In a decision that the Coral Gables mayor said was fueled by “personal vendettas,” the City Commission voted Tuesday to fire City Manager Peter Iglesias.
Commissioner Kirk Menendez made the tiebreaker vote, ending the will-he-or-won’t-he questions swirling around City Hall for the past week. Menendez also made a new proposal Tuesday: that Iglesias be replaced by Ralph Cutié , director and CEO of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department. Menendez said Cutié has expressed to him that he is “ready, willing and able” to begin those discussions.
Assistant City Manager Alberto Parjus took over Tuesday as acting city manager.
Mayor Vince Lago and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson voted against firing Iglesias, who began hugging employees in City Hall on Tuesday afternoon during a break before the commission officially voted to terminate him. After the final vote, Iglesias walked out to standing applause in the City Hall chambers, where several employees were crying.
Commissioners Ariel Fernandez and Melissa Castro joined Menendez in voting to fire Iglesias.