In a split vote that has stirred controversy in the City of Doral, the council decided Wednesday to eject Miami-Dade School Board Member Danny Espino from his office at city hall, a move that comes just two weeks after his wife, the former city manager, was also terminated from her position, Local 10 News reported.
The vote, which was a contentious 3-2, targeted Espino, who is married to the recently fired city manager Barbie Hernandez; the council expelled Hernandez earlier, with accusations of unethical behavior and preferential treatment swirling around both, though they have denied these claims, according to a post on X by the Miami Herald.
Doral Council boots school board member from City Hall office after firing his wife https://t.co/A88VGBmJon
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) February 14, 2024
Councilwoman Digna Cabral, who led the charge against Espino's occupancy of the office space, emphasized the need for ethical clarity, stating "I think this will minimize having any issues later on when it comes to conflict," in her remarks on the council's decision. Local 10 News indicated that besides Espino, other school board members such as Mari Tere Rojas utilize municipal spaces for office hours, though without any formal agreements.
The ousted city manager's spouse, on his end, addressed his forced departure with a statement, "It’s a sad day in Doral when a few politicians put politics over our families, I will not allow 3 politicians to force all the families of District 5 to drive to Downtown Miami to access school assistance and resources through my office," and he declared his intention to seek alternative arrangements to continue serving his district, as he told Local 10 News.
Doral's Mayor Christi Fraga, who had herself maintained a city hall office during her tenure on the school board, lamented the council's actions, describing it as "so sad for this government, for the city that should be opening the doors and inviting more relationships with our local governments to provide services to our residents." The backdrop of this controversy is a web of political interconnectivity, with Fraga having chosen Espino as her successor on the school board before her mayoral tenure, during which she appointed his wife as city manager at a salary of almost $240,000.
