Just sixteen months after he was terminated in a surprise vote, Peter J. Iglesias has returned as Coral Gables’ city manager—reinstated by a newly configured commission seeking stability at the city’s top post.
At the May 20 meeting of the Coral Gables City Commission, Mayor Vince Lago introduced and led the motion to rehire Iglesias. The measure passed by a 3–2 vote, with newly elected Commissioner Richard Lara joining Lago and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson in support. Commissioners Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez cast dissenting votes.
Iglesias’ return—effective Friday, May 23—halts what would have been the formal appointment of Acting City Manager Jose “Joe” Gómez as the city’s fourth city manager in just 15 months. Instead, Iglesias, who served as city manager from 2018 until his termination in early 2024, is now back at the helm.
“For the challenges ahead, including the long-overdue renovation of City Hall, we need someone with institutional knowledge, professionalism, and a steady hand,” said Mayor Lago. “Peter Iglesias brings that.”
A return months in the making
Though the vote was formalized this week, signs of Iglesias’ return had been evident for weeks. The mayor invited him to the city’s induction ceremony in April and publicly praised his prior service. According to City Attorney Cristina Suarez, the request to prepare the agenda item for Iglesias’ rehiring came just a day before the meeting.
Published reports state Iglesias will earn $295,000 annually. Though Lago characterized the appointment as an “interim” decision, he also floated a timeline of up to 20 months—through the current budget cycle and beyond the 2026 municipal election. He also said he is open to a formal search process for a long-term city manager.
“Let’s do it right,” Lago said. “If we go out to search, let’s do it with professionalism, transparency and public input.”
Familiar face with complex legacy
Iglesias, a licensed engineer and veteran public administrator, previously served as the city’s assistant city manager before taking the top job in 2018. He was instrumental in projects like the Miracle Mile Streetscape, construction of the city’s new public safety building, fire station, and parking garage. He championed efficiency through digital integration, a concept he called “horizontal government,” aimed at unifying services through technology.
Before his Coral Gables tenure, Iglesias served as director of Building, Planning, and Zoning for the City of Miami, where he also oversaw IT operations and streamlined permitting processes.
Still, his management style had critics. In February 2024, he was dismissed by a prior commission in a 3–2 vote, led by Commissioners Castro, Fernandez, and then-Commissioner Kirk Menendez. They cited concerns about Iglesias’ communication with commissioners, favoritism, and his handling of certain personnel and procurement matters.
Old wounds, new division
Those tensions were on full display during the May 20 meeting.
“I’m in complete disgust,” said Commissioner Melissa Castro, who opposed Iglesias’ reappointment. “This body has preached about a national search, and now I’m hearing ‘let’s give him 20 months.’ It feels like a trap.”
She expressed concern that the decision was orchestrated behind closed doors, questioning when the item was added to the agenda and whether public input was intentionally limited. Suarez confirmed the agenda item was prepared on May 19 and finalized just before the May 20 meeting.
Commissioner Ariel Fernandez, who also voted against Iglesias’ reinstatement, said the city needs to move forward with fresh leadership, not return to a figure whose prior term ended amid controversy. “We need a path forward, not backward,” he said.
Still, the balance of power on the dais has shifted. The April election saw Commissioner Richard Lara win the seat Menendez, an Iglesias critic, vacated. Lara’s vote proved pivotal in reinstating the man whose firing he called “unceremonious” and one of the events that motivated him to run for office.
“One of the promises I made was to bring stability back to the city manager’s office,” Lara said. “Peter Iglesias never should have been fired the way he was.”
Message of stability—or regression?
Mayor Lago argued that Iglesias’ 2024 dismissal had a demoralizing effect on city staff and fractured trust in local government. “That termination was done in public without process, and it was shameful,” he said.
He also criticized the commission’s process of hiring Iglesias’ replacement, calling it less thorough than the hiring of lifeguards at the Venetian Pool. “That’s not how we hire the top executive in a $300 million city,” he said.
Iglesias’ reinstatement comes at a critical juncture. The city is navigating large-scale capital projects, including long-postponed renovations at City Hall, the possible revival of the Mobility Hub, and new questions over infrastructure funding.
His supporters argue that his experience will bring continuity and momentum at a time of flux. His opponents believe that Iglesias’ return signals a regression—one that undermines public trust and the city’s commitment to reform.
What comes next?
While the mayor and his allies have made clear that Iglesias’ return is meant to steady the ship, it also raises the stakes for the commission going forward. Key decisions on budgeting, infrastructure, and personnel are looming, and the expectation is now on delivery.
Lago, who secured reelection in April to a third term, has moved quickly to reassert his vision for Coral Gables. But this vote—like so many others so far—exposed the city’s political divisions as clearly as ever.
The questions ahead are numerous: Will Iglesias prioritize transparency and bridge the communication gaps that plagued his last term? Will the commission undertake a national search, as the mayor has proposed, or will this interim role become permanent by inertia?
One thing is clear: the city’s top post is once again filled—but the debate over how it happened, and what it means, is far from over.
This Post Has 12 Comments
As I predicted….Lago and the developers are now running the city. All that was needed was Mr Iglesias.You will now see grandiose projects coming our way!!!
Hard to believe the decision to bring back the person whose listed “successful” projects have all cost the taxpaying residents millions in costs overruns and delays, fact. The person whose grandstanding with the police union forced many of our law enforcement officers to leave the department in recent years, creating a shortage in police officers never witnessed before, fact. The person whose ego is to build the Futility Hub, a non-essential and self-serving project, fact. The person who is a guaranteed sellout to developers, fact. The person who kowtows to pressure at the expense of the City’s continued decay, fact. The person who will now be responsible for City Hall’s restoration when it was under his watch that all of the identified flaws were identified and not acted upon, fact. My fellow residents, in the last few years, we have seen plenty of bickering in the commission, with little to no beneficial results from the commission’s actions. All candidates, with no exceptions, promise change, however, as we continue to see, it is more of the same. You cannot win races when you race the same old, tired, insecure and self-serving horses. Empty storefronts on Miracle Mile and surrounding area are not indicative of success. Time for the residents of our city to wake up and instead of resorting to emotional “pot banging” episodes and appearances, that we step up and pressure all, yes, all of our commission and mayor, to focus on the business at hand, ours, not theirs. Time to bring the glass cleaner with vinegar to clear the fog of the lenses through which we have been seeing our commission and City Hall. What’s next? The Little Gables nightmare? Yes, this is not, remotely, the same City Beautiful that we moved into, as it is allowed to continue to decay of our city. It is up to us. If allowed, they will get away with what we allow.
People voted for chaos and got just that. The Developers have won and those that didn’t vote, in this past election, will now know why it’s so important to do so. This is the craziest thing this Mayor & Vice Mayor have done thus far. Iglesias was the Developer’s best friend and, just like that, he’s back. “Corruption Rules in Coral Gables” should be the heading of this article and Commissioner Lara is the Mayor’s puppet.
How can you say that Iglesias was a developers best friend?..I’m a developer and contractor in Coral Gables and dade county and when Iglesias ran the building dept he was a nightmare to deal with ..He nit picked every little bit of engineering we submitted and me and my engineers would have to meet with him all the time…Ask any contractor that remembers when Peter iglesias was running the building dept ..They all hated him…So what your saying about him being a developers best friend is absolutely false and wrong..
When he was in charge of the building departments, he was in a professional capacity, not in a political position, as he is now and prior as a city manager. Then, he did not have to count 3 votes, rather just follow the code and do the job. Now he counts to 3 every commission meeting. Now he has more people to respond to, all of which are politicians with donors who donate to play. Plain and simple, two different roles in two different scenarios. When you are a political appointee, you cease to be yourself. He has ceased being himself.
After reading this article, I am no longer opposed to bringing Mr. Iglesias back as city manager for 20 months, which is what the article says was decided upon by the commission, so that a thorough search can be made for a replacement at the end of that time period. I was very disappointed at Ms. Anderson’s vote in favor of this because I had hopes that she would become the new swing vote on the commission and actually show backbone and independence (I am still disappointed in her lock-step votes with the mayor since the end of our election cycle, and it will likely cost her my vote in the next election. I expected better, Ms. Anderson, and I am sorry that I put your sign in my yard). That aside, I trust that this will be a 20 month job for Mr. Iglesias and that a replacement will be brought in so that the city can put the bad blood of the past 2 years permanently into the past and move forward for the benefit of all residents.
Welcome Back, Peter!
Although many thought you were ready to enjoy retirement, the way you were treated by KFC was not how our City usually works and bringing you back will allow a period of months to stabilize management of City and then begin a national search for your replacement. That is fair to you and to our residents/City!
Thanks for saying yes to your return as you do not need the job!!
by the way Iglesias is no friend to the deveopers..Who ever says this is absolutely wrong and has no idea what they are saying…I’ve been a developer and contractor for 35 years and I had to deal with Iglesias when he was the chief building official and he was a nightmare to deal with…he would nit pick all the engineering we would submit and we would have to have meetings with him with my engineers…If anything, hes a developers worst nightmare…Ask any contractor that had to deal with him when he was working as the chief building engineer…They will tell you ,he was a nightmare…
When he was in charge of the building departments, he was in a professional capacity, not in a political position, as he is now and prior as a city manager. Then, he did not have to count 3 votes, rather just follow the code and do the job. Now he counts to 3 every commission meeting. Now he has more people to respond to, all of which are politicians with donors who donate to play. Plain and simple, two different roles in two different scenarios. When you are a political appointee, you cease to be yourself. He has ceased being himself.
We the people clearly told you two
terrible leaders, NO INGLESIAS!!! What does Lago and Anderson do the minute they get power back. They bring back the worst city manager we have ever had. i am so disgusted at how you two have run this city down. Inglesias wasted our money. Many lost support for his position and should not be allowed back in. You work for us but you self serving autocrats seem to forget that. You have disgusted many.
Happy to have Eng. Iglesias back! At least for a few months, we’ll have educated professionalism in the Manager’s Office. Welcome back!
Welcome back Peter! The gall of a hypocritical commssioner to mention “decisions orchestrated behind closed doors” who should be reminded of their own decisions regarding commissioner pay raises, car allowances, and the proposal to hire the Miami Dade Aviation Director during the SAME MEETING that Iglesias was fired. I have one word – KARMA!!!!!