Dade County Manager Burgess Resigns

March 16, 2011 5:15 PM

George Burgess

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MIAMI (CBS4) – Less than 24 hours after Miami-Dade voters resoundingly voted to recall Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Commissioner Natacha Seijas, there is another shake up at the Miami-Dade Courthouse.

County Manager George Burgess resigned Wednesday, just hours after Alvarez’s ousting. Assistant county manager Alina Hudak was named interim county manager.

“There’s a point in time when you have to step down,” Burgess said. “It’s either today, or 75 days from now. Any new mayor is going to build their own team and they should.”

Burgess, who has been Alvarez’s right hand man since the former police chief became county mayor in 2004, has been behind a number of controversial measures (property tax increase, public financing for the new Florida Marlins baseball stadium) which ultimately led to Tuesday’s recall vote.

Last year, voters approved a charter amendment which will eliminate the County Manager position in 2012. With the handwriting on the proverbial wall, Burgess was reportedly been campaigning for the CEO job at Jackson Health System, but didn’t make the final five list of candidates.

For Burgess, it wasn’t just Alvarez getting recalled, but also about just a need to decompress from his public service work.

“I’m really looking forward to taking a break,” Burgess said. “Anyone that knows how I’ve approached the jobs I’ve been in for 28 and a half years, I have a compulsive work issue. I don’t slow down, never have. I’d like to take a breather and see what kind of radically opportunities that are out there that are outside of my comfort zone.”

Burgess said it was the right time for me and my family to make this decision. He said the organization is in good hands with Hudak and said that if anyone wants to know what’s in his head, “they know how to reach me.”

Click Here For More On What Happens Next In Miami-Dade County Government

Luis Bonilla

Domino effect to the corrupted cuban mafia that runs this city. Pack all of your bags and return to the island of the beard. The citizens are sick and tired of your arrogance.
gary liv

L let them all leave all those who pretended to serve the citizens of DADE COUNTY we dont need them its like having a knife taken off your back and i hope the replacements are at least in favor of the epople because in DADE COUNTY there have been and are too many DICTATORS we need all of them removed and i hope they clean up all the police departments off all the trash too WE NEED A WHOLE NEW BEGINNING here in DADE COUNTY even give back the county its original name back DADE COUNTY not MIAMI DADE COUNTY because DADE is for the whole county not just for the city of miami as ILLITERALLY placed by ALEX PENELAS MIAMI DADE COUNTY that even sounds ridiculous like named by someone with a bad case of grammar

Chad

Gary I totally agree with you. Lets bring back to Dade County its original name DADE. All these politicians think they have the right to erase our history. Dade County was founded in January 1836 by Francis L Dade, an Army Major. Erasing our history or changing it should not be allowed by all these egomaniac politicians like Alex Penelas. I will gladly volunteer in gathering signatures to bring our county’s name back, DADE.
Dan T

I completely agree with you… it’s time to elect descent officials, someone who represent the interest of the people in Dade county for a change. Enough of police mafioso running this place like the wild west.

juan

there has to be term limits on all thios bums, max 8 years and your out and unions can’t and should not endorse a canidate, we need tio tell gov’t to stop buying votes thru perks to unions
http://www.corallaw.com Robert Rogers

Wow. This is going to have a profound impact on the county. Hopefully people can come together and make this a positive change.
Ry

Good, hopefully more will resign!
Luis Bonilla

ALL THE ROACHES ARE STARTING TO SCATTER. THEY REALIZED THEIR FREE RIDE HAS ENDED WITH THE FALL OF ALVAREZ. ITS TIME FOR ALL U INCOMPETENT TO BE REPLACED. I WONDER WHO WILL RESIGN TOMORROW. THIS IS FUNNY.
Carlos Morales

WHO WILL RESIGN TOMORROW,PERHAPS JOE MARTINEZ ,PEPE FATSO DIAZ,REBACA SOSA.BRUNO BARREIRO OF THE REST OF THE GOONS.
Stan

This guy is from maine and you have no idea what you’re talking about