By Jorge Casuso

September 22, 2020 -- City Councilmember Gleam Davis has asked the City Attorney whether she should recuse herself from voting on the Miramar project the Council will consider Tuesday night.

Davis' husband, John Prindle, has been a high ranking official for eight years with Dell Technologies, whose founder and CEO Michael Dell owns the Miramar through his private investment firm MSD Capital.

After the issue was raised by Sheri Martini, Davis told the community activist in an email that she had "elected to ask the City Attorney for an opinion and I will abide by it."

In an email to Davis Saturday, Martini, who opposes the project, raised the issue.

"Clearly since Michael Dell and his company MSD Capital, are the majority owners of the hotel," she wrote, "it would be a conflict of interest for you to vote or otherwise try to influence anyone -- one way or the other -- regarding the Miramar property."

In her email, Martini notes that Prindle lists himself on LinkedIn as the Global Account Manager for Dell Technologies.

"Gleam, this is really important," Martini wrote. "These types of things are what make people distrust politicians, rightly or wrongly."

Davis responded in an email the same day.

"I understand your concern and that is why I asked for an opinion from the City Attorney," wrote Davis, who is running for re-election in November.

Davis, who is an attorney, contends her family does not stand to benefit financially from the Council's approval of the Miramar expansion.

"A conflict arises when my decision as a Councilmember might lead to a financial benefit to me or my family," Davis responded. "Dell is a publicly traded company; it is owned by shareholders -- not Michael Dell.

"My husband’s compensation from the subsidiary of Dell is determined by the managers of the publicly traded company," Davis wrote.

"Private investments made by Michael Dell’s family do not, in any way, play a role in determining my husband’s compensation. So my family does not have an economic interest in the outcome of the Miramar decision."

It is unlikely Davis' possible recusal would impact the fate of the Miramat project, which has been in the planning pipeline for ten years.

The Planning Commission last week voted 6 to 1 to recommend approval of the 500,000 square-foot redevelopment project ("Planning Commission Urges Council to Fast-Track Miramar Redevelopment," September 14, 2020).