WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2010

New Faces, New Approaches

There are several new friendly faces working at the City of Coral Gables. Since being appointed City Manager, Pat Salerno has been assessing the City’s departments and the effectiveness of their business operations. In that time, he’s had the opportunity to recruit and hire five department directors in key leadership positions. The City Manager has made a commitment to the Mayor and Commissioners to bring on-board the best and brightest as Coral Gables deserves no less.

Steven Riley is the City’s Automotive Director. Hired just over a year ago, Steve has been hard at work improving the department’s efficiency and effectiveness. He’s been able to save the City more than $500,000 annually in recurring departmental expenses by modifying service contracts among other initiatives. The former Army officer was the Assistant Director of Fleet Services for the City of Atlanta. He coauthored the award criteria for the National Government Green Fleet Award, an award that recognizes the positive environmental contributions of public sector fleets from across the nation. Steve holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

Cynthia Birdsill was hired in October 2009 as the City’s Economic Sustainability Director, formerly the Development Department. Cindy, an attorney and Coral Gables resident, is responsible for promoting and strengthening the City’s economic base, managing City properties and developing cultural initiatives. She is uniquely qualified to serve in this capacity. She formerly served as General Counsel for the Terranova Corporation, which manages a considerable number of properties on Miracle Mile, and was the Assistant General Counsel for the Rouse Company which, at the time, was one of the leading commercial real estate development companies dealing with public/private partnerships. The Village of Merrick Park is an example of one of the partnerships she worked on while at the Rouse Company. Cindy has been reviewing City leases and modifying them not only so they better meet the needs of the City, but also to incorporate better business practices. She is also the staff lead in developing a public arts master plan. Cindy has a Law degree from the University of Connecticut, a Master of Fine Arts from Towson University in Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts in Studio and Dramatic Art from the University of North Carolina.

Human Resources Director Elsa Jaramillo-Velez was hired in March. She comes from the City of Miami where she was Interim Director for the Department of Employee / Labor Relations. She also served as that department’s Assistant Director. Fully immersed in her new role, Elsa is undertaking a major evaluation of the City’s employment policies, procedures and payroll practices. She is also deeply involved in negotiating new labor agreements with unions representing various employee groups. Elsa, an attorney, graduated with a Law degree from the University of Florida and a Bachelor’s degree from Florida International University.  

In July, the City Manager hired Glenn Kephart to be the City’s new Public Works Director. The licensed Professional Engineer comes from the City of Tempe, Arizona (pop. 175,000) where he was the Public Works Manager. Glenn oversaw approximately 300 employees with an operating budget of approximately $100 million and a capital budget of $95 million. Much like Coral Gables, Tempe is also a university community, home to Arizona State University. Glenn has a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Penn State University. He also holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration. The new Coral Gables resident is currently focused on assessing department needs and addressing them.

Today is the new Building & Zoning Director’s first day on the job. Carmen Olazábal, a Coral Gables resident, was the Assistant Director of the Building Department for the City of Miami Beach. Carmen is a licensed Professional Engineer with significant experience in project management and structural/project engineering. She also has experience in the financial analysis for new development projects. Carmen understands the importance of being responsive to the needs of our residents and the development community. She has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a Master of Science in Engineering-Structural from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School. 

These individuals will provide fresh perspectives and assist in the City’s efforts to offer residents the highest quality of life possible while maintaining the City’s unique character and values.

Fire Department Earns International Reaccreditation

If you didn’t know it already, the Coral Gables Fire Department is one of the best in the nation, according to the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI). The CFAI, a program of the Center for Public Safety Excellence based in Virginia, voted unanimously to reaccredit the Coral Gables Fire Department during their recent meeting held August 25th in Chicago, Illinois. The Coral Gables Fire Department is one of only 14 departments in the nation to hold both an ISO Class 1 Rating and international accreditation. The Coral Gables Fire Department was initially conferred accredited agency status in 2000 and later reaccredited in 2005. The peer review process is held every five years, during which an agency must submit annual compliance reports to demonstrate a continued compliance with core performance indicators and report on progress in executing plans for improvement. In 2009, the Coral Gables Fire Department initiated the process of reaccreditation. In February, CFAI representatives traveled to Coral Gables to conduct an on-site inspection visit, review self-assessment reports, meet with staff, inspect fire stations and equipment to ensure compliance with 256 performance indicators. Only after meeting all these rigorous standards, an agency can receive and retain its accreditation status. The Coral Gables Fire Department provides fire and emergency medical services to the residents and businesses in Coral Gables 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Among the services offered are life safety, commercial building inspections, plans review, public education, emergency management, free blood pressure screenings and CPR classes.

Color Me Green:
There’s Still Time To Be On Green Task Force

The City of Coral Gables is still looking for environmentally conscious residents who are interested in serving in the recently formed Green Task Force. The 11-member Task Force will make recommendations regarding the environmental sustainability of City programs, services, equipment, and facilities, as well as assist in developing a plan for increasing environmental awareness and participation. The Task Force will be comprised of a landscape architect, a planner, a person interested in historic preservation, an engineer, an architect, a member from the University of Miami, one from the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and another from the Garden Club, as well as three City residents, two appointed by the Commission and one by the City Manager. If you’re interested in participating in this group, please submit your résumé along with a cover letter specifying in which capacity you would like to serve to the Office of the City Clerk, 405 Biltmore Way, Coral Gables, FL 33134. The information received will then be forwarded to the City Commission and City Manager for consideration. You must be a resident of Coral Gables to serve on the Green Task Force.

Old Police & Fire Station
Receives Historic Preservation Award

Drumroll, please: The winner of the Gables Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 City Beautiful Award for Outstanding Historic Preservation is our Old Police and Fire Station, future home of the Coral Gables Museum. The announcement was made during the Chamber’s breakfast on August 19th where other building designs throughout Coral Gables were celebrated for their great architecture. Also among the winners of the City Beautiful Awards were: Silva Architects & Fraga Engineers for Outstanding Interior Design Award; Century 21 Premier Elite Realty/Miracle Mile Plaza for Outstanding Exterior Design Award and Angelique Euro Café for Outstanding Retail Showroom/Restaurant Dining Room Award. These awards were bestowed upon local organizations that continue to embrace and advance the original vision of City founder George Merrick. The Coral Gables Museum is expected to open on October 10, 2010.

City Prevails On Overnight Truck Parking Appeal

On August 25th, the Third District Court of Appeal sided with the City of Coral Gables in its ruling that the City’s Zoning Code is valid and constitutional when it prohibits the overnight parking of trucks in residential areas. The City’s Zoning Code Section 8-11 prohibits the parking of trucks in residential areas of the City unless parked in an enclosed garage. Section 8-12 prohibits the parking of trucks, trailers, and commercial and recreational vehicles upon the streets or other public places in the City between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. of the following day. The recent ruling concludes that the prohibited conduct does not infringe on a fundamental right and correctly found that the City’s zoning ordinances are a valid exercise of the City’s police power because the ordinances seek to preserve the integrity of the residential areas and the unique aesthetic qualities of the City.