Coral Gables has no public plan to replace City Manager Peter Iglesias before his October 2 departure, and the Commission's next meeting is still nearly a month away.
Iglesias announced his resignation May 20 with an October 2 departure date, but more than two months later, the Commission has not hired a search firm, identified candidates, or even discussed how to conduct the search.
The next Commission meeting isn't until Tuesday, August 25, leaving fewer than 40 days before Iglesias leaves office. A typical city manager search takes 90 to 120 days, according to the Florida City and County Management Association's 2024 Search Guide.
"These issues will be discussed at the next commission meeting," Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson said in an email to the Coral Gables Gazette, which first reported the gap on Wednesday, July 29.
Communications Director Martha Pantin confirmed no decision has been made on an interim city manager if a permanent hire isn't in place by October 2. Commissioner Melissa Castro told the Gazette she hadn't been briefed on any transition plans, saying a scheduled meeting with Iglesias on the subject had to be pushed back a week due to scheduling conflicts.
What's at stake
Iglesias oversees roughly 1,200 employees serving more than 50,000 residents, with an operating budget of approximately $246 million and a five-year capital plan exceeding $400 million. His salary: $305,324 a year, exclusive of benefits.
His departure lands just weeks before Coral Gables holds its first-ever November municipal election. Three of the Commission's five members face voters that month, including Mayor Vince Lago, Commissioner Castro, and Commissioner Ariel Fernandez. That means the current Commission could pick a city manager who will answer to a different board after the election.
A turbulent tenure
Iglesias' time at the top has been anything but smooth. The Commission fired him in February 2024 on a 3-2 vote, with Castro, Fernandez, and then-Commissioner Kirk Menendez in favor. A newly seated Commission reappointed him in May 2025, with Lago sponsoring the motion and Commissioner Richard Lara casting the deciding vote.
In his resignation letter, Iglesias wrote that he was stepping down months early "to provide the city commission with sufficient time to identify a successor and allow for an orderly transition."
Deputy City Manager Joe Gomez served as acting city manager between Iglesias' February 2024 firing and May 2025 reinstatement. He is a natural interim candidate if no permanent successor is named by October 2.
What's next
The August 25 Commission meeting is the only confirmed date on the calendar for the search discussion. No search firm RFP, candidate pool timeline, or target hire date has been announced.
Upcoming:
- Tuesday, August 25 — Coral Gables City Commission meeting; city manager search expected on the agenda.
- Friday, October 2 — City Manager Peter Iglesias' announced departure date.
- November 2026 — Coral Gables' first-ever November municipal election.
