The director of public works in Key Biscayne, Cairo Cangas, has resigned to work the same position in Homestead. He stated that his main motivation for leaving was to be able to provide better care for his dog, Maximus.
It’s the second time in a year that the island will be without a leader in the Public Works Department.
Cangas joined the department July 10 of last year and will start working in Homestead on June 24. He said he’s thrilled to work in Homestead because it’s a bigger city, and he will be acquiring more experience.
He wants to be involved in the many developments that are anticipated in Homestead, a community that is expanding, he said.
Nevertheless, he expressed his sadness for his Key Biscayne coworkers.
“The position was great. I enjoyed working with my coworkers here. They are amazing,” he said. “They assisted me every step of the way – making sure that everything got done correctly and as fast as we were able to.”
However, there were obstacles that made him want to quit, particularly the three-hour round-trip commute from his house in the Tamiami area to Key Biscayne.
If the Village had permitted two days of virtual work like other municipalities, he might have decided to stay instead of moving, as his new commute will take him close to thirty-five minutes each way, he said.
Village Manager Steve Williamson lauds Cangas for his work on the island. “[Cangas] has done great things for the island. We thank him for all that he has done. I wish him best of luck [in] his future endeavors. “
At Key Biscayne, his tasks included ensuring items implemented in the fiscal budget were implemented as well as maintaining and repairing major facilities, such as the community center and the fire station.
The departure at the start of hurricane season may have immediate impact because the department manages both preparedness and clean-up efforts after any storms.
Cangas highlighted the fact that the Village has allocated funds to more completely clean debris from catch basins, which helped minimize impacts from recent torrential rains on the island.
“That is one of the reasons why we didn’t encounter the same level of flooding as the majority of the city,” he said.
BIILY JEAN LOUIS is the senior editor of the Key Biscayne Independent. A native of Port Au Prince, Haiti, Jean Louis has worked for Bloomberg and the Baltimore Sun. He is a corps member of Report for America