Coral Gables Magazine Best of the Gables 2024 Issue

Editor’s Note: The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

This is one of the most fun issues we do each year, because we get to write about the best things in a city filled with best things. We have such an embarrassment of riches here, with culture, refinement, and beauty everywhere.

Well, not exactly everywhere. The blemish on the rose has been the relentless demise of decorum at City Hall, where an alliance of three commissioners now rules with increasingly unhinged decisions and bad behavior.

If you don’t follow city politics, here is the scene: in April of last year, Commissioners Ariel Fernandez and Melissa Castro were elected with a historically low voter turnout. Fernandez, whose snarky Gables Insider blog continually attacked city policies, was determined to overturn “the establishment.” At his first commission meeting, he tried to fire the city manager, but was foiled by the swing vote of Commissioner Kirk Menendez, who was initially opposed to Fernandez’s election. (Castro, elected on Fernandez’s coattails, follows his lead on most votes.)

Then, something changed. Menendez was joined by Fernandez and Castro 3-2 to give themselves a 100 percent pay raise, with no public notice and despite opposition from Mayor Vince Lago and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson. Ever since, Menendez has voted with Fernandez and Castro — including switching for a shameful 3-2 vote to oust highly competent City Manager Peter Iglesias. No reason given.

The shameful 3-2 votes continued, most notably with the hiring of current City Manager Amos Rojas, Jr., a retired federal marshal with no background in civil administration, finance, or municipal construction projects. Nada. Instead of a nationwide search, Rojas was nominated by Fernandez and voted in the same day, with no vetting. Why? To end the “cesspool of corruption” at City Hall, declared Menendez. Rojas has since uncovered no corruption — and done little else, except leave work daily at 3 pm and collect a $300,000-a-year salary.

Which leads us to the latest bizarre 3-2 by the troika. At the June City Commission meeting, they voted against hiring an inspector general to investigate corruption. Instead, they deferred that hire until the city charter is revised, more than a year from now. Why? Neither Fernandez nor Menendez answered our query. Our guess? That an investigation would find no merit to their baseless charges.

As for continuing damage to the city, here is the latest: With an arrogant claim they could do a better job representing the city than the mayor in the city’s annual pilgrimage to secure state funding, the troika went to Tallahassee and brought back… zero. Last year, Mayor Lago and Vice Mayor Anderson brought back a record $3.48 million. The worst of times, indeed.

Catch up on all the happenings at City Hall and more by reading our Streetwise section.