Miami Lakes Town Clerk Gina Inguanzo administered the oath of office to Bryan Morera, who won election to Council Seat 6.
To kick things off before the May 14 council meeting began at Town Hall, Mayor Manny Cid called the ceremony “an amazing night,” a “rejuvenation of our community, we’re bringing in somebody new, as in the next couple of months we’re going to have three or four of us leaving the dais,” Cid said.
“It’s so important to have somebody who was raised here, who has been an HOA president here, who cares about our community, now who is going to be serving here in our town,” Cid said about Morera, 32, an attorney who lives on the west side of Miami Lakes and has his business law practice in town.
The oath-taking happened in front of the rest of the council who wore light blue ribbons in recognition of Law Enforcement Appreciation Month.
Inguanzo welcomed the crowd who included Morera’s relatives, friends and former Vice Mayor Frank Mingo, former councilmen George Lopez and Nick Perdomo and Fla. Rep. Tom Fabricio, R-Miami Lakes.
Inguanzo, who is also the town’s supervisor of elections, said she was honored to be able to swear in the council member-elect.
“Thank you,” she told Morera. “Because every time that I reached out to you, you immediately answered. Thank you for the time you spent on the Blasting Advisory Board. Thank you on behalf of the town manager, town council which are your colleagues, town attorneys, town staff and the residents.
“Thank you for your commitment, for your energy, for your charisma,” she said. “In the last two weeks since you’ve been elected, we’ve been seeing you almost every day. So that is good.”
She also offered a bit of advice: “Prepare, because the meetings usually are very, very long and you’ll see how it feels to be an elected official and serve your residents.”
She wasn’t kidding. The council meeting, packed with eight proclamations, went past midnight.
Father Ivan Rodriguez from Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church said Morera spoke with him many times in confession, which prompted laughter from the audience. Rodriguez said he prayed for all of the council members and didn’t play favorites.
“It is God’s will that you have been chosen,” Rodriguez said before leading a prayer seeking guidance for Morera. The pastor then led the audience in reciting the Lord’s Prayer.
Voters chose Morera over volunteer Esther Colon, a former town manager at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. The results were 1,177 for Morera to 906 for Colon, or 56.51% to 43.49%.
The Miami-Dade Police Honor Guard presented the colors, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited and Cassandra Alvarez performed an a capella version of the national anthem.
Morera placed a hand on a Bible held by his wife Katherine Morera. In taking the oath, he swore to uphold the constitutions of the United States of America and the State of Florida, as well as the town charter.
“Thank you to all of you who made it out tonight,” Morera said. “It’s certainly a special day for the town, it’s certainly a special day for me and my family and friends.”
Morera replaces former Vice Mayor Carlos O. Alvarez who resigned during a council meeting in November. A high school principal, Alvarez cited the demands of work and his family as reasons for stepping down with more three years left to his term.
The council rejected Cid’s nominee who, if appointed, would have replaced Alvarez until Nov. 5, 2024.
Instead, it voted to hold a special election that drew five candidates on April 9. Morera came in first in the April 30 runoff election. He will fulfill all of Alvarez’s term, until Nov. 3, 2026.
Morera thanked the town “for the opportunity to allow democracy to run its course.”