The possibility that Miami-Dade Aviation Director Ralph Cutié would become the next city manager in Coral Gables was very short-lived.
On Tuesday, Cutié — who oversees operations at the beleaguered Miami International Airport — was named as a potential (preferred?) replacement for City Manager Peter Iglesias, whose third vote for termination from Commissioner Kirk Menendez seemed contingent on that point. On Thursday, the word was out: Cutié ain’t jumping.
Political Cortadito could not reach Cutié, but many sources said that he was no longer interested in the job — after telling Menendez he was ready and willing to start a conversation. The Miami Herald’s Doug Hanks tweeted Thursday that Cutié was staying put.
What changed?
Well, maybe he took a closer look at the government and the commission dynamics at the meeting where Mayor Vince Lago — who has been in a Cold War with commissioners Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez since they were elected last year — basically bashed Cutié’s job performance at the county. Maybe someone forwarded Cutié the text message blast sent out on Wednesday.
Read related: Coral Gables manager fired, MIA Director Ralph Cutie could replace him
“Yesterday, Commissioner Kirk Menendez joined Commissioners Fernandez and Castro to fire City Manager Pete Iglesias,” the text message reads after an image with a bunch of headlines over the terrible conditions at MIA. “Not happy with giving himself a 101% raise, he’s now determined to bring as city manager the bureaucrat that has presided over the demise of Miami International Airport, first a facilities director and now as airport director.
“In addition to enriching himself at taxpayer expense, Commissioner Menendez is focused on dismantling the fabric of the City Beautiful,” the text says.
The reference is to a salary increase the three commissioners — Castro, Fernandez and Menendez — passed in September at budget time. Lago and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson voted against it.
There’s no disclaimer on the message, but everyone thinks that Lago is behind it. He is really the only one with money in his political action committee and the quite, bitter rage to do this. Who else could it be? La ratoncita Anderson? Don’t make Ladra laugh. This text blast has Lago written all over it.
“He has the only PAC that raises funds and launches negative campaigns,” Fernandez said. “And he is somebody who has said publicly that he is going to destroy me and Melissa Castro. He said it during the campaign and on Election Day he told me.”
The PAC text, the trolls on X (what was formerly Twitter), the public outbursts at restaurants and verbal attacks on Miami Herald journalists… Lago is losing control because he is losing control.
Read related: Three Coral Gables commissioners say they have been stalked, threatened
“Nobody said this was going to be an easy process,” Fernandez said. “We knew there would be immense opposition, as we saw on Tuesday.”
Members of the establishment and many of Lago’s friends and apologizers spoke at Tuesday’s meeting in support of the city manager. “They keep saying that the division is being created by Melissa and myself,” Fernandez told Political Cortadito. “They’re entrenched and they want to hold on to power any way possible and ensure we don’t bring someone in who won’t do their bidding at City Hall.
“We’ve taken the first step in moving the city into a residents-first form of government by removing Peter Iglesias,” Fernandez said, indicating that Iglesias was not much more than a puppet for the mayor and his developer friends. “There has to be questions about why people are so entrenched on ensuring the they are in control and that they have a controllable city manager in place. It begs a lot of questions.”
Questions that might be answered now that Alberto Parjus is the acting city manager. He now has access and oversight of the development and finance departments, which he did not before.
“He is already working to ensure that the city is moving forward in the right direction and making sure the residents are a priority. I think he’s going to do phenomenal work and I trust that he will start moving the needle in the right direction,” Fernandez said, adding that nobody had resigned following the manager’s exit and that he was not targeting any other employees.
Read related: Political retaliation in Coral Gables as Mayor Vince Lago loses his cool again
“I’m not seeking any more resignations or termination. I am trusting the city manger to see where our weakness are and where our strengths are,” Fernandez said. “That’s not what Im about. I’m about ensuring that residents have the best government in place and that they are the priority of Coral Gables.
“Now it’s about finding the person who is willing to put themselves through this. I’m living through it. My family is living through it. Kirk and Melissa are living through it,” Fernandez said, regarding threats against them and their families that they feel is politically motivated.
So who would want a job like that?
“I’m confident that there are people out there who are prepared and ready to take on this challenge,” Fernandez said, “and help us clean up the public corruption that we have in Coral Gables.”
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