Miami-Dade School Board · District 1

Two Terms

The night of March 26, 2025, and what came after. About 2 minutes. Turn your sound on.

On March 26, 2025, Councilwoman Katrina Wilson sponsored an item that would have put a special election on extending Miami Gardens term limits from two terms to three. The council never voted on it, and two weeks later the mayor said there would be no item for a third term.

Watch in Spanish →

Vote Tuesday, November 3. Miami-Dade County Public Schools, School Board District 1 runoff.

Transcript

Her words and the mayor’s are from the city’s meeting video. The video plays them in the order shown here. On the tape, the first line below comes later in the meeting than the next four.

Katrina Wilson (March 26, 2025) “Yeah, uh-huh, walk out. It’s tough now, ain’t it?”

Narrator Miami Gardens, you remember this night.

Narrator In March 2025, Katrina Wilson was in her second term. She put a special election on the agenda to allow a third. News reports said it could cost up to $200,000.

Katrina Wilson “I’m not suggesting that the third term means that I think that I should have a third term.”

Narrator If that’s not the case, then how did this meeting turn into a fiasco?

Narrator Dozens of residents came to speak against it. This is what she said to them.

Katrina Wilson “I don’t think that two people, five people, or 30 people ought to have the right to speak for 180,000 people.”

Katrina Wilson “I wanted you to feel for just one moment what you’ve done to me.”

Katrina Wilson “…it is unconscionable that many of you would behave in the way that you are doing.”

Katrina Wilson “Because everywhere you show up, it gets to be ugly. Because your politics is ugly.”

Katrina Wilson “You are not gonna lie on me, little girl.”

Katrina Wilson “Karen. Karen. Karen.”

Voice from the gallery “Stop being a bully.”

Katrina Wilson “No, you’re the bully, big girl.”

Narrator The vice mayor called a recess. Police officers came into the chamber. The council never voted on it.

Narrator Two weeks later, the mayor said this.

Mayor Rodney Harris (April 9, 2025) “There’s no item on tonight for a third term, and there will be no item brought for a third term.”

Mayor Rodney Harris (April 9, 2025) “We are not going to display what we displayed again.”

Narrator At that same meeting, Katrina Wilson said this.

Katrina Wilson (April 9, 2025) “I am not proud, and I don’t think it’s cute at all. I was, um… and, and, and feel embarrassed by my own behavior.”

Narrator Unfortunately, Councilwoman, we’re still embarrassed.

Narrator Now that a third term is off the table, she resigned to run for School Board.

Narrator Is this the character we want with our teachers and families?

Narrator, end card On November 3, vote to stop the embarrassment.

What the record shows

The city charter says: “No person may serve on the Council for more than two consecutive terms.” Miami Gardens City Charter, Sec. 2.3(E). Municode.
Katrina Wilson was first elected in 2018 and was in her second term after re-election in 2022. The Miami Times, via WLRN, Apr. 3, 2025. Article; Source [10].
March 26, 2025, agenda item 13.1, sponsored by Councilwoman Katrina Wilson: a special election in 2025 on a charter amendment to extend term limits for the Mayor and Council Members from two consecutive terms to three. The city attorney reads the item and says it is sponsored by her. City of Miami Gardens agenda packet, Mar. 26, 2025, memo 25-047 (city agenda archive); city meeting video at 2:00:09.
“A special election could cost up to $200,000.” The packet itself says the fiscal impact was “to be determined.” The same article reports that Wilson said putting the question on the 2026 general election ballot would cost up to $6,000. The Miami Times, via WLRN, Apr. 3, 2025. Article; Source [10].
Dozens of residents opposed the resolution. The Miami Times, via WLRN, Apr. 3, 2025 (article); Hy-Lo News, Mar. 27, 2025 (article).
“I’m not suggesting that the third term means that I think that I should have a third term.” Her words on the dais. City meeting video, Mar. 26, 2025, at 2:01:24.
The other lines from her that are quoted in the video, in order: 2:02:20, 2:04:46, 2:06:22, 2:06:41, 2:06:51, 2:07:38 and 2:07:56. City meeting video, Mar. 26, 2025.
Vice Mayor Robert L. Stephens III chaired the meeting and called a recess. The sergeant-at-arms tried to restore order and police were called in to assist. The meeting did not continue, and the resolution was never voted on. The Miami Times, via WLRN, Apr. 3, 2025 (article); city meeting video, recess at about 2:07:44; city minutes archive.
April 9, 2025: Mayor Rodney Harris says, “There’s no item on tonight for a third term, and there will be no item brought for a third term.” He also says, “We are not going to display what we displayed again.” City meeting video, Apr. 9, 2025, at 0:19:40 and 0:20:04; Hy-Lo News, Apr. 12, 2025 (article); Source [11].
At the same April 9 meeting, Wilson says: “I am not proud, and I don’t think it’s cute at all. I was, um… and, and, and feel embarrassed by my own behavior.” City meeting video, Apr. 9, 2025, at 1:41:49.
She resigned from the Miami Gardens City Council to run for Miami-Dade School Board District 1. The runoff is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The Florida Trib, Aug. 19, 2026. Article; Source [12].

Questions and answers

What happened at the Miami Gardens council meeting on March 26, 2025?

The council took up item 13.1, sponsored by Councilwoman Katrina Wilson. It would have put a special election on extending term limits for the Mayor and Council Members from two consecutive terms to three. Dozens of residents opposed it. Katrina Wilson and a resident clashed, Vice Mayor Robert L. Stephens III called a recess, and police were called in to assist. The meeting did not continue, and the council never voted on the item (The Miami Times via WLRN, Apr. 3, 2025).

What does the Miami Gardens charter say about term limits?

Section 2.3(E) says: “No person may serve on the Council for more than two consecutive terms.” Katrina Wilson was first elected in 2018 and was in her second term in March 2025.

How much would the special election have cost?

The Miami Times and WLRN reported on April 3, 2025 that a special election could cost up to $200,000. The agenda packet said the fiscal impact was “to be determined.” The same article reports that Wilson said putting the question on the 2026 general election ballot would cost up to $6,000.

Did Katrina Wilson say the third term was for herself?

No. On March 26, 2025 she said on the dais: “I’m not suggesting that the third term means that I think that I should have a third term.” The item covered the Mayor and all Council Members.

What did the mayor say on April 9, 2025?

Mayor Rodney Harris said: “There’s no item on tonight for a third term, and there will be no item brought for a third term.” He also said: “We are not going to display what we displayed again.”

What did Katrina Wilson say at the April 9, 2025 meeting?

She said she was not proud and felt embarrassed by her own behavior. In the same remarks she also said she apologized because she believes everybody deserves to be heard. She later resigned from the council and is running for Miami-Dade School Board District 1. The runoff is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.