By Coral Gables Gazette staff

The Coral Gables Commission voted 3–1 on August 26 to remove Sue Kawalerski, a vocal critic of large-scale development, from her seat on the Planning and Zoning Board. The action, advanced by City Manager Peter Iglesias and supported by Mayor Vince Lago, Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, and Commissioner Richard Lara, is a rare step for the city and drew sharp responses from residents and commissioners alike.

The lone dissent came from Commissioner Melissa Castro, who had appointed Kawalerski to the board in 2023 and reappointed her earlier this year. Immediately following the vote, Castro announced on the spot that she would nominate former Commissioner Kirk Menendez to fill the vacancy—though Menendez himself was criticized during the same marathon 12-hour meeting.

A rare and contested removal

While commissioners occasionally change the membership of advisory boards, removing a sitting member against the will of the appointing commissioner is rare in Coral Gables, with longtime City Hall observers unable to recall a similar case. The Gazette formally asked the city clerk when the last such removal occurred and had not received an answer as of press time.

The decision capped a meeting marked by accusations, tense exchanges, and resident frustration. Iglesias opened the discussion with a prepared statement and an 18-minute video montage highlighting Kawalerski’s confrontations with staff, fellow board members, and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado.

“This is not about silencing a voice or punishing a vote,” Iglesias said. “It’s about maintaining the integrity of our boards and the city as a whole.”

Lago said the video “spoke for itself” but insisted the commission needed to act.
“The city needs to take a stand,” he said. “We need to apply standards for our boards. Name-calling with no repercussions? This commission has to make a decision. If it doesn’t, it says that type of behavior is permissible.”

Flashpoint with county commissioner

The controversy traces back to a July Planning & Zoning Board meeting, when Kawalerski pressed Regalado on rapid-transit zoning—a subject not on the agenda. Regalado later accused Kawalerski of “berating” her, a charge Kawalerski denied.

Kawalerski did not attend the August 26 meeting, citing a previously scheduled work obligation, though the commission’s discussion did not begin until 8:30 p.m. In a prepared statement read aloud by Castro, she called the removal part of a broader effort to stifle residents critical of development.

“They’re trying to frame me as the bad guy,” the statement said. “This is nothing more than a smear campaign. Residents are not falling for it. I’ve been fighting for them all along—why isn’t the mayor?”

Lago countered by citing past incidents, including Kawalerski’s comments about Asian students at the University of Miami, which were referred to the county’s Asian American Advisory Board, and an episode in which he said she threw papers at him during a meeting.

Residents push back

Several residents used public comment to defend Kawalerski. Maria Magdalena Estupiñan said the commission was using her as a scapegoat.
“We are sick and tired of these internal wars,” Estupiñan said. “What you’re doing right now is taking Sue as an excuse. It’s not Sue’s fault that we’re looking more and more like Brickell. Sue is not the problem.”

Lisa De Tourney, a member of the city’s Parking Advisory Board, echoed that sentiment. “In my opinion, Sue did nothing wrong,” she said. “I’ve seen far worse behavior, even up there on the dais. You’re making this all her fault.”

Lara defended the removal as necessary to uphold standards. “She serves at the pleasure of the majority of this commission,” he said. “There can be no reasonable person that can say there wasn’t berating of officials. To take a different position would be saying this is acceptable behavior—and it’s not.”

Kawalerski vows to keep fighting

Kawalerski, who also serves as president of the Coral Gables Neighbors Association, vowed to remain active in civic debates. “They may think they’ve silenced me,” her statement concluded, “but this is just the beginning.”

Menendez’s nomination will come before the commission for confirmation at a future meeting.