Even by the Coral Gables Commission’s recent standards, Tuesday’s meeting was shambolic, with commissioners repeatedly clashing over procedure, personal accusations and matters involving one another.
Mayor Vince Lago called multiple lengthy recesses as he attempted to restore order, while Commissioner Melissa Castro resisted his efforts to cut off her comments, at one point saying she would not stop speaking even if police had to escort her from the commission chambers.
The meeting began at 9 a.m. and, after two lengthy recesses and a three-hour budget hearing in between, continued well past 10 p.m. City staff and some residents spent more than 13 hours at the makeshift commission chambers in the Public Safety Building as commissioners repeatedly called for decorum, respect and, at one point, kindness from one another, even while lobbing insults at one another.
Mayor accuses resident of intimidation with racial slurs
The fireworks began early with a confrontation between Lago and resident Tom Wells, who during public comment accused the mayor of defaming him at the previous commission meeting by calling him a “stalker.” Wells, an attorney and former commission candidate, said he had written the city manager asking Lago to cease and desist from making such statements and to apologize.
Instead, Lago doubled down.
“In reference to the discussion the other day and what I mentioned about Mr. Wells being a stalker, he is absolutely stalking me and my family,” Lago said. Lago then displayed on a screen behind the dais what he described as examples of Wells’ behavior, including social-media posts.
The posts shown at the meeting consisted of Wells asking questions of the mayor, quoting statutes and commenting on city business and governance. They did not contain personal attacks against Lago.
But Lago went further. He accused Wells of repeatedly attempting to intimidate him in public and alleged that Wells had made highly racial and insensitive comments. “You don’t have to make statements that again attack me using racial slurs that should not be used in this community. You’re bigger than that,” Lago said.
Lago did not identify the alleged racial slurs during the exchange or provide evidence supporting the accusation.
Castro criticized for talking during roll call votes
Not long afterward, the meeting turned into a dispute over commission procedures. During a consent-agenda vote, Castro continued commenting after she announced her vote on a consent agenda item. She said she had an obligation to put residents’ questions on the record and said she wanted residents to know their concerns had been heard.
After the vote, Lago asked City Attorney Cristina Suarez to provide guidance on the procedure. “During roll call there should be no discussion. During roll call there should be a vote of a yes or a no,” Suarez said.
“Again, one commissioner breaks the rules and that’s not the way things should be done,” Lago said, adding that commissioners had other opportunities to address residents’ questions, including pre-agenda meetings and town halls.
“From the beginning when I pulled these items, I said I was going to vote for these items,” Castro said. “Now, when I have residents approach me asking me questions, it is my responsibility to go ahead and put these things on the record.”
Mayor, vice mayor grill Castro over travel expenses
Several hours later, the commission found itself in another lengthy confrontation involving Castro — this time over travel expenses from a trip to Tallahassee earlier in the year.
During the lunch break, Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson said she had become aware of what she characterized as excessive expenses associated with Castro’s attendance at League of Cities events after reading an article from Aesop’s Gables, an anonymous blog that describes itself as pro-Lago and has frequently published critical articles about Castro and other Lago opponents.
Anderson did not question the veracity of the story, although she said she had just read it for the first time – it was published shortly after noon. Instead, she treated the information as accurate and directly addressed Castro, urging her to correct what the vice mayor characterized as inappropriate expenses. “Take the opportunity, do the right thing, and reimburse the city for the overcharges,” Anderson said.
Castro appeared caught off guard, saying she had no idea what information Anderson and Lago were referring to while pointing out that the allegations came from an anonymous blog.
“This is the first time that I’m hearing about it,” Castro said. “I would love to look at what was publicized and what is it exactly that you’re talking about.”
Lago said he had also just become aware of the article and proceeded to question Castro about the timing of her trip, the city’s reimbursement and expenses associated with it.
Although Lago said he had only recently seen the story, he cited specific details from it from memory, including receipts, travel dates, hotel expenses and Uber charges. He repeatedly urged Castro to reimburse the city.
“I’m giving you a lifeline,” Lago said. “I know it’s election season and again I didn’t bring this up, but just pay the city back the money and that’s it.”
Castro disputed portions of Lago’s account, saying she had personally paid some expenses and that she had left Tallahassee early after becoming sick. She also asked that the issue be placed on a future commission agenda so she could review and address the underlying records rather than having the matter raised as a “pocket item” without advance notice.
“I don’t have the facts in front of me,” Castro said. “I would like to review what she’s saying and I would like for the next commission meeting for an item to be specifically on this.”
No resolution was adopted on the travel issue during the meeting.
Ethics resolution leads to another confrontation
After the travel-expense dispute, the commission turned to a resolution introduced by Castro seeking an independent ethics determination concerning Lago’s participation in a 30-year development agreement with the University of Miami.
Castro questioned whether it was appropriate for Lago to negotiate and ultimately vote on the agreement while working for a development firm that had been an approved University of Miami vendor. She also questioned whether Lago had previously received compensation connected to the university.
Castro said she was not declaring that Lago had committed a violation, but wanted an independent body to determine whether a potential conflict existed before the long-term agreement proceeded.
“The public deserves to know whether the person participating in that decision has a private financial relationship connected to the other party,” Castro said.
The resolution failed after it did not receive a second.
Commissioner Ariel Fernandez said he was concerned the commission was becoming an investigative body and that allegations from anonymous blogs should not become the basis for commission action. He said commissioners should “act more like statesmen and a heck of a lot less like political punchlines.”
Lago rejected Castro’s allegations, saying he had no stock, equity or ownership interest in Hammer Construction and that the company’s relationship with the university predated his election.
“If Commissioner Castro wants an independent review, I welcome it,” Lago said. “I have nothing to hide.” The discussion became increasingly tense after Lago made a series of criticisms of Castro and her record in office.
Castro repeatedly attempted to respond, saying she needed an opportunity to rebut statements Lago had made about her.
“We’ve spoken enough about this. I allowed you to speak. Now we’re moving on,” Lago said.
Castro responded that Lago had addressed her personally and that she had a right to respond.
“I am not going to move on,” Castro said. “You came after me and then you want me not to answer back.”
Lago eventually called for a 1½-hour recess, saying the commission would return for the budget hearing and address the matter afterward.
More strife during budget hearing
When commissioners returned for the evening budget hearing, the disputes quickly became personal again.
During the debate over whether to reduce the property-tax rate, Commissioner Richard Lara criticized Castro and Fernandez over the commission pay increase they had supported in 2023, car allowances, attendance and what he called changing political positions. Turning to Castro, Lara said, “you don’t even pay property taxes,” questioning her push to make decisions that could affect the city’s finances after she leaves office.
Castro fired back that renters ultimately bear property-tax costs through their rent and said her status as a renter did not make her voice worth less. She told Lago she could buy three homes but had chosen not to, adding that she paid “a very, very high rent, probably more than the mortgage you pay on your own house.”
Lago responded sarcastically that he was “super excited” she knew the amount of his mortgage and suggested that she buy the three houses.
Later, during the discussion over funding for the Underline, Lago criticized Castro over her position on the project, accusing her of attempting to portray herself as its champion despite, in his view, not having worked on it previously.
“Now is not the time to try to be cute and jump on the bandwagon of the Underline when you have done zero for the Underline,” Lago said. He accused Castro of attempting to use the issue for political purposes and said he had spent years working on the project.
“I’ve worked way too hard on this Underline project for 10 years to have you come in at the last minute and try to swoop in and say that you’re, you know, the savior of the project,” Lago said.
The Underline dispute again led into the commission’s increasingly contentious debate over procedure. After a vote, Lago asked Suarez to again explain the rule against discussion during voting.
“During voting there shall be no discussion. There should simply be a yes or a no,” Suarez said.
Lago then accused Castro of repeatedly violating the procedure and said the commission should not turn every vote into a political exchange. “We’re not trying to politicize every single vote in an effort to have an Instagram reel,” Lago said.
Castro says she won’t stop until police escort her out
The final confrontation came after the budget hearing, when Castro attempted to respond to criticisms that had been directed at her throughout the evening. Lago attempted to move on, but Castro refused to stop speaking.
“No, absolutely not, I will not stop, you are going to have to escort me with police, right now,” Castro said. “You are going to either let me talk or let me talk, period, you will not silence me.”
Lago called for decorum and respect. “We are trying to have a meeting, show some respect,” he said.
Castro continued to insist that she had a right to respond to what she characterized as attacks against her.
Lago eventually called for another recess, this one for two hours, saying the commission would reconvene at 10 p.m.
During the recess, Lago said he walked along Miracle Mile, while commissioners, staff and residents waited for the meeting to resume. Castro ultimately did not return for the 10 p.m. reconvening.
Lago proceeded with the remaining business and later characterized Castro’s absence as a dereliction of duty.
The meeting ultimately continued well past 10 p.m., bringing an already lengthy day at the Public Safety Building to a close after more than 13 hours.
