LTC 272-2009 Assistant City Manager Appointmentm MIAMIBEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 318-2009 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager ~
DATE: October 15, 2009
Sua1ECT: Assistant City Manager Appointme
The purpose of this LTC is to advise you of an Assistant City Manager appointment I have made.
As you know, Robert C. Middaugh retired effective September 25, 2009, which has left an Assistant
City Manager vacancy.
Effective October 19, 2009, Jorge G. Gomez, AICP will be promoted to Assistant City Manager.
Jorge has worked for the City of Miami Beach since 1981 and has held a number of positions within
the City, the most recent being that of Planning Director. A detailed resume of Jorge's employment
history is attached for your review.
As noted, Jorge has served as the Planning Director since 1999 where he has had overall oversight
for the department that has been an integral part of forming the City's current community fabric.
Jorge has served our City with distinction through his 28 years and has risen through the ranks in
the Planning Department, demonstrating a desire, ambition, and ability to continually grow.
Jorge has been an outstanding performer throughout my tenure with the City and I am extremely
pleased to be able to interest him in serving in yet another significant capacity in my administration.
As you can see from his resume, Jorge brings a unique perspective to my senior management
team, as he has served at virtually all levels of our organization and has been able to view first hand
the changes that the City has gone through over the past three decades. It is this mixture of abilities
and experience that is invaluable as we move the City through the current economic climate and
position us to take advantage of the economic recovery as it happens.
Please join me in congratulating Jorge on his promotion. He is a highly qualified professional that
brings a wealth of City government experience with him.
As you know, one of my priorities since I became your City Manager has been the organizational
development of the Administration and continuously refining the organizational structure as
appropriate to ensure that we are responsive, efficient, and continuously improving to provide better
services to our residents and community. I will be meeting with all the Assistant City Managers to
further refine the organizational structure and determine which functional areas each Assistant City
Manager will lead. Once these assignments are made, I will certainly communicate with you.
If you have any questions or need any additional information, please feel free to contact me.
JMG\DM
Attachment
Electronic Copy: Management Team
F:\cmgr\$ALL\LTC-09WCM Appointment 10192009.doc
JORGE G. GOMEZ, AICP
EXPERIENCE
Planning Director
City of Miami Beach, Planning Department July 1999 to present
Instrumental in shaping the fundamental planning policies and documents of the City. Direct and
coordinate the Zoning, Planning, Historic Preservation, Design Review and Neighborhood
Sections of the Department. Supervise a staff of 26 and an operating budget of approximately $2
million. Evaluate and refine the land development regulations to ensure the managed growth of
the City and maintain the balance between preservation and economic development. Administer
and make recommendations to the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Historic Preservation
Design Review Board and the Commission's Land Use and Development Committee. Represent
the administration on all planning issues at City Commission meetings.
Planning and Zoning Manager
City of Miami Beach, Planning Department June 1998 to July 1999
In addition to former duties, manage and coordinate all aspects of the Planning and Zoning
Section, including interviewing and hiring new personnel, budget preparation, information
technology and other administrative functions. Principal staff to the Planning Board and Board of
Adjustment, prepare reports and presentations to City Commission regarding Land Development
Regulations and Comprehensive Plan amendments. Edit and review all staff reports to the
Planning Board, Board of Adjustment and City Commission. Supervise and coordinate the work
of Planning and Zoning staff. Represent the Planning Department in absence of the Director at
public hearings and meetings. Elected Chairperson of the Unclassified Employees and Elected
Officials Retirement System.
Principal Planner
City of Miami Beach, Planning, Design & Historic Preservation Services Feb. 1993 to June 1998
Principal staff to Zoning Board of Adjustment, duties include reviewing plans for compliance
with the City's Zoning Ordinance, preparing staff reports and presentations to the Board.
Principal author of amendments to the Zoning Ordinance dealing with development and land use
regulations. Assist in the preparations of staff reports to the Planning Board, Design Review
Board and Historic Preservation Board. General analysis work on the selection of the Convention
Center Hotel R.F.P. including socio-economic and land use issues. Coordinate the City's
Comprehensive Plan Amendment process. Assist and advise in the preparation of the Division's
budget. Supervise and coordinate the work of support staff. Since April 1991, appointed as
Trustee of the Unclassified Employees and Elected Officials Retirement System. Department
coordinator for the LMS and computer systems.
Senior Planner
City of Miami Beach, Planning & Zoning Department Oct. 1986 to Feb. 1993
Principal staff to the Planning Boazd -prepare and present planning recommendations to the Boazd
regazding change of zoning requests, conditional use applications, amendments to the Zoning Ordinance
and Comprehensive Plan. Prepaze recommendations to the Zoning Board of Adjustment, Design Review
Boazd and the Historic Preservation Boazd. Provide technical assistance to citizens, azchitects and
developers in areas of zoning, consistency with the Comprehensive Plan and overall project compliance
with City regulations. Supervise and coordinate the work of support staff. Staff to the Design Review
Board while assigned to the Historic Preservation Urban Design Department. Principal author and staff for
the prepazation of the City's Zoning Ordinance. Assisted in the prepazation of the "Museum District Plan."
Served as Chairperson of the Land Management System User's Group.
Planner
City of Miami Beach, Planning & Zoning Department May 1985 to Oct. 1986
Principal author and coordinator in the prepazation of the City of Miami Beach Capital Improvement
Program. Assisted in the preparation of the publication entitled "Espanola Way, Renaissance of the
Spanish Village." Preparation of reports and recormendations to the Planning Boazd regazding change of
zoning requests, conditional use applications, amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive
Plan. Assistance to developers in azeas of zoning and conditional uses.
Management Intern II & III
City of Miami Beach, Planning Department
June 1981 to May 1985
Technical staff to the Historic Preservation Boazd. Principal author of the Historic Site Designation Report
for the 21~` Street Community Center. Prepazed "Determination of Eligibility Reports" for submission to
the Federal Government as part of Section 106 Compliance Review process. Other tasks involved zoning
matters and text amendments to the Zoning ordinance, site plan analysis and recommendations to the
Planning Board and Boazd of Adjustment. Assisted in the preparation of the publication entitled "Ocean
Drive, an Urban Design and Planning Strategy." Responsibilities included data collection and analysis for
various types of planning reports. Tasks involved reseazch, field investigations, surveys, preparation of
planning and zoning reports and presentation graphics
EDUCATION
American Institute of Certified Planners -Membership Certificate No. 017094
University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida
Bachelor of Architecture, May, 1981
Five yeaz degree with emphasis on Urban Planning
Honors: Dean's List
Honor Scholarship
AWARDS
University of Miami
2006 Faculty Awazd for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession
ADDITIONAL SKILLS
Licensed Real Estate Broker -Voluntary Inactive
FEMA NIMS Certified