August City Hall: Audits, Artworks, and Annexation
At its only meeting in August, the Coral Gables City Commission:
Delayed Any Investigations
Deferred an item to direct the city manager to take the necessary steps to conduct a full forensic audit of all city transactions, partly to investigate claims by Commissioner Ariel Fernandez that city employees were making inappropriate purchases with city funds and claims by Commissioner Kirk Menendez of corruption within the city.
The issue is tied to another controversy: hiring an inspector general to investigate these same claims. That issue has been repeatedly postponed by Commissioners Melissa Castro, Kirk Menendez, and Ariel Fernandez, who claim the only proper way to do so is via the city charter, which could take roughly a year, but would be done procedurally. Mayor Vince Lago and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, meanwhile, think the issue should be a top priority of the Commission and should move forward now to restore residents’ trust in the city.
The discussion turned heated when Fernandez accused Lago of “attacking” himself and Castro by continuing to push for an inspector general, calling Lago “the politically violent person on this Commission.”
Unanimously Approved Public Art
Voted 5-0 to approve two public artworks: “Secrets That the Wind Carries Away” by Morel Doucet, which honors Black and Bahamian residents as part of the city’s centennial and will be installed IN the park outside City Hall; and a work donated to the Coral Gables Garden Club and installed at the Coral Gables Library by artist Xavier Cortada, which also seeks to celebrate the club’s centennial while simultaneously highlighting the importance of pollinators within our shared ecosystem.
Shut Down Annexation
Voted 4-1 to end the annexation process for Little Gables. Residents voted overwhelmingly (62 percent) in a nonbinding straw ballot on August 20 to not incorporate Little Gables into the city, citing concerns over the short-term cost of annexing and the stretching of city services. Mayor Lago, a longtime proponent of the long-term benefits of annexation (reduced crime in the area, more city resources), was the only dissenter.
Deferred Budgeting City Hall Repairs
Deferred a resolution sponsored by Vice Mayor Anderson to revise the city budget for more funding for structural repairs to City Hall, which needs renovations. Anderson’s plan included not filling certain positions scheduled to be added next fiscal year in departments like code enforcement and solid waste. Commissioner Castro vehemently disagreed with Anderson’s assertion that some of those positions were not necessary. The conversation went on for almost an hour, during which Commissioner Fernandez accused former City Manager Peter Iglesias and Mayor Lago of neglecting the up keep of City Hall.
“This building has been neglected for 13 years while you’ve been sitting here for 12,” the impassioned commissioner yelled, before drawing a comparison to the Surfside condominium collapse. He then made a motion to move all future City Commission meetings to a different location pending repairs on City Hall. Lago explained that repairs had to wait until the Building Services building was complete so that employees in that department still had an office while construction was ongoing.
The discussion continued for another hour, debating whether City Hall was safe to
occupy, despite a recent letter from a structural engineer saying it was structurally sound. After a break, the item was deferred until the next meeting.
Yes To The Parc Café
Voted 5-0 to authorize a five-year license agreement between the city and Bonjour Express Coral Gables, LLC for the operation of the Le Parc Café at the Coral Gables Golf and Country Club. Bonjour has been operating the café since November of last year. Sales and community reviews have largely been positive.
Reduced the Mayor’s Staff
Voted 5-0 to freeze the hiring process for a vacancy in the mayor’s office, to replace one of his aides who was promoted. Commissioner Fernandez, who sponsored the item, claimed the mayor did not need two aides, while the rest of the Commission only had one to share. In response, Mayor Lago showcased data from the IT department showing that all four commissioners had received a total of 907 calls in the last three months, compared to 920 to his office alone.
“There comes a point when you have to stop making excuses,” said Lago, appalled by the efforts of Fernandez, Menendez, and Castro to strip the mayor’s office of resources. In the end, he encouraged Anderson – his only supporter – to vote in favor of the motion. “Join the circus with me,” he said incredulously, as he voted in favor.
Listened To The Clock Update
Listened to an update on the F.P. Journe clock installation on Miracle Mile. Mayor Lago donated the high-end clock to the city for its centennial. Commissioner Fernandez has opposed the use of any city money to install the clock and reprimanded the mayor for scheduling its unveiling on Sept. 11. The mayor explained this was to accommodate the schedules of F.P. Journe representatives. Fernandez motioned to move the date of the unveiling, then accused Lago of disrespecting not only himself but the “residents who elected [him]” by calling him by his first name.
At this point, Vice Mayor Anderson
pointed out that Fernandez himself had called her by her first name and further disrespected her during the recent budget hearing – which, she said, multiple residents had spoken to her about. Fernandez withdrew his motion to change the unveiling’s date; Lago later changed it to Sept. 12.
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