A Miami Beach Lifeguard tower. File photo by Richard M. Brooks

Swimmingly
Union Vice President Passes Swim Test, Union Claims City Commissioner’s Inquiry is Politically Motivated

By Lee Molloy

Two weeks after being ‘outed’ by City Commissioner Ed Tobin for failing to pass his annual swim test since 2007, Miami Beach Lifeguard Joseph Fisher, who is also the Vice-President of the local Communications Workers of America (CWA) union, finally made the grade on July 22.

“I can confirm that [Fisher] passed with flying colors,” Fire Chief Eric Yuhr told The Lead, adding that although Fisher is older now,“he’s always had a great stroke.”

In the City of Miami Beach, Ocean Rescue falls under the command of the Fire Department.  

Ocean Rescue Supervisor Scott Reynolds timed the annual 550-yard swim test. In order to pass, a lifeguard must meet the standards of the United States Lifesaving Association, swimming the 550-yards in fewer than 10 minutes.

Fisher’s time was 9 minutes and 15 seconds.

His testing came under scrutiny after Tobin requested his swim record from City Manager Jorge Gonzalez at the July meeting of the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee.

Local CWA President Richard McKinnon sent The Lead a statement in response to the July 17 article which revealed that for several years, Fisher failed or didn’t take his annual swim test. The article also investigated the un-codified standards of the Miami Beach Ocean Rescue.

The CWA “is very disappointed in Commissioner Tobin’s misuse of his official capacity as a Miami Beach Commissioner for what appears to be political retribution against Vice-President Joseph Fisher,” the statement says, adding the “inquiry occurred only after Joe spoke against the potential closing of three lifeguard stands on Miami Beach as a discussion item.”

However, in July, Tobin told The Lead that he had asked for the records because he wanted to “double check” Fisher’s swimming proficiency because, during a budget crisis, the city couldn’t afford to pay a lifeguard that “can’t swim.”

The CWA statement further states “Tobin’s claim that this is not political is transparently false,” asserting that Tobin only asked for the records because Fisher chairs Straight Talk, an Electioneering Communications Organization (ECO) that spoke out against Tobin during his 2007 election battle with former Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Gongora.

During that campaign, Straight Talk circulated a campaign flier accusing Tobin of an ethics violation for not disclosing the details of his business relationships with current commission candidate Fred Karlton. “Shame on you Ed,” says the flyer.

In response to Tobin’s request for Fisher’s records, the CWA statement echoed a similar position.

“Shame on you again, Commissioner Tobin,” it reads.

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