The first Coral Gables city budget hearing was in full swing Thursday when Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago ducked out for the unveiling of his fancy clock on Miracle Mile. Quietly. He sort of sneaked out after public comment, during the staff presentation, like he was going to the bathroom.
But he never came back.
Instead, he presided over a small group of insiders and contractors who worked to install the alleged $100,000 clock he got “donated” to the city by a Swiss watchmaker during a sidewalk ceremony where he also shamefully plugged his handpicked commission candidate, Richard Lara, for next April’s election.
Two days earlier, Lago tried to clean up the mess he created last month by planning the clock’s unveiling on Sept. 11, the anniversary of the worst of the terrorist attacks on our nation that led to the deaths of nearly 3,000 people — and many more since from related illnesses. At Tuesday’s commission meeting, he introduced a pocket item, a project to help police officers and firefighters and their families in a time of need, which he said he’d been working on for a year with the Coral Gables Foundation and architect Willy Bermello, one of his biggest financial supporters who has brought many projects before the city.
The Law Enforcement Assistance Foundation, which also exists in Palm Beach County, would provide financial assistance to law enforcement officers seriously injured in the line of duty or who have suffered a catastrophic event, and the families of officers killed in the line of duty.
Read related: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago to unveil ‘his’ downtown clock on 9/11
Several police officers and firefighters did a double take. After all, they have been locked in a years-long battle with Lago, who has demeaned them publicly and fought them on their contracts.
They felt it like a slap in the face when he scheduled the unveiling of his clock on Miracle Mile for Wednesday, which many believed was disrespectful of the lives lost on 9/11. Multiple people asked him to change it. He refused. “September 11 is not a national holiday,” Lago said at the last meeting in August, adding that the contractors involved simply could not do it any other day.
But the next day, one of the contractors — who obviously is not as tone deaf as Lago — announced that the date would be changed to Sept. 12, which is Thursday. One day later.
The national chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters demanded an apology from Lago, despite the change of date. Commissioner Melissa Castro also asked him to apologize for being so insensitive. Instead, on Tuesday, he doubled down. Again.
After announcing the LEAF project, which is in and of itself a great idea but obviously timed to help cover his ass, Lago read a longish statement in which he said the statements he made were taken out of context. “This is all politics in an effort to smear my name,” he said.
It was not. Ladra saw it live when he rigorously disrespected the 9/11 anniversary. The video is on the city’s website and it’s YouTube channel. But, wait. Lago continues to justify himself.
Read related: Reward time? Vince Lago promotes clock maker that helped Francis Suarez
“I’m a believer that the terrorists who attacked our country want us to shelter in our homes,” he said, somehow comparing “sheltering in our homes” out of fear to changing the date of the celebration out of respect. Very disingenuous.
“I’m pleased we found a new date for the clock,” he said, but he obviously was not. “Half the team cannot be there. It’s no big deal.”
“Is that your apology,” Castro asked.
“I don’t feel I need to apologize. Let’s move on,” Lago said.
He also didn’t feel the need to share any photos of the unveiling on his social media. He did, however, post a photo of himself and Bermello and the Coral Gables Foundation people to announce that the commission voted unanimously the creation of LEAF Day in January.
“We will host a luncheon at the @thebiltmoremiami to commence funding an endowment in benefit of our first responders who pay the ultimate price or are injured in the line of duty,” he posted on Instagram. “I would also like to thank @wbermello for your vision and @marysnow3 from the @coralgablescf for your guidance over the past year!”
Ladra isn’t ready to move on yet. Political Cortadito has asked the city to provide the contracts and invoices or information about the companies and parties involved in the installation of the clock, to see what special interests have garnered favor with Lago. The city’s response is that this could cost me.
Meanwhile, if you watch the budget hearing on the city’s website or YouTube channel, you might notice something: It was more civil and congenial than usual. There was no political theater. It’s not a coincidence that that’s because Lago wasn’t there.
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