Coral Gables manager fired, MIA Director Ralph Cutie could replace him

By on 26 Comments

Coral Gables manager fired, MIA Director Ralph Cutie could replace him
  • Sumo

Assistant City Manager Alberto Parjus is in charge meanwhile

This story has been updated from its original.

Surprise, surprise.

A discussion on the succession plan for the Coral Gables City Manager turned into a new potential role for Miami-Dade’s Aviation Department Director Ralph Cutié, a 32-year veteran of the county government — who oversees operations at the crumbling, uncomfortable Miami International Airport.

Several speakers went to the meeting for the 10 a.m. time certain item on what amounted to the termination of City Manager Peter Iglesias on a second attempt by Commissioner Ariel Fernandez. Most of them spoke in favor of the manager in what seemed like an orchestrated campaign by many of the mayor’s friends and allies, including former Vice Mayor Mike Mena, former Mayor Dorothy Thomson and former Commissioner Wayne “Chip” Withers.

But Commissioner Kirk Menendez, considered the swing vote on the issue, asked Fernandez to amend his motion to include the commencement of discussions with Cutié to take over.

Menendez said Cutié was the right choice for a number of reasons: The city can’t allow projects to linger, they need to maintain a good relationship with Miami-Dade County and the job requires a veteran leader with experience.

“Stability has always been synonymous with Coral Gables,” the commissioner said.

Some people have suggested that there were Sunshine Law violations when Fernandez, Menendez and Commissioner Melissa Castro took a trip last week to Tallahassee for Dade Days. There’s no evidence of that, but it does seem like there was horse trading going on right there live at the meeting. Fernandez sort of asked Menendez if his vote to fire the manager hung on the amendment to talk to Cutié, if he wanted both things considered at once. Menendez said yeah.

Read related: Coral Gables Commissioner Ariel Fernandez proposes to replace manager

Fernandez was game, but Mayor Vince Lago — who had already defended the manager and urged the commissioners to keep him — was shocked that it was brought up in a public meeting. “That’s not the appropriate way to do things,” he said.

Lago also seemed concerned about the shape of the airport, the neglect and mismanagement, which has been in the headlines lately (and which some blame Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava for). “Has anybody here read the Herald over the last six months? What have they been saying about the airport,” the mayor asked.

In the end, the commission voted 3-2 to terminate Iglesias’ employ and start discussions with Cutié, who Menendez said was “ready, willing and able to start a conversation with the city.” They also voted unanimously to appoint Assistant City Manager Alberto Parjus as acting manager, but not before Parjus took a few minutes to talk to his boss about it. He then said they both agreed “for the sake of the city.”

From the Miami-Dade MIA website:

Ralph Cutié is the Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department. He oversees operations at Miami International Airport (MIA) and four general aviation (GA) airports in the Miami area, which together generate $31.9 billion in business revenue and support more than 275,000 direct and indirect jobs. MIA leads the way, handling more than 50 million passengers and nearly three million tons of cargo annually, placing it among America’s busiest international passenger and cargo airports.

Previously, Mr. Cutié served as Assistant Director for Facilities Management and Engineering, overseeing the largest and most diverse division within the Aviation Department, comprised of more than 440 employees, an annual operating budget of nearly $123 million and a reserve maintenance budget of $30 million. 

Mr. Cutié is a 32-year County veteran with more than 35 years of experience in the fields of project control, critical path method (CPM) scheduling, project management, construction contracting and construction claims administration.  He began his County career in 1990 with the Miami-Dade Transit (MDT) Department as a Cost and Scheduling Specialist, later advancing to Manager of MDT’s Engineering Cost and Scheduling Section, and ultimately, to Chief of MDT’s Project Control Division.  Mr. Cutié worked extensively in various capacities on numerous MDT projects of significance, including the $248 million Metromover Extension Project, the $88 million Metrorail Extension to the Palmetto Expressway and the $106 million Busway Extension to Florida City.  In 2006, Mr. Cutié transitioned to the Office of Capital Improvements (OCI), where he served as the Manager of Project Scheduling and Compliance for the County’s $2.9 billion Building Better Communities – General Obligation Bond (BBC-GOB) Program, and where he also managed the County’s successful Economic Stimulus Plan (ESP), Miscellaneous Construction Contract (MCC) and Construction Manager (CM) Training programs.  In 2011, subsequent to OCI’s consolidation into the newly-established Internal Services Department (ISD), Mr. Cutié served as Manager of Project Scheduling and Compliance in ISD’s Design and Construction Services Division, where he was involved in numerous large ISD projects while continuing to manage the County’s ESP, MCC and CM Training programs.  Also, during his tenure at OCI and ISD, Mr. Cutié collaborated with the County Attorney’s Office and the County’s various capital departments to develop the Standard Construction Contract, which was adopted by the Board of County Commissioners in November 2012 as the standard for all non-MCC construction projects countywide. Mr. Cutié has also served as the County’s corporate representative during the resolution of various construction claims and as a hearing officer for numerous construction disputes.

Mr. Cutié obtained his degree in construction management from Florida International University in 1989. He possesses numerous certificates in scheduling, project management design-build and claims administration from the National Transit Institute and served as an instructor in the County’s Construction Manager Training Program – specifically in the areas of project scheduling, project documentation and construction claims and disputes.

He is married with three children and lives in southwest Miami-Dade. 

Lago said that during one of the short breaks the commission took, he spoke to La Alcaldesa Levine Cava about the developments with Cutié.

“She was very disheartened with the process. She said it wasn’t the right thing to do. She said it taints the process,” Lago said, again stressing that he would prefer to go through a national selection process.

“Why don’t we look for the most capable person? Let’s not put ourselves in the position where we have just one person who I’ve never had a conversation with,” Lago said.

Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson also favored what she called a “true succession plan” where the city manager stayed as the city embarked on a long mission to find the next top administrator and through a transition period. She told Fernandez that he had misquoted the manager in the statements that the commissioner said were insubordinate and cause for termination.

“Merely protesting an assignment is not insubordination,” Anderson said, blaming the sour relationship between Fernandez and the manager on the commissioner. “This chaos didn’t start until after you were elected,” she said.

Read related: Three Coral Gables commissioners say they have been stalked, threatened

Iglesias thanked the two of them and past mayors and commissioners — not the other three there — and his team, which he said was the best he had worked with. After he left, City Clerk Billy Urquia made some personal and heartwarming remarks.

“Thank you for your leadership, for your integrity,” Urquia said. “I’ll miss you my friend.”

Lago thanked Iglesias before the manager left, being a bit too effusive about how the manager made Coral Gables what it is today. Really? The increase in police and fire personnel, the new programs you credit him with wouldn’t have happened without him? He said the termination was “not only unjust but irresponsible,” blaming it on Lago also blamed the firing on “personal grudges and vendettas.”

“Today, we have witnessed an abuse of power,” the mayor said.

“We must question the rational behind this. I think it’s a shame to let this man go,” Lago said. “After a 40-year career as a professional, this is not the way he deserves to go.”

  , , ,

Coral Gables manager fired, MIA Director Ralph Cutie could replace him added by on
View all posts by Ladra →

26 Responses to "Coral Gables manager fired, MIA Director Ralph Cutie could replace him"

  10. Dear Pedro Churches, your demise was so poetic and ironic for the many employees you sacrificed during your power-hungry days when you needed to gain favors with your new, although temporary, masters. You disrespected us, so you got disrespect in return. You humiliated others – mainly through HR because you were not man enough for a face-to-face. The mojón you served got returned to you on a bigger plate when you were told that “your services are no longer needed.” In public. And we got to watch it while eating popcorn. Couldn’t have written a better ending for you.

    Your obsessed bro and enabler, “Patichueca” Saintmary, can now hold your hand on the unemployment line. The stock market will not crash, and he desperately claimed it would happen if you were not there. Your power days are over. The hate you have received from many residents is the return on your investment for how you have treated others. Not even the powerful could save you this time.

    Now, to your other loyalists, whom you promoted and appointed just because: None of them will probably return any of your phone calls now that you are a nobody. That’s how they roll: backstabber Belkys, Maleficent Martha, Baby Boss Solange and your terminator Raquel, to name a few, are now on Survivor Island swimming among the sharks. They should be worried. A new day is coming, and I’m loving every minute of it.

    El que ríe último, ríe mejor.

    Reply

  11. Aside from the 100 “friends” of Peter who showed up at City Hall to support him last Tuesday, the rest of the City is feeling ecstatic, elated, euphoric, that man is gone for good!!!
    He was clinging to the job until the very last minute, like a bug that won’t come off of your hand no matter how many times you shake it….Pathetic!
    The City is looking forward to the dismantling of all of his shady operations moving forward. A new beginning,. no more looking like City of Miami. Hire real Directors with talent and qualifications, not “friends of friends,” who make exorbitant salaries and produce little or no results. The City has began taking leadership, to regain control of what was taken from us in the last administration. Lago you know you will lose in the next elections, your friendship and resemblance with Suarez is despicable, and we don’t want a mini-Suarez onboard anymore. We had enough! The lack of ethics, the intimidation, the mafia dealing, the destroying records and paper trail, the chusmeria…is over dude!!

    Reply

  12. Remember when Lago Schmidt canned Pat Salerno? Remember how victorious Lago was? Pepperidge Farm remembers. Not so happy today, are you Lago? Not doing a national search is a huge mistake. Don’t bring Colin Baenziger and his portfolio of losers in either. If Cutié is so great, he’ll hold his own against the other applicants. Pedro Churches: Great Engineer. Great CM? Not so much.

    Reply

  13. County leadership has been floating a name around already to replace Mr. Cutie. Basil Binns II, a current Deputy Director who according to different sources has raised eyebrows among both staff and members of the public for being condescending towards colleagues and for having a tendency to treat women with an air of inferiority. A misogynistic leader should not be considered for a position of this caliber as staff at MIA should feel respected and valued regardless of gender. there have also been allegations of nepotism in the allocation of positions and opportunities that surround the current Deputy Director which undermine the principles of fairness and meritocracy. Mr. Binns indulges in behaviors unbecoming of a public servant as described by some of his associates and raises questions about prioritizing personal interests over the welfare of MIA. However, Mr. Binns is just an extension of what county administration and leaders represent and it is definitely not the interest and wellbeing of MIA.

    Reply

  14. Has anyone considered this was cooked by Daniela Levine Cava as it looks good in the eyes of the voters the current director betrayed her trust after she appointed him and now has to resign. If she truly cared about the airport, where was she for the past three years of her administration when everything the media is now publicizing about the airport was happening? Has anyone considered this is another strategy by Madam Mayor to place her loyalist in this critical position, so her interests are safeguarded? Daniela’s administration is the most corrupt administration since Carlos Alvarez. It is no secret he was ousted for raising taxes while giving hefty raises to his aides but has anyone looked into the even heftier salary increases Daniela is giving to her followers. Under the false pretense of the lowest taxes in the last 40 years, while most household property tax bills continue to increase, she gives her cronies hefty salaries and positions get created out of nothing to pay back political support favors. I know the citizens of Miami Dade County know better and it is time her administration is looked into. Just looked how many positions were added to the mayor’s office, how many positions were added in the past FY’s; the numbers are out there for everyone to see. Wake up call to all citizens of Miami Dade County to hold the mayor accountable for her actions.

    Reply

  15. …lago’s complaints of personal vendetta are pure projection…he traffics in vendetta’s daily… remember the radio tour trash talking commissioners? … also the firing of two prior city managers were caused by lago’s personal disdain… he needs to go next for the corruption and chaos he brings, along with other enablers in city hall….

    Reply

  16. Mr Fernandez was and will be serving another lucky city as a public servant who served Coral Gables well with honesty and decency. I don’t like what is going on in the city of CG. I lived there for 35 years. I moved to Miami this past December but I still own property there. I agree with Mayor Dorothy Thomson. ” Peter Iglesias is a gentleman of fine credentials and of impeccable reputation.”. I support him 100%.

    I don’t like what is going on in CG.

    Reply

  18. No, Elaine-Not orchestrated; I spoke in Mr. Iglesias’ behalf of my own volition, through my personal knowledge of what he has done for the city, in his professional expertise-long before he was the city manager, (which was well after my term on the city commission.) Peter Iglesias is a gentleman of fine credentials and of impeccable reputation.

    Reply

  21. Hey “Goodbye Art Noriega”: don’t bring to the conversation topics that are not related. Try to keep up and stay focused.

    Reply

  22. Ralph Cutie… an excellent choice… to run away from as soon as possible. His tenure at the airport has been less than stellar, and he’s nothing more than a true representative of the entrenched culture of favors and brown-nosing for which the County staff is so well known. The highlight of his career before moving to MIA was being the procurement’s director errand boy. In fact, he’s always been someone else’s errand boy, with his pal Ana Finol in tow anywhere he goes. He couldn’t tie Alberto Parjus’s shoes when it comes to it. He would be a terrible choice to manage the City Beautiful. I’m truly surprised that Commissioner Fernandez went along with it. I guess he needed the swing vote badly enough to take a bad deal.

    Reply

  24. In the end, it was Lago that got him fired by running Iglesias around like his personal employee. They should look at Charter violations next.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.