Miami-Dade County Commissioners at their Nov. 20 meeting unanimously elected Commissioner Anthony Rodriguez to serve as the next chair. Rodriguez previously served as the vice chair beginning his tenure in December 2022.
“I am grateful to my colleagues for putting their trust in me, and I look forward to working with each of you as we shape the future of our county,” Rodriguez said. “Together, we are charting the future path of this board. We were elected by our community to serve them – not ourselves or special interest agendas. I encourage us all to keep that edict in mind as we move forward.”
The chair presides over all the Miami-Dade County Commission meetings and appoints the chairs, vice chairs, and members of all commission committees. Additionally, the chair oversees nine board offices including Commission Auditor, Intergovernmental Affairs, the Jay Malina International Trade Consortium of Miami-Dade County, Policy and Budgetary Affairs, Community Advocacy, Agenda Coordination, Protocol, BCC Media, and Support Staff Services.
Rodriguez began his term on the Miami-Dade County Commission representing District 10 on Nov. 22, 2022. He was elected to serve on the board on Aug. 23, 2022, after serving as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2018 to 2022.
As a state representative, he advocated and secured state funding for several Miami-Dade County-based non-profits, including the WOW Center, a special education school empowering individuals with disabilities, and Casa Familia, an organization dedicated to creating sustainable, enriched, and affordable housing communities benefiting adults with intellectual, developmental, and other related disabilities.
Rodriguez is an ongoing sponsor of state funding for the Miami-Dade CountryFest and Zoo Miami. He also has served as a member of the Jackson Health System Board and the Miami-Dade County Unsafe Structures Board.
Commissioner Kionne L. McGhee was elected unanimously to serve as the vice chair. McGhee assumed office representing District 9 in 2020. He brings his experience from the Florida House of Representatives, where he was first elected in 2012 to represent Florida House District 117 and served as the minority leader from 2018 to 2020.
“We are here for the people, to support the people, and to work for the people,” McGhee said.
McGhee is an accomplished attorney and the author of the bestselling book, Conquering Hope: The Life You Were Destined to Live. He has numerous affiliations, including the Florida Trial Lawyers Association, Wilkie D. Ferguson Bar Association, and the Greater Miami Service Corps, where he serves as a board member.
Reprinted from Miami’s Community News.