[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6204942,"mediaKeyId","3777549-34822b0962054053cb88e039e046b531","parentId",3777549,"title","Commission hears that police, fire vacancies persist even as applicant pools remain large","audioSeconds",894,"startMs",2711000,"endMs",3605000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777549-34822b0962054053cb88e039e046b531&start=2711&end=3605","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777549-34822b0962054053cb88e039e046b531/thumbnail_2711000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6204942/Coral-Gables/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/Commission-hears-that-police-fire-vacancies-persist-even-as-applicant-pools-remain-large","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6204942-4c8afcfe4d011bdc32616c8e24d47fcf/orig.mp4?Expires=1775824457&Signature=UZcGIZem4~GwHaZyvhe7CP6QbkAuf9rtYs63DSAbehj5GBFeDgjDdOKPHvhMoP8iCZo24oFn0VM0giO~ysZsDMydmxWTasaUEjZ5fyD80Nz~7LSNCseRPJiR7qqDA6w~7~wAz7bE19VWL4~FXQOT-EeaymqUpdJcODcdH3PP5VENFYEfN33GcdjkcpHDyWPkfrEoW04reZbUxSeOOe-MSJisuUWMQJezohxbAk-9GVTb66xZfk96GxjszG~nshy80GxkFymSgUwBknfDNEo0sS0kJb-CgjG2I95Ee8s9jfK84qxJVbgXx52gQSLKrXDnMajQATsvLl~9pyh1yWd0Gw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Coral Gables, FL","date","2025-06-11T12:21:08Z","article","Commissioners used the capital workshop to press department leaders about staffing trends affecting city services, including police and fire recruitment, vacancy levels and the budget impact of added positions.

Deputy Fire Chief Gil Hernandez told the commission the fire department had seven vacancies but that those seven positions were in the recruit class that started the week before the meeting; he estimated roughly 200 to 300 applicants applied for the most recent recruitment, which he said meant there were “over 40 applications for each position” for seven seats. Deputy Chief Hernandez said the department had two recent graduations and another academy class starting at the end of the month.

The police department reported about 24 vacancies. City officials and the manager said Coral Gables currently has roughly four police officers per thousand residents—higher than the county average—and that mandatory overtime and scheduling changes have covered operational needs in the short term. The Police Chief described use of mandatory overtime and other scheduling flexibility to meet coverage needs and noted the department is working to return to a preferred schedule as vacancies decline.

Commissioner questions and framing: some commissioners emphasized that recruitment numbers show the city remains an attractive employer even at current pay levels; others said retention and pay competitiveness were a problem in some ranks. Commissioner Castro and others noted that recent contract increases and additions of headcount in prior years increase recurring budget pressure. The mayor and other commissioners requested data on historical hires and vacancies and asked staff to present a yearly rundown of approved developments and headcount changes at an upcoming meeting.

Budget linkage: commissioners connected staffing choices to the capital and operating budget debate—adding 25 employees last year was noted by staff as increasing recurring personnel costs, and commissioners urged careful long-term planning so salary and pension decisions do not crowd out other priorities.

Next steps: staff committed to providing the commission with additional details on vacancy counts, recruitment outcomes and a short history of headcount additions tied to development approvals; no formal personnel actions were taken at the workshop.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Capital Workshop","oneSentenceSummary","City officials told the commission that fire had seven vacancies in a new recruit class and police had about 24 vacancies, while departments rely on mandatory overtime and active recruitment to sustain coverage.","taxTitle","Coral Gables, Miami-Dade County, Florida","taxId",51824,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6204947,"Commission reviews $77.8M capital requests; staff recommends $54M of FY26 funding with IT and some park projects prioritized",6774,3941000,10715000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777549-34822b0962054053cb88e039e046b531&start=3941&end=10715","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777549-34822b0962054053cb88e039e046b531/thumbnail_3941000.jpg","/articles/6204947/Coral-Gables/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/Commission-reviews-778M-capital-requests-staff-recommends-54M-of-FY26-funding-with-IT-and-some-park-projects-prioritized","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6204947-6b8da331c94d2ae7f60efa38b825f596/orig.mp4?Expires=1775824457&Signature=cq9U7O8F~yJJquXa3bD6SBzlV4Gy4zPFDXfOzcFyNsOzNMtGRO8qwU5Rt5byoJ8fOWkvnamn2hKl~AZGaIJhpUxR0CwSFQOQVvVLjgDky6XFzHZ0JC9pYHzaUoc1wbMtsZ7ePZq5S7CUqCyMj1~Iq8UOcRdxIAdaxY7b5EvLuf0NOysOtKqx0VJAL~CSITNpaNDQ37POrsOf-a3~GtYZuEjPVDZG1gDx6ZE2IpCfFxIfftsJVALMoHVsXV8cmOodSEJqVTwet7wP5x-8YNtnNonX89hTsaxae3V7XhyfQ~~XWI8yJ5CFvs2cNMUsPgCHjmzpbPj9TBZMwIpHVFG6vA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Coral Gables finance and capital staff walked the commission through the FY26 five-year capital improvement plan, explaining which projects staff recommended funding this year and which would be deferred because recurring capital dollars have declined.

Assistant Finance Director Paula Rodriguez summarized the funding picture: staff proposed about $54 million in funded FY26 capital requests out of roughly $77.8 million requested. She told commissioners the FY26 general capital package depends on a mix of recurring general fund transfers, prior-year fund balance, interest income treated as one-time revenue, TDR proceeds restricted to historic facilities, parking-fund transfers and enterprise funds for utilities.

What staff proposes to fund: staff recommended fully funding the IT renewal-and-replacement matrices (network infrastructure, cybersecurity and enterprise software) and the renewal matrices for parks, fleet replacement and public-safety equipment. Rodriguez said, “we are fully funding the IT matrices,” and identified $2.7 million requested for network IT infrastructure as part of that program.

Priority projects and targeted allocations: staff recommended $6 million recurring toward the City Hall plan and an initial allocation toward Venetian Pool. The presentation proposed using Transfer-of-Development-Right (TDR) proceeds restricted to historic facilities to support Venetian Pool work, and directing approximately $6 million a year into the FY26 priority list begun in FY23.

Utilities and recurring programs: utility funds (stormwater and sanitary sewer) were listed as largely self-funded by user fees; staff recommended fully funding the utility matrices, including a $5.2 million force-main replacement allocation.

Sidewalks, bridges and public-safety facilities: staff proposed $2 million for sidewalk repair and replacement (funded from roadway and general capital), $750,000 for new sidewalk installations (impact fees plus roadway funds), $325,000 for bridge repairs and an allocation toward emergency generator design for the country club and youth center.

Parks and one-time projects: staff funded several park improvements (Coral Gables Country Club improvements, Granada Golf Course shelters, park enhancements at William and Leona Cooper and Blue Road phases) but left other park design requests (San Sebastian, Coral Bay) to later years. A $1.3 million request for permanent pickleball courts at Salvador Park was recommended for funding.

Unfunded items and risks: staff noted many items remain unfunded (roughly $23.8M of the $77.8M request) and cautioned that much of the FY26 funding depends on one-time interest income and prior-year balances; when those funds are spent they will not recur. Staff recommended the commission maintain the current millage assumption when considering the FY26 capital package.

Next steps: staff will include the recommended FY26 capital allocations in the July 1 budget estimate, circulate detailed project spreadsheets to commissioners, and return with the tentative millage recommendation July 2; the adopted budget process continues with September hearings.","Staff presented the FY26 five-year capital improvement plan and recommended funding about $54 million of roughly $77.8 million in requests. IT renewal, sidewalk repair, certain utility projects and partial City Hall and Venetian Pool work were highlighted; several park restorations and one-time projects remain unfunded or deferred.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6204952,"Coral Gables officials warn tighter revenues will force tradeoffs as pension and one-time gains clash",9618,1107000,10725000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777549-34822b0962054053cb88e039e046b531&start=1107&end=10725","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777549-34822b0962054053cb88e039e046b531/thumbnail_1107000.jpg","/articles/6204952/Coral-Gables/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/Coral-Gables-officials-warn-tighter-revenues-will-force-tradeoffs-as-pension-and-one-time-gains-clash","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6204952-ff2e89318c5aac027bc4e0cb7ce017a5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775824457&Signature=XUS~jEQ0Ggs8331v~b0wLsGaAGQ2CpjaJMuQzkncyaUaAnu9KM4l9FE0odsENlu8D3bicIGLpGwp2kmtJghy-WyEKci1vOFX~ndlf791LgAT52AsqE0Hspb79N1II-FLvQPv4Sp1-75EdXEFk9yjxTmDxQ6060BGOZlFau5v8O51o3q2kV14vzNY0syN9~KrRfriVKdeGQmcyoWLWiRqpzIZ2c13fqIHbYO6Ur2j-D~2njue6ZRmr5h2s9ltoyfsWe7MpolYilkbjzWRw5URZ3gyuPHGusdaFUz~E4mbPIXXcpr2oIFjJ2F3ft1ztXZwifYaTe2GIXisTa5QMKJd1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Coral Gables finance staff told the City Commission at a June capital workshop that the FY26 capital plan is being built on weaker recurring revenue than in recent years and on a larger share of one-time funds, leaving fewer resources for long-term priorities.

Assistant Finance Director Paula Rodriguez told commissioners, “Our June 1 property values came in with an increase of about 5.4% … that generates an additional approximately $7,000,000 based on the current millage of 5.559.” She also said recurring funding available for capital this year is roughly $12,900,000 compared with prior years when staff were bringing in “upwards of 18 to $20,000,000 of recurring funding.”

Why it matters: commissioners warned the gap between recurring needs (salaries, benefits, pensions) and one-time revenue (interest, prior-year balances, transfers) creates a risk that future budgets will have to cut services or defer maintenance if revenues fall.

Discussion and disagreement centered on pension and other recurring costs. The mayor repeatedly warned the commission that budget choices were shifting recurring dollars and said bluntly, “We are robbing Peter to pay Paul,” when commissioners discussed reducing an extra pension contribution to cover a $2 million annual cost tied to a negotiated cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). The City Manager said the city’s prior minimum pension contribution was about $21,000,000 and that current contributions are “approximately over $25,000,000,” noting the city was paying larger extra payments to reduce unfunded liability.

Commissioner Castro defended the COLA for employee retention and said the settlement was intended to preserve pay and reduce turnover, arguing the city should “take care of our employees,” while others said the timing increased long-term pension risk. Finance staff reported the pension plan is funded at roughly 74.5% in current estimates; staff said, had certain changes not been approved, the funded ratio would have been about 77%.

Solid waste and other policy changes were also cited as recurring hits to the budget. A commissioner asked how much the solid-waste fee cut cost the city; finance staff answered $3,600,000 annually. Several commissioners and the manager highlighted that lowering the solid-waste fee and adopting the COLA together reduce recurring capital available by roughly $5.6 million, squeezing capital and operating budgets.

Staff direction and next steps: the finance director said the FY26 plan presented assumes the current millage and will be included in the July 1 budget estimate; the commission will set a tentative millage at the July meeting and adopt the budget in September. Staff cautioned that a 1% millage decrease would lower revenue by roughly $1.37 million and that multi-percent reductions multiply that effect.

What remains unresolved: commissioners did not vote on changes at the workshop. They debated trade-offs—higher recurring pension payments vs. employee retention, and whether to rely on interest income and prior-year balances to fund capital—while directing staff to include the presented FY26 capital recommendations in the July 1 budget materials.

Ending: Finance staff concluded that the FY26 capital program funds many projects but depends more on one-time dollars than in prior years; commission members said they would weigh further adjustments before the tentative millage is set on July 2.","Finance staff told the City Commission the FY26 capital budget relies more on one-time funds than in prior years, while recurring revenue available for capital has fallen; commissioners debated the $2 million annual pension COLA, a $3.6 million solid-waste fee cut and the risk of using interest income to pay ongoing costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission hears that police, fire vacancies persist even as applicant pools remain large

Commission reviews $77.8M capital requests; staff recommends $54M of FY26 funding with IT and some park projects prioritized

Coral Gables officials warn tighter revenues will force tradeoffs as pension and one-time gains clash