The Miami Beach mayor’s runoff is not what most political observers expected to see. Former Commissioner Michael Góngora will face Commissioner Steven Meiner on the Nov. 21 ballot.

Many, including Ladra, expected the runoff to be between the two Mikes — Góngora and former commissioner and former State Rep. Mike Grieco, who really should have run for Senate against Ileana Garcia, who only got elected through the trickery of a fake plantidate. Yes, the MTV Exec got more votes than Grieco did but Bill Roedy spent millions on advertising.

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All four candidates in the race to replace termed out Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber are expected to participate in a forum Monday sponsored by Miami Beach United, an influential activists organization.

Leading the pack are the two Michaels — former city commissioner Michael Góngora and former State Rep. Michael Grieco, also once a city commissioner, both of whom have been eyeing this seat for a while. Barring any October surprise, this should be the make-up of the run-off.

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Former Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Góngora has waited. And waited. And waited.

Góngora has skipped several elections, waiting to run for mayor when he felt he had a better chance. Not against Philip Levine. Not against Dan Gelber, who is finally termed-out. But certainly now in the open seat.

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Miami Beach Commissioners Micky Steinberg and Michael Góngora will say their goodbyes to the dais Monday morning as the newly-elected Kristen Rosen Gonzalez and Alex Fernandez are sworn in and take their respective places.

But we aren’t really rid of them, yet.

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There are 16 people running for four seats in Miami Beach, but many of them are somewhat known to voters already.

They include incumbent Mayor Dan Gelber and Commissioner Mark Samuelian, former Commissioner Kristin Gonzalez Rosen, who left her office to run for Congress, and repeat candidates Stephen Cohen, Blake Young, Raquel Pacheco, Michael “Mike B” Barrineau and Adrian Gonzalez, the well known owner of David’s Cafe.

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Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy Morales will likely get a four-year contract extension at Wednesday’s meeting and a salary increase to $305,736.
In a move that is largely a rubber stamp vote, Morales — who was hired in 2013 for $255,000 a year — will also get an increase in retirement contribution, from $7,000 to what the IRS allows, an increase in car allowance to $800 a month.
But he may also have to deliver on several beach projects since, for the first time, there seem to be goals and objectives attached.
Read related: Jimmy Morales contract extended at ‘secret’ meeting, raise coming
It’s a rubber stamp move because the city commission already discussed this in secret at a committee of the whole meeting last month. The only commissioner to dissent then was Michael Gongora, who did not like the secretive way the contract extension was pushed.
Why this had to be discussed first at a meeting that has no real public notice and no real public participation, at a meeting in the manager’s conference room rather than the public commission chambers, is beyond anyone’s comprehension. As is why this was added to the agenda at the last minute.
Ricky Arriola, who chairs the finance committee and was charged with negotiating the terms, sponsors the resolution, which was added to the agenda late Tuesday in what seems like yet another attempt to get this passed with as little public input as possible.
The contract comes with a goals and objectives that basically amount to a list of deadlines: the Beach Walk, Lincoln Road renovations and the convention center hotel within three years, city automation and electronic filing of permits within two years, and significant progress on Bay Walk and the North Beach Town Center, among other projects.
Some of the deadlines are in four years — which is at the end of the contract.

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