New Gimenez COS Alex Ferro started with campaign

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UPDATED: As predicted by Ladra, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced this afternoon that Alex Ferro, the mayor’s director of external affairs, will take over as his chief of staff when Lisa Martinez leaves the first week of August.

Ferro has been with Gimenez since he joined the 2011 recall campaign in the second round after his cousin, former State Rep. Marcelo Llorente, came in second. After Gimenez beat former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina, Ferro was brought on board as deputy chief of staff.

But Cousin Mark is not the only lobbyist in Ferro’s family. His father, former U.S. Ambassador Simon Ferro, is a land use attorney who has registered to lobby for dozens of clients before the Miami-Dade Commission going back to at least 2004.

Simon senior currently represents Larkin Community Hospital, Adrian Homes, Red Berry Estates (which has a zoning change request),  Florida Stevedoring (which wants to extend their lease at PortMiami), Ingencio Distributed Energy (for something to do with the South Dade land fill), Aran Eye Associates and University Shopping Plaza, regarding that pedestrian overpass over U.S. one that has been talked about ever since a University of Miami student was run over and killed in front of the strip that houses T.G.I.Friday’s and is right across the street from the MetroRail station.

Ferro junior is one of the mayor’s closest confidants, even having traveled with him to Europe last year and to Washington D.C. for a White House celebration of the Miami Dolphins 1972 Super Bowl win. He will start in his new position Aug. 4, according to a memo the mayor sent Friday afternoon to commissioners announcing the staff changes.

“Alex has a long record of public service in both state and local government,” Gimenez wrote, referring to Ferro’s former positions as chief of staff to former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp and as executive director of the Florida Hispanic Legislative Caucus. “His experience will ensure a smooth transition as my administration continues to seek ways to transform government and improve our community.”

Ferro is the third COS in a less than six months after the mayor’s first right hand man, Genaro “Chip” Iglesias, was suddenly and inexplicably replaced by Martinez in March. Iglesias remains a deputy mayor.

In his memo, Gimenez also thanked Martinez for her service, commending the former schoolteacher’s desire to return to her dedication to children and praising her achievements, “especially in putting forth initiatives on children, parks and green spaces, and cultural affairs,” the mayor said, highlighting her work to increase the number of kids served by Head Start “without reliance on the general fund.”

Martinez resigned on Wednesday, even though she doesn’t have another job to replace her $180,000-a-year post at the county. She is a finalist to be the new director at Our Kids, but she is only one of several finalists and — unless she knows something we don’t — it’s not in the bag.

Jokes about the Gimenez curse — losing both Martinez and Lebron James from the Miami Heat on the same week — abound.

But the County Hall resignation has also led to much speculation that Martinez — who put in her resignation less than a week before the budget battle between her boss and the commissioners begins — is upset over something or has just had enough. Insiders told Ladra that while there is no doubt she was “frustrated” with the political aspects of the job and is “burnt out,” there was no disagreement or discord that caused her sudden departure.

The former teacher just “wasn’t fulfilled” with her duties as Gimenez’s hatchetwoman, and wants to return to something that has to do with children and education, they said.

Ladra doesn’t know about that. Aren’t there a couple of bratty, petulant children on the 29th floor?

  Alex Ferro, Carlos Gimenez