The Coral Gables City Commission will convene on Tuesday, May 20 at 9 a.m., with a high-stakes agenda that includes determining the city’s next permanent manager, debating budget direction for the upcoming fiscal year, and reconsidering millions in capital spending previously promised to one of the city’s key parks.
The meeting will take place at City Hall, 405 Biltmore Way, and will be the first full regular session since the April 22 runoff created a new governing majority.
Who will run city government?
Highlighting the agenda is a discussion and possible action on the future of the City Manager role, following the May 6 resignation of Alberto Parjus, who held the position for just over three months. Deputy City Manager Joe Gómez has stepped into the role on an interim basis.
Mayor Vince Lago, who sponsored the item, is widely seen favoring bringing back former City Manager Peter Iglesias but also has recently given Gomez complements publicly. Commissioners are expected to debate next steps at the May 20 meeting.
Tax cuts, trash fees on the table
Two fiscal proposals, both with potential long-term implications, are also set for discussion:
- An item calls for staff to draft the FY 2025–26 budget with options for a 1% or 2% millage rate reduction—effectively a property tax cut.
- An item, proposed by Commissioner Ariel Fernandez, would eliminate the city’s annual solid waste fee, a charge that has drawn persistent criticism from homeowners.
Both measures reflect the Commission’s shifting stance on cost-cutting and public perception, as newly elected and returning members seek to distinguish themselves on fiscal discipline.
Reallocation of park funding proposed for city hall work
Another Lago-sponsored resolution seeks to reallocate $7.1 million in unspent capital funding from the Phillips Park project to the City Hall restoration, projected to cost up to $60 million and take five years.
The move would redirect roughly 75 percent of the park’s total allocated budget, without a clearly defined replacement plan. Community advocates have expressed concern that the proposal prioritizes administrative facilities over neighborhood recreation. The improvements were going to include, among other things, a place with equipment installed for children with disabilities in cooperation with Blind Soccer USA and pickleball courts. The original Phillips Park improvement plan was approved as part of the city’s Capital Improvement Program for FY 2025–2029.
Other items of note
While budget and leadership questions dominate the agenda, several other items are scheduled for discussion:
- A resolution to acquire a Frank Stella sculpture for Ponce Circle Park, using $2 million from the city’s public art fund. The piece would be incorporated into the park’s long awaited redesign.
- A proposal to adopt an ordinance limiting public comments to a single portion of future meetings, rather than allowing input before each agenda item—a potential shift in how residents interact with their local government.
- A resolution to begin community outreach on moving future city elections from April to November. The change would require voter approval at a future referendum.
- Board Appointments and Charter Committee Updates: Commissioners will also make appointments to several city boards and consider changes to the makeup and term structure of the Charter Review Committee.
Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting or submit comments in advance. The agenda, supporting documents, and instructions for public participation are available here.
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All the nonsensical resolution and ordinance agenda items are placed to distract residents from the red flags…such as taking $7.1 million from Phillips Park (and facilities for disabled children plus pickleball courts) to use toward funding the restoration of City Hall! That’s a $60 million dollar project which should have been addressed over a decade ago, but wasn’t. It’s now a decade more deteriorated, and the restoration costs have increased exponentially.
Didn’t Lago and our former, former, former city manager say money had been allocated in the budget for the repairs to City Hall? Where did that money go? Or did it never exist?
Lago also says “City Hall is safe.” Followed by “City Hall has always been safe.” Yep, is that what all the shoring indicates? It’s always been safe?
The lunatics are running the asylum.
The last commission meeting was the “Revenge Tour” as Vince and his pocket votes reversed the decisions made previously that his Lordship mayor disagreed with. The most egregious reversal was taking time and voice from residents at commission meetings. I thought the need for civility was amongst the commission members, not against residents who disagreed.
This coming meeting on May 22 is the “Petty Agenda.” He is taking money from a pet project of a former commission member just because he can but he is doing a disservice to the residents that use this park. He is removing a vocal Charter Review committee member that disagreed with him yet this committee has finished its work is about to be disbanded until a new one is seated in 10 years or so.
Anybody else notice that Vince now talks about “the residents and business community” in one breath? Businesses don’t elect mayors but they sure do donate $$$$ to campaigns.
RESIDENTS PAY ATTENTION!
By the way, where’s the clock? It’s been gone for at least 2 weeks.