For independence in Coral Gables, vote Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez

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For independence in Coral Gables, vote Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez
  • Sumo

This Coral Gables election is not just a contest between like-minded candidates who want to protect and improve the City Beautiful. It’s a referendum on Mayor Vince Lago, who ran unopposed and has campaigned for his two handpicked pocket votes.

If Lago gets his way, and Ivette Arango O’Doski and Alex Bucelo are elected, he will have the three votes to do anything he wants for the next two years. No doubt about it, they will be rubber stampers. Not that he needs them. Commissioners Rhonda Anderson and Kirk Menendez have been very amenable. There is nobody to challenge the mayor on the dais.

This is not a good idea, and if for only that reason, Ladra is not supporting either Bucelo or Arango O’Doski. I like both. They seem nice. Bucelo is very young. He already lost once (to Menendez) so he’ll get over it and try again, because Papi really wants him to. Arango O’Doski can always run again without Lago’s wind beneath her wings. But she should quit lobbying first.

Read related: Coral Gables Vince Lago is running slate of candidates in April election

Yes, that’s right. Arango O’Doski is a lobbyist. Sure, she keeps telling people she is a designer but that’s her mom.Arango O’Doski is a lobbyist that at least once got a slap on the wrist (read: letter of instruction) from the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust for failing to register as a lobbyist.

And her husband is a lobbyist, too. So she can keep all her business in the family after she’s elected.

It’s interesting that both these novices have political action committees, which shows a sort of expertise in dark money campaign operations. Both also have a lot of money from real estate and development interests.

That leaves Ladra with just Ariel Fernandez in the Group 5 race. I like Ariel. He’s been active for years. He knows the issues and can hit the ground running. I do think, however, that it could present a conflict of interest that he publishes the Gables Insider site — he has his own campaign ad on the home page — and he needs to make serious amends with a bunch of city employees. Because he can be harsh. And there has been friction.

Fernandez addressed this in a video on his YouTube channel, where he also talks about priorities and responds to rumors and attacks.

“As a resident, I am proud of the work you do to make this city a great place,” he says. “As commissioner, I will be by your side, helping to address the needs of residents. I will work to ensure that you have the proper training and resources to do your job, and that you’re treated with respect by those in power.”

His frustration is focused on administrative bosses. While he was one of the residents who fought for the appointment of Police Chief Ed Hudak and he still supports him, he does have some issues with his recent leadership.

“Morale is at an all time low,” Fernandez told Ladra, adding that Hudak has been unresponsive to residents. “Some South Gables residents said they hadn’t seen patrols and his response was to hire off duty police officers,” Fernandez said. “That should not be the response of the police chief.”

Other residents agree, saying Hudak has become a police chief for the rich and famous. But just wait. The anti police attack ads are coming.

Fernandez says he also plans to hold the city manager’s feet to the fire on the issues where he doesn’t believe Peter Iglesias is up to the job. “Development being the first issue,” Fernandez said. He says the manager is too pro development and points to the administration’s push to double the height on a project that will be using two city parking lots in its assemblage.

The project, by the way, was approved by the planning an zoning board, where the only dissenting vote was Claudia Miro, who lost a commission race two years ago against Anderson. She should have run this year.

Fernandez has the grassroots support. That’s why Bucelo and his finances are attacking him with dark money funded texts that say he worked for former Congressman David Rivera and then lists all of Rivera’s sins.

Fernandez did work for Rivera, ten years ago, building his constituent services division. A couple of years later, he endorsed Rivera challenger Carlos Curbelo in the Republican primary. Where are all the text messages about that?

But the best thing about Fernandez is that he is independent. He is not Lago’s boy. He has been Lago’s fan sometimes and has criticized him when needed. He will not make nice if he thinks the residents are getting screwed. And he is, indeed, all for the residents. I am not sure I can say that about Bucelo, who only got involved two years ago after he lost the commission race so he could have something under his belt for his second try.

Another bonus is that Ariel already knows how the city runs. Lago won’t be able to spin him. In fact, Fernandez knows where the bodies are buried. Lago is probably nervous about serving with him on the dais. Bonus three!

In Group 4, we have three other candidates after Arango O’Doski is eliminated. But let’s face it, we really only have two. Jackson “Rip” Holmes is a non starter.

I like Rip. Always have. He has the right idea about Citizens United, Little Gables and concepts for bringing downtown to life. He’s interesting and has great stories, even though one is never sure they are true. Like, Ladra is not sure that Fidel Castro — as odious as he was — was an extraterrestrial with vertical eye pupils. Even though the drug money laundering in the development surge in Coral Gables could be real. Sounds possible.

The two others in Group 5 that are not Lago lackeys are Melissa Castro, a permit expediter with experience in mental health care, and investment planner Sean Patrick McGrover.

Read related: Coral Gables commission candidates on traffic, development, resiliency, mobility

McGrover is a doomsday prophet who wants to cut services for an eventual recession, which might resonate with some voters. But he doesn’t believe in global warming and that’s makes alarms go off in Ladra’s head. The biggest thing he’s got going for him is his last name because, in the City Beautiful, there are still those who vote along ethnic lines.

Castro is a Colombian-American mom who has been involved in Gables civic life for a few years. She volunteers with the Coral Gables Foundation, the Women’s Club and the Chamber of Commerce, joining the latter’s delegation to Tallahassee last month to advocate for the chamber’s priorities. She plans on joining them on their D.C. trip also. And she is a finalist for businesswoman of the year.

“This is not a career move for me. I’m already successful,” she told Ladra. “I don’t have an agenda. I just really love Coral Gables.”

And her experience with mental health can help her deal with Lago, who may have stopped taking his meds.

Castro knows she’s got an uphill battle. Every Gables commissioner has endorsed the other lady and she’s woefully underfunded in comparison. She says she has turned down PAC money. She’s not a great public speaker, but do we really need another fantastic orator who will pull the wool over the publics’ eyes?

The Coral Gables election is April 11 but absentee ballots are already landing in homes. Deputy Elections Supervisor Suzy Trutie said 6,806 vote-by-mail or absentee ballots were mailed out on March 14. That’s less than half of what went out for the 2021 election before the new law that forces the purging of names from the automatic VBM list every two years.

As of Friday, 15 had been returned to the elections department.

Early voting is limited to Saturday and Sunday, April 1 and 2, and Saturday, April 8, but that’s still one day more than they had planned.

Instruction letter to Ivette Arango O’Doski by Political Cortadito on Scribd

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29 Responses to "For independence in Coral Gables, vote Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez"

  5. Funny how Vince Lagos people have raised over $130,000 Thousand each makes you say hmmmmmmm? There is definitely something fishy there !

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  11. She Doesn’t know about politics, he knows how to spend on fun trips, she takes over her mother’s company on her death, a company with a long history in the building permit market, people invent things for their next political campaingn to be recognized, I wouldn’t vote by someone who does not have the slightest honesty with his own family #notvoteformelissacastro

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  13. I had the opportunity to work with Ariel from 2006 – 2007, at Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen’s District Office. Even then, Ariel was passionate about serving all constituents, regardless of their need or stature. Then, I witnessed his service to his church and those less fortunate. Ariel had not changed. He is an empathetic human being who seeks to serve.

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  14. Arthur, so where is Cong. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s endorsement? How about David Rivera’s endorsement? Oh wait he is keeping that connection a secret AGAIN. #endorsementsthatACTUALLYmatter

    Prior coverage on Ariel’s connection to David Rivera and his attempts to HIDE it. PS he is once again covering up his RIvera connection. WHY? Conspicuously missing… https://voteariel.com/about-ariel/

    “Broken sidewalks got Ariel Fernandez into Coral Gables politics. His background is in constituent services. Fernandez worked for Illeana Ros-Lehtinen for 11 years and also for David Rivera for two years (a fact omitted from — or perhaps it would be better to say utterly obfuscated on — Fernandez’s online bio). Local gadfly George Volsky, whom I used to respect until he started attacking the people who rightly demanded that former City Manager Pat Salerno resign for misleading the Commission, basically says that Fernandez lied on his bio by claiming 11 years with Ros-Lehtinen. Volsky claims that, “Records of the U.S. Congress state ‘Ariel Fernandez’ worked for Ileana as a Congress employee for only 18 months, thus all the other years he must have been, if true, a volunteer.” I asked Fernandez about this on April 7 and Fernandez replied that he worked for Ros-Lehtinen in various capacities part time while attending FIU, so his work record is a combination of part and full-time but it does cover 11 years. And he says he has the online pay records to prove it. Because the records on that page are locked to subscribers I have not actually seen the linked entries, but on the surface their very existence would seem to be strong support for Fernandez’s version of this story. Fernandez says that Volsky — who unlike me used to be a professional journalist — never called to get Fernandez’s side of the story. (I called Volsky this morning and asked him whether he had called Fernandez to check out the story, and Volsky confirmed he had not, saying he’s writing an opinion column and that the rules are different for opinion pieces and it was enough to rely on the Congressional Record; that’s a correct statement of the dominant journalistic ethics, but in my opinion — as an opinion columnist — a poor rule to go by nonetheless.)”

    “As for the David Rivera thing, you can understand why a guy wouldn’t trumpet a connection with a very corrupt, arguably craziest, local politician. I am not a great believer in guilt just by association, especially for crazy bosses (although surely the signs of Rivera’s ethical issues were visible by the time he took office? even enough to make one wary of what was the offer of a large promotion?). What troubles me most in this story, perhaps because I grew up in Washington, D.C., is the cover-up. Surely anyone with 11 years — or 13 — in politics should know that the Rivera connection would inevitably be noticed by someone. The only smart thing to do in these cases is to get ahead of the issue. Fernandez didn’t do that.

    A tactical silence isn’t a lie, at least not in politics. But that cover-up was, to be blunt, a pretty dumb move. It could be dumb enough to make one vote for someone else in a field crowded with plausible candidates.”

    https://www.discourse.net/2015/04/ariel-fernandez-a-grass-roots-candidate-with-a-past/

    Reply

  15. ENDORSEMENTS THAT MATTER

    “I had the opportunity to supervise Ariel in the United States Congress for over 11 years. He served with dedication and full commitment to the needs of our constituents, which included the City of Coral Gables. Ariel’s passion for service to the community is a true vocation.
    Coral Gables residents would have a great advocate with a Commissioner Ariel Fernandez.

    ARTHUR ESTOPIÑAN
    Chief of Staff to Cong. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, 1989-2016

    Reply

  16. Get yourself a respectable job “Oso Correoso”, and STOP making False News about our ONLY honest & decent candidate running for office in Group 5 of the Commission Race in CG!!

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  18. First and very important it needs to be said that Javi Correoso is a lambea culo and part of the problem with today’s Republicans. A sapingo that is a grunt that has been promoted by helping keep the swamp alive. Worthless human and whomever you support is no good and we should do the opposite. Curious how you have not been questioned by the FBI on the pay to play y’all used to do.

    Ariel is a good man who unfortunately is staying the truth which is not popular. The swamp creatures enjoy the swamp and want no sunshine. We are currently passing through lent and Ariel had the truth on his side. The truth is not popular as we know and even Jesus had to suffer from people like Javi Correoso and other sanacos.

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  19. He endorsed Curbelo? So what? Curbelo is supporting and endorsing Bucelo in this race Ladra. Shouldn’t you note that? How misleading can you be? The issue isn’t who Fernandez has endorsed. The issue is that no one who has ever worked with him ever supports him because he always stabs them in the back or proves to be incapable. See first hand testament from Correoso below. Lago. Rhonda Anderson. No one.

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  20. ” We can have responsible development without overburdening residents and infrastructure ”

    Is that possible in Miami as that would require politicians who are not up for sale and developers who care about just more then making the most amount of money ?

    I can not see that happening here .

    =====================

    ” We have a problem in Coral Gables — Citizens United allows developers to Buy City Hall.”

    Beautifully put as so true .

    Reply

  21. If I Voted in CG My Vote Would GO To Jackson “Rip” Holmes and The reason is HE Is NOT Own or Owes Contributions Pay Back To Any Of The Developers, Consultants , Attorneys ,Lobbyist as The Rest . The LAY AWAY Politicians and The Agendas Items ?

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  22. I just completed my ballot and voted for Mr. Fernandez and Mr. Holmes. Both will be independent, creating a more balanced commission. I do have three points:

    First, our votes are our most valuable currency, which we only get to spend every 2-4 years. I expect every candidate for Coral Gables office to meet me personally. Coral Gables is small enough that this is both possible and reasonable. A candidate who does not make time to meet me personally to ask for my vote will not care about me when in office.

    Second, there are a lot of complaints about development. While some are well-founded, reasonable development is necessary to fund increasingly expensive city services. We can have responsible development without overburdening residents and infrastructure. I hope Mayor Lago, and Commissioners Menendez, Anderson and their new colleagues will be honest, thoughtful and respectful in performing their duties. That is what this election is about, and the results will show if things are as bad as we are told.

    Third, I hope every eligible voter votes and that the votes are honestly and completely counted.

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  24. I would not vote for a thief who is capable of stealing from her family… She can steal from the city … Not vote for Melissa castro

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  26. Dear Coral Gables Voters (and Ms DeValle):

    I am the only Candidate in my Race who understands why we live in a developer-ocracy, and how we can fix it.

    Ms DeValle has never written about this MAJOR NEWS STORY, and recently refused my effort to get her to do so.

    We have a problem in Coral Gables — Citizens United allows developers to Buy City Hall.

    Neither Elaine DeValle nor Melissa DeValle talk about this problem, and neither talk about THE ANSWERS:

    AMEND THE CITY CHARTER TO REQUIRE VOTER APPROVAL OF ALL MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS.
    Try to get the State Legislature to nullify the Supreme Court Case helping developers, just as it nullified the Kelo Supreme Court Case helping developers.

    PLEASE VOTE FOR ME, JACKSON RIP HOLMES, FOR CITY COMMISSIONER, GROUP IV.

    Sincerely,

    Jackson Rip Holmes
    305-338-5000

    Reply

  27. Lago seems like such a creep. And Lago’s brother is a lobbyist in Miami and Coral Gables. Worse both cozy up to corrupt Alex Diaz de la Portilla.

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  29. I was Ariel Fernandez’s direct supervisor for two years and I can tell you that he is not fit to hold public office.. He has been running for office for 15+ years and will say anything to get elected. There is a reason why none of his former colleagues in his “public service” career have either contributed to his campaign or are actively campaigning for him.

    Reply

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