A democracy cannot thrive when participation is measured by endurance.

Coral Gables’ first regularly scheduled City Commission meeting after the April election stretched 12 hours, with only a brief 15-minute lunch break. It was not an emergency session, nor was it held to deliberate a once-in-a-generation policy decision. Yet the May 20 agenda, stuffed with ceremonial proclamations, complex deliberations and political undercurrents, kept commissioners, staff and a few brave residents in chambers well into the evening.

Everyone deserves kudos for stamina—but public governance should not be a test of it.

To be clear: this is not a criticism of the work done. Commissioners discussed important issues and made some difficult decisions. They came prepared and staff remained professional and diligent. But no policy outcome justifies a meeting length that borders on unmanageable. These ultramarathon sessions compromise decision-making, discourage resident engagement and exhaust the people tasked with serving the public.

The commission can—and must—do better.

There are three practical, constructive reforms that could immediately restore order, dignity to commission meetings:

1. Impose reasonable meeting limits.
City Commission meetings should be capped at four to six hours, with a hard stop or continuation rule. Routine proclamations should be handled in separate ceremonies or trimmed significantly. Ceremonial goodwill is important, but so is the public’s ability to stay informed without sitting through half a day of government proceedings.

2. Delegate more to city staff.
Commissioners are elected to guide policy, not debate landscaping minutiae or manage individual tree relocations. City staff—highly qualified, deeply experienced—should be trusted with implementation details. When the commission is debating one tree for nearly an hour, something is structurally off.

3. Raise the standard of debate.
Calls for decorum, dignity, and respect are well-worn refrains in City Hall. But when commissioners then engage in passive-aggressive barbs or politically loaded speech, those calls lose credibility. The dais sets the tone for civic engagement across Coral Gables. Every elected official should model the mutual respect they demand from residents and staff.

Yes, residents expect robust debate and passionate views. But they also deserve clarity, efficiency, and outcomes that reflect thoughtful deliberation—not physical and mental exhaustion. Lengthy meetings hinder transparency, especially for working families, retirees, or small business owners who cannot sit through a 12-hour livestream. They also risk burying critical decisions deep into the late hours, when attention wanes and emotions run high.

Some might say that this is a sign of hard work. But no professional meeting—corporate boardroom, nonprofit board, or legislative body—would ever allow this as standard operating procedure.

And yes, the April election reshaped the balance of power but a process problem remains. This isn’t about bloc politics. It’s about how Coral Gables governs.

Mayor Vince Lago has reasserted his priorities swiftly since his reelection, from rollback proposals to capital reallocations. This is an opportune moment to lead by example and restore order to the commission’s procedural norms.

Leadership isn’t measured by how many items you can rush through in one sitting. It’s measured by how well you listen, how thoughtfully you act—and how responsibly you govern the public’s time.

Let’s be honest: 12-hour meetings are madness. Unfortunately they’ve become the norm in Coral Gables. City government must be accessible, intelligible and effective. That starts with meetings the public can follow, commissioners can sustain and staff can support.

Coral Gables deserves better. And the people working hardest to serve it—commissioners, staff, and residents alike—deserve a process that works just as hard for them.