Remarks by Vince C. Lago
518 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 21
- Play at 58:15
“Good morning. I'd like to welcome everyone. Thank you for being here to the August 25th, 2026 Commission meeting. As I've stated at every Commission meeting that we're blessed to be here at, this is a great opportunity for not only residents and business owners, but for employees to have the opportunity to speak We appreciate your guidance. We appreciate your support throughout the process. There's many opportunities to speak either in person, either at the beginning of the commission meeting during public comment, or as every item continues forward. Remember, once you speak on an item,…”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 59:55
“Moving on. To start off this morning, we have a very special invocation. I'd like to welcome our Assistant Fire Chief, Xavier Jones. Good morning, sir. Welcome to the city, beautiful. Not that you need to be welcome, but I think it's an opportunity to see you once again in a very different role that maybe people don't know I know about this role. If people don't follow you on social media, I highly recommend that you do. It's truly a pleasure to have you here with your vocation.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:01:18
“Thank you, Chief, Assistant Chief. It's always an honor to have you here in a different role today. Moving forward, this is something that, again, is incredibly important to everyone in this community. We're going to be, again, moving forward with the Pledge of Allegiance. I'd like to represent our Sergeant Marcos de Rosa to do the Pledge of Allegiance. It's an honor to have Marcos de Rosa with us today to lead us in the pledge. Sergeant Marcos de Rosa is a United States Marine Corps combat veteran who served for 12 years. Thank you, sir. Including during Operation Desert Shield and Desert…”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:03:13
“As we celebrate our America semi-contennial moment, Sergeant, please give us a little background in regards to your prestigious and illustrious career.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:04:13
“Thank you, sir. We have a small token of appreciation. Again, we will always fall short no matter what we give you or how we honor you. But this is a show of gratitude on behalf of the city of Coral Gables, the commission, our city manager, city attorney, city clerk, all the employees. If I'd like to give you the small coin, if I may step up.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:05:29
“I may have a personal point of privilege. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the heartbreaking loss of four people with deep ties to the Coral Gables community. Adam Havoletti, Henry Parra, Roger Duarte, who were Coral Gables residents, and Jose Alberto Suarez, who grew up here. They were among those who tragically lost their lives in the helicopter crash in Kenya last week. Each of them made their own impact. And today, I want to remember the lives They lived and the many ways they contributed to and enriched our amazing community. Adam and Henry were Coral Gables residents and life…”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:11:23
“Come on up. Come on forward. Please join us at the podium. Thank you for joining us.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:13:01
“Well, thank you. Thank you for our work on behalf of the most needy in our community, and we're blessed to have you here every single year. Thank you very much. Take a photo.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:13:21
“Thank you very much. Perfect. Take a photo. Sergeant, I apologize. Please join us once again. Sergeant DeRosa.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:18:18
“Thank you, Sergeant. Do we have any members? I see one of members of the Honor Guard here. Let's take a photo.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:19:42
“Moving on to item A2, congratulations to Firefighter Wilfredo Gonzalez, recipient of the City of Coral Gables Firefighter of the Month Award for the month of August 2026. Chief, good morning.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:21:43
“Well done. Well done. Well done. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Again, even when you're not in the city of Coral Gables, helping our residents and our business community, you're setting the example. Again, thank you. Because if it wasn't for you at that moment, who knows where that individual would be alive today. Well, thank you for representing us with class and dignity as always. God bless you. Thank you. Let's take a photo. And moving on to our final presentation of the morning before we go on to our first time certain item which will be f1 Item a three congratulations to…”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:27:15
“Wait, gee, that's not the first time. Can I please have a motion in regards to B1, regular city commission meeting, approval of minutes July 7, 2026? I'll move it.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:28:35
“All in favor? Aye. Aye. Thank you. Moving on to public comment.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:30:34
“Thank you, Mr. Clerk. All right, moving on to the first item on the agenda, which is time certain.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:30:42
“Public comment. Jackson Homes. Can we please close the agenda for a second time? Yes. Thank you.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:33:49
“Thank you. Moving on to item F1, times certain.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:37:08
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:37:54
“Close, right there. But let me tell you, it's a lot better than when I started here 14 years ago and before you took over. So a lot of this, a lot of this, all of this, again, our work is, and these accomplishments are because of your hard work and your amazing staff that's here, your amazing staff and the teachers and the parents who obviously play a major role. So I just want to commend you for always being there because one of the things that the principal said at Carver was that you're front and center. We're talking about you and that's one of the things that we agreed upon most. And I…”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:43:17
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:47:22
“That's a nice pitch, but this is a good deal for everybody. Tell everybody out there.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:47:39
“The best of the best are coming here in our city. Whether you want to send your kids to private school, to charter, public school, it's just as good, if not better of an option for an education. And one of the last comments that I want to make, and I make this every time when I spoke in front of the teachers the other day at Carver when they were doing Their retreat, which was an amazing event, by the way. Thank you, the school board, for doing that for the teachers in preparation for an amazing school year. I told them, teachers spend more time than we do with our kids. Literally. It may not…”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:52:13
“Thank you very much we have a motion a second do we have any public comment, yes, Mister mayor and Maria Cruz.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:54:50
“ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 1:54:59
“Mayor Lago? Yes. Thank you to our team, to the school board. Thank you for your hard work. This is a long time coming since 2019. We're very excited about the agreement, and we look forward to a collaborative effort to deliver world-class opportunities for the kids and also for the residents here. Thank you. Have a wonderful day. Before we move on to item F4, consent agenda. May I have a motion?”
City Commission · Aug 25, 2026