First to burn: City Attorney Tricky Vicky Mendez
Ladra is still reeling from the last Miami City Commission meeting. So much torture and pleasure at the same time. So much happened in a span of eight and a half hours. Forgive the tardiness, but we’re still shellshocked over here.
For weeks, maybe months, Miami City Attorney Victoria Mendez has boasted that she has the three votes she needs to keep her job. But that may have changed recently.
A source at City Hall says Tricky Vicky can read the writing on the wall and will likely announce her retirement, effective in April, at the commission meeting Thursday. Probably before newly-elected Commissioner Miguel Gabela brings up his item on the agenda asking his colleagues to join him and terminate her as-, er, employment.
Rumors of Manolo Reyes’ impending death are vastly exaggerated. The Miami commissioner was diagnosed with leukemia last year, but has apparently responded well to treatment and is on the mend.
And – after what he’s seen the city go through in the last couple of months — he’s also on a transparency and accountability tear.
The Citizens Independent Transportation Trust will have a special meeting Thursday afternoon to consider giving $125 million in additional funds from the county transportation surtax funds and People’s Transportation Plan bond program to Miami-Dade’s Department of Transit and Public Works for ongoing architectural and engineering projects. But there are few details.
Several questions asked by the CITT staff came back with “pending” on Wednesday. Unanswered.
Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago does not like to be challenged or criticized. He has recently taken to calling his critics — which include award-winning documentary filmmaker Billy Corben, award-winning journalist Roberto Rodriguez Tejera and yours truly — mercenaries paid to smear him.
That’s old news. He’s again copying his idol, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who says the same thing.
Everybody is waiting for the other shoe to drop.
By other shoe, Ladra means the tired, old, stinky loafer that is Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago, who would follow his BFF, mentor and role model, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, anywhere.
