Opinion: Open Letter To Coral Gables Residents And Business Owners

Maria C. Cruz

Longtime Coral Gables resident and activist. She has served as the Chair of the Anti-Crime Committee

Coral Gables is a beautiful city who prides itself of being an example of civility and good manners. City Fathers, and Mothers, avoid any possibility of a public scandal involving our City Beautiful. Most of our City employees are magnificent.

All our employees are not, we do have some that should have never been hired, or should have been let go some time along the line! They are disrespectful to the residents, and even to the elected officials whom they disregard and ignore when they do not agree with them. They do not abide by City policies and have personal relationships within the “employee pool.” They try to intimidate the residents who object to their personal agendas. They walk away from residents and other employees when they don’t agree with what is been discussed. It has been said that they abused the City’s very generous COVID work at home policy to travel to visit out of town relatives! Some residents have called them bullies.

The worst part is that past and present Administrations have been keenly aware, or should have been, of everything that has been, and continues to be, going on. The pattern has been very clear. Even though Florida is an “at -will” employment state, when an employee should have been fired, the City offered, and still offers a separation package.  Usually financial settlements are also agreed upon. Why does our City Administration, and perhaps our elected officials, allow all this to happen? Some people say that it is done to avoid having to litigate potential issues in the future. Many of our residents believe that this is a way to keep the issues out of public view. Of course, we, the people, are the ones that pay the price, figuratively and literally. We are the ones that will have to continue putting up with them while they mock us, or PAY them to go away!!!!!


11 thoughts on “Opinion: Open Letter To Coral Gables Residents And Business Owners

  1. Thank you Maria for your letter.
    This is very simple to resolve.
    In the first page of Coral Gables website you add a section:
    Residents complaints of Coral Gables employees.
    The residents have a place to explain the problems with employees, and employees know that if they act in a way that is not to the standards of a Coral Gables employee, it will be corrected.

  2. the proposed parking lot at 350 greco did not follow many sensible procedures, and contains numerous failures and inconsistencies from city officials.

    it smells very fishy.

    i wouldn’t get near it.

  3. I have lived in Coral Gables since 2006, so let’s get that out first.

    This letter is the typical BS innuendo-filled diatribe that basically lobbies all sorts of vague accusations but essentially does nothing to resolve any problems. From the moment when there is not a single specific case mentioned, to the “it has been said”, frankly, this is absurd.

    Are ALL employees bad? We voted for the past administrations too and, in my opinion, Carson and Valdez-Fauli were horrible for the city. Are SOME employees bad? Name names, let’s get rid of them. Are only A COUPLE of employees bad? Name names, let’s get rid of them.

    This is not an adult letter.

  4. Kudos to you Maria! I too am getting tired of the over inflated egos. Time to go…

  5. Shame on you Coral Gables for the rude and dysfunctional management team currently in place. Shame on you Mr. City Manager for sanctioning the bullying and disrespect to the residents by not applying consequences to your people for this appalling behavior. How did it get to this?

  6. Thank you Maria for being Clear and Courageous and speaking out for all of the CG residents that have had to deal with city officials who abuse their power and those that may in the future. They protect their own and lie to all the rest. They forget that we are the tax payers and without us there would be no City Beautiful. As a Cuban Immigrant, my parents fled Cuba in secrecy because if the neighbors found out, they would turn in the fleeing family in exchange of favors from the government. That is what I am currently dealing with Code Enforcement, turning neighbors against each other for their own agenda. I can not believe my parents left their family behind so we could be safe in a democratic county, and I am reliving their biggest fears. This city is turning into Communist Gables.

  7. Brava Maria!
    Well said, we all know who you are referring to. It is amazing that their continued employment has been countenanced so long. Cleaning house is long over due.

  8. Could not agree more! We cannot generalize, there are good people, but the bad apples cast a bad light on all employees. I assume the city has an employee evaluation system through which employees performance can regularly be assessed. If there is, then the management is squarely to blame. If there isn’t, they should implement a system immediately. No system rewards the bad apples and takes the incentive away from good employees. Let’s get rid of the bad performers! Residents are entitled to efficiency and civil treatment by the employees whose salaries our taxes help pay! Management should be made to answer!

  9. Good job Maria!!! I believe our new Mayor should do some “House Cleaning” starting from City Hall down. Let’s keep our City Beautiful, financially healthy, stop the waste of tax payers money and safe!
    I have suggested before than when it comes to public art we should due a contest among local artist that are in need and we have some good ones right here in Miami-Dade instead of going thousands of miles away and overpaying for some “ugly art work”. Just saying!

  10. Amen, Sister Maria! You are always well-informed and shine the light where necessary. We can only hope that the “powers that be” listen to your words. On behalf of Gables residents … thank you!

  11. Right on Maria!!!! The workers out in the field are great, it’s the management and office workers that always treat us like crap. They are condescending, rude, and overall have a real problem dealing with us. Us old timers remember the good ole days, when the City was there to manage our community. Now they COMMAND our community, with a constant barrage of “initiatives”, and they are empowered by the clowns at the top, who, by the way, happen to be our neighbors. It is no longer OUR City, or just the place we live. We constantly have to play defense to protect what we have left. Pinecrest is really looking good about now!!!

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