Coral Gables manager resigns, so third one in 12 months hired

After Amos Rojas Jr. resigned as Coral Gables city manager Tuesday night, the city commission appointed deputy manager Alberto Parjus by a 3-2 vote. That makes him the city’s third manager in less than 12 months.

Taking effect Jan. 28, Mr. Parjus will take on the role at the next commission meeting.

“I was appointed city manager on Feb. 28, 2024, and said I would serve for one year,” Mr. Rojas told the city commission. “So, as the one-year mark is approaching, I made the difficult decision to fall back into retirement. It is the right decision for me and my family.”

It was Mr. Rojas’ first job in municipal administration.

After Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson advised commissioners to open up the application process to other city employees but was immediately shut down, Commissioner Melissa Castro made a motion to appoint Mr. Parjus as city manager and have Commissioner Kirk R. Menendez negotiate his salary package because she said she thought Mayor Vince Lago wouldn’t negotiate in good faith.

Before Mr. Rojas’ appointment, Mr. Parjus had stepped in as the city’s interim city manager after the divided city commission voted to terminate Peter Iglesias from the role. At the time, Mr. Parjus said he would serve for only three months but has since changed his mind and will take on the job permanently.

“I believe that Alberto’s many years of experience qualifications, and he has been here through two administrations,” said Commissioner Ariel Fernandez. “Alberto comes with experience from Miami-Dade County, with over 37 years of experience, and he has sat there in the trenches and worked with staff to find solutions, and over the last year has been the right hand of our city manager navigating this city to where we are today. We cannot move backward. We must continue to move forward.”

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