CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The golf superintendent for the city of Coral Gables was suspended after a veteran employee shot video of what he said were environmental violations that were committed under the superintendent's orders, according to city records.
John Hamilton, who was hired by the city in July to run the Granada Golf Club, allegedly directed employees to improperly dump fertilizer and to wash golf course machinery directly over storm drains, both of which present an environmental risk from pesticides and fertilizer and could lead to blockage of the drain.
Golf course mechanic Carlos Stadthagen, who previously served as interim superintendent for the golf course, told Local 10 that he shot the video of Hamilton doing so because it was "bad for the city." Stadthagen said he holds the pesticides license for the golf course, and could have been held responsible for the alleged violations.
"The place you're supposed to wash equipment is over grass where the earth acts as a natural filtration," Stadthagen said. "But for [Hamilton], it was an inconvenience to get your feet muddy and wet so he said to do it over the storm drain."
Stadthagen said when he told Hamilton, who doesn't hold a pesticide license, that it was improper, the superintendent scoffed.
"Basically, he just ignored it," said Stadthagen. "He said, 'Don't worry about it, nobody comes to check that anyway.' I said, 'They do come and check, and being that I hold the pesticide license, it's me who has to respond.' It goes against all ethics of what we do at the golf course."
The Granada Golf Club's agricultural waste permit, which is overseen by Miami-Dade Environmental Resources Management (DERM), explicitly prohibits equipment wash water from being discharged over storm drains. The permit is enforceable by civil penalties that can run as high as $25,000 a day, as well as criminal penalties that can carry a $500 a day fine, according to the permit.
Stadthagen filed a grievance in August, which prompted an investigation by the city's human resources department. According to city documents, Jessica Keller, the city's director of community services, also witnessed the illegal washing of equipment over the storm drain. Keller reported that when she questioned Hamilton about it, he responded, "If they don't catch you, it's not a problem."
According to the city documents, Hamilton denied during the investigation that he ordered employees to do anything improper and that instead, employees "all the sudden" began washing the equipment over the drain
When confronted by Local 10 last week, Hamilton refused to address the allegations. At the golf course during Local 10's visit, a DERM inspector was there investigating the environmental complaint filed by Stadthagen that also included allegations that Hamilton ordered staff to improperly dump fertilizer. That investigation is continuing, said DERM spokesman Luis Espinoza.
Two days after Local 10's visit, Hamilton began serving an unpaid, two-day suspension for violation of environmental regulations and for using "offensive, profane or abusive conduct or language" toward Stadthagen and several other employees.
Stadthagen said the city should have reported the environmental violations to DERM and determined whether a cleanup was necessary.
Coral Gables City Manager Pat Salerno -- who hired Hamilton and has been glowing in his praise of him in public -- refused to comment on the matter.