Coral Gables does not have a new city manager pick.
As reported first by Political Cortadito, the man chosen by commissioners last week to replace former City Manager Pat 
Salerno will not be running the city in October, after all.
James Beard will stay in Atlanta, where he is chief financial officer, after he withdrew his application late Monday in the wake of a background check that turned up a bankruptcy and an old child abuse allegation that was dismissed and that Beard said was made up, but which apparently still made commissioners uneasy.
Beard told Ladra he withdrew because he and the city could not come to terms. “We could not reach an agreement that made both of us comfortable. I wanted a larger commitment,” he said, adding that he was seeking a contract that would keep him in the City Beautiful through 2017. “And the city would not go for the kind of security I need.”
But Beard did want the job bad enough Monday night to fly into Miami International Airport and meet Tuesday morning with commissioners in order to defend himself from the allegations that he said were bogus and which he also said at least some of them were made aware of during the interview process.
It seems that, in the end, commissioners were just not comfortable with the baggage.
Or, maybe, they just wanted an excuse to pick someone else.
That’s what some political observers are thinking, especially after Commissioner Frank Quesada told Ladra Monday night that he would like to go to the No. 2 pick, Miami Parking Authority CEO Art Noriega.
But Noriega told Lara on Tuesday that he was no longer interested in the job.
“It was a long process and at the end of it, I didn’t really feel like it was a good fit for me,” Noriega said. “They’ll figure it out, but I won’t be part of it.”
He said he had pretty much made up his mind last week, before commissioners selected Beard and Vice Mayor Bill Kerdyk all the candidates at the meeting, saying he didn’t think any one of them was qualified enough.
“It kind of was eye opening for me,” Noriega said.
Commissioner Pat Keon said Tuesday that she would prefer starting the process all over again because the list provided by Colin Baezinger and Associates was not sufficient. She said he simply collected resumes rather than actually researching and recruiting the right people. Others have said Baezinger simply brought his own clients to the table.
No decision has been made yet on the second step and commissioners said they would discuss it again at 5 p.m., when they reconvene for the budget hearing.
Back to the drawing board for Coral Gables manager search added by Ladra on
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lago sees 2 yrs of stats saying crime was normal, and he forcd the chief of police out. 2 wks later Lago, without showing a single numbr, says he sees a reduction in burglaries in last 2 wks. at same mtg Hudak says he has no clue whether marked units out in the comunity helps, but they make people feel better. are these guys dumb or dishonest or both? they make up stuff thinking residents are stupid. my campaign $$ are on Lago’s challenger, and the city should hire an honest chief
Coral Gables politics have finally challenged those of the Banana Republic. Such chaos and embarrassments down at City Hall. A Mayor with no backbone, an interm manager who can barely speak English, and commissioners that think they are the Gods but make mistake after mistake. Has anyone put the pieces together of Commissioner Vince Lago’s fight to get Police Major Ed Hudak the Chief position? How obvious. Construction company owner.. Police Executive’s wife a County Official.. Dade County style of securing those contracts! Doesn’t Major Hudak have a troubled career past? As far as I’ve heard, there are more qualified candidates for the top cop position.
Nobody wants to work there. The city is embarrassing!
How disappointing that this commission is creating an aura of bad publicity for Coral Gables. It ousted the police chief on shaky allegations of fudging numbers. It dumped the top city manager pick produced by its own search process. It even sent the apparent number two pick running! I hope for Coral Gables that they find good leadership — both in themselves and in a new city manager.
The Commission has a problem with James Beard filing for bankruptcy and past allegations, but yet the Commission has no issue with a Finance Director, Diana Gomez, who was under SEC investigation and the City of Miami was imposed penalties because of her actions and inactions under her leadership overseeing Miami’s finances.
… or for that matter new Gables Chief of Police Ed Hudak who provided police protection for Mayor Carlos Gimenez at no cost even though Gimenez’s home is situated outside of Coral Gables. Another of Gimenez’s powerful underlings is Assistant Mayor Alina Hudak. It all stays in the family in this great county.
AmazingGrace,
You failed to get my point. It is quite obvious that there is an attempt to persuade public opinion and fair and balance news reporting and ethics are no longer vital for your regular media outlets and blogs. It has been made quite clear to me that Mr. James Beard background was well-known when the decision was made to select him as City Manager. I don’t appreciate the media or blogs playing politics by reporting one side of the facts without presenting the other. So I am hopeful that Political Cortadito is steering clear what has become a common trend in Miami- Dade County. However, I can’t help but think otherwise. The very same people who were part of Salerno’s team and folks that went after James Beard are the leaks proving information to Political Cortadito.
Hence, they are not written about on this blog. How fair, balance, and ethical is that? If a person is part of unethical and lawful behavior then they should outed regardless whether they are providing information to a blogger.
I would like for Ladra to set the record straight. Ladra why have you not reported on Diana Gomez, Elsa Jaramillo, Carmen Olazabal , and the rest of the Salerno clan as you said you would? Why don’t report about Frank Quesada’s and Lago’s connection with the aforementioned individuals? Why don’t you report on Quesada’s friendship and connection with Art Noriega?
I have to agree that Ladra is on top of the REAL news. Miami Herald, not so much.
Great job. Weird that this Got-a-Point person keeps writing about Art Noriega. The guy already said he doesn’t want the job. Sounds like an X girlfriend.
It is certainly eye-opening that one can find important news on Political Cortadito, which one cannot find in The Miami Herald.
Thank you for this excellent reporting!
Ladra:
Any chance you will be digging into Mr. Noriega’s questionable past? He has stolen thousands of dollars from the Miami Parking Authority by having the agency pay for expensive personal expenses such as Miami Heat tickets, Miami Dolphin tickets, dinners at expensive, high-end restaurants, golf, etc.
Furthermore, Art was close to getting arrested around the time his good friend Oscar Rivera got arrested. You see Art main ambition was to become a developer and used his inside connection to convince several agencies (e.g. Miami-Dade County, City of Miami) to give his good fiend Oscar affordable housing public money. But instead Oscar used it to built his million dollar home. Don’t you recall the “House of Lies”?
I am looking forward to seeing your follow-up article on this. I believe in fair and balance reporting and hopeful that you do to.