Miamidade County Managers Position To End Early

By Ashley Hopkins
Mayor Carlos Gimenez is about to reshape Miami-Dade’s administration to end a manager’s sway — after the race to approve next year’s budget.

Because the charter puts the manager under the mayor’s purview, Mr. Gimenez, a former commissioner and Miami city manager, now dictates how much power the post has. While he said he plans to leave Manager Alina Hudak’s duties unchanged until the budget is done, he then intends a major facelift.

"We will be organized different than the past administration," he said. "I’m much more hands on. While we have a manager, according to the charter, the manager’s role will not be the same as it was in the past."

Mr. Gimenez said he will bring in second-level chief financial, operating and administrative officers. While Ms. Hudak "may be one of those people," he said, "the entire county will not be reporting directly to her." He said it’s too early to name names but he’s reaching out to those he plans to invite aboard.

"The manager will not have the same duties that the previous mayor delegated to her," Mr. Gimenez said. "The previous manager, Mr. [George] Burgess — the entire county reported through him. That’s not going to be the case anymore."

Ms. Hudak, a 27-year employee, temporarily assumed the manager role following Mr. Burgess’s March resignation. Mr. Burgess, manager since 2004, had pushed for the property-tax increase that precipitated former mayor Carlos Alvarez’s recall.

Voters altered the charter last August to eliminate the manager’s post in November 2012.

Elected in June 28 and sworn in July 6, Mr. Gimenez has until Friday to present a budget to commissioners, who must approve a final budget before fiscal 2011 begins Oct. 1.

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