Readers may recall that the annual February evaluation of Brooksville City Manager T. Jennene Norman-Vacha was a topic of debate this year. Norman-Vacha, who accepted the position in 2007, has enjoyed automatic renewals of the contract from 2009 until this year. Opinions were divided, and the City Council voted 4-1 against renewing her contract.
Brooksville’s Interim City Manager, Bill Geiger, has been working with the Florida City and County Management Association to fill the position by the June 7 deadline. Nine applicants were discussed at the teleconference on 04/25/17. The panel selected three finalists to be interviewed in person by the Brooksville City Council at the 05/08/17 meeting.
Council members Natalie Kahler and Betty Erhard objected to the process, stating that the panel was selecting for them, without input from the Council. In Kahler’s experience, a candidate may have experience and look good “on paper,” but they may not fit the leadership style or organization.
For Erhard, interview presentation gives the Council a chance to see the character of the individual. Erhard wants an opportunity to find out exactly what the candidate is looking for. Council member William Kemmerer reminded them that the position they were trying to fill was for an interim city manager, and not a permanent one.
The City needs someone to competently step into the position to return Geiger to his duties, and to give the Council time to find a permanent City Manager. For this, Kemmerer said, they would likely need a full year and more candidates would apply for a permanent position rather than a job with a short future.
Kahler insisted that the way the position was advertised indicated that the temporary position could become permanent. “Your best City Managers are working somewhere else right now. That’s who you want to try to attract,” countered Kemmerer.
As for the two candidates scheduled to interview on 05/08/17, Kemmerer stated that they may not be what every council member wants, but the idea is to select someone to get the job done so the council can select a permanent city manager. While Geiger has been doing his best, he is not a City Manager and his talents are needed in development.
Mayor Robert Battista stated the two candidates selected to interview on 05/08/17 were the only ones qualified of the nine applicants. The rest were described as “shaky at best” by Battista, based on their experience, but he was willing to add another name or two to the list.
Kahler strongly objected to interviewing only two, and her motion was to include two additional names from the list. Erhard seconded the motion, which was approved 5-0.
The candidates interviewed on May 8th were Lyndon Bonner, Redmond Jones II, Mark Kutney and Donald Levens.
Bonner most recently served as the county manager for Henry county in Georgia (Oct. 2015 – Jan. 2017). He served as the city manager for the city of North Miami Beach for approximately a year and a half (March 2011- Sept 2012) and the county administrator of Okeechobee county from 2008-2011. He’s had twenty years of Florida Municipal and County Management experience (1993-2013). Bonner indicated on the city job application that he had several trade and equipment skills- more than indicated by other candidates. The Henry county BOCC terminated Bonner without cause as stated on Bonner’s application. He emphasizes his experience in both municipal and county government “with responsibilities managing operational budgets exceeding $220 million dollars, $120 million Capital Improvements…”
Redmond Jones II is the current Groveland city manager (since 2014) and owned a consulting firm for 17 years. He also served as Assistant to the City Administrator/Affirmative Action for the city of Davenport, IA between 2002 and 2010. On the job application Jones explained that he had been terminated or asked to resign from a previous job, “A 3-2 vote to terminate my work agreement was reported to be related to my handling of a credit card issue involving the police chief. Unfortunately this issue was misrepresented.” He describes himself as “a visionary multi-disciplined manager with superior analytical skills and award winning leadership accomplishments.”
Mark Kutney served as the town manager for the town of Loxahatchee Groves between 2011 and 2014 and the deputy city manager for Belle Glade from 2007-2011. He has served in various Florida cities in development and growth management capacities including Davie, Hallandale, Titusville and Greenacres. When asked about primary strength and weaknesses, Kutney wrote, “I have no weaknesses!” He describes himself as “high energy,” “relentlessly positive,” “strategic thinker” and a “consensus/team builder.”
Donald Levens served as city administrator in Cokato Minnesota from 1986 to 2014 and served in the Navy (active duty) from 1964-1966. Although he has little Florida public service, Levens writes that he has expanded his public service career in Florida, “through the appointment/election to the Board of Supervisors in the Villages as well as other volunteer opportunities.” Levens points to 25 plus years of “municipal qualifications and day to day management experience.”
Julie B. Maglio contributed to this report.