January City Hall: New City Manager, Pedestrian Bridge, Streetlights, and More
At its first meeting in January, the Coral Gables City Commission:
NO SEARCH FOR NEW CITY MANAGER
Voted 3-2 to promote Deputy City Manager Alberto Parjus to city manager, effective Jan. 28. Former city manager Amos Rojas, Jr. decided to return to retirement, effective Jan. 27, and recommended Parjus be his successor. He initially intended to retire Feb. 28, but stepped down early to ensure a more seamless transition.
Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson recommended Parjus be appointed interim city manager while a search would be conducted for the best candidate. “Just because you have the right to do things a certain way doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do,” she said to her colleagues – Commissioners Kirk Menendez, Ariel Fernandez, and Melissa Castro – who voted for Parjus’ instatement. “We have a process that we should follow to have the best results for our residents… but when you bypass that system, it calls into doubt the qualifications of the person appointed.” She also suggested that the city manager should not be replaced until after the elections in April when three-fifths of the Commission may be replaced.
Commissioner Castro said a nationwide search would cost too much ($70,000 to $100,000) and take too long (up to six months). She pointed to the unsuccessful appointment of former Coral Gables City Manager Jim Beard, who was city manager for only one week in 2014, as to why a national search might not be effective. She also said that, historically, a majority of the city’s hiring comes from promotions of current staff.
Mayor Vince Lago, who had a contentious relationship with Rojas, voted against the hiring of Parjus for the same reasons as Anderson, though he did offer words of encouragement and congratulations, including a wish that they could meet and work well together. The same trio of Menendez, Fernandez, and Castro also voted 3-2 to appoint Menendez to negotiate Parjus’ salary and benefits package, a task that has traditionally belonged to the mayor.
NEW COUNTY OFFICE
Voted 5-0 to negotiate a lease agreement with the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector to open an office in Coral Gables that can offer services such as driver’s license renewals, motor vehicle registrations, local business tax and real estate payments, hunting and fishing permits, and potentially even concealed weapons permits and birth certificate issuances. The location of the office is yet to be determined.
UNDER THE UNDERLINE
Listened to representatives from the Underline and the city’s Waterway Advisory Board on the issue of a pedestrian bridge being constructed as part of the Underline project in Coral Gables. At issue was the height of the bridge at U.S.-1, which could hamper waterway users during high tide, especially with rising sea levels. The Board and members of the Underline project will meet at the next Water Advisory Board meeting to determine next steps before the first Commission meeting in February.
STREETLIGHT UPDATE
Listened to representatives from the Historic Preservation Board, the Landmarks Advisory Board, and Florida Power and Light (FPL) to discuss issues regarding streetlights in the city. At issue was the replacement of older streetlights primarily by the Granada Golf Course with new versions that lacked the character of Coral Gables. Though the original streetlights were not technically historic, they were beloved by preservationists. Unfortunately, FPL was unable to replace the same models, and the city has already signed a contract with the company, meaning it would be on the hook for huge sums if the project were to be scrapped. A final meeting between the parties involved will be held to try to find a resolution.
BIGGER AWARDS FOR POLICE & FIRE
Voted 5-0 to increase the award for the city’s Police and Firefighter of the Year from $500 to $5,000. This year, the increase will be funded through donations by LEAF (Law Enforcement and Firefighter Appreciation), though the city will take on the cost in successive years. The Commission also voted 5-0 to increase the amount of the Robert DeKorte Memorial Award, which honors police officers, from $500 to $5,000, with funds from the city manager’s budget.
SEPTIC TO SEWER UPDATE
Listened to an update on the citywide septic-to-sewer plan. Invitations to public meetings to discuss the plan and its associated costs will be sent to residents in the next few weeks. Community support will make it easier for the city to get grants for the project.
BILTMORE WAY DESIGNS COMING
Listened to an update on the Biltmore Way project. A preliminary design from a globally renowned architecture firm will be presented to the Commission within the next six months before it goes out to the public for community input. The goal of the project is to add trees to the street without losing parking.
TRAFFIC CALMING FRENZY
Discussed the installation of temporary speed tables, 17 of which have already been installed out of 30. Where permanent speed tables are installed, it will cost $4,000 to $7,000 to cut them to place sewer lines, which is why areas looking to convert to sewer are being prioritized for the temporary tables. Meanwhile, 52 permanent tables are being planned for installation, with that number growing due to resident requests.
CENTENNIAL CONCERT
Voted 5-0 to support Orchestra Miami to perform for the Centennial Concert Celebration at the Venetian Pool. Funds will be raised from the private sector as well as the general public.
GOLF COURSE IN GOOD HANDS
Listened to an update on the hiring of a greenskeeper for the Granada Golf Course. The new greenskeeper started on January 13 and has 16 years of experience working on golf courses and athletic turf fields.
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