Note from Aesop: Today's post is an op-ed from Gonzalo Sanabria, a longtime and highly engaged resident of Coral Gables. This piece reflects Mr. Sanabria's personal views on the ongoing discussion about our city's management.
As longtime readers know, I'm committed to providing a platform for diverse voices in our community and am happy to publish competent op-eds from readers of all perspectives.
On February 27th, 2024, the Coral Gables Commission meeting turned into a circus of corruption and cronyism. In a brazen display of political maneuvering, Commissioner Ariel Fernandez, backed by his co-conspirators Melissa Castro and Kirk Menendez, orchestrated a coup that would make Nicolás Maduro blush.
The Ambush
While the Mayor and Vice Mayor naively proposed a resolution to find a qualified city manager through proper channels, Fernandez and his cronies had other plans. In a move that reeks of backroom deals, they ambushed the proceedings to install their puppet, Amos Rojas, as the new Coral Gables City Manager.
Let's be clear: Rojas has ZERO experience in city management. None. Zilch. Nada.
The Shocking Facts
Hold onto your wallets, Coral Gables taxpayers, because this is going to hurt:
Fernandez, Castro, and Menendez voted to pay this unqualified crony a whopping $1,000 PER DAY!
That's more than ANY previous, actually qualified city manager ever earned.
No public notice. No other candidates. No background check. No interviews. Just a blatant power grab.
The Great Coral Gables Robbery: A Salary Comparison
Brace yourselves for this infuriating comparison:
2009: Pat Salerno (Qualified) - $598.63/day
2014: Swanson (Qualified) - $702.05/day
2018: Peter Iglesias (Qualified) - $804.79/day
2024: Amos Rojas (Unqualified) - $967.12/day
And that's not even including the golden parachute of benefits they're surely hiding!
Qualifications? What Qualifications?
Previous City Managers: Decades of municipal experience, masters of operations, fiscal wizards, development gurus.
Amos Rojas: A Bachelor's in Criminal Justice and a stint as U.S. Marshal. That's it. That's the resume of the man now running our beloved city.
The Votes Are In: Corruption Wins 3-2
Fernandez, Castro, and Menendez rammed through this travesty with a 3-2 vote, trampling over the objections of Mayor Lago and Vice Mayor Anderson.
This isn't just bad governance; it's a slap in the face to every Coral Gables resident and a flagrant violation of HR rules.
The Fallout
Word on the street? Rojas is a nice guy who's in way over his head. He's delegating everything because he doesn't have a clue about city management. Meanwhile, he's laughing all the way to the bank with OUR money!
Call to Action: Let's Fight Back!
It's time to make our voices heard:
Demand restitution from the inflated salaries of Fernandez, Castro, and Menendez.
Insist on immediate action to undo this colossal blunder.
Flood their inboxes:
Ariel Fernandez: commissionerfernandez@coralgables.com
Kirk Menendez: kmenendez@coralgables.com
Melissa Castro: mcastro@coralgables.com
Ask them point-blank: Why did you violate proper procedures? Why hire an unqualified crony? How do you plan to fix this mess and repay the city?
The future of Coral Gables is at stake. We won't stand idly by while our city is run into the ground by incompetence and corruption.
Rise up, Coral Gables! Our beloved city deserves better!
Yours in Outrage,
Gonzalo Sanabria
Fighting for the Soul of Coral Gables
Op-Ed: Coral Gables' Ongoing City Manager Fiasco is the $1000-a-Day Blunder That Keeps on Giving