Instead of having an election to fill the Miami-Dade County Commission seat left vacant by Kevin Marino Cabrera, who is now the U.S. Ambassador to Panama, commissioners agree to appoint West Miami Vice Mayor Natalie Milian Orbis.
Chair Anthony Rodriguez says, "She is duly qualified and is the exact example of what we want on this dais."
He felt they couldn't leave the seat open for a year because in the coming months there will be key votes on the budget and the construction of a new waste-to-energy facility.
Orbis will serve out Cabrera's term which was set to expire in 2026.
Her first vote this afternoon was on the mid-year budget.