Maggie Fernandez leaves Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins after nine years together

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So, where is she going to land softly?

Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins is losing her right hand.

Longtime chief of staff Maggie Fernandez, who has been at Higgins’ side since her surprise election to the Miami-Dade County Commission in 2018 and followed her across the street to Miami City Hall after last year’s mayoral victory, is leaving the administration — just eight months in.

Hmmmm.

The departure was first reported a couple of days ago on the MiamiDadeToday page on Instagram and confirmed Monday by Florida Politics, which got the kind of warm, mutually adoring statements that make it sound like Fernandez is leaving for summer camp rather than breaking up one of the longest-running political partnerships in Miami-Dade.

Read related: Higgins rolls out her first team — and Miami, this is not City Hall as usual

“Maggie Fernandez has been by my side for nine years, and it is impossible to overstate the role she has played in my public service journey,” Higgins said, calling Fernandez a trusted adviser, tireless public servant and “driving force” behind their accomplishments. In truth, even though Higgins didn’t say this, Maggie gave her Cuban credibility.

Fernandez was equally gushy, calling Higgins “my dear friend” and their years together “an extraordinary journey of public service, friendship, and a shared belief that government can — and should — make people’s lives better.”

Awwww.

So everybody loves everybody. Nobody is mad. Nobody was pushed. There was apparently no dramatic throwing of cafecito cups against a City Hall wall. Entonces, why is she leaving?

And, perhaps more interestingly: Where is Maggie going?

Because Ladra seriously doubts that someone with nearly three decades of government experience, nine years as the alter ego of one of Miami-Dade’s most prominent elected officials and a Rolodex that probably has its own area code is going home to watch The Price Is Right.

Fernandez herself certainly doesn’t sound like she’s retiring:m”I am ready to build something new, take on new challenges, and begin my next chapter,” she said in her statement.

Ay, Maggie. Don’t tease us.

There are certainly plenty of soft landing spots around town.

The Miami Downtown Development Authority, for instance, is looking for a permanent executive director after the rather ugly departure of longtime CEO Christina Crespi. Michaeljohn Green is currently serving as acting executive director.

And Fernandez could actually make sense there.

Long before becoming Higgins’ political and governmental consigliere, Fernandez worked in the Miami-Dade County Manager’s Office and in sustainability, transportation and urban-planning circles. She was president and chief problem solver of Sustainable Miami, which could be described as a government relations firm for green people. She has spent years navigating exactly the sort of bureaucratic alphabet soup that is the DDA’s natural habitat.

Read related: After ‘time theft’ claims at Miami DDA; city offers director 5 months severance

Then there’s the Bayfront Park Management Trust, which suddenly needs new leadership after Executive Director Raúl Miró resigned amid mounting questions about political fundraising, Trust spending and his stewardship of the city-owned parks.

Could Maggie go from Higgins’ office to Gabela’s Trust? Pass the popcorn please.

Of course, that job comes with certain occupational hazards. Like Billy Corben showing up at your board meetings. And James Torres asking questions. And Ladra requesting your invoices.

Maybe Maggie wants something quieter. Like Afghanistan. Ladra wasn’t able to reach her to find out. Ladra hasn’t talked to her since she made her move to City Hall.

There’s always the private sector.

Perhaps political consultant Christian Ulvert, who helped engineer Higgins’ successful mayoral campaign, needs another highly experienced member of Team Eileen. Fernandez certainly knows campaigns, government, policy, donors, elected officials and where all the bodies are buried.

Figuratively, people. Figuratively.

Maybe Edge Communications needs a government-whisperer division.

Or perhaps she’ll reopen her consulting shop, where three decades of public-sector experience and nine years sitting next to Higgins could make her a very popular person with developers, lobbyists, nonprofits and companies trying to figure out how the new City Hall works.

Lobbying is where the real money is anyway.

There are also other authorities, trusts, nonprofits and quasi-governmental agencies around Miami-Dade where former government officials traditionally land without ever having to experience the terrifying indignity of LinkedIn’s “Open to Work” banner.

Miami has an entire ecosystem for this.

But Ladra is also curious about the timing.

Fernandez didn’t merely work for Higgins. She was part of the package.

Read related: Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins starts to assemble her City Hall senior team

When Higgins announced her new City Hall leadership team in December, she described Fernandez as an “indispensable partner” who knew how to cut through bureaucracy, build teams and keep government focused on residents.

Eight months later, that indispensable partner is gone.

That doesn’t necessarily mean there was a falling out. Nine years is a long time in any job, particularly one spent attached at the hip to an elected official. Fernandez may simply have decided that getting Higgins elected mayor was the natural finish line and that, having helped set up the new administration, it was finally time to do something for herself.

And after surviving the Miami-Dade Commission and then eight months at Miami City Hall, she may deserve hazard pay.

Still, this is Miami. So Ladra is going to reserve the right to raise one eyebrow until we find out what “next chapter” means.

Because people like Maggie Fernandez don’t usually just disappear.

They reappear somewhere with a new title.

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