Bryan Calvo, set to become Hialeah’s youngest mayor, says his first order of business will be to audit city departments, starting with one he calls “sacred:” the 911 emergency center.
Calvo, 27, will take office on Jan. 12, 2026, marking the first time in Hialeah’s history that the city will wait nearly 12 weeks between an election and the swearing-in of a new mayor. He says the audit will be the first step in overhauling how Hialeah delivers essential services, including police, fire and emergency dispatch.
“For me, the police, firefighters, and 911 are sacred,” Calvo said. “There are going to be big changes, that’s what voters wanted. I bring an idea of a government that’s more efficient.”
The 911 center, a subdivision of the police department currently overseen by Commander Jorge Llanes, has faced mounting concerns over staffing and missed emergency calls. Calvo says that structure may not be working.
“Right now, it’s being led by a police officer, and that’s not necessarily the best way to manage it,” he said. “Granting the department more independence could be a good place to start.” His goal, he added, is to transform the department into a “five-star operation” by implementing small, incremental improvements.
Dispatchers from Hialeah’s 911 emergency department first voiced concerns to the Miami Herald in 2023 about how understaffing was making it difficult to manage the daily call volume, a situation that has improved. At the time, then-Mayor Esteban “Steve” Bovo denied there were any problems with the center, even after Fire Union President Eric Johnson shared his own harrowing experience as both a first responder and a victim.
READ MORE: Hialeah’s 911 call center says it has its own emergency: the number of personnel on duty
Two years ago, Johnson told the Herald that he had called 911 following a car accident in the Hialeah Heights area but initially received no response. When his call was finally answered, it was by the county center, which then transferred him to Hialeah’s center. Bovo’s administration accused him of lying to the media.
At the time, Calvo was the only member of the council to publicly criticize the city’s emergency operations. He called for an investigation after reports surfaced about a high number of abandoned 911 calls. Calvo also sued the mayor over a public records request related to the emergency center, a lawsuit later dismissed by a judge.
As a councilman, Calvo often clashed with Bovo over city services and emergency response. He says his administration will review staffing, budgeting and hiring practices across all departments.
“I’m going to do an external audit of the city,” Calvo said. “I’ve talked about how we can make administrative cuts that don’t affect essential services. I want to make readjustments so that money is reallocated in a more efficient way.”
He added: “We know there are people employed by the city simply because they’re related to a politician or were given jobs for political gain. Maybe that person isn’t the best, most appropriate, or even the right person for the job.”
Calvo said he also plans to focus on the Public Works Department, which oversees water and sewer operations. He said he lacks confidence in the department’s current leadership, including Director Kevin Lynskey.
Water and sewer bills have been among the main concerns voiced by residents to city officials and the media.
Workforce housing for first responders
Hialeah has faced scrutiny for chronic understaffing across its first responder departments. Both the fire and police departments have struggled to retain trained personnel, as many employees have left for better salaries and benefits in Miami-Dade or neighboring cities.
In 2025 alone, more than 40 firefighters, nearly 20% of the city’s 230-member force, left the department, not including retirees. The city’s 911 centers have improved over the past couple of years but remain short-staffed, with about 40 employees in a department budgeted for 50. The police department has increased its workforce but is still short of officers.
Employees have even suggested that Hialeah might be better served by joining county-run departments, an idea Calvo firmly rejects.
“I understand that residents might not be satisfied right now, but over these next four years, it’s about improving services, reducing costs, and ensuring people are more satisfied than they are today,” Calvo said. “I don’t think the path should be to hand things over to the county, unless it’s the only option.”
Calvo says his broader plan also includes tackling retention by creating workforce housing for first responders. He is eyeing a 55-acre parcel of city-owned land behind the police station at 900 E. 56th St., the city’s only remaining undeveloped property. His proposal would transform it into subsidized housing for police, firefighters and 911 operators.
“We can’t necessarily give a 30% raise to be competitive, but we can offer a highly subsidized apartment, if not free,” Calvo said. “That will, I believe, retain many employees, because 50% of anyone’s salary here in Miami-Dade County goes toward housing.”
The land was previously tied to a different vision. Under Bovo’s administration, Terra Group, a South Florida developer, submitted an unsolicited proposal to build a new city hall on 20 acres and lease the remaining 35 acres for 99 years to develop a 723,060-square-foot “logistics and technology facility.” No public update on the project has been released since 2023, and the land remains vacant.
Political transition
Calvo won the mayoral election 32 percentage points ahead of his nearest opponent, but the council may not make it easy for him to advance his agenda. Councilman Carl Zogby was the only member to endorse him. Two additional council seats will be decided in a Dec. 9 runoff, but Calvo has not said whether he will support any of the candidates. Councilman Jesus Tundidor’s seat will become vacant when Calvo is sworn in, as he resigned effective that date to run for mayor.
“If the goal of all my proposals is to improve the lives of residents, then obviously the first-round victory gives me a mandate that goes beyond simply winning the election,” Calvo said. “Any council member who wants to disagree or share their opinion is welcome to do so, but they must understand that their decisions should serve the public good.”
Calvo’s path into politics began early. His mother, Edith, told the Herald she always sensed he would pursue public service. He is the youngest of her children. His father, Guillermo, died 18 days before the election. Calvo credits a political campaigns course during his first year at Harvard with sparking his interest in government. “That was really the turning point,” he said.
Over the next four years, Calvo says his administration will focus on improving efficiency, rebuilding morale within city departments, and making Hialeah a place where both residents and city employees want to stay.