Doral Council names Zeida Sardiñas, former aide to the mayor, as new city manager
Zeida Sardiñas has been appointed the new city manager of Doral, making her the fifth person to hold the position in 2024. Her selection follows the resignation of Rey Valdes, who stepped down in October following a special council meeting to address his job performance and a proposed salary reduction.
Sardiñas, 63, has a longstanding connection to the city, having worked with Mayor Christi Fraga for five years when Fraga was a council member. Sardiñas expressed in her remarks before being selected that she has a “deep connection and commitment” to Doral, a city where her parents have lived for over 26 years.
At a special meeting on Thursday that lasted nearly two hours, the city council interviewed the final three candidates out of a pool of 17 applicants. Following the interviews, city officials unanimously voted to hire Sardiñas as the new city manager.
Valdes was hired in June but resigned four months later, effective Dec. 31. He cited a salary reduction as “retaliation for refusing to be the puppet of certain council members,” specifically referencing Council Members Maureen Porras and Digna Cabral, both of whom denied his allegations. Porras and Cabral were among the three council members who had voted in favor of hiring him.
Valdes’ hiring followed a period of instability, which included two interim city managers after the dismissal of Barbara “Barbie” Hernandez in January. Hernandez was removed due to allegations that her spouse improperly benefited from city resources, an accusation she has denied.
Sardiñas worked in Doral from June 2014 to May 2019 as a legislative analyst under Fraga. All council members praised her knowledge and experience during her tenure.
In her statement to the council she said she wants to return to Doral to use her “executive level leadership experience and institutional knowledge to guide Doral towards its next phase of growth and innovation.”
Sardiñas has served as the asset manager for the City of Coral Gables since 2019, where she has been responsible for overseeing the development and management of city-owned leased properties, as well as handling the acquisition and disposition of city assets.
Sardiñas will officially begin as Doral’s city manager on Jan. 13. During the first council meeting of 2025, scheduled for Jan. 15, the council will vote on the terms of her salary.
In her application, Sardiñas indicated that her desired salary was $267,000, which is $22,000 more than Valdes. However, this figure has not yet been confirmed.
Sardiñas told the council that one of her top priorities is to complete the management team by filling vacant positions. Given the instability of the city manager position throughout 2024, Sardiñas said she believes that fostering stability involves ensuring that people feel heard.
“It’s crucial to understand their goals, identify their challenges, and learn what directors hope to see and accomplish in their departments,” she said.
Before joining Coral Gables, Sardiñas held executive and administrative roles in both the public and private sectors, including positions with the City of Doral, Florida International University, and various private consulting firms. She holds a Florida real estate license and has been active in the industry since 2004.
She holds a master’s degree in International/Inter-American Studies from the University of Miami, a bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida International University, and a certificate in Latin American Studies, and authored of two books, Great Masters of Cuban Art 1850-1958: The Ramos Collection (2009) and the Men for Others: Belen Jesuit Story (2014).
This story was originally published December 26, 2024 at 2:14 PM.
