Ariel Fernandez
Founder & Editor
[email protected]
On Tuesday, January 25th, Coral Gables City Manager Peter Iglesias will be seeking the Commission’s approval to negotiate a contract with the Barreto Group following a second RFP for leasing the property.
However, left out of the documents made available to residents are the Barreto proposal and the new RFP.
Barreto Group was one of the respondents to the RFP, but it is not clear if they were the only respondent.
Gables Insider requested a copy of Barreto Group’s proposal, the RFP and any other proposals received by the City in response to this RFP. However, the City has failed the produce the documentation, in a timely manner, citing the City Manager hosting a week-long strategy session which will consume all staff time for the week.
The new lease of the Country Club has already been controversial, following the fiasco that was the City’s first RFP, which was tailored to exclude the current tenant and ensure the final result.
Following community uproar and a petition signed by over three thousand residents and community members, Barreto Group had become unresponsive and no deal was imminent. The Commission gave residents assurances that their input would be taken into account when a new tenant was found.
Discussions by the Commission seemed to imply the City’s Community Recreation Department would take over the Country Club and Liberty Caffé in April when the current lease is set to expire.
Gables Insider will update this article if the documents are produced by the City.
The Commission is scheduled to vote on this item at Tuesday’s Commission meeting.
Again with the Barrero Group and the left over City Manager? Hasta cuándo? NO to Iglesias negotiating the leases for Bob’s Burger & the Coral Gables CC. Mayor Lago plz clean out City Hall.
Again with the Barrero Group and the left over City Manager? Hasta cuándo? NO to Iglesias negotiating the leases for Bob’s Burger & the Coral Gables CC. Mayor Lago plz clean out City Hall, it is in need of an enema, out with Triad, Ramos & Iglesias!
Why does the fake name “Nick Jones” ring a bell? Is this the same person who was constantly writing comments in Gables Insider? Some people in the know would swear that it is someone who was hired away from another municipality knowing that eventually his friend would come through for him and get him into a better paying job? Could it be the one that was involved in a well known, although officially secret, dalliance with an uber friendly underling?
Whoever agrees with “Mr Jones” description of the City Manager’s powers, must still believe in the tooth fairy. If the Mayor had such powers, “Mr Jones” and his Anne Boleyn would have been looking for greener pastures way before their actual departure!
Constant complaining is not enough. Waiting to do something at the next election is years away. Let’s do something now!!! RECALL THE PUPPETS!!!. Start with Vice-Mayor Michael Mena!!!
Most respectfully, I must correct in a small way the “bean counter.”
Miriam Ramos, the city attorney for Coral Gables, Fl gets more salary than the Attorney General for the United States of America.
Tony is likely a Member of the Staff artificially trying to change the narrative. The City continues to disappoint residents. If Ariel had not written this article, that would have passed 3-2 next Tuesday.
You can imagine regular inefficiencies in government, but this is just blatant arrogance, if not plain corruption. But as Vince Mayor Mena says, it does not matter because people will forget on Election Day. Residents need to change the narrative themselves next cycle.
Peter Iglesias gets a salary of $258,593.00.
Peter, the puppet, gets more than a United States Senator.
Peter, the puppet, is not worth more than a United States Senator.
Get this puppet off the payroll.
Miriam Ramos gets a salary of $233,619.00.
Miriam, another puppet, gets more than a United States Senator.
Miriam, another puppet, is not worth more than a United States Senator.
Get this puppet off the payroll.
As a taxpayer, I am sick and tired of my hard earned money going to pay for a bad puppet show.
Tony should move to Jacksonville.
All these complaints. We have an excellent Commission. I cannot wait until Ponce Plaza opens.
Fine dining and beautiful shops within walking distance of my home. Finally getting rid of Bob’s Greasy Spoon. Thank you Mr. Mayor and City Manager – please let the Barreto Group open a fine dining establishment in that space as well as the Country Club. Coral Gables is Beverly Hills in the new Miami. If you do not like it, move to Jacksonville 🤪
All the talk about the Community Recreation Department running the country club was just smoke and mirrors to deflect attention from the city manager’s apparent end goal of bringing in the Barreto group and getting the current tenant out. Makes one wonder as to his motivation. It is no surprise the Barreto group is still in the picture and in all likelihood will get the lease, as was intended all along. The residents need to have access to this “new” proposal (or any proposal for that matter). Why is the city manager hiding behind lame excuses? A week long meeting? Give me a break. The first proposal certainly caused an uproar with the high end restaurant and exorbitant membership fees. What is in the current proposal? Why is it not being released?
Whatever happens at the property affects residents beyond N Greenway Drive. Resident input needs to be part of the process.
I love the complaining from people that supported Mayor L’ego. The City Manager does what will make the mayor happy, period. Do you really think he would risk his job? It is obvious he has received the blessing from the mighty V, – the real puppet master. You can cry into your soup or vote him out in a year. Your choice.
Folks, it is time to sanitize City Hall. First step:
A meeting of Gables residents to begin the search for Commission candidates to replace the arrogant duds who are on the Commission. We can’t control them. We have to remove them via the ballot.
Anyone who wants to participate in this housecleaning, please text me at 305-588-3005 or email me at [email protected].
Jack Thompson, Gables resident for 41 years
My neighbors’ comments are amusing. I used to frequent the Red Fish Grill and that place was in a residential area; simply because it was expensive not many cars in the parking lot. Currently with the events, weddings etc there’s loud music, guys urinating in the parking lot, etc. The people who complain about the prospect of a fine dining establishment or fancy diner at Bob’s, do not live on N Greenway DR! It would upset them terribly that the wealthier neighbors within walking distance could enjoy themselves without having to drive to these improved venues. There are envious commies among us
My neighbors’ comments are amusing. I used to frequent the Red Fish Grill and that place was in a residential area; simply because it was expensive not many cars in the parking lot. Currently with the events, weddings etc there’s loud music, guys urinating in the parking lot, etc. The people who complain about the prospect of a fine dining establishment or fancy diner at Bob’s, do not live on N Greenway DR! It would upset them terribly that the wealthier neighbors within walking distance could enjoy themselves without having to drive to these improved venues. There are envious commies among us
Where exactly are they thing if putting a parking garage? That would be totally out of character for this residential neighborhood!
I’ve been living in Coral Gables for more than 16 years. I was never more conscientious of who I would be voting for than I was in the last Coral Gables election. And never have I been more disappointed in the choices I made that resulted in the current local government. Although our City Manager is not an elected official, you would think that the ones who were elected would help to reign in the Manager’s obvious disregard for the best interest of our community and the residents. I guess the mighty $ wins over their constituents again.
Listen to Mr. Silva (below). Listen to Mr. Uriarte (below).
If anybody’s serious about taking steps to eliminate the feckless and arrogant city manager, say so, here . . . .
We’ll get together. It’s easy.
Some of the comments mean people are giving up on having a good, clean government in this city.
I don’t care how many times the corrupt officials look like they are winning.
I will fight each and every one of them until my last breath.
I will win.
The City Manager does whatever he can get away with BECAUSE he is NOT an elected official and the Commission does NOTHING to control what he does. The Manager moved from CG to Miami and then back to CG leaving a trail of violations and mismanagement and nothing gets done to reign in his activity. I think is time for a new manager that supports the wishes of the residents.
I hope that in the next election cycle we eliminate the commissioners that think that they own the City and refuse to accept the fact that the residents are the owners and must abide by their wishes and deserve to be respected.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!
Transparency would be a nice change…
A lot seems to be fait accompli when regular denizens finally hear about the projects…
Not necessarily in disagreement with all decisions, but a more obvious heads-up would be nice. The new parking garage, I knew was being discussed, was surprised by the elegant design, totally appropriate for the Brickell area but not for a block off the Mile…
What we have seen in recent years is that City Hall and elected officials have learned very well that they can do whatever they want and they get away with it, it doesn’t matter whether residents agree or not. Residents get angry, protest, express their disagreements via email and other communications, we threaten to vote them out but at the end of the day we quiet down, go about our daily lives, and City Hall and elected officials get away with whatever they want. It happens every time. It is happening at State and Federal/National levels. It is going to get worse. Do we really want to change this in Coral Gables?
Cant wait for the “Scent of grilled meat” to permeate the neighborhood…Cant wait for increased traffic, valet parking…
Walk by Tap42 at noon and smell the burgers, or down Country Club Prado in the morning to get a whiff of croquetas being fried at Publix..
Bottom line, nothing we can do as residents. The city will do whatever they want. Coral Gables has seen better days.
City Hall would keep both a federal grand jury and a state grand jury very busy. For starters,
here are some of the scandals: the Upzoning scandal, the Wawa scandal, and now the Country Club scandal. Lock them all up!
Man, our city really doesn’t give a s**t about us residents. If this is tolerated by the commission, then it’s time to start voting the bastards out. This is really, really disappointing. One would think the city would have learned something from the smackdown it received in the Wawa lawsuit, but it sure doesn’t look that way.
I would like to see a year-round food market included there or somewhere near downtown (as is typical in a number of cities throughout France and elsewhere). The City can offer its support to encourage and bring in more farmers, artists, small-businesses and artisanal entrepreneurs.
Here we go Again! What happen to “Transparency”, another shady deal with the Barreto Group from the left over City Manager Iglesias? Not enough with Bob’s Burger? How about the Barreto Group looking to the Mile which is in need of tenants? Let’s keep the RESIDENTIAL Neighborhood surrounding the Granada Golf Course Residential, no fancy Restaurants, Bistro, Lounges, Bars, etc.
Whatever else is true of The Gables, it provides full-time employment for an army of head-scratchers: just about everything that comes out of City Hall,whether the commission chambers or the warren inhabited by the bureaucracy, including, of course, the so-called “City Manager’s office,” leaves lots and lots of people scratching their heads.
Refusing a public records request? Amazing, especially when done by a managerial-level public employee – – oh, and a criminal misdemeanor as well.
And this excuse: “the City Manager hosting a week-long strategy session which will consume all staff time for the week.?” You couldn’t make that up if you were the lead writer for Colbert or Maher.
What are those people thinking? (Answer: they’re not. They’re too arrogant, cosseted, and insulated to think that they even have to think.)
Buyers remorse with the Commission and Mayor. This is OUR City and we have a right to know what the details are for this agreement. We are just plain sick of the closed door decisions and there needs to be changes at City Hall starting with the manager. We pay his salary and he works for us. With all the messes you all have created with so many issues, haven’t you learned your lesson. We are Coral Gables, not the employees.
Whoever gets the lease will surely be better than the current operation… Broken lounge chairs and umbrellas pool side… closed randomly during “events”… tennis courts not available due to lessons during prime time…. Not a club! A greedy grasping operation!