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Miami Beach City Manager Leaving Job Sunday

MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) – Sunday marks the end of the road for Miami Beach City Manager Jorge Gonzalez, who will leave his job after 12 years.

Gonzalez gave his resignation to Miami Beach Commissioners earlier this year and in a 5-2 vote they accepted his resignation and set his final day as July 8. Before he resigned, there were weeks of speculation that he would be fired by the commission.

"This weekend marks the end of an incredible 12 year tenure for me as your City Manager," Gonzalez wrote in an email to his staff. "I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your contributions to the City and for helping us to achieve so many great things."

Gonzalez tenure was rocked in mid-April when the FBI filed charges of extortion against seven city code and fire inspectors accused of shaking down a South Beach nightclub. Gonzalez told a group of angry residents in May that despite those city employees being arrested for corruption, he's believes the city government under his leadership is doing a good job.

Still, some commissioners, like Ed Tobin, was one of several commissioners who wanted Gonzalez gone immediately when he resigned earlier this year.

"I'd like to see a fresh start. He's got one year of severance and a significant pension that he'll be able to collect relatively soon. He gets $150,000 a year for life. He'll walk away with about $300,000 in a year of severance in addition to some other health benefits. I think it's time, I think the city is a great city but I think we need to move on, I think it'll be difficult to hire new employees with the city in transition like this," Tobin said earlier this year.

Still, Gonzalez had one message for his staff and the city.

"I can say proudly – Mission Accomplished," Gonzalez wrote to his staff.

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