5 finalists picked for Coral Gables city manager

Five finalists have been selected for the Coral Gables city manager's job, authorities said Tuesday.

Among the finalists whom the City Commission will interview next week are Alex Rey, Miami Lakes municipal administrator; Yvonne McKinley, former city manager of Doral; and Arthur Noriega, executive director of Miami Parking Authority.

James Beard, the city of Atlanta’s financial director, and Pieter Bockweg, executive director of the Omni Community Reorganization Agency (CRA), were also selected as finalists.

“This selection process is very clear and transparent,” said Maria Rosa Higgins, spokeswoman for the city of Coral Gables. “The community has participated and the opinion of the public has been taken into account.”

Higgins also noted that the list of the five finalists was put together by a committee of citizens, who selected from 15 candidates.

In April, after five years in the position, Pat Salerno suddenly resigned as Coral Gables manager. Carmen Olazabal replaced Salerno temporarily.

The original list of 15 candidates was presented by the Colin Baezinger & Associates firm, which the city hired to organize the selection process.

Higgins indicated that the final selection of a municipal administator is scheduled for Sept. 12 and 13, with public and private interviews.

“The organization of this final stage is in process,” Higgins said. “But the most probable thing is for the new administrator of Coral Gables to be named a few days after interviews are held.”

This story was originally published September 2, 2014 at 8:11 PM.