Airport contractors big YMCA donors

 

LENGTH: 446 words

 

When the YMCA of Greater Miami held its annual black-tie fundraiser, contractors building Miami International Airport's North Terminal kicked in $110,000 -- more than a fourth of all donations.

 

The YMCA's vice president? Miami-Dade County Commissioner Natacha Seijas, whose votes have helped the same contractors bankrolling the fundraiser. The commissioner's daughter recently took a job at MIA -- reviewing construction budgets.

 

Seijas, airport and Y executives see no conflict.

 

''I do not benefit from whatever monies are recovered in the gala,'' Seijas said. ``They do not go to anybody but the children.''

 

Ben Wilcox, executive director of Common Cause Florida, said the arrangement raises perception issues: ``That's the victim here, public confidence.''

 

As vice president, Seijas played a key role in fundraising in the past. She said, however, that she did not suggest that any MIA contractors aid the 2007 fundraising gala.

 

''They have never received a request from me,'' she said.

 

Seijas has been an important voice on airport matters, for years chairing an aviation committee. In the late 1990s, she helped broker a settlement payment to the main contractor that supported the Y gala, Odebrecht Construction Inc., over a controversial parking garage.

 

Odebrecht is part of a joint venture finishing the $2.9 billion North Terminal and was main contractor on the $1.1 billion South Terminal. It partnered with Parsons Corp.

 

At the Y gala Oct. 20 at the Mandarin Oriental, Odebrecht was the ''Presenting Sponsor,'' donating $50,000. Parsons Transportation Group was a ''Tango'' sponsor, giving $25,000. Three more subcontractors donated another $35,000.

 

That $110,000 was a big chunk of the $416,592 in donations for Y scholarships.

 

A key force behind those payments is Gilberto Neves, Odebrecht's chief executive officer and new chairman of the volunteer YMCA board.

 

''If I thought there was a conflict, we wouldn't have done it,'' he said.

 

Neves said his family has been active with the Y for years. He joined the board in 2005 and said Seijas ''did not play any role'' in his rise.

 

Y President Alfred Sanchez said Seijas was a vital fundraiser when he was hired in 2002 -- but did not solicit MIA vendors this year.

 

In October, Seijas' daughter, Justina ''Tina'' Millán Clegg, was hired as a cost analyst in the Aviation Department, where she deals daily with project managers, contractors and consultants.

 

She had been chief development officer for the Miami-Dade Empowerment Trust, whose failed projects were the focus of Miami Herald stories last year. Clegg received sterling evaluations.

 

''She's very qualified,'' said MIA Chief Financial Officer Anne Lee.  "She filled the bill."'

Date: 1/14/2008 12:00:00 AM