By Coral Gables Gazette staff
Fireworks went off at Wednesday’s Coral Gables Commission meeting as Mayor Vince Lago and former Commissioner Kirk Menendez renewed animosities during a tense debate over whether Menendez should be appointed to the city’s influential Planning and Zoning Board. Menendez and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson were elected to the commission in 2021 and served with Lago for four years, a shared history that gave the clash extra weight. Menendez, who lost the 2024 mayoral race to Lago, was once an ally of the mayor and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson before regularly siding with Commissioners Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez in 2023 — a shift that helped define today’s split on the commission.
Castro nominated Menendez, but in what appeared to be an unprecedented step, a majority of commissioners refused to confirm the appointment, citing allegations that Menendez, while serving on the dais, had sought to influence City Manager Peter Iglesias to approve zoning changes benefiting property he owned — charges they said raised concerns of self-dealing and public trust. The vote also followed last month’s removal of Castro’s previous Planning and Zoning appointee, Sue Kawalerski, in a 3-1 decision that critics said reflected tensions over board appointments.
Menendez pushes back, raises new allegation
Made to wait more than five hours before speaking, Menendez took the podium to defend himself and offer explosive counterclaims. He said any zoning discussions with Iglesias occurred before he was elected and that his later vote to remove the manager in 2024 stemmed from other issues, including Iglesias’s uneven treatment of commissioners. Menendez said he had initially urged Iglesias to remain for two or three months to ensure a smooth transition and only supported dismissal after months of delay and strained relations.
Menendez then leveled a new charge: that intermediaries once tried to arrange a “bribe” to win his backing for one of Lago’s key initiatives — moving city elections from April to November. He said he was warned the offer would surface at a particular meeting, so he canceled it and informed the mayor that he knew the people involved.
Lago immediately asked City Attorney Cristina Suárez to refer the matter to the State Attorney’s Office for review.
Mayor and manager respond
Iglesias rejected Menendez’s account, saying he never suggested he wanted to leave his position and was “stunned” by the former commissioner’s statements. Lago pressed Iglesias to outline why he believed Menendez had pressured him to up-zone parcels tied to Menendez.
Menendez countered that the commission’s concern “was not that I would be influenced by developers, but that I was not going to be influenced by developers.”
Commissioners cite ethics, stability, and tradition
The decision to block the appointment — an action commissioners said was virtually unheard of — set the stage for a contentious debate over ethics, precedent and the city’s political history.
Anderson said the record surrounding Menendez raised doubts about seating him on the board. “We have to be very thoughtful and competent with who we place on the Planning and Zoning Board,” she said. “It shakes at the core of our ethical requirements if there is even a perception someone used their office to benefit themselves.”
Commissioner Richard Lara, generally aligned with Lago, pointed to a need for stability: “I’m looking for a sense of steadiness and transparency,” he said. “Under the circumstances, with these allegations and the ongoing conflict involving the Youth Center board, this does not advance stability.”
Castro defended her choice and criticized colleagues for discarding a long-standing courtesy. “For nearly a century, commissioners have respected each other’s appointments,” she said. “To deny mine — and of all people, a former commissioner — is unprecedented and deeply troubling.”
During sharp exchanges, Castro apologized to Menendez for how the process had unfolded. “You don’t deserve this treatment,” she said.
Vote and aftermath
When the roll was called, Menendez’s nomination failed, leaving Castro without her appointee for one of Coral Gables’ most powerful advisory bodies. The outcome highlighted rifts on the dais and lingering unease about Menendez’s past disputes with city staff. Before stepping away from the podium, Menendez offered a parting shot: “You have to feel sorry for anyone so consumed by hatred and anger that they lose their way down the abyss,” he said. It remains to be seen whom Castro will nominate next to fill the vacant seat.
You have to feel sorry for anyone so consumed by hatred and anger that they lose their way down the abyss.”
Commissioner Kirk Menendez
Youth Center dispute rekindled
The confrontation spilled into another long-running controversy: the city’s effort to obtain records from the War Memorial Youth Center Association, which Menendez leads. The nonprofit controls city property under a reverter clause requiring that it remain a youth center. Lago argued the association has “insulted the city” by refusing to turn over requested financial documents. Menendez said the group has acted within its rights and should remain independent.
This Post Has 13 Comments
Mayor Vince Lago of Coral Gables.
Seeking a LAW TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF AS DICTATOR OF CORAL GABLES!
If someone accuses him of lying, they will be Censured or expelled.
He then proceeds to call a former Commissioner a Liar, and corruptly seeks a criminal investigation of the former Commissioner for a non-existent crime!
9-11-25
https://www.threads.com/@jackson.rip.holmes/post/DOfSVoXDZRb?xmt=AQF0UrzjvsSGDZliI86bGC22LVLjVrPiGCe2i8KEi0Fb-g&slof=1
Menendez was voted out from office by the residents of Coral Gables. It would be an insult to the residents to appoint him to any office in the City of Coral Gables using a political maneuver. How can a so called ‘resident first’ commissioner can support bringing back an individual that the residents rejected ?
Mr. Santos, there have been quite a few former commissioners and mayors who were “rejected” by the voters and have been named to city boards. Examples in recent memory are Chip Withers, Don Slesnick, and Raul Valdes-Fauli. Losing an election doesn’t preclude them from being appointed to City of Coral Gables boards, and is not an insult to the residents…since most of the residents didn’t come out to vote anyway!
Mr. Santos, Mr. Menendez was not voted out of office. He resigned from his position as Commissioner in order to run for position of Mayor. Just because the “rejected” Menendez for Mayor does not mean that he’s not qualified for another position within the City.
I find it honorable that Mr. Menendez wants to continue to serve the City of Coral Gables in a position on one of our city boards.
These are unpaid positions, some of which require a major time commitment.
What IS an insult is the lack of resident participation in our City elections. People seem to prefer to complain about the problems rather than taking the very small effort of voting to be part of the solution.
It feels like I can see the future. When Sue K. was removed from the board in the way she was, I voiced my concern—sarcastically, I admit—to Rhonda Anderson: “What’s next? The three of you will appoint whoever you want in her place? I hope not.”
To be clear, I never believed Sue was qualified to sit on the board. She should not have been appointed in the first place. But it’s the manner of her removal (and now the blocking of a replacement) that troubles me. It reeks of creeping authoritarianism.
well said…it shows you the malicious intentions of Castro…Well knowing their would be discord and friction between menendez and Lago…Shows you what a vindictive person castro is..
Well done Vince Lago and Rhonda Anderson, Menendez was always a trouble maker…He lost against Lago in the election with tons of allegations and mud slinging and Castro wanted to bring him back well knowing there would be extensive friction between Menendez and Lago because of the loss…Does this sound logical to you?..Is Castro using her head?…She well knows there would be tons of animosity between the 2 and any negotations would be fraught with bickering and time lost…Castro only did this out of vengeance and anger just to throw a wrench in the system..This shows you a lot about Castro’s intentions and malice..Her knowing full well there would be massive friction between Menendez and Lago..Knowing full well this would cause discord and fights and time lost and inneficiencies….There are a million other people Castro could have nominated that wouldn’t have caused this friction…But no she had to pick a guy who just collassally lost to Lago for the board ..Does this sound like a move by a logical person?…Castro did this out of pure malice for Lago and Anderson to create discord,upheaval and gridlock…Something she loves..Voters should take notice of this child like behavior…Is this the type of person you want representing you? A vindictive person that puts her personal feelings before the publics interest…She 100% knew putting Menendez back in the ring would cause trouble and discord…is this really the type of person you want in public office?
City board members and the mayor don’t engage in any “negotiations” in the course of board members’ service on city boards. In fact, they aren’t allowed to discuss items coming before them, nor is there any interaction between them as they fulfill their duties.
Kirk Menendez currently sits on the Parks & Recreation Board, so what’s the big deal?
Your assumption that Menendez’s appointment to the Planning & Zoning Board would “be fraught with bickering and lost time” is completely irrelevant. The only bickering and lost time was caused by the unprecedented and vindictive blocking of Commissioner Castro’s appointment to a board.
The long-standing process respects the commissioner’s choice, and doesn’t call for the absolutely disgraceful display of disrespect exhibited by Lago, Anderson, and Lara yesterday. That’s never been seen in the past, and I hope it never happens again. But with the majority on this commission, what is “long-standing” in the City of Coral Gables doesn’t mean a thing.
Jose,
Thanks for voicing your thoughts. Let me clarify a few important points. The Planning Board and the City Commission operate under separate procedural lanes. There is no requirement for the Mayor and a commissioner to directly coordinate on a nomination like this, nor does the city’s charter suggest that they must. These are distinct boards with their own processes, and pulling an item from the consent agenda simply wasn’t necessary here.
To be clear, any notion that I am fostering discord is off-base. If there’s been tension, it was not part of my decision-making. In fact, Commissioner Menendez has shown grace despite how his reputation has been treated, and my focus is on serving Coral Gables residents, not engaging in any personal back-and-forth.
I have given up a lot, my business, personal time, and family time to do this job. In other words I’ve invested practically my life to serve and lead a government that is residents first. I believe it’s important to understand the actual procedures before suggesting any kind of malice on my part. We are following the charter and the code as it’s written, and my aim is simply to serve our community with integrity.
Thank you for taking the time to understand the context.
– Commissioner Melissa Castro
Commsr Castro go ahead and demonstrate to The City Beautiful that you,; in earnest, and with total impartiality want to nominate an amply qualified, experienced and incorruptible candidate as your P&Z appointment……. nominate me
You have my number
Mr. Santos – “voted out of office by the residents” and “the residents rejected”?!? Let’s review the math. Lago got 5,577 votes (out of 34,021 registered voters). Lago paid over $1M to get 16% of the residents to vote for him. But despite all that money, 84% of the residents did not vote for him – that is a mandate. Menendez got 3,792 votes with $41K of contributions and lost by 1,785 votes which represents 5% of all Coral Gables voters. Does 5% of voters create an authoritarian strong mayor? If Lago wants this power, then let the residents vote on whether to change Section 1 of the Charter that says “one of the said Commissioners shall be the Mayor” to “the Mayor is King and we reside and pay taxes to Coral Gables at the King’s discretion.” Just like illegal Ordinance No. 2025-08 that attempted to steal our right to vote on Charter amendments, Lago is ruling Coral Gables regardless of residence. I wish he was a benevolent ruler. As the majority voting pact, LAL could have simply not approved Menendez’s appointment (which would have only been a minority vote on the P&Z Board). But that would not have been the political drama or lack of civility that has been forced upon us. If the Mayor and City Attorney understood and applied the rules that govern these meetings, there would be no gridlock. Was this intended to show the end of Mayor’s generosity?
menendez sold himself to fernandez and castro keep him out of government
Alberto, most losing candidates end up on city boards, it is the consolation prize. I like Menendez, though I didn’t vote for him. I still think he is a good human.