beachs-new-city-manager","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southfloridamovingguides.com\/?p=3099","title":{"rendered":"Legal issues mounting against North Miami Beach\u2019s new city manager"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. \u2014 The city manager of North Miami Beach is facing mounting legal challenges just a few months into his role. <\/p>\n

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A whistleblower who said she was fired without due process is speaking to Local 10 News about what happened regarding NMB City Manager Darvin Williams, who was previously fired by the city of Opa-locka for similar complaints.<\/p>\n

Kerlyn McHenry said several staff members are working in fear.<\/p>\n

She had served as interim director of public works for the city of North Miami Beach, where she was known as process-driven, methodical, and, according to a letter of recommendation, \u201cinnovative and results-driven\u201d and \u201chighly respected,\u201d which is why she says she was stunned when she was suddenly demoted, then fired, after flagging a series of procurement and accounting concerns for Williams. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt alluded to capital funds being misappropriated, which is not a true statement at all, and so once I forwarded that to the manager, of course within hours police officers as well as HR was at my door,\u201d she said. \u201cI was pretty scared, I didn\u2019t think that it was warranted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael Pizzi is McHenry\u2019s attorney who, on Monday, sent the city a notice of their intent to sue.<\/p>\n

\u201cA violation of the Florida Whistleblower Statute, abuse of power, and a variety of other violations of federal, state, and local statutes,\u201d said Pizzi. \u201cRight now, the city of North Miami Beach, Ms. McHenry, and other employees are really being terrorized by the new administration.\u201d<\/p>\n

Court records show Williams is a named a defendant in other suits, including a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by a former North Miami Beach employee who claims she was terminated without due process.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a fear zone,\u201d said McHenry. \u201cEveryone\u2019s afraid of Darwin Williams in the city of North Miami Beach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams hasn\u2019t been with the city very long, formally installed in February.<\/p>\n

Before that, he was with the city of Opa-locka. <\/p>\n

In early-February, two days before he was formally sworn-in, Opa-locka\u2019s Commissioner Natasha Ervin spoke in front of the NMB commission. <\/p>\n

\u201cAfter giving Darvin Williams a contract, everything went awry,\u201d said Ervin. \u201cDarvin terminated employees without due process. He even terminated one employee while he was away fulfilling his duty as an Army reservist. After firing Darvin Williams, it was discovered that he opened 17 bank accounts in the city\u2019s name at a financial institution that we don\u2019t do business with.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In a memo dated on June 17, Williams told the mayor and city commission that in March, he assumed \u201cadditional responsibilities of interim chief financial officer.\u201d<\/p>\n

In May, Ervin filed a defamation suit against Williams claiming he falsely accused of her a crime when she moved to hold him accountable. She is also represented by Pizzi.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the city of North Miami Beach commissioners had simply done a Google search, they would have known that this is what was going to happen,\u201d said Pizzi. <\/p>\n

Local 10 News reached out to Williams for comment but he had not replied as of the time of this story\u2019s publication. <\/p>\n

NMB Mayor Michael Joseph, who was the only \u201cno\u201d vote against hiring Williams, released a statement to Local 10 News. <\/p>\n