By the Coral Gables Gazette editorial board

The Coral Gables City Commission will take up the nomination of Kirk Menendez to the Planning and Zoning Board at its next meeting. It is an appointment with long odds, less because of qualifications than because of politics. The commission’s recent dynamics, layered on top of long-standing rivalries, make it difficult to see how Menendez secures the third vote needed for confirmation.

Commissioner Melissa Castro put Menendez’s name forward to fill a vacancy on the all-important Planning and Zoning Board. The nomination comes only a week after the commission voted to remove Sue Kawalerski from the same board, a rare dismissal. If Menendez is not confirmed, it would mark the second time in two weeks that one of Castro’s appointees has been blocked by the majority. One was removed mid-term; the other may be denied before taking a seat.

At the last commission meeting, Commissioner Richard Lara underscored the reality of the appointment process: board members serve “at the pleasure of the majority of the commission.” That majority has rarely shown patience for Castro’s choices so far, and the path for Menendez appears no different.

Mayor Vince Lago is unlikely to support Menendez’s nomination. During Menendez’s tenure as a commissioner, he was a consistent vote against the mayor. More recently, he mounted a campaign to unseat Lago in this year’s election. It is difficult to imagine the mayor voting in favor of elevating a political rival to one of the most influential advisory boards in the city. Commissioners Anderson and Lara have regularly aligned with the mayor, meaning a majority bloc is already in place.

That is the math. The more pressing question is what it says about the city’s approach to appointments.

Menendez is not an untested name. He previously chaired the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, gaining direct experience in the type of civic service that Planning and Zoning demands. He has been active in the city’s civic life for decades, with deep connections to institutions and organizations. That service record does not guarantee support, but it does establish qualifications that would normally merit fair consideration.

The risk for the city is that the process now looks less like a review of merit and more like a test of loyalty. Once upon a time, commissioners respected each other’s appointees even when they disagreed politically. The culture was one of “agreeing to disagree,” recognizing that qualified residents who volunteered to serve deserved the chance to contribute. Collegiality was once a governing principle, and it served the city well.

The current environment departs from that tradition. Loyalty and alignment with the majority appear to be the dominant qualifications, while experience and civic involvement risk being sidelined. That is a loss for the city. Boards such as Planning and Zoning work best when they include a range of perspectives, not when they are curated for uniformity.

The constructive path forward is clear. The commission should reaffirm that qualifications matter most. When a nominee brings experience, board service, and a record of civic involvement, that should weigh heavily in the decision. Political rivalries ought not to be the deciding factor.

Beyond recommitting to that tradition, the city could take a further step by codifying appointment standards. Establishing clear criteria—such as prior civic service, relevant expertise, and absence of conflicts of interest—would not bind commissioners’ votes but would set expectations. Clear standards would show residents that appointments are guided by principle, not politics. Such standards would also provide cover for commissioners to support nominees across factional lines without appearing to betray allies.

Planning and Zoning is one of the most consequential boards in Coral Gables. Its recommendations to the commission shape the physical and economic future of the city. Residents deserve a board that reflects competence, independence and civic dedication. The city suffers when the board becomes another arena for score-settling.

Menendez may yet win confirmation, but his chances are slim. But the more important point is what his nomination reveals about the current culture at City Hall. If the commission allows political animosity to outweigh qualifications, it is the city as a whole that loses.

Coral Gables has thrived for a century by combining vision with respect for civic institutions. Returning to a culture of mutual respect in board appointments is not just nostalgic—it is essential. Commissioners need not agree on every policy to agree that qualified residents deserve a place in service. That is how to strengthen boards, strengthen governance, and strengthen trust.