Interested In Filling The Upcoming Commission Vacancy?

Ariel Fernandez

UPDATE: Anyone interested in serving should submit a statement on why they wish to serve and why they believe they are qualified, proof of residence and their resume to the City Clerk by 5:00PM on November 29th. The Mayor explained that the City Commission reserves the right to appoint someone who has not submitted documents.

At the October 25th City Commission meeting, resident Maria Cruz addressed the Commission regarding the upcoming temporary vacancy on the City Commission.

Cruz discussed her belief that residents should have an input in who will ultimately represent them from December through April on the City Commission.

The vacancy stems from Commissioner Jorge L. Fors, Jr.’s irrevocable resignation submitted as a requirement to qualify for the Miami-Dade County Commission election. The resignation takes effect November 22nd, making the November 9th City Commission meeting, Fors’ final meeting.

According to the City Code, the remaining four Commissioners will appoint a replacement to serve out the remainder of Fors’ term, which ends following the upcoming April 2023 municipal election. The appointment must be made within 30 days of the vacancy occurring.

Following Cruz’s comments, the Commission asked that residents interested in being considered to replace Fors send their resume to the City Clerk, Billy Urquia. The Clerk can be emailed at [email protected].

The last time a vacancy existed on the Commission was in 2017. At that time, the Commission opted to place the item to a vote of residents.

The Commission will be discussing the vacancy at the November 9th Commission meeting, and is expected to name a replacement at the December 13th meeting, as there is only one meeting scheduled for this month.

10 thoughts on “Interested In Filling The Upcoming Commission Vacancy?”

So if there is indeed a wall, would that be a good look for Lago? That would be damaging to his reputation? Any damage done to Lago is self inflicted.

Lago has ZERO authority to install a stop sign. That is 100% the jurisdiction of Miami Dade County and technical staff there who follow a prescribed process. If I knew your name, or the intersection in question, I could easily verify how your Stop sign request was fulfilled and how many times you asked in 30 years. This is all a public record.

As for my status, I’m too young to have owned a home since 1980- I would have been a toddler. Not that the length of one’s residence in the City makes them more important than any other. 1 month or 40 years, the vote counts the same.

Lago has no real staff. All legislative aides work for the City Manager. With staff, they do all of the work that Lago often takes credit for. They are the ones you should be praising.

Maria should be on the commission? Google “Maria Cruz Miami Beach High” and let us know if you still agree. Moreover, Maria will never challenge Lago’s interests. We need someone on the dais who isn’t going to allow Lago to further empower himself. Someone to stand up to him. No one on the Mayor’s Advisory Board should sit on the dais with him.

I think Maria Cruz would make an excellent replacement for Fors. The Commission should seriously consider her. She has the best interests of the residents in mind despite powerful opposing interests

My wife and I have lived in Coral Gables for 41 years.

In my time here I have not seen anyone more dedicated to making this town a better place than has Ms. Maria Cruz.

She has proven, over and over again, that the City needs an ombudsman/woman to serve as an independent voice, not muted by monied interests.

Frankly, it is unthinkable that any other person could rightly fill this vacancy. Run, Maria, run.

That “vanity wall” must be new. I have met with Mayor Lago several times in his office on Friday’s Open Office hours from 2 to 5PM. Him and his office staff have always been welcoming, attending, he has listen and ACTED on behalf of the residents on the North Ponce Corridor. Even today when I take a photo of bulk trash that don’t belong on the streets of our City Beautiful, the Mayor has taken action with Code Enforcement and it has been removed!! That has been my experience with Mayor Lago. For more than 30 years I asked for a 4 WAY Stop on the corner behind the School and thanks to Mayor Lago, we now have it. Don’t attack to attack, be fair, don’t vent your frustration to damage the reputation of a public servant that has done so much for our City in a short time. I have lived, work & owned property in the Gables since 1980. How about you Jessica??????

Please explain the requirements of this position – attendance at how many meetings; daily involvement; hours, etc. There is no description as to what this position entails – that’s probably why more people are not even considering it.

Thank you.

This is should be a fully democratic and transparent process, with the names of the applicants published for the City residents to see. There should be a voting process implemented. The horrible City Manager and likely-corrupt City Attorney should be kept out of the selection process.

Replace- if we replace Lago now, then the Vanity wall he just had built outside of his office would be an even bigger waste of tax payer money. You have to go to City Hall and see this thing. In 97 years, the Mayor has never had a vanity wall. Lago had staff build him a wall that keeps residents blocked from accessing his office. I’m not making it up. Go see it.

Replace mayor lago, now and forever.

The names of all the candidates should be published. The residents should vote, and the candidate with the most votes wins. Under no circumstances, should the sitting commissioners elect the new, replacement commissioner.