Dozens of residents and local leaders spoke in support of Town Manager Edward (Ed) Peterman during public comment at a special-call meeting of the Town of Miami Lakes, and the council voted unanimously to lay a proposed performance-improvement plan (PIP) on the table indefinitely.

Councilman Alejandro Sanchez, who introduced the item, said the PIP was intended "to clearly define expectations, establish measured goals, and offer guidance to ensure successful fulfillment of all responsibilities assigned to the position" and recommended a review period concluding with the manager's annual performance evaluation on Feb. 1, 2026. He cited charter and contract provisions he said were not being consistently followed, including notice of planned absences and monthly reporting on council directives.

Residents who addressed the council described Peterman as "knowledgeable," "efficient" and a longtime public servant. "First and foremost, I want to voice my support for Mr. Peterman," said Esther Bonnie Centrone, a Miami Lakes resident. Multiple speakers recalled Peterman's municipal experience, his role during pandemic budget pressures and his responsiveness to neighborhood concerns.

Council debate focused on process and standards rather than personal matters. Several members, including Vice Mayor Moreira, said they would not support a PIP unless the council established clear, objective performance metrics. "If you told me that ever since the town manager took over we've seen a reduction in ... enforcement  okay, we could say from point A to point B there must be an X percent change," the vice mayor said, arguing a PIP should be measurable.

Councilmember Cuadra Garcia said his concern was not the person the manager designates during planned absences but the timing of notice so the council could exercise its charter authority if needed. The town attorney and mayor explained that the manager's contract and charter allow councilmembers to complete individual evaluations and that, under the contract, a member's failure to submit an evaluation is treated as an above-satisfactory rating.

Sanchez asked the council to direct staff to produce a PIP listing specific objectives and benchmarks; after an extended public comment and council discussion he moved instead to withdraw the original motion and table the item indefinitely. The motion to lay the PIP on the table passed unanimously. Mayor Dieguez confirmed the item is off the active agenda for now; Peterman declined to expand on the discussion in closing remarks.

The meeting record shows Sanchez raised three contract and charter provisions he wanted to address in a PIP draft: town charter section 3.4 (acting town manager designation), employment-agreement section 1.2 (duties and carrying out council directives) and section 1.3 (monthly manager report listing directives and their status). The memo circulated with Sanchez's item called for a PIP with a review period ending Feb. 1, 2026. The clerk also recorded a written public comment in support of the manager.

Councilmembers repeatedly urged that specific deficiencies be identified and documented if a PIP is to be effective. Several said they prefer handling concerns directly with the manager or through the annual evaluation tool already available to each member. Absent agreed, objective criteria, several councilmembers warned a PIP could appear punitive rather than corrective.

The council's action: the motion to create and implement a town-manager PIP was tabled indefinitely by unanimous vote. No termination, suspension or contract-change action was taken.