(This message was sent out to all members of the Coral Gables workforce)
Dear Valued City of Coral Gables Team,
I am writing to you today as your new Interim City Manager, filled with enthusiasm and a profound sense of responsibility to lead us through this period of transition. First and foremost, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to former City Manager Peter Iglesias who has been my friend for many years and who I had the privilege of working closely with for the past two years as his deputy. I want to thank him for his dedicated service and unwavering commitment to excellence in serving our community.
As we embark on this new chapter together, I want to assure you that my priority is for a smooth and seamless transition and to uphold our shared mission of serving the residents of Coral Gables with the highest level of excellence. Your hard work, professionalism, and resilience are the foundation of our success, and I am committed to being your ally and supporting you in every possible way.
I understand that change can bring uncertainty, but I want to reassure you that our collective mission remains unchanged. Together, we will continue to navigate challenges and seize opportunities, emerging stronger and more united than ever before. Your dedication and passion for our city inspire me, and I am honored to work alongside such a talented and committed team.
Please know that my door is always open, and I am here to listen, support, and collaborate with all of you. Together, we will ensure that Coral Gables continues to thrive.
I reiterate my thanks for your continued dedication and service. I look forward to the journey ahead and what we will accomplish together.
Sincerely,
Alberto N. Parjus
Interim City Manager
City of Coral Gables
@drain the lake – You make it seem like I defended Lago. Pray tell, where in my comments below did you see that? Blinders? I can see just fine. Look closer at my comments at take a stab at a real response. I’ll be waiting.
Much success, Mr. Parjus. Beware of Ariel and Melissa. They may betray you, the moment that their whims are not addressed.
… where is the proof is lies in BS… Lago rented an empty property to a developer (Kapoor) charged with fraud … Lago donated to a crooked Miami ex-commissioner (de la Portilla) now charged with money laundering… Lago is buddies with corrupt Miami Mayor now investigated for enriching himself with many side jobs while a city employee… and Lago is known to operate Coral Gables city hall like a mobster, intimidating people left and right… Coral Gables residents need to vote him out if the feds don’t get to him first…. where is the proof should rename to here are my blinders… #drainthelake
You PROTEST too much.
“Another reply to ‘Wheres the Proof,'” Clearly, the play on words is lost on you. Read all of my comments and you just may pick up that I intentionally used the word “project.” I asked my psychiatrist about this type of behavior and was told to look it up. Np need to trouble your mental health professional. For your convenience, here is what I found online, “projection is a defense mechanism by which an individual unconsciously attributes their behaviors, emotions, impulses, undesirable characteristics, and thoughts to others. It is a way of taking our internal dialogue and turning it into an external exchange, as if our own beliefs or behaviors belong to someone else.” Amazing how that works! So when I say, me thinks thou doth project to much, this is what I mean. The two million dollar mobility hub “mountain of proof?” After a procurement process for design services and multiple public hearings, every step, every penny – approved by the commission. It’s all on the record. That is one stealthy Iglesias gravy train! Don’t mistakenly blame city staff for the money that has been spent. But, do blame the present commission if that spent money is wasted. Another weak ad hominem attack. Me thinks thou doth project to much. Where’s the proof?
You misquote William Shakespeare when you state “Thou doth PROJECT too much.”
The correct quote is “PROTEST too much”.
I’m not surprised you can’t correctly see the words, right in front of you.
I’m also not surprised you can’t see the mountains of proof, also right in front of you. One mountain is the Mobility Hub. Iglesias has spent over TWO MILLION DOLLARS of taxpayers money on it. The ton of money went to engineers, like him, and to his over-development pals. Not one shovel of dirt has been moved, not one brick laid, not one nail hammered. TWO MILLION DOLLARS is a lot of gravy.
Hopefully, with a new City Manager, the Mobility Hub, as only one railroad car on the gravy train, will be pulled off the railroad tracks.
So, I feel bad you are not well. Please consider an immediate appointment with an eye doctor to correct your vision. Tell the doctor you can’t see the mountains in front of you. You may also want an appointment with a psychiatrist, because you seem to be deranged.
Hope you get well soon.
Enrique Lopez, if that is your real name, when you say that a response is not merited and you respond you’re recognizing merit. Oh, and that response is weak. You should not have responded at all. I get it. You can’t respond to my statements in any significant manner, and you can’t explain them away, so you launch an ad hominem salvo. So very weak of you, sir. “Cowardice?” I laugh and remain unconvinced. Me thinks thou doth project too much. “Rotten and corrupt,” please just enlighten us with a shred of proof that would apply to Peter Iglesias.
“To Where’s the Proof,” nice handle. If such a thing as an Iglesias Gravy Train existed for “the very few,” please, who were they? What were the gravy train goodies they received? You must have some substance for such cast aspersions. I’m not bitter, just concerned. This city is going south because since April ’23 the commission has become a travesty, and people like you spread wanton misinformation and enable the spectacle. What gravy train do you rideth? Me thinks thou doth project too much.
“another reply to ‘Where’s the Proof'” first you are lacking the question mark, just like your colleague, or is this the same person rendering another reply? It really doesn’t matter. I don’t know where you were at on Tuesday, but the “majority of concerned residents” were in support of the Iglesias. If you missed this, the video should be up on the city website already. Search it up. Ah, the “gravy train for the privileged few” comment again. See my response to you or your colleague above. Again, me thinks thou doth project too much.
If any of you want to convince me, or anyone else who is paying attention here, please bring some proof.
Sorry. Meant to write Mr. Parjus.
I’m perturbed by the public statements of 2 of our public officials.
First, as to Mr. Party’s, did you really have to ask for Peter’s permission before you accepted your interim position? Given your trumpeting of your friendship with Peter, did your friendship influence the decision to hire you? Were you instrumental in getting Peter his award from the Cuban Engineering Society?
Secondly, I was astounded at our respected Chief of Police, at a public meeting, intimating that 3 separate complaints of contemporaneous vandalism could be just a coincidence…before an investigation has been concluded!
Obviously, the tentacles of the puppeteers reach deep into our City Administration.
Best wishes for success, Mr Parjus!
Our City needs improved stability and proper decorum after Wednesday’s meeting which we hope you can bring to keep/restore our City Beautiful’s image/operations/finances!
This alliance between Menendez, Fernandez & Castro reminds me of “the Triunvirato” governments in third world countries, this is No Good for our City Beautiful or the residents. I have lived in Coral Gables since 1980 and in Miami since 1960. I love my city and the vision upon which George Merrick created the city and still today it’s main attraction. We need people at the helm that share that love & passion and won’t let our city become another Brickell. I am not against change or progress but all within reason, we need to keep Coral Gables, Coral Gables with secure streets and quality of life for its resident. Promoting from within is the best answer, No to any candidate suggested by the Triunvirato of Menendez, Fernandez & Castro. Good luck in your new endeavor Mr. Parajus!
If anyone can steer the City Beautiful in the right direction, that is Alberto Parjus. His tenures at the County and City of Miami prior to coming to Coral Gables are proof of that. All that nonsense about bringing the MIA director to replace him should be shut down immediately. We don’t need that kind of “public servant” in our City.
Why are you so mean-spirited about the Iglesias’ gravy train, for the privileged few, being cancelled by the majority of concerned residents?
Why aren’t you happy all those other residents may now be treated fairly?
Where you on the Iglesias’ gravy train for the privileged few?
Sorry to read you are so very bitter that Iglesias’ gravy train for some privileged few is over.
Where is the proof? Your observations are indicative of cowardice, hiding behind a pseudo name. I do not subcribe to such, thus your fabrications and desirous outcomes do not merit a response. To you, I say, “Where is the proof”? Too bad your buddy was fired. Time to move on from the rotten and corrupt past to a new day in our city. Good riddance.
Enrique Lopez, the employee morale is low because of the destructive actions of Menendez, Fernandez and Castro (the nouveau-riche majority). That was on full display yesterday. I detect a lot of projection here. Resident distrust was fomented by the majority and it’s star-chamber enablers. Lack of transparency and bureaucracy – projection. Let’s start with last weeks’ totally transparent and above-board trip by the majority to Tallahassee, ostensibly to advance the city’s interests where the city’s legislative staff was forbidden to go. I can’t wait for the fully transparent report on the majority’s accomplishments with our State Legislators. Backroom deals to benefit friends – projection. What backroom deals can you share with us? I have some. How about the backroom deals on every major vote this present majority has ever made? November vs. April elections? Commissioner pay raises and benefits? The dismissal of the City Manager? Yes, the sunlight the majority introduced on these votes was so bright that it was blinding! Not listening to residents – projection. How about the overwhelming majority of residents that spoke on behalf of dismissing the manager? Oh wait, it was the other way around – residents overwhelmingly spoke in favor of retaining the manager. If so many residents are unhappy with the quality of life in the city, why does the resident satisfaction survey indicate otherwise. It is easy to pilot a keyboard and cast aspersions without a shred of proof. Without any proof you’re just a propagandist spreading misinformation, Mr. Lopez. It IS time to clean house, but I suggest you start with your own. Please prove otherwise and I will change my mind.
A lot of internal and external fences to mend with the residents, businesses and staff. Staff morale is low and residents and businesses do not trust their government. Time to clean house and call a spade a spade. Let the chips fall where they may. Enough of the total lack of transparency and bureaucracy that has been the trademark of the prior administration, with plenty of backroom deals to benefit “friends”, not listening to the residents and the continued deterioration of our quality of life. Plenty of lessons to be learned from the recent past. Time to move forward and bring back the City Beautiful spirit that has long eluded our city. It is all about quality, not quantity of life. More is not better. Mr. Parjus, Godspeed.
I believe in hiring from within & this job should be yours permanently. No wasting of time, money & effort would be required taking this route. Good luck to you sir!
Please remember your boss is the Mayor and the Commissioners.
Their boss is the residents.
Wishing you the best.