City of Naples, FL
City Manager
Semi-Finalists
Colin Baenziger & Associates 2055 South Atlantic Avenue Suite 504 Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118 Cell: (561) 707-3537
Naples: City Manager Semi-Finalists
Reviewing Candidate Materials 1
Interview Questions / Procedures 2
Suggested Interview Schedule 3
Andrews, David L. 4
Chapman, Charles T. “Charlie” 5
Dinneen, James T. “Jim” 6
Donmez, Erdal 7
McNees, Michael A. “Mike” 8
Newhouse, Benjamin B. “Ben” 9
Rooney, Mark J. 10
Shanahan, Joyce A. 11
Salaries 12 Section 1
Candidate Materials: Reviewing and Interpreting Them
Page 1 of 5 Section 1
Suggestions for Reviewing Candidate Materials
The materials contained herein are prepared to provide you with information concerning the candidates we are recommending you consider. The materials we and the candidates prepare are designed to provide you with information first and foremost concerning the candidate’s ability to do the job. You can then review the materials and determine which candidates you wish to interview.
As you can see, what we have for each candidate is often fairly extensive. When you review the materials, we recommend you begin with:
The Candidate’s Resume. This document provides a brief history of the candidate’s employment and possibly some personal information.
The Candidate’s Cover Letter and Introduction. These have been prepared by the candidate and offer insight into what the individual feels is important and his/her ability to communicate.
The References. These materials provide information concerning what people who know the candidate think about the individual. It is important to note that people are often reluctant to say anything negative about a candidate so even though we push fairly hard to get them to identify weaknesses, the weaknesses and negatives are often limited. Further, if a candidate’s references are poor or if we see significant red flags, we generally do not present that individual. We also attempt to reach references who know the candidate but were not provided.
The other materials for each candidate are important as well but probably do not need the same level of attention. They are:
The Internet / Newspaper Archives Materials. These materials provide information concerning the issues the candidate has dealt with and what he/she has done well and not so well. We do not recommend that you read these materials word for word but rather you scan them and carefully read the sections you feel are the most important. Please also see the following pages for comments concerning the Internet’s limitations.
The Background Checks. For the most part, the City and County Manager Candidates we present tend to have very few if any items of note on their records.
It is important to understand what is provided in the background checks and what it not. First, National Criminal Information Center (NCIC) is the gold standard for reviewing someone’s criminal past. Its use, however, is limited to law enforcement agencies for specific purposes. It is not something we have access to. Our nationwide criminal checks are run through a database assembled from data from a wide range of state and local agencies and is not as complete as the NCIC database. Nonetheless, we have confidence in it and have used it successfully for years. Further, we supplement it with checks of the databases of the county and state of residence.
Page 2 of 5 Section 1
You also need to be aware the criminal databases we use contain convictions and not allegations, complaints, or arrests (unless these lead to a conviction). We also do not check records in family court. The reason is cases are often emotional and parties are not always truthful in attempting to achieve their desired goal. If the allegations are serious and substantiated, they are generally found in the criminal records or covered in the newspaper, at least for people with significant positions in the public sector. Further, a substantial body of law exists concerning what can and cannot be considered in government employment. For example, it is illegal to use a bankruptcy as the basis for not considering a candidate.
Overall, we try to focus on someone’s ability to perform the duties of their job. We do not delve into their personal lives which can be murky. It should also be noted that a large body of law exists concerning what can and cannot be considered and it varies from state to state. We try to stay safely on the right side of the line, both for our own sake and that of our clients.
The other thing to consider is we do not want you to be surprised. Even if you cannot legally use a matter in your decision making, if it has been reported, we want you to hear about it from us rather than a third party. That way we can present you with a fair and unbiased analysis of the situation and you can determine what weight is appropriate to give the matter in your decision making.
Page 3 of 5 Section 1
Interpreting the Internet
When considering material gathered from the Internet, it is important to read carefully and to understand the Internet’s limitations.
In part of each candidate’s materials is what CB&A’s staff gleaned from the Internet and from newspaper archives concerning the semi-finalists. While we would like to think everything published is accurate, we know it is not. For example:
1) Some news sources have biases concerning particular individuals or write with incomplete information. Further, reporters have different capabilities and some do not understand the matters they are reporting on. Hence the story may not be accurate.
2) Occasionally, governments purposely provide information to the media that is not accurate or the full story, particularly when someone is leaving their employment.
3) Some elected officials occasionally make allegations concerning managers or staff members for political reasons whether or not the allegations are based in fact. Further, officials sometimes shoot from the hip without a complete understanding of the real issue and/or all the facts.
4) Some residents make allegations that are inaccurate or untrue and which are repeated in the media.
5) A manager may be blamed for issues and problems that come to the surface during his/her tenure but existed long before the individual took office. In fact, occasionally a manager uncovers a problem and is dealing with it. That very action can bring problems to light and result in a news story that reflects badly on the manager who is actually trying to fix the problem rather than the manager who let it fester for years and did nothing.
6) Managers may have more articles than, say, assistants because of the nature of their work. Assistants tend to be much lower profile and hence, less is written about them. Further when assistants make mistakes, the manager tends to get blamed.
Further, the Internet changes daily. Articles are added and removed. What is provided here is a snapshot in time concerning what was available on the Internet the day(s) we did the research. If someone were to search the internet tomorrow concerning information on these candidates, additional information or less information might be found. Search engines take up to six weeks to “find” stories after they are posted on websites. By the same token, a story appearing on a website yesterday may be deleted and may not be there tomorrow.
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We should also note we have not included everything we found. Many articles mentioning the candidate’s name have little if any relevance to the candidate’s qualifications. Hence these are often been excluded. Further, if multiple articles exist concerning the same issue, we often select the most relevant and complete articles and do not include the rest.
Where issues of concern were found in the following articles, we have attempted to research them and determine their true nature. Where we found information that we believed was serious in nature and the result of the candidate’s actions or that would could potentially embarrass you, our client, we would have dropped the candidate from consideration and his/her information would not be in this notebook.
One final note is that we generally do not include information from blogs as they are notoriously slanted and unreliable.
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Interview Procedures / Questions
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Interviewing Candidates
The interview is generally the final step in the selection process. At this point, the executive recruiter has screened the candidates and is satisfied that all finalists are capable of doing an outstanding job. Reference checks and more extensive background checks have been conducted, including discussions with individuals of our choosing and not on the candidate’s list of references. Internet searches have been completed, along with a review of newspaper archives. Credit history, educational verification, and criminal background checks have also been run so there should be no surprises once a candidate is selected.
The interview is an opportunity for both the elected officials and the candidate to learn about each other and to determine how well they will work together. It is also an opportunity for the elected officials to evaluate each candidate’s management abilities and to decide if he/she would be a good leader for the community. It is important for both the elected officials and the candidate to act professionally and in a manner that will impress the other party, all the while learning what they can about the other.
Since all the candidates are capable of performing the job, the focus of the interview should be on determining who fits best with the elected officials, the staff and the community. Some candidates will have more experience than others. Some have special areas of expertise that others do not. Some have better instincts, and some are simply more capable than others. While those with less experience may make more mistakes than others, they may also hit more home runs. The key is to determine which candidate will have the best chemistry with the elected officials, but also who can best lead the staff. No matter how technically sound a candidate may be, if he or she cannot build and maintain strong working relationships with the elected officials and staff, he/she will not last long as the community’s appointed leader. Of course, experience and expertise are critical and should not be overlooked.
The Internal Candidate / Local Candidate
If an internal candidate / local candidate is among the finalists, elected officials occasionally will assume they already know the individual and just chit-chat instead of actually conducting an interview. Doing so is neither fair to the candidate nor the organization. Internal / local candidates may have ideas about what they would do differently as the City Manager, but have not been willing or able to convey these thoughts to the elected officials, much less act upon them. Unless the same hard questions are asked of the candidate as the external candidates, meaningful comparisons cannot be drawn.
It should also be recognized that a competent, likable, internal / local candidate will have a natural advantage in any job competition. To select the known quantity is a natural, human tendency, particularly in public sector recruitments. It feels comfortable and is viewed as safe. It may also be exactly the wrong thing to do. For example, we have seen governing bodies select
Page 2 of 15 Section 2 individuals with whom they were comfortable and assume the individual will grow into the position. In our experience, they generally do not. Once someone has the top position, he/she has no mentors and it is difficult for them to improve in areas where they are weak. There simply is no one to teach them so they to focus on the areas where they are strong rather than improving in areas where they are weak.
Further, if the candidate does not do well in the position, then a year or so later the same governing body is struggling with a difficult decision. What should it do with someone who was a valuable employee or friend but who is not providing the necessary leadership? The choices become to continue with the employee even though he/she is not performing up to standards, demote the employee, or terminate his/her employment altogether. None of these choices is attractive, but one must be selected. Someone who was a perfectly good employee in his/her previous position may be lost. Of course, this same candidate, with a few more years of experience and mentoring, might make an excellent City Manager.
Please understand that we are not trying to discourage the hiring of an internal / local candidate. We do believe, however, that the internal / local candidate must be examined just as critically as the other candidates. We have found it helpful to ask the internal / local candidate what problems he/she sees in the organization and what he/she would propose to resolve them. If the individual does not have a good, specific answer to that question, then he/she is not ready to be the community’s City Manager. External candidates will not have the same depth of experience or knowledge about the government, so it would not be fair to expect the same response to this question as you would from the internal / local candidate.
Another thing to keep in mind is that, if an internal candidate is hired as the City Manager, then a search must begin to fill his/her position. If an outside candidate is hired as the manager, in most cases the internal candidate stays, but is somewhat disappointed. Of course there is also the risk that the internal candidate may be so disappointed that he/she decides to seek employment elsewhere.
Possible Interview Questions
The questions on the next few pages may be useful in determining the information that you need. There are undoubtedly others. The point is to ask the questions that you feel will give you the best idea of what the candidate believes, how he/she will work with you and with the staff, and whether or not he/she is good match for the community.
The following topics and questions are divided into four groups. The first set contains standard introductory questions covering an individual’s background, management style, and experience. The second set is designed to provide information about how the candidate will interact with the elected officials and staff, and to focus on particular issues that may be of concern to the community. Set III should always be asked at the end of the interview. The fourth section outlines what questions should not asked as they could provoke a law suit.
Page 3 of 15 Section 2 Possible Interview Questions
Since time will not permit asking all the questions, you should select the ones that are most important to you.
Topics / Question Set I:
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why are you interested in our community?
3. What is your management style?
4. What would your staff say about you as a manager?
5. What would your elected officials say about you?
6. Have you fired people? How did you handle it? How did you feel about it?
7. What do you think your strengths are?
8. What do you think your weaknesses are?
9. What has been your biggest success? Tell us about it.
10. What has been your biggest failure (or mistake) in your career? What did you learn from it?
11. If you were asked to cite one particular situation or event in your career that gave you the greatest satisfaction, what would it be?
12. What would you do during the first six months in our community?
13. What do you hope to learn in the first six months in our community? What do you expect to teach us?
14. What do you believe to be the challenges and opportunities facing our community? How are these likely to change in the future?
15. The City wants a City Manager with new ideas and lots of energy. How do you meet those requirements?
Page 4 of 15 Section 2 Possible Interview Questions
16. What is your value system? How will your values determine how you manage our City?
17. Why should we select you to be our next City Manager?
18. Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
Topics / Question Set II:
1. Explain what you believe the role of our City Manager should be.
2. What are the three most important commandments for a City Manager?
3. Can you give me a breakdown of your typical day as a City Manager?
4. How would you view your relationship with the elected officials?
5. How will you go about building a strong relationship with elected officials? How will you maintain it?
6. How do you build consensus on an elected body when it is deeply divided?
7. What information do you think the governing body needs to have concerning day- to-day operations and on-going projects?
8. How will you keep the elected officials informed?
9. What kind of direction do you expect to get from the elected officials? What will you do if you do not feel they have made it clear how they want the staff to precede on a particular issue?
10. There is an expression, “A good City Manager only needs to be able count to three.” Of course in our case, that would be five. Could you please comment on that statement?
11. What do you do when your views on handling a situation differ from those of the governing body as a whole?
12. What will you do if a particular elected official disagrees with how you believe a situation should be handled?
Page 5 of 15 Section 2 Possible Interview Questions
13. What will you do when an elected official contacts a department head directly and tells him/her to do something?
14. What would you do if an elected official walked into your office and told you that you needed to repaint it navy blue?
15. Can you tell your elected officials what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear?
16. How well do you accept criticism? Please give me an example of a case where an elected official suggested you could improve your performance. How did you respond and what did you do?
17. What are your core values and which one is most important to you?
18. Tell us something unique about yourself.
19. Can you describe an ethical issue that you have had to deal with in your career and how you handled it?
20. As a manager, how do you evaluate your own performance?
21. What do you believe to be the highlights of your career over the past three years?
22. How will you build a strong relationship with our existing staff?
23. What kind of relationship do you want to have with the senior managers and the rest of the staff, and how will you establish it?
24. How many people reported to you in your last job? How did you keep them informed of the community’s priorities? What do you intend to do differently if you are appointed here?
25. How will you keep the general employees informed of the elected officials’ priorities?
26. To what extent do you believe contact with citizens and citizen’s groups is important? How do you typically handle this responsibility? How will you build relationships with the community?
27. How do you plan to communicate with our residents?
Page 6 of 15 Section 2 Possible Interview Questions
28. How many community meetings have you attended in the last six months? What was the last one you attended and why did you go?
29. Sensitivity to different genders, races and ethnic groups is a priority for us. Can you provide us with some specific examples of how you have demonstrated your commitment to these principles in the past?
30. People are: ______. Please fill in the blank and explain your choice of that word or words.
31. How will you go about identifying the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement? Once you have identified them, how will you go about making changes?
32. How will you approach the short and long range planning processes? What system do you use to set goals and objectives? How do you monitor progress against these goals and objectives?
33. Please describe your experience with strategic planning.
34. Please outline the similarities between our community and the previous communities you have served.
35. History defines the future. Can you please define the character of our community based on what you have seen and then tell what you would like it to look like in 25 years?
36. What will you do if you feel an employee is not doing his/her job in a manner you feel is satisfactory?
37. What do you do when you observe an employee - who works for a department director - who is not doing his/her job the way you think it should be done?
38. Describe the steps you would take if you needed to recruit, say, a new Planning Director.
39. Please describe a situation where you have had to “step up and lead” relative to a controversial issue.
40. Describe a situation where you had to build a team to solve a problem.
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41. Please give an example of organizational restructuring you initiated. What was the reason for the restructuring and was it successful? Would you do anything differently if the situation presented itself again?
42. How would you go about raising morale in our organization?
43. Please describe your general experience in human resources administration including the development of personnel policies and performance appraisal systems.
44. Please describe your experience with and philosophy of labor/management relations.
45. What qualities make someone successful as a negotiator in labor contract discussions?
46. Have you sat at the bargaining table in contract negotiations? Tell us about the experience and what you learned from it.
47. Please identify the most difficult situation you have encountered with a labor union and how it was resolved.
48. What would labor unions you have dealt with say about you?
49. Describe an incident in which you played a role that embarrassed your government or caused it difficulty. What did you learn from it?
50. Are there any events in your professional or personal life that may reflect negatively upon your performance or which would be awkward or embarrassing to us if reported upon by our local/regional news media?
51. What are your long term career goals?
52. What areas of your skills/professional development do you want to work on at this point in your career?
53. How do you insure that your staff continues to develop professionally?
54. Are you willing to take calculated risks?
55. What kind of decisions did you make in your last job?
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56. What kinds of decisions are difficult for you to make?
57. What personal skills do you feel are necessary for someone to be successful in this position?
58. What particular personal characteristic do you have that will most benefit our residents if you are hired?
59. What is your average workweek now, and what would you expect it to be if you came to work here?
60. Why did you leave your last job? (Ask if the candidate is in transition.)
61. Why do you want to leave your current job? (Ask if the candidate is currently employed.)
62. From what you know about our community, what is the most burning issue that we face, and how would you address it?
63. Strong fiscal management skills are central to this position. Please describe the most challenging budgeting situation you have encountered and how you reacted.
64. What innovative, cost saving programs and projects have you initiated and how successful were they?
65. What is your philosophy for developing and implementing a budget for our City?
66. Would you consider implementing a Zero Based Budget?
67. What techniques would you employ to develop and implement a balanced budget in these difficult economic times?
68. What techniques have you employed to reduce payroll expenses without layoffs and without reducing the level of service we provide?
69. How do you encourage staff to stay in your organization?
70. Give me some examples of cases where you have introduced new technologies to improve productivity or service delivery in a local government organization?
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71. Like many communities, we are experiencing rapid growth and development. What would you do to protect the character of the community while permitting acceptable growth?
72. Do you view growth as a positive?
73. Tell us about your experience closing the gap between what is the ideal amount of infrastructure (roads, drainage, facilities, etc.) and what is actually present.
74. What experience do you have with economic development?
75. Please describe your experience in working with a business community, Chamber of Commerce, downtown business association, etc.
76. Tell us about an economic development project that you are particularly proud of and your role in its success.
77. What sort of concessions would you ask of developers when discussing their desire to bring a new development to our community?
78. Can you tell us about your experience with Tax Increment Financing?
79. Do you think it is necessary or appropriate to redevelop this community? If yes, how would you go about redeveloping it?
80. Do you feel it is desirable to bring new businesses to the community? What kind of businesses would you try to attract?
81. What actions would you pursue to bring jobs to our City? What sectors would you target?
82. What attributes of the City would market to businesses that you want to attract to our community?
83. Describe your experience with out-sourcing and your methodology for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of outsourcing.
84. What is your opinion of sole source procurements?
85. How will you balance the need for timely/efficient procurement with the need for checks and balances?
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86. How would you go about building a good relationship with the County?
87. How would you go about building a positive relationship with other governments with whom you will have to deal if you are selected for this position?
88. Describe your experience in dealing with state agencies.
89. Describe your experience dealing with federal agencies.
90. Describe your experience obtaining grants. What agencies would you approach for grants? What kind of grants do you think would benefit us?
91. Are there other external sources of funds (beyond grants) that you would seek out?
92. Have you ever been involved in initiatives to contract out services? Tell us about them. Did these efforts succeed?
93. How do you feel about succession plans for managers and directors? Do you presently have one in your City?
94. What experience do you have in developing and implementing policies and programs that further the goal of green and sustainable communities?
95. Describe the kind of organization for which you would like to work. If you could change one thing in your current (or most recent) job, what would it be?
96. Who do you view as your customers? How will you interact with them?
97. What great idea have you had that did not go anywhere and why did it fail?
98. If we were look at your personnel file, what would we find? Would there be anything negative?
99. How do you respond when a resident walks into City offices and wants to meet with you about an issue that concerns him/her?
100. Would you make yourself available for two hours a week to see the public on a first-come, first-served basis?
101. How would you address a situation where an employee places the City in an embarrassing light?
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102. What do you see as the primary drawback to being the City Manager of our community? What do you know about our operations and current employees?
103. If we hire you, would you seek a salary increase every year?
104. If the community decides to install a plaque somewhere in your honor after you leave your current job, what would it say?
105. If they decide to give you a roast, what would people say about you?
106. What was the most pertinent question you were asked today by any one of us, and how did you answer it?
107. Would you favor setting up a non-profit to deal with the feral cat and stray dog population in our community? [This question may seem a bit odd but it tests the ability of a candidate to think on his/her feet.]
108. Assume our 100th anniversary is next year. What ideas would you offer to make it a rousing success?
109. What was the last book you read and why did you choose it?
110. Who is your favorite comedian and how do you incorporate humor in your management style?
111. What did you do to prepare for today’s interview?
112. If you accept this position, how long do you expect to stay?
113. How do your spare time? What are your hobbies?
114. How would you describe your ideal day off?
115. Why should we hire you?
Topics / Question Set III:
1. If you are selected as the successful candidate, and understanding that pay and benefits are matters for negotiation, tell us in broad terms what sort of compensation package you would expect?
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2. If we hire you, how long would you expect to stay in the position?
3. What kind of severance package would you expect if you were terminated?
4. When would you be available to start work?
5. Is there anything which we have not discussed today that you would like us to know?
6. Are there any questions you would like to ask us?
Page 13 of 15 Section 2 Topics / Questions Set IV: Topics to Avoid During the Interview Process
A large body of legislation has developed over the years addressing civil rights and race/gender/age discrimination. Questions in these areas should be avoided during the interview process. The process of interviewing and selecting an applicant is no longer a simple matter of conducting a casual conversation and hoping to learn a candidate’s strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes. Various civil rights laws now make the average interview a process that should be approached with extreme caution. However, if you keep in mind certain basic rules, you will facilitate the process and avoid problems.
In most instances, asking inappropriate questions may raise an inference of either discrimination or retaliation against a particular candidate. In other instances, such as those involving issues of mental or physical health, inappropriate questions are presumptively discriminatory. Therefore, the interviewer must avoid questions relating to the following:
1. Political affiliation, political views, or voting history.
2. Religious beliefs or practices.
3. A candidate’s race.
4. A candidate’s age.
5. A candidate’s national origin or ancestry.
6. A candidate’s family and whether or not they would be willing/able to join them in the new City.
7. A candidate’s desire to have children or raise a family.
8. Pregnancy and other gender related issues.
9. Sexual orientation or sexual practices.
10. Marital status or personal and private relationships.
11. Potentially controversial issues of race, gender or ethnicity.
12. A candidate’s availability due to serving as a reserve in the military.
Any information a candidate may volunteer during the interview process regarding these matters does not render the interview invalid or otherwise taint the process. Consequently, open- ended questions, such as asking if the candidate wants to reveal anything else to the City that has not already been covered, are not prohibited. In fact, they can sometimes provide valuable insight into a candidate’s views and perspectives.
Page 14 of 15 Section 2 Topics / Questions Set IV: Topics to Avoid During the Interview Process
With regard to issues of physical or mental health, many questions are appropriate after a conditional offer of employment is made, but must be avoided beforehand. The interviewer must avoid questions relating to the following topics:
1. A candidate’s medical history.
2. Past workers compensation claims.
3. Past use of sick leave.
4. Health of a candidate’s family members.
5. Any obvious physical or mental impairment of the candidate. However, it is permissible to ask if the candidate is able to perform the essential functions of the job for which he/she is applying. A better practice is not to ask this type of question at all. Of course, from a practical point of view, it is hard to imagine anyone answering negatively.
6. A candidate’s frequency of illegal drug use or addiction. However, it is permissible to ask if the candidate ever used illegal drugs, and if so, the last time he/she did so. Once again, this is a very delicate area that can create significant problems for the employer if the questioning is intrusive.
7. Alcoholism or the frequency of alcohol consumption.
The questions listed above which relate to medical conditions may properly be asked of a candidate after he or she has received a conditional offer of employment. Before an offer is made, however, the questions must be avoided.
If you need further assistance in crafting proper interview questions, please do not hesitate to contact us for further guidance.
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Suggested Interview Schedule
Section 3
To Be Provided When the Number of Finalists Has Been Determined.
Section 4
Section 4
David L. Andrews
Naples City Manager Candidate Report
Section 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
COVER LETTER AND RESUME 1
CANDIDATE INTRODUCTION 7
BACKGROUND CHECKS 13
CB&A REFERENCE NOTES 17
INTERNET SEARCH 33
Section 4
Cover Letter and Resume
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Candidate Introduction
Page 7 of 85 Section 4 David Andrews
EDUCATION
Master of Public Administration, The University of Arizona Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, Stephen F. Austin State University Credentialed Manager, International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
EXPERIENCE
Town Manager, Carrboro, NC 2012 – present Assistant Town Manager, Paradise Valley, AZ 2010 – 2012 Town Manager, Oro Valley, AZ 2006 – 2009 Assistant Town Manager, Oro Valley, AZ 2005 – 2006 Finance Director, Oro Valley, AZ 1991 – 2005 Assistant Finance Director, South Tucson, AZ 1990 – 1991 Graduate Research Assistant, University of Arizona 1988 – 1990 Senior Budget Analyst, Tracor Aerospace, Inc. 1985 – 1988 Tax Auditor, Texas State Comptroller 1982 – 1985
BACKGROUND
Carrboro is an active town in Orange County, in the north-central portion of North Carolina. It is situated next to Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina, and is near the Research Triangle Park. The Town covers an area of 6.35 square miles and has a population of 21,544. The Town is distinctive in having one of the highest population densities of any municipality in North Carolina and Carrboro has a reputation as one of the most progressive communities in the Southern United States.
Carrboro’s FY 2018-19 Town Budget includes $25.9M for the General Fund and a Capital Improvements Project Fund budget of $23.4M for a total budget of $49.3M. The Town has 165 full-time equivalent positions, plus 98 seasonal and temporary employees. Eleven employees report directly to the Town Manager.
The three most significant issues facing the Town are:
• Slow revenue growth, coupled with increasing demands for services and cost increases. Sixty percent of the Town’s revenues come from property taxes, and over the past five years, property tax revenues have increased by an average of less than 1% each year. However, costs for services such as public transit and employee health insurance have increased by 9-10%, and cutbacks by federal and state governments to municipal programs have shifted many of the costs to the Town. • Town buildings are aging and need to be renovated. A recent study indicated that most of
Page 8 of 85 Section 4 David Andrews
the Town buildings are in poor to fair condition, and the cost of renovation would be more than $30 million. • The Town has a history of providing visual and performing arts; however, the organizations that provide these services are also facing infrastructure and operating challenges. The Town is currently working with Orange County to build a 15,000-square- foot library on Town-owned property, with the possibility of co-locating the non-profit ArtsCenter in the facility.
GENERAL, MANAGEMENT STYLE AND EXPERIENCE
I am very interested in the City Manager position for the City of Naples because of the quality of life the city has to offer and the challenges it has. My wife and I have visited Naples on two occasions during the past five years and we told ourselves that if the City Manager position ever came open that we would apply for it. Naples is enchanting, and this would be the capstone of my career. Throughout my career, I have worked in communities that value a high quality of life. I have significant experience with many of the issues and challenges that Naples is facing, including special events, parking, and customer service expectations. I have read news articles regarding the proposed ethics commission, and I understand the political sensitivity of the issue and the measure’s implications for the governing of Naples.
Throughout my over 27 years of local government management experience at the department director, assistant manager, and chief executive officer levels, I have worked extensively to develop supervisors and managers to promote their effectiveness.
I am proficient at delegating and creating a work environment that encourages managers and supervisors to make decisions that are consistent with the goals, objectives, and priorities that have been established by the elected officials and chief executive officer using strategic plans and action plans.
By holding regular management team meetings, one-on-one meetings with department directors, management retreats, I build strong management teams. I encourage department directors to participate in their respective professional associations by attending conferences and assuming leadership roles.
I also seek to foster an environment that develops employees to their highest potential and helps them achieve success by coaching, mentoring, and providing effective performance evaluations and feedback. My staff members know that I am supportive and appreciative of their efforts. I set high standards for staff and work with them to assist in achieving the elected officials’ goals. I expect results and hold staff accountable for their work. I have used performance measures and performance-based evaluation systems. In Carrboro, I developed a 9-point-scale performance review system that allows me to adequately and equitably assess each employee. This year, I have used it on my direct reports, and I’m encouraging them to use it on their direct reports next year.
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The result is that several of my directors told me that they were pleased to learn something about themselves from the review process and I learned what each employee needed to advance in their careers.
The elected officials I have served would likely say that I am a strong leader who can assist in developing a vision and then implement it. I can oversee the day-to-day operations while making it a priority to get out of the office to promote the city and get involved in the community. I embrace challenging work, and I have a track record of achievement.
I had a 360-degree appraisal performed as part of my continuing education as an ICMA Credentialed Manager, which indicated that my greatest strengths are in leveraging the unique talents of others to enhance organizational effectiveness and credibility. I act in accordance with stated values, follow through on promises, and use ethical considerations to guide decisions and actions.
According to the 360-degree appraisal, my lowest score was in leading the organization in understanding international issues. To improve my understanding of international issues, I am making additional efforts to follow international news.
I truly believe in public service and have stated throughout my career that I want local government service to have a great reputation. My greatest achievement came in January 2017 when the Carrboro citizens gave the Town government an overall approval rating of 92% in the Town’s first community survey.
My biggest failures come when I must terminate employees. It has always been tough, but necessary. It never gets easier. I have learned to try to always be mindful and careful in employee recruitment and hiring, and I always use progressive discipline and provide employees opportunities for performance improvement. Still, I have had to terminate employees throughout my 28 years of experience. When every effort to improve performance fails, termination is the best outcome for the organization, and often for the employee.
The challenges facing the person who takes this job are clearly identified in the position profile. Throughout my career, I have dealt with the challenge of maintain small-town charm in the face of growth and development. I am comfortable with issues like special events, updating comprehensive plans, parking, and customer service. Airport operations are always sensitive, and the ethics amendment will be highly challenging. The retiring city manager was excellent, and his shoes will be hard to fill, but I am confident in my abilities to work closely with the Council and staff to have positive outcomes in every aspect of the City’s goals, services, and action plans.
My first six months in Naples would be spent getting to know the Mayor and Councilmembers, citizens, employees, regional partners, and other stakeholders. I would also like for the departments and the City to perform Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analyses to identify concerns and issues to help strengthen the Town and improve customer service.
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I work well with the media and there is nothing in my background that would embarrass the City of Naples if my possible appointment became public knowledge. It is highly unlikely that any Carrboro community activists would contact Naples to say anything negative about me.
The Town of Carrboro embraces social media. Within the past six months, I hired a communications manager to get the word out to the public about the great things the Town does as well as upcoming community events and news.
In my leisure time, my wife and I enjoy hiking, bicycling, kayaking, yoga, and other fitness activities. We also enjoy exploring museums and supporting the performing arts.
SIX ADJECTIVES OR PHRASES YOU WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF
• Confident • Competent • Strategic • Proactive • Energetic • Creative
REASON FOR WANTING TO LEAVE CURRENT JOB
I have worked for the Town of Carrboro for over six years and have achieved significant accomplishments. I am selectively looking for new opportunities and challenges and am very interested in what I could bring to the City of Naples.
CURRENT/MOST RECENT OR RELEVANT SALARY
My current annual salary is $158,739 plus vehicle allowance ($6,000), deferred compensation ($4,490), and longevity pay ($868) for a total annual compensation of $170,097.
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CB&A Background Checks
Page 13 of 85 Section 4 Background Check Summary for DAVID L. ANDREWS
Criminal Records Checks:
Nationwide Criminal Records Search No Records Found
County Chatham County, NC No Records Found Orange County, NC No Records Found Maricopa County, AZ No Records Found Pima County, AZ No Records Found
State North Carolina No Records Found Arizona No Records Found
Civil Records Checks:
County Chatham County, NC No Records Found Orange County, NC No Records Found Maricopa County, AZ No Records Found Pima County, AZ No Records Found
Federal North Carolina No Records Found Arizona No Records Found
Motor Vehicle North Carolina No Records Found
Credit Excellent
Bankruptcy No Records Found
Education Confirmed
Employment Confirmed
Page 14 of 85 Section 4 Background Check Summary for DAVID L. ANDREWS
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. 1681-1681Y, credit and bankruptcy information are very sensitive and should not be used be in the consideration of hiring. The information is included for each candidate because we do not want you to be surprised if third parties raise what they consider to be a concern.
Page 15 of 85 Section 4 Background Check Summary for DAVID L. ANDREWS Personal Disclosure
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CB&A Reference Notes
Page 17 of 85 Section 4 Reference Notes David L. Andrews
Robert Kornovich - Information Technology Director, Paradise Valley, AZ 480-584-1271
Mr. Kornovich has known Mr. Andrews since 2010. He was an employee in the Information Technology department when Mr. Andrews was Deputy Town Manager. They developed a mentoring and personal relationship that continues today. He has learned valuable lessons in government leadership over the years.
Mr. Andrews has several strengths. He is an excellent communicator. He is direct and honest. He perceives his audience well and will have a difficult conversation if the person is ready. He has the nuance to tackle sensitive political issues. Mr. Andrews is proficient in a very professional way. He often conducted ten-minute departmental meetings that culminated in focused team goals.
Mr. Andrews was a calming presence in challenging fiscal times. When he came to Paradise Valley the economy was in a down turn. He brought a sense of peace and reassurance to employees that were frightened about budget cuts.
Mr. Andrews fought to change negative perspectives the public has of public sector employees. He never took short cuts or blurred ethical lines such as taking advantage of special offers from vendors. He bought credibility with the public through his professionalism. He had a laser focus in providing excellent customer service. He taught public employees are only owed their paycheck. These examples and lessons changed Mr. Kornovich’s perspective.
Mr. Andrews is very focused on customer service. He immediately started working on any task or issue he was presented with. He did not let things sit. He realizes that bad news never gets better with age. He taught his staff to provide tools to serve the residents as how they saw fit. He advised any activity you do at work must provide service to the public. He set an example for his staff when he worked in the local Post Office a few hours daily during a staffing and budgetary shortfall. It was a department under his supervision in need of team support. Mr. Andrews asked how he could help and then assisted with what was needed. He worked his way up through the organization and understood what it was like to be a regular staffer.
Mr. Andrews made good decisions with personnel. When hiring he looked for a person balanced with appropriate skill sets and strong customer service. He selected personnel that were proven facilitators and those who were willing to wear several “hats” in the small town environment. Mr. Andrews supported his employees when they struggled with performance. One high level employee was abusive toward staff. He recognized the situation to be a cultural issue within the organization. He mentored the employee over two years. His influence improved the dynamic and positively affected the organization as a whole while retaining valuable employees.
Mr. Andrews is an effective problem solver with a perspective toward the future. He was the first to alert the Town to an impending financial liability crisis. They were underfunding the public safety employee retirement fund. He started talking with the Council and citizens about funding sources and educating them on the accruing interest. He worked to determine how much they wanted to start paying down. At the same time citizens wanted their streets resurfaced. It became
Page 18 of 85 Section 4 Reference Notes David L. Andrews a hard issue between which item to fund. There was a Town vote that raised the spending limitations that helped with some street resurfacing. He helped citizens understand the remaining streets would be resurfaced when the economy improved. He also made sure they were aware the reason for waiting was saving the Town money in the long term by paying down their liability in the retirement fund. Mr. Andrews financial skills are impressive.
Mr. Andrews has been involved in two controversies that Mr. Kornovich is aware of. The first involved the Police Department in Oro Valley. During the economic downturn, Mr. Andrews recommended for one motorcycle officer position to be eliminated. This was an equitable funding cut based on the cuts in all other Town departments. The Police Union vehemently contested the cuts by making personal attacks on him.
The second controversial issue involving Mr. Andrews centered on the Town’s implementation of photo radar. They were the first Town to make use of this type of radar in the state of Arizona. The Town citizens were very pleased with the photo radar but the rest of the state did not appreciate it. There were many personal attacks directed toward Mr. Andrews as he represented the citizens of his Town. Mr. Kornovich is unaware of any embarrassing conduct either of a personal or professional nature by Mr. Andrews. There may be people with differing opinions regarding Mr. Andrews that lack the ethical values that he embodies.
Mr. Andrews would never allow to let his frustrations show. He always kept a professional demeanor. He understood it was his job to represent the Town regardless of his personal feelings. He was customer service oriented at all times. He knew that he had to take difficult issues to the Council. He could do this with tact and without embarrassing them.
Mr. Andrews is an incredible person. Mr. Kornovich has never met a leader like him. He would like to know how he does it so he could be more like him. He definitely would hire Mr. Andrews.
Words or phrases used to describe David Andrews:
• Ethical, • Professional, • Caring, • Human, • Inspirational, and • Dedicated.
Strengths: Communication, ethics, and his desire to share his knowledge.
Weaknesses: Seemed one dimensional initially. Does not sell himself. He is interested in getting into the issues.
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Bob Hornik - Town Attorney, Carrboro, NC 919-614-0204
Mr. Hornik has known Mr. Andrews since 2012. Mr. Hornik is with the Brough Law Firm which specializes in local government and land use law. He represents several towns as their Town Attorney. He knows Mr. Andrews to be a conscientious leader and communicator.
Mr. Andrews performs his job with excellence. He is in a very progressive university town with an active community. Mr. Andrews manages his staff and the eight municipal departments well. The current Town Board is tough to work with. He keeps them on track and supports the advancement of goals they have set. He understands there are different ways to get a job done.
Mr. Andrews invites commentary and seeks input from both staff and community. A recent example is a large construction project for the library. In the initial stages he assembled as many property design professionals from the community that he could. To accomplish this task he took and received suggestions from citizens, staff, and the general public. He kept asking how the Town might be better or different. Mr. Andrews will change course based on input.
Mr. Andrews will address difficult situations with staff. A higher level employee had performance issues. He worked to support this employee in a number of ways. Unfortunately, the employee did not improve. Mr. Andrews accepted input from others that led him to determine keeping this employee was not in the organizations best interest. He is conscientious of putting the good of the organization first. He is very financially conscious in both day to day and long term projects. He works to get the most bang for the buck.
Mr. Andrews is a skilled communicator. It is one of his strengths that has developed over his time as Town Manager. He is in contact with Mr. Hornik daily and meets with him two or more times weekly. It is common for him to call first thing in the morning as he is leaving the gym and Mr. Hornik is just leaving the shower. Mr. Andrews could be seen as a little unapproachable by the staff outside of City Hall. Mr. Hornik has only seen direct interactions with higher staff inside the building.
Mr. Hornik is unaware of any controversies involving Mr. Andrews. As the Town Manager he is brought into issues that may be controversial. He has never heard or seen anything negative about Mr. Andrews. He does not know of any personal or professional conduct that might be cause for concern. He would not hesitate to hire Mr. Andrews. Carrboro’s loss would be someone else's gain. He would hate it if the town were to lose him.
Words or phrases used to describe David Andrews:
• Results oriented, • Practical, • Willing to listen, • Patient,
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• Decisive, and • Environmentally conscious.
Strengths: Communication, desire to continue learning, and accepts new perspectives.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Julie Eckenrode – Human Resources Director, Carrboro, NC (336) 302-0405
Ms. Eckenrode has known Mr. Andrews since 2014. She was his assistant until she was recently promoted as the Human Resources Director. She reports directly to Mr. Andrews. He is wonderful to work for. He created a welcoming environment when she changed careers from teaching. He mentored her and takes pride in training people for public service.
Mr. Andrews thinks about how decisions today will impact the future. He saw a need to help the Board of Aldermen better understand the financial status of their Town. He designed the Seven Year Expense and Revenue Report for this purpose. He gathered data from the past seven years and used it to predict the next seven years of revenue and expenses. The final product provided a clear and simple picture the Board was able to easily understand. The raw data was available for anyone interested in more complex information.
Mr. Andrews greatest strength is in finance. He always considers how the budget will be impacted. He has developed a very efficient budgetary process that takes six months to work through. He has had his budgets pass unanimously each year.
Mr. Andrews is results oriented. The Town is working on a new library building in the down town area. Valuable parking spaces have been lost temporarily due to the construction. He has worked with the Economic Development Director and planning staff to communicate with business owners and the public. They have studied options for additional parking spaces however spaces were not adequately located. Mr. Andrews personally negotiated with a hotel to lease parking space from their parking garage to solve the dilemma. He recognizes that he is the CEO of the organization. Sometimes that means he needs to make the hard and fast decision. He also recognizes that these decisions can impact many people. He involves as many people in the decision making process as needed to work out a solution together.
Mr. Andrews hires people that are the best fit. He makes excellent decisions. He takes into account their abilities first. Then considers if they would fit into the organization well. He looks to create a team that trusts each other.
Carrboro is one of the most progressive towns in North Carolina. Mr. Andrews rises to the expectations of his community. The Town puts pressure on him to be an innovator. They expect a high performance from him and his staff, and he delivers. He is involved in the community and
Page 21 of 85 Section 4 Reference Notes David L. Andrews makes an effort to be seen at special events such as the Carrboro Music Festival and Carrboro Day. He is very accessible to staff and citizens though he never attempts to over shadow the elected officials. His purpose is to serve at the pleasure of the Board and the citizens.
Mr. Andrews is focused on providing superior customer service. In the last six months he created the Customer Bill of Rights for the Town. It sets a response time frame for employees interacting with the public. They have 48 hours to respond from the time of initial contact. Staff is expected to let the citizens know they have been heard and are cared about by their public service employees. Mr. Andrews personal policy is to respond 100 percent of the time in 24 hours or less.
Mr. Andrews never seems stressed regardless of the situation he is dealing with. He handles difficult or controversial issues with ease. The one controversial issue she remembers centered around the slaughtering of chickens in the backyards of recent immigrants. Mr. Andrews reviewed Animal Control Ordinances, how neighboring municipalities were handling the same issue, and held public meetings. Local Ordinances were updated and the Town Attorney provided direction.
Ms. Eckenrode is aware of a rumor Mr. Andrews had difficulty with the Police Department from his prior position. This is the only item she is aware that might be of concern for a new employer. It is possible the former Police Chief, Walter Horton may have a differing opinion of Mr. Andrews. He may feel that Mr. Andrews did not support new programs in the Police Department. She is unaware of any personal or professional conduct that would concern an employer.
Mr. Andrews is dedicated to his work. He takes issues seriously and treats all elected officials equally. Ms. Eckenrode would definitely hire him.
Words or phrases used to describe David Andrews:
• Experienced or well seasoned, • Thoughtful, • Professional, • Politically astute, • Positive powerful financial decisions, and • Community aware.
Strengths: Communication, looking at long term impacts both with policies and budgets, and equity of money.
Weaknesses: Time management in meetings, but he has greatly improved in this area.
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Mike Hein - City Manager, Groveland, FL 352-429-2141
Mr. Hein has known Mr. Andrews since 1991. They first met in college where they both shared the same major. Then worked together in South Tucson as colleagues briefly before Mr. Andrews became his immediate supervisor.
Mr. Andrews is a broad thinker. He understands partnerships and long-term regionalism. He has spearheaded and implemented multi species conservation plans while developing land and land use policies in South Tucson. Mr. Andrews is solid and consistent in any given situation he has been in over the years. He knows his craft. He excels in government finance and budgeting.
Mr. Andrews financial skills set him apart. His knowledge of systems and financial data is without reservation. He takes complex financial information and puts it into easily understandable terms. From an audit standpoint, his budgets are clean and crisp with an understated elegance. He has never made a mistake in the final presentations of his budgets.
Mr. Andrews cares about doing a thorough and professional job which shows in his actions. He takes extra time and effort with any task he is given. He will work late into the evening and weekends if that is what it takes to complete the job in a timely fashion.
Mr. Andrews innovates methodically. He assesses and understands the elasticity of organizations. He astutely determines what it can handle. He does not go to extremes. Mr. Andrews operates at a high performance level and expects the same from his staff. He is very customer oriented. He will respond to inquiries in 24 hours and give a menu of options of where he can go from there. His employees are expected to serve the public without bureaucracy.
Mr. Andrews regularly goes into the community. He attends more than the mandatory meetings required for his position. It is common place to see him at township, jurisdictional, and regional events. He shows genuine compassion toward humans. He is great one to one or with groups. He has great non verbal posture and will lean in when he is a conversation.
Mr. Andrews instills confidence. He is a leader that provides steady direction at all times. He is an analytical problem solver providing consistent competency regardless of the stress he may be under. You will not see him flustered. He reorganizes data until it works. Working out a budget for the town of South Tucson is an example of this. He was aware that the economic cycle was heading down and people might lose their jobs. He worked with the scarcity of resources available to develop the best budget for everyone involved.
Nothing in Mr. Andrews personal or professional background should cause concern for an employer. His conduct has always been of the highest standard. There is nothing embarrassing or controversial about this man.
Mr. Hein would absolutely hire Mr. Andrews without any reservations.
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Words or phrases used to describe David Andrews:
• Consistent, • Thorough, • Determined, • Reliable, • Conscientious, • Diligent, and • Dependable. You are not going to get any surprises or drama.
Strengths: Attention to details, thorough command of the budget, consistency.
Weaknesses: He is vulnerable to expecting everyone to be motivated by purity of heart.
Bill Garner-Town Council Member, Town of Oro Valley, AZ (215) 869-2979
Mr. Garner has known Mr. Andrews since 2012. Mr. Andrews exemplified professionalism. He was punctual, well informed, and communicated clearly.
Mr. Andrews consistently held highly productive meetings. He arrived with well organized agendas that had time for open dialogue and unfinished business. He knew the answer to most questions or obtained them in a timely manner. During meetings Mr. Andrews took notes and reiterated position statements for clarity. His priority was making sure things were correct before ending the meeting. He was always pleasant when meeting with the public individually or with groups.
Mr. Andrews understands how to run a town. He has exceptional skills drafting and working with a fiscal budget. He fully understands that you can only take out as much money as you receive. He was cautious when hiring. Mr. Andrews quickly considered the long term impacts salary and retirement have on the budget.
Mr. Andrews was friendly and intelligent. He was ethically and morally above reproach. He used email ensuring his communication was discoverable to the public. Mr. Garner received positive feedback from staff and peers about the morale of Mr. Andrews’ employees.
Mr. Andrews demonstrated high standards in customer service in his daily work. He assisted Mr. Garner in obtaining information for constituents with concerns. In one instance Mr. Andrews worked with the Finance Director to provide a pie chart diagram. The chart was easier for the constituent to understand and it answered their questions.
Mr. Loomis, the former Mayor, may have a different opinion than this reference. Mr. Garner was not comfortable speaking for him as it was a personal matter.
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Mr. Garner believes Mr. Andrews to be of the highest caliber professionally. He would absolutely hire him for Town Manager.
Words or phrases used to describe David Andrews:
• Trustworthy, • Dependable, • Punctual, • Excellent communicator, • Priority driven, and • Available.
Strengths: Financial and time management skills, and commitment to citizens and staff.
Weaknesses: Work with few breaks to refresh his stamina.
Carrie Monette - Animal Activist, Carrboro, NC (919) 619-5986
Ms. Monette has known Mr. Andrews since 2016. She feels Mr. Andrews is the conduit for making her voice heard. He is the best Town Manager she has dealt with. He is polite, polished, and never shies away from something challenging.
Mr. Andrews is courteous to a fault. He extends himself to make Ms. Monette’s presentations to the Board go easily for her. He looks to be a voice of moderation in times of high stress between her and the Board. After presentations, Mr. Andrews contacts her offering his assistance on any follow up items.
Mr. Andrews is very calm and courteous under stress. He is excellent at reading people and responding in a way that best fits the situation. In a recent Town meeting he addressed the needs of a disruptive citizen in the audience. It was clear the Mayor and others were uncomfortable. Mr. Andrews jovially and with kindness approached the person. He offered to get the information they needed right after the meeting. Ms. Monette observed him providing information to the citizen afterwards.
Mr. Andrews is unflappable. A local newspaper quoted him in an article that misrepresented the facts of the situation. When he was asked about this article, Mr. Andrews calmly explained the situation with a smile. He had a positive attitude and took the opportunity to educate on the issue.
Mr. Andrews is extremely knowledgeable about how town government works. He is eager to spend his time educating others in what they need to know. He puts people at ease and is very intelligent.
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Ms. Monette has seen evidence Mr. Andrews addresses difficult employee situations with tact. The Town had their own Animal Control Department when he was hired. The Animal Control Officer was known to be difficult with citizens and treated animals poorly. Mr. Andrews negotiated with the county to contract their services at a savings to the municipality and improve the care for their animals.
Mr. Andrews is committed to open communication with the citizens. He makes himself available to the press for interviews. Keeps the Town website up to date with important information and progress on issues. He is prompt and courteous in responding to emails. Overall, his communication skills are excellent. When he takes a hardline on a situation he does not sow hard feelings or discontent in the community.
Mr. Andrews is seen in the community on a daily basis. He is always consistent in his demeanor; kind, polished, and professional. Whenever he is approached by Ms. Monette, he is helpful. She has asked for assistance on chance meetings out and about in town. Mr. Andrews has always been extremely courteous and provided her with immediate information. He is very customer service oriented.
Ms. Monette finds it difficult to imagine that Mr. Andrews could be involved in anything controversial or embarrassing. She has no knowledge of anything concerning conduct either professional or personal in nature.
Mr. Andrews is a great guy with high standards. He is the best Town Manager for Carrboro. It will be hard to lose him.
Words or phrases used to describe David Andrews:
• Unflappable, • Professional, • Intelligent, • Courteous, • Helpful, and • Compassionate.
Strengths: Communication skills, unfailingly helpful, and brings a moderating influence to heated discussions.
Weaknesses: None identified.
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John Dorward – Retired Executive Director of Inter Faith Council, Orange County, NC 919-619-2936
Mr. Dorward first met Mr. Andrews when he came on board in 2012. He has loved working with him.
Mr. Andrews is open minded, willing to communicate, and is easily accessible. He does what he says he will do. He is direct and people know where he stands on the issues. He is exceedingly good at budgeting which has been the reason why Carrboro has not had budgeting issues like so many other municipalities in the County.
Dealing with the public is an area where Mr. Andrews shines. He has experience and is good at it. He is visible in the community and is happy to talk to people in public. He is the type of leader who finds time to be out and about in the community.
Mr. Andrews makes good decisions. The Council has been involved in several big projects where it has had to work through some of the town processes for zoning, etc. and Mr. Andrews has helped them along with those decisions. The elected officials pay attention to him and seek out his guidance and recommendations. He is a fine leader and the people who work with and for him are happy with his management.
Mr. Dorward would characterize Mr. Andrews as someone who maintains the organization at a high performance level, but also someone who makes changes when and where necessary. He has taken the Town to a higher standard and is open to change. Mr. Dorward is not entirely sure he has complete flexibility for change, but he has made some small tweaks in regards to operations. He has had some new Police and Fire stations and sub-stations added as well as changed the way the stormwater is handled in terms of funding and moving it forward.
When problems or issues arise Mr. Andrews is excellent at tackling them. The Town has been experiencing some issues in regards to the homeless population having a place to use the restroom downtown. Businesses only want their patrons to use their facilities, but the City does not have any public restrooms downtown. Mr. Andrews has been working hard on getting that project going to resolve that issue.
Mr. Dorward is not aware of Mr. Andrews being involved in anything controversial since he has known him. He has never heard the first hint of a scandal in regards to Mr. Andrews and would be surprised if something were discovered if the press were to go digging. He would absolutely hire Mr. Andrews if he were given the opportunity.
Words or phrases used to describe David Andrews:
• Accessible, • Dependable,
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• Honest, • No-nonsense, • Enjoyable, and • Good person.
Strengths: Pleasant person to work with who is accessible, direct, and gets things accomplished.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Carol Dorsey – Former Human Resource Director, Town of Carrboro, NC 909-452-3620
Ms. Dorsey first met Mr. Andrews in 2013 when she came on board in Carrboro. She reported directly to him in her position at the Town.
Mr. Andrews’ job performance since she has known him has been very good. He is dedicated to the organization. He has a broad view of the organization that comes from his time serving in the finance area earlier in his career. He can see things from different angles and perspectives rather than just one. It is uncanny how well connected he is in terms of what is happening in the organization and what it means for the future of the Town. It was a good learning experience working with him in that regard.
Ms. Dorsey has enjoyed working with Mr. Andrews as he is always smiling and has a positive attitude. In regards to personnel, he takes it very seriously when it comes to terminating staff. He does not like to do it and it is not easy for him. His humanity comes into play in those circumstances and he is methodical and thoughtful about the process. She operates on the same philosophy as he does in this area and their decisions have always proven right.
In terms of decision making Mr. Andrews makes solid decisions. He seeks out input from others when appropriate and considers that input in his process. Other times, when he does not need to seek others’ advice he is quite decisive and makes good choices.
Communication is an important aspect of Mr. Andrews’ management. He meets with Ms. Dorsey on a weekly basis and more often when necessary. He also meets with the other Directors and the elected officials regularly as well.
Ms. Dorsey would say that Mr. Andrews is a combination of someone who is innovative and someone who maintains the organization at a high performance level. He maintains a high performance level in the interest of the foundational stability, but is also continually asking the staff to do more. In his requests for them to do more, it is not for the sake of being busy but for the sake of improving the organization. He has reorganized some of the jobs in the organization by consolidating them and therefore making things function in a more efficient manner. He has
Page 28 of 85 Section 4 Reference Notes David L. Andrews also had them change the monthly Board memo where it has evolved into a more informational forum to help them stay up to date on the daily operations of the Town.
Dealing with the public is an area where Mr. Andrews stands out. He is a people person and the residents love him. He knows everyone and is very involved with what is happening in the Town. He is also quite good at dealing with the major political stakeholders in the area. He is extremely customer service oriented and will tackle an issue regardless how small or large. He ensures that it has been taken care of if he delegates it and always is quick to give credit to those who handled it.
Ms. Dorsey does not recall Mr. Andrews ever really being at his desk. He is very much a leader and instills that the organization is the conduit to achieve the goals and values of the Board. He is disciplined in taking care of the mundane tasks late in the day or after hours, sometimes at home even.
In regards to finance Mr. Andrews does not miss a beat with the budgeting and finance. He is tuned into everything that has to do with money within the organization from all types of projects as well as within each department. Additionally, Carrboro has achieved the highest bond rating and that is because of his financial experience.
Ms. Dorsey is not aware of anything in Mr. Andrews’ past history that would be considered embarrassing by any future employer. She does not know of any controversial situation that he has ever been involved with since she has known him. She would absolutely hire him if she were given the opportunity.
Words or phrases used to describe David Andrews:
• Smart, • Dedicated, • Hard working, • Good communicator, • Great sense of service, and • Excellent supervisor.
Strengths: A hard working and dedicated manager who understands the big picture and who works to ensure that the goals and objectives of his organization are accomplished.
Weaknesses: None identified.
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Arche McAdoo – Finance Officer, Town of Carrboro, NC 919-923-4459
Mr. McAdoo has known Mr. Andrews since 2012 when he came on board as the Town Manager in Carrboro. He reports directly to Mr. Andrews in his capacity as the Finance Officer.
Mr. Andrews’ job performance has been outstanding and Mr. McAdoo would give him an A+. He has an excellent relationship with the Board, other local officials, and the community. He knows how to budget well and understands finance.
Mr. Andrews takes an objective view of the organization and can balance everything in the organization and community quite well. He comes up with solutions to satisfy everyone involved. During budget time he is thorough in explaining it to each Board Member and they usually have few, if any, questions about the budget.
In terms of decision making, Mr. Andrews is a solid in that area. If he does not have all of the facts he will gather them before moving forward on any decision. He is a composite of someone who is innovative, a change agent, and someone who maintains the organization at a high performance level. He has changed things in terms of formulating policies and procedures. He sets high standards and then ensures that those standards are maintained in order to keep the organization at a high performance level.
With regards to innovation Mr. Andrews has done more with economic development since his arrival than any other Town Manager. He jumped on an opportunity to have the Town buy a parcel of land that they have now turned into parking for their downtown. Additionally, he regenerated a business alliance group that had previously fallen by the wayside.
Mr. McAdoo is not aware of anything controversial involving Mr. Andrews. The only thing from his past that might be found if the press went digging would possibly be some difficulties he had with his Board while in Arizona, however, Mr. McAdoo is not quite sure about the details.
Words or phrases used to describe David Andrews:
• Competent, • Efficient, • Financially astute, • People oriented, • Not afraid of a challenge, and • Innovative.
Strengths: An objective leader who balances the needs of the organization and the Town in order to make his community successful.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Page 30 of 85 Section 4 Reference Notes David L. Andrews
Tom Bonfield – City Manager, City of Durham, NC 919-323-9437
Mr. Bonfield has known Mr. Andrews since 2012 when he came to Carrboro as the Town Manager. They work together at times as their municipalities are close to each other.
Mr. Andrews’ job performance has been excellent. He is an adaptable person which has led to his success in Carrboro which can be, at times, a challenging place. He has all of the fundamentals of being a fine local government manager. He is perceptive of people and figures out ways to facilitate a variety of opinions to reach common solutions.
Mr. Andrews does a fine job of maintaining his organization at a high performance level. He thinks about the big picture and the needs of the organization and the community and what needs to be done to accomplish the goals. The change agent piece all depends upon his circumstances. He will not make changes for the sake of change or for his own benefit. He always has the best interest of his organization and community in mind.
In terms of dealing with the public, Mr. Andrews has done remarkably well coming from a relatively conservative area to a very liberal one. Carrboro is a very diverse, stretch your imagination community. For him to be able to interact and be part of the leadership of that community’s charge is amazing.
Mr. Bonfield is not aware of Mr. Andrews being involved in any controversies since he has known him. He has no knowledge of any embarrassing item in his past history that would be discovered if the press were to investigate. He has no reservations hiring him or recommending him for a position.
Words or phrases used to describe David Andrews:
• Consummate local government professional, • Thoughtful and respectful of others’ opinions, and • Calm in responding to comments or questions.
Strengths: Excellent manager who is professional and who works well with others to find common ground for various solutions.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Prepared by: Renee Bogart and Heather Linares Colin Baenziger & Associates
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CB&A Internet Research
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Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC) May 3, 2018
Why Carrboro taxes may go up, a little, next year Author: Joe Johnson
Carrboro property owners could see a slight tax increase next year to help make the town a more affordable place for others to live. The proposed $22.8 million operating budget presented by Town Manager David Andrews would raise the town tax rate a half-cent per $100 of assessed value., or by $15 on a $300,000 house.
That would generate about $112,500 for the town's dedicated Affordable Housing Fund, according to Carrboro Finance Director Arche McAdoo. The town also wants two more half-cent increases in future years, according to the proposal. Currently, the fund has about $225,000. The proposed budget increases overall general fund spending by less than $25,000. It shifts spending in some areas and cuts it in others. The budget proposal is almost flat compared with the 2017-18 plan since the property tax increase would not go into the general fund.
The town anticipates receiving $11.9 million in property taxes, $4.5 million in sales taxes and $6.4 million in all other revenues. for general fund spending. State law requires municipalities to adopt a balanced budget before June 30.
The town maintains a $2.1 million Special Revenue Fund, a $900,000 Stormwater Enterprise Fund and a $23.4 million Capital Fund. The Special Revenue fund pays for requests with a specific purpose or activity, which are usually related to grant requests, McAdoo said. The Stormwater Enterprise Fund will be funded through fees collected by the town and used to address stormwater runoff. The Capital Fund pays for large projects like the upcoming 203 Greensboro St., project in partnership with Orange County and the ArtsCenter.
The town plans to increase its workforce by one employee by adding two positions and cutting one. It is looking to add a project manager working under the town manager and an accounting technician/receptionist in the finance department., while a human resources specialist position is being eliminated. The proposed budget has a 3 percent cost-of-living increase spread between salaries and benefits for town employees. But that will be offset by a projected 15 percent increase in health insurance premiums.
Carrboro's proposed community spending has the ArtsCenter receiving $20,000 again as well as an increase of more than $5,000 each for El Centro Hispano ($42,557) and for the Orange County Food Council ($8,750). It also proposes a transfer $30,000 to the town's Affordable Housing Fund. The Board of Aldermen will hold its first budget work session on May 15 and a public hearing is scheduled for May 22. The budget likely will be adopted at their June 19 meeting.
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Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC) May 5, 2017
Carrboro Town Manager David Andrews proposes 3 percent property-tax increase Author: Elizabeth Friend
Town Manager David Andrews has proposed a slight increase in Carrboro's property tax – the first in eight years – to help catch up with inflation. Andrews' proposed $36 million budget recommends a tax rate of 58.94 cents per $100 of assessed property value. That is the same numerical rate the town has had since 2009, but it is 3 percent higher than the "revenue-neutral" rate of 57.17 cents per $100. The revenue-neutral rate is the rate that would generate the same amount of property-tax revenue after the recent county-wide revaluation.
"The town has not increased its property tax rate in in over seven years; the tax rate has not kept pace with inflation.," Finance Director Arche McAdoo explained. "Keeping the tax rate at 58.94 will allow these revenues to begin to catch up with inflation." Despite the same numerical tax rate, individual property owners could see higher or lower bills, depending on how their new tax value compares with the countywide average change.
A homeowner with property now valued at $250,000, for example, would pay $1,473.50 in town taxes, in addition to county and city school district taxes. While property taxes still make up the bulk of the town's revenue, sales-tax revenues are up $1 million over the last eight years, an indicator of solid growth, Andrews told the board. Mayor Lydia Lavelle agreed. "I think it reflects a lot of the decision making we've made and the investments we've made downtown," she said.
Among the top priorities in next year's budget, officials want to hire a manager to help create and oversee the town's proposed stormwater fund. "We are looking at the implementation of the stormwater utility on July 1," Andrews said. "We feel strongly as staff that we need to get a manager on board to make some real progress." Once established, the stormwater utility will charge homeowners an annual fee to fund stormwater infrastructure improvements in neighborhoods prone to flooding. I think it reflects a lot of the decision making we've made and the investments we've made downtown.
Mayor Lydia Lavelle
Next year's budget continues to invest in the town's affordable housing fund at a level equal to one penny on the property tax rate, approximately $224,453. Funding for outside agencies that provide human services is up to $300,000, double what it was five years ago, Andrews said. "I'm happy to say we've been able to double the human services grants," he told the board. "I think on a per-capita basis, Carrboro is one of the highest, if not the highest, in Orange County for contributions to human services funding."
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The spending plan also includes funding for police body cameras, new radios for emergency personnel, and a 3 percent cost-of-living increase for town employees. Future pay raises will be determined after the town conducts an employee classification study to examine wages. At the urging of the Board of Aldermen, the manager and finance director are scaling back the town's capital improvements plan, meant to map out long-term spending on big-ticket items.
Board members rejected a prior plan that called for investing $31 million in town buildings. "We've gone back and looked at it, we think we're comfortable with $10 million," Andrews said. Town staff will assess how best to prioritize that spending over the next five to seven years. The aldermen will review the revised plan in June.
Lavelle said the budget, as recommended, meets a variety of town goals. "I think the budget looks great," she said. "We're able to address a lot of concerns of our town this year, from flooding to sidewalks to employee cost of living. It's a marvel how it's come together." The board will hold a budget work session on May 9, a public hearing on May 23, and vote to adopt the budget in June.
Page 36 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Chapel Hill News, The (NC) March 8, 2017
Manager 'red flags' health insurance in Carrboro budget Author: Elizabeth Friend
CARRBORO Town Manager David Andrews recently kicked off the annual budget planning process, telling aldermen rising health-care costs, planning for stormwater infrastructure improvements and increased contributions to Chapel Hill Transit would be some of the major hurdles as the board allocates funding for the next fiscal year. Andrews said spending on employee health care has increased approximately 7.8 percent each year over the past seven years, something he called a "red flag" for town budgeting.
He also told the board Chapel Hill Transit, funded by Chapel Hill, Carrboro and UNC, projects Carrboro's share will increase by $100,000 per year over the next eight years to help replace older buses. That would ultimately increase the town's contribution from $1.5 million to $2.5 million per year by 2025.
Stormwater fee Town officials are looking for money to improve stormwater infrastructure to minimize flooding in low-lying areas across town. Next year's budget will likely add a dedicated fee that property owners will pay to support a stormwater enterprise utility fund. While the town's property tax revenues have increased incrementally in recent years, Andrews said the marginal growth has not kept pace with inflation.
Instead, sales taxes have surged by 5.1 percent, or roughly $1.1 million. "The good side of that is that we're diversifying the revenue base," Andrews said. "The downside is that we're becoming more reliant on consumption, and in the event that we were to have a recession or the like, we don't have the stability of the property tax base. We're relying on sales," she said. Three approved development projects could add roughly $169,700 in property tax dollars and $60,800 in sales taxes to town coffers each year, according to a report from Carrboro's Department of Economic and Community Development.
Director Annette Lafferty briefed the board on the town's economic development activity. She said the Shelton Station and South Green developments are underway, and a new hotel is slated to begin construction this fall. The hotel would generate a estimated $170,000 annually in occupancy taxes that could be used to support tourism initiatives. Two additional projects are working their way through the town review process, Lafferty said. If approved, a new CVS pharmacy could spring up at the corner of North Greensboro and Weaver Streets, and a mix of housing and retail could fill the vacant lot on Main Street behind the Spotted Dog restaurant. Town Manager Andrews will present his recommended budget to the board May 2, with a public hearing scheduled for May 23.
Page 37 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Daily Tar Heel: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC) September 7, 2016
Carrboro's Board of Aldermen moves forward with Town Commons upgrade plan Author: Ryan Salchert
Carrboro's Board of Aldermen unanimously approved final designs for a new-look Town Commons which is scheduled to begin construction in November. The board heard a presentation from the town's Public Works Director James "JD" Freeman Tuesday night before voting unanimously. Upgrades to the current Town Commons, which is located just south of the Carrboro Town Hall at 301 W. Main Street, will focus on providing flexible event space for the growing amount of concerts and events the town plans on hosting at the Town Commons.
One of these on-going events is the Carrboro Farmers Market, which uses the Commons on a year-round basis every Saturday morning. "We're thrilled to see it come through," said former Carrboro Farmers Market manager Erin Jobe. "The developers have been very accommodating throughout this entire process. (These new upgrades) will help sustain the market into the future and this project is what is needed to make sure farmers can continue to come and thrive at the market."
Additional upgrades to the space will include a re-established turf area, provide designated walkways for pedestrians, provides structural parking reinforcement below the ground and lighting and electrical access for shows and events. One change the new design featured was an expanded parking lot on the Bim Street side of the Town Commons.
When looking over past designs for the parking lots, which were originally two small lots on each end of Bim Street, Freeman said, "It looks good from the sky, but these parking lots are a bad idea. It creates dead ends. There has been a change to traffic in the new design to allow a free flowing parking lot." The new parking lot design is one large parking lot, which runs parallel to Bim Street.
There was more talk about funding, as it was revealed by Town Manager David Andrews that the town would not be able to secure debt funding from a bank if the project were to go over- budget. "It's because it's not a typical capital project," Andrews said. "However, we do have reserves we could go into if need be." Upgrades to the Town Commons are estimated to last from December 2016 to March 2017. The Board also awarded $20,000 for affordable housing acquisition to local non-profit Community Home Trust.
Community Home Trust was seeking money to purchase a 3-bedroom duplex at 114 Lantern Way in Carrboro to keep it an affordable property. If the property were to be sold on the free market, it would lose the distinction of an affordable property, said Nate Broman-Fulks, Assistant to the Town Manager. The Board also accepted the NC Coastal Federation's Pelican Award for writing an opposition to off-shore drilling on North Carolina's coastline in 2015.
Page 38 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Daily Tar Heel: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC) February 1, 2016
Town of Carrboro to implement housing wage Author: Megan Royer
Carrboro's plan to bring all town employee salaries to the housing wage level will be implemented two years earlier than expected. The housing wage is a number developed by the federal government that sets the minimum household income that allows people to afford housing, Carrboro Town Manager David Andrews said. "It answers the question, 'How much do you have to make in order to have decent, affordable housing?'" he said.
The Board of Aldermen made a plan to bring all employees up to the housing wage level over a five-year period. "We are happy to report that we will be able to do that in three years instead of five," Andrews said. Carrboro Board of Aldermen member Damon Seils said all town employee salaries will be at housing wage level by July.
Andrews said when the discussions to implement the housing wage policy began in 2013, there were 15 town employees whose yearly salaries were less than the housing wage, which is $31,160. Seils said this is equivalent to about $15 per hour. Andrews said the employees who made less than the housing wage were hardworking employees that keep the town clean. He said some positions affected were custodians, maintenance workers and groundskeepers.
Carol Dorsey, director of human resources for Carrboro, said in a statement that she spoke with town employee Weldon Jenkins, who was affected by the housing wage policy. "I thought the raise was great and I really appreciated it," said Weldon Jenkins, an employee for the landscaping division of public works, in the statement. "I definitely noticed it, and it made a difference." Seils said Andrews was able to find the funds in the budget to make the wage increase happen pretty quickly. "It's exciting news, not only because we are going to finish early, but one of my goals is to get the town certified with the Orange County Living Wage project," Seils said. "By completing this in July we will just need a few more steps to be certified."
The Orange County Living Wage Project is an organization launched by community members with the goal of promoting a living wage for Orange County residents. The project encourages public and private employers to pay a living wage to their employees. Seils said Steel String Brewery and other Carrboro businesses are already certified, and he wants Carrboro to be certified, as well. Dorsey also said in the statement that she spoke with Kevin Wright, a public works equipment operator. "I think it was a good thing that the town did because it showed that the town looks after us," Wright said in the same statement. "Times have really been hard, and I had to work other part-time jobs to support my family. My wife is a teacher's assistant and they don't make much money, so the raise from the town helped take some of the pressure off of us. I'm really thankful to the town of Carrboro."
Page 39 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Chapel Hill Herald (NC) October 10, 2015
Carrboro Board of Aldermen OK ongoing library siting discussions Author: Katie Jansen
CARRBORO — The Carrboro Board of Aldermen voted unanimously Tuesday to allow discussions about the Southern Branch Library to continue between the town and Orange County, although the Aldermen voiced some concerns. Some Carrboro residents have advocated for years for a permanent branch of the public library to be situated in Carrboro. Currently, Carrboro has the Cybrary located in the Century Center and a library housed in McDougle Middle School.
The last significant work to be done on the library was in 2013, when the Board of Aldermen sent a list of four possible sites to the Board of Orange County Commissioners. The Butler property, a privately-owned plot located on Brewer Lane, was the preferred location, and Town Manager David Andrews said the county spent “considerable time and effort” studying the location. However, negotiations on the property fell through, and both town and county staff returned to the drawing board.
Last month, the Board of Orange County Commissioners approved discussions between the town and county to resume regarding a new site: a town-owned parking lot at 203 S. Greensboro Street. Right away, the Board of Aldermen had questions about the negotiations. Alderwoman Jacquelyn Gist asked the town manager whether the ArtsCenter and Kidzu were still attempting to co-locate with the library. Early this year, a proposed Carrboro Arts and Innovation Center that also housed a library was nixed by the Board of Aldermen because of concerns over the size of the project and its costs.
Gist also mentioned the possibility that a smaller site could be used for the library if ArtsCenter and Kidzu were no longer in the mix. Jeff Thompson, director of asset management services for the county, was on hand to answer some of the aldermen’s questions. He said that staff was tasked with studying the site for a standalone library and associated parking but that the county would be open to co-location if desired by the town.
Andrews said the county understands that the town wants the library siting process decoupled from future plans for the ArtsCenter and Kidzu. He said that although no one is waiting around to hear from these businesses, collaboration could still be possible in the future if approved by the town. Alderman Sammy Slade said he wanted to look at the library as a possible shared space for Cat’s Cradle. He said the town needs to do more to support a business that has been so important to the town in order to prevent the music venue from moving to Durham.
Several on the board also expressed concerns about parking. If the parking lot was used as a site for the library, 88 parking spots would be lost. Even if the parking was replaced once the library was complete, Gist said, the town would also need to think about parking solutions during
Page 40 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) construction. “I think it would have an extremely detrimental effect on the existing businesses,” she said. “We could kill businesses in one or two years without parking.” Alderwoman Randee Haven-O’Donnell agreed, saying she would need reassurance from the county that it would be able to secure 88 to 100 parking spots for the town.
Haven-O’Donnell also wanted to know whether the county was interested in leasing or purchasing the site. She said she hoped the county would be willing to consider a relationship where the town had control of the site and what other entities could be housed in the building. “I want to have as much latitude as possible to be able to retain the Cradle,” she said.
Alderwoman Bethany Chaney said she wondered whether the site would best be used for the library or for a project that could bring in more commercial development. Because conversations about the feasibility of the site are only beginning, Andrews said, action the Aldermen took Tuesday night would not commit the town to anything. The Aldermen unanimously decided to allow Andrews to continue discussions about the site with County Manager Bonnie Hammersley. Discussions will also continue at a joint meeting between the county and the town scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15.
Page 41 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
The News & Observer.com May 15, 2015
Carrboro ponders the cost of cool Author: Jean Bolduc
It’s Carrboro’s conundrum. The town’s success in attracting tolerant, creative residents and its “feel free” marketing plan are leading to a higher cost of living here. As the Board of Aldermen heard a presentation from Annette Stone, the town’s economic development director, Alderwoman Jacquie Gist interrupted after Stone mentioned that the town had not raised its tax rate in several years. “Taxes are going up even as the rate is not,” Gist said.
Carrboro’s property tax rate is 58.94 cents for every $100 of assessed property value. Town Manager David Andrews’ proposed budget will maintain that rate for 2015-16. The owner of a house valued at $300,000 will pay $1,768.20 in town taxes. Carrboro’s real estate tax rate is higher than Chapel Hill’s 52.4 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Chapel Hill and Carrboro residents also pay a county tax rate of 87.8 cents and a special city schools district tax rate of 20.84 cents per $100 in assessed property tax value. The county manager is expected to present a budget plan May 19. Like Chapel Hill, Carrboro has been able hold the line on the property tax rate thanks to increased sales tax revenue, which is up by 13.5 percent.
Gist said Carrboro faces a delicate balance in preserving those qualities that make it a desirable place to call home while allowing for responsible growth. Keeping Carrboro affordable for long- time residents as retire was the focus of Gist’s most direct comments: “I’m serious when I say I probably will not be able to afford to live here when I retire – and I’ve spent my whole life making this place cool,” she said. On Wednesday, Gist backed away from that assertion, saying she was trying to illustrate the problem that many of her neighbors face.
The affordability of Gist’s Maple Avenue home is subject to market forces like any other. Originally built as workforce housing for Carr Mill employees, Maple Avenue has many homes built in the 1920s and 30s. Their iconic appearance is valued as historically significant. That translates to market value, too. The house next door to Gist’s – a 1,477 square foot, two-bedroom house built in 1932 – sold last month for $550,000. Its assessed value on Orange County tax records is $271,252. The sale will almost certainly drive up the assessed value for Gist’s property and that of her neighbors. That house’s tax history illustrates Gist’s point on how deceptive it can be to look only at the tax rate.
In 2004, the owner of that house paid $1,183 in town taxes, at a rate of 71 cents per $100 of value on the assessed value of $165,600. In 2014, the town taxes were $1,598.76 (36 percent higher) at the substantially lower rate of 58.94 cents per $100 of the assessed value of $271,252. In 2000, the aldermen set a 2020 goal of doubling the commercial square footage in its downtown area to ease the tax burden on homeowners. Gist cited the top floor of the Fleet Feet
Page 42 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) building remaining vacant as an example of the problem the town faces. There is more commercial space available, but it costs more than some businesses can pay.
Gist wants to study communities elsewhere that have experienced similar problems. “I want to look at Blowing Rock and Boulder to see what they’re doing,” she said. Alderwoman Michelle Johnson asked Stone to bring back some information to help the board understand why businesses leave Carrboro. Alderwoman Bethany Chaney wants to look in greater depth at what can be done with potential light manufacturing sites that are just a few blocks from downtown.
Page 43 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Daily Tar Heel: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC) September 7, 2014
Carrboro gets upgraded credit rating Author: Mary Taylor Renfro
Carrboro officials hope to save taxpayer dollars on future town projects now that the town can borrow money at a lower interest rate. Standard & Poor's Financial Service raised its long-term rating of the town's general obligation, or GO, bonds from AA+ to AAA on Aug. 25. Similar to a person's credit score, a city or town's bond rating reflects its capacity to meet financial commitments. The higher a bond rating, the more funding a town or city is likely to receive in the form of bonds. The ratings range from D to AAA, with the latter denoting a very strong ability to meet financial obligations. Chapel Hill and Durham also have AAA GO bond ratings.
Lindsay Wilhelm, associate director for Standard & Poor's, said in a press release that Carrboro's upgrade to the highest rating reflects the town's strong economy, budgetary performance, management and liquidity. Standard & Poor's manager Alex Ortolani said Carrboro achieved the higher rating partly because the local GO criteria used to rate towns was changed on Sept. 12, 2013. "The impact changes somewhat when we review these ratings because the underlying analysis has changed, and so that's partly the reason for the upgrade," Ortolani said. "The city or town being rated would still need to show positive developments for the upgrade though, so it's not the total reasoning."
Standard & Poor's also issued a stable outlook for Carrboro, meaning it considers the town's financial situation sustainable and does not expect to change the rating during the next two years. However, it could lower the rating if it determines population growth in the area has strained the town's resources, according to the press release. Carrboro Town Manager David Andrews said he is very excited about the town's AAA rating. "I think it says that we have a real strong economy here, that we have a healthy economy, that the town is a financially well-managed organization," Andrews said. "We're fiscally prudent, we have strong cash reserves, and that's really what's helped to achieve that AAA bond rating, and I think that our businesses and citizens will benefit from that."
Although he doesn't expect people to benefit from the upgraded rating right away, Andrews said it could save taxpayer money on future projects the town decides to take on, such as bike lanes and sidewalks. "What I hope is that, should we issue any more bonds in the future, I hope that our AAA bond rating will allow us to get a lower interest rate, which means that we would save our citizens and our businesses money," Andrews said.
Page 44 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Chapel Hill News, The (NC) May 18, 2014
Carrboro gives workers route to 'housing wage' Proposed budget would keep town tax rate the same Author: Beth Velliquette
CARRBORO Town Manager David Andrews proposed a $29.5 million budget Tuesday that would bring Carrboro's lowest-paid workers up to the town's housing wage within five years. The recommended 2014-15 spending plan does not contain a property tax increase, although the town's property tax revenue will increase as a result of higher property valuations, Andrews said. "Seven out of the last eight years we've been able to deal with our valuation going up somewhat but no tax increase, and I know that's appreciated by our residents," said Mayor Lydia Lavelle.
The budget includes a 2 percent cost of living increase for Carrboro's 156 full-time employees and a housing-wage strategy to increase the pay for the town's lowest-paid workers. The housing wage for the Durham-Chapel Hill area is $31,158, and 15 Carrboro employees make less than that, Andrews said. The plan calls for those employees, if they receive an outstanding performance evaluation, to receive a $1,500 addition to their base salary. Those receiving a proficient performance rating would receive a $1,000 addition to their base salary.
It's expected that in the first year, seven of the 15 employees would reach the housing wage standard, and the other eight would be phased in over five years. The 15 affected employees are primarily housekeepers, groundskeepers, equipment operators, solid waste equipment operators and maintenance workers, Andrews said.
Employees who make more than the housing wage would receive a $1,000 addition to their salary if they receive an outstanding performance rating and $500 if they receive a proficient performance rating. Half the town's employees make more than $31,158 but less than $50,000. They include police officers, firefighters and parks employees. Fifty-five employees make more than $50,000, and they include professional and supervisory personnel.
The aldermen liked the plan to give the lower paid employees a chance to earn a $1,500 increase. "Hard work will be recognized and our employees will be rewarded," said Alderwoman Jacquelyn Gist. The property tax rate will remain at $0.59, but it's expected the town will claim an increase of $186,775 in property tax revenue for a total of $12 million. Revenue from the local sales tax is expected to increase by $45,721 for a total of $3.4 million. The sales tax is slowly increasing, Andrews said, adding it's increased 11 percent over the past five years.
Other revenue totaling $5.7 million comes from intergovernmental funds, fees and permits and other sources, and the special revenue fund provides $860,000. The capital fund provides $7.4 million for capital improvements. The budget calls for two new full-time positions. One position would be for a manager's assistant to work on affordable housing and human services. The other
Page 45 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) full-time position would allow two part-time administrative support employees in the police and fire departments to be hired on as full-time employees. "I'm really excited about an assistant to the manager for affordable housing," said Alderwoman Michelle Johnson.
The budget also calls for a $25,000 increase for Human Services Grants for a total of $200,000. Those grants are given to nonprofit groups that serve Carrboro residents. "You get so much bang for your buck in supporting these organizations," Lavelle said. The capital projects budget calls for $900,000 for Rogers Road remediation, replacing the Wilson Park tennis courts at a cost of $168,000, LED street lights at $96,000 and storm water management at $80,000.
The aldermen will hold a public hearing on the budget at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Town Hall. Velliquette: [email protected] What is the 'housing wage'? Carrboro's housing wage reflects the household income required to afford fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment without spending more than 30 percent of household income on housing.
Page 46 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
News & Observer, The: Web Edition Articles (Raleigh, NC) September 27, 2013
Carrboro taxpayers to help fund outgoing mayor’s roast Author: Tom Hartwell
Mayor Mark Chilton’s retirement roast will be partially funded by taxpayers, a step he asked the Carrboro Board of Aldermen not to take. Chilton stepped outside the room a second time Tuesday night as the board voted to appropriate $2,500 for food and tickets for “members of the community who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend” the October event. The money will come from the town’s contingency fund, and it will be used to honor Chilton by putting on a fundraiser for Empowerment Inc., a non-profit that employs him. Chilton said his position as special events coordinator for Empowerment Inc. (whose mission is dedicated to affordable housing) is funded through a grant, and that he makes “less than $20,000” per year. A memo prepared by the town manager’s office said, “In addition to contributing $2,500 to support this event, the Town expects to provide in-kind services by waiving the Century Center’s normal rental fee.” Chilton said on Sept. 17 that he didn’t like the precedent set by appropriating town funds for a non-profit that employs him. He asked the board to remove a vote on the appropriation from its meeting agenda.
Instead, the board deferred the item to its next meeting, held last week. On Tuesday, with Chilton out of the room, aldermen voted unanimously to approve funding the event. Town employees will provide “limited” staff time assisting with the event, according to the staff memo, which recommended only that the Board of Aldermen “consider the attached resolution.” Not much discussion preceded Tuesday’s vote, other than to thank Town Manager David Andrews and staff for preparing the memo. “The board members expressed concerns over the precedent. It was never a question of legality,” Andrews said. The week before, board members discussed some concerns over the precedent set by Chilton’s event and the recent planting of a tree outside Town Hall to honor then-outgoing Alderman Dan Coleman, who resigned the board after his wife was hired to work in Australia. “The town does hold retirement functions for retiring employees, and the town does use town money for these events,” Andrews said. “In a way, Mark’s retiring from the Town of Carrboro.” Chilton is not running for re-election this November. Another board member, Lydia Lavelle, is running unopposed.
Lavelle said she hopes a policy on such commemorations can be established. Though a departing elected official is different from a retiring employee, “to recognize someone who’s served with distinction … is something worth thinking about,” she said. Lavelle also praised Empowerment Inc., which offers homebuyer education courses, administers grants and works as an advocate for affordable housing. “One thing is, it is a non-profit, so it’s not a business that you run,” Lavelle said. “Mark happens to work for non-profit, but it’s actually a great housing authority that we work a lot with.” The event will be an Oct. 29, Friars’ Club-style roast of Chilton plus dinner at $50-a-plate to benefit Empowerment Inc. It begins at 6 p.m. at Carrboro’s Century Center and is open to the public.
Page 47 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Chapel Hill News, The (NC) May 29, 2013
No tax hike in $28.3-million Carrboro budget Author: Sarah Mansur
CARRBORO Town Manager David Andrews proposed a $28.3-million budget last week for fiscal year 2013-2014 that keeps the property tax rate unchanged for the fifth consecutive year. The Board of Aldermen are scheduled to adopt the budget June 18. The total recurring revenues, which includes property and sales taxes, are expected to increase 4.7 percent from the previous fiscal year as a result of a 3.8 percent increase in property tax revenues, due to increased valuations, and an expected 1.2 percent increase in sales taxes.
The property tax remained constant at 58.94 cents per $100 in assessed value. The value of all property in Carrboro increased $13,665,930 from last year. In 2013-14, the value of all Carrboro properties is expected to grow by 3 percent to just over $2 billion. Each penny on the tax rate generates roughly $201,203. Andrews said total personnel costs also increased by 6 percent, or $654,163, because the town implemented a 3 percent pay adjustment in the last fiscal year and a 1.9 percent pay increase for all regular employees at a cost of $263,102 in this fiscal year. A projected 10 percent increase in health insurance premiums also contributed to the rise in total personnel costs. Full-time positions for fiscal year 2013-14 stayed the same at 156.5.
Heidi Perry, a member of the Transportation Advisory Board and Carrboro Bicycle Coalition, spoke at the public hearing on the recommended budget and asked the board for more bicycle parking in town. "I saw dollars allocated for paving and striping roads, but I didn't see anything in there for parking lot maintenance," Perry said at the public hearing. "But I know that somewhere in some budget there was $600,000 to buy a parking lot. So my request would be that you find a fraction of that, like maybe 1 percent of that, for bicycle parking in the town."
Perry said the Second Annual N.C. Bike Summit will take place on Oct. 18-20 in Carrboro and will bring bikers from all across the state. "The way these events go is that they patronize places that are bicycle-friendly," Perry said. Alderwoman Lydia Lavelle proposed a motion, passed unanimously, to direct staff to look into ways bike parking can be included in the town's new parking lot at 203 S. Greensboro St., the former Andrew-Riggsbee Hardware Store property, and at Town Hall. Alderman Sammy Slade suggested the town make bike parking easier for businesses in town. "I'd like to add that we look into also buying some bike racks that we could somehow facilitate for local businesses," Slade said. Lavelle included in her motion Slade's recommendation that the town find ways for businesses to receive bike parking.
Page 48 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Chapel Hill News, The (NC) December 9, 2012
Town presses for stairway repairs Aldermen want report about safety problems at Collins Crossing complex Author: Sarah Mansur
CARRBORO After a recent accident at Collins Crossing apartments, town officials are sending the new management a strict deadline to address recurring safety issues at the complex. When a 10-year-old boy fell four feet through a collapsed stair tread on Nov. 24, town staff decided to complete a thorough inspection of the apartments.
Town Manager David Andrews said he and town staff are working on a letter to the new owners, Massachusetts-based Aspen Square Management, that will provide an overview of the needed repairs and a time frame for the upgrades to be completed. "We originally anticipated [the deadline for repairs] would be 90 days but we are re-evaluating that in light of some of the problems we have seen out there and it could be sooner than that," Andrews said. Efforts to reach Brenda Wishart, spokeswoman for Aspen Square, were unsuccessful.
Mike Canova, code enforcement supervisor, said management at Collins Crossing changed often when it was owned by Tar Heel Companies, which sold its units to Aspen Square in June. The constant turnover, he said, made it difficult for the managers to stay on top of the problem. "The managers seem willing to do the work," Canova said. "But you have to go through the proper procedures to get the permits."
Andrews said some repairs and several inspections were performed, but none of the work was finalized by the town's Inspections Department. "The management never really followed through and completed what they started," Andrews said. The Carrboro Board of Aldermen also had concerns about the stairwells and recurring safety issues at the apartments. Several Aldermen asked Andrews to compile a report detailing the previous accidents and safety violations at Collins Crossing.
In January 2010, a complaint was filed because of broken staircases in multiple buildings. After reviewing the facilities, Fire and Building Inspections noted numerous violations of the code not only because of the faulty stairs, but also windows, downspouts and gutters in disrepair. Six months later, stairs at another building in the complex were noted as "unsafe" and management had seven days to fix them.
In 2011, more unsafe stairs were noted in Collins Crossing when the stairs in Building A "failed." The management company plans to have a meeting Dec. 19 "to consider and vote to approve" a special assessment of over $5,000 on each unit. Mayor Mark Chilton said he anticipates that the management's board will approve the fee. "I don't know how they plan to spend the money, but I hope it involves making some repairs," he said.
Page 49 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Daily Tar Heel: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC) March 13, 2012
New Carrboro town manager sworn in Author: Katie Reilly
David Andrews, newly appointed Carrboro town manager, has been walking a lot during the past week, visiting local businesses and taking in the small-town feel of Carrboro. "I'm really excited about it and I think it's a great opportunity," he said. Andrews was sworn in at a Tuesday night Board of Aldermen meeting. "I'm very appreciative of the confidence that you've shown in me," Andrews told the board.
Andrews will replace interim manager Matt Efird, to whom the town issued a formal thank you. Efird will now be assistant town manager. Andrews, who has worked in local government for more than 20 years, applied for the position and was selected by the board and Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton. The town hired Springsted Inc., a consulting firm based in Richmond, Va., to conduct a national search, involving more than 50 applicants, four of whom were chosen to be interviewed.
Chilton announced the selection at a board meeting Feb. 7. "David Andrews was really the person who made a case that persuaded everybody," Chilton said. Chilton said Andrews understood Carrboro and its values. "He really gets our community and how we really want to be different from other local governments," Chilton said. Andrews comes to Carrboro from the Town of Paradise Valley, Ariz., where he was assistant town manager and budget director. Paradise Valley Mayor Scott LeMarr said he is happy for Andrews. "David always wanted to be a town manager. He did his job well for us, but that was his professional goal," he said. "I think he and his wife will be a good fit." Alderman Randee Haven-O'Donnell agrees. "He's just what we need," she said.
Chilton said the most immediate challenge Andrews will face is the town budget. "Anybody coming in would be facing a challenge in looking at our municipal budget," Chilton said. "He has 20 years of experience in local government, and I expect a lot of that will come to bear." LeMarr said Andrews managed the town's budget well during tough financial times. "We had some challenges and David was very innovative," LeMarr said. "The budget analysis is his strong point."
Andrews said he has already started working on the 2012-2013 town budget and will use his background in economic development and finance. "The challenge will be to try to take care of all the needs of the community while being sensitive to what is going on with the economy as a whole," he said. Andrews said many Carrboro priorities interest him, including environmental preservation and economic development. "There's a good connection, a good fit between what the board and townspeople want compared with my interests and background," he said.
Page 50 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
AZCentral.com http://archive.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/20120221paradise- valley-finance-director-accepts-job-north-carolina.html February 27, 2012
Paradise Valley finance director accepts job in North Carolina Author: Philip Haldiman
One of Paradise Valley's top officials is stepping down to become town manager at Carrboro, N.C. David Andrews will leave as finance director and assistant town manager Wednesday. Recently, he was among two finalists for the Fountain Hills town manager position, which went to Ken Buchanan, Pinal County's assistant manager for development services.
Paradise Valley will accept applications for the finance director position through March 9. Finalist interviews will be scheduled for late March, town officials said. The town is eliminating the assistant town manager position to reduce payroll. Carrboro, with a population of nearly 20,000, is near the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "This is a great growth opportunity for me," Andrews said. "I have dedicated the bulk of my career to local government and this is a chance for me to make a difference and contribute to the community. Carrboro is a progressive town ... Its residents are diverse and well-educated."
Priorities for Carrboro include economic development and job growth, diversified revenue stream, protection of historic neighborhoods and improved walkability and public transportation, Andrews said. "I have experience in all of these areas, and I'm hoping to enhance the town's already high quality of life," he said.
David Andrews
Education: Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting, Stephen F. Austin State University, 1982; master's in public administration, University of Arizona, 1990.
Experience: Assistant town manager and budget/finance director, Paradise Valley, two years. Town manager, Oro Valley, three years. Assistant town manager, Oro Valley, two years. Finance director, Oro Valley, 13 years.
On his qualifications: "While I was town manager of Oro Valley, retail development increased by about 1.1 million square feet. Two large biomedical research firms expanded their research and development facilities by about 250,000 square feet. We completed several tourism and historic preservation efforts. I was also proud of Oro Valley's environmental sustainability efforts."
On Paradise Valley:
Page 51 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
"The town is a beautiful community that has many dedicated people who really care about Paradise Valley. It has a hometown feel despite being located in the center of a large metropolitan area."
On his contributions to the town: "I served as the town's intergovernmental liaison and worked with the League of Arizona Cities and Towns on pension reform, political signage and photo radar."
On his upcoming move: "My wife and I are purchasing a townhome one block from town hall, and we're committed to walking, biking and taking public transit as much as possible. We're excited about being able to actively participate in the community by living so close to work, shopping and recreation."
Page 52 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
News & Observer, The: Blogs (Raleigh, NC) February 8, 2012
Carrboro names new town manager Author: Tammy Grubb
The Carrboro Board of Aldermen has named a municipal budget and management veteran from Arizona to fill the town’s vacant manager post starting March 15. David Andrews, 51, is a native of Freeport, Texas, and the youngest of nine children raised in Tyler, Texas. Carrboro’s Assistant Town Manager Matt Efird, also a finalist for the job, has filled the position since Steve Stewart retired in August and will help with the transition.
Alderwoman Randee Haven-O’Donnell said the board made its “carefully deliberated” decision after a long process that included reviewing phone interviews with 15 candidates and holding face-to-face meetings with three finalists. Richmond, Va.-based Springsted Inc. was hired to lead the search, which cost the town more than $15,000. On his website -- www.davidandrews.us -- Andrews lists strategic planning, land use, budget and finance, and consensus building, among other specialties, as his areas of expertise.
He will have to deal with several postponed items in Carrboro, including state-mandated employee retirement and health insurance costs, the pay-for-performance program and the town's long-term debt, which is expected to peak in 2013. He also will be responsible for the town’s day-to-day operations, act as a liaison with other agencies and governments, and prepare the annual budget. He brings more than 20 years of experience as an administrator and finance director to the job. Since March 2010, he has been the assistant town manager and budget/finance director for Paradise Valley, a town of roughly 13,000 people near Scottsdale.
Previously, Andrews worked for 18 years in Oro Valley, Ariz., starting as finance director and then moving to assistant town manager and town manager. However, he abruptly resigned the job in September 2009, a move backed by the Town Council in a contentious 4-3 vote. Council members who supported his resignation refused to comment on the reasons for their votes. Andrews married his wife, former Oro Valley Councilwoman Salette Andrews, in 2010. They have three grown children: a daughter who is a veterinary technician in Tucson, Ariz.; a daughter studying for the bar exam in New York; and a son who works in the financial services industry in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Page 53 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Tucson local media.com July 27, 2010
Former OV manager Andrews, ex-councilwomen Latas wed in Vegas Author: Patrick McNamara
Former Oro Valley Town Manager David Andrews and former Councilwoman Salette Latas were married on Saturday, June 12 at Lakeside Weddings and Events in Las Vegas, Nev. Andrews worked for the town for nearly two decades, his final three years as town manager, before the former town council pressured him to resign in September 2009. Latas was elected to the council in 2008 and resigned two years into her first term in April 2010, citing financial circumstances. Some people expressed shock at the nuptials, some maintained steadfast support for Andrews, and others said the union appears to validate the decision to oust the former manager. "It certainly gives a lot of credibility back to the council that was taken from them unfairly when they took so much abuse from people in the town," said Terry Parish, a former Oro Valley Town Council member. "Unfortunately, some of that came from council member Latas herself."
In the wake of Andrews' departure, letters to the editor expressed support for Andrews and took to task council members Paula Abbott, K.C. Carter, Al Kunisch and then-Mayor Paul Loomis, who voted to accept the resignation. Oro Valley resident Art Segal filed a complaint with the Arizona Attorney General's Office, suggesting elected officials violated open meetings law in the Andrews situation. The claim remains under investigation. When news of the recent wedding was posted on a local blog Segal operates, numerous residents posted on-line comments. Those comments were quickly deleted, however, following a statement Latas posted to the site. "I'm concerned about some of the comments on the blog being both false and defamatory. In particular, any implication that there was any improper relationship between me and David while he was Town Manager of Oro Valley are untrue and defamatory," Latas wrote. "We do have legal advice as to how to pursue the identities of those responsible for the libelous comments and how to take action against them."
The Explorer unsuccessfully attempted to reach Andrews via e-mail and phone through his office in Paradise Valley, the Phoenix suburb where he has since March worked as finance director. The Explorer does not have contact information for Latas. Parish believes the vocal defenses of Andrews at the time of his departure have lost credibility. "It shows the council had the best interest of the town, while others' interests were more self-serving," Parish said. Councilman Bill Garner, who along with current Councilman Barry Gillaspie and Latas supported Andrews, said the recent wedding hasn't changed his position. "I'm standing by what I said," Garner said, emphasizing there's no evidence that Andrews and Latas were involved in a romantic relationship while both were with the town. "If that was the case, we would have fired the man on grounds of ethics," Garner said. "The people on council at the time had every opportunity to handle it in the backroom." A relationship between Andrews and Latas would have been a violation of town personnel polices forbidding nepotism. "If a supervisory responsibility is involved, then the affected employees will determine which of them will transfer
Page 54 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) or resign in order to ensure compliance with this policy," reads section 2 of the nepotism policy. Because the manager works directly for the council, each of the seven-member board is considered the manager's boss. "I was stunned when I heard the news," former Councilman Carter said when asked about the recent wedding. He was part of the council majority that voted to accept Andrews' resignation. No public explanation was provided why the council majority, led by Loomis, wanted Andrews out.
The week before, the council had conducted Andrews' annual performance evaluation. Issues with his performance were not publicly raised, and Andrews' contract was given default renewal. Whatever tensions lie simmering underneath came boiling to the surface at a raucous and emotion-filled public meeting when Andrews was forced out. The council called a special session for Sept. 23, 2009, with one item on the agenda: David Andrews' contract. Numerous residents implored the council not to accept the manager's resignation. Accusations of collusion among council members and violations of open meetings law were lobbed. Council members lashed out at one another. Latas, in particular, scolded members Carter and Kunisch in open session that night for speaking with The Explorer about the issue while the council was at recess. Even Andrews, known for maintaining a calm persona, momentarily lost his cool. After the final vote, he approached Carter and pointing his finger shouted: "You stay off my property!" Loomis declined to comment for this story. Carter said he voted to accept Andrews' resignation based on his job performance. "It should have been done sooner," Carter said.
Former Councilwoman Helen Dankwerth, who was not on the council that forced out Andrews, was at the time critical of the vagueness and failure to provide a clear rationale for forcing out Andrews. "They were trying to get out from under a potentially bad situation," Dankwerth now says of the council. "I think at the time the action that was taken it was to protect David in his future job offers." Dankwerth also said revisiting the issue today doesn't serve the interests of the public, but acknowledged the saga cost the town in numerous ways. "There's no question that they paid for it monetarily," Dankwerth said. "It caused a further schism in the town and was detrimental."
Andrews was paid $144,000 in severance after he resigned. None of the elected officials who voted to accept Andrews' resignation remain in office. Abbott and Kunisch resigned their positions. Carter and Loomis both lost in their bids for re-election. Carter told The Explorer the issue almost certainly contributed to his loss in the 2010 election. At least two candidates for town council cited Andrews' treatment as the reason they chose to run. Mayoral candidate Mike Zinkin, who along with now-Mayor Satish Hiremath beat out Loomis in the March primary, wrote in his campaign material that he decided to run after Andrews was released. "It was after this action that I changed my mind and decided to oppose Paul Loomis in his quest for yet another term as Mayor," Zinkin wrote. Former council candidate Don Emmons similarly cited Andrews' abrupt departure as his motivation to run. Emmons dropped out of the race following the primary election.
Page 55 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Explorer, The (Tucson, AZ) March 31, 2010
Andrews moves from one 'valley' to another Author: Patrick McNamara
Oro Valley's former town manager has gotten a job with the town of Paradise Valley near Phoenix. David Andrews, who was Oro Valley's town manager from 2006 to 2009, now works as Paradise Valley's budget and finance director and assistant town manager. Andrews resigned as Oro Valley's manager in September 2009. Andrews had worked for the town since 1991, most of that service as the town's finance director. Andrews' salary with the town of Paradise Valley is $130,000 per year.
Paradise Valley, near Camelback Mountain, has a population of roughly 14,500, an annual budget of $25 million and 90 employees. It also has the distinction as one of the wealthiest cities in the nation, with a median household income of more that $150,000, according to U.S. Census data. The median home value in Paradise Valley was more than $772,000 in 2000, the Census indicated. After Andrews resigned his Oro Valley position, a resident filed a complaint with the Arizona Attorney General's office alleging collusion among council members prior to the meeting when Andrews resigned. The issue remains under investigation.
Page 56 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
BLOG-http://letorovalleyexcel.blogspot.ca/2009/09/david-andrews-termination-as-oro- valley.html September 30, 2009
David Andrews Termination As Oro Valley Town Manager Has Brought Us ALL Together The following two letters to The Explorer are written by two ex-council members with whom I have had many disagreements. I applaud Helen Dankwerth & Conny Culver for standing up for David Andrews and righteousness. The actions against David has brought so many of us with diverse opinions to come together and, hopefully do what is right.
What loomis, carter, kunisch & abbott did to David Andrews was the most egregious of any actions every taken by any council in my 16 years as an Oro Valley resident---and probably, since Oro Valley became a town in 1974. These four MUST go! OV council's conduct was unprofessional
While I have not uniformly agreed with David Andrews' handling of the town budget and several other issues related to his performance as town manager, I am dismayed by the unprofessional conduct displayed by the prevailing council members during the Sept. 23rd study / special session.
If the questions raised and issues addressed during his recent performance review were so egregious as to require his resignation, there is no doubt in my mind that the proceedings should have occurred in executive session. By insisting on what amounted to a public lynching, said council members were perceived as unbusinesslike, unprofessional, vindictive, and perhaps worst of all, uncaring that they were — at a minimum — besmirching the town's image. I am most disappointed in Mayor Loomis for allowing this debacle to occur. In my (perhaps not so humble) opinion, every action taken by an elected official must be made in the current — and future — best interests of the town. The actions of Sept. 23rd were woefully short of that goal.
By Helen Dankwerth, Oro Valley
Now, it's time to evaluate 3 council, mayor
I watched as one of Oro Valley's greatest failures was gaining momentum over the past months. Never, did it occur to me our town council could, or would, in a final 4-3 vote, embarrass our town as they did Wednesday evening removing David Andrews as town manager.
I don't believe these unconscionable acts are attributable to any one individual or any one group. Some blame the police unions. Others place the blame on the mayor and three council members retaliating over insignificant and petty issues. I can find no reasonable explanation for their behaviors.
David Andrews has always demonstrated professionalism. He's made the tough financial and
Page 57 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) personnel decisions. David Andrews had been a loyal town employee since 1991. For many of those years, Mr. Andrews was our financial director. During his tenure, Oro Valley had the distinction of numerous statewide awards for sound financial policies.
Currently we're experiencing the worst financial crisis we have ever had to face. Mr. Andrews' expertise and guidance is desperately needed. I believe our mayor and three council members (Carter, Kunisch and Abbott) have greatly harmed Oro Valley.
I addressed the mayor and council Wednesday evening. I reminded them that the responsibility for what they were doing, at that moment, rested solely on their shoulders. The buck stopped there. I expect my local elected officials to work together and do what is best for the residents of Oro Valley.
The mayor and three council members refused to go behind closed doors and discuss their concerns. As a matter of common courtesy and professional decorum, personnel matters are historically conducted in executive session. To publicly disparage a long-term exemplary employee was not only unforgivable but also vindictive and petty.
Residents and voters of Oro Valley, is this how we, as a community, reward performance and dedication? I asked the council to put principles above personalities, and do the right thing for our town. After all, isn't that why we elected them? I think it is time to carefully review the performance of the mayor and three council members to evaluate how they're doing their jobs.
Page 58 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Tucson.com, AZ September 25, 2009
Oro Valley town manager resigns amid controversy Author: Lourdes Medrano
Oro Valley is without a town manager. In a contentious meeting Wednesday, a divided Town Council accepted the resignation of Town Manager David Andrews, who took over the position in September 2006. "Shame, shame, shame," chanted members of the audience who were there in support of Andrews. Even before the council's 4-3 vote, it became clear Andrews' departure was mired in internal bickering, personality clashes and behind-the-scenes maneuvering. Emotions ran high as the meeting disintegrated into a hostile exchange of accusations and innuendo surrounding Andrews and his job performance. "I used to serve on this council and I'm very embarrassed," Oro Valley resident Conny Culver said. The battle lines were drawn early on with Mayor Paul Loomis siding with Vice Mayor Kenneth "KC" Carter and council members Al Kunisch and Paula Abbott as the majority. The staunch defense of Andrews by the council's Salette Latas, Bill Garner and Barry Gillaspie went nowhere.
The two sides couldn't even agree on whether to discuss Andrews' performance behind closed doors, as personnel matters are routinely taken up. The meeting remained open to the public, but the council cited no specific reasons related to Andrews' job performance. Andrews' submittal of a resignation letter appeared to catch some council members by surprise. An irate Garner demanded to know why the mayor had visited Andrews in his office to discuss a possible resignation. The town manager had asked "to be allowed to resign rather than to be removed from office by not renewing his contract," Loomis said. Gillaspie and Latas had assumed that Andrews was performing satisfactorily after the council's annual review last week, they said. Gillaspie called the evening's developments "a flat-out attempt" at a cover-up. Latas called the town manager's departure an "unjustifiable dismissal." Meanwhile, Carter referred to "things" that Andrews failed to accomplish, and Abbott said there were "issues" surrounding the town manager. "If I divulge all of the issues, it will hurt him," she said. In the end, Oro Valley citizens who wanted Andrews to keep his job left Town Hall without a plausible explanation for his departure. "There's so much gossip going around," Kathy Pastryk said. "It has nothing to do with his job performance."
Andrews worked for the town nearly 18 years. Before becoming town manager, Andrews was Oro Valley's assistant town manager and its finance director. He leaves with a severance package of about $144,700. Earlier this year, Andrews led Oro Valley through one of the town's most difficult financial periods. His budget-cutting proposals — which included employee layoffs — angered Oro Valley police officers, and the police union repeatedly took aim at Andrews at council meetings and in radio ads. A council majority ultimately voted against the job cuts, in much the same way as Wednesday. After the council vote, Andrews thanked Oro Valley residents who had called him reliable, fiscally responsible and fair-minded. As Andrews left the dais, he angrily ordered Carter to stay off his property and walked away.
Page 59 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) http://letorovalleyexcel.blogspot.ca/2009/09/why-david-andrews-must-stay-on-as-oro.html September 23, 2009
Love: Let Oro Valley Excel
Why David Andrews Must Stay On As Oro Valley Town Manager
We are staunch supporters of David Andrews, and for very good reasons. David started his career with Oro Valley some 18 years ago as our Financial Director, and subsequently got promoted to Assistant Manager. With the full support of a previous Town Council, David took over the Town Manager's position upon the departure of Chuck Sweet in Sept 2006. David is knowledgeable and intelligent. He has a BA degree majoring in accounting, as well as a Master of Public Administration from the U of A.
Knowledge & Intelligence are only two of David's positive attributes. As a manager, one main prerequisite is having those working for you, hopefully liking you, but more important, respecting you. David has earned the respect of those that he works with, because David shows the utmost respect to others, regardless of their position. That is probably enough positives to want to retain David in our employee. But there is much more than that. David understands he works for the mayor and council, but more important, David is always cognizant of the fact he really works for the residents of Oro Valley.
As such, those of us that are fortunate enough to know David (I've been attending council meetings for 16 years) see that David is sincere, honest, compassionate and totally fair with everyone. (You might want to read Zev's astute comment on the prior post, as it concerns David.) Why has David's renewal contract drawn so much attention? You can say what you will, but I will tell you the answer in four words: "Oro Valley Police Unions." David has received the wrath of these people because he had the audacity of following the Police Chief's recommendation to lessen the financial burden on the town and its citizens by including a couple cops in a cutback.
As we noted here on a previous posting, The Oro Valley Police Unions Believe They Run The Town. We must retain David's services. Anyone on the council that believes otherwise does not deserve to continue in office. My opinion? Sure! But my opinion is shared by 1000's of like- minded residents. Many have already sent us emails stating this fact.
Page 60 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) http://www.tucsonlocalmedia.com/news/pima_pinal/article_bcc5f138-2b7d-5731-8da2- a6bd1f5578ca.html September 15, 2009
Andrews up for council’s review Manager has been with Oro Valley since 1991 Author: Patrick McNamara
The Oro Valley Town Council plans a closed executive session this week for its annual review of the town manager's performance. David Andrews has been with the town since 1991. He was the finance director for 13 years, then spent two years as assistant town manager. In 2006, Andrews was hired as town manager after the resignation of longtime manager Chuck Sweet. Under Andrews' leadership, the town has seen rapid growth and development. For several years, Oro Valley rode the wave of the housing boom, seeing unprecedented expansion and reaping the benefits of growth-related impact fees.
In the past year, however, the town's finances have been hit by the housing crisis of 2008 and current recession. With the pace of commercial and residential construction at crawl, the money has stopped flowing into town coffers. Town finance officials have predicted a $1.2 million deficit by the end of the fiscal year that began July 1, and anticipate a $1.4 million shortfall in fiscal 2011. Oro Valley, of course, isn't alone in feeling the pinch. Across the state, and across the country, governments have suffered. State government continues to wrestle with its spending plan. Oro Valley's own budget this year, while completed on time, was one of the most acrimonious in town history, according to many observers. The issue of layoffs weighed heavy on the town as Andrews proposed a reduction in force plan that would have given 33 people their walking papers. That proposal would have trimmed more than $2 million out of town expenses.
Police representatives came out strongly against the plan, which included the possible elimination of six officer positions. The council ultimately rejected the layoff proposal, opting instead to keep a hiring freeze in place and to use reserve funds to make up a $450,000 shortfall. More recently, police employee representatives, including the Fraternal Order of Police and Oro Valley Police Officers Association, have vocally criticized Andrews. The groups sent letters to town council members alleging that the manager's actions put public safety at risk, and they believe comments he made potentially violated open meeting laws. The groups also requested the council confer with police when negotiating any severance package with Andrews.
Because Andrews' review will be done in closed session, the discussion won't be open to members of the public. In addition, Andrews' contract is not listed on the agenda as an action item. His contract would be renewed upon completion of the review unless the issue was put on the agenda. In late 2008, Andrews received a $21,000 raise. Mayor Paul Loomis and Councilman Al Kunisch voted against the 14 percent pay increase, which brought Andrews' annual salary to $164,967. The town council meets Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m. at town hall, located at 11000 N. La Cañada Drive. The executive session is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
Page 61 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
AZCOPS.com May 4, 2009
Oro Valley POA, AZCOPS Save Officers’ Jobs The months-long effort by the Oro Valley Police Officers Association and AZCOPS to persuade the Town Council from
AZCOPS President Larry Lopez speaks to the Oro Valley Town Council in opposition to their proposed layoffs of police officers. Cutting police jobs proved successful last week when officials voted to spare the six officer positions and cut back in other areas. The patrol positions became the target of the Oro Valley Town Council in March when they announced plans to cut some 30 jobs across the departments in an effort to save money. OVPOA and AZCOPS President Larry Lopez addressed the Council in March and warned that the move would put the public at risk. The original proposal would have disbanded the Community Action Team, which is responsible for stemming the flow of heroin into the area.
Lopez said it wasn’t right to put officers’ jobs on the line while several months earlier the City Manager had accepted a $21,000 pay raise, $12,000 in deferred comp and 500 additional hours of vacation time bringing his salary to about $165,000. In response to opposition expressed by OVPOA and AZCOPS, the Council voted to approve an alternative plan for cutbacks that avoided layoffs by eliminating five vacant positions and a sixth one that will be vacated by September. Those positions included a dispatcher, a reserve officer, two patrol officers and a part-time records specialist. Other savings were found in the areas of equipment, travel and training and outside professional services.
OVPOA Spokesman Chris Palic said the Association appreciated the Council for accepting the alternative to job losses. But, he will continue to monitor upcoming discussions on the police budget to be sure that officer safety isn’t put at risk by any additional proposed cuts.
(ORIGINAL STORY BELOW, Posted March 30, 2009)
When Oro Valley police officers learned that the Town Council was considering laying off six patrol officers to help them through a budget crunch, Chris DeSoto rallied the Oro Valley Police Officers Association and AZCOPS and the groups began putting public pressure on elected officials.
So far, Oro Valley is the only known municipality in Arizona with plans to cut police patrol positions in response to the current economic crisis. DeSoto, spokesperson for the AZCOPS- affiliated OVPOA, said the Town Council has proposed that 32 city employees be laid off as a result of a $5.2 million budget deficit for the year. Of the 32 employees, six are patrol positions on the Community Action Team. The unit is comprised of plain-clothes officers who primarily track down drug dealers.
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Some Council members have suggested that cuts in personnel should be made across the board, that all departments should take a hit and give something up,” DeSoto said. “But the truth is that they have $14.2 million set aside in a rainy-day fund, and spending cuts could be made without cutting personnel.
When OVPOA members attended a Council meeting March 4 to show their opposition to the proposal, Councilman Barry Gillespie said the police department shouldn’t be spared while other departments cut personnel. Oro Valley, a suburb of Tucson, has 102 sworn police officers or 2.36 offers per 1,000 population. Gillespie said if the police department didn’t lay off officers, the town would become “a police state. And I don’t want to live in a police state.”
DeSoto said it appeared to POA members that the Councilman believes there are too many police officers in Oro Valley and he didn’t like the fact that there were so many in attendance at the March 4 Town Council meeting. “Our members were very upset by his statement,” she said. “And since that time, we’ve received overwhelming support from the community who don’t want their police force cut.”
AZCOPS President Larry Lopez, who also serves as president of the Tucson Police Officers Association, attended a Council meeting March 25. He reminded the public that six months ago, Oro Valley Town Manager David Andrews had received a $21,000 pay raise, $12,000 in deferred comp, and 500 additional hours of vacation time bringing his salary to an estimated $165,000. He said it wasn’t right for the Manager to continue to accept a pay raise while officers’ jobs are on the line.
DeSoto said elected officials shouldn’t be talking about cutting patrol positions at a time when crime is on the rise across the area. The Council proposal would disband the six-member Community Action Team, which is resposible for slowing the flow of heroin into Oro Valley. Heroin trafficking has become a significant challenge for police in recent months and the Community Action Team has been especially effective in that area, she said.
DeSoto said the Town Council is split on the proposal to cut officers’ jobs. Another meeting is scheduled April 1 at which time another vote could be taken on the issue. In the meantime, the police department has submitted a counter-proposal to personnel cuts that would reduce department spending by $465,000 sparing officers’ jobs. “I don’t know whether that will be acceptable to Council members or not. But, with the support of AZCOPS and our members, we will continue to keep the pressure on,” she said.
Page 63 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) http://tucson.com/news/oro-valley-manager-seeks-layoffs-to-deal-with-deficit/article_07a67e01- db07-55a1-ad7a-7aef454643e8.html February 25, 2009
Oror Valley manager seeks layoffs to deal with deficit Author: Lourdes Medrano
The town of Oro Valley may turn to employee layoffs to deal with a projected $5.2 million deficit next year. Town Manager David Andrews is recommending the elimination of 27 positions to save about $1.7 million. Five of the positions already are vacant because of an existing hiring freeze. And unless the Oro Valley Police Department receives a federal grant, six officer positions also could be cut.
Any layoffs would include severance pay and benefits — 60 days for those employed less than five years and 90 days for those with more than five years’ service. In addition, the town manager is recommending the consolidation of three departments into one. Andrews summarized Oro Valley’s dismal financial picture in documents for the Town Council’s March 4 meeting, when members will take up the cost-saving plan. The council on Feb. 18 discussed the town’s organizational restructuring and potential lay-offs behind closed doors. Under his proposal the new Development Services Department would combine the Planning and Zoning Department, Building Safety Department and Public Work’s Development Review Division.
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Explorer, The (Tucson, AZ) October 1, 2008
Andrews wants raise Author: Patrick McNamara
Oro Valley Town Manager David Andrews has requested that the town council give him a more than $37,000 raise. The salary hike would put Andrews at an $181,231 annual salary. Andrews has worked for the town since 1991, when he was hired as finance director. In 2004, Andrews was promoted to assistant town manager. In September 2006, he was hired to replace former Town Manager Chuck Sweet.
Andrews is a native of Tyler, Texas, and holds a business management degree from Stephen F. Austin State University. In 1988, he earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Arizona. The town council recently conducted an evaluation of Andrews in executive session. According to state law, the council can convene an executive session without public scrutiny. The council could vote on Andrews’ requested raise and new employment contract at its next meeting, Wednesday, Oct. 1.
TOWN MANAGER PAY Oro Valley Town Manager David Andrews currently makes $143,899 annually Andrews request Council recommendation $37,332 Raise $21,068 $5,756 4 percent merit increase $5,756 $14,519 Market adjustment $3,312 $11,600 Deferred compensation $12,000 $5,457 Vehicle allowance $0 $181,231 Total $164,967
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ARIZONA DAILY STAR August 7, 2008
Oro Valley courts Tucson Museum of Art Author: Lourdes Medrano
Oro Valley officials are working on an incentive package that might entice the Tucson Museum of Art to expand to the town. "We've identified six sites, some public, some private," said Town Manager David Andrews, who declined to divulge the locations. "We just need to look at the feasibility of those and determine what the museum of art's level of interest might be." On Friday, Mayor Paul Loomis, Andrews, other town officials and area business leaders met with Robert Knight, the museum's executive director. Knight plans to make a formal presentation to the Town Council at its Sept. 3 regular meeting, said Oro Valley spokeswoman Mary Davis.
Museum officials also have visited Marana, but the town does not have a proposal in the works, said spokesman Rodney Campbell. Although it's premature to talk about specific plans to attract the museum, Andrews said, one option may be for the town to provide land to the museum while the private sector makes its own contribution. "It could be that the private sector might want to put together some funding and then buy a private parcel," he said. The museum would be a great community entity and a boost to preservation arts projects such as Steam Pump Ranch, he said. The private sector would benefit, he said, because the more amenities a community has, the greater its chances of recruiting and retaining employees.
Knight was traveling and could not be reached to comment. But museum spokeswoman Meredith Hayes said Oro Valley is one of several sites museum officials are considering. The museum has outgrown its Downtown location, where parking and directional signs have been long-standing concerns, Hayes said. "What we've been doing is looking at expansion opportunities," she said. "We've got opportunities with a number of major collections that could be given to the museum, and we need space to display those."
Hayes said that in May the museum's board of trustees directed Knight to continue working with the city to resolve some of the issues affecting the Downtown location, as well as look toward long-term expansion. "There could be even a satellite location out there," she said of expanding to the Northwest Side. No immediate decisions are expected in September, when Knight reports his findings to the board, she said. "We've got so many options on the table that it behooves us to really look at each one of those options and find out what is best for the museum and for the community as a whole," Hayes said.
Page 66 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) http://www.sonorandesert.org/category/updates/page/3/ April 2, 2008
Group Seeks to Preserve 570,000 acres – Arroyo Grande part of state lands eyed for protection Author: Patrick McNamara
For those concerned with the proposed annexation and subsequent development of an expanse of Arizona State Trust Land north of Oro Valley, a new campaign offers a ray of hope. Representatives with The Nature Conservancy have moved to get an initiative placed on November election ballots that would permanently protect 570,000 acres of undeveloped Arizona State Land Department holdings across the state. Included within that sum is 6,200 acres of Arroyo Grande, the 9,100 acres Oro Valley and the state have begun negotiating for. Other parcels in southern Arizona have also pegged for preservation, including the Tortolita Fan near Marana, Catalina State Park adjacent to Oro Valley and Saguaro National Park on Tucson’s west side.
The ballot measure would also foster changes to the state trust by allowing the land department to conserve lands. Current law mandates the land department to derive the greatest value from the lands in its domain, the proceeds of which go to the state school trust. “We think it’s consistent with the mandate of the State Land Department,” said Tom Collazo of The Nature Conservancy. At the time of statehood in 1912, the federal government seeded the land department with 12 million acres. The department still holds 9 million acres. The group needs to gather 230,047 signatures for the measure to get on the ballot.
The initiative, an amendment to the state constitution, would permit local governments to buy land marked for conservation according to the initiative without auction. State land department holdings are normally sold at auction to developers. Some observers see current system as antithetical to conservation efforts. “It pits the environment and tourism against education,” Michael Leigh said. “You get either one or the other — education or the environment.”
Leigh, a SaddleBrooke resident, helped start SaddleBrooke Citizens for Wash Protection, a group dedicated to environmental protection of desert riparian areas. He said the group supports the conservation goals of the proposed ballot initiative. A similar initiative, Proposition 106, was narrowly defeated in 2006. “This is much more simple, it makes it legal to conserve state trust lands,” Carolyn Campbell said. Campbell heads the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection. The group has lobbied to have a conservationist facet included in the final land deal. The coalition supports the new initiative.
Since Oro Valley and the Arizona State Land Department have gone public with their intention to negotiate the annexation, concerns about water availability, open space, transportation and wildlife protection have come to light. At times discussions have been heated. At a January meeting in Oro Valley, citizens expressed skepticism and suspicion about plans for Arroyo Grande. Many people from Catalina cast doubt on Oro Valley’s commitment to manage growth
Page 67 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) and its ability to lessen the annexation’s impact on residents. “In this project, the county is benefiting, Oro Valley is benefiting, the state is benefiting, but the current residents are not,” said Mark Miller, a Catalina resident and president of the village council.
While not an outright opponent of annexation, Miller has concerns about development. A state conceptual plan estimates that the area could support up to 30,000 residents. Miller worries about increased traffic on Oracle Road. “No one has made any promises as to how they’re going to mitigate that,” he said. For now, the Catalina Village Council plans to watch the process closely, and has formed a committee to study the issues.
Pima County and Oro Valley officials too have been at odds over the plans. In a series of memos between December and February, Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry voiced concerns over the fledgling negotiations. The county wants guarantees that open space would be protected, especially in those areas near the county’s Tortolita Mountain Park at the western portion of Arroyo Grande, as well as wildlife corridors throughout the tract.
County Supervisor Ann Day also entered the fray when, at a February meeting with Catalina- area constituents, she cast doubt on Oro Valley’s commitment to protecting open space. Oro Valley Councilman Barry Gillaspie accused Day and the county of trying to “control Oro Valley’s sovereignty.” Throughout the negotiations, the land department has said up to 68 percent of Arroyo Grande would remain open space. While Oro Valley and state officials have lauded the plan for open space as unprecedented, questions remain.
In the land department’s conceptual plan, areas marked for rural housing could count as open space. That means houses slated for the western portion of Arroyo Grande at densities of one dwelling per 3 acres could meet open space requirements. Land department officials have said that likely would not happen. Instead, they say, developments will go up in clusters. “It’s not the percentage of open space, but the configuration,” The Nature Conservancy’s Collazo said. If the proposed ballot measure became law, areas marked for protection would not have houses. “Development rights would be gone from those areas,” Campbell said. Open space presents another issue as well.
Until now, the land department has maintained that open space has to be purchased. But for the county or town to purchase more than 6,100 acres of land — the 68 percent identified in the conceptual plan — could prove cost-prohibitive. A recent memo from Huckelberry to the state land department adds a new element to the increasingly complex negotiations for the coveted swath of desert.
In the newest exchange, Huckelberry expresses unease with the state’s contention that open space should be purchased. “As you know,” Huckelberry wrote, “the County typically does not buy open space that is supposed to be set aside as part of a development project consistent with the Conservation Land System guidelines.” Huckelberry wrote, however, that the county could feasibly purchase a portion of the open space, that adjacent to Tortolita Mountain Park, only if assurances are made that it will remain protected.
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A transfer of development densities to other areas of Arroyo Grande would make open space within reach for the county to purchase. “…I would assume that the conservation value of this land after the dwelling units have been transferred off of the land, would be nominal, such as $1,000 an acre or even less,” Huckelberry wrote. Short of that, the county’s already tenuous support could dissolve. “If we are unable to resolve our conservation concerns, and I am hopeful that we will be able to do so, I will have no choice but to recommend that the Board (of Supervisors) oppose this planned use of the property,” Huckelberry concludes.
Meanwhile, Oro Valley officials intend to push ahead with the process. “We’re going to continue forward with our general plan amendment process,” Oro Valley Town Manager David Andrews said. Earlier this month, the town council voted to start a general plan amendment process requested by the state. That could result in a pre-annexation agreement and new land use designations for Arroyo Grande.
The council approved spending $510,000 on the amendment and annexation, including $250,000 for outside legal counsel. Andrews was mindful that the vote on the ballot initiative could greatly alter the annexation’s landscape. “This could cause a big impact on what happens.”
Page 69 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Arizona Daily star – AZStarnet.com October 28, 2007
Towns learned the hard way: Lack of early planning hurt Author: Danielle Sottosanti
Local governments built roads and other infrastructure but, they learned through harsh experience, they didn't build fast enough or big enough to accommodate growth. "If you don't plan on growth, you'll have what we saw in the 1970s and '80s, which is communities on the fringe with no infrastructure," said County Supervisor Sharon Bronson, who represents the Southwest Side. "We're still paying for that." The area southwest of Tucson is where much of the county's growth is occurring now. And the county may be about five years behind in that area when it comes to infrastructure, said County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry.
Earlier this year, the county commissioned a Southwest Infrastructure Plan that found the area needs $755 million to $906 million in new infrastructure over the next 30 years to accommodate anticipated growth. That translates into impact fees of $20,104 to $50,769 per home, depending on how many homes go in.
Provisions in the Rancho Sahuarita plan, which the new town's staff began to review soon after the town was incorporated in 1994, prevented Sahuarita from imposing impact fees and building moratoriums on the development for 40 years, and from making other changes to regulations relating to its growth. "We will not necessarily allow a developer to stop us from charging development impact fees in the future. That's clearly a lesson we've learned," said Jim Stahle, Sahuarita town manager.
Councilman Charles Oldham, who's been a member of the Town Council since Sahuarita was incorporated, acknowledges that the town made some mistakes in agreeing to low sewer connection fees and user fees for Rancho Sahuarita and Rancho Resort. Sahuarita's Town Council in August boosted connection fees by an average of 26 percent and is considering a two- step increase of an average of 74 percent in user fees. Oro Valley hadn't increased its Alternative Water Resources Development Impact Fee since 1996. It is one of the fees developers pay to connect to the town's water system.
A study the town commissioned found that, to cover future water needs, the fee would have to jump more than 1,500 percent, from $300 to $4,982, for the most-common residential water meter. The proposed increase created a wave of controversy and, to mitigate the fee hike's effect on development, the Oro Valley Town Council decided in June to phase it in over the next five years. Oro Valley Town Manager David Andrews said he thinks the town — and the entire region — is still catching infrastructure up to development. "I think the growth occurred three to five years sooner than what was anticipated," he said. For Marana, Cortaro Road was a lesson learned about dealing with increased traffic, said Town Manager Mike Reuwsaat. Cortaro was widened several times rather than all at once, and the existing version has one lane in each direction blocked off from the others by freeway support columns.
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"We've learned to get the big picture taken care of first, and work back from that. We have a much better vision and staff now, to know what to expect from our interchanges," he said. Cortaro probably will never get redone to go under or over I-10, which makes doing so at two other crossings, West Twin Peaks and West Ina roads, very important for the long-term needs of the area, he said. The town is designing full-scale versions of the Twin Peaks and proposed Villages of Tortolita freeway interchanges, rather than building the bare minimum and then having to widen them later on, he said. Tucson's Houghton Area Master Plan to develop 17 square miles on the Southeast Side often is cited as a way the region can master-plan large tracts of land.
The huge area runs from East Irvington Road south to Rita Ranch and the Union Pacific railroad tracks, and from South Harrison Road to roughly the Pantano Wash. It is planned to have a huge "town center" of retail and other services in the middle of the plan, between South Houghton Road, East Poorman Road, East Valencia Road and a newly built north-south route called South Melpomene Road. The road system will be designed to add other arterial streets that can parallel main thoroughfares such as Houghton Road to relieve traffic over time, said Tucson Planning Director Albert Elias.
For each municipality, the lessons of growth came down to one point: Seeing the forest rather than just the trees, said Oro Valley Mayor Paul Loomis. Development affects not only a particular piece of property but also aspects all over town — whether it be roadways, water or the need for additional police, Loomis said. "You have to look at a development from all sides and the top."
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Explorer, The (Tucson, AZ) July 25, 2007
NEWS Author: Patrick McNamara
OV town council adopts $118M budget Big bucks Oro Valley Town Council passed the 2007-08 budget last Wednesday with Council member Paula Abbott the lone opponent. Abbott said she opposed the $118.8 million financial plan on grounds of fiscal responsibility. In particular, Abbott said she opposes the budget's 5-percent cost-of-living adjustment for municipal employees, an increase that amounts to $877,000. "Other institutions like universities sometimes don't offer any adjustments," Abbott said. Even though the budget includes the increase, Town Manager David Andrews said there would be a one-year hold on merit-pay raises for town employees.
A town council communication from Finance Director Stacey Lemos noted the cost-of-living adjustment was needed for the town to "remain competitive in our salary scales with other municipalities… ." The town also will hire 10 new employees, including three police positions, a procurement manager and a storm water manager.
This year Oro Valley adopted program-based budgeting as opposed to standard line-item budgeting. By budgeting along major program and departmental areas, town officials said they will be able to better allocate resources and maintain a more fiscally sound budget.
Mayor Paul Loomis said the program-based budget represents "a new way of doing business." Overall the budget grew by $12.8 million since 2006-07. Across-the-board budgeted expenses increased with few exceptions. The town manager's budget grew $278,000 to $938,000. Information technology will see an additional $602,000 in the coming year.
Economic development is one of the few departments with a budget decrease - down from $329,900 to $184,798. The adopted budget also includes $28,743,811 in capital improvement funds, $14 million of which will come in the forms of federal and state grants, Pima Association of Government reimbursements and Regional Transportation Authority funds.
The biggest winner of capital improvement funds is the town's water utility department, which scored $12.4 million for improvement projects. The department will put its millions toward existing system improvements to wells, booster stations and transmission systems. It will also use the funds for infrastructure expansions and to build a new reservoir. The La Cañada widening project is another big-ticket capital project, with an $8.4-million price tag. The police department gets $500,000 to replace 18 patrol vehicles.
A sizeable portion of the 2007-08 budget comes from carry forward balances, essentially unspent cash from last year. Unspent funds make up 41 percent of this year's budget, a total of $49
Page 72 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) million. "Our reserves have built up over the years as result of sound spending practices," Town Manager David Andrews said.
Early in the budget process some council members suggested the town use the unspent money to fund part of the proposed Naranja Town Site, a municipal park complex that could cost more than $150 million. Andrews said to finance such a large project like the town site with a "pay- as-you-go" plan would wipe out all cash reserves. "We don't have enough cash reserves to fund even one component of the Naranja Town Site," Andrews said. Overall, Andrews said he was very pleased with the outcome of the budget process. "This is a very fiscally responsible budget."
By the budget $118,767,472 - total budget for 2007-08. $12,876,472 - increase from 2006-07. 12 percent - increase from 2006-07. $49 million - amount of carry forward or unspent money from 2006-07. $2,827 - amount town will spend per resident 2007-08 (based on population of 42,000). 5 percent - cost-of-living adjustment for town employees.
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Explorer, The (Tucson, AZ) July 26, 2006
OV council approves new town manager Author: Leigh Shelton
July 26, 2006 - The Oro Valley Town Council, at its July 19 meeting, unanimously approved hiring Assistant Town Manager David Andrews as the new town manager. Town Manager Chuck Sweet announced in May that he plans to step down on Sept. 1. Sweet cited "a personal change in direction" as reason for his resignation. The council opted to conduct an internal search for the position before advertising the post to out-of-town applicants. Andrews is the only one who applied. Sweet said he is pleased Andrews got the job. He also said looking internally is important because conducting state or nationwide searches are expensive and time consuming. "And it sends a positive message to the entire staff when you look internally first," Sweet said.
Vice Mayor Terry Parish said at the meeting that Sweet did such a good job of "bringing up Andrews" the town doesn't need to look any further. Andrews, who has worked in Oro Valley's government since 1991, said he is excited by the opportunity. "This is a great community and a great council," Andrews said. "We can achieve the goals we set forth, and I'm very excited to be a part of it." Andrews said he loves Oro Valley, which makes his job fun.
The Texas native moved to Tucson in 1988 to earn a Masters degree in public administration from the University of Arizona. He worked in South Tucson's finance department for a year before taking over as finance director in Oro Valley. The town then had fewer than 7,000 residents and the government operated out of a converted house on Calle Concordia. The town promoted Andrews to assistant town manager in 2005, though he still kept up many of his finance director duties.
Several council members noted Andrews' background in finance as reasons for his prompt hiring. "Particularly with his financial background, we think he has all the strengths and qualifications," said Councilman Barry Gillaspie. The council interviewed Andrews during an executive session before the public meeting.
Gillaspie said the council questioned Andrews about his management style, future problems in Oro Valley, ways Andrews could positively promote the town and build public trust. Gillaspie said Andrews would ensure continuity within the local government. Though Gillaspie initially disapproved of the plan to only search within town staff first, he said he thinks the town made the right decision. "I'm all for it," he said. Andrews' squeaky-clean background may have aided in his swift approval. In his 13 years working for the town, Andrews has never received performance review marks below "meets expectations," the second highest category. Since November 2002, he has received only the highest marks on his twice-yearly reviews. Andrews officially will assume his new role the second week of September.
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The Arizona Daily Star May 2, 2002
OV budget may fall by $8.2M for next year Author: Jennifer Sterba
Oro Valley is considering cutting its budget for the 2002-03 fiscal year by $8.2 million. A proposed budget from Town Manager Chuck Sweet and Finance Director David Andrews calls for revenues and expenditures of $84.4 million, compared to $92.6 million for fiscal year 2001- 02. The Oro Valley Police Department would receive $8.3 million - $1 million more than the previous fiscal year, which ends June 30.
The department plans to hire eight additional police officers this summer to serve areas targeted for annexation. The proposed budget also provides for hiring a police dispatcher and secretary. The budget allows for a 1.5 percent cost of living raise for town employees effective July 1. The budget also provides merit raises of up to 2 percent for town employees, effective on the employee's annual review date. Health insurance premiums are expected to increase at least 10 percent. The increase won't be certain until June 1. Other departments that would receive increases in funding include library services and Parks and Recreation. Library services was budgeted about $1 million, about $651,000 more than the previous year. Oro Valley's public library will open this summer.
Parks and Recreation was budgeted about $1.3 million, about $65,000 more than the previous year. Oro Valley could, by the end of this fiscal year, erase an estimated $850,000 budget deficit attributed to Sept. 11 and declining residential development, the town's finance director said in March. The number of single-family residential building permits was estimated at 750 for 2001- 02. Following the decrease in residential construction, that estimate has been revised to about 600.
David Andrews said that efforts by municipal employees to cut spending reduced the earlier predicted budget shortfall to $370,000, according to a January finance report approved by the Town Council in March. The number of residential building permits is expected to decrease to 500 for the 2002-03 fiscal year, and building fee revenues are projected to decrease by about $400,000. The town is expecting $502,000 in reimbursement from the Pima County Library District. Sales tax collections are expected to increase by about $132,000. State-shared money also is expected to increase by about $228,000. Oro Valley has no property tax.
The town forecasts a $4.6 million, or 12 percent, increase in total revenue to $42.7 million. The increase is primarily due to a $6 million increase in roadway expansion funding from the Pima Association of Governments and Pima County. The town's projected revenue plus $8.4 million in long-term debt financing and $33.3 million in cash reserves will fund the entire $84.4 million budget for 2002-03.
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Road improvements account for the lion's share of the capital improvement budget, which would decrease $2.7 million to $18.5 million. Capital improvement projects are those that cost more than $10,000 and benefit the town as a whole. About $5 million is proposed for the Oracle Road Improvement District and $12.7 million for other roadway projects. Expansion of the administration building at Town Hall is estimated to cost $802,000.
The Oro Valley Water Utility is proposing $7.4 million in capital improvements. About $4 million would pay for existing water system improvements, and another $3.5 million would pay for expansion of the water system. General Fund expenditures - for town services including police, parks and recreation, development services, library services and administration - are expected to total $19.2 million and to exceed general fund revenue by $2.3 million.
The $2.3 million deficit includes several one-time expenses, including: The General Plan Update. Completion of the Naranja Town Site master plan. Upgrading the police communication center. Annexation expenses.
Page 76 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Explorer, The (Tucson, AZ) December 12, 2001
ORO VALLEY FACING LARGE BUDGET SHORTFALL Author: Bob Svejcara
Faced with a revenue shortfall estimated at more than $500,000 for the current fiscal year, Oro Valley's finance director is advising the town council to put on the brakes in light of a shortfall that may reach twice that amount next fiscal year. Finance Director David Andrews estimates revenue collections will be below budget by $762,000 this fiscal year, based on collections through Oct. 31, due in large part to declines in both residential and commercial building permits.
Revenues from residential permits are projected to come in at $365,000 less than what was budgeted and fee collections from commercial building permits $365,000 less, primarily due to a hold being placed by Vestar-Athens Tucson LLC on construction of the Ritz-Carlton Resort in Stone Canyon of Rancho Vistoso.
Some of that $762,000 projected deficit should be made up by the $100,000 the town's building safety division will save by reducing its use of outside consultants and by a $130,000 reduction in bed tax sharing with the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Vistors Bureau and the Sheraton El Conquistador Resort, but the town's overall financial status hasn't been this bad since the 1994-1995 fiscal year, Andrews said.
This time around, however, it may take longer for the town to recover, Andrews said, adding that in the past the town was issuing 1,000 building permits a year and more, producing the revenues needed to speed a rebound. "We won't be seeing those numbers again," especially given the reduction in land available for development, Andrews said. Another factor that makes the current revenue decline so much more difficult to deal with is that the level of services provided by the town has grown significantly, he said. "We're facing a rough road ahead so we've got to proceed with caution," Andrews said. "The situation is going to be very tight over the next couple of years."
The caution light is warranted because there will be no significant increase in the town's general fund in the fiscal year beginning June 1, the town will have to step up its funding of the new library from $200,000 this year to $700,000 next year, and personnel costs will increase substantially as well, Andrews said. The current budget includes several positions that were funded for only part of the year based on hiring times while next year's budget will have to include money for full year salaries, Andrews noted in a memo to the council that served as the basis for a special council study session Dec. 11.
The financing of scheduled merit raises will add to the mounting budget deficit, as will the fact that there has been no substantial progress on the proposed Steam Pump Village, a 41-acre, 550,000 square-foot development on North Oracle Road, south of West Tangerine Road; the
Page 77 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Vistoso Towne Center shopping complex on 105 acres at the southwest corner of Oracle and Tangerine won't be opening to customers for at least two more years; and Ritz-Carlton construction will take at least two years once the current halt on progress is lifted. Anticipating what might lie ahead, Andrews has recommended the town council:
Postpone all hirings beyond those positions for which money has already been budgeted. Andrews distinguished this from a hiring freeze, saying the town would fill openings that result from employees leaving as long as those positions are currently included in the budget.
Delay the hiring of a fire marshal until revenues from commercial development increase.
Limit funding for 2002-2003 fiscal year capital improvements to simply paying off debt service.
Consider economic development incentives for the Vistoso Town Center and Steam Pump Village that might get these projects under way faster.
Do all that can be done to expedite the Ritz Carlton.
The town has a contingency fund of nearly $8 million for this fiscal year, but Andrews said the council probably would be reluctant to dip into it too fast since it would be like using savings accumulated with difficulty over time to pay off one's bills. In spite of the national recession and the local downturn in retail sales and tourism, Oro Valley as well as all other cities and towns may be getting a break from the Legislature. "A representative of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns reported as of Nov. 26 that the Legislature had completely removed the issue of reducing state-shared revenue distributions to cities and towns from their budget-cutting plan," Andrews told the council. "Therefore, the revenue estimates as presented do not include any potential impact of the governor's proposed 4 percent reduction in state-shared revenues." Had that gone through, the town's portion of state-shared income and sales tax revenues would have been cut by an additional $220,000 from the $5.5 million currently budgeted, Andrews said.
Page 78 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
The Arizona Daily Star November 29, 2000
Oro Valley gets high bond ratings Author: FROM STAFF REPORTS
Two bond-rating agencies this month awarded Oro Valley with high credit ratings in connection with the town's purchase of the Naranja State Land Parcel. Oro Valley received an A+ rating from Fitch IBCA and an A rating from Standard and Poor.
Town Finance Director David Andrews said the rates will allow Oro Valley to borrow money at lower interest rates. Those savings, he said, will ultimately benefit the town's taxpayers. "When we reduce costs, that results in savings for the taxpayers," Andrews said.
Andrews attributed the high credit ratings to the town's record of good fiscal management and the diversity of its tax base. Oro Valley is more attractive to bond-rating agencies now that Target and Home Depot have opened, he said. "Historically, this town has been very dependent on revenue from construction-related activities," Andrews said.
Page 79 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
The Arizona Daily Star July 15, 1998
Oro Valley's budget, up by $5.8 million, includes river park Author: Sarah Garrecht Gassen
Oro Valley hopes to build a riverfront park, add a building to Town Hall and hire three police officers under a proposed $38.8 million budget the Town Council will consider tonight. The council is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 11000 N. La Ca¤ada Drive. The budget discussion will include a public hearing. The budget for fiscal year 1998-99 is about $5.8 million more than last year's budget, said town Finance Director David Andrews. ``I think we've got a good, solid budget,'' Andrews said. ``We've got a lot of steady housing growth, a lot of retail interest - just a lot of activity.''
Funding for capital projects will increase $2.7 mil-lion. Much of that is tied to the Canyon del Oro Riverfront Park. Half of the park's $2.55 million price tag will be paid by Pima County bonds voters approved last year. However, the town will allocate the money for the park and will be repaid when the county sells bonds in the 1999-2000 fiscal year. ``The Town Council wants to go ahead and do the park now,'' Andrews explained, adding that Oro Valley's tab will be covered by money from the town's general fund.
General fund revenues, which include sales tax and state-shared money, increased approximately 22 percent from last year, Andrews said. Much of the increase is directly tied to growth: Sales tax from new home construction comprises 46 percent of the town's overall $3.72 million sales tax revenue. Oro Valley plans to build a new home for its Community Development Services Department, which includes the Planning and Zoning division, on the Town Hall site. Almost $1 million is set aside for that project. The budget also includes money to hire three new police officers to help deal with Oro Valley's growing population. The Police Department now has 50 officers.
Census figures from 1995 put the town's population at 19,657. State agency estimates in 1997 showed a population of 22,835, and the town projects it will be home to more than 2,000 new residents by this time next year. ``We've had an increase in the population base, we have three new apartment complexes and there's a significant increase in traffic on Oracle Road,'' Andrews said. The town will add seven positions under this budget, including a water utility director, a full-time driver for the town's Coyote Run transportation program and clerical workers.
Oro Valley consolidated the two water companies that it purchased in 1996 into the Oro Valley Water Utility last year. The utility now falls under the auspices of the public works director, but this budget will create a new water department. Andrews said the town's increasing retail revenue bodes well for the future. ``We need those kind of retail efforts to eventually replace construction-related revenues,`` he said. ``Construction can't last forever, because we're eventually going to reach build-out.''
Page 80 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
Much of the sales tax revenue in this budget is generated by fast-food restaurants, grocery stores and other smaller business, Andrews said. Retail income is expected to jump within the next few years as Target and Home Depot stores move into the Oro Valley Retail Center at First Avenue and Oracle Road. Road impact fees, which are paid on new construction, are up approximately 16.5 percent, Andrews said.
Revenue from impact fees is higher than expected, Andrews said. But that's because town officials expected new construction to dip more than it actually did last year. ``We overestimated the amount the construction industry would downturn,'' Andrews said. Construction revenues have declined each year since 1995, but not as much as anticipated, he said.
Page 81 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
The Arizona Daily Star May 6, 1996
Oro Valley ponders fee for alternative sources of water Author: Edward L. Cook
Oro Valley is considering an impact fee that would require builders to help pay for alternative water sources, including a CAP pipeline. The new water sources would save ground water now used to irrigate golf courses. The fee, similar to one being challenged by home builders in Scottsdale, could be adopted May 15 by the Town Council and take effect Aug. 13. ``The Oro Valley Town Council has stated policy which identifies the year 2000 as the time when major turf areas will be watered by alternate sources and not ground water,'' David Andrews, the town's finance director, told the council last week. ``The proposed alternative water resources development fee will contribute toward the town's share of financing those projects.''
The fee, which is based on the size of water meters that serve homes and businesses, could be used to help finance Oro Valley's share of a proposed $21.4 million pipeline that would carry Central Arizona Project water to the town. The 36-inch pipeline would be constructed from the CAP canal near Interstate 10 and Tangerine Road east along Tangerine to the Cañada Del Oro Wash and North First Avenue, where Colorado River water would be dumped into the riverbed, recharging the aquifer. The fee would apply to customers served by the Cañada Hills Water Co. and Rancho Vistoso Water Co. - companies Oro Valley purchased earlier this year.
Attorney Frank Cassidy, a consultant, told the Town Council last week that the fee does not apply to other water companies, but that they may follow Oro Valley's lead to raise money for an ongoing northwest-side ground water replenishment study. Alan Lurie, executive vice president of the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association, said he wasn't familiar with the fee proposal. ``But I think it is something we wouldn't agree with,'' he said. No one spoke for or against the fees at last week's council session. Another public hearing is scheduled May 15 - six days before the Town Council's runoff election.
Council seats held by Mayor Cheryl Skalsky, Vice Mayor Paul Parisi and Councilman Marty Wells are open. Skalsky, Parisi and four other candidates are competing in the runoff. Wells is not seeking re-election. The Home Builders Association of Central Arizona challenged a controversial water resources fee that Scottsdale adopted in 1987, but the case has not been resolved.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge William Sargeant III ruled in 1991 that the fee was illegal, clearing the way for a possible $8.8 million in refunds to developers who paid the fee. But his ruling was appealed. The Arizona Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case March 20. Andrews said the Oro Valley fees are lower than what the town staff originally proposed. The fees range from $300 for an average residential water meter to $15,000 for a 6-inch water
Page 82 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) line. Staff proposed fees ranging from $560 for the basic meter to $28,000 for the larger commercial size.
Skalsky said the fee puts the town ``an edge ahead of the developer. The edge is on our side. And it's a fair impact fee. It will affect new people (who move to Oro Valley) and new developments.'' Because Oro Valley owns the water companies, developers will be required to meet town standards when they connect water lines, she said. ``We could never do that before because we didn't own the water companies,'' Skalsky said. ``The water companies had no incentive to do that.''
The fees were recommended after studies by a water-supply task force, impact fee committee, the Town Council and a team of lawyers. According to a staff study, the Cañada Hills Water Co., 2120 W. Ina Road, serves 5,240 connections and is projected to reach 15,300 by 2025. Rancho Vistoso Water Co., with an office in the Rancho Vistoso Information Center at 2285 E. Rancho Vistoso Blvd., has 2,900 connections and is expected to have 10,500 in 2025.
Town Engineer David Hook said the current operational staffs, and the addresses of the two companies, will remain unchanged. Checks for water bills should be made out to the Town of Oro Valley, he said. An 18 percent rate increase takes effect May 11 for Cañada Hills Water customers. Rancho Vistoso Water customers will see a 29 percent rate increase, effective May 28, Andrews said. The minimum residential rate for Cañada Hills customers in Oro Valley will be $9.75 up to consumption of 2,000 gallons a month. A commodity charge of $1.71 per 1,000 gallons will be imposed for usage over 2,000 gallons.
Nonresidents served by the company will be charged $5.75 per 2,000 gallons, and the commodity charge, if applicable. Andrews said customers of Rancho Vistoso Water will be charged a minimum of $9 monthly, with an additional $1.70 per 1,000 gallons used after consuming more than 2,000 gallons. The Town Council approved the rates April 11.
Page 83 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order)
The Arizona Daily Star July 5, 1995
Oro Valley weighing property tax for parks Author: Edward L. Cook
Oro Valley officials are considering their first property tax to finance the town's plan for parks, open space and trails as part of a record $36.5 million fiscal 1995-96 budget. The tentative general fund budget - up from the town's current 1994-95 budget of $11.4 million - will be considered July 12 by the Town Council. David Andrews, Oro Valley finance director, said the proposed increase in the budget includes $11.6 million for implementation of the parks plan and $10 million for the purchase of the Cañada Hills Water Co.
A secondary property tax would be needed to pay off general obligation bonds for parks, and water bonds would be retired from rates charged to water users, he said. Voter approval is needed for both bond proposals. The tax rate would be about $1 per $100 assessed valuation, Andrews said last week. Surveys, including one released last April, indicate that most Oro Valley residents would support a tax for park development. ``One of the most amazing results of the survey was that residents were not only interested in development of parks and recreation facilities, but 59.1 percent of them were willing to pay more in taxes for them,'' the report said. The report was based on a telephone survey last fall of 536 town residents.
Councilman Rudy Roszak said residents who attended meetings on revisions of the Oro Valley General Plan this spring also gave their priorities for improving the town's quality of life. ``One of the things they wanted was parks. . . . People want these things and they're willing to pay for them,'' he said. Roszak said a parks bond issue could go before voters as early as this fall.
A consultant is preparing an appraisal of the Cañada Hills Water Co., which the town is interested in buying. The company, which is for sale, serves about 5,000 taps and could serve 27,000 taps by 2020, according to a report to the council. Oro Valley is served by Cañada Hills, the Metropolitan Water District, Rancho Vistoso Water Co. and Tucson Water. Andrews said Oro Valley is looking at a tax source for parks development because it has been forced to dig deep into its reserves, which now total more than $5 million.
The town plans to take $2,964,095 from reserves to use as its share of financing three miles of road improvements along La Cañada Drive, and is budgeting $1,355,155 for the general fund contingency, also from reserves, he said. The La Cañada work is an $11 million project that is being funded partially through an impact fee that is charged to home builders. Developers are charged $1,035 per home built in the area along La Cañada Road from Naranja Road on the north to Hardy Road on the south. Andrews said the fee, which took effect in late January, has generated about $238,000.
A task force also is looking into whether similar fees can be used to help finance other projects, including park development. Jim Kreigh, who helped incorporate Oro Valley in 1974, and who
Page 84 of 85 Section 4 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches David L. Andrews (Note: Articles Appear in Reverse Chronological Order) served as one of its first council members, said he is concerned about the Town Council's aggressive move to buy land for parks, including 40 acres at West Lambert Lane and North La Cañada Drive. The town purchased the acreage for $935,000 June 29 at a state land sale.
If Oro Valley had adequate reserves, ``you wouldn't need to go to the people and say we need a property tax,'' Kreigh said. A review of Oro Valley budgets shows the town began operating with a deficit of $17,238 in 1974, but had large surpluses as the town grew from 1,168 residents in 1975 to about 16,000 this year. The study indicates the town has had surpluses of at least $1 million every year since 1986, when year-end reserves totaled $1,010,587. The annual surplus has been at least $2 million since 1990.
The tentative budget also proposes $3,834,000 for the Oro Valley Police Department, including $451,929 in a contingency fund to hire officers if the town is able to annex a 0.7-square-mile area at the south end of town. The area, which covers the four-corner commercial area at Oracle and Magee Roads, contains about 2,100 residents and 951 dwelling units.
Chief Werner S. Wolff wants to add 14 police employees and would hire 10 more to cover the annexed area if it becomes part of the town. The 14 hires would bring the department to 68 employees, including 43 sworn officers, six reserve officers and 19 administrative personnel. The bulk of Oro Valley's revenue comes from a 2 percent sales tax that generates more than $3.4 million annually, some $2.1 million in state shared revenues based on population, $986,000 in business licenses and building permits, $721,000 in state and federal grants and $200,000 in magistrate court fines.
Completed by: Cara Slade Colin Baenziger & Associates
Page 85 of 85 Section 5
Section 5
Charles “Charlie” T. Chapman
Naples City Manager Candidate Report
Section 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
COVER LETTER AND RESUME 1
CANDIDATE INTRODUCTION 7
BACKGROUND CHECKS 15
CB&A REFERENCE NOTES 19
INTERNET SEARCH 29
Section 5
Cover Letter and Resume
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Candidate Introduction
Page 7 of 74 Section 5 Charles Tyler Chapman IV, ICMA-CM 1244 Captain Hendry Drive, LaBelle, Florida 33935
Cell: (863) 234-8983 E Mail: [email protected]
EDUCATION
The Florida State University M.S. Recreation and Leisure Services Administration The Florida State University B.S. Recreation and Leisure Services Administration Leadership Florida, Class 33 Continuing Education National Incident Management System/Incident Command System (ICS) Certified in ICS 100, 200, 300, 700, and 800
EXPERIENCE
County Administrator/Manager, Hendry County Florida 2013-Present Senior Management Analyst, Gadsden County, Florida 2013 to 2013 Public Works Department Director, Gadsden County, Florida 2010-2013 Administrative Coordinator, Gadsden County, Florida 2008-2010 Parks and Recreation Coordinator, Gadsden County, Florida 2005-2008
BACKGROUND
Hendry County is nestled geographically between the coastal counties of Lee, Collier, Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. Hendry’s unique position as the rural agrarian center of South Florida’s urbanized coastal communities lends itself to unique management scenarios in terms of natural resources and economic development. Two major highway systems flow through Hendry County, US Highway 27 and Florida State Road 80 serving primarily as cargo transportation routes. Recent businesses locating to Hendry County include ATIO-USA, Peterbilt Trucking and Hampton Inn. Florida Southwestern University has two satellite locations in Hendry County and provides initial associates degree level course work and some vocational training. Total resident population of Hendry County, Florida in 2018 is 39,000.
Hendry County’s General Fund budget is $17,000,000 and the total budget is $73,000,000 for Fiscal Year 2017-18. Included in the budget is $600,000 of capital improvements for facilities and nearly $44 million in grants for various projects including new roadway construction, roadway improvements, a new airport terminal building and airport upgrades. Hendry County Board of County Commissioners employs 170 employees, but also oversees the risk management, insurance and employee benefits portfolio for 450 employees across the elected Constitutional Offices (Clerk of Court, Sheriff, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser and Supervisor of Elections). The County Administrator directly oversees four top executive department heads and three administrative support staff that supervise the day-to-day operations of 18 departments and divisions.
Page 8 of 74 Section 5 Charles Tyler Chapman IV, ICMA-CM 1244 Captain Hendry Drive, LaBelle, Florida 33935
Cell: (863) 234-8983 E Mail: [email protected]
The three most significant issues facing Hendry County are:
1. Infrastructure to improve both county and municipal services. 2. Community Redevelopment and Enhancements through code enforcement and various programs. 3. Workforce Readiness: Partnering with the School District and private sector to deploy enhanced vocational training opportunities in-county and regionally.
GENERAL, MANAGEMENT STYLE AND EXPERIENCE
My career is blessed with the unique experiences of working in rural and fiscally constrained communities. The lessons I have learned working at the County level have enriched my professional skills by learning to balance the political agendas of the five elected constitutional officers, two municipalities and serving as an extension of the State of Florida. The total area of Hendry County is almost 1,200 square miles with populations being centered in the two incorporated cities of Labelle and Clewiston. My ability to balance diverse and divergent point of views into a collaborative work effort amongst these various entities is a skill set I have developed. I can provide facilitation of meaningful problem solving scenarios with business, non- governmental and governmental partners building consensus and yielding quality results in highly demanding environments.
My attraction to the City of Naples is rooted in three areas:
• Professional growth in terms of working with a first class agency that embraces the preservation of culture, celebration of the arts and leading in the way of environmental protection. I appreciate the City Council’s expressed value in professional city management and their track record of long term serving city managers. • To help lead a community forward with innovative and technologically enhanced services while balancing old Florida style. • Opportunities for my family in terms of education, culture and experiences.
The cornerstone of my leadership is my coaching management style. Throughout my career, I have brought a team work approach to the agency’s mission. My background in the parks and recreation field leads me to have a more coach-like persona with my employees. As a coach, I need to know my players. Some players require little to no input from the Coach. Others require significant time investment to hone their skills, master their craft and achieve the desired results in their performance. I schedule my day to include visits with the team and ensure they have the resources and guidance they need to render services of the quality the Council and community expects. My crowning achievement for my agency is improving the team to provide enhanced
Page 9 of 74 Section 5 Charles Tyler Chapman IV, ICMA-CM 1244 Captain Hendry Drive, LaBelle, Florida 33935
Cell: (863) 234-8983 E Mail: [email protected]
customer service and project delivery. I accomplish this by providing instruction, structure and encouragement to my team, but more importantly, I learn from my team members.
My team members would say that I am approachable and they have learned something from me as I have from them. I believe in developing my employees into the best professional they ultimately want to become. Many of my employees have outgrown the opportunities I could provide. But I am proud of those team members who have moved on to more promising job placements and I enjoy watching them excel at their craft.
I ascribe to a hybrid of metrics to measure success in performance. I utilize tools from the Florida Sterling Council and Lean Six Sigma. In government, each division and department has its own characteristics of service provisions. The performance measurements must be relevant to the service area. Alignment of performance activities and projects within the agencies strategic plan begins with the budgeting process. Placing financial resources behind strategic initiatives furthers the City’s goals and objectives in a meaningful way. In order to do this more efficiently I deployed a two-year budgeting process in Hendry County where strategic projects are front funded over the life of the project and not simply reviewed year to year. Quarterly reviews of the budget reveal project updates from both a task oriented and financial perspective.
My elected officials will be of the opinion that I am highly creative and innovative in my approaches to problem solving. I don’t just copy a solution deployed in another agencies, but rather take a bespoke approach to obstacles. I focus on ethical management approaches. I am fair, dedicated and strategically decisive. I place an emphasis on improving professionalism and metric based management accountability. My Hendry County elected officials identify me as a man who gets the job done. Examples of my ability to complete initiatives are:
• Improving road and bridge maintenance operations schedules. • The adoption and implementation of a twelve year resurfacing plan. • The management of approximately $77 million in grants over the past five years.
My strongest attribute is my ability to listen. I actively seek to understand the needs of my communities from the residents, visitors, business owners and service sector. Knowing the needs of the community and then identifying opportunities to meet those needs is my most prized skill. For instance, when Hendry County was without a mental health provider, the community and County Commission desperately desired a solution in-county. My team and I were able to utilize county facilities to house a service provider at no-cost to get them started providing services to our residents in Labelle. Leveraging both public and not-for-profit sector resources has led to the re- establishment of mental health services in Hendry County in multiple locations.
Page 10 of 74 Section 5 Charles Tyler Chapman IV, ICMA-CM 1244 Captain Hendry Drive, LaBelle, Florida 33935
Cell: (863) 234-8983 E Mail: [email protected]
In terms of weakness, I often want to believe the best of people. I want to believe that individuals desire to be informed and engaged in the service of their community. Experiences have taught me to not take anything for granted. In all scenarios, I will be kind and listen, but I will also verify items are accurate and complete.
Internally to the organization, I personally ensure every effort to help an employee to succeed is made; but sometimes we have to let a person move on. Unfortunately I have had to terminate employees. It is a necessary element at times to move an organization forward by not enabling poor performing behaviors. I attend to these matters personally with my Human Resources office. I make sure progressive discipline is utilized and termination is the best move for the organization. It is not my favorite method of improving an organization, but it is necessary at times.
My biggest achievement is the re-organization of Hendry County and restructuring of the Planning and Community Development Department. Upon arriving in Hendry County it was widely regarding as being one of the most difficult places to conduct business in terms of Planning and Zoning, Code Enforcement and Building Inspection. These divisions were separated into silos and underperforming. The County Commissions goals were not being achieved. Service levels of building permit issuance and plan review were exceeding the thirty day maximum turnaround period adopted by the Board. By restructuring the organization and combining the Planning and Zoning, Code Enforcement and Building Inspection operations under one executive team member we were able to review these functions as beginning-to-end services. This new perspective birthed a variety of new initiatives to streamline and improve growth management ordinances. Within three months, plan review and permitting issuance services levels improved to below the thirty day threshold, and the Building Inspection Division was re-established as an enterprise fund taking the funding pressure off of the general fund. This move also gave Building Inspection the ability to expand and contract with the demand of services. Applications to amend comprehensive plan and land development code projects increased 30% in two years. From 2012 to 2018, Hendry County saw an increase of 196% in residential permitting and 33% in commercial. For a community rendered stagnant by the recession of 2008, these numbers offer hope for improving the tax base and the community service levels overall.
My biggest failure was the unsuccessful attempt to implement universal pickup of residential solid waste in Gadsden County. I was tasked with bidding the services of curbside solid waste and recycling services to take the place of rural waste site disposal methods. I was young in my career and underestimated the need to conduct community meetings to educate the public about the benefits of the curbside service for the cost. When it came time for the Board to award the bid to a waste services provider and to make the decision to go to universal collection, the project was met with small but significant opposition. The opponents were successful in convincing the Board to implement a voluntary subscription curbside service for solid waste and recycling and to keep the rural waste sites open. The project still improved services and rendered savings year to year,
Page 11 of 74 Section 5 Charles Tyler Chapman IV, ICMA-CM 1244 Captain Hendry Drive, LaBelle, Florida 33935
Cell: (863) 234-8983 E Mail: [email protected]
but Gadsden County still does not have universal pick up. The lesson I learned is you can be technically correct in procedure, but without community education of what the project entails you cannot hope to be successful. I have never forgotten this experience and include community education in all facets of my operations.
Because the City of Naples has an impressive legacy of success, I believe the new City Manager will be expected to find new and innovative ways to operate. Streamlining and improving services, while exceeding expectations for customer service during the transition will be an exciting challenge. Listening to the City Council as well as the community groups and business owners will be critical to developing a plan to align resources. In my first six months I will:
• Review each departments operations, budget and performance levels. • Meet with business groups to ascertain their satisfaction with city services. • Meet with home owners associations to identify service improvements. • Review the capital projects list and project management schedules. • Review the organizational structure and make a proposal to Council to improve operations if necessary.
I believe building a positive relationship with the media is of paramount importance, especial in today’s climate. A relationship based on mutual trust and integrity cannot be overstated. Reaching out to editors and the transparency of cities operations will be a major goal for me. In terms of my past, I have had great success with journalistic media, but I have also had my editorial critics. However, I have never embarrassed my Council or my community by my actions, words or deeds.
In addition to traditional media, I utilize social media to connect community groups and residents together. I utilize the various platforms to distribute information and garner support for many initiatives. I will utilize these tools to move the Naples vision forward. We must reach out and make every effort to inform the public. The focus on being transparent about governmental operations is something I believe is necessary in the conduct of tax-payers business.
Once it is known that I am a finalist, a few activists from Lee and Collier County may take exception to me. The reason being is I inherited a problem from the prior administration in Hendry County. The issue is non-human primate breeding farms in Hendry County being permitted by- right in agricultural zoned areas. I was expected to defend the decision of my Board through the process of a law suit claiming a sunshine law violation occurred by approving the farms site development plans. Ultimately, the courts found that Hendry County did not violate sunshine law.
For leisure I enjoy spending time with my wife and kids. We love to travel, try exotic foods and experience different cultures. I enjoy playing music. I also enjoy fishing, snorkeling and boating.
Page 12 of 74 Section 5 Charles Tyler Chapman IV, ICMA-CM 1244 Captain Hendry Drive, LaBelle, Florida 33935
Cell: (863) 234-8983 E Mail: [email protected]
SIX ADJECTIVES OR PHRASES YOU WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF
• Creative • Personable • Intuitive • Energetic • Ethical • Results Oriented
REASON FOR WANTING TO LEAVE CURRENT JOB
Hendry County has been good to me. The decision to pursue the City of Naples is one about professional growth and family opportunity. I am the proud parent of three amazing children ages 9, 7, and 5. Not only do I want the professional opportunity to work for a world class city, but I want to raise my family in a community that will present them the best opportunity to have an enriching home town.
CURRENT/MOST RECENT OR RELEVANT SALARY
• $129,708.80 annually plus full employee benefits • Florida Retirement System Senior Management Class (27% of Salary) • Smart phone allowance • Dedicated county vehicle
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Page 14 of 74 Section 5
CB&A Background Checks
Page 15 of 74 Section 5 Background Check Summary for CHARLES “CHARLIE” TYLER CHAPMAN IV
Criminal Records Checks:
Nationwide Criminal Records Search No Records Found
County Glades County, FL No Records Found Hendry County, FL No Records Found Gadsden County, FL No Records Found
State Florida No Records Found
Civil Records Checks:
County Glades County, FL No Records Found Hendry County, FL No Records Found Gadsden County, FL No Records Found
Federal Florida No Records Found
Motor Vehicle Florida No Records Found
Credit Excellent
Bankruptcy No Records Found
Education Confirmed
Employment Hendry County (2013 – Present) Confirmed
Gadsden County (2005 – 2013) Verifications Pending
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. 1681-1681Y, credit and bankruptcy information are very sensitive and should not be used be in the consideration of hiring. The information is included for each candidate because we do not want you to be surprised if third parties raise what they consider to be a concern.
Page 16 of 74 Section 5 Background Check Summary for CHARLES “CHARLIE” TYLER CHAPMAN IV Personal Disclosure
Page 17 of 74 Section 5 Background Check Summary for CHARLES “CHARLIE” TYLER CHAPMAN IV Personal Disclosure Explanation
Page 18 of 74 Section 5
CB&A Reference Notes
Page 19 of 74 Section 5 Reference Notes Charles Chapman
Karson Turner – Commissioner, Hendry County, FL 863-228-4356
Mr. Turner started scouting Mr. Chapman before he was hired in 2013 and they had met on a few occasions, in professional settings, before that time. Once the council interviewed him they all were in agreement that they were ready to stop the search. He was that impressive.
Mr. Chapman is a shooting star and they are going to have a hard time keeping him on staff in the future. One of his biggest strengths is that he has his priorities straight. His family comes first and he will make his career decisions based upon what is best for his family. However, at the same time he is 100% engaged in the professional world on several different levels ensuring the success of his organization. He routinely becomes a resident expert in areas where the commission asks him to work.
In terms of decisions, Mr. Chapman does well. Even when he has made mistakes during his tenure, of which Mr. Turner can only think of about three, he owns up to them. He has also done a good job creating an atmosphere of trust with the executive leaders in the county. He values their opinions and takes them into account when working through decisions. He does an excellent job of not making hires out of haste, but vets his people well.
Mr. Chapman is a manager who maintains his organization at a high performance level. He has wonderful ideas, but because of the lack of resources he is limited in bringing them to fruition. Additionally, because he is an outsider it can be difficult for him to get buy in from the county stakeholders in terms of economic development. He has not been able to realize that either even though he has tried. He has been navigating those mine fields in an effort to see something work out.
Dealing with the public is an area where Mr. Chapman excels. He is articulate and an accomplished presenter. He has a tremendous amount of confidence and knowledge on the subject matter as well as a commanding presence. He knows how to network and is genuine when speaking and getting to know people. He builds relationships of trusts and is truly interested in what people want to talk about.
Not only does Mr. Chapman have a good understanding of municipal finance and budgeting, he also grasps the part where he has a ridiculously finite number associated with the county’s large ideas of what services it wants to offer. He knows the specifics about the budget and he is an absolute beast in his own personal finances. He has a vision and he understands the concept of paying it forward. In fact, he has started a scholarship fund at FSU for those studying in his field of study.
Mr. Turner is not aware of any controversies involving Mr. Chapman. He does not know of anything from Mr. Chapman’s past that would be construed as embarrassing if the press were to investigate him. He cannot say enough good things about Mr. Chapman and he gives him his full endorsements. Mr. Chapman is the kind of person who is going places.
Page 20 of 74 Section 5 Reference Notes Charles Chapman
Words or phrases used to describe Charles Chapman:
• Energetic, • Intelligent, • Nicely aggressive, and • Professional.
Strengths: An excellent leader who is extremely professional and works hard.
Weaknesses: Spreads himself too thin and also needs to include someone in his portfolio who is a construction guru.
Michael Swindle – Commissioner, Hendry County, FL 863-228-0145
Mr. Swindle first met Mr. Chapman in 2013 when he came on board. He became a commissioner shortly thereafter and has worked with him in that capacity since that time.
Mr. Chapman is an exceptionally hard working individual. He is a dedicated and forward thinking professional who solves problems. He has very strong character, is a rock solid leader from whom Mr. Swindle has learned much and with whom he has enjoyed working.
When it comes to decisions, Mr. Chapman is a phenomenal decision maker. He is collaborative, weighing in with his team around him making solid decisions from his informed collaborative efforts. His decisions regarding personnel have been outstanding. He has brought the leadership of the personnel to a level never seen before at the county. He has empowered them and the county is better for it. He has been a phenomenal asset moving their county forward to a new professional level.
Mr. Swindle would characterize Mr. Chapman as someone who is innovative, a change agent, and someone who maintains the organization at a high performance level. He is an out of the box thinker always looking for a better way to do business. At one time the organization was merely being sustained. With his guidance and forward thinking his development of the organization’s leadership and systems has been brilliant.
From the beginning Mr. Chapman has made it clear that he wanted to be a listener and be embedded in what the public is doing. He accepts criticism and adjusts where needed. He communicates well with the elected officials via texts, phone calls, or emails depending upon the severity of the issue. Mr. Swindle has always been well informed and has never been caught off guard.
When it comes to problems, Mr. Chapman performs quite well. At one point the code enforcement department had poor oversight and was conducting business in a less than acceptable manner. He
Page 21 of 74 Section 5 Reference Notes Charles Chapman took the department and the department director under his wing and provided clear expectations as well as proper training to improve the department to a level of which the board can be proud.
Nothing concerning Mr. Chapman has been controversial or problematic. He is conscientious with that aspect of his management. Mr. Swindle knows of nothing in his background that would be considered unflattering or detrimental to his character.
Words or phrases used to describe Charles Chapman:
• Innovative, • Leader, • Forward thinking, • Energetic, • Positive, • Personable, and • Understanding of worldly knowledge.
Strengths: A hardworking leader who solves problems and has moved the county forward tremendously.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Leo Ochs – County Manager, Collier County, FL 239-252-8383
Mr. Ochs first met Mr. Chapman when he came to Hendry County in 2013. The two gentlemen meet regularly with a group of various county leaders where they discuss different aspects of governmental business.
Mr. Chapman has done a wonderful job in a tough economic climate. He has done a masterful job to try and diversify their economy and strengthen the economic base while at the same time managing the budget and services. He is a strategic thinker who keeps the end result in mind.
Mr. Chapman has particularly strong interpersonal skills. He is an effective listener and a consensus builder. He works for a variety of industry types from the private and non-profit sector. His management approach is inclusive and principled and he is a humble and strong leader. It would be hard to find a more ethical person than Mr. Chapman.
In terms of decisions, Mr. Chapman makes good ones. The key is that he looks for solutions and invites ideas on how to get the best solutions by considering all of the available options. He is innovative, a change agent, and someone who maintains an organization at a high performance level. The work he has done with the transformation and privatization of the airport has been phenomenal. It took a plethora of innovation and determination and it is a diamond in the rough.
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Dealing and interacting with the public is something that Mr. Chapman does expertly. His personal style is that he listens first and is engaging and open to others. He respects the fact that he does not have all of the answers and he is effective with soliciting input from others.
From conversations with Mr. Chapman and from working with him on projects, Mr. Ochs knows that the county does not have much money. To provide services at their desired level they have to be skilled with their money. Mr. Chapman is comfortable working around a budget and managing money.
Mr. Ochs is not aware of Mr. Chapman being involved in anything controversial or embarrassing since he has known him. He would hire him if he were given the opportunity.
Words or phrases used to describe Charles Chapman:
• Smart, • Inclusive, • Principled, • Communicator, and • Long-range thinker.
Strengths: A professional who is a strategic thinker and an ethical person.
Weaknesses: He has not been in a large urban environment.
Terry Stewart – City Administrator, City of Arcadia, FL 863-494-4114
Mr. Stewart and Mr. Chapman first met in 2013 and have gotten to know each other over the past few years. They have interacted with each other through professional organizations and have sat on several panels together.
Mr. Chapman has done an outstanding job in Hendry County. He has dealt with a number of controversial issues and has handled them exceptionally well keeping them from becoming major explosions, enabling the commission to come through them on the other side.
Mr. Chapman is an observer who pays close attention to situations and the people involved in those situations. He analyzes and makes good judgement based on those observations. He gathers good information and makes smart choices based on that information.
One of Mr. Chapman’s top attributes is that he does not react to problems in a rash manner. He is excellent about responding to stress. He is always prepared and his organizational skills and preparation are top notch. He also believes in the admonition that he can never give his elected officials too much information.
Page 23 of 74 Section 5 Reference Notes Charles Chapman
Mr. Stewart would characterize Mr. Chapman as a change agent. He will not make changes solely for the purpose of making changes. He analyzes what is happening and keeps the organization in a proper state of balance.
One of the controversies that Mr. Chapman has had to deal with during his tenure is the reaction of the public about a research facility in the county where monkeys are used and/or provided for its research. The animal activists decided they did not like that and it became a largely publicized and emotional topic in the media. Those types of situations can work to vilify an organization. Mr. Chapman did a fine job of keeping the issue in hand and working through it professionally.
Mr. Stewart is not aware of anything in Mr. Chapman’s background that would be thought of as embarrassing if the press were to investigate. He is not privy to any knowledge about unbecoming conduct either personal or professional. He would hire Mr. Chapman in a minute if he were given the opportunity. Mr. Chapman would be a successful city manager because of the nature of his character and his affinity for working with people. He would do a stellar job in such a position.
Words or phrases used to describe Charles Chapman:
• Highly intelligent, • Capable, • Competent, • Affable, • Extremely ethical, and • Family oriented.
Strengths: A manager who pays attention to detail and makes good decisions.
Weaknesses: Has a tendency to give people the benefit of the doubt and for him personally the people who he would have liked to have done a better job have disappointed him. He does, however, always manage to handle it well.
Jennifer Benton – CEO Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc., Ft. Myers, FL 239-939-2553
Ms. Benton first met Mr. Chapman in 2015 when her organization opened a shelter in Hendry County. She has interacted and worked with Mr. Chapman on occasion in conjunction to her work with the shelter.
Mr. Chapman is personable and well liked in the community. He makes it his job to genuinely know everyone. He is well informed about the issues regardless of the subject matter. He is well spoken, intelligent, and Ms. Benton has never heard a bad word spoken about him.
Page 24 of 74 Section 5 Reference Notes Charles Chapman
Ms. Benton has invited him to speak at a few of her organization’s events and she has always been impressed by his presentations. He presents in an understandable, impactful, and motivational manner.
Ms. Benton would characterize Mr. Chapman as someone who is innovative as well as someone who maintains his organization at a high performance level. His is efficient at what he does and has a good understanding of municipal management. At the same time he is innovative and creative always looking beyond what is happening in the present.
Ms. Benton is not aware of any controversies or embarrassing situations involving Mr. Chapman. She has no knowledge of inappropriate behavior either professional or personal that would be harmful to his character. If she were given the opportunity, she would hire him.
Words or phrases used to describe Charles Chapman:
• Motivational, • Inspiring, and • Well informed.
Strengths: A manager who is always informed about the issues and well liked in the community.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Gene Morgan – Commissioner, Gadsen County, FL 850-567-8500
Mr. Morgan first met Mr. Chapman shortly before 2008 when he was elected to the commission. He began working with him at the county when Mr. Chapman was the Administrative Coordinator, which is essentially the Assistant County Administrator. Then Mr. Chapman served as the Public Works Director for a few years until he left to pursue his current position at Hendry County. They have continued to stay in contact since that time.
Mr. Chapman is a detail oriented and driven professional who is thorough in his work and with whom it is pleasant to work. He has a wonderful attitude, is a problem solver, and who is adaptable to any situation. Mr. Morgan wishes he were still in Gadsen County.
Mr. Chapman is innovative, a change agent, and someone who maintains an organization at a high performance level. He also has experience and is good at dealing with people in the public. He communicates in a clear and concise manner and is customer service oriented.
When it comes to accomplishing tasks, Mr. Chapman always did so in a timely manner. He was also quite good at municipal finance effectively managing his department’s budget.
Page 25 of 74 Section 5 Reference Notes Charles Chapman
Mr. Morgan is not aware of any controversial issues regarding Mr. Chapman. He does not know of any embarrassing item from his past that would surface if he were researched by the press. Additionally, he has no knowledge of any questionable behavior either personal or professional.
Words or phrases used to describe Charles Chapman:
• Driven, • Professional, • Energetic, • Smart, • Creative, and • Customer focused both internal and external.
Strengths: A detail oriented person who is professional and thorough.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Mitchell Wills – Commissioner, Hendry County, FL 863-835-2774
Mr. Wills first met Mr. Chapman in 2013 when he came on board at the County. He has worked with him for the past year as the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners.
Mr. Chapman is professional, knowledgeable, and has been a true asset to the County. He has a vast network of connections throughout the state to whom he can reach out if necessary. He has assembled a fantastic team at the county which has increased its success. Additionally, he has strong budgeting and finance skills that have helped them tremendously in that area.
Through Mr. Chapman’s strong leadership skills he has made some excellent decisions. His decisions are informed and he looks at things from all angles before committing to a final outcome. He makes educated decisions based on the information gathered.
Mr. Wills would characterize Mr. Chapman as innovative, a change agent, and someone who maintains the organization at a high performance level. When he came to the county they were going through some tough times financially. He moved some things around within the budget and kept the organization moving forward.
As far as communication is concerned, Mr. Chapman has strong skills in that area. He keeps all of the commissioners abreast of what is happening in the organization. Additionally, he represents the commission well when he is out and about in the community. He is not only involved in events sponsored by the county that he is required to attend, but he goes beyond that and attends several other functions in the community.
Page 26 of 74 Section 5 Reference Notes Charles Chapman
The county has had its complications, but nothing that would point back to Mr. Chapman. He deals with the stresses of his job well by taking a moment, pausing, and then coming back to the situation with a positive answer. Mr. Wills is not aware of anything in his background that would be thought of as unflattering.
Words or phrases used to describe Charles Chapman:
• Professional, • Educated, • Family oriented, • Energetic, • Focused, and • Strong community involvement.
Strengths: A strong professional who is knowledgeable and makes good decisions.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Darrel Harris – Commissioner, Hendry County, FL 863-673-5475
Mr. Harris has known and worked with Mr. Chapman since his arrival in 2013. He is the best manager they have ever had.
Mr. Chapman knows how to treat people and always speaks to others with respect and professionalism. He is a manager who makes good decisions. He is a leader who takes the organization’s vision and rallies his employees around it for the betterment of the community.
Mr. Chapman keeps the county running at a high performance level. He involves his department heads and staff encouraging them to work together as a team. He is also good about working with the elected officials and is consistent with informing them about what is happening in the county.
Being out in the community and representing the organization is something that Mr. Chapman does regularly. He is experienced at dealing with the public both one on one and in a group setting. He is a people person and excels at building relationships with the residents.
Mr. Harris is not aware of anything controversial involving Mr. Chapman. He has no knowledge of any embarrassing or unflattering behavior from Mr. Chapman’s past history that would come to light if the press were to investigate. He also does not know of Mr. Chapman ever acting in an unbecoming way either professionally or personally.
Page 27 of 74 Section 5 Reference Notes Charles Chapman
Words or phrases used to describe Charles Chapman:
• Professional appearance, • Talented speaker, • Take charge leader, and • Well mannered.
Strengths: A professional individual who manages well and leads their organization successfully.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Prepared by: Heather Linares Colin Baenziger & Associates
Page 28 of 74 Section 5
CB&A Internet Research
Page 29 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Caloosa Belle July 14, 2018
Hendry leaders take reins at Florida counties convention Author: Special to the Caloosa Belle
Hendry County commissioners and key staff members attended the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) Annual Conference June 26-29 in Orlando, where Hendry representatives assumed several leadership roles in the association. Commissioner Karson Turner was sworn in as president of the association on June 28. His duties as president over the next year will include representing FAC on the national level in Washington, D.C., as well as at county functions throughout the United States with the National Association of Counties.
“I look forward to this next year as president of FAC for multiple reasons,” Commissioner Turner said, “the biggest reason being that Hendry County will have direct access to a number of different policy-makers on the state level to make sure they understand the value of a county’s role in bringing services to citizens and how such a small decision from a state perspective can completely disrupt our ability to provide services in rural Florida.”
Jade Bryan, a 2018 graduate of Clewiston High School and daughter of Hendry County’s SHIP Director Sabrina Gadson, was the recipient of the 2018 Presidential Scholarship. (SHIP is the State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program.) The Presidential Scholarship is awarded to the child of a county government employee from the county that the incoming president represents. Miss Bryan graduated from Clewiston High School with a 4.9 GPA, was a member of the National Honor Society and was recognized as MVP of the Clewiston High School tennis team. She was also a member of the Clewiston High School Collegiate Academy, where she maintained a 4.0 GPA. Miss Bryan will be attending the University of South Florida this coming fall to study psychology.
Commissioners Mitchell Wills, the Hendry County Board chairman, and Emma Byrd were recognized during the Thursday evening dinner as 2018 Presidential Advocates. This special recognition is bestowed upon county commissioners who have shown exceptional leadership in partnering with FAC during the 2018 session to advance the counties’ legislative agenda. Hendry Commissioner Michael Swindle has served the last four years on the FAC Board of Directors and also sits on the FAC Policy Committee under Health & Safety.
County Administrator Charles Chapman was sworn in as president of the Florida Association of Counties Managers (FACM). County Engineer Shane Parker was sworn in as president of Florida Association of County Engineers (FACERS). And Hendry County Attorney Mark Lapp assumed his role as vice president of the Florida Association of County Attorneys (FACA). The mission of the Florida Association of Counties is to help counties effectively serve and represent Floridians by strengthening and preserving county home rule — the concept that communities and their local leaders should make the decisions that affect their community — through advocacy, education and collaboration.
Page 30 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Caloosa Belle July 11, 2018
Hendry offers CERT training this month Author: Chris Felker
Hendry County emergency management officials are conducting Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training sessions this month. They start July 14 and continue on the next two Saturdays, July 21 and July 28, in LaBelle. County Administrator Charles Chapman says that having sufficient numbers of trained CERT volunteers countywide is crucial when it comes to assisting citizens after an extreme weather event, natural disaster or community emergency. The most recent example would be the battering that Hendry County took during Hurricane Irma last fall. “Our Community Emergency Response Teams are critical to our success in covering the entire county,” Mr. Chapman said, describing the challenge that a rural county such as Hendry faces in an emergency. “We have 1,200 square miles of property that is under our jurisdiction, and we only have a three-person emergency management department.” A flier the county has been circulating outlines the training, which consists initially of 24 hours of learning split among the three days: “The CERT Program is all-risk, all-hazard training. This valuable course is designed to help you protect yourself, your family and your neighborhood in an emergency situation.” It’s meant for volunteers 15 or older, and an annual refresher course is given as well.
The flier lists several objectives covered in the program: • Describe CERT’s function; • Prepare participants for a disaster; • Identify and reduce potential fire hazards; • Apply basic fire suppression strategies and safety measures; • Apply techniques for the three killers — airway, bleeding, shock; • Conduct triage under simulated conditions; • Select and set up a treatment area; • Identify size-up requirements; • Debris removal and victim extrication how-to; and • Safety measures before, during and after search and rescue.
The sessions are taking place at the Hendry County Emergency Operations Center, 4425 W. State Road 80 in LaBelle, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on those Saturdays. Mr. Chapman explained that being able to tap a volunteer corps greatly helps in meeting residents’ immediate needs after a catastrophe, saying the purpose is “to help folks make sure they have the information about where are their shelters, what is in a hurricane preparedness kit, how to be the eyes and ears in the community whenever an emergency comes, and to help feed information back to the emergency operations center.” That, he said, “is extremely critical to our overall success and mission planning and making sure the resources get out to the communities where they’re needed most.” Anyone with questions, he added, should contact Emergency Management Director Richard Lehmkuhl at 863-674-5400. “That’s the best person; if you can’t get Richard, ask for Roberta Thomas,” he said.
Page 31 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Caloosa Belle June 29, 2018
Hendry County seeks prices on a line of credit Author: Chris Felker
Before getting down to a serious discussion of needed repairs to county buildings and capital improvement projects that have been waiting for action, Hendry County commissioners disposed of a noncontroversial matter first at a special meeting June 22. In a pair of 4-0 votes, they assented to a change order adding $942 to the overall $2.3 million cost of the LaBelle Airport terminal building and then to authorizing County Administrator Charles Chapman to execute any future changes costing less than $10,000. Public Works Director Shane Parker said staff requested the addition of two hose bibs to service the exterior of the terminal, which will require Florida Department of Transportation approval that he noted is expected based on their conversations. If for some reason it’s not approved, he said, the cost would be paid out of the airport’s budget. Construction is being done under a contract with O-A-K/Florida Inc. of Fort Myers, with AECOM Technical Services Inc. of Tampa as project engineer.
The second action was taken to avoid construction delays caused by any other needed changes in any projects because the board will not meet again until July 24. Commissioner Emma Byrd was listening in via telephone, but could not vote. The commissioners then had a very long discussion concerning their 2017-18 capital improvement schedule, which includes several large projects they’ve been talking about but have not prioritized plans for because of a lack of available financing and because of the continuing impact of Hurricane Irma on Hendry’s finances.
On the schedule are: $40,000 in repairs to the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office, including air conditioners plus courthouse security measures; $480,000 for courthouse and other miscellaneous repairs, with $60,000 coming from sources other than county taxpayers’ funds; $500,000 for Historic Courthouse work, all from a grant; $70,000 for the Health Department building in LaBelle; $10,000 for the library; $100,000 for the Clewiston sub-office building; $10,000 for the Harlem Civic Center; and $250,000 for the Dallas B. Townsend Agricultural Building, all from a grant. The total amount is $1.46 million, with $810,000 coming from grants or other sources.
According to the staff’s Capital Needs Analysis, those account for a little more than a quarter of the total costs the county faces for bringing its facilities to a better functional and safety level. Deputy County Administrator Jennifer Davis ran through the list. After recent discussions of work needed at county cemeteries, staff provided cost estimates for them: Fort Denaud Cemetery expansion phase one, $300,000; Ridgelawn and Harlem cemeteries, $100,000; and overall cemetery landscaping and renovations, $100,000. Other items cited in the analysis are: $2 million for the Historic Courthouse exterior; $900,000 for Administration Courthouse facade work and $200,000 for long-term courthouse security; $300,000 for the courthouse parking lot and expansion; $350,000 for jail projects, including roof work, interior repairs, plumbing fixture replacements, administrative wing repairs and an LP gas motor for a fire pump; and $50,000 for
Page 32 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Clewiston sub-office work. The total is $4.3 million, but $300,000 is available from the budget for the courthouse facade, so the county is looking at $4 million worth of needs. Ms. Davis explained: “These are all estimates; of course, we feel like they’re close for conversation purposes, but once you all make a decision on how you want to proceed, all these numbers would be firmed up … and everything would have to come back before you before it was approved.”
Mr. Chapman wanted to clarify, about the financing that will be sought: “What we’ll be looking at is not a bond, where we take out a lump sum and we’re paying back interest on that lump sum. We’ll get a line of credit up to a certain amount, and you only pay for that which you draw down, plus interest.” After staff presented voluminous information about all the projects and needs, County Board Chairman Mitchell Wills summarized, “We’re to the point now where we just need to come together and let’s fix these facilities and get them to where they need to be.” The board then passed several motions by unanimous votes. The first directed the county engineer to move forward with a guaranteed maximum contract price of some $265,000 for the east courthouse facade repairs. Next, commissioners authorized Administrator Chapman to approach financial institutions and price out a line of credit of up to about $6 million. After their discussions, commissioners and staff arrived at an estimated “total needs” price of about $5.37 million, but the board imposed no cap, instead asking Mr. Chapman to find out whether rates would vary depending on a potential total amount sought.
He, in turn, committed to work from the schedule he and staff had presented. “We will do our best to move this as aggressively as possible. My guarantee to the board is that this will be a part of the package with the budget that you move to adopt at public hearings in September.” Chairman Wills said he wanted to make the situation clear to the public: “This isn’t a hard cost, this isn’t drilled down yet; this is just an estimate to get us moving forward to get to that place where we’ll know what the hard numbers are and then we can move from there.”
Page 33 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Caloosa Belle June 25, 2018
Cemetery upkeep hits a raw nerve in Hendry Author: Chris Felker
An apology from Hendry County Administrator Charles Chapman for Ridgelawn Cemetery’s shabby appearance on Memorial Day sparked a lively discussion of all the county cemeteries’ maintenance at the June 12 County Board meeting. Before commissioners began dealing with routine business, Mr. Chapman owned up to them for “the failure of keeping up Ridgelawn Cemetery for Memorial Day weekend. It was not done according to what we had planned. I take full responsibility for that.” He went on to say: “We have addressed the issues internally with staff as well as … our scheduling. We believe that we have solved at least 85 percent of the problem, but we are looking for some additional solutions in terms of landscaping options, different ways to keep Ridgelawn in better condition. But I want to make a public apology to this board as well as our residents.”
Commissioner Michael Swindle said, “We know that that’s … an open nerve that our community has all year long, especially on that weekend,” and he wanted to know if county staff was leaning toward any specific ideas on upkeep. “We’re … developing what is going to be the most attractive but yet maintenance-friendly,” answered Mr. Chapman. “We’re looking for some guidance. I believe we have reached out to some of the garden clubs in the area to get ideas, but ultimately we will be bringing a landscaping plan back to the board.” Mr. Swindle said he knows horticulture is labor-intensive, “and we just don’t have the people to do that, and so I would encourage it to be something low-maintenance, no-maintenance like a fence, or a complete partnership, but even those are iffy.”
Mr. Chapman said that he and other county officials and staff “have begun to realize that, when you need a more intensive cleaning, we really do need to leverage our community a little bit better. There’s an everyday maintenance that we need to own and keep it up, but as for coming major events like Memorial Day, Veterans Day, etc., it may be that we’re looking at partnering with some of our members of our community … and do a more intensive volunteer service along with county staff to get the cemeteries up to top-notch for those particular special events.” County Board Chairman Mitchell Wills lauded Commissioner Swindle’s points, saying “decorative fence would be a lot less maintenance” and noting that many state facilities have such fences as wrought-iron, concrete block and brick. “The fence we have now looks nice, but I would suggest looking at a different means … the actual mortar and brick itself is tough to keep clean.”
Commissioner Karson Turner asked about the timeline, and staff said they’re working on a plan. He said: “It’s really sensitive to people, and they want to see action. Obviously, we dropped the ball and I appreciate you (Mr. Chapman) owning that. I’m looking forward to hearing some public responses back to what they want to see out there.” Commissioner Emma Byrd noted that “I believe we have not because we ask not, so I think by putting it a little bit back on the
Page 34 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) public … they will assist us in keeping it clean.” Chairman Wills noted that families who have plots in which deceased relatives are buried are responsible to keep them cleaned up to an extent because “we are no longer allowed to go inside that lot. It becomes a family responsibility, and the problem is, you have families that there’s no one left to take care of it. When they’re unsightly or eyesores, we mark them.” Commissioner Turner said he thought “this was an awesome opportunity because a ton of people rallied, went out there and made it (cleanup) happen. I think that’s another one of those service-based projects where we can see our community rally around something.”
Mr. Wills noted that school groups, including the National Honor Society, used to do such things as projects. “Those kids would come out, we’d provide all the materials they needed — all the tools, gloves, whatever the case may be — they would … pull weeds, clean, scrub headstones that hadn’t been scrubbed in years. I know they haven’t done it in quite a few years, but that was a program … that gives them the community service points they need. “The rest of our cemeteries don’t get the activity that one does, but all the cemeteries, we need a lot of work in all of them,” he finished. “I completely agree,” said Commissioner Turner. “We need to address Fort Denaud and both, even the old and the new cemetery in Harlem. And I would also love to know what your thought process is (on) how the expansion is going to go. You brought that up last time, Commissioner Wills. We’re running out of room, and we need to look at it. It needs to be a wholesale review.”
To Commissioner Darrell Harris’s question, “Is somebody working on that?” County Administrator Chapman replied: “Yes, sir, they’re working in conjunction with the engineer’s office, and we’ll be bringing a plan back to you as soon as we get some plans put in action and how we’re going to pay for it. Probably phases. It’s very expensive. “So we’re going to be dusting off that plan for the benefit of all the commissioners, and we’ll be discussing this through the budget process … because this needs to be a budget item,” he finished.
Page 35 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
News-press.com May 11, 2018
Perishable cargo may add 1,000 jobs to Clewiston’s Airglades starting in 2021 Author: Casey Logan
A decade-long dream to transform a rural Florida airport into a multi-billion-dollar commercial hub for perishable cargo appears to be coming in for landing. It could be the catalyst Hendry County needs to pull it skyward from the depths of among the state’s poorest, perhaps propelling it to a place beyond imagination even today. Airglades Airport is a municipal airport 55 miles east of Fort Myers. It’s in Clewiston, in the northeastern reaches of the county, where sugar reigns supreme.
If location means everything in real estate, it also means everything in freight logistics. The airport is 100 miles northwest of Miami International, on a major trucking route, placing it in the “perfect spot,” backers say, for players with industry knowledge and deep pockets to put together a plan that benefits the county and its residents, along with private business interests. Many people see this as a sweet deal, with the private sector putting up the initial investment, and the county collecting tax revenue and the promise of thousands of jobs.
Flying freight — fresh flowers, fruits, vegetables and seafood — from South America into Airglades instead of Miami means cargo-carrying truckers can start their drives farther north along U.S. 27, saving them fuel and the hassle of navigating their way out of a congested metro area. Miami International in 2016 accounted for 64 percent of all U.S. perishable imports and 89 percent of all U.S. flower imports. It handled 215,000 tons of flowers that year alone, valued at over $1 billion. Capturing a chunk of that perishable cargo business could be lucrative for Hendry.
What’s happening? The News-Press last wrote about the Airglades plan in December 2016. So, 17 months later, what’s happening? Quite a bit, says Fred Ford, 71, an airport executive and consultant with five decades of experience who has been the driving force behind the effort since its inception in 2008. Ford spoke for two hours recently from his houseboat off Fort Myers Beach. The Airglades project is estimated to cost $650 million, with $20 million already invested by Florida Cargo Fresh, a consortium of partners that includes U.S. Sugar, Hilliard Brothers (large agricultural companies and the county’s two largest land owners, which own almost all of the land surrounding the airport), as well as Ford.
If it comes to fruition, Airglades International Airport would become the first Federal Aviation Administration-sanctioned and privatized commercial cargo airport in the United States. “Congress established FAA’s Airport Privatization Pilot Program to explore privatization as a means of generating access to various sources of private capital for airport improvement and development,” according to the FAA.gov website. The program began in 1997. U.S. Sugar and Hilliard Brothers, which have invested in Airglades International Airport LLC, together will be
Page 36 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) the operator and owner of the new commercial airport once all final approvals are granted during the privatization approval process. Once that happens, the county would convey the airport to the corporation.
The sale involves a little under 3,000 acres — an area a little smaller than Miami International Airport. Expect the airport at the cargo hub’s start to employ about 1,000 people, Ford said, with a more precise figure dependent on how many commitments it gets from vendors. Ford is quick to shoot down any notion suggested by skeptics that Airglades might someday add a passenger operation: “We are not even looking at that option. We have no vision of attempting to accommodate any passenger activity.” A maintenance repair overhaul facility alone, which Ford said has committed to move, is expected to employ 650 people. That facility will operate a training center to teach people how to do aircraft conversions, transforming passenger aircraft to handle freight. “By year three to five I’d say a couple of thousand jobs,” Ford said.
Hendry County could certainly use those jobs. Over the past few years the county of 39,000 has often posted the highest unemployment rate in the state. Still, its rate was just 5.1 percent in March, placing it as third worst. By contrast, Lee and Collier counties posted rates of 3.4 percent. The training center alone should have a great impact, expected to attract people from as far as LaBelle, South Bay and Belle Glade, all of which are half an hour drive.
Falling dominoes The Airglades plan reached a major milestone in October, when the FAA approved the final version of its environmental assessment. Such reviews are “a critical element in FAA’s efforts to manage airspace capacity and change aircraft routing while ensuring that environmental impacts, enhancements and protection considerations are fully and property analyzed.” “You can’t get anyone’s interest until you get the environmental assessment,” Ford said, calling it the foundation for the project. “We’re relatively close. This is the first environmental assessment overseen by the FAA as far as I know that did not have any negatives when it came out. There were no requirements to address this or address that. By November 1 the phone started ringing with potential investors.” As a result, Ford and company are in the process of interviewing the serious contenders for construction, engineering, financing and operations.
Airglades International Airport LLC has reached an agreement to buy the airport from the county for $13 million, but there are built-in incentives tied to delivering jobs that could bring the price down significantly. The buyer gets a $1 million rebate for every 100 jobs the project creates, with the floor on the purchase at $5 million. “We have a negotiated purchase and sale agreement,” Ford said. “The county board reaffirmed that and voted on it and said once we commit to build, the purchase option will be exercised and they’ll sign it.”
The ultimate approval, though, must come from the FAA. “We will submit what’s called the airport privatization program application. It includes the business plan, the financing plan, how does this work, the qualifications of the operator,” he said. “We already know we pass the fitness test. The revenue sourced to operate the airport is there. Once that’s approved, then we can execute the purchase agreement and be eligible to receive federal grants to reimburse part of the
Page 37 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) public utility portion — the runway, taxiway.” Airglades International Airport LLC must advance the full cost to build, but it hopes the FAA will help it recoup some of that expense.
There’s no way to know how much of that outlay might be reimbursed, Ford said, but he noted that eligibility is tied, in part, to the answers to these questions: Does the airport add capacity to the regional system and does it improve the public use infrastructure? “I think it’s unquestionable it does, but it’s purely up to them to decide,” he said. Ford aims to submit the final application to the FAA sometime this year. He hopes to have conceptual agreements between investors and growers in hand by the first half of 2019. “You’ve got to have people trust you or you’re not going to get to first base,” he said, referring to his approach all along. “I’m as comfortable as I can get that we’re doing it the right way, but there will always be detractors.”
The detractors The last two directors of Miami-Dade Aviation Department, which includes Miami International Airport, have come out against the Airglades plan. Lester Sola was appointed director in February, taking over for Emilio Gonzalez, the prior director. Gonzalez said Miami-Dade County is already served by a system of county airports that provide a reliever function to Miami International and that are better positioned to provide such a function if such needs arise. “With approximately 3.9 million square feet of warehouse/cargo handling space, MIA is not experiencing any cargo capacity shortages,” he said.
Greg Chin, communications director, said Sola agrees. “Director Sola’s position on this issue is the same as that of our previous director,” Chin said. “He has nothing else to add.” Ford said the aviation directors have been “gentlemen” about the Airglades plan. Ultimately, though, he said it comes down to economics for the users: “If they thought Miami was the answer, they wouldn’t be giving us the time of day.” Ken Diaz, a longtime LaBelle resident who is running for Hendry County Commission, said he is against the county selling public property to a private corporation. “We’re a very poor county here and we don’t have a huge population and to be able to have someone come in and do what we could basically do on our own, I have a feeling that our government officials here have been lazy,” he said. “If you allow private individuals to take a significant cut out of it, it’s not an economic engine for the community, it’s an economic engine for those individuals.”
Ford said Diaz is overlooking how much expense and expertise have gone into this effort. “Potentially it is a good deal (for us), but it’s also a good deal for the county,” Ford said. “They’re getting a huge economic benefit and jobs without having to spend a nickel to get it done. Nobody else has come along with a willingness to do this. What the county gets for the airport will be more than compensated for by the fuel taxes, ad valorem taxes, the employment.” County Administrator Charles Chapman acknowledged that “we’re selling it dirt cheap.” “But the thought that the county could potentially do this on its own is ill-advised,” he added. “We would have to leverage too much. It’s a longer term investment strategy.”
Diaz said the involvement of U.S. Sugar, a major political contributor, also makes the deal suspect. “This corporation wants to take a general aviation airport, buy it and turn it into a
Page 38 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) commercial airport and get the funding from the FAA to do it,” he said. “They’re going to use public money to do this. We’re being fleeced here. That airport is worth a whole lot more money if they can do what they want to do with it.” Malcolm “Bubba” Wade Jr., senior vice president for corporate strategy and business development at U.S. Sugar, has said that the involvement of the companies makes economic sense, plus it will help the county and its residents. The county’s economy needs to diversify, most agree, to shed its image as one of the state’s poorest. “That’s a moniker they don’t want to have each year and a lot of people have put all this money at risk to make this happen,” Ford said. “This group is willing to put in $600 or $700 million. It’s almost eight years of hard work into this on something that’s never been done before. I think it’s fair.”
Ford acknowledged, however, that “the key interest is stemming from the fact that we’re in the FAA privatization program.” “We can take profit off the airport,” he said. “It’s that ability that interests the private investment community. That’s why no other airport of consequence has been owned by a private developer.”
Who is Fred Ford and what's next? Ford spent his career working for Fortune 500 companies and large airport authorities. He retired at 60, but quickly decided to take on a new challenge. “I’ve been watching the perishable industry my entire life, thinking there’s got to be a better way to do it,” he said. An industry expert once told him that what he had in mind would not work unless he found a location on U.S. 27, within 100 miles of Miami. Airglades fit the bill. In 2009, Ford invested his life savings into the effort, but “my burn rate was a little faster than I thought,” he said. “I finally ran out of money and my banker called and said, ‘What are you going to do?’ Listen, this area needs help, we see how hard you’ve worked.”
That’s when investors stepped in to carry the plan forward. Ford and company have a list of 25 major companies globally who work in engineering, construction, financing and operations. “We are looking for the very best in each discipline required to finalize and build the airport,” he said. They’ve narrowed the list to four or five large investment funds and two or three primary engineers/planners, who will design the airport. They are also working to demonstrate to the growers, importers and other users how much they will save by relocating their operations from Miami. “To get them to pick up sticks and move to Clewiston is not an easy sell,” he said.
They expect to complete the composition of the “going forward” team by the third quarter, with site work targeted to begin the first half of 2019. “We think the actual construction phase can be completed in 18 to 24 months, so 2021 is go time,” he said. “That’s the target.” To sweeten the deal, plans call for a 1.2-million-square-foot refrigerated building — two-thirds the size of Edison Mall in Fort Myers — to be built to the users’ specifications. “By having everything under one roof, it minimizes the number of touches,” he said. Logyca, a Colombia-based logistics company, evaluated the savings in time, cost per pound and fuel savings to the users.
“The numbers were so good, the growers were skeptical,” Ford said. “It looks like the savings is in excess of 25 percent. But it has to be that to get people to pick up sticks. This is a facility designed specifically for their needs and there’s room to grow. They must commit before we
Page 39 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) build.” The lack of infrastructure in the area is one reason it’s a tough sell. “The first question is ‘Where’s the Publix?’” he said. “Once those entities see the construction has started, a lot of houses and supermarkets can be built in that 18- to 24-month construction period.”
It’s the almighty dollar, though, that Ford is banking on to convince importers to make the move. “These companies are so competitive, they can’t afford a competitor to have a cost advantage over them and the grower importers have been dealing with us for six years,” Ford said. “A relationship of trust has developed and they’re sharing proprietary information to help us reach the right conclusions.” Efficiency can help the economics, with the goal to get the cargo where it needs to get, in the best condition, and with the most shelf life. Ford used fresh fish as an example: “If you can get it there one day sooner, profit margin goes up 30 percent.” Flowers, to use another example, must be kept at the same temperature from the time they are cut to the time they reach their final destination.
A new hope Chapman, the county administrator, said the Airglades plan is “giving hope” to the community. “We have ever growing excitement about it,” he said. “We’re beginning to see the goal line. There’s a lot of buzz. It’s starting to get very real for us with the county in terms of land uses and ordinances.” Such matters were addressed at a county commission meeting Tuesday. Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, which has an office in LaBelle, got a $1 million contract to handle the initial permitting, design and engineering.
Part of the land use effort is to get ahead of what’s expected to come. The intent is to be able to use grants and other funding sources to install infrastructure such as water, sewer and fiber optics. The land use revisions will affect the 15.2 square miles around the airport — an area slightly smaller than the city of Naples. “We’ve taken to mind how to protect the airport’s interests as well as giving the land owners the highest and best uses for their properties,” he said. Residents generally approach the Airglades plan with overwhelming support, Chapman said, but with a healthy dose of skepticism: “They’ve been promised big things before.”
A project this size would be a big deal just about anywhere, but perhaps nowhere else in the state could it have a bigger impact. Thousands of people hope this will be a promise fulfilled. “This is reaching the point of certainty, but I’m hesitant to say it’s an absolute,” Chapman said. “... Now the big question is, ‘When?’”
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News-press.com October 11, 2017
Hendry County didn't break Sunshine Law in monkey farm suit, Florida appeals court rules Author: Amy Bennett Williams
A Florida appeals court has quashed a lawsuit against Hendry County over two of its monkey farms once and for all. The initial 2014 suit charged that Hendry County had illegally approved a monkey breeding farm on the Lee County border without warning area residents. It was later amended to include another farm near Immokalee. When Circuit Judge James Sloan ruled the county hadn't violated Florida’s Sunshine Law last year, the three plaintiffs appealed. After the three-judge panel's decision Wednesday, no more appeals are possible.
Neighbors of one of the farms originally brought suit against the county, alleging that because it never held hearings or told them about a primate facility being built in their neighborhood, the county violated Florida's Sunshine Law. Hendry County argued that approving the farm was no different from approving a cattle ranch — a routine matter that fell to county staff — and it had no obligation to hold a public hearing or issue a public notice on the plan. County reviewers approved the plans, determining that monkey breeding falls under the definition of "animal husbandry," which is allowed in the agriculture zoning district without a public hearing.
Monkey farming has become a lucrative industry in rural Hendry, where over the past dozen years, the 38,000-person county has become the primate breeding capital not just of Florida, but of the United States, with four farms capable of housing at least 10,000 animals. The county maintained that as long as land is zoned for agriculture, any species could be allowed. “We are pleased that the panel of three judges with the Second District Court of Appeal upheld Judge Sloan’s decision,” County Administrator Charles Chapman said in a statement. “Hendry County continues to stand by the rights provided to our property owners contained within the language of our comprehensive plan and land development code.”
Independent journalist and animal rights activist Jane Velez-Mitchell calls it a sad day for Florida taxpayers and property owners "who are left to wonder: How many monkeys are being housed near me and why wasn't I told that Hendry County was being turned into a laboratory monkey breeding capital?" she wrote in an email. "I challenge anyone to find out how many monkeys are living in open air cages in Hendry County. Hendry officials have indicated this is none of their business. Really? Could it be a thousand monkeys or ten thousand... or more?" She pointed to an undercover investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that showed monkeys being mistreated by workers as evidence of the industry's " gut wrenching cruelty."
Though the appeals court's ruling definitively puts an end to this case, Velez-Mitchell hopes another one working its way through the courts will continue "the battle against this unnecessary, outdated and cruel industry." Filed by Samuel Tommie of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, it
Page 41 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) alleges monkey farming near the Big Cypress interferes with his cultural practices, violate the county's agricultural zoning code and is a nuisance. But the real nuisance, said Thomas Rowell, president of Primate Products, one of three companies named in Tommie's case, are "lawsuits brought on by animal activists with ulterior motives (that) are costly to the public and time consuming for the courts," he wrote in an email. "We are pleased with the outcome, and hope the county prevails in recouping court cost."
Page 42 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Tampa Bay Times September 21, 2017
Debris mounts, and so does anger: Counties snubbed by removal firms Attorney General Pam Bondi says some vendors may be price-gouging Author: Steve Bousquet
TALLAHASSEE -- As mountains of garbage piles up from Hurricane Irma, counties across Florida say that companies they hired to remove debris won’t show up because they can make a lot more money doing the work in South Florida. Officials in six counties -- Alachua, Hendry, Indian River, Manatee, Orange and Sarasota -- all complained to the state Thursday about problems with companies that refuse to haul debris. “We‘ve also been told that our contracted rate of $5.50 a cubic yard is not going to cut it with the subs (subcontractors),” Hendry County Administrator Charles Chapman said, “and we may be looking at a price, or a change order, being presented to us for as much as $8 a cubic yard. It would be nice if we had cash to play, but we don’t.”
Hendry is one of the state’s poorest counties. Hendry hired AshBritt Environmental and Crowder-Gulf, two major debris removal companies, to help with cleanup efforts. AshBritt, a Florida company, is based in Deerfield Beach and lobbies Florida’s Legislature and executive branch. Crowder-Gulf is based near Mobile, Ala. Crowder-Gulf said Hendry County was wrong. “I am livid that that is out there,” chief operating officer Ashley Ramsay-Naile said. “We have not been activated there. We are their secondary contractor ... That is not truthful. Crowder-Gulf has had zero conversations with Hendry County on being activated.”
Sarasota County emergency chief Rich Collins described subcontractors refusing to haul debris for its primary vendor, Crowder-Gulf. “They came through the county and said, ‘We‘re moving south, where we can make more money.’ We‘re having a difficult time getting subs,” Collins said. The bottom line: Collins said Sarasota pays $8 a cubic yard for debris removal “and they’re going where they can get 15 ... It’s really affecting us.” Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested those companies might be violating Florida’s law against price-gouging. She said Gov. Rick Scott expressed serious concern about vendors “breaking contracts with you,” and she offered help from experts in her office.
A day earlier, Scott issued a statement Wednesday that said the accumulation of storm-related trash is a public safety issue. Scott urged counties to clear downed trees, wood and other garbage, saying: “The presence of debris can hinder work and delay restoration which is unacceptable.” The accumulation of storm-related waste can quickly escalate into a public health problem. Hurricane debris includes vegetation, household appliances, car and truck parts, tile, floor covering, mud, sand and animal carcasses. Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said she’s seeking guidance and direction from the state. Jacobs also said debris haulers are going to South Florida, which pays more money for removal -- in some cases twice as much.
Page 43 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
In Bradenton, Manatee County Commissioner Robin DiSabatino said it would take “weeks, if not months” to clear all of her county‘s storm debris. DiSabatino asked for state financial assistance to hire more vendors to remove debris from Hurricane Irma. “If this stuff it laying around for months, it‘s a safety problem,” she said. Scott’s emergency chief, Bryan Koon, said the governor is trying to hire additional out-of-state debris haulers. Koon urged counties not to try to renegotiate contracts with vendors, telling counties: “We don’t want you all competing with each other.”
Page 44 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Caloosa Belle July 20, 2017
Hendry BOCC tightens process of giving companies tax breaks as business incentives to move here Author: Chris Felker
After its public hearing last week where no one spoke before the Hendry Board of County Commissioners revoked a tax-break package given in 2014 to Altair Training Solutions Inc., the board conducted another hearing before making changes to the ordinance that sets the process for acquiring such tax exemption deals. But, according to Hendry County Administrator Charles Chapman, the Altair matter did not spur the move to tighten up the process; it was just coincidental that both took place at the same time.
“I think there were several adventures we have taken in the last few years that led us to believe that the process, the application and the methods being deployed were not utilizing all the best management practices possible.” He said commissioners felt “that we needed to take a different look at how we process these types of projects, to make sure that underwriting was complete, vetting of the companies was complete and that there was some sort of scientific method to how we arrived at the term and the percent of exemption that we would be offering to companies as an incentive. “It was more or less the ecosystem that we found ourselves in with this tool, that it was not where we wanted it to be. It wasn’t as good as it could be,” Mr. Chapman added.
The improved program includes a streamlining of program responsibilities, implementation of a scoring matrix for interested businesses that measures the anticipated benefits of their business to the county, and an independent review committee process to consider whether the applicant merits an economic development tax incentive. Following the public hearing, the board approved the amendments unanimously. The Hendry County Board took several other actions during its regular meeting, and chief among them was discussion of possible presidential rental housing pilot program that would establish a new permitting and inspection process for such units in Hendry County.
The problem, as previously discussed by the board, was the growing number of unsatisfactory rental units in the county that are becoming more and more prevalent as housing prices continue to rise. “Unsatisfactory” in this case, Chapman said, can be defined as units being used for rental housing that do not comply with the county’s Land Use Code or are non-compliant with the Florida Building Code. The board directed staff to postpone further development of this pilot program until the county experiences greater successes in the standard code enforcement process. County staff then presented an information session about the code enforcement process regarding how various code enforcement violations are handled, and the time frame from the opening of a code case to closure. Commissioners discussed concerns about staffing levels to be able to address the code enforcement infractions occurring in the county. Hendry County employs three
Page 45 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) code enforcement officers to cover all properties, including residential and commercial, located in unincorporated areas.
Concerns were also expressed about how much time is being given to work with code offenders to cure their violations. Staff has been giving landowners additional discretionary time above the statute-mandated and best management practice time frames. The board directed staff to adhere to the code-mandated timeframes to increase the closure rates on cases, and asked that staff present examples of various code infractions in each board district for a follow-up workshop to take place at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, in Clewiston City Commission Chambers. Staff is to review these cases, take photographs and bring back information on each code case and what is to be done to remedy them in accordance with the Florida Statute and/or county code. The follow-up workshop will be in conjunction with the county’s budget workshop.
Mr. Chapman explained: “Originally this came out of us trying to find a way to see how the county might be able to engage in the discussion of quality rental housing being offered in Hendry County. A lot of the conversation has been spurred off the presence of these dilapidated mobile homes that you see frequently at these rental facilities, these mobile-home parks. The other conversation has been about how we can help people get into solid, quality housing at an affordable price point and be able to give an assurance that it meets at least minimal housing standards.”
He said the county looked at programs that were being offered by Clewiston, Bonita Springs and two or three other counties, deriving its pilot program from those studies. “Our pilot program would give us the ability to leverage our current staff, which include code enforcement officers and a residential building inspector, to go around and do a certification, if you will, that a rental house is up to Florida Building Code, meets minimum housing standards and is an appropriate rental living facility, and is not a dilapidated home or a dilapidated mobile home where people might be living in less-than-desirable conditions.”
Mr. Chapman said that the problem “is sort of sprinkled throughout the county in various areas. Typically in your older neighborhoods you begin to see this, where mobile homes have been zoned in and where some older homes have been surrounded by declining neighborhoods.” The commissioners also: • Heard an update and progress report about Crossroads Behavioral Health Center –-Greg Finer, CEO of Crossroads Behavioral Health Center, aired his concerns about financial stability for State of Florida funds through the various regulatory agencies. The concern is the rigorous number of requirements built in to “draw down” available state funds for services. Crossroads is working through the processes but experiencing difficulty in receiving all of the funds allocated to it. The board asked staff to work with Mr. Finer to see what can be done with the state to make the funding flow better and continue to support the establishment and future expansion of behavioral health services in Hendry County.
• Was presented background information and analysis on the recent events whereby Sarasota County, Lee County and Charlotte County have provided notice of intent to withdraw from
Page 46 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) membership in the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council (SWFRPC). Membership in such a council is mandated by Florida State Statutes, and Hen-dry’s membership in the SWFRPC was determined by an interlocal agreement dating to the early 1970s. The board directed staff to stay engaged with the SWFRPC for one more year and then to reevaluate the value of the membership to this organization.
• Reviewed a report provided by staff regarding the Local Vendor Preference Ordinance, set to sunset in August. The board determined with some minor adjustments to give additional purchasing discretion to staff in terms of choosing local vendors in the procurement process, renew the program and refresh the ordinance for another term. The ordinance is set to come before the board in August for public hearing and adoption.
• Voted unanimously to table discussion of marijuana dispensaries’ and medical marijuana treatment centers until Aug. 22. Commissioner Karson Turner expressed intent to visit an operating facility to review its operations. Commissioner Michael Swindle had already visited a facility in Alachua County and expressed his perspective that the facility was highly regulated and well-run. The moratorium on medical marijuana facilities is still in place until November.
• Heard that negotiations have continued regarding the Solid Waste Franchise Agreement. At its June 13 meeting, the board directed to set the Truth in Millage rate at $240 with two-day-a-week waste pickup. Talks are ongoing with the solid waste hauler to seek solutions that would help reduce costs to residents. Additional information will be forthcoming at upcoming meetings in August along with budget discussion.
Check the county’s website, www.hendryfla.net, for the most up-to-date meeting information, including approved minutes of meetings and video recordings of the meetings.
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Capitalsoup.com June 5, 2017
Florida City and County Management Association Elects New Officers and Board of Directors
At the Florida City and County Management Association’s (FCCMA) 2017 annual conference at the Hilton Orlando this week, the organization elected new officers and members of the Board of Directors. The Association, created in 1946, is the professional association for city, county and some special district managers, and their management team members. FCCMA is an affiliate of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Outgoing president Bobby Green, City Manager for Auburndale, presided over the conference and recognized those board members completing their respective terms.
Incoming president Jim Hanson, Town Manager for Orange Park, recognized new board members following the election and congratulated them for their time, commitment and leadership. “The lifeblood of any association is its active members; and we are very grateful for the dedicated leadership, vision and hard work of our board of directors,” he said. “I want to thank the new board for volunteering to represent their areas, and for their commitment to leading the Association for 2017-18.”
The following FCCMA members were elected to serve as officers and members of the Board of Directors: President: James (Jim) Hanson, Town Manager, Orange Park (Clay County) President-elect: Michael (Mike) Cernech, City Manager, Tamarac (Broward County) Secretary-Treasurer: Shannon Lewis, Deputy City Manager, Melbourne (Brevard County) Past President: Robert (Bobby) Green, City Manager, Auburndale (Polk County) District I Director: Michael Beedie, City Manager, Fort Walton Beach (Okaloosa County) District II Director: Danielle Judd, City Manager, Green Cove Springs (Clay County) District III Director: Suzanne Sherman, Assistant City Manager, Satellite Beach (Brevard County) District IV Director: Lori LaVerriere, City Manager, Boynton Beach (Palm Beach County) District V Director: Jorge Gonzalez, Village Manager, Bal Harbour Village (Miami-Dade County) District VI Director: Charles Chapman, County Administrator, Hendry County District VII Director: Matthew Campbell, Town Manager, Kenneth City (Pinellas County) District VIII Director: James (Jim) Gleason, City Manager, Mascotte (Lake County) At-large Director: Mark Cunningham, Assistant County Administrator, Sarasota County At-large Director: Micah Maxwell, Assistant City Manager, City of Clearwater (Pinellas) At-large Director: Ryan Leavengood, City Manager, Lake Alfred (Polk County)
FCCMA was formed in 1946 and is an affiliate of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), which awards the designation of Credentialed Manager (ICMA-CM). The FCCMA has more than 600 members across Florida. FCCMA is a member-driven, ethical,
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Caloosa Belle January 20, 2017
Hendry County Releases 2016 Annual Report Author: Special to the Caloosa Belle
(January 12, 2017) – LaBelle – Hendry County BOCC released their 2016 Annual Report. The report highlights the accomplishments of Hendry County government over the past year. The report contains multiple areas of interest, but some of the more significant impacts to the County in 2016 were: • 25 new grants were secured valued at $77,256,184.00. These grants support existing services and enhance infrastructure. • Veterans Services helped obtain $18 million for veterans and their dependents from claims and pensions. • Experienced a 91 percent increase in single family home permits • Harlem Library provided services to 1,885 youth through various programs for increase in participation of 117% over FY2015
A great feature of the report is the “Tracking the Annual Budget” section. The dollar bill infographic depicts where the $69 million budget comes from, and how it is utilized. The 2016 budget is $21 million less than 2008, and Hendry County tax assessment falls below the state average. The 2017 business year is developing under a theme of back to basics with an emphasis on greater information sharing with residents and building stronger community relationships both at home and regionally. County leadership is continuing to improve the organization to become increasingly efficient, customer friendly and focused on providing relevant and valuable services to the community.
“Hendry County is a very special place in South Florida. We are proud of our accomplishments in 2016, but look forward to strengthening relationships with our residents and continue to make strides forward. As the community engages in the conversation we are here to listen. It’s our goal to be the best county government we can be for our residents,” states Charles Chapman, County Administrator. The 2016 Annual Report is available to the public at all Hendry County government buildings, and can also be found online at www.hendryfla.net.
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Konknet.com July 3, 2016
Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi selected president elect of the Florida Association of County Managers Author: Konk Life Editor
ORLANDO – Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi was selected President Elect of the Florida Association of County Managers on Thursday at the Florida Association of County’s Annual Conference & Education Exhibition in Orlando. “It’s an honor to be selected by my peers throughout the state to serve,” Gastesi said. “This will help Monroe County stay relevant statewide. It also will help us learn about all the great things other counties are doing and how we can adopt them to better the lives of our residents.”
The Florida Association of County Managers provides a forum for county managers to develop professional relationships, discuss current and future issues affecting counties, and provide mentoring opportunities, education, advice and advocacy on statewide issues. Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry was elected President, replacing outgoing President Vincent Long, the Administrator of Leon County. Hendry County Administrator Charles Chapman was elected Secretary and Taylor County Administrator Dustin Hinkel was elected Treasurer.
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News-press.com May 8, 2016
Hendry County: Beyond sugar and citrus Author: Casey Logan
Driving east from Fort Myers on State Road 80, a new world begins to emerge. Past the interstate, with the high-rises of downtown far in the rearview mirror, crops of oranges grow or stagnate depending on the grove. A sign for Hendry County soon comes into view and before long lies the sleepy town of LaBelle, the county seat. It’s a 40-minute drive, but the atmosphere is more peaceful, the scenery more picturesque. There is little traffic. The county, which includes the town of Clewiston, long has had among the highest unemployment rates in the state. Part of the reason has to do with heavy reliance on U.S. Sugar, by far the county’s single biggest employer, and the citrus industry, which has had a rough run over the years due to citrus greening and canker.
Citrus world feeling squeezed Where others might see a lost cause, people like Charles Chapman and Brent Kettler see opportunity. They are among those in the county working to diversify its economy. Chapman has been the county administrator the past three years, while Kettler was hired in January as the county’s economic development director. The pair recently led The News-Press on an exclusive tour around the county, highlighting the opportunities they see. What follows is a snapshot of that sunny April day.
First stop: Direct Industrial Products in LaBelle, where we meet owner Mark Chapman. (He’s no relation to Charles Chapman.) “This is one of our big success stories,” the county administrator says of the industrial construction supply store and machine shop. Stepping into a warehouse, there is a large mill, lathes and a plasma table. Paul Grzenda, one of four hired in the past two months, works on a computerized milling machine. Mark Chapman arrived in the area in 2008 and bought the foreclosed property in LaBelle five years later after encountering infrastructure challenges at a previous site in Clewiston. “I was going to have to put in drainage pipe,” he explains. “It would have been costly.”
Direct now has 16 full-time employees and 60 in all when including all of Chapman’s companies, though he’s had as many as 150 at work for certain contract jobs. “When we opened, we went through a lot of people, I’m talking the simplest jobs,” he said. “It’s not always skills, it’s sometimes the work ethic.” Despite those challenges, Chapman is happy with the employees he has now: “Besides management, almost everyone is under 30.” A college degree isn’t required to work there, but training is important. “We will invest in you,” he says. “We will reimburse you for college or training, but few take advantage of it. I stress, make yourself invaluable.”
Next is a 35-minute drive east to Clewiston, on the southwest edge of Lake Okeechobee. Charles Chapman points out various landmarks as we drive down Cowboy Way. There’s the
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LaBelle Airport, which is getting a $3.5 million grant for a terminal and may also house a large meeting space. There’s a branch of Florida SouthWestern State College and the Port LaBelle community, where a plethora of parcels are for sale. As we go, he says much of the land is owned by Barron Collier Companies and Alico Inc. Chapman reaches State Road 80 and heads east in the northernmost part of the county, past Black Boar Ranch and the tiny Pioneer Plantation subdivision. We pass more citrus groves and Magnolia Packing. There’s a controlled sugar cane burn to our right. “I play a game to see how many gators I see on the way to Clewiston,” Chapman says, eyeing a canal that runs parallel to the road for many miles. “My record is nine.”
There has been a longtime push — and a $12 million investment so far — for Airglades Airport in Clewiston to handle perishable cargo, which would relieve Miami International Airport of that job. An environmental assessment is being wrapped up, Chapman says, with hopes to be able to start moving dirt by late summer 2018. “They’re running out of space,” he says of Miami International. “There’s a huge benefit in cost analysis.” Much of the property approaching Clewison is zoned multi-use, the most flexible category, Chapman says. Reaching town, there’s Clewiston Country Club and the U.S. Sugar headquarters. Chapman turns onto Evercane Road, past cheap mobile homes, arriving at the 240-acre Weekley Brothers Industrial Park.
There is Cheryl Eby Gutjahr, broker for Rawls Real Estate, who says the heavy industrial site is home to concrete plants, aluminum foundries and a small fertilizer company. She touts the former sugar cane refinery’s “big assets,” which include natural gas, city water, Florida Power & Light electricity and two rail spurs. There is an effort to relocate other businesses here, particularly those on the east coast, to a place where they say there is plenty of workforce. “The cost difference can be immense,” she says. “We plan to do a rail park.”
The industrial park is owned by Dan Weekley. His family’s business is Weekley Asphalt Paving, which has been in business since 1947 and has an asphalt plant a 50-minute drive away. “With the workforce and the cost of doing business being what it is in Dade and Broward counties, it seems only logical that Hendry County would be a great place to do business,” he says. “We’ve just got to get the word out and attract the businesses to come here.” Weekley bought the Clewiston property eight years ago. There are 50,000-square-foot and 34,000-square-foot buildings on the site, the largest of which is storing corn crates.
“With the way the economy was, there was no one looking to expand for a while,” he says. “That’s what slowed us down. It’s a good location. In Broward and Dade, the cost of real estate and taxes is high. I’m sure we’re going to have success.” With that, the next destination is Roland Martin Marina & Resort, a short drive away. A few steps in, there is owner Mary Ann Martin. “Biggest season we’ve had was this year,” she says, noting the tiki bar as a favorite stop for people passing through. It’s the last big stop. It’s a chance to unwind and for Chapman to impart a few final thoughts before driving back to LaBelle. There’s a mixture of hope and wonder in his voice as he contemplates the future while biting into a shrimp.
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“Nobody’s paying attention to what we’re doing out here,” he says, touting the county’s big assets: cheap land, relatively low taxes and no congestion. The state, he notes, has been funding major infrastructure projects over the years. “Where’s the growth going to go?” he says. “We’re hungry, and we want to make things happen. We’re lean, mean and flexible.”
U.S. Sugar says land buy not worth it, others disagree Chapman reflects on the events of 2008 and 2009, a time when it looked like the state would buy out U.S. Sugar’s lands. (The state ended up buying much less.) “It was a great awakening,” he said of the possibility the county could lose its largest employer. “Now there is synergy. There are efforts to diversify. There is a change and drive from everyone. Everyone wants to know what’s next.”
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Gulfshorebusiness.com September 2015
Forty Under 40 Honoring Southwest Florida's rising business leaders. Authors: Compiled by Melanie Pagan and Phil Borchmann
[CB&A Note: Only the information relevant to Charles T. Chapman, IV is listed below]
A salute to Southwest Florida’s rising stars. As Southwest Florida continues to grow and prosper, keeping the momentum alive will be dependent on future generations of talented professionals who will not only provide the vision, but also meet challenges and solve problems as they arise. Since 2003, Gulfshore Business has recognized young leaders who have distinguished themselves on the job and in their communities. And many of these individuals have made significant contributions to the region’s economic, charitable and civic wellbeing.
Once again, we are pleased to acknowledge 40 rising stars, under 40 years old, from a variety of occupations, including law, education, medical, finance, public service and the arts, as well as entrepreneurs. Chosen from dozens of nominations, this year’s winners represent the leadership our region needs to move forward. The judges considered professional accomplishments, volunteer work and other plaudits from their nominators. With all of the talent represented, there were some tough decisions, but we finally selected our final 40. Please read on to learn more about the 2015, 40-under-40 honorees.
Charles Chapman IV, 35 County Administrator, Hendry County Board of County Commissioners Chapman left a cozy, comfortable life in Tallahassee to come to Southwest Florida in 2013. “The challenge and the transition of relocating to a completely different part of our state and to take on a CEO position in county government presented me with not just one challenge, but a roulette wheel of transitional moments,” he says.
But he’s accomplished a great deal to make his mark on the community he now calls home. He is a founding member of the LaBelle-Hendry Special Needs Therapy Program and is affiliated with the STUCK Adoption Awareness Campaign, the external relations council with Florida Gulf Coast University and the Florida Model Jail Standards Commission. In 2014, he earned the National Association of Counties Achievement Award for Information Technology Enhancements.
The bold business move taught him something valuable: “Don't be afraid to take risks. You may fail, but a life that takes risks might just find you discovering the greatest ride of your life,” he says. Chapman has three children—Tyler, Addison and Caleb—with his wife, Karyn. He is a homeschool parent (he was also homeschooled as a child) and enjoys camping and spending weekends at the beach.
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Hendryfla.net September 3, 2015
Local Honored as Rising Star in Southwest Florida
(September 3, 2015) – LaBelle, Fla. – Charles Chapman IV, County Administrator, selected as GulfShore Business 40 Under 40 honoree. Chapman was honored Thursday evening at a reception in Fort Myers for being a rising star in Southwest Florida. Since 2003, Gulfshore Business has recognized young leaders who have distinguished themselves on the job and in their communities. And many of these individuals have made significant contributions to the region’s economic, charitable and civic wellbeing.
In May of 2013, Chapman made the jump from North Florida in Gadsden County and joined Hendry County Government as the County Administrator. He is often quoted saying his commitment to public service runs deep, and he enjoys the fact he is able to make a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis. Chapman also enjoys being able to give back to the community that gives him so much. His interests range from advocacy for special needs therapy/vocational programs to increasing awareness of adoption opportunities. He is also a member of the LaBelle Rotary Club.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity my Board and the residents of Hendry County have afforded me. Together we are going to accomplish great things,” says Chapman. Professionally Chapman is a graduate of the 30th Class of Leadership Tallahassee, and Leadership Florida Class XXXIII. He also serves as a Board Member of United Way of Hendry, Glades, Lee and Okeechobee Counties, member of the External Relations Council for the FGCU Master’s in Public Administration Program, Treasurer of Florida Association of County Managers, and Chairman of Southwest Regional Council of Leadership Florida.
“We are extremely proud of Charles as the first 40 Under 40 honoree in our area. His continued dedication and forward thinking is creating a lasting impression in Hendry County and our region” said Chairman Karson Turner.
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Naples Herald August 4, 2015
Leadership Florida brings chapter of alumni to Southwest Florida Author: Tiara Brown
Leadership Florida is hitting locals close to home with the addition of its newest regional council. The statewide community of committed leaders was created to enhance strengths and diversity for better Florida, providing forums for sharing essential information and viewpoints in hopes to work toward solutions for the public interest. This week, Leadership Florida appointed five alumni to lead the organization’s Southwest Florida Regional Council.
Leadership Florida was created in 1982 by the Florida Chamber of Commerce to expose a select number of Floridians to the social and economic issues facing the state in order to stimulate their interest in using their knowledge and ability to seek leadership positions where they may work toward solutions for the public interest.
In order to facilitate frequent interaction among members, Leadership Florida is divided into nine geographic regions with regional councils that hold regular meetings and other activities. In addition, members serve on more than 20 Leadership Florida committees, supporting in a volunteer capacity the production of the annual class program, regional activities, an annual membership meeting and Institute programs, as well as overseeing recruitment, selection, communications, governmental appointments, finance, funding, awards, membership programs, nominations and special projects.
More than 1,800 men and women have graduated from Leadership Florida’s programs and constitute a membership base more active than any other statewide leadership program in the country. Of those 1,800 graduates, the following were the five chosen to lead the Southwest Florida Regional Council:
Courtney Curatolo, Class XXVII, director of public affairs, Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida Charlie Chapman, Class XXXIII, county administrator, Hendry County Brian Goguen, Class XXX, chief operating officer, Barron Collier Cos. Lisa Van Dien, Class XXXI, general counsel, London Bay Homes Tina Ekblad, Connect Class V, vice president and planning director, Morris-Depew Associates
Leadership Florida prides itself on having diversity as its core strength. Differences in opinion, age, gender, geography, skills, interests, experience, ethnicity, occupation and political affiliation are celebrated instead of feared. According to its mission statement, Leadership Florida members are “unified in respect for and accessibility to one another.” For those interested in learning more about Leadership Florida, visit their website at http://www.leadershipflorida.org/.
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Caloosa Belle July 20, 2015
Hendry County wins big at conference Author: Special to the Caloosa Belle
LaBelle – Hendry County wins big at the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) Annual Conference last week with multiple award winners, designations and board appointments. The most noteworthy winner of the conference was Shane Parker, Public Works Director, who won Florida Association of County Engineers and Road Superintendents (FACERS) Rural County Engineer of the Year. The FACERS awards are the most prestigious professional recognition in Florida for transportation and public works personnel. Chairman Karson Turner who presented Parker with the award said “Shane represents the highest level of professionalism and accountability. We are thrilled to have a local professional like Shane be recognized throughout the state for his great accomplishments for Hendry County.”
The 2015 Presidential Advocates Award winners were also announced with Chairman Turner winning two awards for Medicaid and Vice-Chair of Health & Human Services. These awards are presented to county commissioners who have shown exceptional leadership in partnering with FAC during the 2015 session to advance the counties’ legislative agenda. Commissioner Janet Taylor was appointed as Chair to the Florida Counties Foundation (FCF) Board of Directors. FCF provides high quality and comprehensive educational opportunities for county commissioners and staff. Commissioner Taylor and Chairman Turner were recognized for achieving the highest rank in FCF, Torchbearer status, at the awards luncheon.
County Administrator Charles Chapman was elected Treasurer of the Florida Association of County Managers and County Attorney Mark Lapp continues to serve on the Board of Directors and as Vice-Chair of the General Governmental Committee for the Florida Association of County Attorneys. “The meaning of all these awards and positions either directly-with or affiliated-through our state organization shows the level of leadership and engagement Hendry County has on Florida issues when it comes to local government,” states Chapman. “We will continue to stay engaged and represent Hendry’s interests.”
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News-press.com November 10, 2014
Monkey suit: Hendry County defends secret facility Author: Amy Bennett Williams
When Hendry County approved a controversial primate facility without telling the public or inviting its comment, it didn't violate Florida's Sunshine law, said county administrator Charles Chapman. Last week, the nonprofit Animal Legal Defense Fund filed suit against the county on behalf of rural residents who live near a the 34-acre site, which could house more than 3,000 macaques linked to outbreaks of infectious disease, including Ebola. The complaint asks the 20th Judicial Circuit Court to revoke the facility's permit for failing to hold mandatory public hearings.
Because the property is zoned for agriculture, Chapman said, no public input was required. "It's in keeping with permissible uses," he said. "Approval of a facility that is an allowable use... occurs at the staff level without a public hearing being held." "The most interesting thing is that no one is denying the public was cut out of the process - they've already conceded that," said Justine Cowan, the Orlando attorney who's working with the nonprofit on behalf of its three plaintiffs who live near the facility.
Primates such as macaques are regulated by federal and state agencies because of threats of disease they pose, including Ebola, herpes B, tuberculosis, and assorted parasites, the suit says. The company behind the facility, which calls itself Primera but is not registered with the Florida Department of State, issued an unsigned statement Monday saying it is "a target of animal rights extremist groups," and is "committed to meeting the highest standards with the utmost respect for the safety and preservation of the surrounding environment and its residents."
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St.augustine.com August 28, 2014
Hendry County hard hit by dependence on sugar Author: Jeff Harrington
CLEWISTON - Beyond the relentless fields of sugar cane stalks, past the sign heralding Clewiston as “America’s Sweetest City,” just south of a cluster of aged mobile homes and modest ranch-style houses sits the weather-worn Lighthouse Apostolic Church. Above a church notice offering Escuela Domingo (Sunday school) is another placard urging passers-by to “FROG - Fully Rely on God.” In his office down the road, Hendry County Commissioner Karson Turner is preaching a more active course.
Hendry, he says, is struggling from a dependency problem akin to an alcoholic. For far too long, it has relied on farming - and dominant employer U.S. Sugar Corp. in particular - to prop up its economy. A 2005 study tied 74 cents of every dollar in Hendry’s economy to agriculture. “We can’t bite the hand that feeds us, so to speak, because ag has sustained us for years.” said Turner. “But until we educate ourselves and recognize there is a 100 percent correlation between your educational prowess, or lack thereof, and your economic potential, or lack thereof, we’re not going to get past the status quo.”
Here’s the sobering status quo: Five years after the official end of the recession, Hendry remains the only one of Florida’s 67 counties still mired in double-digit unemployment. Its July jobless rate of 12.5 percent is not only more than 3 percentage points higher than any other county, it’s more than double Florida’s rate of 6.2 percent. Efforts are under way across the county to resuscitate Hendry’s lagging economy, but change agents are wary of doing anything too radical that would mar a proud agriculture heritage dating back nearly a century. It would be tempting to simply label this 1,100-square-mile central Florida territory on the southern banks of Lake Okeechobee as the county that Florida’s economic recovery left behind.
But Hendry’s problems go beyond the Great Recession. For decades, its jobless rate repeatedly spikes during summer months into the teens and higher - topping 25 percent at one point in the 1990s. Seasonal swings are the nature of an agriculture-based economy where migrant workers come and go. And there has been some improvement, with Hendry briefly falling below 10 percent unemployment earlier this year. What troubles some of Hendry’s civic and political leaders is that other indicators of economic angst have worsened. Standardized test scores have fallen and reliance on government aid has risen throughout the “recovery.” More than 80 percent of Hendry students in K-12 public schools were eligible for free and reduced-price lunches in the 2012-2013 academic year, up from 70 percent four years earlier. Nearly a third of residents are below poverty level.
With no new homes being built, economic development leaders are frustrated they can’t convince people to move here even if they win any business relocations. Hendry’s population shrunk by more than 4 percent from 2010 to 2013 while Florida’s overall population was
Page 60 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) growing by 4 percent. A consultant’s report hinted at a big reason: 60 percent of residents who secure bachelor’s degrees or higher do not return after graduation. “It used to be when people would leave they’d come back,” said Billy McDonald, 62, who recently retired after 39 years as a lineman for the city of Clewiston’s electric department. “You don’t see that any more. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.”
Hendry could have been in far worse shape. In 2008, Florida announced the largest land sale in the state’s history - a $1.75 billion plan to buy nearly 300 square miles of Everglades land owned by U.S. Sugar. Reclaiming the famed wetlands for restoration was trumpeted at the time as similar to the establishment of the first national park, Yellowstone. It would effectively have put U.S. Sugar out of business, albeit in a comfortable financial position. The deal never went through. A worsening economy and political opposition prompted state officials to settle for a much smaller parcel. The whole episode, say several of Hendry’s leaders, served as a much- needed wakeup call.
Along with a new county administrator, Hendry brought in a new school superintendent not afraid to shake things up and has begun to improve both the county’s economic mix and educational institutions. “There’s a mindset in leadership that we can’t go with the status quo,” said Charles Chapman, who moved from Tallahassee to become Hendry’s county administrator 18 months ago. The dilemma is how much, and how fast, the county can evolve when many residents appear resistant to change and negative talk about agriculture is a conversational third rail. Gregg Gillman, president of the Hendry County Economic Development Council, prefaces every discussion about the need to diversify with a nod to agriculture’s importance. “We celebrate the heck out of agriculture here,” he says. “That’s who we are and that’s what got us where we are. But we need to do better.”
Hendry is on the right path, Gillman insists, even if it doesn’t show up yet statistically. Over the past year, the county has announced four projects that will eventually add another 250 permanent jobs, including turning an abandoned state prison into a military training site and building a biomass gasification plant. Pockets of tourism have been reinvigorated, including the ever- expanding Roland & Mary Ann Martins Marina & Resort, which has earned a global reputation and attracts thousands of anglers eager to fish for oversized bass in Lake Okeechobee. The biggest economic hope on the horizon is AirGlades Airport, the former Riddle Field in central Hendry, which was recently certified by the FAA as the only privately owned international airport in the United States. The goal is to refashion AirGlades into a major hub for cargo, siphoning off some shipments now sent to Miami and then using U.S. Sugar’s rail line to move the freight by land. Someday, Hendry hopes it can become a major destination point for South American flowers.
Never in his 73 years here has Clewiston Mayor Phillip Roland been more excited about the economic future: “If the airport happens, it fixes this area for the next century. It will be for us what Disney World was to Orlando.” If it happens, that dream could be 10 to 20 years away. For now, Hendry is seizing on smaller victories with outsized enthusiasm. When BioNitrogen Holdings Corp. revealed plans in May to build a $300 million plant outside of Clewiston -
Page 61 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) creating 250 short-term construction jobs and about 55 long-term jobs - Gillman proclaimed the news a “mega, mega-economic development announcement for the county.” Higher-paying jobs like those promised by BioNitrogen appear to be the exception.
Asked about recent business additions in town, Clewiston Chamber of Commerce executive director Electa Waddell cited a few restaurants, a paint store and a new bail bondsman. “There seems to be a lot of low-paying jobs here, unless you work at the sugar mill,” said Paula Stangret, who moved from northern Wisconsin to Clewiston five years ago. Most of Hendry’s 40,000 residents live in unincorporated rural patches of the county, growing sweet corn, green beans, broccoli, cabbage, squash - along with sugar and citrus. On the county’s southern edge is the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. The only two towns - Clewiston (pop. 7,000) and LaBelle (pop. 4,500) - sit on opposite corners, tethered by a 30-mile stretch of State Road 80.
In LaBelle, most shops and restaurants have been around for years, said Charlie Harris, 28, who owns the Bridge Street Coffee & Tea shop, better-known to locals as Charlie’s Place. In a town where everyone knows everyone, “it makes it difficult for a newbie to take hold,” said Harris, whose family has lived in the area for “three or four generations, depending on which side of the family.” LaBelle and Clewiston have distinct identities, but they share similar values, similar roots. “Life around here revolves around family and faith and work and football,” said Judy Sanchez, U.S. Sugar senior director of corporate communications and proud mom of a high school football player who went on to play at Stanford University and sign with the Oakland Raiders.
No one wants to lose that small-town feel. No one wants to lose the agricultural identity of a place that boasts “arguably the most fertile farming land in the world,” as stated on a plaque at the Clewiston Museum. No one wants to minimize the role sugar plays, from the springtime Clewiston Sugar Festival to the Sugarland Highway winding through the city’s downtown by Sugar Realty and Clewiston Middle School’s Cane Field. “We know who we are. We’re not trying to be Silicon Valley. . We’re not trying to be Naples,” said Chapman, the county administrator. “We don’t want to lose our rural senses; we don’t want to lose Mayberry. We want to take our blue-collar roots and take it to the next level.”
Yet being dominated by a single industry has clearly taken a toll. There are more orange groves in Hendry than any other Florida county, and citrus has been devastated by greening, a pest- driven disease that has infected at least 70 percent of Florida’s citrus trees. The other dominant crop, sugar, is battling severely depressed prices that the industry blames on Mexico dumping cheap sugar into the country. U.S. Sugar promises to keep its headquarters in Clewiston, a pledge backed up by investing more than half a billion dollars when it combined two milling operations into a larger, modernized complex that opened in late 2007. “We now have the world’s largest fully integrated sugar cane processing, milling and refining facility,” said Sanchez.
The company’s modernization has been a mixed blessing. Being more efficient and paring back production means fewer jobs. In 1999, U.S. Sugar employed more than 3,000; now 1,700 work there. In the 1990s, there were four people in Sanchez’s public affairs department, offering
Page 62 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) public tours and educational outreach. Now she shares an assistant. As a private company, U.S. Sugar doesn’t disclose financial details. But Sanchez acknowledges “there have been years in the past decade when we have not made money and we have not paid dividends to shareholders. It happened in the recent past.” U.S. Sugar is proud of Clewiston’s moniker as a “company town,” recognizing its civic obligations by taking a prominent role in everything from funding a new downtown playground to promoting the AirGlades transformation. But Sanchez balks at the notion that Big Sugar is able to handle all the requests for help that flow its way.
Karson Turner’s family business, Quality Electric, has done electrical work on bridges from Jacksonville to Boca Raton. Less than 1 percent of its business is in Hendry in most years, and persuading new hires to move here is “a hard sell,” he concedes. Yet, the county commissioner would never entertain leaving. “We love saying we have roots at home,” he said. Others made similar commitments. Like local pharmacist Haitham Kaki, who runs K&M Drugs. And Clewiston city manager Al Perry. Mainstays like First Bank and the Langford family, which runs a local Ford dealership, are ingrained in the community.
But that’s not enough to turn things around. There needs to be a countywide buy-in to diversify the economy, an overhaul that could take a generation, Turner said. That’s not happening yet, not based on conversations he’s had with other residents that go something like this: “I say, ‘I’m going to roll my sleeves up and we’re going to try to fix this thing.’ ‘Fix this? You mean there’s a problem?’ ‘Darn right there’s a problem.’ ” Turner said he fears his community is “100 percent in denial.’” Chapman points to another obstacle. Many don’t want to make dramatic changes if it means friends or acquaintances could lose their positions. As a relative newcomer, Chapman says he has discovered Hendry is full of “wonderfully nice” people. “There is a downside,” he adds. “You can be too nice.”
Page 63 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Caloosa Belle May 12, 2014
Workshops engage residents
May 12, 2014 – LaBelle, Fla. – Hendry County’s Administrator Charles Chapman and the County’s executive team have conducted nine workshops for the unincorporated communities of Hendry County. “The workshops have been a really positive experience,” states Chapman. “The feedback we are receiving from our residents is a key element of our strategy to transform Hendry County government into a people focused and performance driven organization.”
On August 27, 2013, Mr. Chapman presented to the Board of County Commissioners a trans- formative strategic plan. The strategic intent focuses on making Hendry County government an agency that reviews its functions with performance measurements and community relevance in mind. Chapman states, “We are working to re-connect and understand our residents. It is our intent to change and become the most transparent, efficient and community relevant operation possible.”
Hendry County is committed to hosting two more rounds of Community Values Workshops during the months of January through April in 2015 and 2016. The workshops will be held in community locations for the following areas: Harlem, Hooker’s Point, Felda, Flaghole, Montura, Pioneer, North LaBelle, Fort Denaud, Port LaBelle and Wheeler Estates. The results of the 2014 Values Workshops will be made available on the Hendry County website (www.hendryfla.net) in the next few weeks. “It has been awesome to get to know the Hendry County residents through this process this year,” concludes Chapman.
Page 64 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Caloosa Belle November 21, 2013
Locals seek support from legislators Author: Patty Brant
Hendry County's state legislators, District 80 Representative Matt Hudson and District 39 Senator Dwight Bullard, were in LaBelle for the annual Legislative Delegation meeting Monday to hear first-hand where local residents feel they should put their efforts in the upcoming Legislative Session. Rep. Hudson chaired the meeting. County Administrator Charles Chapman was first up, describing the ongoing problems with the Medicaid adjustments. Economic incentive funding for infrastructure were high on the county's request list as were quality of life concerns including water issues, parks conservation easements to preserve Hendry County's natural appeal and to work with the federal government to clean up water flow through Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee River. Mr. Chapman referred to specific projects in the county's request. Rep. Hudson cautioned that considerable documentation will be required for these projects and that it should be presented as early as possible. Funds to renovate the aging courthouse are again in the request with updated figures.
On behalf of the City of LaBelle, Director of Finance Ron Zimmerly presented requests to enhance Barron Park and the new Regional Sports Park as well as drainage and the continuation of the city's wharf project. Also important to the city: rehab for the historic Captain Hendry House and construction of Helms Road Extension. Edison State College, LaBelle Center Director Jeff Gibbs noted the upswing in enrollment at this campus and in the number of credit hours students are taking. He said ESC is working with Air glades Airport's inland port plans. The campus is in dire need of building and roof refurbishments, he told the legislators, with two roofs already having been completed.
Mr. Gibbs also noted the coming name change for the school, to Florida Southwestern State College. A conflict with another college out of state is causing the change, which will also help to regionalize the college, he said. Continuing the education speakers, Superintendent of Schools Paul Puletti first offered appreciation for the Legislature's assistance with a recycling program, saying we have been "well served" by our Legislative Delegates. He went on to explain that schools need some flexibility in how they can use state funding and that a fair and transparent system of school grading is needed. He is also seeking a better mental health delivery plan for students in need.
Both legislators agreed more needs to be done in the area of student mental health for kids in the "highest degree of crisis." Florida Gulf Coast University's presentation focused on the funding it received last year for student advisors and technical infrastructure. The university also works with small development business centers. Both legislators lauded the programs at FGCU. Two LaBelle High School students did a presentation for the Tobacco Free Partnership/Students Against Tobacco decrying the availability of candy flavored tobacco products targeted toward kids.
Page 65 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Pat Dobbins represented the Department of Health, saying Hendry-Glades has some of the worst health statistics in the state, particularly for obesity, heart disease and hypertension. She pointed out that small counties like Hendry have uniquely rural issues. These 33 Florida counties need a position to facilitate discussion among them to address their shared problems. She echoed the superintendent of schools, saying the health department also needs flexibility in its funding to address unique situations. Ms. Dobbins also did the presentation for Healthy Start which focused on ensuring "above average outcomes for high risk patients." Arlene Betancourt spoke for Healthy Families, explaining the successes of that program in reaching high risk clients, "saving kids and tax money." She asked that funding be maintained, explaining that it costs the state $72,000 per year to serve each abused child and just $1,200 per year per child in services to prevent the abuse.
Lee Memorial Health System's presentation centered on care for the uninsured. Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council's presentation asked the legislators to support the federal water policy for Lake Okeechobee releases and Everglades flood insurance. Angela Hill asked for funding for the Central County Water Control District, to construct the final 2.5 miles of a levee. This project ties in with water quality issues for all of South Florida. Under public comment, area agriculturalists spoke about the University of Florida's plan to degrade the Immokalee IFAS research center to a demonstration facility.
Gulf Coast Citrus Association's Ron Hamil began by thanking the legislators for critical funding to combat deadly crop diseases like citrus greening, but explained that funding for the center is critical for area agriculture to survive. Former Ag Agent and longtime agriculturalist Dallas Townsend noted the damage done by severe funding cuts. Clewiston Mayor Phillip Roland pleaded for work to clean up north of Lake Okeechobee, the source of contaminated water that flows into the lake and the Caloosahatchee River, eventually causing environmental problems on both the East and West Coast estuaries.
Water needs to be stored and cleaned north of the lake as well as south of it, he maintained. Hendry County Sheriff Steve Whidden was seeking funding for a new jail. After 20 years, he said the jail has reached its life span. A new facility is critical, he told the legislators, which would cost under $25 million. Senator Bullard said he would help get the funding and suggested that sheriff's personnel concentrate on the amount of data supporting the project.
Page 66 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Glades County Democrat October 17, 2013
United Way helps open new women's shelter Author: Patty Brant
LABELLE - It's very difficult to protect women and children in an abusive home. It's even harder when there is no shelter for them to escape to when they finally try to make that break. After five years, Hendry-Glades will soon have that safe harbor again for victims of domestic violence. Recently, United Way held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new women's shelter. Of course, for safety reasons the location is not published. The old shelter closed in 2008. It was an old cracker house with just two bedrooms, so many local women and children had to be relocated to Fort Myers. Even when women made the difficult decision to leave their relationship, they often ended up returning to this dysfunctional situation because they could not leave their job and didn't want to uproot their children.
The shelter can also be used for victims of human trafficking. When Arlene Betancourt of United Way heard about the building, she soon made it a point to check it out. Finding it perfect for a women's shelter, she wasted no time in contacting Jennifer Benton, CEO of Abuse Counseling and Treatment (ACT). At the recent ribbon cutting, Hendry County Administrator Charles Chapman called the shelter a "tremendous asset" and praised the partnerships that made it possible. "When we do stuff together, unbelievably cool stuff happens," he pointed out in his speech. He called the United Way's partnership with the county a "key piece" for this county with "rich opportunities" to fulfill its overall mission.
He compared agencies like the United Way and Salvation Army to "spark plugs" of the community that make the county run. He called upon men to focus on women and children's opportunities and embrace them - to redefine masculinity and take responsibility for abusive situations. The shelter will be one piece in the overall structure of a program that will protect "the health, safety and welfare of our most vulnerable," he added, noting that "abuse funnels into other problems." "The challenge is to connect, grow and foster partnerships. Each life has an echo effect," he said, each of us needs to "do his own part to make an impact."
For her part, Jennifer Benton CEO of ACT, who has been with the program for 17 years, noted that ACT is back in Hendry-Glades, and in a better state than when it left. Last year, ACT served 135 clients in Hendry-Glades, mostly through outreach. Of that number less than ten sought shelter from their situation because they would have had to go to Fort Myers to do so. The facility still needs some work - fire sprinklers, an ADA retrofit for its two bathrooms and fencing. There's a big kitchen, five bedrooms with 12-15 beds and the facility can have a washer/dryer. The building is in beautiful condition, has a nice reception and separate rooms for counseling. The new shelter should be ready to accept clients early next year.
Besides United Way, a key partner in the project, other partner agencies including the Salvation Army, Healthy Families, SHIP and the State Attorney's Office, work together on a daily basis to
Page 67 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) provide services. Many are working to make each room friendly and comfortable for families in crisis. Jennifer is credited with finding a grant to purchase the building, so ACT now actually owns this "perfect spot" to help women and children out of the cycle of domestic violence. The $239,797 grant came from the Department of Children and Families, through the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
The shelter still needs money for things like furnishings and a washer/dryer. She called Arlene Betancourt a "blessing to this community." It was Arlene who had been looking for opportunities to rent a suitable building when she heard of this existing property, and recognized this site as perfect for the purpose. "The ACT program does great things," Arlene said, "it changes lives. It has exceptional counselors." She proudly points out that 100 percent of the money United Way raises in Hendry Glades, stays here. According to Arlene, "The power of this community can achieve anything. We get things done. When people work together, great things happen.
Page 68 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Fccma.org September 11, 2013
Charles Chapman, County Administrator, Hendry County
How long have you been a FCCMA member? Two years Are you an ICMA member and if so, how long? Yes, four months Please describe your areas of formal/advanced education. M.S. and B.S. of Education from The Florida State University. What got you interested in public service? Dr. Cheryl Beeler, FSU Recreation and Leisure Service Program What is your current occupation? County Administrator for Hendry County, Florida Please give a brief job description. Serve as the Chief Administrative Officer for the Hendry County Government. Oversee all administrative and fiscal duties and manager over 120 employees.
Please describe your typical day. Building relationship with staff, putting out fires, focusing on accurate and pro-active communication with the public, empowering staff daily to be problem- solvers. What is your favorite part of the job? The process of creating livable and vibrant communities, engaging the public and empowering staff to make visions into reality. What is your least favorite part of the job? Dealing with grossly mis-informed individuals who refuse to review the facts of a matter and simply wish to argue, not resolve matters. What is your most memorable experience on the job? My first Board of County Commissioner’s meeting as a CAO. The nerves were horrible, but the adrenaline rush was amazing to get the approval vote on my first initiatives.
What are hobbies/interests? Spending time with my wife and three kids, camping , fishing, reading leadership books, and trying different types of dining experiences. If you could give one piece of advice to young people interested in a career in public service, what would it be? Give it an honest try. Don’t discount the public sector just because of salaries and private industry pace. Public service is immensely rewarding for action-oriented people who truly care about their communities. There is never a dull moment if you are working for a pro- active local government.
Who were your mentors and how have you passed this information down to other young public administrators? Vince Long, Leon County Administrator; Marlon Brown, Deputy City Manager of Sarasota; Earl “Bud” Parmer, Retired City Manager of Kissimmee and Coach Henry Dismuke of Mississippi College. All of the men had an impact on my life for their ability to take measured risks to do the right thing. They may not have been popular with their decisions, but they chose to do the right thing any way. I pass on this lesson to fellow professionals as a test of courage. If you don’t have the grit to make the hard choices for the right reasons, then you seriously need to reflect in the mirror about your career. People count on you to you to lead
Page 69 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) them well and to empower them to be the best they can be. If you can’t balance the good and the bad of executive leadership, then this is not the arena for you.
Have you always been in the public sector or have you had experience in the private sector? I started part-time with the Hilton Sandestin and Campus Recreation at Florida State University. All of my full-time employment has been in public government. What career would you pick if you were to pick another? General Manager of Baseball Operations for the Boston Red Sox, or Leadership Development Consulting.
Page 70 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Caloosa Belle July 11, 2013
Chapman welcomed as new county administrator Author: Patty Brant
Potential. Loads of it. With just a little over a month in his new position, that’s what has struck new County Administrator Charles Chapman about Hendry County. Economic and commercial development possibilities, along with a population he feels is “hungry” to make positive change happen, are the catalysts that will spur the county’s future success, using the “raw materials” Hendry County has too often overlooked. His vision for the county isn’t clear right now, but it’s beginning to form as he digs in and learns about his new home. So far, he said he sees about 50 percent of Hendry residents - the “internal drivers” – have the will to get it done.
And, yes, he sees a meaningful conversation between LaBelle and Clewiston as crucial to a successful future – understanding that it won’t be easy. He sees this process as “hands across the glades and groves” – a focus on the common ground so important to underpin the county’s success. “A win for Clewiston is a win for LaBelle, and a win for LaBelle is a win for Clewiston,” he points out. Hendry County residents need to learn to “celebrate our wins.” “We need to fall in love with who we are and where we are and what we want to become,” he added. Mr. Chapman was born in Oxford, MS, moved to Crestview Florida, when he was 15. and was homeschooled until the ninth grade.
Coming here from Gadsden County, outside of Tallahassee, he sees a fair comparison between the two, since both are strong in agri-business and have an ag based economy. Of course Gadsden’s proximity to the capitol gives it a more diverse character. His experience in North Florida includes achieving a BS and Master’s degrees in science from Florida State University. His career successes include selection to chair the College and University Relations Committee for the Florida Recreation and Parks Association Board of Directors, a promotion to the Gadsden County Manager position and oversight of five county departments: parks, information technology, solid waste, animal control and public relations.
He is credited with increasing production and employee satisfaction in those areas, while reducing costs up to 15 percent in 2009. He revitalized curbside recycling there and helped garner over $5 million in state and federal grants. He earned the Emerging Professional Award from the Florida City/ County Manager’s Association; the Star Performer Award for Gadsden County and was appointed to the Florida Rural Broadband Alliance’s Board of Governors. He became Gadsden County’s Public Works Department Director in 2010. From 2007-12 he consolidated legislative advocacy programs and developed consensus among his commissioners. He sees Hendry on the forefront of a contracting ag economy, but ready to launch into a new future. No surprise, unemployment is the Number 1 problem here, he said, with the need for appropriate job training at its core. He is looking forward to addressing this with “our school board partner.” There is a turnaround coming, he said, and Hendry County needs “smart planning” to be ready when it comes. The other side of that coin is that locals want to preserve
Page 71 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) the area’s identity rather than be overwhelmed by growth. Hold on to our unique character is also an integral part of Hendry County’s successful future, he noted. That future will be about being who we are, while still moving forward. He said he hopes to draw residents into the process by taking advantage of many opportunities to get involved. He’d love to get the community to commit to a program with at least one project per quarter that would expose unique local artists, craftsmen, farmers and others to a larger audience for their talents and wares. “Get a buzz going” about what Hendry County has to offer, he said.
As a whole, the county needs to identify its local legends - its shiny pearls that have been overlooked. “We need to brand ourselves,” he said, to draw others in. The idea is to “reconnect” with ourselves and increase interest from the outside. To date, Mr. Chapman said he has encountered no real negatives, although there is always some resistance to change by those not open to new ideas. He commended the county commissioners on being ”open and positive” and said he is very encouraged by a “wonderful county staff” that is focused on people. He said he has found the board of county commissioners to be remarkably unified in its desire to be of service to the county and in its openness to building relationships.
The privatization of Airglades Airport is, of course, the county’s premier economic development project, poised for growth. Still a few years shy of being implemented, it holds the promise of job opportunities with good salaries for local folks. Airglades is an opportunity for locals to learn to take pride in and celebrate themselves, he noted. Airglades is the keynote project at this time. Selling a county airport to a private entity - to Airglades International Airport (AIA) in this case - has never been done before by county or the FAA. It’s a new and delicate process that both sides are feeling their way through. When complete, AIA will attract contracts with distributors and light manufacturing.
There are lots of positives in LaBelle as well. It’s a nice small town, where people know everybody. Mr. Chapman, his wife Karyn, and their three small children - Tyler age four, Addison two and Caleb five months - are very pleased to be here. His wife was raised in Palm Beach County and feels right at home here. In fact, he said that’s one reason they chose Hendry County. They are also excited about the fact that Hendry County is right in the center of so much the area has to offer, from Disney to Florida’s beaches. He also said they love rural Florida, and are eager to raise their children here, where people understand what it means to be a community.
Coming into his position, Mr. Chapman said he is learning, making notes. He is committed to presenting his ideas of “strategic intent” to the commissioners by the end of his six-month trial period. He wants to engage the public all over the county in conversations over important issues including the budget and services. With a diverse population, public input is essential, he said, in order to “truly make the county commission yours.” He intends to do this through “speed dating” style workshops with their district commissioners. In this approach, individuals would spend a few minutes with their commissioner bringing up the issues on their minds. It’s a way to outreach directly to residents who can share their priorities with their commissioner. The traditional “government in a box,” he said, does not work. Collectively, in a civil manner, the community can solve most problems. The key is for a government to be driven by its
Page 72 of 74 Section 5 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Charlie T. Chapman (Articles are in reverse chronological order) residents. He also said he hopes to involve residents through an exercise in which individuals can take a stab at balancing the county budget, using the rules that apply to the commission, and coming up with a consensus of all their group. A civil conversation between county staff and residents over the county’s hot issues, perhaps over a meal, could spark a real beginning of collaboration. Collaboration is a “tall order,” Mr. Chapman knows, but said it needs to happen. People need to know their county government is on their side, he said and county employees need to feel they are full, valued stakeholders. What Hendry County needs, he added, is a proactive board of county commissioners. All this is attainable, Mr. Chapman believes. He said there’s a “hunger in staff already” that just needs to be tweaked to make the county better for all.
Mr. Chapman’s idea is to play “small ball.” Building relationships, “putting feet to good ideas,” and finally learning to tell Hendry County’s story will earn big dividends in the end. The commissioners are looking forward to a good relationship with Mr. Chapman, that will benefit the entire county. Commissioner Al Perry said that, halfway through the Skype interview with Mr. Chapman “I knew he was my choice.” He said he’s been looking for an ethical leader that makes everyone proud of our great county. He added, “Choosing a good leader that will serve Hendry County for a long time is a very tough process. Mr Chapman has my full support and I hope he has a long prosperous career in Hendry County.”
Commissioner Karson Turner echoes those feelings. “I feel that Charles possessed a confidence which was easily detected from the moment he began his interview and his detail for answering questions and giving specific examples of how he would measure and assess success versus failure was a huge positive for me personally. I also feel that he has a level of professionalism and understanding of a county like ours and the variables that you have to consider in doing the job. He added that he looks forward to the county administrator “leading our county employee base into the future” and bringing the county together with some small successes which turn into big victories countywide. I also think he has the skill and will build the correct team to manage the job within our financial constraints.”
He concluded, “This was a great process that our entire board and some key staff members engaged in. I think that while it was difficult for some to watch as we passed on other viable candidates I was extremely pleased and so proud of our board and Hendry County for choosing the right candidate. Charles is going to have a tough job ahead of him but we are looking towards building a better Hendry for generations to come. I like where we are moving. Our entire board felt good about this decision because it was the right decision. Now we have to pick up the pace a bit and get on this new path.” For Commissioner Darrell Harris, it was Mr. Chapman’s answers that made him a standout. He said he believes Mr. Chapman can bring together county employees to improve morale that has been sapped by a lagging economy. “I expect him to lead staff with new ideas in savings and budget and work with the EDC to attract more businesses and jobs.” He added that Mr. Chapman will have a good working relationship with staff and work for the good of the county. “He’s a good communicator and people person who worked his way up through the ranks.” Commissioner Harris concluded that, with his experience and work background, the new administrator will be a good fit to address Hendry’s problems.
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Wctv.com January 7, 2010
FAMU Vet Tech Program Partners With Local Animal Shelter Author: Stephanie Salvatore
Gadsden County has been hoping to improve its animal control services. At the same time FAMU wanted to vamp up its veterinary programs. So, the partnership that has just formed between the two organizations is already a win win for both sides. A new partnership will not only improve the livelihood of animals in Gadsden County, but the education of students who are on the path to help them. The Gadsden County Animal Control recently began a relationship with FAMU's Veterinary Tech Program. The county needed to improve the operations of animal control and the students needed animals to work with.
Gadsden County Administrative Coordinator, Charles Chapman says, "It was good timing for both agencies. FAMU is wanting to expand that program, we're wanting to improve and expand our program so it became an opportunity where we could get on the ground floor together and build something that has really been needed in the county for a long time." FAMU's vet program which began last semester was designed to ramp up its program with more formal classes and lab experience.
Dr. Eric Peterson, a FAMU Extension Veterinarian says, "We had spoken with Mr. Chapman in regards to using animals they have at the shelter to benefit our veterinary technology program. Obviously with a program like that, you want students to have hands on experience with the animals." Those in the county say this partnership is exactly what was needed for their animal control situation. Commissioner Eugene Lamb says, "We need to partner with someone. I think it's a great situation going with FAMU because I've been asked a lot of questions in Gadsden County about our animal control and I think were headed in the right direction." The plan would cover between a 3 and 5 year partnership. But they say there are already plans to get a continuing program for the next 10-20 years down the road.
Research Compiled by: Tammie Browder Colin Baenziger & Associates
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Section 6
James “Jim” T. Dinneen
Naples City Manager Candidate Report
Section 6
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
COVER LETTER AND RESUME 1
CANDIDATE INTRODUCTION 7
BACKGROUND CHECKS 15
CB&A REFERENCE NOTES 19
INTERNET SEARCH 31
Section 6
Cover Letter and Resume
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Candidate Introduction
Page 7 of 134 Section 6 James T. Dinneen
Education
Senior Executive Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government Summer 2004 Harvard University Master of Arts in Public Administration December 1977 University of Dayton Master of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning June 1975 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Sociology, Minor in History April 1972 University of Dayton
Experience
County Manager, Volusia County, Florida 2006-June 2018 City Manager, Dayton, Ohio 2002-2006 Assistant County Administrator, Montgomery County, Ohio 1995-2002 Director, Department of Solid Waste, Montgomery County, Ohio 1992-1995 Deputy Director, Department of Public Works, City of Dayton, Ohio 1995-1992 Superintendent of Fleet Management, City of Dayton, Ohio 1982-1985 Senior Budget Analyst, Management and Budget, City of Dayton, Ohio 1978-1982 Transportation Planner, City of Virginia Beach, Virginia 1979 Senior Planner, Department of Planning, City of Dayton, Ohio 1975-1978
Background
Volusia County is a council-manager charter county, with a population of approximately 500,000, generally concentrated in over 1,263 square miles. The county is significantly urban, but somewhat rural. In the provision of 42 district service initiatives, I was responsible for approximately 3,200 full time employees and a total budget of $850 of which $289 million are in the general fund. I helped facilitate and implement county policy while ensuring that all administrative responsibilities are handled promptly and professionally. As County Manager, I was responsible for communication within the community, especially in addressing business issues and citizen concerns. In addition, my responsibilities included overseeing a convention center, an international airport, water and sewer system, solid waste facilities, a jail, fire protection, emergency management, economic development, 47 miles of beach and lifeguard services, public works, community and social services, Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Elections, public transportation, libraries, parks and trails and central services.
In my role as City Manager of Dayton, Ohio I was responsible for 16 departments and approximately 2,600 employees with a budget of $503 million. I employed the resources of the
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City for resolution of various urban problems. With a population of approximately 166,000 residents and an area of over 56 square miles, Dayton is an award winning, full service local government known for its innovative citizen and business participatory systems. The city operation includes two airports, a convention center, a regional water system and various recreational facilities including six golf courses, in addition to such traditional services as Fire/EMS, Police, Public Works, and Redevelopment.
While Volusia County has many significant issues facing it in upcoming years, the following three are of major concern.
1. There is an incredible need for infrastructure funding, especially for roads, bridges, stormwater control and water quality. During 2018 the final distribution from a 2005 road bond will be made, leaving the County with no significant transportation funding outside of gas tax maintenance money. In addition, the unfunded cost for Sunrail is escalating at ten times the estimate cost from 1 to 10 Million annually. These and other funding issues will challenge the Council and therefore I have worked with Council to seriously consider supporting a Sales Tax increase of ½ penny and the need to implement a major increase in impact fees, our first since 2003. 2. The balancing of the 2019 budget will be a major issue especially for a Council that wants to continue to do roll-back to satisfy a populous demand to reduce taxes. This issue is complicated by a fact that a new homestead initiative may pass this year that will have a major negative impact on future revenues. Moreover, the fiscal picture is further complicated by an increasing demand by the labor unions to raise wages by double digits. All this will come at a time when the Council is under major pressure to fund more economic development incentives while still being owed 30 million by Federal and State governments for both Hurricanes Irma and Matthew. I have already implemented an internal review to identify future cost cutting strategies to prepare for this inevitability. 3. Pressure to “solve” the homeless problem is a major challenge for Volusia County. The current Council has already spent $12 million to fund three homeless initiatives. Hope Place for families and children ($4.2 million). DeLand Community Center ($1.2 million) and Daytona Beach’s come as you are “Safe Harbor” facility ($4 million). Unfortunately, as the facilities move forward, the problems and costs keep mounting and the demand for permanent solutions escalates. Additionally, there is continuing pressure on the County to take a more active operational role, including open-ended funding. We are already seeking a more inclusive initiative to get the business community more involved in a long term funding strategy.
General Management Experience
Both my employees and council members would describe my strengths as being open, honest, friendly and always professional. This approach to life has served me well in all my endeavors,
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especially in such a high stress job as a County or City Manager. I believe that if this were not true then I would never have been successful and as long tenured in my positions as I have been. Furthermore, I believe the multiple numbers of elected officials I have worked for would describe me as very hard working, attentive to their needs, direct but diplomatic, politically astute and yet always focused on outcomes that provide win-win solutions for them, staff and the public. My staff would also say that another of my strengths is my approach to managing people so as to mentor, direct, encourage and support each individual's path in learning to lead others. Real leadership, I believe, is getting others to take the initiative to lead.
My overall management style is one of inclusion and team building that is based on a belief that the process to achieve results is as important as the results. I also believe that there is only one agenda that the administration is empowered to follow and that is the agenda of the Council. The focus of the administration must always be on achieving the agenda of the elected body.
Unfortunately over the years, because I have seen the problems associated with miscommunication, I have developed a weakness that others have singled out for improvement. On occasion, I can over explain a desired process or action to achieve results. This “Captain Obvious” weakness can really irritate some and I have become more attentive to recognizing and addressing it. Making staff aware of this weakness beforehand makes it easier for them to help me overcome it.
I use many various methods and metrics to measure the organization’s performance with a special focus on utilization of new technologies where appropriate. A good example of performance measurement and benchmarking is in our Public Works Department. The Volusia Public Works Department implemented a business process for planning, directing and controlling work in the maintenance operations of the Department. The process utilizes a digital maintenance management system integrated with GIS to track work to assets, including the type of work completed and the associated resources including labor, equipment and materials. The system utilizes the data captured to calculate productivity measures of unit cost and units per labor hour that are compared against past Department measures and national benchmarks for continuous improvement. The director approves the work plan for the year that defines each work task that will be done with the level of service and the resources required to complete the work. The system then generates a total cost for the task and a productivity measurement that can be shared with Council and the public. This has significantly reduced operating costs in the Public Works Department.
My biggest achievement I believe is that, after all these years, I have kept my sense of enthusiasm and passion for the profession and the belief that local government is the real basis of democracy in our country. I have been so privileged to have worked on so many wonderful initiatives that it is almost impossible to pick one as the biggest. So, I will cite a current achievement of which I am extremely proud. This would be recent attainment of our “Go To Zero” goal. For years during the recession of 2007 through 2014 I advocated and was successful in gaining the full support of the Council to reduce over time our general fund debt to zero. This accomplishment has resulted in our ability to reduce taxes, strengthened our bond rating and increased ongoing revenues that
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enhanced our ability to fund any necessary significant capital projects as well as any major economic incentive initiatives. One major aspect of this accomplishment, of which I take great personal pride, was my successful persuasion to rally the Council to put aside short-term expenditures for a more important achievement of long term fiscal health. I am extremely proud of all those I have worked with to achieve this goal considering the significant time and resolve it took to stay the course.
In a strong manager form of government like Dayton and Volusia County I hired and fired all employees. Therein, over the years either directly as Department Head or both directly and indirectly as Manager, I have had to fire countless people, who chose to neglect their responsibility to the citizens. In all cases I have always taken pause and felt remorse at such action especially when it impacted innocent family members.
I have never done anything in my entire background that is personally embarrassing to me, my family or my employer. Unfortunately, the local newspaper in the last year has become a forum for our newly elected Sheriff’s attack on the County Charter. A review of local media will reveal his personal attacks on me as County Manager as representative of the Charter and the individual Council members. While we seem to have entered a time where misinformation can drown out fact or reality I believe in continuing to take the high road in providing as much transparent and truthful information to the Council and public as possible.
In my leisure time I am an avid runner, love to boat, work out, fish, dive, spear fish and play golf.
Six adjectives or phrases I would use to describe myself:
1. Energetic/Enthusiastic 2. Optimistic/Positive 3. Outcome Oriented 4. Avid believer in all levels of local government 5. Fiscally conservative yet socially responsible 6. Empathetic to others
My first six months in Naples would be spent as follows:
1. Listening more, speaking less 2. Interviewing all current Council members as elected officials to best understand their vision, goals, issues and hopes for Naples now and into the future. 3. Interviewing all current Council members to know who they are as people, their history, background, dreams, philosophy, likes, etc. given what they will tell a “new guy” they don’t know. 4. Interview the management staff in the same fashion as the elected officials.
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5. Try to interface with as many rank and file employees as possible. 6. Walk (run) as much of the City as I can to see, feel and embrace it. 7. At the direction of the Council, I would introduce myself to the business community, community activists and neighborhood champions. 8. With help of Council, be directed to and devour information from the City’s best community historians who have deep roots in Naples. “You can’t go forward if you don’t know where you came from”
Without a doubt the biggest mistake of my entire career was my overconfidence in my ability to find an acceptable way to work for a councilwoman that was previously fired/forced to resign from our County. This person was dismissed by the former Sheriff with the required approval of my office in 2011 for lying and insubordination. My failure to appreciate the reality of working for someone with a personal agenda to have me removed was a serious flaw on my part.
One of the first challenges I believe I will have in Naples is making sure that the 2019 budget will balance. Once public safety and necessary public services and infrastructure is properly provided for there is always the healthy dialogue on the appropriate level of taxation. This issue, should the new homestead legislation pass in November, will surely be a hot topic in Naples. If there is a significant reduction of tax revenue then a plan to address any associated shortfall implications will need be developed and implemented. Other challenges appear to be dealing with citizen engagement in the solution of the very real problems associated with growth and increased tourism. The management of the impacts of change as new people flock to Naples cannot be overstated. New creative solutions for such things as beach access (a big problem for Florida’s coastal communities) must be found that balance resident and visitor needs. In addition, during such growth, the loss of historic character, the essence of place, must be addressed in a very sensitive way that protects the culture yet respects others property rights and the natural desire to evolve.
My interest in Naples is very easy to understand. While, like others, I am always excited for a new challenge, Naples presents a rare opportunity for me to both employ all my extensive experience to solve problems while presenting new ways to update administrative policies and procedures. In addition to my education and a 50/50 balance of experience between City and County government, I believe I bring a unique, mature ability to offer a new management philosophy of civic engagement. This new model utilizes the elements of our recently developed Dynamic Master Plan (2018 NACo Award) approach to better connect public expectation with Council policy and administrative actions. Under such a direction, the Council together with constituents can keep track of administrative implementation of Council policy goals and objectives on a meeting to meeting basis. This concept allows all the appropriate expenditures on the Council’s agendas to directly relate to Council policy and goal attainment for citizens to review and understand. Naples because of its size and reputation for positive civic engagement is uniquely positioned to exploit this concept to its full potential.
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Reason for Applying for City Manager Position of Naples, Florida
Naples is a unique opportunity that would allow me to employ my experience in helping the community to continue exploiting its enormous potential. This would be very rewarding to me as a seasoned professional to have my career culminate (7-10 years) on such a high note.
Most Current Salary
$249,000 base salary
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Page 14 of 134 Section 6
CB&A Background Checks
Page 15 of 134 Section 6 Background Check Summary for JAMES “JIM” T. DINNEEN
Criminal Records Checks:
Nationwide Criminal Records Search No Records Found
County Volusia County, FL No Records Found Montgomery County, OH No Records Found
State Florida No Records Found Ohio Records Maintained by County. See Above.
Civil Records Checks:
County Volusia County, FL No Records Found Montgomery County, OH No Records Found
Federal Florida No Records Found Ohio No Records Found
Motor Vehicle Florida No Records Found
Credit Excellent
Bankruptcy No Records Found
Education M.P.A. and B.A. Confirmed
M.A. Verifications Pending
Employment Confirmed
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. 1681-1681Y, credit and bankruptcy information are very sensitive and should not be used be in the consideration of hiring. The information is included for each candidate because we do not want you to be surprised if third parties raise what they consider to be a concern.
Page 16 of 134 Section 6 Background Check Summary for JAMES “JIM” T. DINNEEN Personal Disclosure
Page 17 of 134 Section 6 Background Check Summary for JAMES “JIM” T. DINNEEN Personal Disclosure Explanation
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CB&A Reference Notes
Page 19 of 134 Section 6 Reference Notes James Dinneen
Ed Kelley – Council Chair, Volusia County, FL 386-748-6033
Mr. Kelley knew of Mr. Dinneen when he was the Mayor at Ormond Beach, but did not start working with him in January 2017 when he came on council. They have had no further contact since his departure in June 2018.
Mr. Dinneen did a very good job while he was with the county. Volusia County was able to go to zero debt because of his fiscal conservativeness. He took care of projects that created a funding reserve for them. He did an outstanding job of getting them through the economic downturn and negotiated well with the employees and the unions.
In terms of decisions, Mr. Dinneen made good ones generally. He was good about setting money aside for projects ahead of time. He always took into account depreciation of equipment and made sure to plan for replacements when necessary.
Change is the only constant with which we live. Innovation, in fact, is knowing that one cannot do things the same expecting different results. Mr. Dinneen definitely understands that concept. He did much to further the county and make it a more viable place. He shared that thought process by conducting workshops and visionary sessions for the council.
Mr. Dinneen did well interacting with the major stakeholders in the community whether it was at meetings, or various workshops and classes. He worked frequently with economic development and leading those entities in the communities. Although Mr. Kelley never had the chance to see him interacting with the public in general, Mr. Dinneen could use a bit of work in that area.
When it came to communication, Mr. Dinneen could sometimes be difficult to reach, however that could have been because of the size and scope of the organization. Mr. Kelley was always informed with everything he needed to know about, but not always in the timeliest manner. Mr. Dinneen was not one to keep information and he was an ethical and honest person who was very smart and whom could be trusted.
Mr. Dinneen was an excellent problem solver. One issue he was able to work through was the negotiation with the sheriff’s deputy’s union. The county could not get them to talk and the union would not schedule meetings. Because of his leadership they agreed to meet, he made them an offer and they accepted a four year contract.
Mr. Dinneen had been considering making a change because of a few reasons. One of which was because one of the council members who ran for office with the idea of getting back at him. She was a deputy who was fired for insubordination and lying. Her accusations were unfounded and without proof, however, she was elected to the council and did whatever she could to be not only controversial towards Mr. Dinneen, but also towards the entire council. She and her cohorts were against him because the council instituted traffic free zones on the beach. That began to wear on him.
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Additionally, the sheriff might as well have had the same opinion as the disgruntled former deputy turned council member. The sheriff was making some outrageous claims that the council was not funding his department, however it was being funded 100% plus giving the deputies pay increases. Unfortunately, the sheriff is well known and people believe what he says. Some name calling between the sheriff and Mr. Dineen ensued in the media to the point where Mr. Kelley had to force them to stop.
Mr. Kelley is not aware of anything from Mr. Dinneen’s background that would be considered embarrassing if the press were to go digging. He will do a fine job as a city manager. It might be a bit of an adjustment but he undoubtedly could handle it. His management abilities will transfer over just fine to a smaller organization without question.
Words or phrases used to describe James Dinneen:
• Serious, • Caring, • Calculating, • Creative, • Honest, and • Ethical.
Strengths: An excellent manager who listened, worked well with his staff, and was excellent with finances.
Weaknesses: Sometimes, because he was so busy his timeframe getting back to the Council was a little slower than Mr. Kelley had experienced and come to expect when he was serving on the Council in Ormond Beach. That could have also been because the county is a much larger entity.
Dan Eckert – County Attorney, Volusia County, FL 386-736-5920
Mr. Eckert first met Mr. Dinneen in 2006. They worked together at the county until Mr. Dinneen left in 2018. They have had no further contact since that time.
Mr. Dinneen did a very good job for Volusia County. He was a strong leader who led the county through a downsizing during the economic downturn without any layoffs. He did a wonderful job of managing his existing assets and made solid decisions while in charge.
Mr. Eckert would characterize Mr. Dinneen as someone who is innovative and someone who maintains the organization at a high performance level. He made some excellent changes that saved the county money such as providing ambulance services that were previously contracted.
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Mr. Dinneen had a large amount of contact with the business community and other municipal leaders. Theirs is a large county and he did not necessarily attend as many meetings as a city manager would attend, but he did well in general interacting with the public. He certainly had people who were his critics and some of them stemmed from the implementation of the controversial changes in the community. One of those changes was made in regards to vehicular beach access. In Volusia County they have a strong history of allowing cars on the beach. The council voted to change that and a segment of the beach no longer allows cars access. The Hard Rock hotel is now providing parking for those displaced cars and it has actually improved the public’s right of use on the beach.
Mr. Dinneen has dealt with his share of issues including the sheriff wanting his position being restored to a constitutional officer as well not having a good working relationship with one of the elected officials. Mr. Eckert did not want to go into specifics or share the name of the elected official, but he suspects that it is what lead to his departure.
Mr. Eckert is not aware of anything from Mr. Dinneen’s background that would be construed as embarrassing if the press were to go digging. If he were a city commissioner he would hire him as the city manager.
Words or phrases used to describe James Dinneen:
• Strong leader, • Innovative, and • Fiscally responsible.
Strengths: An innovative leader who made some wonderful strides in his community.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Stanley Escudero – Ambassador, Retired State Department Diplomat, Daytona Beach Shores, FL 386-299-9159
Mr. Escudero has known Mr. Dinneen since 2008. That is when Mr. Escudero first began to get involved in domestic politics. Since his departure from the county he has had a few phone conversations with him.
Mr. Escudero is the President of the Taxpayers Action Group. They were formed to look at how the budget was being handled. They studied the budget for over three years and their findings were that the budget that Mr. Dinneen and his staff was superb.
When Mr. Dinneen first came on board he kept the county from going into considerable debt and began to get things back on an even keel by the time he left. He paid off several notes that saved
Page 22 of 134 Section 6 Reference Notes James Dinneen the county over $2 million in interest. Mr. Escudero is quite impressed with what he did with the budget and now the county is debt free for the first time possibly ever in the history of the county.
Mr. Dinneen has a brilliant capacity to understand and organize a budget and is quite knowledgeable in that area of municipal management. He also manages his staff well and maintains good relationships with his council who benefited from his strengths as a manager.
Mr. Dinneen was out in the public on a regular basis speaking to various community groups and he was particularly active in development. He also held workshops that were open to the public where he answered questions. In addition he interacted with people in the community at the regularly scheduled commission meetings. Furthermore, the county has a substantial homeless population and he partnered with some of the businesses to work with the population that could be rehabilitated. They set up an operation in an old, abandoned school where the county provided $4 million to help with that project.
The controversies that Mr. Escudero is aware of involving Mr. Dineen are the same as mentioned in the previous notes regarding the medical examiner and the issues with the sheriff. Mr. Escudero felt that he was mistreated in those controversies and that for the sheriff to attack him was a gross overstatement. He simply became a casualty of that power struggle and decided to move on after 12 years of service.
As far as Mr. Escudero knows Mr. Dinneen has led an exemplary life and he has no knowledge of anything in Mr. Dinneen’s background that would be considered embarrassing if the press were to investigate his past history. He would hire him if he were in a position to do so and recommends that our client do the same.
Words or phrases used to describe James Dinneen:
• Superb, well informed manager, • Eager to listen to a well-informed public, • Ready to explain, • Positively inclined towards smart growth, and • Knowledge and ability to create and organize a complex county budget.
Strengths: Brilliant budgeting skills, manages his staff well, and maintains good relationships with his council.
Weaknesses: Over the past 12 years he tended to perhaps become overconfident and a little less ready to hear criticisms as he did in the early years.
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Mary Anne Connors – Former Deputy County Manager, Volusia County, FL 386-295-4066
Ms. Connors first met Mr. Dinneen in 2006. They worked together for ten years until she retired. They continue to remain in contact.
Mr. Dinneen is one of the finest managers with whom Ms. Connors has ever worked. He actually made the elected officials better and brought out their best performances while he was the administrator. He truly strove to represent all of the elected officials, not merely shoot for a majority vote on items. He believed that their strength was in everyone rowing in the same direction.
Working his way up to a management level Mr. Dinneen has acquired experience in budgeting as well as operations. He has a good lock on the mechanics of municipal government in terms of the organization in which he is working. Additionally, he is strong fiscally and was successful in maintaining operations of the county without layoffs during the economic downturn. Ms. Connors learned a great deal from him and she became a better manager because of his example and leadership.
When Mr. Dinneen came to the county they were in their third year without a contract with the fire fighters. Through his leadership he helped to settle that situation. He was an administrator who was extremely committed to the idea that all employees, whether they are affiliated with a union or not, have to be treated the same. Equal and fair treatment of all employees was a priority for him. If the county granted raises to one contract, everyone received raises.
Shortly after Mr. Dinneen’s arrival the economy tanked, but they still managed to accomplish several things. He understood the big picture ideas and he strove to make the community a better place even with a smaller budget. One example was that they were in the middle of an expansion on their county civic center. Unfortunately, the project was going south, but he stepped in and ensured that it continued. It not only continued, but it continued in the right manner ensuring that it was beautifully done. His approach was that the appearance of a community makes a difference in how it is perceived to not only its residents, but also to future businesses and investors. Now that civic center is a jewel in their community and it has changed the nature of what can be hosted there with the tastefully added space, thus increasing revenue for the county.
Mr. Dinneen was a very active and involved administrator and dealt with other local governments on several occasions. He understood the importance of public forums and valued the public’s input. Additionally, he managed his communications with Ms. Connors the same way. He is well known for his high energy and dynamic personality which can exhaust someone who works for him. She did appreciate that he was highly communicative and was good about involving himself with the staff and truly listening to his employees. She always felt like her voice was heard.
The controversies that Mr. Dinneen has been involved with would be the one regarding the medical examiner that has happened in the last several months. Ms. Connors would not speak for him
Page 24 of 134 Section 6 Reference Notes James Dinneen about why he left his position at the county. She does know that one council member who had some issues with him might say some things to the contrary, but she did not want to speak about those issues publicly.
Ms. Connors is not aware of anything in Mr. Dinneen’s background that would be thought of as embarrassing if the press were to investigate. She has no knowledge of anything from his personal or professional conduct that would be of concern to a reasonable person or a future employer. She would absolutely hire him if she were in a position to hire a city manager.
Words or phrases used to describe James Dinneen:
• High energy, • Fun to work with, • Dynamic, • Positive, • Team player, and • Leader.
Strengths: A dynamic leader who valued teamwork and has a good understanding of how to manage in municipal government.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Deb Dennys – Council Member and Vice Chair, Volusia County, FL 386-747-6300
Ms. Dennys first met Mr. Dinneen in 2013 when she was elected to the Council. They have continued to stay in contact since he left in June 2018.
If Ms. Dennys had to describe Mr. Dinneen’s job performance in one word it would be; effective. He successfully navigated the County through a tough economic downturn and when he left they were the only county in the state with zero debt.
Mr. Dinneen made good decisions for their county. Theirs is a unique county being a charter county with beaches, unions, and an airport with an enterprise fund. He did well working in that environment. He worked innovatively and collaboratively with various stakeholders on big projects within the county, the cities, and the effective markets making the county a more viable place.
Mr. Dinneen had experience dealing with the public at an executive level. Theirs is not a county that puts an executive out and about in the community. At his level he represented and did what was expected of him. He has good people skills and is good at listening to all sides, finding a
Page 25 of 134 Section 6 Reference Notes James Dinneen working solution, and getting others’ buy in. However, he could benefit from strengthening his dealings with the public in general.
In terms of communication, Ms. Dennys would give Mr. Dinneen a B grade. Personally, she wanted more from him. However, he did manage a huge structure and did well keeping everything running and in place.
Mr. Dinneen is excellent at resolving issues and solving problems. At one point they almost lost the bid to have a Trader Joe’s distribution center in the county. The private/public partnership of Team Volusia had walked away from the opportunity. Once he found out what had transpired he set a meeting up and sat down with the Trader Joe’s executives one on one, struck a deal, and procured a contract.
Mr. Dinneen has been involved with his share of controversies one of which was his response to how he handled the media with the issue that had with the Medical Examiner’s Office. To be fair, he did not create the issue, it was politically charged, and the media tried to make more out of it than it really was, but he could have handled it a bit better.
What happened was that the medical examiner did not want the position any longer and she stated some untruths about the county. It was more about her being out of her league job wise and no one knew about that aspect until she made some false accusations to the state. It was merely political posturing for someone who was in over her head. The bottom line was that she was incompetent and it, unfortunately, played out in the media. It has since been cleared up.
Ms. Dennys is not aware of anything in Mr. Dinneen’s background that would be thought of as embarrassing. She would not comment as to why he left his position at the county. It was his decision and he should be asked about that. However, she did speculate she thought he may have thought it was time for a change.
Words or phrases used to describe James Dinneen:
• Effective, • Demanding, • Collaborative, and • High energy.
Strengths: A collaborative executive who works effectively for the betterment of his community.
Weaknesses: Towards the end of his tenure he was maybe not including the council in as many decisions as he should have.
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Nancy Keefer – President/CEO Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, Daytona Beach, FL 386-290-9522
Ms. Keefer first met Mr. Dinneen in 2013 when she arrived at the chamber. She worked with him until he left in 2018. She has not had a chance to connect with him since then.
Mr. Dinneen is an innovative person with great ideas and drive who likes to make things happen. He also will reach out to people to make things happen, especially those in the private sector. He was always accessible to Ms. Keefer, even though they did not always agree on everything they enjoyed a respectful relationship.
When it comes to decisions Mr. Dinneen is thoughtful in his process and his mind looks at situations in a different perspective. When he made a decision he always followed through and the tasks were completed.
Ms. Keefer saw Mr. Dinneen at several events and activities. He was always in attendance at every function of importance. He did have to interact and work with the public quite a bit, especially with the business community. He was always direct, honest, and did not skirt around the issues. He got to the point and sometimes people did not get the answers they wanted and they did not always like that.
When it came to communication, Mr. Dinneen always kept Ms. Keefer in the loop in terms of business that they conducted together. If they were moving forward on a big decision he contacted her outside business hours. He was always respectful of confidentiality, but she never felt blindsided with information.
At the level that Mr. Dinneen served he was always managing several different personalities which can be difficult. He was always calm and professional. He was very high energy and had a great deal on his plate and even though his energy was ramped up a little more when he was stressed out, he still seemed to accomplish numerous tasks and projects.
In Mr. Dinneen’s position he was never going to have 100% consensus with the public or the leadership. He would not win a popular poll in the media, but he always had the best interest of the community at heart. He had some detractors in the community such as one elected official with whom he did not get along and the sheriff. The good he did for the community far outweighs any of those negative conversations.
Ms. Keefer does not have knowledge of anything in Mr. Dinneen's personal or professional conduct that might cause anyone reasonable person, or a future employer, concern if the press were to go digging. She suspects he arrived at a point where he was in a position for a long time and it was a good time to move on. The feud with the sheriff and the other issues escalated at the end and he must have thought that was a good time to walk away.
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Words or phrases used to describe James Dinneen:
• Innovative, • Fiscally brilliant, • Creative, • High energy, and • Knows who to bring to the table to achieve a good end result.
Strengths: An accessible manager who is innovative with excellent ideas.
Weaknesses: Can be strong some people do not react well to that.
Frank Bruno – Former Council Chair, Volusia County, FL 386-341-2021
Mr. Bruno met Mr. Dinneen in 2005 during the recruitment process. He was the council chair who negotiated his contract and hired him in 2006. He worked with him as the chairman for six years until he retired in 2012. They continued to stay in contact after his retirement because he still serves on several boards with the county.
Mr. Dinneen’s job performance was superior. Having served 20 years on council and working with a number of other managers, Mr. Bruno has seen much in municipal government. Hiring him was the best decision he ever made. He was the right person at the right time to serve the county.
In 2006 the economy was excellent, then the recession hit a few years later. During the recession Mr. Dinneen and Mr. Bruno were able to downsize the county government, reduce the budget and personnel without layoffs, and still be able to look at the goals and support everything they needed to do during a very difficult time.
Some of Mr. Dinneen’s strengths lie in financial and economic development. Theirs is a large county geographically with 47 miles of beaches, an international airport, 16 municipalities, a significant prison system, and school systems. He did an excellent job of building partnerships and working with those entities to move the county forward. He made good decisions and thought outside the box all the time. Because of his efforts several large companies invested in the county such as Hard Rock, NASCAR, Trader Joe’s, etc.
At one point when they were in the process of working on the expansion of the conference hall they were experiencing some issues because of the economy. They had a contractor that was originally on board, but they had to bid out again and those bids came back were higher than what was budgeted. Mr. Dinneen and his team decided to do everything in house which resulted in a huge cost savings as well as a timely completion of the project.
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Mr. Dinneen has experience working with the public and was fabulous at it. He worked well at every level depending upon the circumstances. He was always interested in what was being presented and made sure the county worked diligently to move projects forward. He also had a great rapport with all of his employees.
In terms of stress, Mr. Dinneen dealt with it in an excellent manner. His temperament was terrific. He interacted well with his department heads and handled the stress of the job better than anyone Mr. Bruno knows.
The only controversial issue was that Mr. Bruno suspects that the average person and the community at large thought Mr. Dinneen was working too hard with the CEO’s of corporations and that he and council were giving in to development more than they wanted to see happening. He was merely doing his part to bring in more opportunities and more jobs into the county. Unfortunately, at times, when people are trying to do some good, those plans can backfire.
It is hard for Mr. Bruno to say if anyone would have a different opinion than what he has stated in regards to Mr. Dinneen since almost everyone he has talked to said he did not leave under the best circumstances. They felt he was in the pocket of big business, even though he was doing what he could to bring in more business and revenue to the county. However, they would also say that he did a fine job while he was the manager. Furthermore, Mr. Bruno is not aware of any embarrassing information from Mr. Dinneen’s past that would be uncovered if the press were to go digging.
Words or phrases used to describe James Dinneen:
• Knowledgeable, • Well educated, • Collaborative, • Accomplishes goals of the council, and • Team player.
Strengths: A leader who is a consensus builder and gets things done.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Pat Patterson – Council Member, Volusia County, FL 386-717-3450
Mr. Patterson first met Mr. Dinneen in 2006. Mr. Patterson was a state representative at the time and a former council member previous to that. He came back to the council in 2012 and worked with him until Mr. Dinneen left the county recently this year. They have had some contact since that time out and about in the community.
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Mr. Dinneen did a fantastic job for the county. When he first came on board things were not going very well. He was given a mandate to reduce spending and was successful to the tune of $50 million eliminating 500 positions in the county. He has worked tirelessly with Team Volusia to bring in business to the area. He is financially brilliant and is excellent at managing a budget and the county will be debt free this year.
Not only is Mr. Dinneen good at finances he is also talented at managing people. He hires good people for his team and he allows his staff members to make their own decisions and do their jobs autonomously.
Mr. Dinneen was often out in the community representing the organization. He met with various city managers and was not shy about attending economic development groups in the area. Like any good manager he had those who did not like him and he had some detractors in the community.
Recent events were what lead to Mr. Dinneen’s departure from the county. One council member did not like him. She was a former sheriff’s deputy who was terminated. She not only was terminated by Volusia County, but also by two other previous law enforcement agencies before arriving in Volusia. Additionally, the situation with the Medical Examiner who left and wrote a scathing letter about the county contributed to him leaving. Those who did not like him used that against him and it reached a point where he did not want to deal with those issues nor the disgruntled commissioner any longer.
Mr. Patterson is not aware of anything in Mr. Dinneen’s background that would be looked upon as embarrassing if the press were to go digging. He also does not know of any personal or professional conduct that might cause any future employer, or a reasonable person, concern if they became aware of that conduct.
Words or phrases used to describe James Dinneen:
• Innovative, • Financially savvy, • Intuitive, • Creative, • Smart, and • Intelligent.
Strengths: An excellent manager with good financial skills who is innovative in terms of economic development.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Prepared by: Heather Linares, Colin Baenziger & Associates
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CB&A Internet Research
Page 31 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
[CB&A Note: We have included some of the editorials written about James Dinneen because they are readily available on the internet, but as editorials often do not present a balanced point of view, we gave him the opportunity to comment. Follows is a general statement from Mr. Dinneen, and before each editorial is a small summary for the specific incident.]
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Ormond Beach Observer (FL) July 12, 2018
After Dinneen, County Council wants more transparency — and an audit Author: JARLEENE ALMENAS The Volusia County Council has begun the process of hiring a new county manager in the wake of Jim Dinneen’s sudden “retirement” — and County Council Chair Ed Kelley is advocating for more public involvement. The discussion was brought up during the council meeting on July 10, and council members tossed around ideas about how they would like the search to be conducted. The council focused on the need for facilitators, consultants and requests for information during the nationwide search. Staff was directed to bring back a solicitation in a future meeting to show council members what might be sent out to consultant. “There’s nothing un-transparent about using this in a public setting,” Kelley said. “I think going into this process what we’re looking to be able to do — we’re going to be able to have facilitator services also developing the process of what we all want in a manager, accomplished along with what the timeline is and what we have to do from step A to H.”
The search for Dinneen’s replacement will likely take months, council members pointed out. Kelley said the first point of action would be to establish a timeline. He suggested the new county manager come on board at the start of next year, after the elections and once the new council is sworn in. “You’re going to be the one that will help determine what that decision is,” Kelley said to Councilwoman Heather Post, who raised some concern about selecting a candidate from a consultant’s list. “We all will.” There are four seats up for election: Districts 1,3, 5 and at- large. In the meantime, Interim County Manager George Recktenwald will receive additional compensation for his work. On top of a 4% raise for being the active county manager, Recktenwald’s salary will increase by 5%.
FORMAL SEND-OFF FOR DINNEEN?
Though Dinneen is now vying for a new position as Pinella’s County administrator, County Councilwoman Joyce Cusack said the Dinneen chapter is not yet closed in Volusia County. She requested the council give Dinneen a “proper” send-off — a celebration during to thank him for his 12 years of service. “We have better manners than how we sent Dinneen away,” Cusack said. Cusack said that the way Dinneen left, amid controversy regarding the Medical Examiner’s Office and buried impact fee studies, could affect the recruitment process for a new county manager. Post commented that she believed the council was done dealing with Dinneen’s retirement, but Cusack disagreed. “The chapter is not closed,” Cusack said. “The folk that I represent — none of them — did not have a chance to say goodbye and thank him. Those that don’t want to do that, they don’t have to.”
MORE TRANSPARENCY
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Councilwoman Billie Wheeler asked the council to consider conducting an internal audit in the aftermath of all the issues that have come up in the past few months. She said she wasn’t trying to questioning anything, or accusing staff of conducting business improperly. “This is a way that we can all be able to speak out for questions that are asked to us from the public,” Wheeler said. During her final comment, Denys also said she wants to make sure that the county starts on a stable foundation. She agreed with Wheeler about performing an audit, but a forensic one to look at internal controls and identify weaknesses. Wheeler mentioned a change in budget transfers in the name of transparency, specifically one section of the code that allows the county manager to transfer any amount between service centers. She said she would like to consider more stringent controls of these transfers. Kelley said he thought they already did that, and asked what transfers they don’t have knowledge of. “You don’t know what you don’t know,” Denys said to Kelley.
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Hometown News: Deland-Lake Helen, Deleon Springs, Pierson (FL) June 29, 2018
Council waives transition, county manager gone Author: Gina McKee
Just one week after James Dinneen announced he would be leaving his post as Volusia County Manager in January, the Volusia County Council voted 6-1 to approve his request to waive the six-month transitional period in his contract to leave immediately. Several county residents, along with Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, Councilwoman Heather Post and others spoke at an emotional council meeting June 19, calling for Mr. Dinneen’s immediate dismissal from what they called a tenure filled with malfeasance, insubordination and lack of honesty. His early release from his contract, approved 6-1 by council with Ms. Post casting the only vote to terminate based on malfeasance and insubordination, ended his 12 years with the county June 22 and provided a severance, unpaid leave and benefits payout of more than $405,000. Deputy County Manager George Recktenwald will serve as interim county manager.
“(Mr. Dinneen) came to me and said he would like to be relieved. He is obligated to give us six months,” Volusia County Chair Ed Kelly told the packed council chambers while protesters held up signs calling for the council to “fire” Mr. Dinneen. “In addition to that, I didn’t want to leave the county in a position without a county manager, so I asked (Mr. Recktenwald) if the council would approve it, if he would serve as interim county manager for 90 He agreed, so long as he would not be considered for the perma-nent position.” More than once during the meeting, Chair Kelly had to warn a rowdy crowd of protesters to maintain respectful decorum, and at least one resident was escorted from council chambers. He also cautioned council members to stay on topic and discuss only the vote or issue at hand. “We’re not going to run this like we did the last time, we’re not going to have scattered comments all over the place, we are going to discuss the issue,” Chair Kelly said. “The issue is whether or not we are going to relieve him of his obligation. Please be nice. Can you not be nice? I have to put up with this stuff on Facebook, I shouldn’t have to deal with it here.” Prior to casting her lone vote for termination with cause, Councilwoman Post said the payout of severance in the county manager’s contract could be negated by council with such a vote, relieving the county of its obligation to pay. No other council members joined her in that vote. “I think just cause has been given repeatedly,” she said. “I think there’s significant cause for insubordination, absolutely. There’s significant cause for misconduct, malfeasance, violation of duties to the county for honesty. All of those are listed in his contract as terms for just cause.” County Attorney Dan Eckert, however, disagreed, and said he has given his legal opinion that he does not believe there is just cause for those items. “That’s my opinion. If you would disagree with that, then respectfully, you would vote against the motion,” Mr. Eckert said. “I think the county would be unsuccessful in litigation for that.”
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[CB&A Note: We asked Mr. Dinneen to comment about the editorial cited below. His response follows below and precedes the article: Dinneen Comment: This article was written after I had already resigned my position as Manager. This point of view provided by Ms. Post is a reprint of an anonymous email. I really don’t understand the basis for or the substance of this “recommendation” to the County Council by this unidentified individual.]
Ormond Beach Observer (FL) June 28, 2018
Moving forward after county manager resigns Author: HEATHER POST; VOLUSIA COUNTY COUNCILWOMAN, DISTRICT 4
Although there was overwhelming just cause for termination, Jim Dinneen, the Volusia County manager, has resigned and his last date of service to the county was June 22. We now need to move forward in the right direction. Considering the issues that have come to light, and continue to come to light, the county cannot move in the right direction without addressing the areas where there is an obvious lack of institutional control. Here is an email sent to the Volusia County Council by a local city elected official on May 31, 2018: “Allow me to make a recommendation to you and the County Council. When the military has a repetitive problem with an airplane, tank or other type of equipment, they have a stand down. The purpose of a stand down is to analyze what is wrong and correct the problem(s). Inquiries are made into topics such as engineering, responsibility, personnel. maintenance, training and communication. In light of the following county issues: * impact fees * coroner’s office fiasco * lack of accountability * lack of communication with cities as well as between county staff and council * abdication of responsibility * insulting the citizenry * the future of the ½ cent infrastructure sales tax, and * employee misconduct The County Council needs to have something similar to a stand down to right their ship, restore confidence and move forward.” This speaks volumes. This is a critical time. We should not allow the train to keep moving on the same path and be indifferent to the needs of the citizenry. It is reasonable to expect that we should be able to rely on the competence and operational guidance of county leadership. The one thing our citizens should be able to do is to have the confidence to count on and know that the professionals working for Volusia are supported and have the tools they need to do their jobs and that their facilities are not crumbling around them. My hope is that we can address each of these issues in addition to evaluating/assessing county departments and actually listen to the employees as to how we can work together to solve some issues.
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[CB&A Note: We asked Mr. Dinneen to comment about the editorial cited below. His response follows below and precedes the article: Dinneen Comment: This article was written after the County Council had already accepted my resignation in good standing. While in an organization, especially the size and complexity of Volusia County the disbursement of information can be quite challenging, there has never been a situation where staff or myself purposely withheld information. (Chairman, Ed Kelley can verify the aforementioned statement if requested) Moreover, the overall flavor of this article is negatively impacted by the author’s obvious displeasure over the reported amount of my severance, which was before taxes and included 12 years of unused vacation. Both current and past Council members have discouraged use of my vacation; therein creating a large balance that appears to artificially inflate my severance.]
Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) June 24, 2018
Council must commit to transparency Considering all the sound and fury that surrounded Jim Dinneen’s resignation as Volusia County manager, you might have expected him to deliver a parting shot to the peasants with pitchforks outside the castle walls. Something along the lines of Richard Nixon’s bitter epigram to the press after losing the 1962 race for California governor: “You don’t have Nixon to kick around anymore.” Instead, his farewell speech was as gentle as a Unitarian sermon. At Tuesday’s County Council meeting, Dinneen kept his remarks brief, focusing almost exclusively on the council’s search for his successor, before concluding, “I will just say that it has been a wonderful 12 years.” Period. Of course, it’s easier to be magnanimous when you’re walking out the door with more than $405,000 in severance pay and benefits. The recriminations were left to the council members, several of whom leveled volleys of vitriol at “the social media circus extravaganza” that treated the county manager the way a starving pit bull eyes a ribeye steak. Their targets for criticism included Sheriff Mike Chitwood (“One of the most unprofessional sheriffs I’ve ever seen in my life,” Pat Patterson said), who has publicly and profanely railed against Dinneen, as well as their colleague, Heather Post, who they disliked even before she sought to depose Dinneen. It wasn’t that long ago, though, that the same members who had Dinneen’s back Tuesday were highly critical of him for keeping the recommendations of an impact fee study from them for two years. They didn’t know the report existed until The News-Journal’s Dustin Wyatt asked them about it over a week ago. Councilwoman Joyce Cusack told Wyatt that withholding that information was “troubling,” and that it made it harder for her to serve her constituents and make tough policy decisions. That was after the June 5 meeting when she asked Dinneen to “improve lines of communication.” Councilwoman Deb Denys told Wyatt it’s not the first time that county staff failed to present all the information to the council before a big vote. She called it “frustrating,” and said, “I don’t want to label this a staff issue. This is a management problem.” Councilwoman Billie Wheeler said being uninformed about the study was “upsetting.” Like
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Cusack, she had called for greater transparency at the previous meeting. “Communication. Transparency. I’m going to push this for the rest of my days (on council),” she said. Can I get an “amen” from the congregation? The next county manager not only needs to be more transparent and communicative with the council, the next council has to demand it. That means being proactive in seeking information, asking questions and probing the answers, instead of being reactive when they get blindsided. It’s not enough to constantly express disappointment you weren’t informed about something. If nothing changes, then eventually you become an enabler. Too many elected boards these days are content to cede too much power to their professional managers, and abdicate their responsibility to provide oversight. I’ve always believed that every public board needs at least one member to ask of every initiative: Why are we doing this? Do we need to do this? Is there a better or cheaper way to do this? The type of personality it requires to be that skunk in the pews sometimes leads to overreach. There can be a fine line between being a watchdog and a gadfly, although it often depends on one’s perspective. Entrenched interests don’t appreciate anyone questioning their reasons. More than anyone, Post has drawn antipathy from other council members, some of it earned — she grandstands, and sometimes is oblivious to or ignores protocol. But she’s also unafraid to yank the tiger’s tail. And if that’s part of her self-promotion, well, you know what they say about stopped clocks. She’s still asking the right questions. Someone has to. The council can demonstrate its commitment to transparency and oversight with its search for the new manager. Set the tone for the way forward by being open and involving the community, while requiring the same of each candidate.
Kent is The News-Journal’s Opinion page editor. His email is [email protected]. His phone number is 386-681-2248. Follow him on Twitter @DBNJskent.
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[CB&A Note: We asked Mr. Dinneen to comment about the editorial cited below. His response follows below and precedes the article: Dinneen Comment: This article is the personal view of a former one-term councilperson who was alone in his belief that the form of government in Volusia County should be radically changed. No one that I know who understands Volusia County government agrees with the extreme changes that he is promoting. It is interesting to note that the required ten year Charter Review Commission met during his tenure 2015-2016 to consider any appropriate Charter changes and in the end recommended no modifications to the current Charter structure.]
Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) June 24, 2018
COMMUNITY VOICES Change charter to provide for open government I am perhaps the last person who should sum up former Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen, since I spent the least amount of time with him, unable to tolerate his constant, transparent lies, earnestly told, with the unction of received wisdom. Did he really think that I was that stupid? I was constantly offended. A defect in my ego, to be sure, one which Sheriff Mike Chitwood seems to share. Others seemed not to mind, and Dinneen took on the character of the council’s pampering attendant, quick with a manipulated study, a disingenuous promise, or a deal to give taxpayer money to the rich with little economic justification or demonstrated public benefit. Will Dinneen’s departure usher in an era of good government? No. The county’s power structure and its poorly drafted, antiquated charter will remain. When there are only a handful of big-money donors funding political campaigns, miracles will be in short supply, particularly now that the rich have come to display their power not by building public monuments, but by raiding taxpayer funds. We cannot change that, but we can change the charter to provide for an open, transparent government. We can watch them do it. The charter needs budgeting and fiscal integrity provisions. The most important would be to provide for an internal auditor that reports directly to the council and the public, not the manager. The fiscal integrity provisions should prevent the county manager from changing council decisions by transferring funds without council approval, from pretending to fund projects or positions for which there is no money, from using budgeted money for other purposes, and from producing budgets so opaque that not even our external auditors understand them. The internal auditor should review the county manager’s budget and actions for compliance with the fiscal integrity ordinance, evaluate the efficiency of management, the spending of the departments, the inefficiencies in administration, and review each taxpayer giveaway for its actual purpose, return on investment, and contribution to the public welfare. The internal auditor should conduct such investigations as the council may assign, and it should issue regular written reports to the council and the public. The internal auditor must have a staff and full investigative authority without any interference from the county manager.
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The charter should require the council to develop a strategic plan, setting the course for the next 20 years. There should be a timetable of interim goals, leading to the realization of the plan. Without goals, it is impossible to evaluate the performance of a manager or the council. Taxpayer giveaways should be measured against whether they advance those goals, create unexpected benefits, or create undesirable tradeoffs. The charter should provide for a formal organization of all governments in the county. With 16 cities, none of them dominate, we need an organization capable of dealing with regional issues important to us all – homelessness, water, environmental protection, economic development, and planning. The State of Florida is abdicating its responsibility in those areas, shifting the burden down to local government. We are not prepared. Finally, the charter should provide for a strong elected county chairman, with a salary tied to the salary paid circuit court judges. We have people in their late 30s to their 50s with the drive to move the county forward if the job paid enough for them to take a break in their careers and still support their families. A chairman with real power and ability, could effectively represent us in Central Florida, something SunRail alone shows we badly need. With such reforms, you still might not like what the county government does, but at least you would know what it is doing. With an elected chairman, we would have someone who could represent us here and on a bigger stage, and someone we could hold accountable.
Daniels, a Daytona Beach attorney, served on the Volusia County Council from 2013 through 2016.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) June 15, 2018
Volusia manager Dinneen had good run in bad times A city or county manager’s tenure in office may be measured in dog years. A year on the job equals seven in a normal occupation. This is an itinerant ministry that’s always one election away from ending. Given that, Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen’s dozen years represent a good, long run. Dinneen announced Thursday that he would be stepping down effective Jan. 11. He has been Volusia County’s fourth manager since the county went to the council-manager form of government in 1971. The only manager to serve longer was the first county manager, Tom Kelly, whose tenure ran from 1971 to 1994. These have not been a good few months for Dinneen. His handling of the long-simmering problems with the county medical examiner’s office struck many as more focused on damage control than in fixing the deficiencies of a vital county service. Deficiencies that went well beyond mere “bad luck,” in the infelicitous phrase of the new interim examiner. And a push for a local-option sales tax to address transportation needs fell apart amid concerns that it was more about keeping impact fees low for developers than about building roads. Finally, he clashed repeatedly with Sheriff Mike Chitwood, disputes that had their roots in the nature of the Volusia County Charter but also in the men’s opposed management styles, personalities and goals. The popular sheriff is a man in a hurry and Dinneen is not one to move impulsively.
Dinneen’s supporters laud him as a systematic problem solver who works smoothly behind the scenes and reacts quickly to emergencies without drama. Opponents complain of a secretive autocrat who lacks a larger vision. Neither side is entirely wrong. Dinneen came to the job just as the Great Housing Bubble was about to burst and spent most of his tenure steering county government through the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. This was a recession that hit Florida earlier and harder than the nation as a whole. The unemployment rate in Volusia County reached 12.8 percent in January 2010 compared with 9.8 percent nationally. But the downturn also created precisely the kind of problems Dinneen was best at solving. In his previous job as city manager of Dayton, Ohio, he pulled the city out of a fiscal morass. He reversed an almost $12 million city budget deficit, cut more than 400 positions and reduced the cost of city government. Dinneen was so good at reacting to fiscal crises and economic downturns that handling growth and articulating longer-term goals for an area on the move put him on less familiar ground. He remained in austerity mode well after things improved. In a time of accelerating growth, an area infrastructure deficit and stressed county services, he focused on paying down the county debt to zero. One reason the medical examiner's office problems had unexpected resonance was that they seemed indicative the county’s wider issues with deferred maintenance, understaffing and putting needed projects off for one more budget cycle to make the numbers work. Dinneen created a more streamlined county management structure, but over time this also made for more top-down decision making. And in more top-down organizations, warnings about trouble are harder to hear. Often the county seemed surprised on encountering criticism. In giving the County Council ample time to prepare for his exit, Dinneen characteristically laid the foundation
Page 44 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) for an orderly transition, one that won’t scare away potential applicants. Past manager searches here have lasted as long as 17 months (when it hired Larry Arrington) and as little as four months (when it hired Dinneen). The council has a tall order in finding a replacement nearly as capable, which is why it must look nationally. After the current wave of criticism passes from memory, Dinneen will be remembered as the manager who successfully navigated the county through hard times. The days ahead demand new approaches, and it will not be easy for the County Council to find the kind of candidate who can move them forward.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal, The: Web Edition Articles (FL) June 14, 2018
Read Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen's retirement letter Below is the text from County Manager Jim Dinneen's resignation letter released Thursday: June 13, 2018 Dear County Council Members, They say time flies when you're having fun. If so, then that explains why the last 12 1/2 years in Volusia County have been fabulous and fleeting. The 17 different Council members I have worked for during this period have for the most part been some of the greatest people, with big hearts, I have ever met, trying to make their community better. Complementing and supporting this honorable group has been an evolving cadre of professional staff second to none anywhere in the public sector. That's why retiring from this group June 19, 2018 will be very bittersweet. But as with all things, change takes place creating new opportunities for the organization and for myself. I have always wanted to embark upon at least one, if not two more career opportunities after my stint as Volusia County Manager. However, new and changing issues, challenges and the fear of leaving friends seemed to constantly postpone new adventures. At last, the opportune time to retire has presented itself this summer. With finalizing another balanced budget, a recommendation for roll-back, and the notion of zero debt in the general fund within our grasp, the time has come to let a new manager lead. While I can happily walk away leaving the organization better and more fiscally sound then when I found it, I can do so (or so I think) with some semblance of youth on my side of the balance sheet. Based upon my current contract and my desire to make the transition very professional and inviting, I will not be packing my bags until January 11, 2019. We will yet muster through a budget season, hurricane season, and election year together, allowing the Council ample time to follow whatever manager selection process it chooses and leaving a little time at the end of the year for relocation by the new leader, if necessary. It's been a "hell of a ride" but all the really good ones come to an end too quickly. Sincerely,
James T. Dinneen County Manager
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[CB&A Note: Regretfully, we need to advise you that, before you read the following article, please bear in mind Sheriff Chitwood tends to make controversial statements. For example, on July 6, 2018, the Daytona Beach New Press published the following, “In a single 41-minute radio interview, Sheriff Mike Chitwood called his predecessor an “ass” and accused Volusia County government of being corrupt while denigrating the performance of the three men on the County Council. But it was a “salacious” remark about Councilwoman Deb Denys that’s drawn a strong backlash and has even Chitwood conceding he “probably crossed the line.” In responding this week to a comment attributed to Denys about low staffing levels at the sheriff’s office, Chitwood told local radio host Marc Bernier, “The only thing she (Denys) knows about policing is where the fur-lined handcuffs are on her headboard.” For the full article, go to: http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/20180706/volusia-sheriff-chitwoods-salacious- comment-about-councilwoman-draws-fire]
Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) June 9, 2018
It’s not uncommon for Dr. Jon Thogmartin to get the call for Author: Dustin Wyatt It’s not uncommon for Dr. Jon Thogmartin to get the call for help in the wake of a crisis at a medical examiner’s office. In 2014, he was brought in to assess how things were being run in Jacksonville after a medical examiner faced allegations of mismanagement. Years earlier, St. Johns County’s medical examiner unexpectedly resigned leaving a vacancy atop the department. Guess who they pegged to keep the office afloat? That’s when State Attorney R.J. Larizza met Thogmartin and witnessed his quality of work. “I was very pleased,” he said. “He’s very capable and competent.” Larizza was pleasantly surprised when he learned on May 25 that Volusia County was also planning to offer a temporary job to Thogmartin, who’s already poised to change operating procedures, add weekend hours and more staff with the intention of recapturing accreditation that was lost in 2015. Yet while nobody disputes the experienced doctor’s qualifications, some residents and Sheriff Mike Chitwood have questioned the timing of his job offer and whether it clouded an independent analysis he was tasked with providing. The sheriff called for the state Attorney General to appoint an independent investigator to review the Volusia medical examiner’s office and the county’s handling of a crisis, which reached a head following the abrupt departure of Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Sara Zydowicz, who inked a letter to the state complaining of “dangerous conditions” that threatened to “tarnish her reputation,” prompting her resignation after about a month on the job. Chitwood called County Manager Jim Dinneen’s process in hiring Thogmartin “shady,” but the manager said he did nothing wrong and needed to move quickly. If not for Thogmartin’s hiring this week by the County Council, Volusia’s morgue would have been without a doctor going into this weekend.
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The head of the Florida Medical Examiners Commission called Chitwood’s criticism on social media “counter-productive.” “Nobody is going to want to come to an office that is in constant turmoil, that has stakeholders throwing constant barbs on social media,” said Dr. Stephen Nelson, chairman of the commission. “This is not part of what a search should be for a professional. We are not talking about a dog catcher; we are talking about a pathologist and there’s only about 400 in the country.” One of the first things Thogmartin said he planned to do after assuming his role Friday was to meet with the sheriff in hopes of putting an end to the criticism. In his 20-year career that includes fixing morgues much worse than Volusia’s, he’s never experienced this level of online vitriol. “It’s really, really tough,” he said. “I plan to meet with the sheriff. I want to say: ‘Tell me what your concerns are, how can I fix them?’ That’s what I do. I fix things.” ‘Bad luck’ Thogmartin will have his work cut out for him cleaning up an office he described as having fallen on a bit of “bad luck” lately. In December, Marie Herrmann retired after 11 years as chief medical examiner. Her replacement, Zydowicz, surprised county leaders when she announced her intentions to resign in May and then shocked them with her letter. That was followed by assistant medical examiner Andrew Koopmeiners announcing his resignation recently to pursue another job opportunity in Georgia. On Tuesday, the County Council voted, 6-1, on a $780,000 contract for Thogmartin to staff the office through Dec. 31, a move Thogmartin said was necessary to avoid the risk of “falling off a cliff.” How Thogmartin came to get the offer is among the questions scrutinized by Chitwood. At Dinneen’s request, the doctor toured Volusia’s facility on May 25 to evaluate Zydowicz’s criticisms. He did the job as a professional courtesy, he said, not charging the county. He gave a verbal report to county staff afterward, disputing Zydowicz’s claims that the morgue could be dangerous. He later sent a written report to the County Council, “as a courtesy,” he said.
Following the tour and verbal report, Dinneen said he asked Thogmartin if he’d be interested in the interim job. In an email sent the same day to Larizza, Dinneen made it seem like Thogmartin’s hiring was a done deal. “He (Thogmartin) will serve as interim ME,” the email said. Dinneen later said he was checking to see if the state attorney had any objections. “I would not have recommended (Thogmartin) if R.J. had come back and said there were problems,” he said. “I always run it by the state attorney.” After Chitwood questioned the timing of the hiring, Councilwoman Deb Denys asked Thogmartin if the prospect of a job slanted his report, which he’d given at no charge as a professional courtesy. “I’ve heard we should discredit your report because you did it for free, because we possibly may choose to hire you on a contract basis as an interim,” Denys told Thogmartin. The doctor — who’s authored more than 10 scholarly publications and has served on four national and state boards during the course of his more than 20-year career — dismissed any rumors of quid pro quo. “I have one reputation and so far it’s good and I want to keep it,” he said. “I’m not going to color it. I tried to keep it objective; I’m a forensic scientist, so I tried to keep it scientific.” There’s nothing subjective about Thogmartin’s review, said Nelson with the state commission, who had noticed discrepancies with Zydowicz’s letter. For example, she claimed the office,
Page 48 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) staffed by 15 employees, needs as many as 39. That’s a ridiculously high number, he said. “There’s nothing nefarious here,” Nelson said. “He (Thogmartin) spent all day at the morgue, watched people conduct autopsies and was looking at policies at the morgue and procedures. On the way out of the door, he talks to the county manager and told him that this isn’t as bad as everyone says it is.” During his report to the council, Thogmartin identified issues that had been contributing to years of storage problems and hundreds of unfinished autopsy reports: no weekend hours, cooler space occupied by things that shouldn’t be there, clerical workers doing work outside of their job descriptions, and other ineffective operating procedures. All problems he planned to fix. Some council members viewed his presentation as proof that the morgue has been subject to years of mismanagement, dating back to 2015 when the office was stripped of its national accreditation due largely to staffing and space problems. “A lot of this has been ginned up that I think is undeserved,” Councilman Pat Patterson said before he and five other council members — excluding Heather Post — voted to approve a contract. “I’m happy with the direction we are going. I’m ready to move on, make the changes we need to make and get the confidence back with the public.” ‘Screwed up’ process Chitwood said the way Dinneen hired Thogmartin, without ensuring the public was aware when the deal was established, hurt public confidence. “Nobody is saying anything about the doctor” or his abilities, Chitwood said in a phone interview. “But the whole process has been screwed up, and it’s in no way transparent, and it’s not the way you build public trust.” He saw more evidence of that at Tuesday’s meeting. After Post — the lone nay vote on the deal — grilled management about taking accountability for long-standing issues at the morgue, Dinneen told her that neither Herrmann nor Zydowicz ever asked for anything that they weren’t provided and that no complaints have gone before the state board. On Facebook, Chitwood called attention to an email Herrmann sent to county management in 2015 after doctors from the accrediting board visited and found problems. The email mentions “significant deficiencies regarding odor in the public areas, inadequate general storage.” Given his familiarity with Thogmartin and his work, Larizza said there’s no reason for anyone to doubt the doctor’s assessment — or ability to make fixes in the county’s morgue. “I know Dr. Thogmartin and I’ll take his (analysis) on its face and I take him at his word,” Larizza said. “He’s an excellent medical examiner and he never steered me wrong. I have a positive history with him and that’s why I rely on him.”
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[CB&A Note: We asked Mr. Dinneen to comment about the editorial cited below. His response follows below and precedes the article: Dinneen Comment: This article was written before Dr. Jon Thogmartin presented his report to the County Council. I put this issue on the agenda at a public meeting so that the Council could hear directly from the Doctor on the facts concerning the Medical Examiner’s Office and decide on a course of action. After a thorough presentation by Dr. Thogmartin and a lengthy question and answer session the Council was completely satisfied with his report. The Council was convinced that Dr. Zydowicz mischaracterized the situation and went on to hire Dr. Thogmartin to act as the interim Medical Examiner which continues at this time.]
Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) June 5, 2018
Council must dig deeper on ME Shortly before Dr. Sara Zydowicz resigned in May as medical examiner after just one month on the job, she sent a letter to the chairman of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Medical Examiners Commission that listed several issues she said plagued the office. They included insufficient morgue space, inadequate staffing, “potentially dangerous conditions,” and difficulty getting county leaders to provide requested information or to hire additional help. In response, the county hired Dr. Jon Thogmartin to conduct an independent review of the ME office. His report will be officially presented to the council at today’s meeting, but the details already have been made public. His verdict is virtually the complete opposite of Zydowicz’s: The conditions at the office “are not critical, dangerous, or harmful,” and the office is actually “one of the most squared away” he’d ever encountered. Both County Manager Jim Dinneen and County Chair Ed Kelley proclaimed themselves not only satisfied with Thogmartin’s report, but vindicated by it. It proves Zydowicz “mischaracterized” the situation and that “the fears that she created among the public were exaggerated and unwarranted,” Dinneen said. How can two medical examiners reach such different conclusions merely weeks apart? Why would Zydowicz have embellished the situation as she was heading out the door? In probing Zydowicz’s possible motives, council members also should examine Thogmartin’s — because the county just hired him to be the interim medical examiner. Thus does Thogmartin’s “independent” report instantly become tainted by the appearance of a conflict of interest. Exactly when was he approached about taking over the ME office? Did he shape his conclusions in order to curry favor with the people who could hire him? County officials may think they doused a fire with Thogmartin’s report, but hiring him immediately afterward only poured gasoline on the flames of public opinion. Ham-handed doesn’t begin to describe how sloppy and tone-deaf that move is. At minimum, it undermines the validity of the report. Council members today should grill Dinneen on how and why that decision was made, keeping in mind the County Charter dictates that the county manager “shall be responsible to the council for the proper administration of all affairs of the county.” Then the council should demand another review of the ME office, one that is truly independent.
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Credit Councilwoman Heather Post for taking her seat’s responsibilities seriously. Last week she posted on her Facebook page in which she said she showed up unannounced at the ME office to check it out with her own eyes. She said after initially being denied entrance, once she was admitted inside staff said they were told they were not allowed to answer her questions. Kelley criticized Post for getting too involved in day-to-day operations at the morgue — not the first time the chair has disagreed with the councilwoman’s methods. But in this case Post was justified in seeking answers. While it is true the charter expressly prohibits council members from “interfering with the performance of the duties of any employee of the county government who is under the direct or indirect supervision of the county manager,” it makes an exception doing so “for the purposes of inquiry and information.” Post in another video decried the “lack of transparency between the manager level and the county level,” and said, “Things are definitely not run according to the organizational chart.” It’s time the council asserted its chartered power to hold the administration accountable for its actions, instead of rubber-stamping its decisions.
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[CB&A Note: We asked Mr. Dinneen to comment about the editorial cited below. His response follows below and precedes the article: Dinneen Comment: This article is about the campaign by the “new” Sheriff to have the Charter changed. The formal response to this article by the County Chair, Ed Kelley, which was published in the newspaper June 3, is the best response to this issue. Mr. Kelly’s editorial follows the one below.]
Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) May 27, 2018
Showdown at Charter Gulch There are days when I get the impression that Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood doesn’t like County Manager Jim Dinneen. Those would be all the days that end in “y.” Chitwood and Dinneen are like two alpha dogs who occupy the same fenced-in area, one of whom likes to bark loudly when seeking attention. As a law enforcement leader — first as chief of the Daytona Beach police, now as sheriff — Chitwood has trained his officers to de-escalate confrontations with suspects as much as possible, and to pursue peaceful resolutions of conflict. As a public official, though, he has been quick on the draw to aim his rhetorical fire at Dinneen, mostly in disagreements over management of the Sheriff’s Office. Last year, Chitwood had been in office barely three months when he leveled a broadside at the county manager, calling him a “lying sack of (excrement).” “Either he has Alzheimer’s disease, or he’s a pathological liar,” the sheriff added. Several months later, he complained he felt the County Council, and county manager, were “basically yelling at me to go f*** myself.” The enmity boiled over again last week when The News-Journal published a Community Voices column from Chitwood in which he harshly criticized Dinneen and reiterated that the County Charter invests in the manager too much power and too little accountability. The vulgar personal attacks are unprofessional and unbecoming of an elected official. Chitwood should leave that Yosemite Sam stuff to the bloggers. And yet, his complaints shouldn’t be casually dismissed. It’s important to separate two issues here: the structure, and its occupant. There’s the charter’s delineation of powers, which intentionally leave the elected sheriff subservient to the county government. And there’s Jim Dinneen’s management style and performance, which rubs a lot of people like 20-grit sandpaper. Chitwood has joined with other Florida sheriffs in supporting a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would undo Volusia County’s charter, which for nearly 50 years has put the office of sheriff (and other departments) under the county administration’s budgetary control. His predecessor, Ben Johnson, somehow figured out how to successfully operate under it for four terms without lobbing verbal grenades. I hope the amendment fails to pass. Counties should have the ability to decide their form of government, and the charter has served Volusia reasonably well for a half-century. If tweaks need to be made to it, a charter review commission convenes every 10 years to propose them. Any changes should come from inside the community, not imposed on it from outside. As for
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Chitwood’s frustration with Dinneen, well, the line forms to the rear, and it is getting longer. Dinneen deserves high marks for how he piloted the county finances through the rocky shoals of the Great Recession. More recently, though, there are mounting examples of “miscommunication” between the county administration and municipalities, and even the County Council. There are numerous complaints about his autocratic methods. He has too much influence on the council agenda. His administration has become too “vertical,” when it should be “flatter.” Some of that goes with the territory of serving as county manager for 12 years. Familiarity breeds contempt. But a lot of the blame ultimately rests with the County Council. For too long it has abdicated its responsibility to conduct oversight of the county manager. It has become too deferential to a manager who serves at a simple majority of the council’s pleasure. Council members are content to operate on auto-pilot, and then when something blows up — such as with the Medical Examiner’s Office — they’re left stammering about being ignorant of the problem. There’s a lot of ground between micromanaging the professional staff and giving them carte blanche. Elected officials are entrusted by the voters to find the proper balance. That’s their job. They need to start doing it better. Regardless of whether the antipathy toward Dinneen is justified, that’s no excuse for upending the charter system of governance. It’s bigger than one man, or one feud. You change managers, not charters. Opinion Piece June 3, 2018
ED KELLEY: County’s charter form of government works
Let the voters of Volusia County decide. Yes, the current council/manager form of government spelled out in our charter does work for all departments and residents/taxpayers of Volusia County.
The resignation of Dr. Sara Zydowicz, after only one month on the job as medical examiner, shocked me and many others. She said her resignation was for personal reasons. If it was for personal reasons then why in her letter to Dr. Stephen Nelson, chairman of the Florida Medical Examiners Commission, did she list numerous conditions as to why she could not continue? One would think that since she had been employed through contract services by the medical examiner, Dr. Marie Herrmann, for 1½ years she surely would have had knowledge before accepting the position.
Dr. Herrmann had effectively and efficiently managed the department for over 11 years independently without interference from management. During that time the only issue that stood out was losing full accreditation because of the age of our current facility. In Florida, according to the National Association of Medical Examiners, only nine of the 24 districts have full accreditation. Since we will no longer be providing services to Seminole County, I feel that once a medical examiner is hired that person can provide input and direction to building a new facility and that could allow for full accreditation.
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Her list of concerns created a media frenzy. While many accepted the letter at face value, County Manager Jim Dinneen asked for an independent, third-party review and analysis of the issues. The findings will be presented at the County Council meeting Tuesday, but were already released with the posting of the county meeting agenda. As I and the county administration expected, Dr. Jon Thogmartin has expressed that Volusia County is one of the most squared away Medical Examiner’s Offices.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood (with whom I have a good relationship) seized this opportunity to promote his support for an upcoming constitutional amendment and was critical of the current county charter and how it has worked since 1971. (“County manager has too much power, too little accountability,” Community Voices, May 20). The constitutional amendment question asks all voters in Florida to make the following constitutional officers: supervisor of elections, clerk of court, property appraiser, and sheriff (and we would have to add the Office of Tax Collector). I don’t like the idea of 66 other counties controlling our charter. If you want to amend our charter, let the voters of Volusia County decide.
There has been a war of words from Sheriff Chitwood aimed at the county manager and county charter. During a public County Council meeting I advised the sheriff to come directly to me if he had needs that were not being fulfilled by the administration. He has never come to me with an issue.
The sheriff, supervisor of elections, clerk of court and property appraiser submit budget requests, and it is your elected council members, not the manager, who control the approval. Our council puts your public safety and protection at the top of our priorities, as evidenced by last year’s successful collective bargaining agreement for three years with Sheriff’s Office deputies. We approved funding the department with more resources than ever before. In fact, last year The News-Journal reported on Aug. 7 and 8 when he was asked about the budget and getting everything he requested, Chitwood said: “I’m surprised. Everything that we’ve asked for is in the budget, and I’m grateful for that.”
So I ask you, is it true that the county manager has too much control? Your elected council members, not the county manager, control the budget funding. In rereading the column by Sheriff Chitwood on May 20, I would like to know who are the select few deep pockets and government officials he refers to who control our county and who will stop at nothing to keep a grip on power. Who are the “powers that be”? Maybe he will tell us. In my 16-plus years of public service, with the city of Ormond Beach as a commissioner and mayor or as chair of the Volusia County Council, I have never been influenced by or asked to vote on a matter based upon a campaign contribution by anyone. This, too, I believe to be true for those I serve with on the council.
Let’s move forward together operating with our open transparent council/manager form of government governed by our charter.
Kelley is the Volusia County chair.
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Hometown News: Deland-Lake Helen, Deleon Springs, Pierson (FL) May 11, 2018
County Council postpones sales tax referendum Author: Gina McKee At the request of Volusia County’s 16 cities, voters will not see a referendum for a half-cent sales tax increase on their ballots in November. Instead, the council will begin workshops in June to review and perhaps revise developers’ impact fees, which haven’t changed since 2003, council members said after postponing the scheduled vote to place the sales tax on the ballot. At a roundtable discussion Monday, April 30, at Daytona International Airport, Volusia County mayors agreed now is not the time for the tax referendum, noting issues ranging from an over- crowded ballot to growing public displeasure with growth in the county. “We got to the line of scrimmage and things changed a little bit … when we adopted our resolution (in favor of the half-cent sales tax) we didn’t know how many items were going to be on the ballot,” DeLand Mayor Bob Apgar said. In addition to an over-crowded ballot, on which the referendum would potentially get lost in mix, a new mandate from the state requiring audits of of sales tax uses before it goes on the ballot added to the mayors’ concerns. “The issue of the audit was a new issue that came through the process,” Mayor Apgar said. “I think all of us have worked hard to get to this point and I think it’s important that we give both our citizens and our communities the best opportunity to have meaningful dialogue on all these issues.” The mayors also cited public education on the issues, including those regarding impact fees, as a need before the referendum could have any chance of success. Funding is needed for the projects necessary to deal with a boom of growth across the county as well, said Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington, “Ormond Beach has critical infrastructure needs without a defined funding source … so we want to make sure we give this (sales tax referendum) the best chance of success,” Mayor Partington said. “I know each of the cities, and the county overall, has their own critical needs as well. Even though I was frustrated when I first learned of this, the more I thought about it, the more I felt a delay is needed.” Informed choices are critical, and if the referendum pushes forward in a rush against the odds, the municipalities may lose their chance altogether, said County Manager James Dinneen. “I understand where (the mayors) are coming from, and the funding is needed, but I think you only get one chance at this, and if you blow it, you thrown away your opportunity for years and years to come,” Mr. Dinneen said. “I don’t think the problem is going to go away, but (if we postpone) maybe we get more of an opportunity to get this done right, and not under a time crunch.” Although tabled for now, the referendum could see new life next spring in a special election.
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[CB&A Note: We asked Mr. Dinneen to comment about the editorial cited below. His response follows below and precedes the article: Dinneen Comment: The factual basis of this article is completely inaccurate. The City of DeLand and Volusia County have been working closely for several years on a redevelopment plan for downtown DeLand that included the old jail. This project came to fruition just recently with both governments signing a mutual agreement utilizing the old jail property for economic development.]
West Volusia Beacon, The: Web Edition Articles (FL) April 5, 2018
Mark Barker: County irresponsible in handling of Old Jail Author: Editor
You may have noticed that Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen and our elected marionettes on the Dais of Power in DeLand, occupy a perennial place on my blacklist each week. Why? Because of their pomposity and haughty condescension toward the municipalities — and their constituents — in matters large and small. That's why. Let me give you a recent example. In early 2016, the County of Volusia and the City of DeLand — which is arguably the most progressive and best-managed community in the region — entered negotiations to swap a municipal annex currently being rented by the county for $50,000 annually, for the former Volusia County jail, a decrepit, now valueless county-owned building that occupies prime real estate in America's best downtown. One of the pinch points in these negotiations came when County Manager Jim Dinneen had the petty gall to demand a promise from city officials that the Old Jail "would be used for development."
According to a February 2017 article in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Dinneen arrogantly tut-tutted, "We don't want to swap property and for them to turn it into a park. … We are really interested in creating jobs. We want to know what kind of economic development plan they have." Hey, Jimmy — step outside your friggin' office. That successful Downtown you see is what kind of an "economic development" plan DeLand has. What an insufferable ninny. Unless it involves handing millions in public funds to his political handlers to benefit private projects, Little Jimmy is clueless when it comes to the mechanics of actual economic-development initiatives. Rather than provide basic preventive maintenance — even to the building's visibly shabby exterior — in typical fashion, Mr. Dinneen has simply allowed the Old Jail to decompose. As a result, our building has become a worthless environmental disaster that will ultimately cost the City of DeLand some $200,000 to demolish and haul off. You read that right. Ultimately, it's money well-spent. Dinneen is sitting on another publicly owned building gone to seed on his watch, while demanding "promises" from the City of DeLand before they can be allowed to repurpose the squalor that's been holding up progress for decades? Wow. In keeping with their commitment to get it right, DeLand enlisted the help of a regional architectural and engineering firm to create a vision for how the property can best enhance the quaint dining and entertainment district on Georgia Avenue and beyond. Now, the city is asking
Page 56 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) stakeholders — the citizens of DeLand — to suggest private investors and developers who would be willing to partner on the project. (Can you recall the last time Volusia County asked our opinion on anything?) The fact is, Jim Dinneen and his highly paid administration didn't have a clue what to do with the Old Jail, and those dullards we elected to represent our interests were even less inspired. If they cared a whit about public-resource management, jobs or a viable economic-development plan, the building wouldn't have been allowed to deteriorate into what the editor of DeLand's hometown newspaper, The Beacon, called a "trash-strewn ghetto." Unbelievable? Not really. We've come to expect it. Now that he's standing for re-election, perhaps it's time the citizens of West Volusia ask their elected representative — "Sleepy" Pat Patterson — exactly when he plans to start representing their interests? It's the "vision" thing, folks. You either have it, or you don't.
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[CB&A Note: We asked Mr. Dinneen to comment about the editorial cited below. His response follows below and precedes the article: Dinneen Comment: The Volusia County Council never considered a land purchase using gas taxes. The County administration has been charged to find a location for a new Public Works service center using transportation trust funds. Various options were reviewed and presented by the Public Works and Engineering staffs to the Council. The County never perused the option in the article because its price appeared to be higher than appraised value. In an interesting footnote this same property recently sold to a private party for significantly more than was offered to the County.]
West Volusia Beacon, The: Web Edition Articles (FL) January 12, 2018
Tanner Andrews: Passing gas taxes and the County Council Author: Editor We all do things we're not proud of. Sometimes it is by accident; no one means to spill grape juice all over the studio on live radio. True, it will be impossible to clean, but it was an accident. Other times, people do things because they do not expect to be found out. County Manager Jim Dinneen is on top of that one. Recently, Dinneen had the County Council set to pay $1.9 million to buy land for a new public-works mansion out in the swamps of Samsula. He never expected that anyone would find out that the land was appraised for less than half the price. When that came out, he had to flee from the odor. Of course, it was not Dinneen's fault. It was approved by five different bureaucrats, but it came out on the agenda by accident. They did not mean to throw away an extra million over the value of the land; it was an accident. For now, the purchase has gone down the memory hole. The document link for that one item has mysteriously gone away from the online agenda. And everyone but the manager is to blame. Blame the five bureaucrats. Blame the clerk. But never, never blame the guy at the top. No matter how bad an odor surrounds him, never ever blame the County Manager. Dinneen wants to build a monument to public works, deep in the swamps of Samsula. It is probably best that way. If the public saw where their money went, they might object. The objections would be particularly strong if people knew that they plan to divert gas-tax money to the project. This is all while they are crying for more money to build roads. At least they offer an excuse: The amount of money wasted here would not build a lot of roads. Blowing a few millions for a public-works monument in the swamp is gas-tax money not going to the roads. The County Council will still approve the next big traffic-generating development. However, as a matter of safety, the land- buy information has disappeared for now. See? All gone. No need to be ashamed. It was vapor, a gas, a mere nothing. And you can tell what the county manager is thinking — he will bring that land deal back soon, buried deeper in hopes that no one smells it this time.
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Ormond Beach Observer (FL) January 4, 2018
Ambulance Service Cities look for more availability and better response times to fix a ‘broken system’ Author: NICHOLE OSINSKI Concerns about how Volusia County’s EVAC ambulance system is being run has led some cities to seek alternatives to providing timely service to people in both emergency and non-emergency situations. Last fiscal year in the city of Port Orange, EVAC arrived within 15 minutes of Port Orange Fire Department vehicles 98.5% of the time, within 10 minutes 95.4% of the time and arrived ahead of the Fire Department 31.5% of the time, according to data from the county. But the response times in one Volusia city impact the response times in others because the resources are shared. MORE 911 CALLS An increased call volume is part of the issue to providing timely responses, according to Holly Hill Fire Chief and Volusia County Fire Chiefs’ Association President Jim Bland. Bland noted that in Holly Hill, the department was running approximately 3,000 calls on six stations each year in 1988 when he first started. Now, he said, there are seven stations with less staff, and there are 24,000 calls per the year. “Availability is pretty spotty. It’s been going on for quite a while,” Bland said. According to Port Orange Fire Chief Ken Fustin, there has been no significant increase in the number of field units made available by Volusia County EMS after taking over EVAC in 2011-2012. Fustin recommended that the county add additional response units to the daily ambulance rotation. Ormond Beach Fire Chief Bob Mandarino said that the last time he had requested availability, the county provided information that showed appropriate response times. However, Mandarino said this is not the case with what he is seeing out in the field. “We’re similar to Port Orange where we’re experiencing delays,” Mandarino said. “You can just throw more units out on the road, but there’s a huge cost associated with that.” NON-EMERGENCY CALLS In addition to call volume, Fustin noted that available resources are also stretched due to increasing population and an increase in the number of 911 calls for non-emergency situations. Some residents are calling 911 essentially for a ride to the hospital for non-medical related issues, such as food or a shower. Bland agreed, saying many non-emergency calls, such as reporting a stubbed toe, have hindered ambulance service. “All participants in the prehospital care business need to be utilized to their greatest extent possible,” Fustin wrote in an email. “That is currently not being done, because of economic reasons.” During an Eggs and Issues meeting, Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen said county officials are seeking other ways for people to get emergency services while at the same time freeing up EMS services from responding to non-emergency situations. According to Dinneen, of the 92,000 calls that the county received last year, real emergencies amounted to about 1%, with around 100 of those calls being life or death situations. “The big issue we have with a lot of people is ... they get older and they don’t have a support system,” Dinneen said. “A lot of people, because they’re
Page 59 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) incapable of getting themselves to the doctor or not capable of taking their medicine, what happens is they allow themselves to get into a position where they call ambulance.” TRIAGE Addressing how important the calls are could help place ambulances where they are most needed. Dinneen said officials are trying to implement triage to understand what situations are immediate emergencies. Fustin is advocating a nurse triage position funded and filled at the county 911 center. According to Fustin, that role has been cut from the county budget in previous attempts. Through this position, medical calls would be screened. Fustin wrote that a triage of the medical calls could reduce the unnecessary EMS and fire responses. “Often times, both fire units and EVAC are sent because there are no other resources available that can be sent to these types of repetitive calls,” Fustin wrote. ‘PLUS’ PROGRAM Some cities, such as South Daytona, have bought an ambulance to help with the number of calls coming in. Through this PLUS ambulance program, cities buy, maintain and staff an additional ambulance that can be used for calls if no other county ambulance is available. However, while the program does provide additional means of transportation, the process to allow a city-owned ambulance transport has made some people hesitant to adopt this. According to Port Orange City Councilman Scott Stiltner a city ambulance cannot immediately be sent out to a call, even if that EMS service is the closest. Instead, the county has a period of time to try and send out EVAC. If none can take the call, then the city’s ambulance is given the green light to go to where the call came from. “Police and EMS fire services predominately use what is known as closest unit response unit methodology, meaning the closest unit to that emergency responds,” Stiltner said. “If you have an ambulance sitting in your bay, owned and payed for by municipalities, in the contract you have to wait for the county to get an ambulance en route.” Fustin wrote that the county should ease the restrictions and limitations placed on the municipal fire department’s PLUS units. This would allow the PLUS units to be sent when they are closer to a call. Through South Daytona’s PLUS program, 131 transports were made between Oct. 1, 2016, and Sept. 30, 2017. South Daytona City Manager Joseph Yarbrough said that the use of the ambulance, purchased in 2011, has grown. However, this last fiscal year the city spent $46,000 for the service but was only reimbursed around $20,000 as the billing is made through the county and not all patients pay their transport fees. However, Yarbrough is confident in the city’s decision to have the program. “It just made sense. We have service areas in the city and outside. We need to answer these calls in a timely manner,” Yarbrough said. “It’s a high level service.” RESPONSE INITIATIVE In April 2016, the Volusia County Fire Chiefs Association met with the county medical director in an attempt to establish a “right sized” response initiative. According to Fustin, the majority of what the fire chiefs recommended has yet to be enacted or was rejected by the county. “To my knowledge,” Fustin said, “the only thing that has been done as a result of those discussions was to stop sending fire department resources to medical calls at care facilities [that have] on-site trained medical personnel, like doctor’s offices, clinics, hospitals (yes, I said hospitals) and assisted living facilities.” Other initiatives have included taxi voucher and “modified release
Page 60 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) program” to assist in speeding up the return service times for fire units with the goal to increase ambulance availability. Bland said this proposal was brought to the county and has been started in Daytona Beach and Holly Hill. The program is in its early stages of development with April 2018 as the target to go live. According to Fustin, this is nearly two years after it was first discussed. Bland said finding alternative methods of transportation could also help reduce costs to patients. He noted that a patient being taken from Holly Hill to Halifax Hospital with no treatment can be charged around $600, a cost that is not always covered by Medicare or Medicaid. “We’re having incremental success,” Bland said. “The emergency medical system is totally broken, not just in Volusia County but in this country.”
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Hometown News: Deland-Lake Helen, Deleon Springs, Pierson (FL) December 29, 2017
Deputies to see increase in pay Author: Gina McKee Volusia County Sheriff’s Deputies will see pay increases, along with a retroactive raise, following unanimous approval of a three-year collective bargaining agreement by the Volusia County Council. The labor agreement between the county and the International Union of Police Associations, will bring starting pay for deputies up to $40,000 per year by the end of the three- year contract. In addition, the agreement will retroactively pay a 3 percent increase for 2016-17 that deputies did not receive because they did not have a contract that year, said Tom Motes, county human resources director. “This agreement resolves Fiscal Year 2016-17. It also provides for a three-year agreement, starting 2017-18, through 2019-20,” Mr. Motes said. “That agreement provides the first year of raising the minimums by 4 percent, with a 3 percent increase compression formula; the second year, the minimums will increase 4 percent; and the third year, the minimums will increase 4 percent with a 3 percent compression formula.” A compression formula allows for different raise amounts for different employees, which is unusual in a collective bargaining agreement, said County Manager Jim Dinneen, adding that it always has been a top priority of the county to make the department more competitive despite budget constraints. “I believe it was always the intent of the council, the administration and the VCSO to give the largest increase we could afford, and we wanted to make sure the retro pay for 2016-17 was paid, because people earned that money,” Mr. Dinneen said. “We wanted to make ourselves more competitive, and I think you’re going to see that by getting to $40 thousand yearly by the end of the three-year contract as the starting pay.” With a contract that spans three years as well as a pay increase, the county becomes more competitive in recruitment efforts, he added. “We want to reinforce retention and give multiple-year stability,” Mr. Dinneen said. “I think that’s really important in this economy, having a multi-year contract to offer that stability.” In fact, just knowing this contract was on the table already has given a boost to recruitment, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said. “For recruitment, we’ve already had at least seven other officers from other departments who are waiting for this to be approved because they want to come and work for us,” Sheriff Chitwood said. “This is huge for us as far as recruitment and retention.” Although the county and the union began the bargaining process on “polar opposite” ends of the spectrum, the hard work on both sides of the table has paid off and already has boosted morale, Sheriff Chitwood added. “In the end, I think what we did here really showed the employees how valuable they are,” he said.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) December 21, 2017
Land buy added ‘by accident’ Volusia manager says SR 44 purchase details not yet ready for council agenda Author: Dustin Wyatt Volusia County staff have been trying to purchase 132 acres on State Road 44 near Samsula, land they say would be a perfect fit for a new public works facility. A $1.9 million deal appeared set for a vote during today’s County Council meeting, but it never made it that far. Council members, in comments to The News-Journal and in individual closed-door meetings with county management, balked at the details of the agreement and its price tag — more than double the appraised value. It was removed from the agenda Monday. Now, County Manager Jim Dinneen says the 19-page report, which included a map of the property and was signed off on by five different employees, including a deputy county attorney and the deputy county manager, shouldn’t have been on the agenda in the first place.
“It got put on there by accident. I wasn’t ready to put it on there yet,” Dinneen said, adding that he spotted problems with the staff report, such as an error with the way the land was surveyed. “I didn’t read the approval. It slipped past me. No big deal. We took it off.” Council Vice Chair Deb Denys agrees the item wasn’t ready for council approval since the report excluded key details. If the county is going to take land along State Road 44 off the tax rolls for a public use, she wants to part with county-owned property along Canal Street and Riverside Drive in downtown New Smyrna Beach. There’s a multi-use, two-story building there that houses veterans services, sheriff’s and property appaiser’s operations and more, as well as a courthouse that is slated to close Friday. “That’s prime real estate,” she said. “There’s a lot of layers to this project. In the end, if we can lay the whole project out including selling those properties on Canal Street, this will be great.” Lowered price. This is the second time in as many years that a county proposal for the Samsula property, owned by Vincent Contestible, has fallen flat. In 2016, the offer was $2.5 million for 219 acres that would be used to consolidate five smaller, aging public works buildings scattered across the county into one centralized location — a project that’s on the county’s five-year capital improvement plan. The council said no and asked staff to come back with something cheaper, the agenda item now canceled. It’s also the second time this year that Dinneen has said a controversial agenda item had been put there by mistake. In April, a year-old request by Daytona Beach Shores to remove cars from 2 miles of beach perturbed residents when it appeared to be headed for a council vote. Dinneen said at the time it shouldn’t have been there, and it was removed. After department heads and deputy managers sign off on agenda items, they must get approval from Dinneen before they’re placed on the county’s website, the manager explained. How this property purchase wound up on there without Dinneen’s consent was the result of a clerical error by the County Council clerk, Marcy Zimmerman, Dinneen said. “She didn’t realize I hadn’t cleared it yet,” he said. Asked if council opinion or controversy surrounding an agenda item ever plays a factor on its removal, Dinneen said, “No, no, no. You’re not allowed to do that. We go out of the way to ensure that we never ask (council
Page 63 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) members) how they are going to vote.” The confusion comes ahead of a meeting today that includes votes on raises for 1,370 employees, totaling more than $2 million. One of the agenda items is a long-awaited contract agreement with the Volusia County Deputies Association that would give deputies raises between 3 and 25 percent and would increase the starting pay rate from $16.48 to $19.10, according to union president Brodie Hughes. Also on the agenda is the annual performance evaluation for Dinneen, who’s been county manager for 11 years, and County Attorney Dan Eckert, who’s had his position since 1989. Last December, the council awarded both leaders with a 3-percent raise, bringing Dinneen’s salary to $241,793, an increase of more than $7,000. Eckert’s raise brought his salary to $211,951. Unanswered questions. The county has five public works facilities scattered throughout the county. Some of them were built in the 1940s, some are located in flood zones and some have mold problems. The council in 2015 approved a plan to put all public works divisions — coastal, road and bridge, traffic engineering and construction, waste management and more — under one roof. Dinneen said $15 million in gas tax, mosquito control and stormwater funds have been set aside to buy the land and build the facility. It wouldn’t come from property taxes, and the amount of road money isn’t enough to use for large-scale construction projects, like the one a sales tax would help pay for. That referendum is expected by some elected officials to be on the ballot for voters next year. “We’ve been saving for this since I got here,” Dinneen said. “This (building) is the key to maintaining roads. Transportation is more than just paving the road itself. It’s maintaining it. We have been saving money to make sure we have a good system to maintain it.” But Dinneen said he doesn’t know how much this public works building will cost and there’s still uncertainty about where it will go. County Chair Ed Kelley said he isn’t convinced that it’s even needed, especially if it means taking money away from road, bridge and sidewalk projects. A meeting with Dinneen last week didn’t win him over, as a lot of questions about the project weren’t answered, such as the total cost or why that land was the best option. “They (county staff) don’t have all the information,” he said. “They didn’t have it for me last week in our pre-agenda conference.” That Dec. 13 meeting with Dinneen came two days before the agenda materials were posted on the county website. Kelley understands why the item was ultimately removed. “Dinneen would not present something on the agenda for which he didn’t have all the information,” he said. In the agenda materials, Volusia staff were recommending council approval for the purchase of 132 acres for $1.9 million, or $14,400 per acre. Two separate appraisals for the property conducted in August valued the land at $930,000, or $7,000 per acre. The county sought to justify that price by noting the property — located just east of New Smyrna Speedway, at the northwest corner of Tomoka Farms Road on State Road 44 — has natural conditions and amenities that would allow the county to save up to $975,000 on development costs. Seventy acres of the property are already cleared and usable. There are 50 acres of wetland area, which will provide required stormwater drainage. When the item was still on the agenda Monday morning, Councilwoman Joyce Cusack called the price “still an issue for me,” and she planned to meet with county management later that day for more discussion. By that afternoon, the item had been withdrawn. Dinneen would not provide any details about whether the county is currently negotiating a lower price or when the matter might come before the council.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) November 20, 2017
SunRail issues frustrate Volusia officials Author: Dustin Wyatt and Katie Kustura For Volusia County officials, SunRail has become a train that carries commuters and, thus far, a lot of empty promises. The commuter-rail line that debuted in 2014 is expected to expand into Osceola County next summer. That second phase was, at one time, also supposed to include a new station in DeLand, for which the original contract pledged a 50-percent federal funding contribution to the $77 million cost. That money hasn’t been made available and appears to be nowhere close. And now state officials are looking for cost-saving measures to speed up the process of extending the service to DeLand, but county officials say that proposal is unfair. “We don’t want anyone to think that a way of solving this financial problem is to give us less service. That’s not an option for us,” County Manager Jim Dinneen said. “It’s like everyone else got vans, and (they are trying to) give us a bicycle.” Single-track solution? The latest source of frustration in the SunRail saga stems from the realization that adding 12 miles of track from DeBary to DeLand is going to cost more than what was originally estimated. Inflation could make it even harder for state officials to secure federal funding for DeLand’s portion of track next year, so SunRail officials went searching for a way to cut costs. Executive Director Nicola Liquori proposed this month building longer swaths of single track, instead of double track, between DeBary and DeLand. That would save $8 million, she estimates. However, Volusia County leaders say this is unfair for several reasons: the change would mean a train could arrive and depart from DeLand only every half-hour, instead of every 15 minutes, which is the long-term goal for every other station in the system. It also falls short of the original contract. County officials have what they feel to be a better solution to the rising construction costs: The state and the county should pitch in more money. The contract calls for Volusia and the state to contribute a 25-percent share of the total cost of Phase 2 construction, including the track to be added between DeBary and DeLand. The federal government is to pay for the other half. Back when the contract was ratified, the total cost was to be roughly $74 million, meaning Volusia would pay $18.5 million. Today, it’s expected to cost $77.1 million, a $3 million swell. The County Council on Thursday agreed to throw in an additional $756,000, which would be 25 percent of the new total. This proposal requires a change to the contract, which would need approval by the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission. That board, though, hasn’t exactly been prompt in hearing Volusia’s other requests to amend the contract. Two other amendments, approved by the Volusia council in February, have not even been heard by the five-member Rail Commission. “We want them to honor what’s in the contract,” Dinneen told the council on Thursday. “If we don’t get what we paid for, or what we signed up for, they must negotiate a new agreement.” ‘ Twiddling our thumbs’ SunRail, which opened in 2014, currently runs from Sand Lake Road in south Orlando to
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DeBary, just across the Volusia County line. The 2009 contract called for the train to continue north to DeLand and south to Poinciana in a second phase, but those two directions got split into two separate projects and while the south leg got federal funding and is now under construction, DeLand didn’t. With each passing year, worries and uncertainties have escalated in a race against the clock. The Florida Department of Transportation, which is operating SunRail initially, is scheduled to hand over control and the responsibility to fund operations to the local partners in 2021, putting Volusia on the hook. So in an attempt to address this, the Volusia council in February drafted new language to add to the contract outlining what should happen if DeLand never happens. Getting the five-member Rail Commission to even discuss the contract amendments “is like trying to nail Jell-O to a wall,” said councilman and Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission Secretary Pat Patterson. “We’ve been sitting here twiddling our thumbs and we’ve never really gotten an answer.” Bob Dallari, a Seminole County commissioner who chairs the Rail Commission, explained why it’s taken so long to vote on Volusia’s proposal. Seminole, Orange and Osceola counties and Orlando should also get an opportunity to revise the decade-old contract to reflect their desires and wishes for the train’s future, he said. “Instead of just acting on what they want, let’s act on what everyone wants,” he said in a phone interview. “Instead of just focusing on (Volusia), everyone has issues.” What issues? Osceola County’s stations will likely be opening two years behind schedule. Also, there have been complaints this year about the fare box system that was set up to serve 62 miles of track, even though the train currently only goes half of that. The end result is a system that costs more to run with employees and kiosks than the system earns in ticket sales. The News-Journal reported in June that the ridership after its first three years has also fallen short of expectations. Volusia has also shared concerns about how much SunRail actually costs to operate versus what had been projected. Ham vs. bread Asked if the county would consider opting out of SunRail, Dinneen said no. “We are (contractually) in this until 2036,” he said. “That’s the first time the county would get an opportunity to opt out. That’s why we are trying to raise these issues now.” Council Vice Chair Deb Denys thinks the council that approved the contract made the wrong call. “That contract would never have passed this council,” she said. Patterson said the county has been getting unfair treatment and doesn’t agree with Dallari’s comments. “Put it this way, they’ve all got their ham sandwiches, and we’ve just got a slice of bread so far,” Patterson said. Since Volusia requested the contract amendments, the Rail Commission has — instead of voting on it — discussed the possibility of bringing in an outside consultant to “research and evaluate possible operating models that could potentially be used by the commission” once it takes over operations. Each partner would have to agree to pay $30,000 to hire the consultant. Volusia has said no, refusing to go along until its proposed contract amendments are approved. Federal funding failures Attempts to secure federal funding for a DeLand station have derailed. “While state and local funding is committed, the (federal) source of the 50 percent, or so remaining, is still open,” said Steve Olson, a transportation spokesman who said the state has pursued federal funding from the
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Small Starts and TIGER grant programs, to no avail. “Work continues to identify funding sources.” Liquori, who became SunRail’s executive director in June 2016, on Nov. 1 presented an alternative to the currently scoped project that would bring the train into DeLand. The current scope of the DeLand portion calls for 10 miles of double tracking and less than 2 miles of single tracking, which would result in 15 minute headways. Liquori at the workshop proposed an alternative of 6 miles of double tracking and 6 miles of single tracking, which would increase headways to 30 minutes. The currently scoped project costs $77 million, and, between the state’s portion and Volusia County’s portion, $37 million of that has been funded, Liquori said. But costs have increased since the original agreements were put in place and no federal funding leaves them with a $40 million shortfall. “Do we continue with the scope of the project and look for a solution for the $40 million funding shortfall or do we look for another solution that reduces the cost thereby reducing the shortfall and maybe opening up some additional solutions for funding?” Liquori asked at the workshop. “(Volusia officials) don’t like that either,” Dallari said in a phone call, “but we are trying.” Volusia County Council Chair Ed Kelley, in a February letter, said passing the amendments is “a matter of fundamental fairness.” Patterson said the council isn’t trying to get out of the agreements, which cover the funding, governance and operation of SunRail. “We’re just trying to make it fair so our taxpayers are not paying for something they’re not going to get,” Patterson said, adding that’s he’s still not sure of Volusia’s chances for federal funding. “We’re competing with a lot of other rail operations throughout the U.S. Ours is small potatoes compared to what’s going on in the rest of the country.”
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Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) April 6, 2017
Manager wants less involvement with council travel Author: Dustin Wyatt Should elected council members notify the Volusia County manager before they take a business trip on the county's dime? That was a topic of debate during Thursday's County Council meeting and councilwoman Heather Post made it clear where she stands. "I can tell you that I have no idea where he (Jim Dinneen) goes and what he does. And he works under us," Post said. "I don't see the benefit of us making an actual policy that says that we must notify the county manager." She cast the lone dissenting vote against a change to the county's travel policy that would have required such action. But after the vote, Dinneen voiced agreement with Post, and the measure, which would also impact elected department heads and county staff, will be brought back at a future meeting.
"I would be very happy with us looking at this another way," Dinneen said. "Quite frankly, I've always been uncomfortable with the way this works. I don't want any appearance at all that I'm involved with, or have influence (over) people's travel." Post said she told county staff before taking a three-day trip to Tallahassee in March for the first week of the Legislative Session. She didn't tell council members, though, and upon her return, a revision to the travel policy was pushed to prevent that communication lapse from happening again. Requiring council members to bring up their trips during public meetings would increase transparency, supporters said. Post didn't object to that part of the revision — "Letting other council members know is fantastic," she said — but the new language also called for notice to the county manager for overnight trips to Tallahassee when the Legislature is in session. That's where Post's opposition lies. Councilwoman Deb Denys, originally voted in favor for the change, but after Dinneen suggested "massaging" the policy a bit more, made the motion to bring it back later. After the meeting, Post said she was "very pleased" with the result.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) March 16, 2017
Volusia Council backs manager in dispute with sheriff Author: Dustin Wyatt Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood sat across the Council Chambers from the man he recently insulted and pushed to have fired. But with the sheriff in the audience, the County Council made two points very clear Thursday: County Manager Jim Dinneen's job is safe, and a repeal to the charter — one that would give Chitwood more control of his budget and personnel — is out of their hands. The latter would have to come from state lawmakers, County Attorney Dan Eckert said with the charter open in front of him, and only then can it be on the ballot for local voters. Chitwood told reporters after the meeting that he understands the rules, but he pointed to a bill that's already in the hands of state legislators that the county is actively fighting against. "I'm still befuddled by that," he said. During the meeting's closing comment time, council members gave ideas of ways to reduce future fallouts between the two leaders with a fractured relationship. Joyce Cusack called for a new policy when the council is asked to take a position on a bill. The council voted March 2 not to support a bill that would make Chitwood a constitutional officer, but they didn't hear from him beforehand. The incident set off Chitwood, who called Dinneen a liar and said he would push for his dismissal. Cusack said discussing the bill without notifying Chitwood was a mistake. She wants to hear from elected department heads in the future regarding bills that impact them. County Chair Ed Kelley had another suggestion. He told Chitwood to call him whenever he's having a tough time getting something approved by county staff in a timely manner. "I want to mend the fences," Kelley said. "We have got to get through this." Kelley said he met with Dinneen and Chitwood privately the day before. Neither the manager nor the sheriff addressed the council on the matter Thursday.
Fred Lowry believes the professional relationship between Chitwood and Dinneen will improve in time. "I think things will calm down," he told reporters during a short recess, calling Chitwood's remarks to fire Dinneen "silly." "Dinneen's been doing a good job, and Chitwood will do the same good job in the days ahead." Other council members voiced support for the long-time manager in the face of questions of communication. Criticism surrounding a land purchase deal in Daytona Beach the council approved earlier this month was dismissed by members of the council. Dinneen didn't call City Manager Jim Chisholm until the morning council approved purchasing five parcels along Main Street for parking. Then city officials raised questions about the deal to The News-Journal. Dinneen said Thursday that he met city staff and there isn't a problem after all. The deal is going forward as planned. Lowry and Pat Patterson responded to critics. "We can't possibly know everything about everything," Lowry said, adding that he "trusts staff." "I know that our attorneys did everything right," Patterson said of the land purchase. "And to be criticized constantly for doing something right just frosts me a little bit. Somehow people think we are doing something evil, and I'm tired of hearing that." Chitwood's tired of hearing excuses about why the county is opposing the bill
Page 69 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) that would give him more power. Council members say it's because they don't want voters in others parts of the state to decide the fate of Volusia's charter. A separate legislative push by a local delegate would be required before it's put on a local ballot, Eckert said. Kelley said that probably wouldn't happen before 2018. That means some things Chitwood wants to do may not happen, the sheriff said. "I was elected to bring change," said Chitwood, "and under the current regime, I cannot bring the changes that I want." In other news, the council: * agreed to add more signs on the beach warning against bird feeding, but Patterson was concerned how much that would cost. That information will come back for a vote at a later date. * asked staff to bring back a proposal that would allow people in residential zones to have more chickens.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) October 5, 2016
More pay for Volusia lifeguards? Author: Dustin Wyatt Volusia lifeguards could be looking at pay raises. County council members who represent beachside areas say increasing the hourly wage could improve lifeguard recruitment and retention efforts. Lifeguards currently earn less than $10 an hour and there's a challenge each spring to find qualified staff. "We need better pay for lifeguards," said councilman Josh Wagner. "It’s not an easy job. You’re sitting in the sun all day and you have to be in shape." Lifeguards are asked to make as many as 40 rescues some weekends, Councilman Doug Daniels said. "It's a dangerous beach," Daniels said. "It’s a very demanding place to be a lifeguard." The discussion about the number of lifeguards and lifeguard towers was supposed to be taken up during a council meeting Thursday, but that meeting has been cancelled due to Hurricane Matthew. All of the agenda items will be pushed to next meeting scheduled for Oct. 20. Other members of the council said they'd like to see more towers in Daytona Beach where a two-mile gap exists. "We need to increase lifeguard towers in certain areas," said Deb Denys, who broached the issue last council meeting, noting that New Smyrna Beach has far more towers than others places in the county. "Maybe we as a council need to set a policy as to where we want lifeguard towers." FINDING LIFEGUARDS While some on the council question the number of towers, the county has continued to face challenges staffing the ones already in place. That was brought to the forefront last year when a man drowned on Memorial Day weekend near a vacant tower. In total, there were 500 rescues that weekend and four deaths. "There’s never a time when I’m able to fill all the spots that I’d like to fill," said County Manager Jim Dinneen, of the struggle each year to find qualified lifeguards. "I'm not putting somebody out there who's not trained because the last thing I need is for someone to drown because someone wasn't trained; and God help us if I put a young person out there who's not trained and they drown saving somebody." The number of seasonal lifeguards dropped from 224 in 2012 to a recent low of 171 the next year. Then the county quietly reintroduced 16-year-olds to the force, bringing the numbers back up, but the county has been unable to fully reach its hiring goals. Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue officials had hoped to hire 150 lifeguards for the summer season, but tryouts yielded about one-third who actually qualified. Dinneen said he doesn't know if better pay would solve the problem of finding qualified lifeguards, but it couldn't hurt retention efforts. "If it doesn’t help on the recruiting side, it could help on making sure people stay with us," he said. "We will look at increasing the pay."
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Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) June 16, 2016
Volusia beach officer firing over Trayvon Martin 'thug' Facebook posts upheld by federal judge Author: Tony Holt Todd Snipes posted a message on Facebook celebrating the death of unarmed teenage shooting victim Trayvon Martin, stating that "another thug" was gone and that people should know to pull up their pants and "be respectful." The post cost Snipes his job as a Volusia County beach officer. A federal judge ruled Thursday that he won't get it back. Todd Snipes filed a lawsuit in March 2014, seven months after he was fired for posting the messages in the wake of George Zimmerman's acquittal of a second-degree murder charge. Zimmerman shot the 17-year-old Martin, who was unarmed, the night of Feb. 26, 2012. Zimmerman's attorneys argued self- defense. Around the same time Snipes posted that message on Facebook in July 2013, he also initiated a nine-person group text message that contained a photo with a caption that included a racial slur. Snipes was on duty when he sent the message, according to court records. Even though the messages constituted protected speech, "(the) Defendant's interests as an employer outweigh (Snipes') interests in making these statements," wrote U.S. District Court Judge Carlos E. Mendoza. Snipes' employment record prior to the Facebook incident was exemplary, according to court documents. Additionally, the Volusia County Personnel Board in November 2013 recommended to County Manager Jim Dinneen that he consider a lesser punishment than job termination. Dinneen stuck by his decision to fire Snipes. Prior to the incident, Beach Patrol, since renamed Beach Safety Ocean Rescue, had been involved in a public scandal involving allegations of "inappropriate relations" between employees and underage girls. The director who was hired following the scandal had implemented a "zero tolerance" policy to prevent further tarnishing of the agency's reputation. Snipes was made aware of that policy, the judge noted. One of the recipients of the text messages was a retired beach officer and he reported them to a supervisor with the agency, according to court documents. "(The) messages were disseminated at a time when racial tensions were already running high in the area," Mendoza wrote. "Further, (Snipes') comments were phrased in an inflammatory manner and seemingly aimed to increase those tensions." Among those who exchanged messages with Snipes was Bunnell police officer Shane Groth. He received a written reprimand by a department supervisor and was ordered to undergo sensitivity training.
During a public meeting Thursday, after Dinneen learned of the ruling, he told County Council members that his employees "will show no bias in word or action against anyone. We control what they say and how they act. If you can't understand that, than you forfeit your right to be a park employee." Snipes' attorney, Jason Harr, meanwhile, promised he would appeal the judgment. "I respect the court's ruling, and I look forward to seeing what the 11th Circuit of Appeals has to say on this paramount issue of freedom of speech," Harr said.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) February 21, 2016
Economist: Ocean Center pumped nearly $92M into Daytona-area economy last fiscal year Author: Tony Holt There is nothing Volusia County invests in that offers more "bang for the buck" than the Ocean Center, the county manager recently told his council. Jim Dinneen based that on an economic impact study conducted by a University of South Florida professor, who used a methodology that took into account sales revenue, job creation, employee earnings and other factors. The county spent close to $5 million in operating contributions at the Ocean Center in the 2014-15 fiscal year. The return on investment, according to the study, was $91.9 million, or an 18-fold gain. It's still a good return even if you factor in the additional $5 million in bed tax money that goes toward paying off debt on the center. "You may get more out of this activity, per dollar, than almost anything else we do," Dinneen told the council during Thursday's meeting. It was the first time an economic impact study was done on the center since it was renovated in early 2009, Dinneen said. Chris Jones, who in addition to teaching at South Florida also is the president of Florida Economic Advisors and former chief economist for the city of Orlando, said the Ocean Center hosted 111 events from Oct. 1, 2014 through Sept. 30, 2015 with more than 235,000 people attending. One of the key factors is how many out-of-area attendees come through the center. Based on the analytics presented by Jones, the estimated per-diem spending for local attendees is about $45 per day. Out-of-area attendees, by comparison, spend about $215 per day. Basically, event attendees will spend money on "numerous items that local attendees will not," said Jones.
Dinneen added that more hotels in the vicinity would cause the center to be even more profitable. Compared with other similarly sized convention centers in the Southeast, the Ocean Center is one of the best performing, Jones said. It has a greater economic impact than convention centers in Shreveport, Louisiana; Raleigh, N.C.; Memphis, Tennessee; and Palm Beach County, according to the study. "If done right and done in the right area, a convention center could be a really good economic engine for a community," said Dinneen, who pointed out that the Ocean Center also benefits from the area's weather and its beachfront location. Dinneen said he wanted to do a study because there were so many skeptics who thought the Ocean Center was soaking up too much tax money. No general fund dollars are used to subsidize the Ocean Center, but Volusia collects a 6 percent bed tax on hotels and lodges and half of that money — about $10 million — is used toward the center. Half of that $10 million goes toward paying off the debt while the rest is used for operations.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) January 23, 2016
County manager: 'Overreaction' is forcing Volusia to shutter Downtown Daytona offices Author: Cal Massey & Pat Rice One day after a county employee reported being "accosted" by a homeless person encamped on a downtown sidewalk, Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen said Saturday he was closing down all operations at the Volusia County Administration Center this week, possibly permanently. Dinneen said he was "surprised" by Property Appraiser Morgan Gilreath's decision Friday to shut down his office in the building after the incident with the homeless person and move workers to property appraiser offices in New Smyrna Beach and DeLand. He said Gilreath's move was an "overreaction" that sent the county's liability "through the roof" for all of the approximately 100 employees who work in the building at 250 N. Beach St., where dozens of homeless people have been camped on the sidewalk for weeks since the city closed off a downtown park and public restrooms nearby. "I believe I had no choice," Dinneen said in a phone interview. "Our liability is heightened to the point where the best course of action for us is to empty out the building."
Dinneen's decision — which he said had the support of staff and County Council members — is the latest upheaval in a weeks-long battle between Daytona Beach and county officials over what to do about the homeless camp. It comes at a time when a potential short-term solution backed by the city is moving forward: An expanded Salvation Army shelter with 46 beds and assistance programs is scheduled to open Monday and remain open for 90 days. "(Dinneen) knew we were trying to get the shelter open as quickly as we could," said City Commissioner Pam Woods, who learned about the building's closing from The News-Journal. Dinneen said Saturday he hadn't talked with city officials or Gilreath yet, but he wished the property appraiser had talked with him before going public Friday with his decision to close his Daytona office. "If he's got time to do a press release and go on the radio, why can't he talk to me?" Dinneen said. "I'm not arguing he doesn't have responsibilities and rights to move people, but he should have worked with me. The problem with that decision is it didn't take into consideration all of the other employees, and what does it say to the public? We had people feeling uncomfortable before, but now some are feeling unsafe." Gilreath could not be reached for comment Saturday. Volusia County Councilman Josh Wagner said he spoke with Dinneen on Saturday and agreed with the county manager's decision to close the building. Wagner said the move is the end result of Daytona Beach's "choke‐out tactics" toward the homeless who congregate downtown. He said that includes the city's decision to close Manatee Island, where many homeless stayed during the day. "We (the council) gave Jim Dinneen the discretion to deal with the issue," Wagner said, so long as the county doesn't charge the homeless camped in front of the building with trespassing. Wagner was critical of Gilreath's decision to close the property appraiser's office in the building without notifying the county manager or council. He said the employees in the property appraiser's office answer to Dinneen, not Gilreath. "All the employees are Jim Dinneen's," Wagner said. "The fact that Morgan decides to close an office with employees that aren't his own is somewhat disconcerting."
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Wagner added that Gilreath likes playing to the media. "He enjoys throwing the County Council under the bus." ECONOMIC HIT TO DOWNTOWN Closing the building, Wagner added, will be an unfortunate economic blow to downtown. The county services building employs about 100 people, and also has "thousands of customers," in Dinneen's words, that use the tag and title office and other services in the building. "Beach Street's about to lose the biggest business on Beach Street," Wagner said. "It's a lot of people. It's huge." County Councilwoman Deb Denys sees a big hit for downtown businesses, too. "The unfortunate thing is it's our employees and the people who utilize this building that support the economic enterprises of the downtown," she said. "It's a sad event. It just is." A woman who runs one of those enterprises has already seen her business hurt by the homeless camp and worries about things getting worse when the county building closes. Trina Parra, manager at Tia Cori's Tacos Authentic Mexican Restaurant a block away from the camp, said a lot of county employees go to Tia Cori's for lunch and losing them will cost her. But the homeless have been affecting her business long before that, she said. "They are always asking customers for food and trespassing," Parra said. "We have cameras, and we can see them trespassing on Sundays when we are closed." On the sidewalk in Saturday night's frigid wind, William Lindsey said that he heard about the woman being accosted. He calls himself an "old radical." "When you have a group of people you get the good, the bad and the ugly," Lindsey said. "You've got the county and city fighting. They closed the parks. Now we are out in front of the public and now what are they going to do with us?" Lindsey's friend Michael Kimes, who sits next to him at the camp, said people are being arrested just for being homeless. Both men said the younger people need jobs and the older people need affordable places to live. "Don't give them a fish," Kimes said. "Give them a fishing pole." JOINT MEETING PROPOSED The discussion shifts back to meeting rooms now. The city, county and local agencies and churches continue pursuing a long-term solution with Volusia Safe Harbor, a proposed 250-bed shelter with a range of assistance services on property west of Daytona Beach. But some cities, including Deltona and Port Orange, have resisted sharing the cost and there is no firm timetable yet. Asked whether the decision to close the county building might lead the city to come up with a more palatable way to address downtown Daytona Beach's homeless problem, Wagner said: "I sure hope so. I've seen more work on this issue in 2½ weeks than in the past seven years. And that in itself is very positive. The longer we wait, the worse it's going to get." Woods said the city would continue to work with the Salvation Army on the expanded shelter, and agreed closing the building would hamper downtown's economy. "I mean, we hate to see the county offices close," she said. "You hate to ever see businesses, or county offices leave an area." She added: "We have a problem with the homeless downtown. It's impacted our ability to have economic growth downtown. We do have a part that's an aggressive population."
That was part of the problem for Dinneen, too. "They were starting to really abuse the restrooms," he said. "They're tending to take over the outside tables. What you had was a
Page 75 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) growing presence. And some are becoming more aggressive, starting to interfere with the operations of the building. I know the customers were uncomfortable." Denys said the current situation is "the unintended consequence of a city doing nothing for years." She added that it might be a good time for the Daytona Beach City Commission and the County Council to meet together. "I would support a joint workshop meeting with the commission and council with a neutral facilitator to openly discuss this," Denys said. "And if it needed to take all day, let's take all day. Bring what you have to the table for a positive solution." Woods agreed with Denys that a joint meeting might help resolve the current situation. She said she's all for "laying down our swords." "I applaud her for bringing that up," Woods said. "I think it (a joint meeting) would be a great idea, as long as we work on the problem. I feel it's not about the issue any longer. It's about all the other stuff that's about politics." If the joint meeting ends up happening, maybe the two sides could come up with something that could convince Dinneen to reopen the building on Beach Street. "Will (the city) be more aggressive now? I don't know," Dinneen said. "The one thing that's changed now (with the liability issue) is I think for us to come back, first, it can't take forever, and second, it can't be marginal, it would have to be pretty dramatic. You can't have half an encampment there" that still creates an unsafe situation. Dinneen said security at the building will be beefed up this week and the public can continue to come to the building for services, but employees will be shifted to other offices over the course of the week. He said the move may be permanent and the county may try to sell the building. The thousands of people who use the building — which houses tag and title, appraiser, community services, sheriff's and state attorney's offices, among others — could face some inconvenience as offices shift to other county locations or possibly leased spaces, Dinneen said. "Staff believes we can serve everyone," he said. "We didn't do this frivolously and we didn't do it for effect," Dinneen said. He added that the public bickering "wasn't behind this decision. I wouldn't do it that way. It looks like you're retaliating, playing a game." But Gilreath's closing of the property appraiser's office, he said, "dramatically changed the game." Staff writer Allison Shirk contributed to this report.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) August 21, 2015
Fired Southeast Volusia tourism employees got big raises before Author: Richard Conn While the firing of two Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority staff members was linked to proposed raises the county manager called "abnormally high," comparable pay hikes have been handed out in years past without county resistance. Sherry Hendershot, the SVAA's operations manager, and Myriah Chandler, marketing specialist, were both fired Thursday by interim Executive Director Renee Tallevast. An external audit revealed that Hendershot was originally set to receive a 13.2 percent raise in the upcoming budget, while Chandler was approved for a 29.3 percent increase. With the increases, Hendershot's salary would have gone from $26.50 to $30 an hour, while Chandler's would have jumped from $19.50 to $25.21 an hour. Both pay raises had been approved by former executive director Carl Watson, who resigned at the end of a June 16 SVAA board meeting. According to the audit, the raises were handed out without approval from the SVAA board. The raises were lowered at an emergency meeting of the board on Aug. 10, when board members approved a budget with three percent pay increases instead of the original salary hikes that were planned. Lilli Sheller, chairwoman of the SVAA board, said board members were told by Tallevast that the initial salary increases were "out of line" with what county officials wanted. "The employees that got those raises should have been at least leery of getting that kind of raise," County Manager Jim Dinneen said Friday. "That's not the norm and I think that the fact that even after Carl left they tried to put those through, and no one came forward to clarify that those kind of raises took place, that's not in keeping with the responsibility people have." However, Hendershot and Sheller said Friday that similar pay hikes had been handed out in the past to SVAA employees without opposition from county officials. Hendershot sent an email Friday morning to a host of officials, including all County Council members, saying that she received a 25 percent pay increase in 2012 and that Tim Hamby, another former SVAA executive director, was instructed by county personnel to raise her salary from $16 to $20 an hour. "I honestly don't understand how myself nor Ms. Chandler were punished for something we did not do," Hendershot said in the email. "When your Executive Director praises you and believed that staff was underpaid, are we as his staff suppose to tell him, 'hey, that's ok, I don't need or want a raise! I am asking that you take a look at the salary history for me and other past employees, and you will see that Mr. Watson's requests were not out of line, and me and Ms. Chandler should not have been terminated from our jobs because of it." Sheller said that in the fiscal 2014-15 budget, Hendershot received a 19.3 percent raise from $22.21 to $26.50 an hour while Chandler received a 6.2 percent hike $18.36 to $19.50 an hour. "The County Council approved our budget, so therefore they approved the raises," she said. Dinneen said he couldn't say why past pay increases went through without being flagged by county leaders. "Can't tell you. We don't monitor them like that," he said. "What we respond to is what showed up in that audit." Dinneen said Tallevast made the decision to fire the two employees but that he supported the decision. Sheller said she was "pretty surprised" when she
Page 77 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) learned Hendershot and Chandler were fired and added that she never heard about job performance issues with either. "I don't really understand honestly how an employee can be terminated for their boss giving them a raise," Sheller said. "To me that just doesn't make sense and it just doesn't seem fair." Hendershot was reprimanded in a July 15 letter from Tallevast for failing to "maintain a chain of command and organizational structure of the SVAA by contacting persons other than the Executive Director with respect to staffing issues directly within the Executive Director's authority insofar as such actions constituted insubordination and conduct that failed to reflect credit as to the Authority, public officials, employees, staff members and volunteers or herself." Hendershot had sent a letter to County Chair Jason Davis on July 4 claiming she was told that after Tallevast was appointed as interim director, County Councilwoman Deb Denys had instructed Tallevast to fire her. Hendershot repeated that claim in the email she sent to county officials Friday. Davis said he spoke to Hendershot by phone in July and looked into her allegation. "The accusation was (Denys) ordered (Tallevast) to fire her and I couldn't find any evidence of any order," Davis said. "I thought the whole situation was over and done with back in July, and now here we are again." Denys did not return a phone message seeking comment Friday and Tallevast referred comments to Volusia County Spokesman Dave Byron. Hendershot said in a telephone interview Friday that she did not violate the SVAA's chain of command because she didn't believe the ad authority technically had an executive director in place when she talked to Davis. The July 15 letter of reprimand from Tallevast also stipulates that Hendershot not deal with SVAA board members regarding ad authority business except through the executive director. Hendershot is a friend of Sheller, who is not mentioned in the letter, and both women said Friday they never talked about SVAA business outside of meetings. A statement released by Byron on Thursday said a thorough review of ad authority's "staff needs, including job descriptions and appropriate rates of pay" will be done by Tallevast with assistance from the county's Personnel Division. "Quite frankly, the audit pointed out, which is probably a weakness, is that I don't think the executive director should have that kind of authority without any oversight, so that's one of the things that needs to be changed," Dinneen said Friday. "Clearly, he and they knew that those would be inappropriate, that type of raise." A search for a new executive director for the SVAA is underway and is being conducted by Evelyn Fine of Mid-Florida Marketing and Research, Inc. "I just don't understand how we can operate without a staff," Sheller said. "No executive director and now we don't have an operations manager or a marketing manager within the office."
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Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) November 21, 2014
Daytona, Volusia managers see bright future Author: Eileen Zaffiro-Kean City Manager Jim Chisholm sees opportunities for a new hotel near the Halifax Harbor Marina, a remake of the eastern tip of International Speedway Boulevard and more sports events that draw tourists. Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen also sees chances for improvements, and he’s glimpsing the need to craft plans now that will help the area steer around potential future problems with funding transportation and firefighting. Those were just a few of the thoughts the county’s top government leaders — who together have about 80 years of experience managing local governments — shared Friday morning with about 90 local leaders gathered at the LPGA International Clubhouse for a monthly Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting. While both discussed some current and future challenges, they agreed Volusia is headed for good things. “I see nothing but positive days in our future,” Dinneen told the group that included business people, elected leaders, government officials and a county judge. With blockbuster projects such as the $400 million Daytona International Speedway frontstretch grandstand overhaul and two $100-million-plus hotel developments planned for the oceanfront, Chisholm also sees positives on the county’s horizon. “We’re at a point now it’s almost time to celebrate $2.5 billion in new investment in Daytona Beach,” Chisholm said. “Probably 2016 and 2017 are going to be banner years for the community.” The city manager rattled off a list of things he’s excited about, everything from the 3,500 new housing starts forecast for the next five years to the construction going on now to build the Trader Joe’s regional distribution center near the corner of Dunn Avenue and Williamson Boulevard. While the city and county governments have helped make many of the new developments possible, Chisholm gave a nod to all the private business help and said government couldn’t have done it alone. After a period of needing to sweeten the deal for business ventures interested in Daytona, Chisholm said “we no longer have to make sacrifices to get projects.” “They’re just coming,” he said. “People are realizing Daytona Beach is a bargain.” Two of the hottest areas for more development will likely be around LPGA Boulevard and along the International Speedway Boulevard corridor, Chisholm said. But he also sees other pockets of opportunity, like property along the Halifax River that’s long been home to the Florida National Guard armory. With the armory moving out of that spot on Basin Street next month and heading for Flagler County, Chisholm hopes the site becomes attractive to a hotel developer. “We’re looking for partners,” he said. With the total makeover underway along Orange Avenue, he also sees possibilities with the 15-acre, city-owned property at Nova Road on the western end of Orange Avenue. And he’s hopeful about the eastern tip of International Speedway Boulevard near the beach, a stretch where the city plans to buy more land and search for a private development partner. But ultimately success will come to Volusia only if locals make it happen, Chisholm said. “Sometimes I’m afraid our community waits for opportunities to come and misses that diamond in the rough,” he said.
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That need for local involvement will extend to the proposed homeless assistance complex being explored by several local governments. “Be a part of the solution,” Chisholm said. “The easiest thing to do is to say ‘it’ll never work.’ ” Dinneen said he already sees cooperation on many things. “The notion (that) we’re not working together is a myth,” Dinneen said. “Projects are happening because we are working together.” Teamwork will be needed to work out challenges such as state money for transportation drying up in a few years. “I still think the biggest issue we’ll have is planning for transportation,” he said. Fire funding will be another challenge for the county, Dinneen said. “We’ll be completely out of money in the fund by 2018 if we don’t change,” he said. “I’m paying out $2 million more per year than I’m taking in.”
To help government find new sources of revenue, Dinneen suggested the state’s property tax system might have to change someday. And Chisholm said sales-tax distributions back to cities need to better reflect what cities send to Tallahassee. Chisholm also suggested Daytona Beach explore adding a food and beverage tax, which some Florida towns already have and use to fund homeless programs. One of the biggest favors Volusia County can do itself is to pull away from relying on special events, Dinneen said. “This community needs to decide special events are the icing on the cake, not the cake,” he said, explaining the county needs permanent jobs with decent pay. But all in all, Volusia County is prospering, Dinneen said. “We are focused on ‘what will our future be?’ ” he said. “A lot of communities are wondering if they’ll have a future.”
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Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) September 4, 2013
Public documents should get timely release Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen is a skilled public administrator who generally keeps things running smoothly in county government. But Dinneen’s ability to reduce political conflict may have come into conflict with the need for openness and full public accountability for the County Council’s actions. Dinneen’s policy on releasing county documents — public documents — became an issue at a recent council meeting. Councilwoman Deb Denys said she believed that all documents related to business at meetings should be released when the meeting agendas are released. Portions of documents have been held held back and sometimes material added less than a week before scheduled council discussions. This makes it more difficult for private citizens to learn the details of upcoming county business — and comes close to the legal line established by Florida’s open-meetings law. The delays in the release of public documents were linked to Dinneen’s long-time practice of meeting with County Council members individually and having private discussions with them before meeting agendas were released. These briefings from Dinneen or members of his staff sometimes resulted in changes to supporting documents, Dinneen said. The county’s practice has been to release the documents after changes were made. Dinneen said he adopted this method of releasing documents seven years ago, at the request of some council members who didn’t like getting questions from reporters about documents the council members hadn’t seen yet. Sunshine Law experts say the one-on-one briefings are legal under the state’s open meetings law — as long as Dinneen doesn’t poll the council on issues or use the private meetings to circumvent public discussion. Dinneen says he’s careful to follow the Sunshine Law, and focuses on clarifying issues and making technical changes to documents. But what Dinneen said to the full council about his briefings gave open government advocates pause. “I sit down with you and go through the document, so I understand as I’m crafting the document what is in the document,” Dinneen said. “Rather than me putting out a document, and then you’ve got to fight about it.” First Amendment Foundation President Barbara Petersen neatly summarized the problem with Dinneen’s justification: “Sorry, but I think fighting about it in public is part of the democratic process, right?” she said. The county manager’s job isn’t to help the council manage conflict over public issues. Debate is indeed part of the process — county residents deserve a full airing of issues in public meetings — before the council decides what course to take on those issues. So Dinneen was wise to announce at the recent meeting that he would begin releasing public documents as soon as they’re available, with the word “Draft” stamped on them. He will update the documents if they change, or pull them from the next meeting’s agenda. Council members should be happy with this change, which will help their constituents participate more fully in county government. With only a few narrow exceptions, openness is the best policy — and the legally required policy — for elected officials and their administrators.
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West Volusia Beacon, The (DeLand, FL) June 3, 2013
County firefighters fight cutbacks, as county fights budget shortfall Author: PAT ANDREWS County cutbacks in Fire Services could endanger residents, according to the firefighters union. The county is proposing closing some of its 47 fire stations between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. during times when staffing is low, in sort of a rolling "brownout," along with eliminating overtime pay, to close a $2 million budget gap. Volusia County Professional Firefighter s' Association President Jeff Marris told the Volusia County Council that a 2013 study shows most fires occur between 5 and 8 p.m., and most deaths from fires occur between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. Closing fire stations at night would endanger children and the elderly, those at highest risk of dying from a fire, he said. "I implore you not to close the stations," Marris urged the County Council. The annual budget for Volusia County Fire Services has already been trimmed by $6 million over the past several years, and three county fire stations have been closed. County Manager Jim Dinneen said more cuts are needed to get the job done for the $19.7 million in revenue that would be generated by a property tax of 3.6315 mills. The tax for Fire Services, which is about $3.63 per $1, 000 of taxable property value, is paid by property owners in the unincorporated areas of Volusia County. Marris proposed a Fire Services fee of $200 or $250 per property instead of the ad valorem tax. With about 100, 000 properties in unincorporated Volusia County, Marris said, a $200 annual fee would easily produce the $22 million needed to fund Fire Services with no additional cuts. Under the property tax scenario, anyone paying taxes on homes, lands or businesses with a taxable value of about $55, 000 or less would pay less than $200 a year, based on the current tax rate. Part of the strain on the county Fire Services budget comes from the need to fight wildfires, even inside city limits, Dinneen said, while the money to fund the department comes only from properties outside the cities. "There is no scenario where the taxes in rural areas are going to cover this fire department," Dinneen told the County Council at its May 16 meeting. Dinneen is proposing sharing firefighters among stations to eliminate overtime. Currently, when someone is out sick or on vacation, another firefighter assigned to that station is paid overtime to fill in, Dinneen said. He proposes using a "dynamic" staffing model to send firefighters from other stations to cover, and leaving some stations unstaffed overnight. Marris said firefighters are already spread too thin. Their numbers have been whittled by almost a fourth, to 93 now from 123 in 2009. The union has offered to take no pay increases, in order to avoid the need to lay off firefighters or cut any more positions. In a May 1 letter to Dinneen, Marris made other suggestions for dealing with the funding shortfall. In response, Dinneen wrote, "It is not the purview of county employees to dictate to the public the amount of resources they must provide, but to operate within the funding provided." Ultimately, the County Council will decide how to make up the budget deficit. The discussion will continue during the 9 a.m. Thursday, June 6, County Council meeting in the Frank T. Bruno County Council Chambers at the County Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave. in De-Land. Public comment will be taken. Marris said Dinneen invited him to present information during the June 6 discussion, and he plans to do so.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) March 19, 2013
Cities lining up to oppose Volusia's redevelopment funding changes Author: Mark Harper Mayors, city managers and city attorneys representing most of Volusia County's cities are lining up to oppose new rules proposed by the Volusia County Council that would make it harder to create redevelopment districts and funnel tax dollars there to tackle blight. Officials from Deltona, DeLand, Holly Hill, South Daytona and other cities are writing letters and planning to attend the council meeting Thursday morning to express their concerns. They say the council is moving too quickly to revamp the county's rules for community redevelopment areas. With the county's blessing, cities typically establish the districts in areas they declare blighted. A baseline value for the area is determined, and any additional property tax revenue generated in the years that follow is then designated for improvements in the area. County officials want to tighten the rules and limit the amount of property tax revenue that can be used for CRAs. The majority of the $165 million generated for the county's 15 CRAs in the past decade has come from revenue that otherwise would have gone to the county. "They're moving very quickly," said Joseph Yarbrough, city manager of South Daytona and chair of the Volusia Managers Association. "There is a concern that some of the County Council members may not understand what an economic development tool this is for the benefit of the county."
In the last week, Yarbrough wrote to County Manager Jim Dinneen, while DeLand Mayor Bob Apgar and Deltona Mayor John Masiarczyk also penned letters. Six of seven Deltona city commissioners said they intend to attend the 10:45 a.m. council hearing on the issue Thursday. Dinneen said characterizing the changes as a "rush" is unfair. The council, he said, is responding to a request from Orange City to establish a new CRA in its downtown area along U.S. 17-92, and already has held at least two public meetings. "As far as I know, it's not a rush. It's just doing normal business," he said. There are 15 CRAs already established in Volusia County, but only two are on the county's westside – both in DeLand. Orange City and Deltona are among the cities hoping to create new CRAs. "People here have no idea how we're being treated," Zenaida Denizac, Deltona's vice mayor, said during a City Commission meeting Monday. "Everyone seems nice during election season, then once they are sitting comfortably in their seats, they forget (about Deltona and its needs)."
Dinneen said some new council members were flat-out opposed to CRAs when they were elected last November, but he convinced them to consider keeping the mechanism in place while tweaking the rules to ensure tax dollars are put to the best use. Council members instead chose to consider a resolution that modifies the rules, mandating that CRAs limit expenditures to capital improvements based on "measurable district goals for return on investment," and limiting county payments into the CRAs. Those modifications, including changing the funding formula so fewer county tax revenues go into the districts, will render the districts ineffective, city officials say. One key point of contention is how much value CRAs have added to both cities and the county overall.
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Scott Simpson, an attorney who represents South Daytona and Holly Hill, said he compared property records dating back 10 years and found that of the total appreciation of property values countywide, 80 percent of it occurred in cities, while more than two-thirds of that was inside CRAs. "How can this not be working?" he asked. "It doesn't make any sense."But Dinneen said he believes the 30-year history of CRAs shows they don't have a track record of adding value to communities or the county. "In our experience, very few of them have ever generated more money, but if you do believe that ... if they're an economic development tool you get to keep all the money basically above inflation. Say the CRA grows 6 percent and the county grew by 4 percent. ... You get to keep the difference, which is 2 percent. If they believe that's the case, they should embrace some of these changes," he said.
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West Volusia Beacon, The: Southwest Edition (FL) July 25, 2012
County government may cut more jobs Author: BAL EVERSON The Volusia County Council is weighing a 2012-13 county-government budget that reduces expenditures and the work force, and includes no pay raises. The proposed spending plan totals $582.4 million, or about $7.8 million less than the current year's budget. When it convenes Thursday, July 26, the County Council will set preliminary tax rates. Those rates may be reduced, but not raised, during subsequent deliberations before final action in September. Once again, as he has done for the past four years, County Manager James Dinneen has presented a fiscal program that, he said, is a response to a continuing economic slump. "While Florida and the nation begin to recover from one of the worst recessions in history, we start to see a slight improvement in our unemployment rates, consumer spending, and building activity," Dinneen wrote in his budget message. "However, the values of property continue to show a slight decline due to the foreclosures and low-valued housing inventory." If the council follows Dinneen's recommendation, the ad valorem levy for the county's general fund will change from the current 5.7771 mills to the rollback rate of 5.8889 mills, or $5.89 per thousand dollars of taxable value. The rollback rate is supposed to yield propertytax income equal to that of the prior fiscal year, without including new construction. The rate is higher than last year's because the county is taxing a roll of properties slightly reduced in value. The 5.8889-mill rate would produce about $134 million in property-tax income for the general fund, the best-known part of the budget. "It tends to be the thing people focus on," Dinneen said. The general fund is the portion of the budget that covers appropriations for parks and recreation, law enforcement, elections, county buildings, public safety (including the jail), and community services such as emergency assistance and veterans' services, along with libraries. Volusia County's tax base this year is valued at $23.7 billion, down from the 2011 level of $24 billion and roughly equivalent to the 2004 level. The record high for the county's tax roll was $40.7 billion in 2007.
In keeping with the lean times, Dinneen told the County Council, his recommended budget further reduces the county payroll. Dinneen said 260 personnel slots are "unfunded or in an attrition status." Attrition refers to allowing the work force to shrink by not replacing employees who resign, retire or are terminated. Dinneen said he has cut the county work force by more than 500 positions since 2007. "We have reduced the government to fit the revenues, which is what you should do," the county manager said. The proposed budget for 2012-13 authorizes 3, 338 positions. Even with the rather lean budget and the fledgling economic recovery, Dinneen said he is concerned about new mandates that may come from federal or state governments. While Medicaid is often considered a federal and state-government program, the county must spend about $1.4 million a year on funding for local residents in nursing homes. Dinneen cautioned that new mandates on pensions for public employees may be over the horizon. Council members reacted rather favorably to Dinneen's proposed budget. "Despite difficult times, we are operating," Council Member Pat Northey said. "We have been able to maintain stability while reducing employees," Council Member Joie Alexander said.
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The County Council may vote on the preliminary tax rates shortly after its meeting begins July 26. A "time certain" hasn't been set for the discussion, but the agenda lists the tax rates as the fourth item. The County Council convenes at 9 a.m. in the County Council Chambers of the Thomas C. Kelly County Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand. The meeting is open to the public. The preliminary property-tax rates set by the County Council will appear on the tax notices that will be mailed to property owners in August. The notices, called "TRIM" or "truth in millage" notices, are not to be confused with the actual tax bills that will be sent in November.
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West Volusia Beacon, The (DeLand, FL) May 21, 2012
County manager wants audits, new employee; County Council not sure Author: PAT ANDREWS
In response to the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority debacle, County Manager James Dinneen recommended more oversight of all three county advertising authorities. The authorities get their money from a 6-percent tax on hotel stays and short-term rentals within their jurisdictions. Of that, 3 percent goes to support the Ocean Center, and the rest is spent by the authorities to promote tourism in their locales. The largest agency, Halifax Area Advertising Authority, has a budget of nearly $6.5 million, while the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority's budget is around $2 million. The smallest is the West Volusia Advertising Authority, with a budget of little more than $300, 000. Dinneen said the Southeast and West Volusia agencies need more oversight, though he acknowledged there have been no problems with the West Volusia agency. Dinneen suggested requiring that both minutes of the agencies' board meetings and digital recordings of the meetings be provided to his office. Some of the Southeast agency's recordings went missing after the scandal broke, he said, and what was on the tapes recorded at other Southeast meetings didn't always match the written minutes. The ad agencies should use the county's Human Resources Department for hiring employees, for background checks and for assistance with setting salaries, Dinneen said. He also suggested the two authorities pay for an administrative assistant assigned to the county financial department to review their expenditures, at a cost of around $70, 000 a year. He also suggested a quarterly mini-audit. The bigger Halifax agency already hires an outside auditor. Quarterly audits for the smaller agencies would cost each agency around $20, 000 a year. The County Council objected. Council Member Carl Persis said the "sanctions" are too costly for a small agency like West Volusia. Council Member Joie Alexander questioned spending $70, 000 for a a county staff member to monitor the expenditures of the advertising authorities. "I want to apply for the job," she said. Alexander said there's no need to hire a staff member, plus pay for additional auditing services. County auditor Britz-Parker said it wouldn't be difficult to find improprieties in a small budget like the West Volusia Advertising Authority's. Dinneen said he didn't mean to apply the quarterly auditing requirement to the West Volusia agency, but to make it an optional service for them, at a smaller cost. How much, if any, West Volusia might have to pay toward an additional county staff person came into question, too. Dinneen said he would come up with a dollar amount, and go over it with the agency. If he can't reach an agreement, he will bring it back to the County Council, he said. Bill O'Connor, chairman of the West Volusia Advertising Authority, said neither service is needed to monitor his small agency's finances. For one thing, O'Connor said, the agency can't afford it. Also, he said, the West Volusia Advertising Authority's board of directors closely monitors and questions the agency's expenditures. West Volusia Advertising Authority Director Renee Tallevast has done a great job, he noted. And, the West Volusia agency already has an outside accountant that provides a complete, lineitem breakdown of every expense every month - something that can't be done at a large agency. "We look at every line," O'Connor said.
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A copy of the accountant's report is part of the monthly meeting packet, and that is sent to at least the two West Volusia members of the County Council, Andy Kelly and Pat Northey. Northey frequently attends the West Volusia board meetings, O'Connor said. He was adamant the county shouldn't ask the agency to spend money unnecessarily. "I fired off an e-mail to every council person," he said. O'Connor said he believes they heard him.
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West Volusia Beacon, The (DeLand, FL) February 23, 2012
Co. manager selling house Author: PAT ANDREWS
Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen's house is up for sale. The property, according to the Adams Cameron Realtors listing, is in "elite" Ponce Inlet, nestled among dunes, with a deeded path to the beach. The 2, 600-square-foot house went on the market at the end of January. The county manager, like other homeowners, is dealing with the realities of the current real-estate market. The three-bedroom, two-bath home at 69 South Turn Circle is listed for $574, 900. That's more than $300, 000 less than Dinneen and his wife, Lois, paid for it in April 2006, at the top of the housing boom. The price has dropped at least once since the home was listed. Property records show the Dinneens paid $921, 000; the Property Appraiser's Office now values the property at $320, 419. The Dinneens may be in luck, however. Adams Cameron agent Cyndi Terry, who's handling the listing, said the market is starting to move again, with beachside houses selling. "Right now, 10 are pending in Ponce Inlet," Terry said. Four of those, she added, are selling for more than $400, 000. According to the Daytona Beach Association of Realtors, a house in the $500, 000-$999, 999 range stays on the market for an average of 250 days, or more than two-thirds of a year. Two hundred fifty days from the end of January will find Jim Dinneen with at least four new bosses on the Volusia County Council, whose seven members hire and can fire the county manager. Because of redistricting, six of the seven council seats are up for election this year. Dinneen said election-year turnover on the County Council has nothing to do with his decision to sell. "Honestly, I've been doing this a long time," he said. "That doesn't concern me." Dinneen said he and his wife are simply looking at a different type of housing, now that their youngest son is about to graduate from college and their nest is empty. When Jim Dinneen came to work for Volusia County in 2006, the couple's youngest son was a highschool sophomore. "It's not a good time to sell, because I'll lose a fortune," Dinneen said. He is counting on bargains in the current market to offset any loss he takes on the house. "We're just trying to decide what we're going to do," Dinneen said. "We're looking at our options." Dinneen's employment contract with Volusia County requires him to remain employed as county manager until at least Dec. 31. Dinneen also agreed to stay on for up to six months if he should resign in 2013, and to help search for his successor, unless the County Council waives the transition period. "The last thing they wanted was for me to be looking at another opportunity during this election," Dinneen said. Dinneen said he has been regularly contacted about other employment opportunities. "There's more jobs out there than there are managers," he said. Dinneen said he and his wife enjoy Volusia County and the friends they have made here very much. When he leaves the county's employ, Dinneen will receive a lumpsum payment equal to 12 months of his $213, 000 base salary, plus his regular pay and benefits. County Chair Frank Bruno pushed last year for the guarantee that Dinneen would stay until at least 2013. "We need a stable government," and hiring a new county manager is a process he doesn't want to deal with, while six of seven council seats are up for election, Bruno told The Beacon. Bruno lives near the Dinneens in Ponce Inlet, and was aware that Dinneen's house is on the market, but said he's not concerned that Dinneen may want to leave his job early.
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[CB&A Note: We asked Mr. Dinneen to comment about the editorial cited below. His response follows below and precedes the article: Dinneen Comment: This article was written during the exact time that the County Manager’s Office together with the Sheriff’s office were conducting an investigation into a major theft of over $50,000 by the Director of the Southeast Volusia Advertising Agency. At the time this article appeared we were under strict orders by law enforcement to not release the facts of this case to the public while under investigation. Eventually the individual in question was both fired and prosecuted for grand theft.]
West Volusia Beacon, The (DeLand, FL) January 12, 2012
Public needs to know the messy details County Manager Jim Dinneen's comments at the Jan. 5 County Council meeting should be disturbing to every resident of Volusia County. More specifically, his comments should be disturbing to Dinneen's bosses - the seven elected members of the Volusia County Council. Dinneen promised he would meet individually with the County Council members, to inform them about what's wrong at the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority. Dinneen said it would be "premature" to talk in a public meeting about red flags uncovered during an audit of the Advertising Authority's finances. Remember, these red flags were so alarming that the County Council voted unanimously Jan. 5 to allow Dinneen to immediately seize control of the authority's finances. When Dinneen clearly stated that he didn't think it would be proper to spell out these problems in public, County Council members were silent. They tacitly consented to meeting privately with Dinneen so they - not the public - could learn more about this item of public business. That is alarming. What exactly the problem is at the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority remains unknown. The Beacon started on Jan. 10 asking to look at the agency's financial records, and as this edition goes to press, reporter Pat Andrews just, finally, got access to some of them. Under Dinneen's scenario, County Council members can learn all they need to know from the manager in private, and come to the public meeting prepared to take whatever action is called for, with no enlightening debate needed. How convenient. If he worked for a private company, Dinneen might be forgiven for his instinct to protect his bosses. The County Council appoints the authority board members who oversee the expenditure of tax dollars meant to increase tourism business in the county. If those board members aren't doing their jobs, it might make members of the County Council look as if they aren't doing their jobs - especially if it turns out these red flags have been waving for a while. Keeping the messy details quiet, in serial private meetings with individual council members, could make things easier for Dinneen's bosses. And, that might be OK if this were private enterprise. It's not.
Every dime Dinneen and the County Council and all three Volusia County tourism-advertising authorities get to spend is a public dime. That dime belongs to the taxpaying public. When we
Page 90 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) gave it away to our government, the deal was that we had the right to know what happened to our dime - every messy detail. When those details get embarrassing, and we start to think it's OK if that embarrassment is kept quiet, that's a very dangerous thing. Democracy requires us to know and to care what happens to our dimes, and it requires that people fight to protect that transparency. The average West Volusia resident may not have time for demanding that open- government laws not be skirted by elected and hired public officials who meet privately about problems rather than discuss them in public, as they are supposed to do. We understand that. We have a harder time understanding why not one County Council member objected.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) July 8, 2011
Volusia manager touts leaner proposed budget Author: ANDREW GANT Volusia County's new budget looks a little leaner than the last one, shedding $5 million despite adding an expensive emergency dispatch and EVAC ambulance takeover, County Manager Jim Dinneen told the County Council on Thursday. At $589.7 million - down from the $594.8 million budgeted this past fiscal year - the county is "stretching ourselves to the utmost," Dinneen told the council in a mini-budget workshop held during its regular meeting. A proposed countywide property tax rate of $5.77 per $1,000 of taxable value, although 47 cents higher than the current rate, is not considered an increase because it's designed to compensate for an 8 percent drop in the tax base. The $5.77 is equal to the "rolled-back" rate - the rate it would take to bring in the same revenue collected in the current budget year. At the proposed rate, the owner of a home appraised at $100,000 with a $50,000 homestead exemption, would be asked to pay about $288 in property taxes to the county's general fund. Dinneen's budget proposal still calls for a $3.2 million drop in revenue as other taxing funds with flat rates like Volusia ECHO, Volusia Forever and the library fund bring in less money. If the budget is approved as proposed, the county's total drop in property tax revenue over the past five years will be $39 million, county officials said. The higher, rolled-back property tax rate, although technically not an increase, will still cause some homeowners - including many with Save Our Homes caps on their assessments - to pay more, Property Appraiser Morgan Gilreath said. "One of the hardest things we've had to explain over the last three years, with markets going down, is that market value goes down substantially, and yet their taxes go up . . . and it creates a logic conundrum," he said. "They're levying the rolled-back rate, which generates last year's money, so it's not an increase," Gilreath said. "But here's the taxpayer who sees their tax bill and gets a 10 1/2 percent increase. How do you explain it to that person?" Because of substantial trimming over the past year, Dinneen's general government fund budget is $6.4 million lower than the current one, even after adding $16 million to take over emergency medical services and $8 million for consolidated dispatch. Such emergency services require the bulk of the county's property taxes, with 72 percent of county property taxes going toward public safety this year. With the added costs, that figure will rise to 76 percent. The county has reduced 513 positions from its payroll without resorting to layoffs, but county employees haven't seen a pay increase in three years. Raises weren't in Dinneen's proposed budget, either. In fact, the county saved $4 million to put toward EVAC when public employees started paying 3 percent of their earnings to fund their Florida Retirement System pensions. The council still wants to find a way to reward employees. "I don't understand why the governor tried to balance the budget on the backs of public employees," District 4 Councilman Carl Persis said after the meeting. "If we can do it without raising the general fund budget from last year, I would be inclined to give our employees something back." District 5 Councilwoman Pat Northey said the past three years of tight budgeting have been painful for all involved, and "our
Page 92 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) employees certainly were the reason we were able to do it. "I can support your position on the salary increases," she told Dinneen after his presentation. "I understand why you didn't put them in here, but I'm going to tell you, I'm going to push really hard that we find money to make that happen after the fact. I think it's critically important this year that we reward our employees." Dinneen agreed with the sentiment and said he'd keep looking. "You have my word that by the second meeting in November, that I'll report back," he said. "I'll guarantee that." The council will adopt minimum tax rates at its Aug. 4 meeting - after which it can only lower, not raise, the approved rates. Two budget hearings are scheduled for Sept. 8 and Sept. 22.
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Hometown News (Fort Pierce, FL) May 13, 2011
County will take over EVAC by October Author: Patrick McCallister As the principal of Ormond Beach Middle School, Carl Persis said he regularly calls for EVAC ambulance services when students are hurt or sick. "I have a lot of experience with calling 911," said the principal, who is also a Volusia County Councilman. "Of course, you get the fire truck and you get EVAC. In most cases here at Ormond Beach Middle School, I'd say EVAC is here in about seven minutes. I'd have to say 90 percent of the time they're here in seven minutes." In spite of that reliable service, Mr. Persis voted with his fellow council members recently to take over EVAC because of other issues the organization is dealing with. County Manager James Dinneen told the Volusia County Council he doubted the ambulance service could be saved by continuing cash infusions. "I do think it's an uncertain world," Mr. Dinneen said at a recent council meeting. "I do think the old model of EVAC is clearly in danger, because of the changes they're making to Medicaid and Medicare." The EVAC takeover will happen by October 1, the start of the next fiscal year. The ambulance provider formed in 1981 with a county contract to cover Volusia's 1,207 square miles, along with its 16 municipalities. With less than a 50 percent collection rate, and no increases in Medicare and Medicaid pay rates for advanced life-support services since the 1990s, EVAC has been steadily bleeding money since at least 2007. Additionally, EVAC lost a multi-million dollar lawsuit last year. A jury held the ambulance service accountable for accepting the transport of a woman in premature labor from Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando. She gave birth during the trip, and the child has cerebral palsy. That was on council member Joie Alexander's mind when she voted for the county to take over EVAC. Ms. Alexander, of New Smyrna Beach, said that as a county service, EVAC would enjoy legal protections it doesn't as a county-contracted corporation. "The big thing for me is the sovereign immunity piece," she said in an interview. Under sovereign immunity, governments are less legally liable for actions, or inactions, than individuals or corporations. This fiscal year, EVAC received about $1.5 million from the county. Its budget is just over $17 million. The projected budget for next year is about the same. However, EVAC officials said it would most likely need a $4 million subsidy from the county for its next fiscal year. Mr. Dinneen believes the county could operate the service for about $500,000 less next year, and develop greater savings thereafter.
Mr. Dinneen noted to the council that among other cost-reduction capacities the county has that EVAC doesn't are social services. "I'm going to try to reduce the services of EVAC where other services better fit what (callers) need," Mr. Dinneen told the council. "We need to cut down on people calling us frivolously, as a taxi service. We're talking about having a social services part of this." No one is certain how many calls EVAC responds to that could be handled with less expensive alternatives. Mr. Dinneen noted to the council, for example, that there are chronically- ill individuals whose symptoms become acute because of missing medical appointments or not getting prescriptions filled due to transportation issues. He said the county could work with Votran to get those individuals to appointments or pharmacies rather than sending ambulances.
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Mr. Persis said that when he has spoken to EVAC employees, they raise the subject of frequent callers who needed services other than medical transport. "I don't know how many there are out there," Mr. Persis said. "I understand there's a good number of people who call them all the time. We can make them aware of other services that can help them." Additionally, Mr. Persis said the county has collection options EVAC doesn't. "There's a 48 percent collection rate," he said. "We believe we can improve on that." EVAC, which operates 20 ambulances, makes most of its money by billing Medicare, Medicaid and insurance companies. Mr. Persis said he hopes EVAC transitions to the county essentially as is. "EVAC has a very good model, so we wouldn't be changing the efficiencies they established, but I think we can make it a little better," he said. Mr. Dinneen said he thinks most of EVAC's approximately 200 employees will keep their jobs as the county takes over the service.
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West Volusia Beacon, The (DeLand, FL) December 2, 2010
County manager gets $45K boost Author: AL EVERSON For the second year in a row, the Volusia County Council has offered high marks and kind words - but no immediate pay boost - to County Manager James Dinneen. That does not mean a blue Christmas for Dinneen, however. The county will pay more into Dinneen's retirement fund, putting him on a par with law-enforcement officers and firefighters. The total value of the increase will be about $45, 716 annually. "I wouldn't call it a golden parachute, when you look at what others, like the head of Halifax [Medical Center] are getting," County Chair Frank Bruno said. Bruno negotiated the revision of Dinneen's contract with the county. Is it a silver parachute, then? "Maybe a nickel parachute," Bruno replied with a chuckle. The growth of Dinneen's nest egg came out of the County Council's Nov. 18 meeting, which included the annual evaluation of his performance and the desire to give him some holiday cheer. "I wish that we were in better times and that we could give Mr. Dinneen a salary increase," Bruno told his colleagues at that time. "We can't give him a raise, but we need to be looking at something down the road." Bruno and his fellow council members commended Dinneen for reducing the cost of the county government and trimming the payroll in a time of diminishing tax revenues. Dinneen became Volusia County manager in 2006.
Under the county's current austerity program, Dinneen - like other county employees - will not receive a pay raise. His annual base salary will remain at $196, 630, the figure set by the County Council in 2008, when it last granted him a 2-percent increase. According to the new amendment in its contract with Dinneen, the county will pay an amount equal to 23.25 percent of his salary into the Florida Retirement System. Previously, the county contributed 13.12 percent. "Shouldn't he be entitled to the same retirement as his public-safety employees get?" Bruno asked. "I've already concluded the contract. He's not going to get the DROP that some employees get." DROP is an acronym for Deferred Retirement Option Program, a state program that allows some state and local government personnel to return to work in government while they continue to receive pensions from prior public-service careers. Critics charge DROP amounts to double- dipping.
Dinneen's amended contract does not require County Council approval, as the council authorized Bruno to complete the negotiation. The enlarged contribution to the Florida Retirement System for Dinneen is in addition to other benefits the county already provides, including: · $20, 500 each year into Dinneen's deferred-compensation fund · $8, 040 annually into a 401 (a) retirement savings account given to Dinneen in lieu of medical insurance (Dinneen pays for his own health insurance, continuing the coverage he carried in Ohio, where he worked as city manager of Dayton before becoming Volusia County manager.) · A county-owned 2006 Ford Escape for his personal use · A $300, 000 term lifeinsurance policy. In addition, if the County Council fires Dinneen "without just cause," he would collect nine months to 12 months of his base salary. If the council dismisses Dinneen for just cause or he resigns, he may negotiate a severance agreement including payment of between six and 12 months' base pay.
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County Council Member Andy Kelly was the only one who objected to the holiday generosity of his peers. Kelly commended Dinneen for his work in cutting the county government's expenses, but opposed any change in the manager's contract. "Well, considering we haven't given the other employees, it was a slap in the face to other employees," Kelly told The Beacon. Kelly noted the $45, 700 retirement-fund increase alone is more than some people make. "While I appreciate his dedication and his professionalism, I think we're paying him for honorable work," Kelly said. "I don't understand how we could give no one a raise, and we just declared that one person deserves a raise or a benefit package that no other employee in the county deserves." As a top administrator of a local government, Dinneen is required by Florida law to file a financial- disclosure form with the Volusia County Department of Elections. On that form, besides his salary as Volusia County manager, he lists income from the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System. Without specifying dollar amounts, he also lists mutual funds and certificates of deposit from the sale of vacant land in Virginia Beach. The only liability Dinneen lists is a SunTrust mortgage. Dinneen thanked his bosses for their expressions of confidence and their willingness to reward him. "We try to recognize that we work for the council," he said. "We never forget who we work for. We work for the electorate.".
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[CB&A Note: We asked Mr. Dinneen to comment about the editorial cited below. His response follows below and precedes the article:
Dinneen Comment: This article is one person’s personal criticism of the County Council’s decision to increase their contribution into the County Manager’s pension fund under the Florida Retirement System.]
West Volusia Beacon, The (DeLand, FL) December 2, 2010
Dinneen raise was wrong We won't argue James Dinneen isn't a good county manager. We won't fail to give him credit for steering the county toward austerity during difficult times. And we won't fault members of the Volusia County Council for wanting to recognize Dinneen for his good work. We will, however, point out that giving Dinneen a raise Nov. 18 was wrong. Not only is the extra $45, 716 a year for Dinneen a slap in the face of the County Council's taxpaying constituents, many of whom have lost their homes, lost their jobs, and taken pay cuts over the past few years. It's also a slap in the face of rank-and-file county employees who haven't had any raises for two years. It's bad management, to boot, because of its certain effect on county workers' morale. We can scarcely believe Dinneen didn't graciously refuse to accept the County Council's largesse, given that he already makes $196, 630 plus considerable benefits, and given that leading by example and encouraging county workers to continue their belt-tightening are surely among his priorities. Neither Dinneen nor the County Council can claim the pay increase is necessary to keep the county manager's salary level with rising costs. We haven't had any inflation in a while, remember? That's why millions of senior citizens on fixed incomes, who can barely afford their food, medicine and utilities, haven't received any increase in their Social Security stipends for two years. No, County Chair Frank Bruno's only explanation for heaping a holiday helping of generosity on Dinneen was that the county manager should have the same kind of retirement benefits firefighters and sheriff's deputies enjoy. What? When did being the county manager become the kind of job where you risk your life every day to serve the public? Only District 1 County Council representative Andy Kelly voted against the raise. We're glad of that, but regret that Kelly could not convince any of his colleagues to reward Dinneen with thanks and praise instead of their constituents' dollars. Of course, County Council members who favored the raise will say it isn't a raise. It's just an increase in the amount the county pays into the Florida Retirement System on Dinneen's behalf. We're not fooled. The county's checkbook will be $45, 716 lighter at the end of the year, and Dinneen will enjoy a retirement-fund boost to protect him against the fiddling with state retirement benefits that's being threatened by the new regime in Tallahassee.
We sentence Dinneen and six members of the County Council to spend an afternoon in the unemployment office, or at the headquarters of a social-service agency whose resources are dwindling while calls for help are skyrocketing. Andy Kelly is exempt from the sentence. He and
Page 98 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) his wife, Missy, can continue spending time, as they regularly do, helping homeless people - including families - who live in the woods. Perhaps the insight Kelly gains from that humanitarian work enabled him to speak out against the raise. The rest of the County Council members, perhaps, have become so insulated among the well-to-do that they don't realize, in these times, especially, $196, 630 plus generous benefits is more than enough.
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West Volusia Beacon, The: Web Edition Articles (FL) September 27, 2010
Volusia County Sheriff praised for turning the other cheek Author: Al Everson The top cops of Volusia County and the City of Daytona Beach are not on speaking terms nowadays. Law enforcement is something of a fraternity, and those sworn to preserve the public peace usually exercise professionalism and courtesy among their fellow officers. That peace was broken several days ago when Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood blasted Sheriff Ben Johnson for allegedly failing to cooperate in investigating recent copper thefts. Chitwood was quoted as calling Johnson “a moron.” The chief later referred to Johnson’s alleged reluctance as “a moronic decision.” For his part, Johnson has thus far exercised his right to remain silent, not returning the favor. “The sheriff will not be commenting,” Sheriff’s Office spokesman Gary Davidson told The Beacon. Other county officials, however, are not so patient about Chitwood’s chiding. “I’m offended by what has happened,” County Chair Frank Bruno said, as he raised the issue at the County Council’s Sept. 16 meeting. “I believe that there should be a public apology.” So far, however, Chitwood has shown no sign of regret or inclination to apologize. “It’s sad that we can’t get along in times like these,” Council Member Josh Wagner told Johnson, who appeared before the council at Bruno’s call. “You represent our community well.” There were other words of defense and comfort for Johnson. “He has always served this community with the highest degree of integrity,” Council Member Pat Northey said. “It is not appropriate that that kind of language be out there in the public.” “I want to congratulate you for taking the high road and not responding back,” Council Member Andy Kelly told Johnson. “The gentleman who spoke those unkind words must be running for a political office somewhere.” “You just don’t expect these kinds of comments from that high level,” said Council Member Carl Persis. “I am very proud of you.” County Manager James Dinneen told the council and Johnson he was surprised Chitwood would be allowed to make such remarks without having to answer to the Daytona Beach city administration. “There is nobody that is more professional than Ben Johnson,” Dinneen said, noting Johnson has a special status as he was “elected by the people.” Dinneen said such behavior on the part of his subordinates within the county hierarchy would never be condoned. “The atmosphere that created that was really polluted,” Dinneen observed. Johnson expressed gratitude for the support. “I want to thank each one of you all for the kind comments,” he told the council, as if choking back emotion, before leaving the chamber. Bruno’s call for an apology has gone unheeded. Sheriff’s spokesman Davidson could not say if the issues leading up to the rift between Johnson and Chitwood had been discussed in meetings of the Volusia County Police Chiefs Association. Davidson did say, however, Chitwood had not attended regular intelligence briefings of senior local law-enforcement officers. “Unfortunately, the chief and his agency declined to participate in those meetings,” Davidson said. The Sheriff’s Office released a letter dated March 15, 2007, showing the feud between the two men has a history. “As heads of the two largest law enforcement agencies in Volusia County, it’s no secret that you and I have not had the most desirable working relationship. This is particularly unfortunate, given the close interconnections of our agency’s [sic] operations, services and
Page 100 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) personnel,” Johnson wrote to Chitwood on official stationery. “I would like to extend the olive branch and meet with you, on my dime, over coffee or lunch to clear the air. After all, we’re both after the same goal — to provide leadership to our personnel in a manner that results in superior law enforcement services,” the letter continued. The Beacon has reached out to Chitwood for comment, but the chief has not called.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) June 24, 2010
Shrinking government, juggling services no easy trick, manager says Author: CLAYTON PARK
Jim Dinneen says the County Council hired him in 2006 to become Volusia County manager largely thanks to his reputation for shrinking the size of government. "Little did we know we'd be shrinking more than we anticipated," Dinneen said Wednesday to a gathering of area businesspeople in Daytona Beach. Dinneen, speaker at a "CEO Council" luncheon of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, noted the county's elimination of 467 staff positions to date under his watch. The trick has been figuring out how to make those cuts in a sustainable way, without compromising the quality of essential services the county is counted on to provide its citizens, he said. Dinneen told his audience at Sunset Harbor Yacht Club he's proud of the way the county's staff has worked with him to find new ways of doing more with less, but continuing to do so is becoming increasingly difficult because of rising costs and the lingering economic recession.
"We're trying to deal in a responsible manner with all the challenges," said Dinneen, who listed some of them: the potential threat of the Gulf oil spill spreading to Volusia County's beaches; the county's looming water shortage; and the temporary ban on bottom fishing off the county's coastline, which would devastate the area saltwater fishing industry if it were to become permanent. Of the oil spill threat, Dinneen said, "To protect the environment, you don't have to destroy the economy." Noting that Volusia's beaches are clean and open, he said the county has an oil tar ball-disposal plan in place. "We're ready," he said, adding that "science shows it's not likely that it's going to come here."
Regarding the county's coming water-shortage crisis, Dinneen said projections show the county is going to need to be able to produce 83 million gallons of water per day by the year 2020, up from the approximately 58 million produced today. "We're going to have to find alternative water sources," Dinneen said. Dinneen said the ban on red snapper fishing in an area just off Volusia County's coastline is of personal significance to him. Describing himself as a longtime avid recreational fisherman, the Pittsburgh native said the county's abundance of places to fish was one of the reasons he agreed to move here from Dayton, Ohio, where he had been city manager.
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West Volusia Beacon, The (DeLand, FL) December 7, 2009
County to create energy department Plan calls for $2.4 million grant to pay the costs Author: AL EVERSON Volusia County wants to establish its own Department of Energy of sorts, and is seeking money from the federal government to do so. The county is applying for a $2.4 million grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, better known as the stimulus act. In November, the County Council approved the proposal to set up the Office of Sustainability and Energy Management (OSEM). The county is counting on getting the grant from the U. S. Department of Energy. "This is not creating bureaucracy with general-fund tax dollars," County Manager James Dinneen said. Some new employees will be hired, but the expenses of the OSEM's personnel will be mostly covered by the grant funds. Dinneen said one of the new employees will be an "energy manager," who will monitor the county's energy use and identify possible savings. "That will save you so much money," he said. "We are big energy users, when you add up the jail and others." Primary county-government facilities to be audited for energy use include the Thomas C. Kelly County Administration Center, the courthouses, the Branch Jail, the Correctional Facility, Daytona Beach International Airport, the Ocean Center, and the Health Department. The facilities enclose some 1.6 million square feet. The OSEM, as proposed, will have multiple responsibilities, including:· Seeking ways to reduce the county's energy use, especially the use of fossil fuels. · Arranging for an outside audit of the efficiency of the energy used in county facilities. A memorandum given to the County Council states:"the consultant will create a plan which will reduce the county's energy usage, costs and GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions. The plan will look beyond energy use in buildings and include water, energy/ fuel, and waste usage. The consultant firm will complete as part of the strategic planning process a sustainable return on investment analysis in order to assign monetary values to the social, economic and environmental impacts of each option and to allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the options." Other responsibilities will be:· Forming partnerships with other county departments and the private sector to promote energy conservation and environmental sustainability, including efforts to head off climate change. · Establishing International Speedway Boulevard as a "green corridor," where alternative energy is promoted and energy-efficient traffic-management ideas will be implemented. · Retrofitting foreclosed homes bought by the county under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. "We hope to do at least 10 homes," Community Assistance Interim Division Director Dona De-Marsh said. In addition to her Community Assistance work, DeMarsh monitors federal legislation affecting the county. · Implementing incentives for developers and contractors to build "green," using energy-saving and water-saving features, in accordance with the United States Green Building Coalition. "This is probably one of the most comprehensive programs I've ever seen," Council Member Jack Hayman said. Volusia County must apply by Dec. 19 for the federal grant to create the OSEM.
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West Volusia Beacon, The: Web Edition Articles (FL) August 25, 2009
Volusia county spending defended and challenged Author: Al Everson In the run-up to the adoption of Volusia County’s 2009-10 budget and property-tax rates, the county administration and some County Council members are trying to sell their fiscal policies and thus defuse opposition among the electorate. “I do know right now the American pastime is bashing government,” said County Council Vice Chair Joie Alexander. County Manager James Dinneen is pressing the council to approve an operating budget totaling $617.7 million. Dinneen said Aug. 20 his administration had been committed to reducing the size of government. The general fund accounts for $289 million of the total budget, and property taxes for the general fund will be about $158 million. The balance of the fund comes from fees, fines and state-shared sales-tax revenues. The general fund includes the Sheriff’s Office, the jail, the courts, the Elections Department, the beaches and parks, Votran buses, a subsidy for EVAC ambulances, the Health Department, the Department of Community Services, and the expenses of operating county buildings. “The general-purpose government is the thing people think of when they think about county government,” said Dinneen. Since he had become county manager in 2006, Dinneen said, he and his staff had saved $94 million, thus heading off an acute budget crisis now facing other local governments, including painful layoffs of workers. He also reiterated his call for an increase in the ad valorem rate, despite the difficult times. “Our savings that we are doing now are not enough without cutting operational costs,” Dinneen told the council. Rather than slicing payrolls, Dinneen said the county should consider giving county workers a pay raise this year. To support his request for a bigger tax rate Dinneen cited the costs of payrolls, health insurance, energy, and unfunded mandates from the state and federal governments as factors. “It’s the reality of the cost of running the government,” Dinneen said, as he listed unfunded mandates from the state and federal governments, rising payroll costs, and higher health-insurance premiums as factors in the upward costs. Sheriff Ben Johnson told the County Council he had reduced his agency by some 112 positions over the past three years. Forty-eight deputy positions were eliminated by not filling vacancies resulting from retirement or resignation. Other positions were eliminated during previous austerity rounds, according to Johnson, including crossing guards and school-resource officers. Still, the sheriff explained, savings were often offset by unforeseen events, such as searches for elderly people who wander away from home and cannot find their way back, as well as incidents involving the SWAT team and disasters such as tornadoes. “We have gone through everything and cut out everything possible,” said Johnson. The proposed budget is based on a general-fund tax rate of 5.44 mills, or $5.44 per thousand dollars of taxable value. That figure is the rollback rate, which means it is supposed to generate property-tax revenues equal to those of the prior fiscal year, without including new construction. The rate Dinneen has proposed is also 21 percent higher than the 4.5-mill tax rate for the 2008-09 fiscal year. The millage hike, county
Page 104 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) officials say, would offset a 17-percent decline in the tax base over the past year, down from $38.5 billion in 2008 to $30.3 billion in 2009. County Property Appraiser Morgan Gilreath warned not to expect a quick turnaround in the real- estate market. Rather, Gilreath said, the pace of declining values appears to be accelerating. “It may be going down at a higher rate,” he explained. “It’s already down 16 percent since January.” Dinneen’s descriptions of his efforts to save money and to provide vital services in lean times did not sway Don Kane, of Daytona Beach. Kane objected to the current tax burden. “We’re in a crisis in this county and in this country,” he spoke. “We need to find ways in this county to create jobs.” “Do you know there are businesses that are closing?” Betty Kane asked the council. “We just don’t have any jobs here.” Those sentiments resonated with Council Member Carl Persis. “I am not in favor of this budget. I would like to see it cut back a little more,” he said. “Fourteen percent of the people in Volusia County are living below the poverty rate. ... Foreclosure signs are everywhere.” The first public hearing on the budget and taxes will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, in the County Council Chambers of the Thomas C. Kelly County Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave. in DeLand. The second and final public hearing and council votes on the fiscal proposals will be at the same time and place two weeks later.
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DeLand-Deltona Beacon, The: Web Edition Articles (FL) September 23, 2008
Volusia County finalizes higher budget, tax rate Author: Al Everson Conflicting calls on fiscal policy preceded the Volusia County Council's approval of a higher 2008-09 budget and property-tax rates. Council members faced a crowd intensely interested in the outcome as they prepared for the final round of budget action before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Defenders and critics of the budget showed up in force. Those who advocate more spending on social services challenged those who pressed for more budget cuts. Many demanded reductions in both spending and taxes, especially in light of the economic downturn in real estate and the financial sector. "These are not ordinary times," said Robert Pfeifer of Ormond Beach. "The federal government has taken over Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and AIG. Wall Street wallows in financial quagmire. ... We appeal again to the County Council. ... Please don't add to the damage. ... We can't tax ourselves out of this problem." Others, however, claimed vital services — especially public transportation for the blind and disabled, as well as public safety — would be jeopardized if the council failed to pass the budget proposed by the county administration. "If it does not pass, there is danger to social services," said Carl Epley, a Port Orange resident who identified himself as a once-homeless person who had benefited from the county's assistance. More than three hours of debate and comments from the audience culminated in the passage of a spending blueprint of $634.7 million and a countywide ad valorem levy of 5.4 mills, or $5.40 per thousand dollars of taxable value. "Nobody wants to pay taxes, but we all have a responsibility to pay taxes," County Chair Frank Bruno said. "We as a County Council have tried to be as responsible as we could be. ... The budget, I believe, is responsible." County Manager James Dinneen said the part of the budget known as the general fund — which includes public safety, the judicial system, jail operations, elections, the Health Department, parks and recreation and beach services, as well as funding for Votran and substance-abuse treatment — depended on $159 million in property-tax revenues in the current year, and those revenues will not grow under the higher ad valorem rate. "My job is to recommend the lowest-possible budget," Dinneen said. He noted the general fund accounts for approximately one-fourth of the overall budget. The lion's share of the budget consists of other expenses not covered by countywide property taxes: roads, public works, the Daytona Beach International Airport, utilities, and special taxing districts, such as the ones for Mosquito Control and the Ponce De Leon Port Authority. The manager also said county government has cut expenses over the past two years. "We've reduced our workforce by almost 200 people," he said. Although the tax take is static, the county's expenses — for such items as energy, fuel, insurance, pension costs, vehicles, etc. — are rising each year, explained Dinneen. This inflation results in "the invisible cut we have been taking," he said. The countywide tax rate adopted for the next fiscal year is the rollback rate, the levy needed to generate property-tax revenues equal to those of the prior year, not counting new construction, or, in the case of cities, annexations. Because the 2008-09 tax rate is 70 cents higher than the one it replaces, the people who demanded — and got — a rollback rate in the two
Page 106 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) preceding fiscal years are not happy with rollback this time around. For the first time in many years, rollback is higher this year because the county's tax base shrank over the past year. The total taxable value of real and personal property is just under $36.6 billion, as shown in the preliminary tax roll. That's more than $4 billion down from 2007 tax base of $40.7 billion. Falling home prices, caused in large part because of the rapidly rising number of foreclosures, is a leading factor in the shrinkage. Even though county officials claim the higher rollback rate is not a tax increase, Volusia Tax Reform Executive Director Margie Patchett was not convinced. "Go back to last year's budget," she told the County Council. "Give the citizens a break." An Iraq War veteran, Nathan McDonell, urged the council to ease the tax burden. "You should be feeling our pain. We should not have to be packing this house," said McDonell, of Ormond Beach. "Taxes are a function of spending. Spending needs to be cut." "Governments don't create wealth. They only take wealth," said Ed Thomas, an Altoona resident who owns apartments in DeLand. Unlike the earlier budget hearing, attended largely by objectors, this final hearing was attended by supporters of Dinneen's budget whose numbers and tone balanced opponents of the higher tax rate. "You never know what is going to happen to you," said David Dixon, a Port Orange resident who is president of Handicapped Adults of Volusia County (HAVOC). Dixon said he lost his sight 15 years ago, and now relies on Votran for essential travel around the area. "Keep the transit going," he said. A Daytona Beach attorney, Doug Daniels, recast a famous quote from former President Ronald Reagan. "Government is not the problem. Government is the solution," Daniels said. "You have to make sure government is adequately funded." "We depend heavily on funding from Volusia County," said Kelly Johanesson, vice president of United Cerebral Palsy of East Central Florida. "There are 400 individuals in this community waiting for services." The voices supporting the budget swayed a majority of the County Council. "It has a ripple effect when we don't take care of those most vulnerable," Vice Chair Joie Alexander said. "I wasn't for this proposed budget two weeks ago," Council Member Art Giles said. "I need to support this budget as proposed." Six of the seven council members voted for the budget and the higher tax rate that funds it. Council Member Carl Persis dissented, claiming the School Board's funding had been reduced to the point of slicing teachers from the payroll, and thus the county should also seek further savings.
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DeLand-Deltona Beacon, The (FL) December 10, 2007
New jail needed, but Volusia County can't afford it County government struggles with a host of unfunded needs Author: AL EVERSON Facing uncertainty about its revenue, Volusia County may be hard-pressed to afford major public projects in the years ahead. Like a grandparent struggling to make a meager Christmas fund cover a rapidly growing number of grandchildren, county officials are struggling to keep up with growth in a time when county government's income is being limited. A host of factors are creating the potential funding crisis. New infrastructure - including a new jail - is being demanded, and there isn't enough cash on hand or likely to come. "First of all, we don't have the money some people think we have," County Manager James Dinneen said, as he contemplated two consecutive years of rollback tax rates and the possibility of even further budget cuts from a Jan. 29 referendum. "We already are sacrificing." The wish list The County Council recently adopted a five-year capital-improvements program, as required by state law, but members have not settled on how to pay for the big-ticket items. Here's what they say is needed, and the estimated costs: · Jail expansion: $43 million · Deltona Library expansion: $18.4 million · 800-megahertz radio-system replacement: $14 million · East-side service center for public works: $15 million · Sheriff's Evidence Center and District 2 headquarters: $16 million The latter three projects are currently unfunded, and the price tags are estimates likely to rise, if recent past experience is a guide to the future. In the case of the combination Evidence Center and District 2 headquarters for the Sheriff's Office, one official estimate of the cost has already bumped up to $18 million. In addition, county officials do not yet know how to pay for these other new capital projects: · Emergency Operations Center: $16.8 million · Commuter rail Phase 2, the county's share of extending service, in 2013, from DeBary northward along the CSX line to DeLand During a recent presentation on commuter rail, the cost of Volusia County's share was represented on the screen with a series of question marks, in lieu of a number. When the Volusia County Council ratified agreements in July to participate with three other counties in building the commuter- rail system, the county took on more than $140 million of debt, payable over 30 years. A dead-end road? Not least, the county's 10-year road program - which was formerly known as the five-year road program - shows $171.8 million in unfunded road needs over the next decade. The massive unfunded portion of the county's road program is due to a combination of factors, including
Page 108 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) skyrocketing costs for asphalt, concrete and rights of way. The increases come as revenues from road-impact fees are declining due to construction slowdowns and the flattening of gasoline-tax revenues, as gasoline prices hover near record highs. "You may be the last council that is going to be building roads," Dinneen told the County Council recently. Not only is the road program in a vise of rising costs and falling revenues, but much of the local-option gasoline-tax revenue is committed to repaying $70 million worth of road bonds issued by Volusia County in 2004. "I've come to believe in about three years, we won't be doing anything, but we'll still have the debt service," said Dinneen. "There will be issues about paying the debt service." Earlier this year, Dinneen created a blue-ribbon committee of college presidents to examine the local transportation needs and recommend ways of paying for them. He disagreed with suggestions the committee might be predisposed to recommend tax increases to cover the costs of building new roads and widening existing ones. Waiting for the voters to decide These reductions in revenue come as the property-tax base shows signs of growing less robustly than it did in recent years, if it grows at all. On top of that, County Chair Frank Bruno says he expects voters will move to limit the taxing power of local governments when they vote Jan. 29 on a constitutional amendment that offers bigger homestead exemptions, portability for Save our Homes savings, and other tax cuts. "I think it's going to pass. It's just human nature to take what you can get," Bruno told The De- Land-Deltona Beacon. The constitutional amendment calls for raising the general homestead exemption from the current $25,000 to as much as $150,000 on the first $200,000 of the value. To prevent Florida homebuyers from being hit extra hard with taxes due on a new home appraised much higher than their former one, the amendment provides for "portability," meaning the buyer can take his old exemption with him or her to the new address. "I think people will support the portability," Bruno said. Fiscal conservatism in vogue Like Dinneen, Bruno has resigned himself and the county government to austerity. "That means more budget cuts," he said. Bruno said he is willing to postpone indefinitely the construction of a new lockup. For years, the county's leaders have talked about the need for a new jail, or an expansion of the Branch Jail. Built to incarcerate 1,494 inmates, the average daily number of inmates is currently 1,536. The numbers increase sharply at certain times of the year, especially during special events, such as Spring Break. "If you will build it, they will come. You can't build a jail big enough," Dinneen promised. Nevertheless, the county simply cannot now afford a new jail, and must wait until the economy improves and tax collections rise, Bruno said. "We've been holding off on building that jail, and we need to hold off a little longer," he said. To reduce the numbers of people behind bars, Bruno said, the county should "work with the court system, get drug and alcohol abusers into rehab, get treatment for those with mental problems ... and get them into programs like ACT and Stewart-Marchman." In a time when his constituents are having difficulty making ends meet, Bruno said Volusia County should live within its means. "When families have financial problems, they don't go out and build a new room on their house. They wait till they have the money," Bruno explained.
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Inflation 101 While the county waits for the cash, the projected price of a new jail goes ever upward. "It was $35 million; now it's $43 million," Council Member Art Giles said, referring to the difference in estimates between 2006 and 2007. "We've got to get our arms around the cost escalations." Dinneen said "some of the costs are way off," but he also said time delays are sometimes responsible for overruns. Cost overruns likewise plague other projects. "We're going to have a big discussion on capital," Dinneen said. The expansion of the Deltona Regional Library was projected in 2005 to cost $4.6 million. In August of this year, however, the estimate was revised to $15.4 million, and the latest guess is just under $18.4 million. Are you willing to pay in a different way? If tax-reform initiatives bar counties and cities from increasing property taxes, local governments may turn to other sources of funding. Special-assessment districts - similar to those set up for stormwater control or for roads - are among the possibilities. However, Volusia County Property Appraiser Morgan Gilreath has asked Florida's attorney general for an opinion on whether such assessment districts can be allowed, if they are being used as mechanisms to get around tax caps. Gilreath is still waiting for a response. Hikes in gas taxes are not likely, unless the Florida Legislature authorizes them. Volusia County now has the highest local gasoline tax allowed by state law: 12 cents per gallon. Over the past three years, local leaders have suggested levying another local sales tax, but these taxes require the approval of the voters. A 1-cent sales tax would yield approximately $75 million in new revenues, and the cities would receive approximately half the income. By law, the proceeds of such a sales tax may be spent only for capital expenses. A majority of Volusia County's voters soundly rejected a 1-cent sales-tax proposition in 1992. Grass-roots opposition, coupled with lukewarm support on the part of several municipal governments, moved the County Council to scrub a planned sales-tax referendum in 1998. Volusia County has a half-cent sales tax for school construction, as approved by the electorate in 2001.
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DeLand-Deltona Beacon, The (FL) May 31, 2007
Economist: Expenses hard for government to control Author: Al Everson Based on his study of several counties' fiscal practices, a leading Central Florida economist gave Volusia County government high marks for fiscal efficiency, and said local governments' budgets should be expected to rise at a higher rate than that of the Consumer Price Index. "Things that counties buy are not the things families would buy," Dr. Hank Fishkind told the County Council May 3, as he presented his analysis of local- government spending. Fishkind, who studied government spending for the Florida Association of Counties, also analyzed Volusia County's budget, and concluded the county is not wasteful. "I don't think there's much fat to cut," he said later. Critics of county and city governments say spending should be allowed to increase no higher than the Consumer Price Index, known as the CPI, a national standard for determining the rate of inflation. Rather than use the CPI, the U.S. Department of Labor's measurement of the increases in the cost of living, Fishkind unveiled the Local Government Cost Index (LGCI) as a better measure of the county's spending. While the CPI rose by about 12 percent between 2001 and 2006, Fishkind said the LGCI increased by almost 26 percent during the same period. Put another way, one may think of a dollar as worth 100 cents in 2001. Fast-forward to 2006, and the county had to spend almost 126 cents to get what $1 would buy five years earlier. "Governments don't grow by the CPI. This ought to be ended once and for all," County Manager James Dinneen said. "CPI doesn't apply to governments." The CPI is based upon a marketbasket of goods; Fishkind said a government's marketbasket is different from a family's. "Families don't buy road graders and jails," he said. Fishkind's analysis focused on the five fiscal years between Oct. 1, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2006. He began by noting during that period, Volusia County's property- tax collections grew by 72 percent, from $128.7 million in the budget year beginning Oct. 1, 2001, to $220.8 million in the year ending last Sept. 30. During that same period, the county's total spending rose by 42 percent, from $351.5 million to $498.5 million. Also during that five-year span, the county's population rose about 10 percent, from about 459,000 to 503,000. The county's work force, however, grew by 13 percent, from 2,664 to 3,001. Leaving out extra firefighters added because of fire-protection agreements with cities, the county's work force grew by only 10 percent during the five years - the percentage equal to the growth in Volusia's population, according to Fishkind. In surveying the big increases in the county's spending, Fishkind identified other factors, including higher pension contributions and medical-insurance costs, and pay raises. To the delight of Dinneen and the council, Fishkind said Volusia County's spending has grown by lesser rates than that of other counties around Florida. "Let's use an index that makes some sense," said Fishkind. "Your index is less than the state. ... Your costs are much lower than your peer groups." Fishkind's analysis covered 16 counties. Volusia County paid him $3,000 to visit the County Council meeting to explain the local portion of the study. In looking at law-enforcement spending by the county government for the 2005-06 budget year, Fishkind determined Volusia spends about $99 per person, while Osceola County
Page 111 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) spends the lowest, $25, and Manatee spends the most, $218. Similarly, jail expenses break down to $61 per person in Volusia County, while Brevard County is at the low end with $48, and Escambia spends the most, $118 per person. As another example, Volusia County's spending on parks and recreation comes to $44 per person. By contrast, Alachua spends the least, $4 per person, and Escambia is at the top end with $89 per person.
If the Florida Legislature mandates reductions in property taxes, Fishkind and Dinneen warned, the county will have to consider ways of replacing the revenues lost. Possible options include more fees for services and special-assessment districts. Those new charges would cover expenses now paid from the county's general fund. Dinneen panned the idea of a fee-based government. "I think fees are inefficient and counterproductive," he told the County Council. "It's not an efficient way to collect revenue." "Unfortunately, I think it's the direction you're going to be forced to go," said Fishkind. Because of a possible shortage of tax revenues, County Chair Frank Bruno said the county "may not be able to eliminate beach tolls right now." He was alluding to the council's informal discussion about lifting the charges for beach driving. The county imposed the tolls in 1987.
Dinneen also said Volusia County must find ways to pay for transportation improvements. Local-option gasoline taxes are yielding less revenues, as the retail prices of fuel rise. "Our five- year road program became a 10-year road program, which could become a 15-year program or a 20-year program, which means we're not doing anything," said Dinneen. Under state law, the revenues from local gas taxes may be used only for the construction of new roads or more lanes on existing ones. "They are not for maintenance of roads, and we are falling so far behind," Dinneen added.
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DeLand-Deltona Beacon, The (FL) October 23, 2006
County Council refuses to OK new pay deal for firefighters Author: Al Everson To the disgust of firefighters who had ratified a new contract, the Volusia County Council refused to approve the agreement and ordered the administration and the union to go back to the negotiating table. Meeting Oct. 19, the County Council heeded County Manager James Dinneen's advice to shelve the pact and to negotiate anew. Dinneen said the contract contained faulty calculations on wages; namely, numbers Dinneen said the county had not anticipated. "People make mistakes, even on important things," Dinneen told the County Council, apologetically. "I will tell you, I have no excuse. It's my responsibility." The pending agreement called for a 16-percent pay hike for the county's professional firefighters, their first pay raise in four years. The pact also called for future increases. The contract was the result of three years of negotiations between the county and the union, International Association of Firefighters Local 3574. Dinneen said the numbers were mistakes, and could cost the county more than it had budgeted. The manager had signed the agreement before he brought it to the County Council for ratification. The union ratified the contract in a two-day vote last month, said Jeremiah Greathouse, president of Local 3574. The County Council's refusal to sign was unexpected. "It's a change in position," Greathouse said. The contract, he said, was supposed to provide a good Christmas for firefighters and their families, who have had "some rough Christmases the last few years." While most of the council agreed the contract should be renegotiated, Council Member Carl Persis took the opposite position. "This really bothers me," Persis said. "Our manager's name is on a written document. ... This could drag out for a long time. ... I just think we should live up to it. His name is on it. I just think it's the proper thing to do." Scores of firefighters in the audience reacted with hearty applause. The County Council voted 6- 1 in favor of new labor talks. Persis was on the losing end. "We're disappointed," Persis said. The union's disappointment may escalate to a lawsuit against the county, according to Greathouse. "It's gong to cost them more to defend against the unfair labor practices," he said.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) July 27, 2006
Bird dog on the beach Coordinator post holds promise for Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen has only been on the job a few months, but he clearly understands the long-standing tension over Volusia County's beach - a 47-mile-long hot potato, venue for countless power struggles. That may be why he winced Wednesday at a headline suggesting he wants a new beach "czar." The term Dinneen uses is "coordinator." As he describes it, the new job combines the duties of a facilitator, an ombudsman, a concierge and a bird dog. And as he describes it, it sounds like a good idea. Volusia County's charter gives county government control over the entire beach, from the Flagler County line south to the Canaveral National Seashore. But city officials, residents' groups and even County Chairman Frank Bruno complain that they don't always know whom to call when problems arise at the beach, or a permit is needed for a special event. The complaints are understandable. Several county departments have duties at the beach - environmental services oversees protections for endangered sea turtles that nest here; leisure services runs 10 beachfront parks and a marine science center; the Beach Patrol handles law- enforcement duties and serves as first responder for injured shore critters; and public works maintains beach ramps and other infrastructure. These missions often overlap. A beach coordinator could act as liaison between all those departments - and serve as the point of contact between beach services and the public. Dinneen says he also hopes the new coordinator spends time out looking for problems, calling beach stakeholders - including hoteliers, neighborhood associations, turtle patrols and city officials regularly to touch base, heading off complaints before they become bigger problems. However, these groups would not be required to ask for help through the beach coordinator, and county departments wouldn't have to seek his or her approval before undertaking work on the beach. Thus, the beach coordinator would not become a bottleneck or an obstacle. If the County Council approves this - as it seems likely to do - it should make sure these caveats are in place. Councilman Jack Hayman says he was sold when he realized this new position wouldn't constitute "another upper-level staff person" - Dinneen says he expects that the new beach coordinator position would have no authority over county departments, just a mission to help things run more smoothly. That sounds good to the manager of Volusia's largest beachfront city. Daytona Beach City Manager Jim Chisholm says he's already looking at ways the county and city can work together to enhance beach approaches and parking. The coordinator position "is a great opportunity for all of us to cooperate," he says. With broad support, it's easy to see how a beach coordinator could improve efficiency while making the shoreline a better place to visit. Dinneen's proposal comes close to being a no-lose proposition for county and city governments - and most important, the beach going public.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) April 4, 2006
Dinneen starts as Volusia County manager 'No-nonsense' executive has learned much about new home Author: JOHN BOZZO Jim Dinneen's first day as Volusia County manager began under brilliant early-morning sunshine at a celebration of a new manufacturing plant. "They say this is the Sunshine State, so I'm assuming every day is as beautiful as today," he said smiling. The 56-year-old former Dayton, Ohio, city manager, who accepted a $175,000 annual salary in January to come here, hobnobbed with other officials preparing to tour the new plant built by Ocean Design, which manufactures undersea electronic and fiber optic gear. Behind the sunglasses, friendly smile and firm handshake at the reception was a man who takes over Volusia County's top administrative post with a reputation for no-nonsense decision making that takes into account the views of others. "I'm real excited," Dinneen said. "This is a beautiful community and a great opportunity. I can't wait to dig in."
Dinneen said he didn't know much about Volusia until he applied for the county manager job following the resignation last year of Cindy Coto, who was recently the top pick of Seminole County commissioners to become their new manager once a contract is worked out. He was impressed with what he found. "The beauty here and the people really make this a well-kept secret," he said. "I've never met a group of people more involved and more positive about the place where they live." George Mirabal, president of The Chamber, Daytona Beach/Halifax Area, said Dinneen learned a lot about the county while preparing for the job interview, enough to hit the ground running. "I think he's going to be a great communicator, that's the big thing," Mirabal said. "I've talked with him a few times. It's not his way, it's the community's way. That's what we need." Mirabal also likes something else about the new county manager: a shared allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers pro football team. "He can't be bad," Mirabal said.
Bill McMunn, president of Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co., was also impressed with Dinneen's commitment to be inclusive. "He was my favorite candidate for the job," McMunn said. "What I've learned through my sources is they're sorry he's leaving up there, which is the greatest compliment you can get when you leave." Daytona Beach City Manager Jim Chisholm said he's already had a few conversations with Dinneen. "I'm looking forward to working with him and taking the city's relationship with the county to a higher level," Chisholm said. "He seems to be very good for Volusia County." Outside Ocean Design, a company whose officials decided to stay in the county after outgrowing manufacturing facilities in Ormond Beach, Dinneen said he worked on growth issues in Dayton and helped coordinate actions among various local governments.
Other early priorities Dinneen picked up from attending a County Council planning session two weeks ago include providing a better process for citizen complaints and ensuring the council and staff function smoothly. "To become successful, we really have to work as a team," he said. County Councilman Dwight Lewis said Dinneen's attendance at the planning session was a good
Page 115 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) introduction. "It helped everyone see his personality and the way he discusses issues," Lewis said. "He's no-nonsense. I thought that was an ice-breaker and a good thing." Where Are They Now? Jim Dinneen is just the fourth county manager since Volusia's home-rule charter went into effect in 1971. The others still live in Volusia - though one could be moving soon. They include: TOM KELLY 1971-1995 Now retired, volunteer in the community and with a local government advisory group. LARRY ARRINGTON 1995-2000 Now helping to run a government consulting firm. CINDY COTO 2000-2005 Now in negotiations to become Seminole County manager. SOURCE: News-Journal research New Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen AGE: 56. SALARY: $175,000. LAST POSITION: City manager of Dayton, Ohio. PERSONAL: Married with two sons.
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[CB&A Note: We asked Mr. Dinneen to comment about the editorial cited below. His response follows below and precedes the article: Dinneen Comment: When I took the position in Volusia County in early 2006, I had already put in 32 years in my career (10 in Montgomery County and 22 in the City of Dayton). All the City Commissioners for whom I worked were sad to see me leave but were supportive of my decision to move to Florida and pursue a new opportunity.]
Dayton Daily News (OH) January 7, 2006
Dinneen not paying commission back DAYTON CITY MANAGER JIM DINNEEN HAS AN odd way of returning loyalty. Considering that it was just a year ago that his bosses agreed to an arrangement that allowed him to keep his position and collect his pension simultaneously, he's in the job market awfully soon. Mr. Dinneen is one of five finalists for a position in Volusia County, Fla. He insists he's not eager to leave Dayton, but that rings hollow. He has to be more than a little serious about moving on, knowing that his interest was likely to become public and that once it did, he'd be seen differently. Whenever a high-level manager is perceived as a short-timer or on his way to someplace sunnier, that weakens his authority. Mr. Dinneen doesn't have a contract with the city, which is to say he's not obligated in any technical way to stick around. But last January, when he became eligible to retire, the city commission allowed him to do so and then rehired him at his same salary, which was $143,600.
If the commission hadn't cut this deal, Mr. Dinneen, 55, probably would have quit and looked for another job. Ohio's public employee retirement system is so generous that it makes it expensive for retirement-eligible workers — many of whom are too young to stop working altogether— to stay in their positions. They're substantially better off to find another job, or if they're in enough demand, to be rehired in their old position. Of course, there are political costs for politicians who are seen as giving away the store to public employees, especially those with Mr. Dinneen's profile. Who's to know what handshake agreement Mr. Dinneen and the city commission made last January? But you'd like to think that the commission asked Mr. Dinneen for a time commitment in return for signing off on what is not an unusual, but still an extraordinarily good, financial deal for him. If the commissioners had known he might be out the door in just a year, you can be sure they would have paused about making the argument that Mr. Dinneen was too valuable to lose. Commitment, after all, is central to one's value to an organization. Mr. Dinneen's service in the region extends 31 years. During his career, he's earned a reputation as a no-nonsense, straight-talking, capable administrator. In his three and a half years as Dayton's city manager, he has been a good buttress for a timid commission. He's credited with keeping commissioners informed and winning their confidence on how to rein in spending — which has been pretty much the sole focus. As supportive as he has been of them, they also have stood with him and made sure he was given the latitude and credit — and compensation — he deserved. They were owed more than a year under his latest pay package.
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Dayton Daily News (OH) June 19, 2005
Funding for DATV threatened Nonprofit might be victim of budget cuts by city of Dayton Author: Joanne Huist Smith Robert E. Hamilton had limited time and money to spread the word about U.S. Army plans to dispose of a neutralized VX nerve agent in Jefferson Twp. in 2003, but through DATV and public access television, he produced a video to educate the public. Hamilton and a grassroots group of informed residents convinced the U.S. Army to retreat. "I wanted to give the movement something to take from meeting to meeting. You can't take a march, but you can take a documentary video," Hamilton said. "There is no way we could have done what we did without public access. It's a strong medium, and you just can't deny the opportunity it gives." But fans of DATV wonder how long that opportunity will be available. They fear funding for the nonprofit organization that reaches 46,000 homes will be the next victim of budget cuts in the financially strapped city of Dayton. City Manager James Dinneen suggests it's time DATV look for funding from other sources than the city's cable franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable that expires in August 2006. Currently, the city gets a 5 percent franchise fee annually from Time Warner or about $1.2 million in 2004. DATV's share, mandated by the franchise agreement, was $467,664. The budgets for all city-funded departments and organizations — including DATV — are under attack, Dinneen said. "I'm not saying anything negative about DATV, but nothing is sacred. I told them the same thing I told the police and fire departments. Everything of value is being reduced," Dinneen said. "If (DATV) doesn't participate, who do they think we should cut instead?" The city has contracted with Pennsylvania-based CBG Communications Inc. to conduct a cable needs assessment for the community that includes an evaluation of DATV located at 280 Leo St. The study, due out this week, will be used to re-evaluate the cable franchise. "We fear people in the city who handle the money think it could be used better in other ways," DATV's Executive Director John Rocco said. "We're hoping the city invites the company that did the study to make a public presentation. That way everyone won't have their own interpretation of it." For 27 years, DATV has provided residents of the Miami Valley with training, equipment, facilities and free air time to produce their own non-commercial, programs for cablecast in the city of Dayton, Butler Twp. and Riverside. Shows range from religious services to festival coverage and civic and education programs. Rocco said DATV has enjoyed a good working relationship with city leaders and that his staff even videotapes Dayton City Commission meetings for cablecast on the City Government Channel 24 and rerun on public access. Dinneen said the good relationship doesn't have to change, but the financial arrangement may have to. "They provide a product of high value to people. You would think after (nearly) 30 years, people would be willing to pay for the service as part of their cable bill," Dinneen said "I think that's one thing that should be looked at. It would have to be part of the franchise package." But, members of DATV call the value of public access "priceless." Just after midnight on Fridays, 26-
Page 118 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) year-old Broderick Curney will be watching DaShow on DATV Channel 20 on Time Warner Cable. He knows every frame of the rap videos that debut on the show because he edits them. "My life was at a standstill. I found a passion here," Curney said. "DATV put the fire back under me." Pastor Clarence Plump of the Word Pentecostal Assembly of God has carried his sermon from a pulpit at 3401 Siebenthaler Ave. into the homes of shut-ins and nursing homes via DATV for 15 years. He's one of nearly 60 clergy using DATV's Dayton Spiritual Television on Time Warner Cable Channel 12 to spread the Word. "For some people religion and worship are their only hope. What happens if you take that hope away?" said Plump, who is 52 and retired from General Motors. Plump explored other cable channels, but couldn't afford them. "At DATV, all it costs me is the (video) tape and my time," he said. As Plump edited his show Thursday morning, 84-year-old Wanda Baer, former director of tutorial services at Sinclair Community College, worked across the hall on a program about college opportunities for senior citizens. "Public access is the one place where citizens have a voice," Baer said. "Most of the media in this country is controlled by a few big corporations. Public access belongs to the community." Curney, who struggled to find his way two years ago after he washed out of the U.S. Navy for fighting, said he will graduate from the International College of Broadcasting in November thanks to encouragement and training from DATV staff. He plans to tackle youth violence in Dayton as his next video project. "I know kids are listening to my show, because they call me. Television is such a powerful media. I believe we can make a difference here," he said.
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Dayton Daily News (OH) January 13, 2005
Dinneen will get pension, return to job City manager will retire, be rehired Author: Jim Bebbington
City Manager Jim Dinneen will retire at the end of the month and be rehired immediately after the Dayton City Commission on Wednesday approved the plan, saying the city cannot afford to change leadership during hard economic times. The commission voted 4-1 to approve the measure. Commissioner Dick Zimmer voted against it, saying the commission has not reviewed Dinneen's job performance since hiring him in 2002. The move will allow Dinneen, 54, to retire at the end of January and be immediately rehired at his current salary. He will begin receiving his pension from the Public Employees Retirement System and retain his post as the top administrator in Dayton's government, which paid him $143,600 last year. Dinneen's annual pension will pay him two-thirds of his highest three years' salaries.
Dinneen said he had been considering job prospects elsewhere, but the move allows him to remain. "I appreciate them putting into practice something that is not uncommon," Dinneen said. A state law in 2003 required Ohio public agencies to conduct public hearings if their boards want to allow an employee to retire and be rehired in the same job. Union leaders have spoken out against allowing Dinneen to retire and be rehired at the same pay. But only one resident criticized the plan during Wednesday's public hearing. Southwest Priority Board Chairwoman Georgia Wortham said with staff cutbacks and budget cuts hitting city services, Dinneen should not take both his retirement and his pay. "I don't think it would be morally sound to do this at this time," she said. Commissioner Matt Joseph said he wished Dinneen would have agreed to a pay cut in return for the commission's consent to rehire him. But Dinneen received strong support from Mayor Rhine McLin. McLin said the move will cost Dayton nothing and keeps its top management in place, avoid
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Dayton Daily News (OH) February 29, 2004
DINNEEN'S CANDOR HELPS CITY'S CAUSE Finance committee needs to be straight, too Author: Ellen Belcher Just a bit shy of the 30 years he needs to retire, Dayton City Manager Jim Dinneen doesn't have to shake his head yes when he wants to say no. There's a certain freedom associated with knowing that you don't really need your job, and Dinneen's using that license to say what's on his mind. The mayor and city commission have created a new committee to take a look at where Dayton can get new money and what it really needs through 2010. Dinneen and Dan Sadlier, president and CEO of Fifth-Third Bank of Western Ohio, are co-chairing the group. Last week Sadlier, Dinneen, Mayor Rhine McLin and two consultants met with this newspaper's editorial board to spell out what they were doing and why. One consultant emphasized that Dayton isn't in a crisis. The mayor wanted to point out that Dayton has actually managed its immediate budget problems well, contrasting the city with Cleveland, Buffalo and Pittsburgh, which have made headlines with their layoffs and financial meltdowns.
Dinneen didn't disagree, but he pointedly used the word "bankruptcy." It's "inevitable" in the long run, he said, if the gap between spending and revenue isn't brought in line. He said the cutbacks Dayton is making are "ugly" and will get "uglier." He wants to make sure no one has any illusions about the stakes or hard choices facing the city. Besides Dinneen and Sadlier, 16 other people are on the committee, eight from the private sector, and an equal number from the public side. The business faction is stacked with savvy number-crunchers, including Tom Breitenbach, of Premier Health Partners, Franz Hoge, formerly of Coopers and Lybrand, Allen Hill, formerly of Dayton Power & Light and Kathy Hollingsworth, formerly of National City Bank. The public-side people mostly are union representatives and neighborhood activists, all people intimately affected by any recommendations that could come from the committee. Dinneen is an intriguing choice as co-chair. If, during the limited downsizing Dayton has done so far, he had become a lightening rod, he wouldn't be out front. That he's still getting along with the people he's pleading poverty to speaks well of him, but it also suggests that the harder work is yet to come. Elected officials, incidentally, are absent from the committee because they ultimately will consider, and presumably act on, the committee's ideas. Of course, if the recommendations don't sit well, they'll want distance from them. All the people who've stepped up need to be supported and recognized. They're wading into a treacherous place. There's nothing they can propose that will make people happy. McLin said the committee's work is fundamentally about suggesting how to reduce the size and cost of government; that's not what the unions - her supporters - want to hear. And Dinneen said there will have to be discussions about raising more money (but not through an increase in the income tax). He's pointing at institutions and people Dayton needs. He noted, for instance, that 35 percent of the property in Dayton isn't taxed because it belongs to nonprofits. Other cities are talking about putting assessments on universities and hospitals, among others. (This discussion was happening, incidentally, on the day that the University of
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Dayton announced it had tentatively agreed to buy property from NCR Corp. that would expand the 110-acre campus by half.)
Dinneen also rattled off income sources, including stock options, that currently Dayton doesn't tax because of its "outdated" tax structure. "We're good at taxing people who work at 7-11's," he said. "We're not good at taxing CEOs." Finally, Dinneen said there is no realistic plan to quickly bring more jobs to the city that could raise enough money to offset Dayton's cost of doing business at the rate it's going up. Dayton, in other words, isn't going to grow its way out of its problems. There is a lot the committee members candidly say that they don't know. What they really mean, though, is that they're not sure how much employment levels should be reduced, how many services Dayton can cut back on, and how much more money can be raised without shooting the city in the foot. The nature of the problem, however, is crystal clear. The measure of the committee's worth, indeed of its success, will be whether it can suggest substantive changes that can hold up to critics' scrutiny; that recognize the city's residents are the poorest in the region; that require shared sacrifices; and that help compel a broader conversation about how Dayton is assuming financial burdens and responsibilities that benefit the wider region. Dinneen, Sadlier and their committee are doing thankless work that can't be put off.
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Dayton Daily News (OH) August 29, 2002
CUT OR CRASH, DINNEEN MEMO SAYS City's fiscal straits imperil reserves Author: Jim Bebbington The city budget's cash reserves could be depleted within a year if spending cuts are not made, according to a draft of budget projections city commissioners received Wednesday. City Manager Jim Dinneen presented to the five commissioners several unpleasant options to balance the books this year, in the face of an estimated $16 million gap between general fund income of $160 million and the $176 million budget. Layoffs, early retirement buyouts, across-the-board department budget cuts and cuts in city subsidies are among the options being discussed. But next year's financial picture looks worse, according to the budget documents. Without steep cuts, the city's $19 million cash reserve could be depleted by July, the budget office estimates. `The city of Dayton's financial situation has, as a reflection of the national and local economy, suffered its most significant decline in history during 2002,' Dinneen wrote in his overview letter to the commission. The city's general fund took in $174 million last year, but will bring in only $160 million this year. Revenues in 2003 are projected to be $157 million. Some recommendations for this year include: * Taking two fire engines out of service - one on Frederick Pike and another on Wayne Avenue. * Charging households $5 a month for trash collection. * Cutting priority board set-aside grants in half, to $300,000. That is money neighborhood groups use for small amenities and projects. * Cutting spending across the board to city departments for contracts, materials and equipment. * A hiring freeze would remain in place. Even with those changes and others, the city would have to spend $3.5 million of its $19 million reserves to balance the budget. `This plan can be as one-dimensional as a general layoff or multi- dimensional with a team approach that could include such elements as pay freezes, benefit reductions, alternative work scheduling, etc.,' Dinneen wrote in his overview letter. The commissioners got the news during briefings Wednesday. They would have to approve most of the changes and are expected to work with Dinneen on alternatives or options. `Some of the cutbacks will have to be relatively soon; others will begin the first of the year,' Commissioner Richard Zimmer said. Zimmer said layoffs of city employees are a possibility, and the longer the city administration delays making choices the harder next year's cuts will have to be. `If some of these things don't happen and the economy worsens, there will be layoffs next year,' Zimmer said. `If we had layoffs in the very near future we could delay some layoffs in the future.' Firefighter union President Rick Halcomb said his department is bearing an unfair share of the cuts after the city took one fire engine out of service already this year to cut overtime costs. `We need to get a grip on this,' Halcomb said. `We'll do the best we can to keep our citizens safe and we'll take our hit like everyone, but we shouldn't take more than our share.' Police Lt. David Maynes, president of the Dayton FOP Lodge 44, said the police union is willing to talk with the
Page 123 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) city administration about cuts, but they are traditionally suspicious of the city's budget projections. `From our experience in past contract negotiations there is an air of distrust in their numbers,' Maynes said. `This is just way off. We've gone from having a fairly sound budget to being deep into the red. I'd like to see someone take responsibility for getting us into this situation.' Commissioner Joey Williams said Dayton is feeling the economic pinch that is occurring nationally. `Based upon our demographics and reliance on certain industries, we may be getting hit harder than others,' Williams said. `But even the most diverse industries are getting hit. The one thing everyone agrees on is we only make the situation worse the more delays we have.' Projections for 2003 in Dinneen's presentation estimated the city could save $3.7 million next year by instituting a wage freeze; $1 million by deferring wage step increases; and $6.75 million through furloughing 135 employees. The city administration's next steps are to meet with unions, Municipal Court and clerks offices, which are paid for through the general fund, and continuing the hiring freeze and planning for layoffs. `I've given them ideas, but we're a long ways from having a set strategy,' Dinneen said.
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Dayton Daily News (OH) May 13, 2001
RIVERSCAPE STAFF WADES THROUGH LAST-MINUTE DETAILS Downtown park kick-off Saturday Author: Benjamin Kline Someone could have imagined that Carrie Scarff, the hard-working manager of the new RiverScape Park, had gone off the deep end. One recent afternoon, when she was nursing a dozen last-minute tasks in connection with the park's opening, Scarff and two staff members were in lifejackets, merrily splashing about in one of the paddle boats that will be for rent, along with hydrobikes, at the park pavilion. Holy rubber ducks! Had Scarff succumbed to Five Rivers MetroFatigue? Not at all. She said they just wanted to make sure the watercraft are navigable in a current, so patrons need not worry about being swept downstream over the low dam. The $21.1 million park is designed to provide tame, mostly visual and audio thrills. Even the music broadcast from speakers hanging like necklaces around the light poles is billed as "family- friendly." No Darth Vader lasers? "We're going by the philosophy of Walt Disney - that everybody is our guest and they are the most important person in the world," Scarff said. She was conducting orientation for the 14 programming/operations staffers at RiverScape. The ranger staff, eight to 10 additional law enforcers, was practicing its new job, too. Because of RiverScape's role as part of a downtown Dayton revival, park staff are being trained to help visitors find their way to restaurants, theaters and other attractions. There will be a Webcam, but no surveillance cameras at RiverScape, Scarff said. If you and your sweetie want to sit along the levee and gaze at the Great Miami at midnight, plan on sharing the romantic moment with a courteous but vigilant park ranger. As Saturday's opening day drew near, the site at the former Van Cleve Park and the adjacent levee slowly took shape the way a photograph does when downloaded on a computer screen, byte by byte. First there were murky forms, then a mosaic of squares in many subtle colors and finally, the vivid true picture. Along Monument Avenue the principal color was stone white, not grass green. "This is crunch time," said James Dinneen, the assistant Montgomery County administrator who has presided over RiverScape like an army general. "All the contractors are finishing up their work, and we're rushing to meet the deadline." Dinneen was pursuing the deadline using blueprints, his computer, books and his daily planner. Phil Miller, the county's manager of public works engineering and construction, said the testing of the five big fountains began at 3 p.m. Tuesday, when all five were turned on for a short time. Tests will continue, Miller said. Motorists on nearby streets may see the five towers lit up at night and hear the music being checked. "It's going real well as we come into the home stretch," Miller said. "There are two ornamental light poles we may not get on time, but I think nobody will notice they're not there yet," Dinneen said. "All this stuff is unique. If something doesn't arrive, we'll set out a placard to show people where it's going to be." All the plantings were in by Friday, Scarff said. One of the Dayton invention stations, the one representing the pop-top beverage can, will not be ready in time. Officials felt relieved Monday, when the new Wright Flyer III sculpture was unveiled on Monument Avenue. Everything that was supposed to move
Page 125 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) did; everything that was supposed to hold still, held. The park has taken shape from west to east. The 22-foot-tall, replica C.F. Kettering self-starter, a sectional view of gears that resembles an old-fashioned, wind-driven roof vent, was the first of six "Inventors' RiverWalk" pieces to be completed. It was already starting to rust, according to workmen from the Columbus fabricator who were applying white polyurethane paint one recent afternoon. Modern art? "I haven't seen too much of it that I would want in my front yard," one painter said. "But this piece isn't too bad." Timid trees, tiny shrubs and shivering baby flowers struggled to survive in nearby, tar-lined concrete planters. Deep green benches and trash bins softened the stark outdoor room. Workmen raised dust and noise as they sawed the final pieces of granite for the pavement. Dust underfoot obscured Paul Laurence Dunbar's quizzical face and his poems, engraved in stone. It'll be swept or hosed clean before the grand opening. Farther east, the last several dozen memorial brick pavers were being laid in place. The Downtown Dayton Partnership sold 2,000 of them. Donors could create a message, such as "Learn from it! Daytonians Forever. Stacey, Andrew and Stuart Rigot." The five fountain towers, which look a bit like condiment bottles or skinny bowling pins, stood in silent watch over the conjunction of the Great Miami and Mad rivers, east of the Patterson Road bridge. A separate hydraulic jump fountain, with 49 nozzles aiming a cascade down the riverbank, also awaited testing until its controls arrived and could be installed in a below-ground vault. Cantilevered gables, stylish rather than structural, were being finished above the tile-faced pavilions. "We're just gonna keep unveiling things," said Scarff, 39, a New Carlisle native. "Stories of Dayton, anecdotes from our past." It's hard to "hide" something that spews 3,000 gallons of water a minute from each of five towers 109 feet tall with laser effects 300 feet wide, but Dinneen admitted he hopes not many people will see the fountain and lasers until opening night. "I think the things we put in the park, together with all the entertainment and the sound system, it's just gonna be one more reason to come downtown," Dinneen said.
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Dayton Daily News (OH) June 9, 1999
REIBOLD UPGRADE FOR $6.9M WINS OK * The 11-story building will have a new exterior and extensive interior changes. Author: Ken McCall Plans for renovation of the historic Reibold Building cleared a final hurdle Tuesday as the Montgomery County Commission unanimously approved spending $6.9 million for the third and final phase of the project. The 11-story, 100-year-old building at Fourth and Main streets will get an exterior face-lift and a major makeover inside. The two-story brick facade will be removed from the columns and walls, said project manager Bill Hunter. The windows, which were recessed to create an arcade, will be returned to their original position, metal filigree will be installed above them, and the columns will be surfaced either with cast stone or granite, Hunter said. In addition, the Main Street entrance will be moved closer to the center of the building and enlarged, and the entire building will be refinished to give it a uniform color. "Outside is a very unattractive building, based on what they did to try to modernize it," said Public Works Director James Dinneen. "We want to make it attractive." The building's interior will receive extensive renovations including a ground-floor rotunda, new elevators and other work on every floor. The building will also be the center of what Dinneen called a "giant domino game" that will involve the relocation of a number of county departments. The Combined Health District and the Public Defenders Office, among others, will move in, and the Board of Elections and the auto title office will move out to the County Administration Building on West Third Street.
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Dayton Daily News (OH) May 15, 1998
PROGRAM KEEPS TIRES OFF ROAD, OUT OF LANDFILLS Author: Laura A. Bischoff Tires now end up on vacant lots, rural roadsides and creek beds, but there shouldn't be any excuse for such dumping with a new Montgomery County Solid Waste policy that lets county residents get rid of up to eight tires a year for free. Jim Dinneen, county public works director, said he hopes to expand that to an unlimited number of tires in 1999. The county takes tires at the newly refurbished South Solid Waste Facility and contracts with Rumpke Waste Systems to recycle the tires as road material. The tire program is just one new recycling program kicked off this year. The county also accepts surplus building materials, office furniture, tools and art supplies, and then lets art teachers and non-profit agencies "go shopping" at its Material Reuse Facility, also at the south facility, 2450 Sandridge Road. Since February, the program has diverted 12,000 pounds of material from being landfilled. The materials are neatly stored in what used to be the county's incinerator parts storage building. A computer inventory and two workers keep track of what's on the shelves. "We are really just starting to kick this thing off, so a lot of people don't know about it yet," Dinneen said. County officials said they will learn as they go about what materials are in demand and what should be thrown out. Eventually, jail inmates may be used to pick usable items out of dumped trash. The tire program will cost about $30,000 this year and the materials-reuse facility has a $284,000 budget. Both are part of a $1.5 million recycling education budget. Recycling programs such as these are increasingly important during times of economic growth. In Ohio, recycling increased from 4.4 million tons in 1990 to 13.8 million tons in 1996, according to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. During the same period, however, waste generation increased from 17.4 million tons to 33.1 million tons. Montgomery County handles 250,000 tons of residential trash a year, nearly half a ton per person. The county recently completed a $35.4 million overhaul of its old north and south incinerators, which now are used as transfer stations, where trash is taken before being hauled to landfills. The overhaul included demolishing the old incinerator towers and taking away 100,000 tons of ash, building a 60,000-square-foot trash transfer station and buying new heavy equipment for the south facility. It also included $2.4 million in improvements to the north facility at 6589 N. Webster St. in Vandalia. In 1995, county commissioners decided to close the north and south incinerators because of the $70 million it would have cost to retrofit them to meet clean-air standards. Instead, commissioners decided to build trash transfer stations at the incinerator sites. Dinneen said the incinerator kilns and equipment are still in place and could be re-activated if landfill costs become unbearable. "It is getting harder and harder to site any kind of solid-waste facility," he said. The county just awarded a five-year contract worth about $32 million to Waste Management of Ohio to take county trash at its Stony Hollow landfill. The 250,000 tons of residential trash will shorten Stony Hollow's life by about three years. Officials estimate the landfill will reach capacity in about seven years. Dinneen said the huge capacity at its transfer stations means the county can seek bids from distant landfills when it goes out to bid for landfill space again in four years.
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Dayton Daily News (OH) April 19, 1995
LAWSUIT SEEKS COUNTY FINE GROUP SAYS LEAD DUMPED Author: Wes Hills An environmental protection group has filed a federal lawsuit seeking $25,000-a-day penalties against Montgomery County for allegedly discharging lead from its north incinerator. The lawsuit claims the county has violated federal limits on lead discharge on 27 occasions from Jan. 18, 1990, through Dec. 18, 1994. The group says the excess discharge has resulted in pollution of the the Little Miami River. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Dayton by Atlantic States Legal Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation in Syracuse, N.Y., which claims its members are dedicated to protecting the nation's water resources. Named as defendants are the Montgomery County North Reduction (Incinerator) Plant at 6589 N. Webster St., and the county commissioners. James Dinneen, county director of solid waste and facilities, conceded there have been some violations, but said the county is ``acting responsibly'' and was committed to ``spending megadollars to resolve this problem long before these people (Atlantic) showed up.'' Dinneen said lead discharges already have been reduced and will be eliminated entirely by 1997 when retrofitting of the incinerator is completed and it becomes ``a zero discharge plant.'' The county's north incincerator discharges wastewater into the city of Dayton Wastewater Treatment Plant at 2800 Guthrie Road, where the effluent is monitored monthly. This monitoring, the lawsuit claims, shows repeated violations of federal standards set for lead concentrations. High concentrations of lead in the sludge produced at the city's wastewater treatment plant limit its disposal on agricultural lands, resulting in more expensive alternatives affecting sewer usage fees, according to the lawsuit. Dinneen disputed these claims. He said any lead discharges are significantly diluted when added to the city's entire wastewater stream and are not resulting in high concentrations of lead in the sludge or being dumped into the Little Miami River. The Atlantic group asks U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice to impose a $25,000 fine for each day the lead discharges exceed federal limits and to order the county to comply with its industrial wastewater discharge permit.
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Dayton Daily News (OH) March 19, 1993
'FARM IT, DON'T HARM IT' FARMERS CONSIDER SECESSION TOWNSHIPS WOULD LEAVE MONTGOMERY Author: Jonathan Brinckman Correction: *IN FRIDAY'S PAPER, PAGE 1A, A QUOTATION FROM GERMAN TWP. TRUSTEES PRESIDENT DONALD W. BREWER ABOUT THE IDEA OF SECESSION FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY AMONG RESIDENTS IN FOUR WESTERN TOWNSHIPS SHOULD HAVE INDICATED THAT HE BELIEVES THE IDEA IS WIDESPREAD IN JACKSON AND PERRY TOWNSHIPS. HE SAID HE DOES NOT BELIEVE IT IS WIDELY POPULAR IN GERMAN TWP. PUBLISHED CORRECTION SATURDAY, 3/20/93 It may not be the Boston Tea Party or the Battle of Bunker Hill, but there's a revolution brewing along Montgomery County's western edge. Farmers in the county's predominately agricultural townships - Perry, Jackson, Clay and German - upset by the county's consideration of their farms for a possible landfill site - are talking about seceding from Montgomery County and joining Preble County. There's no firm plan, and nobody's even certain that it's legally possible. But on farms, in barber shops and at restaurants, discussion of the idea has eclipsed arguments over grain prices and hog futures. "It's the subject of table conversations everywhere," said Donald W. Brewer, a German Twp. trustee. More than anything, the idea reveals how angry township residents are over the county's landfill plans. Since January, engineers contracted by Montgomery County have been drilling on public roads that run past corn and soybean fields, seeing if the underlying geology makes nearby farms suitable for a landfill. Sometimes those drilling rigs have been surrounded by hundreds of protesting residents. "We may have less people here, but we're still human beings," said Roger Millikin, president of the Perry Twp. Board of Trustees. "Probably the lifestyle to the west (of the Montgomery-Preble county line) fits us better than the lifestyle to the east." The secessionists point out that their part of Montgomery County has much more in common with rural Preble County than with the mostly urban and suburban sprawl immediately surrounding Dayton. The secession idea centers in Perry and Jackson townships, which contain the three finalists in Montgomery County's three- year search for the best square mile of land to hold in reserve for a possible landfill. But the idea's ripples are being felt as well in Clay and German townships to the north and south. "I wouldn't mind getting out of Montgomery County," said Dennis Meyer, a Clay Twp. corn farmer. "This isn't the kind of ground for a landfill." Right now, though, the frozen ground is perfect for holding the anti-landfill signs sprouting faster than corn after a spring rain. More than 125 have gone up in Perry Twp. alone over the last two months. Some, saying "Farm it, don't harm it," are simple proclamations. Others are sarcastic: "Hey Dayton, let's make a deal. You keep your garbage, we'll keep our food." In the plastic-draped kitchen of the Harvey Flory Farm on Preble County Line Road in Perry Twp., scattered brushes
Page 130 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) and paint cans tell of sign-painting marathons. There, five men and two women talked this week about redrawing the county border. "Preble County is concerned about the environment," said Jeff Pansing, the sixth generation of his family to live on the Flory Farm. "Montgomery County doesn't seem to care at all." Referred to by farmers as "detaching," the idea has been gaining support since mid-January, when State Rep. Gene Krebs, R-Camden, a Preble County farmer, suggested it at an outdoor anti-landfill rally held on the county border. Krebs concedes he doesn't know how it would work, but he says it would involve petitions. "The mechanism is kind of fuzzy," he said. "But just because it hasn't happened in a 175 years doesn't mean it can't happen." The Montgomery County prosecutor's office, which gives legal advice to county townships, doesn't think the idea is likely to be legal. The state Attorney General's office, often the final arbiter of legal questions in Ohio, says nothing in state law specifically addresses the issue. "It's an unusual request that we haven't seen before," said Deana Gordon, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Lee Fisher. "This is something that we'd probably take to court and figure out." James Dinneen, director of the Montgomery County solid waste department, says the county would never propose building a landfill if the underground tests revealed that doing so would threaten the region's groundwater. County planners say they would only construct a landfill if private efforts to build one fail. Either way, most township residents already know they don't want a landfill. "If it comes down to a choice between having a landfill and joining Preble County, we'll join Preble County," Pansing said. "The idea's got support."
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Dayton Daily News (OH) October 30, 1991
BUMPY ROADS LAY AHEAD CITY BRINGS CITIZENS UP TO SPEED ON TRAFFIC Author: Derek Ali City officials took a step in the right direction recently when - however belatedly - they asked northwest Dayton residents to preview traffic control devices. "I think it was good public relations thing for the city manager to do in light of the response after the installation of the trenches," said Richard Backs, president of Dayton View Triangle Federation. Two weeks ago, residents from some Northwest and FROC priority board neighborhoods were invited to a City Hall meeting to discuss traffic concerns. They later went to the city's Ottawa Street Yard for a demonstration of a variety of speed bumps that could be installed in neighborhood streets. Residents see demonstration The residents got to watch as light-, medium- and heavy-weight vehicles were driven over seven types of speed bumps. The demonstration followed the controversy over the so-called reverse speed bumps - trenches dug across city streets - that were installed last summer in the Dayton View Triangle, College Hill, Princeton Heights and University Row neighborhoods. The trenches were installed in response to complaints about neighborhood traffic, but the city was criticized for not notifying residents before digging the trenches. The reverse speed bumps were experimental, and Jim Dinneen, deputy director of public works, said the demonstration was part of the city manager's promise to garner citizen input before making a final decision on traffic control devices for the northwest area. "We asked for people to give us their comments and to give us additional information. We also took real good notes. I really think it was a very positive good exchange of information," Dinneen said. A videotape of vehicles crossing the bumps will be circulated to priority boards for review. Smoothing over friction Backs said the meeting also helped build bridges between residents who had been at odds over the speed-bump issue. He said being able to select from a variety of devices is useful because "what might be appropriate to one neighborhood might not be appropriate to others." Four out of the seven models were similar to the trench-type, reverse speed bumps. The city also is experimenting with what is called a "camel back" speed bump in the 2000 block of Ravenwood Avenue. Camel back bumps are two strips of asphalt that extend across the street. Other models include a speed bump made of brick, one that uses a steel rail, and a version that consists of concrete dividers raised from the asphalt. That one received the best reviews. 'Bumps' not a long-term solution "I think the meeting was a good idea, and timely," said Modelle Schuller of the College Hill Residents Association. But she said after seeing the speed bumps demonstrated, she did not believe any would provide a long-term solution to traffic problems. She said none of them seemed to cause significant damage to cars that took them at higher speeds. "Maybe we need to make the fines a little heavier when people are stopped. Let the ones who are the violators pay
Page 132 of 134 Section 6 Internet – Newspaper Archives Search James T. Dinneen (Articles are in reverse chronological order) the price, instead of taxpayers," she said. "Then the money can be used better elsewhere." John Wilkins, a Dayton View Triangle resident, said some people suggested taking a vote before a final decision is made. Some form of balloting would be particularly useful in his neighborhood, he said. "We have a differing opinions in our area and it needs to be determined by vote of the entire community whether these trenches are wanted or needed." In the meantime, he said, a neighborhood group he formed over another issue, is circulating a petition to gauge whether residents want speed bumps.
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Dayton Daily News (OH) July 6, 1990
CITY'S RECYCLING PROJECT TO GROW BY 3,700 HOMES Author: Carol Rini Dayton will expand its curbside recycling program later this month, bringing to 7,400 the number of eligible households. City commissioners were told about the program at Thursday's meeting by two members of the Department of Public Works. The move is the second phase of a 30-month plan to institute citywide recycling, which began last December with 3,700 households. Starting July 16, 3,700 households in five Dayton areas - Princeton Heights/Dayton View Triangle; Residence Park; University Park/Belmont; Linden Heights; and DeWeese/Northridge Estates - will be asked to place recyclables in one container and garbage in another. They will not have to sort the recyclables, which will consist of beverage cans, plastic bottles and jugs, glass bottles and jars and plastic two-liter bottles. Newspapers and other papers are not included in the program, but probably will be by 1991, according to the plan. Households targeted in Phase 2 will be notified by mail and will receive a recycling kit from the city. Subsequent phases will be instituted every two months. The next one, which will again include 3,700 households, will begin Sept. 17. Compliance is voluntary. The highest compliance rate as of June 1 was 32 percent, in the Triangle View area. But planners are encouraged by the slow but steady growth of participation and believe the percentages will continue to increase as the program expands, James Dinneen of public works said.
Research Compiled by: Amanda Kuhl Colin Baenziger & Associates
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Section 7
Erdal Donmez
Naples City Manager Candidate Report
Section 7
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
COVER LETTER AND RESUME 1
CANDIDATE INTRODUCTION 7
BACKGROUND CHECKS 15
CB&A REFERENCE NOTES 19
INTERNET SEARCH 31
Section 7
Cover Letter and Resume
Page 1 of 78 Section 7
Erdal Donmez 11311 NW 11 Court Coral Springs, FL 33071 954-695-8990
July 9, 2018
Mr. Colin Baenziger. CEO Colin Baenziger & Associates 2055 South Atlantic Avenue, Suite 504 Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118
Dear Colin:
It was nice speaking with you regarding the upcoming Naples City Manager position last Thursday. I am attaching my resume for consideration for this distinct opportunity.
As you know I retired from City of Coral Springs in May 2017 based on a decision that was strictly my own. After achieving nearly all of the goals that I set at the beginning of my career as the new CM, I felt confident that it was an ideal time to spend more time with my family and make room for my successor. Even though, I have been enjoying retirement, I increasingly feel the desire to tackle new challenges and to collaborate with the skills that I have built over the years.
From October 2010 to May 2017, I served as the City Manager/CEO for the City of Coral Springs, Florida. Previously, I served as the Deputy/Assistant City Manager for ten years. Located in Northwest Broward County, Coral Springs has a population of roughly 130,000 and is known for top public schools, award- winning parks and recreational facilities, low crime rates, low taxes with conservative financial practices, AAA credit ratings from Wall Street, and customer satisfaction ratings over 95% from both residential and business customers.
In addition, Coral Springs is the 2007 recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's most prestigious award for corporate excellence. Coral Springs is the first organization in Florida to be honored as a repeat winner of the Governor's Sterling Award for quality and organizational excellence (1997 and 2003) and is the first-ever recipient of the "Florida City of Excellence" Award from the Florida League of Cities (2004).
I am a seasoned professional with an extensive portfolio of achievements that I have earned over the course of thirty-four years. My areas of expertise are economic development, redevelopment, public finance, strategic planning, public safety, and private/public partnerships. I am experienced in building and managing high performing organizations that emphasize team building and employee empowerment. My proudest accomplishment was that I steered the city during the most turbulent economic times while maintaining and improving our high level services that many of our customers are accustomed to. I would be pleased to share with you my list of accomplishments. My final salary was $238,000.
Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Erdal Donmez
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ERDAL DONMEZ 11311 NW 11th Court Phone: 954-695-8990 Coral Springs, Florida 33071 [email protected]
SUMMARY
A seasoned public executive and passionate leader that is known for high integrity and professionalism. Team member who strives for excellence, solves problems, and builds a team on a strong foundation of trust and support. Proven experience in managing a nationally recognized high-performing organization and demonstrated results in the areas of economic development, redevelopment, public finance, strategic planning, public safety, and private/public partnerships.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
CITY OF CORAL SPRINGS, Coral Springs, Florida City Manager October 2010 – May 2017 Served as the Chief Executive Officer of a nationally recognized, high performing, full-service municipal corporation with a $205 million annual budget. The City is known for top public schools, award-winning parks and recreational facilities, low crime rates, low taxes with conservative financial practices, AAA credit ratings from Wall Street, and customer satisfaction ratings over 95% from both residential and business customers. A summary of my key accomplishments are as follows: • Initiated and completed numerous capital improvement projects over $115 million on time and within budget. • Implemented the planning, designing, financing, and construction of the new Municipal Complex project ($38 million) in Downtown Coral Springs, Florida. • Consistently maintained low crime rates to comparable cities in Florida. • Police Department and 911 Dispatch/Communications Center accredited at the highest national and state levels. • Fire Department has been recognized as the most successful and innovative in Florida • Lowest taxes and fees compared to other comparable full-service cities. • Maintained lowest employee per-capita ratio compared to other comparable full-service cities. • Maintained AAA General Obligation Bond ratings with a Stable Outlook from Wall Street. • Completed every fiscal year within the adopted budget with a positive fund balance. • Annually received Financial Audits with no reportable findings. • Maintained 95% overall customer satisfaction rates from both residential and business customers via annual surveys. • Maintained an employee satisfaction rate of 94%. • Maintained lower unemployment rates compare to local, state and national rates. • The City owned Charter School (middle and high school) received an A rating every year. • Received the highest level performance evaluation (exceeding expectations) from the City Commission with a unanimous vote every year.
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Erdal Donmez Page 2
Deputy/Assistant City Manager 2000 -- 2010 • Provided leadership to the City of Coral Springs to while becoming the first local government in the United States to earn the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2007. • Re-engineered government functions with a focus on increasing productivity, lowering cost, and increasing customer satisfaction. • Led the restructuring of all the economic development functions that resulted in the doubling of a non-residential tax base to preserve the lowest millage for a full-service municipality in Broward County. • Managed the planning, financing, and construction of a multi-million square foot redevelopment program in Downtown Coral Springs, Florida.
CITY OF MIAMI, Miami, Florida Director - Department of Real Estate & Economic Development 1995 – 2000 • Structured a $25 million HUD Section 108 Loan to initiate a $100 million private/public partnership project on Watson Island. • Established new standards and guidelines for joint private/public partnership programs to redevelop several publicly owned waterfront properties located in Bayfront Park, Watson Island, Virginia Key, and Dinner Key, Florida. • Managed all of the citywide economic development activities that included the implementation of a federally funded empowerment zone initiative. • Managed two community redevelopment districts that were located adjacent to Downtown Miami. Activities included the removal of slum and blight, the acquisition and disposition of property, and the financing of both commercial and residential projects.
ARTHUR ANDERSEN & CO., S.C., Miami, Florida Senior Consultant – Real Estate Advisory Services Group 1994 – 1995 • Provided a wide range of financial advisory services to both domestic and international clients in project financing, debt restructuring, and portfolio analysis. • Prepared financial feasibility plans for a $2.5 billion Blockbuster Park project which was the largest private/public joint development initiative in South Florida’s history. • Conducted financial feasibility studies for numerous residential, commercial, and sports facilities that were located in the United States and the Caribbean.
CITY OF MIAMI, Miami, Florida Financial Services Coordinator – Department of Development 1984 - 1994 • Coordinated the development of several publicly sponsored real estate projects. • Managed two multi-million dollar tax increment trust funds. • Represented the city in negotiating issues that were related to the financing of major redevelopment projects located in Downtown Miami, Florida. • Coordinated the issuance of the first publicly offered tax increment revenue bond ($11.5 million) in Miami-Dade County history. • Coordinated the city’s economic development effort with other public/private agencies. • Produced both business and industrial development publications for the City.
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Erdal Donmez Page 3
GENERAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Miami, Florida Financial Analyst 1983 - 1984 • Introduced alternative financing techniques to improve company sales. • Conducted feasibility studies of major land development projects in Florida. • Automated financial and statistical models by using various computer languages.
EDUCATION
• Bachelor of Science, Economics/Mathematics, 1980 Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida • Completed all of the course work required for Master of Science in Economics, (1982) Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama • Certificate of Economic Development Finance, 1997 National Development Council, New York City, New York • Senior Leadership Development Program, 2003 Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colorado
AFFILIATIONS
• Board Member & Trustee, Coral Springs Chamber of Commerce • Board Member, Coral Springs Community Chest • Board Member, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Investor Council • Leadership Broward/Senior Executive Orientation (2004) • Leadership Miami, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce (1987) • Past President of Miami Economic Association • International City/County Management Association • Urban Land Institute • Financial Advisor, Coral Springs Economic Development Foundation • Florida Redevelopment Association • Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity
REFERENCES
• Available upon request.
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Candidate Introduction
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EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Economics, Florida State University, FL Completed all coursework required for Master of Science in Economics, Auburn University, AL Certificate of Economic Development Finance, National Development Council, New York City Senior Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, CO
EXPERIENCE
City Manager, City of Coral Springs, FL 2010 - 2017 Deputy/Assistant City Manager, City of Coral Springs, FL 2000 - 2010 Director of Real Estate & Economic Development, City of Miami 1995 - 2000 Senior Consultant, Real Estate Advisory Services, Arthur Andersen & CO 1994 - 1995 Financial Services Coordinator, Department of Development, City of Miami 1984 - 1994 Financial Analyst, General Development Corporation, Miami 1983 - 1984
BACKGROUND
The City of Coral Springs is located in Northwest Broward County in Florida. Coral Springs was incorporated in 1963 and has a population of 130,000 residents. Coral Springs is known for its top public schools, award-winning parks and recreational facilities, low crime rates, low taxes with conservative financial practices, AAA credit ratings from Wall Street, and customer satisfaction ratings that are over 95% from both residential and business customers.
The City is also known for its progressive business model that makes government responsive to the needs of the community. Coral Springs was the first local government to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2007, the nation's most prestigious award for corporate excellence. In addition, Coral Springs is the first organization in Florida honored as a repeat winner of the Governor's Sterling Award for quality and organizational excellence (1997 and 2003) and is the first-ever recipient of the "Florida City of Excellence" Award from the Florida League of Cities (2004).
Coral Springs started as a successful master planned community in 1963. Its reputation as “the City in the Country” attracted many young families to call it home. The City experienced strong building activity throughout the decades, especially in 1990’s. By the beginning of 2000, the City was completely built out. It is a full-service city with nearly $10 billion taxable value, and 50,000 jobs. The City had a total budget of $205 million of which $110 million was operating budget. The City has approximately 800 full-time and 200 part-time employees.
Coral Springs faces challenges that are similar to many suburban cities in Florida – how to maintain and improve the level of services that our community was accustomed to receiving without
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increasing the low tax rates and fees. While optimizing the resource re-allocation to meet the needs and expectation of the gradually changing diverse population, City leadership focuses on:
• Continued investment in economic development for the future expansion opportunities in the City’s industrial park • Redevelopment effort by investing in private/public partnership opportunities in Downtown Coral Springs • Maintaining a competitive and lean labor force while investing in the latest technology at a reasonable cost
GENERAL MANAGEMENT STYLE AND EXPERIENCE
To serve as the City Manager of Naples is a rare opportunity for most professional City Managers. The City of Naples has a reputation as a great community and it is also known as one of the best managed local governments in Florida. I retired from the City of Coral Springs in May 2017 after achieving nearly all my goals as the City Manager. I felt confident that it was an ideal time to spend more time with my family and make room for my successor. Even though I have been enjoying my retirement, I increasingly feel the desire to tackle new challenges. I am currently not in the job market, however the idea of serving as the City Manager of Naples is intriguing and offers new challenge for me; which is why I have decided to compete for this position.
Ever since I started managing people I have asked myself about the most effective way to bring out the best of my staff. The age-old question is still very relevant: how does one be a great boss? Over time, I have come to appreciate the long-term benefits of creating a positive work environment. I have learned that employees are at their full potential when they are treated fairly and are provided with clear direction in a constructive environment. Having an open-door policy and making them feel comfortable in my presence have led me to the successful employee/boss relationships I have developed. I communicate with my staff on a first name basis and I believe that success lies behind empowering staff by enabling them to make their own decisions. Through these decision processes, I am always accessible to them; however, I believe in giving latitude to all of my staff in order to function independently.
I have had the privilege of working with great staff. They would say I am a leader, a problem solver and team builder who keeps them well informed of what is happening in our city and within our organization. This is done through internal departmental communication meetings in person as well as through the organization’s intranet. The face to face contact reinforces that we are all a team. I believe staff would also say I am friendly, caring, honest and that I am protective of them. The elected officials I have worked with know I am a confident hard worker and problem solver with a creative side. They would say I am a professional with exceptional competence. They know me as friendly and loyal. Through individual meetings I have with each Commission member, they know I am very good listener, trustworthy, not hesitant of speaking my mind and always has the community interest in mind.
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I strongly believe that my rewarding experience as a senior manager in Coral Springs helped me to improve in many areas, especially in leadership and communication. I describe my leadership style as professional, accessible and fair. I communicate with my staff on a first name basis and I believe that success lies behind empowering staff by enabling them to make their own decisions. Through these decision processes, I am always accessible to them; however, I believe in giving latitude to all of my staff in order to function independently. Even though I am an avid listener, I also ask a plethora of questions. I believe in a sense of humor. I treat everyone the same, reward those employees who overachieve, and believe in celebrating our successes when achieved.
My communication style is to the point. I do no embellishment, nor omit difficult details. This style helps me to provide a clear message to staff while building a vehicle of trust over the course of time. I emphasize each person’s role and responsibility while engaging each employee as a member of our team. As a Malcolm Baldrige Quality driven organization, I always emphasized the significance of employee engagement in teamwork to continue process improvements and delivery. Whenever we faced a challenge or an unforeseen incident, we strived for every staff member to have their fingerprints on the entire process in order to grow individually and as a team.
I have often been reminded of being too involved in work, and not allocating enough time for my family or personal life.
As a Baldrige quality organization, the City is committed to ethical governance, adherence to its core values, transparency, innovation, collaboration, and exceeding customer expectations by delivering high-quality programs and services that meet the needs of an increasingly diverse community. The Baldrige process also maps out each employee’s role and performance measures and links them to the appropriate departmental performance measures; ultimately, to the Key Intended Outcomes and the City’s Mission Statement. Employee performance is evaluated based on those individual performance measures established at the beginning of the year.
I consider the implementation of the Municipal Complex project as the most notable achievement of my career. It was a $38 million joint undertaking between the City of Coral Springs and the Community Redevelopment Agency. The project consisted of approximately 75,000 s.f. of admin space, a Commission Chamber, community meeting space, and 600 space multi-use parking garage for the City employees, visitors, and adjacent retail developments. The City’s vision to build a new City Hall and adjacent improvement goes back several decades. This project was intended to accomplish two goals: consolidation of all City admin functions in one convenient location for the public and jump start new redevelopment activity in the privately owned adjacent properties in Downtown Coral Springs.
I am most proud to say that, with the support the elected body, employees, and other community stakeholders, my team implemented this largest undertaking in City’s history (land assembly, planning, designing, financing, and construction) within the budget and time frame. It is also important to note that the Municipal Complex not only houses the city admin offices, but also the local representative of the State and Federal offices and the Chamber of Commerce are
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conveniently located here. In addition, a major mixed-use redevelopment project (over $150 million) was announced while the municipal complex was under construction.
An unfortunate learning experience in my career was my decision to upgrade the City’s ageing ERP system with the existing vendor instead of the planned competitive bidding process, which included an assessment of the existing system as the initial step of the planned upgrade. As the City was getting ready to issue a bid document for the procurement of ERP system, our existing ERP vendor offered the City a recently acquired ERP system as an upgrade to our existing system and at a substantial discount. The ERP upgrade process is, in best of circumstances, a huge undertaking, last 2-3 years and cost well over $2 million. Having twenty plus years relationship with the existing firm and a huge potential saving opportunity for the public convinced me to explore the upgrading ERP system without a separate expert assessment. Needless to say, the newly acquired ERP system by our existing vendor created plethora of compatibility issues. The vendor’s attempts to remedy the compatibility issues was never ending. After numerous opportunity to remedy the pending issues, I met with the vendor’s CEO and terminated the agreement with minimal cost to the City. As a result, we went back to the original plan of acquiring the new ERP system by a competitive process as what we should have done it in the first place.
Termination of an employee is rare, but it happens and I have had to do it. If a city employee is terminated for a cause (depending on the employee membership to a collective bargaining unit), the employee typically has two options: either to accept the termination or file for an appeal to the City Manager for grievance. In the event, the employee decides to appeal with the City Manager than I would meet with her or him. Prior to the meeting, I would learn everything about the circumstances leading to the termination, violation of city policies, prior disciplinary actions. I would hear from the employee or representative and ask questions. Additional research may be necessary if there is a dispute between parties. After my collective review, my decision would be rendered about the termination of the employee. I considered the termination process a difficult, but necessary action that the City Manager was expected to act on behalf of the organization as long as it was done in a fair and equitable way with full compliance of the governing policies and laws.
The next City Manager of Naples is expected to face a number of challenges that are encompassing a variety of areas and disciplines in the near future. These would include:
• Comprehensive Plan update and the review of the future growth policies • New Master Plans for Parks and Recreation, Parking and Infrastructure Improvements, and Stormwater and Drainage related Improvements • Planning and implementation of a new long-term Community Vision Exercise • Continuing improvements to the high-level Customer Service delivery • Addressing the continuing growth and the impact of the Naples Airport • Addressing the resolution of the pending Ethics Commission proposal • Attraction and retention of high quality staff in light of the tightening labor market • Making hurricane/disaster preparedness a top priority.
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As new City Manager I would meet with all parties including elected officials, staff, union representatives, board and committee members, community groups, chamber of commerce, and business groups. I would learn about the Naples City Council’s vision and long-term goals, as well as the culture of the organization. A review the all relevant financial documents would be done including, Budget, CIP, CAFRA, Investment Policy and Long Term Debt. I would review CRA plans, learn about the Naples Legislative priorities, become familiar with Naples’ codes and policies, including performance measures and become familiar with the Naples area and history.
I have built professional relationship with the members of the media, especially local reporters. The City’s Director of Communication was the Public Information Officer (PIO) to the media. The City’s PIO handled most media request. In the event, a member of the media insists in communication with the City Manager’s office, then either a Deputy City Manager or myself would communicate with the party. If a request was coming in a public record request then the City Clerk’s Office would handle the request. As far as myself, there is nothing in my background that would be an embarrassment.
As a communicator for the City of Coral Springs, the designated city staff used social media extensively with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Vimeo.
In my many years serving more than one community and being in the public eye, there is no one that would come forward with any negative comments towards me or about me.
During my leisure time I enjoy spending time with my family, reading about world events, travelling and various sports.
SIX ADJECTIVES OR PHRASES I WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE MYSELF
• Professional • Skillful negotiator • Communicator • Visionary • Respectful and friendly • Focused
REASON FOR DEPARTING CURRENT POSITION
I retired from City of Coral Springs in May 2017 based on a decision that was strictly my own. After achieving nearly all of the goals that I set at the beginning of my career as the new City Manager, I felt confident that it was an ideal time to spend more time with my family and make room for my successor.
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CURRENT/MOST RECENT SALARY
My final salary was $238,000.
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CB&A Background Checks
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Criminal Records Checks:
Nationwide Criminal Records Search No Records Found
County Broward County, FL No Records Found
State Florida No Records Found
Civil Records Checks:
County Broward County, FL No Records Found
Federal Florida No Records Found
Motor Vehicle Florida No Records Found
Credit Excellent
Bankruptcy No Records Found
Education Confirmed
Employment Confirmed
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. 1681-1681Y, credit and bankruptcy information are very sensitive and should not be used be in the consideration of hiring. The information is included for each candidate because we do not want you to be surprised if third parties raise what they consider to be a concern.
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CB&A Reference Notes
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Walter Campbell - Mayor, Coral Springs, FL 954-821-9861
Mayor Campbell has known Mr. Donmez since 2000. From 2012 to 2017 they worked together at City Hall. Mr. Donmez did an outstanding job as City Manager.
Over the course of the five years that Mr. Donmez and Mayor Campbell worked together, on average they communicated three to four times a week. Mayor Campbell was never left unaware of what was happening in the City because Mr. Donmez kept him well informed.
Mr. Donmez is a leader and a manager. He knows how to motivate employees to perform their best and meet their goals. He also knows how to manage processes. He did a terrific job in terms of hiring. The two deputy city managers that he hired have gone on to be city managers for other municipalities. He is not overbearing in his management style, but rather is a team builder.
Coral Springs has a reputation of being customer service oriented and Mr. Donmez helped perpetrate that reputation. Each year the City sends out an annual survey to the citizens regarding customer service and each year the result is high marks all around. He got along well with residents. It was not uncommon for him to attend community meetings, where he professionally represented the City. Mayor Campbell never heard anyone complain about Mr. Donmez.
Mr. Donmez was instrumental in maintaining and improving on an already exceptionally run organization. While he was City Manager the City was named one of the best places to work in Broward County, as well as other prestigious awards.
Mr. Donmez knows how to solve problems. Before hurricane Matthew hit, the County sent homeless people from the area to seek shelter in the Coral Springs High School. It was a difficult situation because many of the people located at the school suffered from mental illness and drug addiction. Mr. Donmez was able to develop a plan to keep the peace during the time these individuals were housed in his jurisdiction. He was respectful and took care of the people as best as possible given the situation. He never lost his cool or became overwhelmed.
Economic development was a big focus of Mr. Donmez. He understood the importance of recruiting the right businesses into the City. He also understood the need for a new city hall, which many residents were against. He educated the public on the need for the construction of the building and gained consensus. The $38 million city hall will be able to serve the population for years to come.
In 2017 when Mr. Donmez left the City, it was on his own accord. If Mayor Campbell could have convinced him to stay, he would still be the City Manager. He was never involved in anything controversial or unethical. At the time his father was having some health problems and he wanted to be able to help more in that area.
Without a doubt Mr. Donmez would make a phenomenal City/County Manager.
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Words or phrases used to describe Erdal Donmez:
• Professional, • Reserved, • Knows how to do the job, • Integrity, and • Intelligent.
Strengths: Motivator, fiscally strong and able to get people to work together to reach goals.
Weaknesses: Takes constructive criticism personally.
Joy Carter - City Commissioner, Coral Springs, FL 954-849-8482
Ms. Carter was a community volunteer for years before being elected as a city commissioner. She knew Mr. Donmez from 2000 to 2013 through her volunteer work. Then from 2013 to 2017 they worked together when Ms. Carter became a City Commissioner. He was well liked by the staff and made a positive impact on the organization.
Mr. Donmez knows how to recruit strong employees who are good leaders for their departments. As a manager he is firm but also listens to his staff. He listens to the elected officials as well. One of the main things Ms. Carter wanted was pickle ball courts built. She brought the idea to the Commission and Mr. Donmez. After researching the possibility, he came back with the compromise of outdoor courts, but not indoor due to lack of funds. The courts were constructed and have been a great addition to the community.
Customer service is a necessity in surviving local government and Mr. Donmez does his part. He is patient, even when pestered by the same residents constantly. Ms. Carter has a great deal of contacts and networking in the City. When she first began serving on the Commission she went straight to her contacts herself. Mr. Donmez had to kindly reprimand her for not going through the proper channels in light of her new position. In the first seven months of her term he had to remind her four or five times to follow protocol. He was always nice about it and did not belittle her.
Mr. Donmez started the process of constructing the new City Hall. It was a highly contentious project and those against it were very outspoken. He was able to push through the noise and make it happen. At the completion of the building Mr. Donmez was no longer City Manager. Despite this fact, the Commission invited him back to participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony because he was such an integral part of the process.
When Mr. Donmez is faced with a stressful situation he keeps his cool. Those that know him might be able to tell that he is upset, but for the most part he can hide his emotions. He also knew
Page 21 of 78 Section 7 Reference Notes Erdal Donmez that he had the right people in place to ensure that any situation was kept in control. He is a leader among leaders.
Although the City of Coral Springs experienced controversy, it was never as a result of anything Mr. Donmez said or did. He was involved in negotiating union contracts and firing police officers, both of which are highly contentious. He always did a great job of explaining why the City had made certain decisions.
Ms. Carter would love to see Mr. Donmez as a City Manager again. He was an asset for Coral Springs and he would do an excellent job for any other municipality or county.
Words or phrases used to describe Erdal Donmez:
• Patient, • Compassionate, • Diplomacy skills, • Firm when needed to be, • Knows his limits, and • Leader.
Strengths: Good direction, handled elected officials well, honest and good character.
Weaknesses: Soft spoken.
John Flint - City Manager, Weston, FL 954-804-1430
Mr. Flint has been the City Manager of Weston since 1998. He worked with Mr. Donmez from 2000 to 2017 through collaboration on projects and attending Broward County ICMA meetings. Mr. Donmez was an outstanding City Manager for the City of Coral Springs.
Mr. Donmez knew everything about everything in the City. He also knew how to solve problems that came up. With his years of public service, he has seen a great variety of situations. He understands how each component of the organization works together, including finance.
During his tenure as Deputy and Assistant City Manager, Mr. Donmez was intricately involved in obtaining numerous large scale awards and recognition. When he took over as the City Manager he not only maintained the high performance level, but enhanced it as well. Customer service is one of the areas he continued the tradition of being top notch.
Coral Springs was never in the news for anything negative. Mr. Donmez did not do anything to bring controversy to the City, but knew how to handle the situations that arose.
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Coral Springs and Westin collaborated on regional/county projects. As City Managers for those cities, Mr. Flint and Mr. Donmez interacted frequently. They did not agree all the time, but they were able to continue having a positive relationship. Mr. Donmez was great at fighting for what his elected officials wanted. The largest collaboration involved consolidating ten 911 call centers into one. Every other week a meeting with representatives from each municipality and the county was held. Initially the group was tasked with identifying the proper funding methods, but became a discussion on public policy. The group determined it was the County's responsibility to fund and run the call center. And in fact, Coral Springs and Mr. Donmez opted to not join in the collaboration but continue to run a separate center of their own.
Mr. Donmez is a consummate professional. Any city or county that passes him up is crazy, because he is a great manager.
Words or phrases used to describe Erdal Donmez:
• Pleasant, • Easy to work with, • Hardworking, • Mutual respect, • Professional, and • Knowledgeable.
Strengths: Positive presence, articulate, competent and knows how to treat people.
Weaknesses: Perfectionist.
John Ruffin - Former Economic Development Board Chair, Coral Springs, FL 954-931-1172
Mr. Ruffin served as the Chair for the economic development board the entire time Mr. Donmez worked for the City of Coral Springs, from 2000 to 2017. Mr. Donmez proved to be an outstanding leader and it was a great loss when he left.
Mr. Donmez made good decisions. His experience and knowledge in local government was a benefit to Coral Springs. He hired exceptional employees that upheld the high standards that he set for them. He encouraged the staff's input before making decisions, because he recognized that he does not have all of the answers. He was open to their ideas and brainstormed some really innovative solutions. He is a leader in that he builds consensus and gets the management team to buy into the goals of the Commission. He is also a manager, because as the City Manager he is responsible for the day to day operations.
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Through attending community meetings and actively going out in the City, Mr. Donmez was able to keep a pulse on the needs and wants of the citizens. He fought to meet the goals of the elected officials. He knew how to develop a plan of action and be an agent for change.
Mr. Donmez does not let the stress of the job get to him. He was part of the senior management team during a time of explosive growth. In fact in the past twenty years the population of Coral Springs has gone from 32,000 to 135,000. He helped manage the growth in a well thought out manner so that the City retained its character. Along with the growth, he was responsible for bringing in economic development, specifically in terms of creating a downtown. He oversaw the construction of the new City Hall, creating pedestrian friendly areas, building parks and putting together events to bring people downtown.
Finances at the time of Mr. Donmez's tenure were always good. Even during the poor economic conditions of the late 2000's he was able to maintain a high standard of service and obtained a AAA bond rating.
One of the City's strengths has always been customer service and Mr. Donmez continued pushing the employees to serve the public. The City enjoys a great deal of volunteerism and participation. Mr. Ruffin volunteered for 25 years without pay, which is typical for the City. Mr. Donmez did a terrific job of organizing and utilizing the volunteers.
Mr. Donmez is not aggressive or a self promoter, despite having many accomplishments to promote himself over. His tireless work made Coral Springs and south Florida in general a better place to live. He should be highly considered for the City/County Manager position.
Words or phrases used to describe Erdal Donmez:
• Quiet demeanor, • Team builder, • Approachable, • Measured, • Thinks before speaking, and • Takes pride in the City.
Strengths: Good listener, consensus builder, encouraged community participation and ability to make people feel comfortable.
Weaknesses: Speaks slowly and in a monotone voice.
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Jennifer Bramley - City Manager, Dunedin, FL 954-798-0159
Ms. Bramley served as Mr. Donmez's Deputy City Manager from 2013 to 2017. Of the six city managers that Ms. Bramley has worked for, Mr. Donmez is head and shoulders above the others.
Mr. Donmez has an innate intuition about people. He uses this skill when hiring personnel. Ms. Bramley was in the midst of hiring a person and he recommended that she did not, but left the decision up to her. She did hire the individual and it did not work out well, just as he had predicted. As a manager he is not a micromanager. He places faith in his directors and allows them the freedom to complete tasks while keeping him informed. He expects their honest input and supports them. He was very strategic in who he assigned tasks.
Mr. Donmez was not afraid of making courageous decisions. He made the best decision for the City, which was not always the easiest. He maintained a high performance organization and was methodical in making changes. In terms of finances, he came up with innovative funding. His knowledge of debt was extremely thorough. He measured performance in everything and was able to make cuts during lean times, without cutting quality of services.
Every quarter Mr. Donmez made a point of holding meetings throughout the organization. During these meetings he updated employees on progress and upcoming projects, as well as answered questions. The meetings were held at different times and places to ensure that all employees could attend. He had twelve meetings just for the fire department. It was exhausting but it made a difference in keeping morale up.
As the City Manager, Mr. Donmez did not have as many daily interactions with customers as those under his supervision. However, he supported initiatives to increase customer service and ensured that resources were available. He attended meetings throughout the community as well. He was a regular at CRA, chamber and rotary meetings.
Outwardly Mr. Donmez remained calm and collected at all times, no matter the level of stress he faced. He approached situations strategically, which helped maintain a sense of stability. Because he did not get frazzled, it was easier for the management staff to also remain calm.
Of course the City had controversial issues that came up during Mr. Donmez's time, however none of them were due to anything that he said or did. In 2012 he oversaw the police union's pension reform. Tempers and emotions ran high, but he made it clear that the pension program was not sustainable and would bankrupt the City if it continued. Despite intense pressure, he worked with finance, human resources and the union to find a compromise.
Mr. Donmez was a mentor to Ms. Bramley. She has implemented many of the ideas and programs that he encouraged in her own path as a city manager. Ms. Bramley believes that he would adapt well to the west coast of Florida and has no reservations about his abilities as a City Manager. What may not be conveyed in an interview setting, is that Mr. Donmez manages from the heart.
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He genuinely cares about the staff, the City and the elected officials. It would be a shame if he were not hired for the position.
Words or phrases used to describe Erdal Donmez:
• Sense of humor, • Respectful, • Steadfast, • Mentor, • Even keeled, and • Heart of gold.
Strengths: Understands fiscal sustainability, good communicator, integrity, caring and able to read people.
Weaknesses: Comes across too serious sometimes.
Tom Powers - Former Vice-Mayor/Commissioner, Coral Springs, FL 954-326-3330
Mr. Powers worked with Mr. Donmez from 2008 to 2014. Mr. Donmez is one of a kind, in a good way. He did a great job as City Manager of Coral Springs.
On average Mr. Powers and Mr. Donmez communicated almost daily. Mr. Donmez was always on top of situations and kept not only Mr. Powers, but the entire Commission informed. He was often out in the community, whether it was attending meetings and events or just walking around downtown. He had a strong understanding of what was happening in the City. His philosophy when dealing with residents was similar to how a business treats customers. He truly cared about their concerns and followed through on what he said he could or could not do.
For twenty years prior to Mr. Donmez the Commission has tried to work with the city manager to build a designated downtown, but little success. In no time at all from when Mr. Donmez became manager, he began plans and pushing the downtown agenda through. His knowledge and experience in economic development is phenomenal. He had the support of the community, businesses and staff.
Mr. Donmez was a terrific leader and manager. He hired the candidates that he knew would fit into the organizations culture of service and hard work. He also implemented succession planning, which has been missing from previous management. His goal and ultimate accomplishment, was that if someone went on vacation or left the City, another person was able to fill in without interrupting services.
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Stress is an inevitable part of being a City Manager. Mr. Donmez knows how to work through situations without becoming overly excited or upset. He never cracked under pressure. He also never did anything even remotely controversial.
Mr. Powers is not entirely sure why Mr. Donmez chose to retire. One possibility is that a new Commission was elected and its agenda changed from being pro-growth, to anti-growth. In just four years of having these elected officials in place the City is now in financial trouble. Even during the economic downturn Mr. Donmez never compromised the budget. Since he left two deputy city managers and the police chief also resigned.
Mr. Donmez is exactly what a City Manager should be. He is honest, hardworking and knowledgeable. He is an outstanding City Manager.
Words or phrases used to describe Erdal Donmez:
• Engaged in community, • Knows government, • Easy to get to know, • Genuine, • Knowledgeable, and • Compassionate.
Strengths: Understands needs of a city, committed, consensus builder, listens more than talks and truly loves the City.
Weaknesses: Works long hours.
Frank Babinec - Fire Chief, Coral Springs, FL 754-224-1979
Chief Babinec was a volunteer firefighter from 1993 to 2000, when the firefighter force was made permanent. He worked for Mr. Donmez from 2000 to 2017. Mr. Donmez was a top notch City Manager.
When the previous fire chief left, Mr. Donmez did not immediately promote Chief Babinec. Instead he went out and did a national search. He does everything fair and ethically, even hiring. Ultimately Chief Babinec stood out above the other candidates and was offered the job, but the process was intense. He allows and expects his direct reports to do their job. He also expects them to keep him informed but will not interfere with their progress unless they ask for his assistance or they are not remaining on schedule. He held regular meetings with the Chief twice a week.
Mr. Donmez is a leader and can motivate the employees to put forth their best effort. He also allows others to be leaders. He is a mentor and is not afraid of giving others an opportunity to
Page 27 of 78 Section 7 Reference Notes Erdal Donmez learn and grow. In fact, he encourages the staff to come up with their own ideas and processes. Chief Babinec came to Mr. Donmez with the idea of having a community paramedic. Mr. Donmez tested the proposal and supported the Chief in launching it into practice. The community paramedic's job is to help residents navigate the healthcare system. In addition, the individual is responsible for addressing and helping those residents that are chronic 911 callers. At the time Coral Springs was only the second municipality in the state to implement the program.
Mr. Donmez is customer service oriented. Although he did not always address the concerns of the citizens personally, he followed through and made sure that the right department/people were working with the resident. He attended every event and meeting possible; grand openings, ribbon cuttings, and chamber and committee meetings. Even after he retired he continued to attend public events.
The fire department provides contractual services to the city just north of Coral Springs. The previous city manager put the contract in place. Mr. Donmez and Chief Babinec recognized a huge problem with the contract; firefighters hired were not guaranteed a job if the city chose to discontinue their services. Every time Chief Babinec hired a firefighter he had to explain to the person that there was a possibility their job would not be around in a year. Mr. Donmez worked with the Chief, city attorney, human resources and finance to develop a new contract that would include this clause to both the satisfaction of the fire department and the city contracting their services.
Mr. Donmez is good under pressure. He has experience of doing the unpopular thing and dealing with the backlash. He never yelled and kept his composure at all times. When he decided to retire Chief Babinec questioned him on why he was leaving. Mr. Donmez said that he wanted to retire on his own terms and felt that he had accomplished all he wanted to and it was time to move on.
Mr. Donmez's work ethic was never brought into question. He was always doing his part to move the organization forward. As a resident of Coral Springs, Chief Babinec was happy with the way he ran the City. If a fire chief position became available in his new place of work, it would be extremely tempting to Chief Babinec to apply. Mr. Donmez would make an exceptional City/County Manager.
Words or phrases used to describe Erdal Donmez:
• Takes job seriously, • Involved in the community, • Social, • Well rounded, and • Smart.
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Strengths: Negotiating skills, looks out for the best interests of the City and willing to compromise.
Weaknesses: Sometimes not flexible enough.
Cindy Brief - President/CEO Chamber of Commerce, Coral Springs, FL 954-614-5717
Ms. Brief first began working with Mr. Donmez in 2006 when she came to work for the chamber. At the time Mr. Donmez was the Deputy City Manager. They continued to work together through his tenure as City Manager until 2017. He was the best manager Coral Springs has ever had.
Mr. Donmez hired some exceptional employees, including his deputy city manager. When he retired Ms. Brief thought Ms. Bramley was the natural choice for his successor. Unfortunately the Commission did not feel the same way and as a result the City lost its top 2 managers.
Coral Springs' main focus and philosophy is creating excellent customer service. Mr. Donmez fully embodies the ideal customer service representative. He never showed negative emotions, even when he was dealing with a difficult resident or elected official. He treated everyone with respect.
The City Manager prior to Mr. Donmez and the newest city manager are not of the same caliber of professional as Mr. Donmez. He made himself accessible and would call her directly if he had a question. He did not put her off or refuse to return phone calls, which is what was and is now happening without him there. He was always the go-to person when someone in the community needed some in City Hall to hear their concerns. He did not hide behind his desk but went out in the different areas of the City and attended meetings, events and ate and shopped where he could witness any needs.
Mr. Donmez does not get emotional when faced with stressful situations. He is constantly calm and controlled at all times. One instance that stands out to Ms. Brief was when a new Commission majority was elected mid-construction of the municipal complex. The new majority was against the project and stalled the progress. The public at that time did not understand the terrible condition the old building was in and therefore were also against the project. He did not show any frustration toward the new elected officials, even in confidence. He followed the direction of the Commission and did not take offense if his recommendations were not chosen.
The Mayor was only partially on board with the construction of City Hall and fought against the idea of a multilevel parking structure. He thought it would be more practical to use an open field for parking. However, Mr. Donmez was able to convince the majority of the Commissioners to vote for the structure. The old City Hall building was across the street from the parking lot and was purchased by a developer. The developer stated that he bought the property because he wanted to tear down the old building and create a commercial area, and the only reason he decided on that particular property was because of the parking structure.
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Mr. Donmez has a thorough knowledge of municipal finance. He successfully put together a bond to fund the city hall project. He also knows how to deal with budgets that need to be cut. He leads the staff toward goals of all kinds. Whether it is making changes to better fit the budget or putting together capital improvement plans.
Although he did not state his reasons for leaving the City, Ms. Brief believes it was because Mr. Donmez was unable to help the organization any longer with the politics and politicians in place. He is a man of great integrity. He will do a stellar job as City/County Manager.
Words or phrases used to describe Erdal Donmez:
• Responsive, • Open, • High morals, • Professional, • Down to earth, and • Principled.
Strengths: Strategic, analytical, integrity, accessible, visible and interacts well with business community.
Weaknesses: Puts in too many hours at the office.
Prepared by: Emilee Anderson Colin Baenziger & Associates
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CB&A Internet Research
Page 31 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/300184089/?terms=erdal%2Bdonmez April 27, 2017
Page 32 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/coral-springs/fl-coral-springs-erdal-donmez- 20170111-story.html January 11, 2017
Coral Springs city manager announces resignation Erdal Donmez, Coral Springs city manager Author: Lisa J. Huriash
Erdal Donmez, Coral Springs' city manager for six years, has announced his retirement. As the CEO of the city, Donmez oversees all city operations, staff and spending. His official retirement day is May 1 — his 60th birthday — but his last day in the office will be April 28. "While I'm on top, it's a good time," he said. "I want my legacy here to be as good as possible."
Donmez had been the Coral Springs deputy city manager for a decade before he took the city's top job in 2010. The city will use a recruiter for a national search for his replacement, using the same firm that found the managers in cities such as Fort Lauderdale and Margate.
Coral Springs, with more than 126,000 people, is one of Broward's largest cities in population and has an estimated $200 million budget. Donmez oversees about 800 full-time employees.
Donmez's salary is $237,021 and received praise from commissioners over the years for declining pay raises at higher rates than his employees receive. He said that he will continue to live in the city: "I like my house, I like living in Coral Springs."
His plans to see a sprawling downtown in the University Drive and Sample Road area didn't happen under his watch as he planned, but he did oversee the groundbreaking of a new City Hall, which is expected to be completed this fall as well as projects including new fire stations.
He said he's not disappointed. "Downtowns are not built overnight. It takes time. These are long- term projects, long-term efforts. Everything we plan is not going to happen exactly as planned or on time. Downtown is organic."
He's not sure what's coming next, other than he wants a break from 10- to 12-hour workdays and deadlines. "I want to spend time with my dad, do some travel and I'll get bored by the end of the year probably and I'll have an idea what to do next. But what I do will likely be with less responsibility."
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Coral Springs Forum http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/coral-springs/fl-cspf-erdalretire-0111-20170105- story.html January 11, 2017
City manager plans to retire Coral Springs City Manager Erdal Donmez is set to retire on April 30. Author: Arun Sivasankaran
Donmez, who will turn 60 in May this year, announced at the first city commission meeting of the year that he would step down on April 30. He has been with the city since 2000, and held the post of deputy city manager before succeeding Mike Levinson. "I have been thinking about it for a while," Donmez said. "I was hoping to serve as city manager for at least five years but was able to go beyond that. I took over when we were going through one of the worst economic times ever. I am proud that I was able to meet the challenge of pulling the city out of difficult times."
Donmez said he hoped to leave behind a "good legacy." "The city is on the right path and in good shape; we have made progress in almost all the areas. We are financially stable and always have a few dollars left at the end of the year. The city has been able to maintain triple A credit rating even during the crisis. We made the municipal complex happen."
Mayor Skip Campbell said Donmez had called him a few days before the commission meeting to inform him about his decision. "It totally came out of left field. Erdal has the respect of all the department heads and city officials. It is just that he wants to spend time with his family. His dad is in Turkey and he wants to spend more time with him."
"Erdal is very professional and knows how to deal with people," added Campbell. "He is also able to take constructive criticism."
Donmez is expected to continue being a resident of the city. Consulting and teaching might feature in his future. "Many people have told me that 60 is too young to retire and I know that I will feel bored at some point of time," Donmez said. "There is never a perfect time for retirement, but I am at that point where l have met the goals I set for myself."
The city has two deputy city managers in Jennifer Bramley and Susan Grant. Donmez believes they are both capable of taking over from him and doing a great job. "I am sure that they will prove, in time, that they are better are me," said Donmez. "Coral Springs will continue to be one of the top places in south Florida to live and do business."
The city is expected to search nationwide for Donmez's successor. Campbell wants the new person appointed by April. "That will give the new person a month with Erdal; that will be very helpful," he said. "The police chief and the fire chief are the two most important department heads; we need to select someone who will work well with them."
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Coral Springs Regional Chamber of Commerce March 15, 2016 ·
Wonderful Coral Springs Chamber breakfast sponsored by #AlHendricksonToyota with special "Outstanding Role Model" awards given to CS City Manager Erdal Donmez, Police Chief Tony Pustizzi (accepted by Deputy Chief Shawn Becker) and Fire Chief Frank Babinec by Al Hendrickson Sr. in recognition of the great job they do for the City!
Page 37 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/265641037 June 29, 2016
Local taxes to rise despite maintaining tax rate
Page 38 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/265636186/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez April 24, 2016
Page 39 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/265963936/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez December 30, 2015
Page 40 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://icma.org/articles/pm-magazine/2015-leaders-performance-management December 1, 2015
2015 Leaders in Performance Management: Recognizing Those Who Foster a Performance Culture
[CB&A Note: Only the information relevant to Erdal Donmez is listed below.]
Forty-eight local governments are recipients of the 2015 Certificates in Performance Management from the ICMA Center for Performance Analytics (icma.org/performance- certificates). Awarded annually, the certificates recognize performance management programs, encourage comparative analysis, and reward transparency.
Based on established criteria explained here, they are awarded at three levels: excellence, which is the highest, along with distinction and achievement.
* Certificates of Achievement are awarded to those who collect and verify data to ensure reliability, train staff in performance measurement, and report data to the public through budgets, newsletters, and information provided to elected officials.
* Certificates of Distinction are awarded to those who also use performance data in strategic planning and operational decision making and share their knowledge with other local governments through presentations, site visits, and networking activities.
* Certificates of Excellence go to those who, in addition, track and report key outcomes, survey residents and local government employees, incorporate data into performance dashboards or other visual communications, and foster the development of a performance culture throughout their organizations.
ICMA is accepting applications for the 2016 Certificates in Performance Management. Criteria and an application to download can be found at icma.org/performance-certificates.
Certificate of Excellence
Coral Springs, Florida (Erdal Donmez, City Manager)
Page 41 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/265913421 November 18, 2015
Page 42 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/coral-springs/fl-cspf-hike-0930-20150928-story.html Sun Sentinel (FL) September 28, 2015
Raves, raise for Coral Springs city manager Author: Arun Sivasankaran
City officials were of the opinion that Donmez's performance was substantially above expectations. Under normal circumstances, the rating would have given him a pay increase of 4.1 to 5 percent, but Donmez, whose current salary is $218,400, said he wouldn't accept more than a 4-percent hike, which is what city staff has been granted this year.
Vice Mayor Larry Vignola credited Donmez with picking the right people to replace staff that had left the city. "We have lost some employees, but all the people you have hired always do an amazing job and impress me every time...It is amazing, the work done by city staff, and you are the CEO of the organization."
"For those of you who don't know, we have the best city manager I have ever talked to, seen or heard about," said Commissioner Lou Cimaglia. "You walk through the city, and you see a smile on everybody's face; that's your leader."
Commissioner Joy Carter said she was "very impressed." "I am concerned about all the money that we have been spending," she said. "I would like us to be as conservative as possible but still rewarding."
"I have seen what you have done," said Mayor Skip Campbell, who added that the professionalism of staff was one of the major reasons for Hoerbiger choosing the city over Houston. "I am impressed with the professionalism of the entire staff." "I think the city is going in the right direction," he said. "We have done a lot in the last year to improve the Corporate Park; getting Hoerbiger done was not an easy deal." Hoerbiger, a leading international manufacturer and supplier of compression valve systems for the natural gas industry worldwide, recently decided to make Coral Springs its home after initially considering consolidating its operations in Houston. The company will create 420 jobs.
Donmez likened the experience of working with a City commission that included three new members to an arranged marriage. "All of a sudden, you find yourself in the same place, and you work together and make sure that everything works well," he said. "You respect one another and build camaraderie; that is what we have done."
Donmez, who replaced former City Manager Mike Levinson in 2011, was initially given a three- year contract. A year after he took over, the City Commission amended the contract and extended it until November 2015. In 2013, Donmez, who had declined a pay raise the previous year, committed to being on board until 2018.
Page 43 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/265736130 July 22, 2015
Tax rate, fees to rise in Springs
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Page 45 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/265655402/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez July 1, 2015
Page 46 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/265643602/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez March 22, 2015
Improving Financial Fortunes Coral Springs art center turns profit after 7 years
Page 47 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/265827168/ January 1, 2015
All Springs schools to have officers
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Page 49 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/265801970/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez July 24, 2014
Author: Arun Sivasankaran
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Page 51 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/265558494/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez November 4, 2013
Coral Springs Community Chest Funds Local Organizations
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Page 53 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-09-29/news/fl-cspf-manager-0926-20130929_1_donmez- city-manager-pay-raise September 29, 2013
Coral Springs extends city manager's contract until 2018 Coral Springs City Manager Erdal Donmez has agreed to stay put at least until 2018.
Donmez, who replaced Mike Levinson in 2011, was initially given a three-year contract. A year after he took over, the city commission amended the contract and extended it until November 2015. Sufficiently impressed by what they have seen from him, officials last week asked Donmez if he was willing to commit until 2018. Donmez seemed surprised by the contract extension offer, and initially sought time to make up his mind, but he later agreed to remain at the helm for another five years. The commission was inclined to giving him a more substantial raise, but Donmez, who had declined a pay raise when the contract was initially extended until 2015, said he would not agree to more than a two-percent increase. "It is truly flattering to be asked to be city manager for that many years," he said. "I know it gives a level of comfort and continuity to everybody. The municipal complex project will take about 2 to 3 years. I would like to continue on that project. It is going to be a large project, probably the largest ever we will undertake."
Like he did two years ago, it was Vice Mayor Tom Powers who came up with the contract extension idea. Continued stability at the top will send the right message to businesses, he said. Having Donmez as city manager when the municipal complex project is taken up would be ideal for the city, he added. "I can't speak highly enough of what you have accomplished," Powers said. "We have jelled well; our accomplishments are outstanding…The most common thing I keep hearing from businesses is, 'We like the way you are working. We hope that continues.' I just want to position ourselves to assure that same level of service for years to come to continue attracting businesses."
Other officials were more than willing to support Power's motion to extend the contract. "You are the right man for the job," Commissioner Larry Vignola said. "All you have to do is look around the city and you can tell that. The work that has been done is very, very impressive. Your performance is substantially above expectations."
According to the chart based on performance measures, a performance substantially above expectations would have fetched Donmez a pay increase of 4.1 to 5 percent. He, however, declined such an increase. "This year and the upcoming year, employees will get pay raises of two percent," Donmez said. "I will not take anything more than that. I hope that conditions will continue to improve and we can reward our employees with more acceptable levels of pay increases."
"You have worked well beyond the two percent (salary increase)," Mayor Vince Boccard said. "Everyone has, but unfortunately, we don't have the funds to truly reward the efforts that have been made in the last couple of years."
Page 54 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/265605171/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez July 15, 2013
Coral Springs Recognized for Performance Management Successes
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Page 58 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://www.myactsofsedition.com/blog/2013/01/19/sun-sentinel-com-trash-companies-offers- loyalty-bonuses-to-cities-that-sign-up-for-its-service/ BLOG January 19, 2013
Trash companies offers ‘loyalty bonuses’ to cities that sign up for its service Author: Chaz Stevens
“Loyalty bonuses” offered by a giant garbage company trying to keep its chokehold in Broward County have some cities signing up for the cash while others question whether they are legal or ethical or benefit taxpayers. Coral Springs jumped Wednesday night at a whopping $829,220 signing bonus offered by Wheelabrator, the Waste Management subsidiary — that disposes its garbage. While cities are thrilled to have the extra funds to use at their discretion, critics argue that residents aren’t receiving enough of a benefit, and the competition argues its bribery.
For the first time since 1987, Broward’s cities have a choice: Wheelabrator, at $42 a ton with a “loyalty bonus” in a one-time check, or Sun Bergeron, for $45.25 a ton — with a $2 rebate per ton to each city.
Among those who chose the signing bonus: Broward County for its unincorporated areas (a $116,190 bonus); Cooper City (a $205,970 bonus); Wilton Manors (a $102,220 bonus); Margate (a $311,520 bonus) and North Lauderdale (a $224,530 bonus). ther cities are still considering their contracts, with bonuses ranging from $5,170 in Sea Ranch Lakes to more than $1.5 million in Fort Lauderdale.
The dollar amount fluctuates based on the tonnage of their garbage, said Tony Spadaccia, Waste Management spokesman. Cities must sign the agreement by Jan. 31 to receive the full amount. If they sign by June 30, the bonus will be cut in half.
But Ron Bergeron, owner of Sun Bergeron, accuses Waste Management of “buying” their contracts, effectively shutting out competition. “To me, it’s like buying back their monopoly,” he said. “The loyalty that has come out now is because they were losing. When these contracts come up in five years, I’m not sure who will want to be competing if you allow something like this outside of a proper bid process to come in the back door and say ‘I want to be loyal to you now.’
Nonsense, said Waste Management attorney Dennis Mele. He said the only difference between the signing bonus and Bergeron’s $2 discount is the Wheelabrator check is being mailed within 30 days of signing. “I don’t know how one is good and the other is not,” he said.
Coral Springs City Manager Erdal Donmez said he’s OK with Wheelabrator offering loyalty bonuses now: “We’re looking out for the best interests” of residents, he said. “Think about it, how would we not accept that?” he said.
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His commission Wednesday night was the first city to choose a sampling of both companies. Wheelabrator will dispose of household garbage for $42 per ton (an amount less than the $67.93 that had been previously charged), while Sun Bergeron will dispose of bulk trash, yard waste and demolition debris at a lower cost than Wheelabrator. “We have the option of picking the best,” Donmez said.
CB&A note: Although this is a blog, the information contained in it matched news sources. This article was included because it contained more information in one source than the other articles.
Page 60 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/266038805/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez November 5, 2012
[CB&A Note: Only the information relevant to Erdal Donmez is listed below.]
Erdal Donmez
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Miami Examiner (FL) September 24, 2012
Coral Springs offers Business Tax Amnesty program
Coral Springs is once again offering a Business Tax Receipt Amnesty program to encourage businesses that have not received their Business Tax Receipt to apply with the City.
This program allows first-time businesses or independent contractors who have been doing business in Coral Springs prior to October 1, 2011 the opportunity to apply with the City without a penalty, according to Erdal Donmez, Coral Springs City Manager.
The amnesty period is now in effect until December 31, 2012 and applies to the tax year beginning October 1, 2011 thru September 30, 2012. Any and all arrearages (assessment of back taxes plus penalties for up to a two year period) will be waived for qualifying applicants. The applicant must pay for the current year and next year’s Business Tax Receipt in order to be eligible for the program, according to Donmez.
This amnesty period is established for all classifications that are listed in Section 1026 of the City of Coral Springs Land Development Code (Local Business Tax Receipt and Regulations). This section is available on the City’s website www.CoralSprings.org, under Code Enforcement. Employees receiving a W-2 statement from their Coral Springs employer are NOT required to obtain a business tax receipt, according to Donmez.
Page 62 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/266176097/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez August 27, 2012
Page 63 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/266144488/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez July 23,2012
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Miami Examiner (FL) July 16, 2012
City of Coral Springs and Fraternal Order of Police reach agreement
After more than a year of negotiations, The City of Coral Springs and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 87 have reached an agreement on a new 3-year contract. Both sides were prepared to present their case to the City Commission at an Impasse Hearing on the morning of July 16.
After hearing both sides of the dispute, the City Commission was charged with making the final decision on the terms of the new contract. Instead, having reached an agreement over the weekend, Deputy City Manager Susan Grant and FOP Representative Scott Myers presented a joint recommendation for the resolution of the impasse.
The new deal provides for an average wage increase of 2% in 2013, 2% in 2014, and 2.5% in 2015. The new contract also restructures the police pension plan. The restructured plan makes the following changes for years of service after September 30, 2012: reduces the multiplier from 3.5% for every year of service to 3%; the Cost of Living Adjustment was changed from 2.5% per year beginning the first year of retirement to 1% per year beginning 5 years after retirement; the retirement benefit which is currently calculated based on the average of the last 3 years of service will be calculated on the last 4 years of service; normal retirement will increase from 20 years of service to 25 years; and the compensation used to calculate the final average salary will change from base salary plus up to 14.5% of additional compensation to base salary only. As a result of these changes, the City expects to lose $893,000 a year in “Chapter 185” state contribution toward the pension. The new agreement reduces the member’s contribution to the pension from 9.875% of pay to 8%, according to Grant.
Other than wage and pension changes all other terms of the contract remain unchanged. The new pension plan is expected to save the City $3 million the first year alone and save $14 million during the first five years. The savings is expected to reach $32 million during the first 10 years, according to Grant.
“I was flattered and honored to work alongside the FOP representatives who remained cordial and professional during this very difficult process,” City Manager Erdal Donmez said. “At the start of the process our goal was to create a pension plan that was permanent, affordable, fair, competitive, and sustainable,” Donmez continued, “I am happy to report that we have met all of those goals.”
“Of course, the union is not happy to give up any benefits,” FOP Representative Scott Myers said, “but our members felt these changes were important to allow the City to meet its financial goals. This was truly a compromise with neither side coming away with everything it wanted.”
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Page 66 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/266074551/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez January 12, 2012
City manager’s contract extended until Oct. 2015 Author: Arun Sivasankaran
Page 67 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/266034593/ January 5, 2012
[CB&A Note: Only the information relevant to Erdal Donmez is listed below.]
Page 68 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://www.firehouse.com/leadership/news/10576854/four-fla-cities-to-talk-fire-dept- consolidation December 23, 2011
Four Fla. Cities to Talk Fire Dept. Consolidation
Leaders in Coral Springs, Margate, Parkland and Coconut Creek are considering merging their fire departments into one regional service. City managers and fire chiefs in all four towns are scheduled to discuss the possibility in January. A state bill creating a taxing district to fund the new project was to be considered in the upcoming legislative session. But the bill is expected to fade away because Coral Springs and Coconut Creek didn't want to immediately proceed, saying in part they didn't have time and wanted more questions answered. Advocates said a regional department could cut costs by eliminating duplication on the management level. Opponents said they like the departments' individual identities. Parkland Mayor Michael Udine said the idea is worth considering. "If there's a way to provide better coverage at a less expensive cost, it's something I'd be interested in for the benefit of our residents." Brian Powell, executive vice president of the fire union of 11 cities including the four now in discussion, said all residents want is better service. "I could be wearing a pink tutu, they don't care," he told Margate commissioners, arguing that residents don't care what colors firefighters wear. The Coral Springs department currently provides emergency services to Parkland. And Margate's department contracts with Coconut Creek to provide their fire and paramedic service. The proposal could eliminate redundancy and possibly save money. In the two departments that serve four cities, there are three fire chiefs, three fire prevention bureaus and two separate training divisions, Powell said. "And we don't provide a closest unit response, meaning a resident in Coral Springs can be shopping in Margate and the Springs unit across the street would have no idea somebody was having a medical emergency," Powell said. "The 911 call would go to Margate, their closest unit -- not the closest unit to the call." Taxpayers potentially could save money because a merger would reduce the workforce, he said. "We believe [that can happen] through attrition and as people retire," Powell said. But, some stations could be consolidated and more available firefighters could mean taxpayers have to shell out less overtime pay, Powell said. Coral Springs Mayor Roy Gold wants his city to have more voting power in any partnership because it's much bigger than the others. Gold has proposed that Coral Springs take over the contract with the other three cities, which would accomplish the same thing. "It's important we maintain as much control as possible," he said. But Margate Mayor Pam Donovan said one city shouldn't have more control than the others in a partnership. "I'm in favor of a regional department," she said. "Some of these elected officials have to check their egos at the door and do what's best for the residents. It's not about being in charge. It's about offering the best service. They should be on top because theirs is the biggest city? That's ridiculous."
Coral Springs City Manager Erdal Donmez said the city has spent millions of dollars upgrading equipment and building new fire stations. "There has to be a crystal-clear benefit before creating this district and cost savings while maintaining service levels. Until then, it's simply a consideration," Donmez said.
Page 69 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Miami Examiner (FL) October 26, 2010
Erdal Donmez named Coral Springs city manager Author: David Volz
Erdal Donmez is the new Coral Springs City Manager. The Coral Springs City Commission agreed to name Donmez to the city manager position following a short meeting that began at 5:00 p.m. at City Hall on October 26. Donmez has served as deputy/assistant manager for ten years and follows long-time and much respected Mike Levinson who retired from the position of city manager. Donmez will receive a salary of $205,000 annually and $583.33 per month in car allowance. He will have the opportunity to attend professional development activities and will receive a retirement plan. The contract is for three years. Donmez will supervise about 750 employees.
Coral Springs Mayor Scott Brook said, "Today we welcome a new city manager. I want people to have a perception that Coral Springs is a wonderful and safe place to do business." Brook said he believed Donmez would do a good job for Coral Springs and that the city would continue to shine. Vice Mayor Claudette Bruck also expressed her support for Donmez. Other members of the commission did so as well.
Donmez thanked the commission for providing him with the opportunity to lead the city. "I have made many new friends in Coral Springs and believe this is great place to live and work," he said. Donmez said that he believes Coral Springs has an excellent business plan and is very well run.
Page 70 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/286351459/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez August 3, 2008
Springs offers foreclosure advice Author: Scott Fishman
Page 71 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/285634024/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez April 27, 2007
Incentives
Page 72 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/284805790/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez May 8, 2004
Page 73 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) http://www.pfmcorp.com/assets/doc/Coral_profit_sharing.pdf 2001
After 7 years, Center for the Arts is profitable Author: Arun Sivasankaran
The city signed an agreement with Professional Facilities Management in 1994. For seven straight years, Coral Springs' profit-sharing agreement with Professional Facilities Management, the company that runs the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, did not bring in any money. This year, there was good news.
"We have a check for $88,000," City Manager Erdal Donmez told city officials during a recent meeting. "We don't see the facility as a profit-making entity. This is a cultural organization."
The facility opened in 1990; the city signed an agreement with Professional Facilities Management in 1994. The city continues to provide financial support, even though the subsidy has come down substantially from a high of$870,000.
"Our goal is to make the subsidy as close to zero as possible," Donmez said. "It is now down to less than $400,000. We hope the situation will continue to improve."
The facility has grown to become a destination point, said James "Lynn"Singleton, president of Professional Facilities Management. "We try to book things that are at an elite level. One of the challenges is that the 1454-seat center is too small for big events and too big for small ones...
Additional signage will help the facility. More than 3,750 students have benefited from the center's summer performing arts camp in the last five years. "We have given 600 tickets to charities in Broward County this year already," said Kevin Barrett, Center for the Arts general manager. "Nonprofit art organizations come to us; we help them be successful with their events."
Professional Facilities Management operates in nine states and has contracts with 11 facilities. Prominent among them are Barbara Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, the Durham Performing Arts Center in North Carolina, and the Providence Performing Arts Center in Rhode Island. Lauderhill recently signed a contract with the company to run its new performing arts center; the facility is set to open later this year.
Page 74 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order) https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/image/239212940/?terms=Erdal%2BDonmez June 13, 2000
Page 75 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Miami Herald, The (FL) January 19, 1999
WATSON ISLAND DEAL IN JEOPARDY DEADLINE NEARS IN LEGAL WRANGLE Author: YOLANDA BALIDO
The decade-old legal wrangle between the city of Miami and Pan Am Air Bridge, flying its signature seaplanes between Biscayne Bay and the Caribbean for 79 years, is resuming once again - and city officials worry the battle may jeopardize the planned redevelopment of Watson Island.
City attorney Alex Vilarello is warning city commissioners to strike a settlement agreement with Pan Am before the 10-year truce expires in June and the litigation resumes. The dispute dates back to the 1980s, when the city tried to evict Chalk's - now Pan Am - for not paying rent. Chalk's counterpunched, claiming it owned the land because Arthur Burns ``Pappy'' Chalk set up the operation in 1920 - long before the state gave the land to Miami in 1949. In 1989, both sides agreed to a stalemate until 1999.
Last week, city commissioners rejected by a 2-1 vote a proposed agreement with Pan Am, saying the city could make more money itself and should continue to fight in court. At stake for the city: ownership of two to four acres, or possibly more, now occupied by Pan Am at Watson's southern end; grants for a proposed $8 million heliport, seaplane terminal and visitors' center; and even the ability to build the airport facility, planned for part of the land now occupied by Pan Am.
``If we go into litigation, it could take a year or longer to have that dispute resolved and there are time constraints for the city to use the grants,'' Vilarello said. ``As long as there's a pending issue on the land, we wouldn't be able to use any of that land as part of the development, so it could delay the heliport and could cost us the grant.''
To build the 5.6-acre facility, a showcase for downtown Miami and the Beaches, the city is using grants from the Florida Department of Transportation and the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, which would relocate its offices there from its temporary home in Brickell. Bill Talbert, acting president and chief executive of the convention and visitors bureau, encouraged commissioners to settle the litigation. He worries the litigation ``will kill the project,'' he said. ``The state will not allocate the construction money until that litigation, or the issue of who owns the land, is resolved.''
A major element in the transformation of the long-neglected Watson, the heliport would include a ticketing terminal, small aviation museum recapturing the island's history, sky observation deck, restaurant and public bay walk. The Parrot Jungle and Gardens, planned for 18.6 acres on the island's northeastern end, is expected to open by 2000. The city is preparing to ask for proposals for about 30 acres, including bay-bottom land, in the island's northwestern end. Also planned: a public boat launch and one-acre Japanese garden.
Page 76 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Pan Am currently pays the city $15,000 a year - just enough to cover the city's costs of municipal services - in the form of a donation to the parks department, under terms of an agreement reached in 1989.
Under the proposed settlement, Pan Am would drop its claim and become the operator of the planned heliport facility, paying the city $60,000 a year. The lease term: 20 years, with two five- year options to renew.
That didn't impress Commissioner J.L. Plummer, who voted against it along with Commissioner Joe Sanchez. The favorable vote came from Commissioner Willy Gort, who said if the city doesn't approve this deal, it would ``dummy our effect throughout Watson Island.'' But Plummer said the city was getting ``ripped off.'' ``You're talking about the city getting $5,000 a month,'' he said. ``If that isn't the sweetheart cookie deal, I never heard of one.''
Erdal Donmez, the city's real estate and economic development director, disagreed. He said the $60,000 amount was based on a financial analysis conducted by consultants to determine the land's fair market value.
The city cannot make money from the heliport project, he said. By law, all revenues from airport facilities must be applied toward maintenance, operations and other expenses related to the heliport. The city may, however, collect about $240,000 a year, including Pan Am's contribution, in the form of a reimbursement for the municipal services it provides the facility.
Although the project won't be a major moneymaker for the city, Donmez said, it would help promote the city. ``This facility is not costing the city anything out-of-pocket,'' Donmez said, ``and will promote the city locally and internationally. This can be a win-win situation for the city.''
Page 77 of 78 Section 7 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Erdal Donmez (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Miami Herald, The (FL) October 20, 1986
BURGER KING DECLARES ANOTHER 'WAR' ON NUMBER 1 MCDONALD'S Author: JOAN CHRISSOS
[CB&A Note: Only the information relevant to Erdal Donmez is listed below.]
City developments
Speaking of economic development, the city of Miami is getting into the marketing business. The city, in conjunction with Miami's Department of Community Development, Department of Development and the Planning Department, has invited all interested parties to submit proposals for a marketing package the city can use when prospective businesses and individuals inquire about relocating here, said Erdal Donmez, an economic analyst with the Department of Development. The deadline for the proposals is Nov. 14.
The city has allocated $50,000 from its 1987 budget to pay for the program, which Donmez said would highlight the city's life style, educational programs, and governmental structure, among other items.
In addition, he said, the city would like to develop eight neighborhood supplements that would focus on the amenities of each individual area, from Coconut Grove to Downtown Miami, Liberty City and Overtown.
"What we're going to look for is a firm that has a background in graphics and printing," Donmez said.
Research Compiled by: Shannon Farr Colin Baenziger & Associates
Page 78 of 78 Section 8
Section 8
Michael “Mike” A. McNees
Naples City Manager Candidate Report
Section 8
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
COVER LETTER AND RESUME 1
CANDIDATE INTRODUCTION 7
BACKGROUND CHECKS 13
CB&A REFERENCE NOTES 17
INTERNET SEARCH 33
Section 8
Cover Letter and Resume
Page 1 of 108 Section 8
July 8, 2018
Michael A. McNees 5105 S. US Highway 1 Grant-Valkaria, Florida 32949
Mr. Colin Baenzinger Colin Baenzinger & Associates
Dear Mr. Baenzinger:
I truly believed that I would never write another letter like this, given that I currently serve a supportive City Council in a first-class coastal Florida city and live a nearly idyllic waterfront life on the banks of the Indian River Lagoon. That I have chosen to do so to ask for consideration for the position of Naples City Manager will require no explanation to anyone who has visited or lived in the City of Naples, which I understand well having lived fully a third of my life to date there.
I won’t repeat here things that are detailed in the attached resume, but will rather provide a sense of who I am as a manager and a person. I am a positive, service-driven, team-oriented manager and consensus builder who believes in hiring the very best people available, providing the necessary and available resources and both allowing and expecting them to do their jobs, and do them in the right way. I believe success over time is built on diligent and disciplined effort toward well-defined goals, as well as building effective partnerships with the private sector and other government agencies at all levels. It also requires the development and recruitment of the best available talent to fill employe ranks. I am an experienced and effective public speaker, something I attribute to a great deal of practice and to a number of years of study in the field of acting, along with a fair amount of experience on stage. In 2006 I received a special award from the Florida City/County Management Association for “Courage in Communication” for the City Manager Blog, a tool I created to allow easier and direct access to the City and City Manager for all (srqcm.blogspot.com).
I have spent most of my career in public administration in three of the highest quality-of-life communities in the United States, and have an intimate understanding of both the value and pressures of growth and tourism and their effects on the very quality of life that brings them in the first place. I also understand both the importance and the challenges of economic diversification and development, revenue development and having to do more with less if and when when things turn for the worse.
I would be happy to provide any other information you might find useful in your evaluation, as well as to make myself available for interview at your convenience. I can be reached by email at [email protected], or by phone at 321-507-3743. The City Manager’s office in Naples City Hall has a history of well respected, effective and ethical leaders as occupants and it’s at once exciting and humbling to be a part of this process. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Michael A. McNees
Page 2 of 108 Section 8
Michael Alan McNees 5105 S. U.S. Highway 1 Grant-Vakaria, Florida 32949 321-507-3743 [email protected]
Employment History
City Manager – City of Melbourne, Florida – 02-2013 to present. Full service coastal city with a year-round population of 80,000 and daytime pouplation more than double that, a staff of 900 full time equivalent (FTE) employees and a budget of $200 million. Commercial center for the Space Coast’s aviation, technology, defense and aerospace industries with corporate headquarters of Harris Corporation and major presence of Northrup Grumman, Rockwell Collins, GE and many others. Siginficant economic development work including expansions of both Northrup Grumman and jet manufacturer Embraer S.A., including negotiations that led to one of the largest corporate expansion announcements of 2016 with Melbourne chosen as site for design of the new USAF long range bomber. Incident Commander for emergency response. Also manage three Commmunity Redevelopment Agencies.
Interim Chief Executive Officer – USA Track and Field. 09/2010 to 05/2012. 100,000 Member National Governing Body. Assumed full duties of CEO during protracted Board- conducted CEO search, including contract negotiations (i.e. contracts with USOC and Local Organizing Committee for conduct of 2012 Olympic Trials), event development and execution, merchandising, marketing and promotions, Board relations.
Chief Operating Officer – USA Track and Field – 03/2009 to 05/2012. Recruited to serve as #2 executive for USOC-designated National Governing Body for the sport of track and field and road racing, primrily to advance proposed governance and business process reforms. Appointed Interim CEO when the change-agent executive was terminated in 2010, pending selection of new CEO. Duties included strategic planning, programmatic supervision from youth to masters including international teams, budgeting, sponsorship and event development and administration, merchandising, and elite athlete programs including selection and logistics for all USA national teams including Olympic teams. USATF Liaison to USOC, NCAA.
County Administrator – Blaine County, Idaho (Sun Valley area) – 5/07 to 3/09. First appointed CAO for 2400+ sq. mile county, population 23,000. Annual budget $26 million.
City Manager - City of Sarasota, Florida (Population 54,000) – 9/01 to 1/07. Chief Executive Officer for the “Best Small City in America” (Money magazine, 2000) with 800 FTE and a budget of $140M. Executive Director of Downtown Community Redevelopment Agency, overseeing $1 billion in redevelopment over 3 years, including negotiation of development agreements. “Special Award for Courage in Communication” from the FCCMA for “City Manager’s Blog”: srqcm.blogspot.com
Page 3 of 108 Section 8
Michael A. McNees – Page 2
Employment History - continued
Board of County Commissioners - Collier County FL - 8/84 to 9/01. 2000 sq. mi. county contains much of both Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress National Preserve, among fastest growing in the nation for 80’s and 90’s.
Chief Operating Officer/Assistant County Manager - 9/95 to 9/01. Responsible for all day-to-day operations under Board of County Commissioners (1400 employees, budget $611 million). Authority on hiring, salary administration and discipline issues; large-scale special projects. Responsible for recommendations to County Commission on all debt- related issues. Also served as:
− Interim County Manager – 1/97 to 6/97 and 11/99 to 3/2000.
− Acting Emergency Services Administrator – 5/99 to 5/01. Management of countywide EMS system, Emergency Management, Helicopter Operations, and two dependent fire control districts.
− Acting Transportation Administrator – 5/00 to 9/00.
− Utilities Administrator – 2/94 to 9/95. Senior manager of 200 employee, 75,000 customer water and wastewater utility.
− Management and Budget Director – 10/89 to 2/94.
− Utilities Finance Director – 4/86 to 10/89
− Administrative Assistant to Utilities Administrator – 8/84 to 8/96
Comptroller, West Coast Windows, Inc. - Naples, FL – 4/83 to 2/84
District Manager - Internorth, Inc. (Northern Propane Gas Co.) Naples, FL – 2/80 to 4/83 Profit center responsibility for propane gas distribution and service operation.
Graduate Assistant Track Coach, Louisiana Tech University – 9/77 to 12/79 Supervision and training of all sprinters and hurdlers, approximately twenty student-athletes.
Education and Training
• MBA, Management, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, 1979 • AB, Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, 1977 (Big Ten Track Champion, 1977)
• FEMA Incident Command System and National Incident Management System Certifications • Center for Creative Leadership - “Leadership Development Institute” • Graduate - Advanced Government Finance Institute, Government Finance Officers’ Association
Page 4 of 108 Section 8
Michael A. McNees – Page 3
Professional, Community Activities
Current • Member International City Management Association • At-large member, Board of Directors, Florida City-County Management Association • Member, Center for Ethics and Leadership, Florida Tech University • Board of Directors, United Way of Brevard County • Team Captain, Space Coast Runners Racing Team
Previous • Board of Directors Running USA. Trade Association for the running industry • Delegate – 2011Congress of the International Association of Athletics Federations, Daegu, South Korea • Delegate – 2011 Pan American Athletics Congress, Guadalajara, Mexico • Team Leader, Team USA, 2011 IAAF World Outdoor Championships, Daegu, South Korea, and 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships, Istanbul, Turkey • President, HealthCare Sarasota (self-insurance pool/healthcare services buying consortium) • Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, Management Committee Chair • Committee for Economic Development, Sarasota County • Sarasota Downtown Partnership Board of Directors • Founding Member, Sarasota Actors Workshop • Advisory Committee for the Masters Program in Public Administration, Florida Gulf Coast University • Four-term President, Naples Players Inc. – One of 10 largest community theaters in the U.S. Completed successful $6.8 million capital campaign and construction of two-auditorium theater complex in the heart of downtown Naples. • Board member and 1st Vice President, Children’s Advisory Board, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Collier County • Member Florida Association of Counties, Administration and Finance Technical Advisory Committee • Associate Instructor, Management Principles for various colleges, including Edison Community College and Barry University • Volunteer Varsity Assistant Basketball Coach, Lely H.S., Naples, FL – 5 years
Personal Interests
Running, acting, guitar, scuba, fishing, boating, bicycling, skiing, mountaineering, rock climbing, basketball.
Page 5 of 108 Section 8
Page 6 of 108 Section 8
Candidate Introduction
Page 7 of 108 Section 8 Michael A. McNees
EDUCATION
Masters of Business Administration, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston Bachelor of Arts, Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington Advanced Government Finance Institute Graduate, Government Finance Officers Association Leadership Development Institute Graduate, Center for Creative Leadership FEMA Incident Command System and National Incident Management System Certifications
EXPERIENCE
City Manager, Melbourne, Florida 2013-Present Interim Chief Executive Office, USA Track and Field 2010-2012 Chief Operating Officer, USA Track and Field 2009-2012 County Administrator, Blaine County, Idaho 2007-2009 City Manager, City of Sarasota, Florida 2001-2009 Collier County Board of County Commissioners, Naples, Florida 1984-2001 • Assistant County Manager/COO 1995-2001 • Utilities Administrator 1994-1995 • Management and Budget Director 1989-2004 • Utilities Finance Director 1986-1989 • Administrative Assistant to Utilities Administrator 1984-1986 Comptroller, West Coast Windows, Naples, Florida 1983-1984 District Manager, Northern Propane Gas Corp., Naples, Florida 1980-1983 Assistant Track Coast (Graduate), Louisiana Tech University 1977-1979
BACKGROUND
Melbourne is the commercial and economic heart of Florida’s “Space Coast” with significant presence of aerospace, aviation, defense, and technology multinationals. Northrup Grumman Corporation was recently awarded the contract for the United States Air Force’s new long range bomber, which will be designed in Melbourne and has already brought the first of 2800 new engineering and technical jobs. Brazilian manufacturer Embraer S.A. assembles three of its fleet of private jets here as well, to cite two examples. It is also the home of Florida Institute of Technology, which has world-renowned engineering and aviation programs. It is a coastal city with many miles of frontage on the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, and a permanent population of 80,000.
The City of Melbourne is a full service city with an annual budget around $220 million, an $80 million general fund and approximately 900 full time equivalent employees. The City provides water service to a larger regional coastal population, and includes a dependent airport authority under a separate authority board.
Page 8 of 108 Section 8 Michael A. McNees
Three key issues for the City of Melbourne currently are:
• Infrastructure and asset maintenance, particularly the road network in light of revenue pressures, including a limited amount of available gas tax being levied at the county level. • Downtown redevelopment. Through the Downtown Melbourne Community Redevelopment Agency significant effort has been extended in recent years, with significant projects currently underway or in the pipeline. • Storm water system improvements targeted toward improving overall water quality within the Indian River Lagoon system.
GENERAL MANAGEMENT STYLE AND EXPERIENCE
I am interested in the City of Naples simply because it is Naples, and I lived in or immediately adjacent to Naples for more than 21 years. I am not otherwise looking for a job. At this point I do not have a defined career path, I have a desire to do meaningful, useful work and share my experience in a quality community until I am finished being a City Manager. For me Naples would be a capstone, not a stepping stone.
I would once have said I am a collaborative manager, and while that remains true I have come to believe that my best role is to build a system that gives the best people we can find the training, tools and support they need to be effective and set them free to do so. When I have been most successful I judge to be when I have been needed least, or when the casual observer has no idea my fingerprints may be on a particular success. Often if my intervention is needed it means the underlying system has broken down in some way, and the ideal is to avoid those breakdowns before they happen. That said, managing in this context means managing up as well, and there is no substitute for solid, direct communication between the City Manager and the elected officials.
I also believe strongly in the value of disciplined effort over time. I have found that is invariably the key factor behind most “overnight successes”.
My three biggest strengths for a job as City Manager are good judgement, an ability to see a larger picture outside of any particular issue or system, and experience. A manager makes a hundred small and large decisions in any given week, and there is no substitute for good judgement, as well as the ability to recognize unintended consequences and the ripple effects of a given course of action.
As a weakness, I have been told that I can resist too long putting my hands directly on a particular issue, tending to and trusting underlying process instead as stated earlier. I take that as a judgement call that others may make differently, but also as valid criticism which I have worked to internalize. Sometimes how others see a problematic situation and my role in it may be more important than how I see it.
Page 9 of 108 Section 8 Michael A. McNees
I believe that both the staff here and the elected officials would say that I am quick to grasp complicated situations and am highly effective in communicating them back in simpler terms. They would say that I bring a steady, consistent presence to the Manager’s office, and that I am not here to serve myself. I also believe they would say that the function of this organization has improved considerably in the five-plus years I have been here.
Among the achievements I have been a part of professionally I put the initial successes of Sarasota’s downtown redevelopment in the mid-2000’s at the top of the list. Few imagined the success that would follow, but we did, and took the steps necessary to move things forward.
As for a failure, I will point to my resignation from the Sarasota City Manager’s position immediately following what I would argue was the highest-achieving year of my professional career. My failure was to manage optimally what were small-scale but acute political pressures that came from the termination of a long-serving department head for ethical lapses. It may be that a different outcome could have been achieved, of course one never knows. I do object to having to use the word failure however, because had that situation played out differently I would not have had some of the amazing life adventures that followed, so it’s hard to see that as a failure. Things happen, and we learn and grow from them, which is hardly failure. In that case I did learn valuable lessons about communication as well as work-life balance however.
In my career I have removed employees from positions where they had shown they were unable to be effective, and it may be the single hardest thing a manager has to do. It requires first having made the appropriate effort to train, coach, and counsel the employee to give them a fighting chance at success. When it has to be done, a carefully thought out plan will ensure ideally that both the employee and organization move forward with dignity intact, and all issues of security and protection of the organization are addressed.
The immediate challenge for the new City manager will be to fit into a well-run, stable organization and continue its forward momentum. In the first six months the manager will need to establish presence and credibility with City Council members, staff, and the community at large. The first six months also provide the opportunity to observe organizational function and interface with the community. One’s eyes and ears are new to a situation for a finite period time, and that opportunity is valuable. For me personally, I have the challenge of learning Naples today vs. the Naples I remember and perceive through friends and from reading the Daily News from afar. All of these things will require listening, listening, and more listening.
I have always had good relationships with representatives of the media and believe in a professional, collaborative approach. We need each other, and our shared constituencies are best served when we work openly together. In 2006 I was given a special award for “Courage in Communication” by the Florida City/County Management Association for the “City Manager’s Blog”, one of the first of its kind in the United States. I believe in finding the right tool to allow the access to information that people require.
Page 10 of 108 Section 8 Michael A. McNees
I am unaware of any embarrassing information or “dirt” that might follow my candidacy for this job to Naples.
In recent years I have taken to running in my leisure time, though as I write this I realize that hardly feels like leisure. I love boating, fishing, scuba, skiing, basketball, acting and improvisation, and I am a very enthusiastic and decidedly poor guitar player.
SIX ADJECTIVES OR PHRASES YOU WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF
• Dependable • Consistent • Insightful • Calm • Intelligent • Funny • Independent
Page 11 of 108 Section 8
Page 12 of 108 Section 8
CB&A Background Checks
Page 13 of 108 Section 8 Background Check Summary for MICHAEL “MIKE” A. MCNEES
Criminal Records Checks:
Nationwide Criminal Records Search No Records Found
County Brevard County, FL No Records Found Marion County, IN No Records Found Blaine County, ID No Records Found Sarasota County, FL No Records Found
State Florida No Records Found Indiana No Records Found Idaho No Records Found
Civil Records Checks:
County Brevard County, FL No Records Found Marion County, IN No Records Found Blaine County, ID No Records Found Sarasota County, FL No Records Found
Federal Florida No Records Found Indiana No Records Found Idaho No Records Found
Motor Vehicle Florida No Records Found
Credit Very Good
Bankruptcy No Records Found
Education Confirmed
Employment Confirmed
Page 14 of 108 Section 8 Background Check Summary for MICHAEL “MIKE” A. MCNEES
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. 1681-1681Y, credit and bankruptcy information are very sensitive and should not be used be in the consideration of hiring. The information is included for each candidate because we do not want you to be surprised if third parties raise what they consider to be a concern.
Page 15 of 108 Section 8 Background Check Summary for MICHAEL “MIKE” A. MCNEES Personal Disclosure
Page 16 of 108 Section 8
CB&A Reference Notes
Page 17 of 108 Section 8 Reference Notes Michael Alan McNees
Cathy Wysor – City Clerk, City of Melbourne, FL 321-863-1420
Ms. Wysor has known Mr. McNees since 2013 and reports directly to him. She has been with the City since 1984 and during that time has worked for several managers. She really appreciates Mr. McNees’ style. He gives the Directors room to do their job and has confidence in them. He knows they will circle back if they need advice or guidance. He is not a micro manager and she feels empowered to get her work done throughout the week.
Mr. McNees makes good decisions both when hiring personnel and in general. He has the ability to see areas that are high performing and leave them alone so they can continue to perform well. In areas that are weak, he inserts himself and gives guidance to improve operations.
Mr. McNees is visible in the community. He absolutely works well with residents, both individually and in group settings. He is good about keeping others informed and the method of communication he uses depends on the level of sensitivity of the information, the time of day, and what the information relates to. At times he pops over to Ms. Wysor’s office and at other times he calls, texts, or emails her.
Mr. McNees has helped shape their EOC (Emergency Operations Center) that handles declared emergencies like hurricanes and they are a fully functioning Center now. The Center has two shifts, A and B, which he had input on. He also had a high level of input on the downtown redevelopment area regarding public/private partnerships. Lastly, they had a piece of property called the Marina Towers and with his oversight it changed hands from the City to a private developer, though the City maintained some control over how the property is developed. He has much experience in leading teams to resolve issues.
When it comes to managing the budget, Mr. McNees does well. He is responsive and his responses are timely. He never shows signs of stress, even during emergency events like hurricanes.
Melbourne has various lawsuits, public records requests, and personnel matters that can be described as controversial, but nothing related to Mr. McNees personally. Ms. Wysor has seen Mr. McNees at social events, on City business, and in professional settings. He is always very professional in his conduct. She is not aware of anyone who holds a negative opinion of him.
Ms. Wysor would hire Mr. McNees, he is a great manager.
Words or phrases used to describe Michael McNees:
• Energetic, • Great sense of humor, • Great communicator, and • Professional.
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Strengths: Big picture person, can quickly see overall strengths and weaknesses in an organization.
Weaknesses: He is not a detail person and has to surround himself with them.
Mike Nowlin – Former Councilmember, City of Melbourne, FL 321-863-0046
Mr. Nowlin has known Mr. McNees since 2013 and was on the panel that hired Mr. McNees as the City Manager.
Mr. McNees has done a great job for Melbourne and Mr. Nowlin hates the thought of him leaving. He did a great job staffing the organization and they are very happy with the individuals that he has hired. His decisions in general are good.
Mr. McNees maintains an organization at a high performance level. He is frequently out in the community and works really well with the public. He is very customer service oriented. He communicates well with residents and is great about keeping everyone in the organization informed.
One of their most significant issues involved a department head. Mr. McNees put a team together to identify what was happening and make recommendations on how to address the issues. He handles these types of situations very well.
Mr. McNees manages the budget very well, though Mr. Nowlin is not sure whether it is his expertise or he picks the right individuals to oversee the finances. Either way, the processes are in place to be successful. He is timely in completing work. He responds to stress well, is very laid back but can quickly meet goals and objectives.
While the City Manager has to deal with controversy, nothing happened that relates to Mr. McNees personally. Mr. Nowlin cannot think of anything related to Mr. McNees background or conduct that would concern or embarrass a reasonable person. A current councilmember recently told Mr. Nowlin that he was not entirely happy with Mr. McNees’ performance but did not share specifics.
Mr. Nowlin would hire Mr. McNees and does not want him to leave Melbourne. He has been great for the City of Melbourne and is very enjoyable to work with.
Words or phrases used to describe Michael McNees:
• Smart, • Focused, • Personable, • Treats staff well, • Accommodating, and • Gets things done.
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Strengths: Very accommodating, really good people person, holds employees in high esteem, knows how to get things done.
Weaknesses: Sometimes councilmembers do not make the right decision and a City Manager has to explain to them that another option might work better. It is a difficult balance because they supervise the City Manager and can decide whether or not to continue his/her employment. Mr. McNees might have been a little weak in this area but Mr. Nowlin never had an issue with him.
Molly Tasker – Former Councilmember, City of Melbourne, FL 321-626-3369
Ms. Tasker met Mr. McNees in 2013. Mr. McNees is very efficient, very knowledgeable, and is an excellent City Manager.
Most of the employees hired by Mr. McNees have been very good. He is steady and makes good selections. He watches out for the good of the City and the tax payers, and does not go flying off in a crazy direction. He can be innovative.
Mr. McNees is out in the community quite a bit. He works very well with the public because he enjoys people but he is reserved in many ways. He has a wry sense of humor. He has good financial skills and is very efficient at meeting deadlines and completing work.
Before every meeting Ms. Tasker met with the City manager regardless of whether she had specific questions or not. Mr. McNees was good about making time for this meeting during his tenure. He is more of a manager than a leader and he is not political at all. He optimizes his effectiveness and completes the assignments and tasks set forth by the Council.
The controversial issues in Melbourne are personnel or labor related, which Mr. McNees oversaw. For the most part everything was fine but once in a while they had a problem with the police or fire department, or labor issues. Generally, the City hired an outside attorney to handle labor disputes but when they had closed sessions to discuss the issues, Mr. McNees attended and kept things on an even keel with the Council.
Nothing in Mr. McNees’ background or conduct would concern an employer. Melbourne is very political and a few people on the current council seem to have a burr in the saddle towards Mr. McNees along with some others, so you might be able to find someone with a different opinion. Ms. Tasker cannot recall any big problems with his performance.
Ms. Tasker would hire Mr. McNees. She appreciated his performance and enjoyed working with him. He handles himself well. They attended social events for the City together and he was always very cordial. He always keeps his cool, which was appreciated.
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Words or phrases used to describe Michael McNees:
• Intelligent, • Reserved, • Wry sense of humor, • Innovative • Gets things done, and • Good management style.
Strengths: Organization, calm, keeps things running mostly smoothly, can be innovative.
Weaknesses: Can be a little serious at times but he is not mean.
Doug Logan – Former CEO, USA Track and Field, Indianapolis, IN 917-609-8175
Mr. Logan has known Mr. McNees since 2002 when he was hired as a consultant for the City of Sarasota. Mr. McNees is remembered fondly there. Mr. Logan was then hired to be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of USA Track and Field, a $20 million dollar organization. Mr. Logan hired Mr. McNees to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) as part of a succession plan. Mr. McNees had worked as a track coach to pay for his college education. Mr. McNees was a good fit and did a terrific job. Mr. Logan thinks the world of him. Mr. McNees has impeccable ethics and truly understands the responsibilities of public administration.
Mr. McNees is a superb City Manager and a very fine administrator. He is extremely intelligent. Two of his most remarkable qualities are his accessibility and visibility. If the City experienced a major fire, he was there. He attended black tie events and public hearings in the County and the State. He was accessible to everyone, shook every hand, and answered every question.
The two men have a great deal of respect for one another. Mr. McNees is a truly fine man. He has wide ranging interests. He is an avid reader and extraordinarily curious about life in general. They have divergent philosophies and styles but always reconcile their differences. They have never had any negative interactions.
Mr. McNees is a very good judge of talent. More importantly, he is very good at integrating new employees into an organization. He is more of an operator and a maintainer than an innovator, but he is capable of handling both spheres of responsibility. He is very customer service oriented and a great problem solver. He has good financial skills and completes tasks on time.
When Mr. Logan travelled extensively Mr. McNees assumed many of his responsibilities. He kept Mr. Logan informed of matters that required his attention and handled items that did not. He knew where the line was and did not cross it. Mr. McNees had almost constant contact with the public as a City Manager and in his prior position in the Naples area. His work was excellent.
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Mr. McNees has considerable experience leading teams to solve problems. All decision making at USA Track and Field involved both internal and external individuals; no decisions were unilateral. Mr. McNees always brought people together to reach agreements. He shepherded some fairly controversial projects through Sarasota, including the selection of a new police chief. He requested input from citizens and hired a superb candidate. He resolved labor issues by building consensus. One controversial project he guided to a successful conclusion was a Whole Foods store in downtown Sarasota. This store became a development anchor for the downtown area. He established a team feeling within the group of people who implemented that project.
Mr. Logan was fired from USA Track and Field. Mr. McNees became the interim CEO for a considerable period of time. They did not consider him as a permanent replacement because he had been hired by Mr. Logan. When they hired a new CEO, they made arrangements for Mr. McNees to leave. Mr. Logan is not aware of anything controversial in Mr. McNees background.
Mr. Logan would hire Mr. McNees in a second and would also work for him. Mr. McNees is a trained and experienced local government CEO who understands Florida’s statutes and culture.
Words or phrases used to describe Michael McNees:
• Ethical, • Organized, • Accessible, • Courageous, • Curious, and • Competent.
Strengths: Greatest strength is his character, incredibly organized, adept at prioritizing multiple tasks in multiple fields, a team builder and consensus builder, extraordinarily accessible, and very open minded.
Weaknesses: A leader is someone who keeps his or her organization motivated and focused on three main principles. A manager has a legal pad with 157 action items on it and keeps everything ticking. Mr. McNees is more of a manager than a leader.
Peter Abbott – Former Chief of Police, Sarasota, FL 941-504-9307
Mr. Abbott was hired by Mr. McNees in 2002. Mr. McNees is an excellent City Manager, a very deep thinker, and a visionary. He is clear about what he wants to accomplish and lines up the necessary resources and personnel to achieve his goals. One project to build a new bridge became very controversial; but he managed to get the bridge completed, and it has been extremely beneficial to the City. He also brought Whole Foods to the downtown area and brought many other positive changes to Sarasota.
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Mr. McNees demonstrates openness during staff meetings. He encourages and expects everyone to discuss the pros and cons of different decisions. Once a decision is made, he expects everyone to support it. He understands that, whatever questions or concerns his employees have, residents will also raise them. Knowing such concerns helps him find ways to make palatable choices. Mr. Abbott admires his qualities and tries to integrate them into his own management style.
Mr. McNees hired good employees who were experts in their fields then set the overall direction. He ensured that everyone accomplished their appointed tasks without telling them how the works should be done. He is very direct and has a good, dry sense of humor. He is also very intelligent.
Mr. McNees departed from Sarasota because he did his job the correct way but politics turned against him. One director made claims using false vouchers and put gasoline in his own private vehicle. This director was very popular with the local cultural foundation. He ran the entertainment center. Mr. McNees conducted an investigation and fired him when evidence of wrong doing was discovered. The Commissioner of the district where the entertainment center was located received significant backlash from constituents. She turned another commissioner against Mr. McNees. Mr. McNees would not keep a dishonest director; so he chose to lose his job rather than his reputation. The two commissioners responsible for his resignation were voted out of office a month later. To Mr. Abbot, the election results demonstrated that the majority of citizens were unhappy Mr. McNees left because of pressure from those commissioners.
The department heads in Sarasota appreciated the way Mr. McNees managed their organization. He is very direct and a team builder. Working there was fun, but business always came first. He is very dedicated to his job. He works long hours and always stays ahead of the curve. He is consistently well prepared and trusts his staff. Knowing that the boss trusted them to make the correct choices for the City unless they proved otherwise was extremely important to his department heads. When a department head did not fulfill the responsibilities of his or her job properly, Mr. McNees always took the appropriate action.
Mr. McNees dealt with budgets and personalities equally well. He was in Sarasota when times were good and when the economy began to turn sour. He worked with tax increment financing to bring big buildings and projects into the downtown area. Before his arrival one could roll a bowling ball down Main Street and not hit anything. The downtown area is now lively, provides entertainment, and has a pleasant buzz to it, and Mr. McNees is responsible for much of that transformation. Many people talk a good game but are not successful. Mr. McNees succeeds.
Mr. McNees is innovative and definitely maintains his organization at a high level. He is very inclusive and brings employees together. For hiring panels he had three or four groups interview each candidate at different times of the day to identify whether or not their personalities and answers remained consistent. This technique allowed them to gain a better sense of who each candidate was.
The administration held weekly staff meetings. As Police Chief, Mr. Abbott was involved in many confidential issues. The two men met together to discuss such issues. If Mr. McNees learned of
Page 23 of 108 Section 8 Reference Notes Michael Alan McNees a matter that had the potential to be in the media the next day, he always called Mr. Abbott, and Mr. Abbott did the same for Mr. McNees so he could inform the commissioners. Senior staff and elected officials were never confronted with surprises. He operated in the best interest of the employees and the organization. He is very funny and engaging once he gets to know you.
Mr. McNees conducts himself very well in private meetings with the public. He is also good in public meetings, but he often defers to the appropriate commissioner because that is the proper procedure. He does an excellent job of handling negotiations and determines the best solution.
Mr. McNees often visits different departments when opportunities present themselves, but he also had to spend time behind his desk managing processes. During hurricanes he asked to ride along in Mr. Abbot’s 4 wheel drive to survey the damage. He leads from the front.
When budgets began to decline in the 2007 fiscal year, Mr. McNees gathered everyone together. Simply telling everyone to cut 5% would not be effective because the city could not cut essential programs. He had to be judicious and keep important services. He made his decisions as fair as possible. He led several departments to bring Whole Foods to Sarasota. He understands budgets inside and out and always quickly responded with any information his department heads needed.
One of Mr. McNees’ most innovative ideas was to start his own blog. Residents could read his discourse on issues then write in. His only two rules were that comments could not be profane and could not contain false information. He won an award for this blog. He took a bold leap with this strategy, and it became an excellent method for interacting with the community.
Concerning embarrassing situations, Mr. McNees was dating a local community leader who owned a downtown building. The public had been clamoring for a parking lot. He suggested a location close to her neighborhood, but the choice would not have benefitted her personally. Her building had its own parking lot. The local press likes to create news more than report it; so they stated that he selected the location to benefit his girlfriend. Mr. NcNees had actually made the correct decision when he suggested the location, and he handled the backlash well.
Mr. Abbott would hire him tomorrow. Mr. McNees is not afraid of challenges. He gathers the data, information, and opinions he needs to support his positions. He is a smart man who thinks clearly. He brought projects to the downtown area while retaining the original downtown atmosphere. Mr. McNees is a great city manager. Any municipality will be making a good choice if they hire him.
Words or phrases used to describe Michael McNees:
• Extremely intelligent, • Creative, • Trustworthy, • Got things done,
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• Great sense of humor, • Very dedicated to his job, • Quality individual, and • Very physically fit, presenting a good image.
Strengths: Sets a clear agenda and accomplishes tasks, treats the Commissioners equally, and did not show favoritism.
Weaknesses: Mr. McNees was less comfortable in large groups than he should have been. He is so intelligent and has such a great way about him. He let the Commissioners have the spotlight. He supported events without overwhelming them.
Gina Miller – Chief Financial Officer, USA Track and Field, Indianapolis, IN 317-690-2371
Ms. Miller has known Mr. McNees since 2009. Mr. McNees worked at a very high level as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for a $20 million organization. His experience and background as a City Manager was a significant asset. He used his experience to create structure within USA Track and Field. He is very calm, logical, and rational. He looks for straightforward, appropriate solutions to keep his organization on track. He is very good at analyzing, discussing, and honing in on an objective. He keeps all deliberations moving well and in the right direction.
The agency’s staff has worked together for quite a while, and some new employees find it difficult to fit in quickly. However, Mr. McNees did so and worked well with everyone. He hired an assistant who still works there and functions very well. He made good decisions for the organization as a whole.
Mr. McNees maintains his organization at a high performance level. Given the authority and leeway, he is quite capable of being a change agent. He is very logical and straightforward. He listens to others and is open to ideas they present to him. He always keeps his staff very well informed. He has considerable experience working with the public and is very good at it.
The COO manages processes. When Mr. McNees became the Interim CEO, he adjusted his style and became a leader. He rallied employees around the organization’s strategic objectives. He is a good leader or a manager depending on his position and the needs of his organization.
Many challenging issues arose with athletes and their uniforms. Different regulations exist for what is allowed on uniforms, depending on the events. Athletes may wish to have designs which are different than the main sponsor that provided the uniforms and paid for the exposure. This issue can become very contentious and is common during championship events. An athletic meet operates with many variables and stakeholders. Each stakeholder approaches the organization with different points of leverage. Mr. McNees always made sure he fully understood all the elements in
Page 25 of 108 Section 8 Reference Notes Michael Alan McNees a dispute. He understood the organization’s true obligations and gave priority to the stakeholders. He never allowed himself to be derailed by chatter and always acted professionally.
As an accountant, Ms. Miller prefers Mr. McNees logical, rational, get to the facts approach. Many of his responsibilities were ongoing or long term based and not simply task oriented. He fulfilled all of his responsibilities very well.
Controversial was a daily adjective in the organization. Mr. McNees encouraged employees to honestly determine whether or not a situation was truly a crisis before they started loosely using the term. He carefully assessed each concern and refused to get caught up in the drama. He methodically talked through each case then made a decision. His style serves him well.
Ms. Miller would be shocked if anything controversial was found in Mr. McNees background. The CEO who hired Mr. McNees was fired. Mr. McNees served as interim CEO for almost two years. When a new CEO was hired, he brought in his own COO. Mr. McNees’ departure was entirely due to the change in leadership of the organization and certainly not his job performance. Ms. Miller would definitely hire Mr. McNees, if given the chance. He is a great CEO.
Words or phrases used to describe Michael McNees:
• Intelligent, • Ethical, • Well rounded, • Kind, • Very rational and logical, and • Consistent.
Strengths: Gets to the heart of the matter, technologically savvy, utmost ethics and integrity, a very professional demeanor, and very easy to work with.
Weaknesses: Occasionally he got to the point too quickly and moved forward when he should have been open to more contextual discussion. Mr. McNees style is much preferred over people who suffer from analysis paralysis.
Ken Shelin – Former City Commissioner, Sarasota, FL 941-320-6352
Mr. Shelin has known Mr. McNees since 2001. Mr. Shelin has been a public official for 35 years and has worked for the federal government. He also served on a number of city boards, including the city planning board from 2000 to 2005. He was elected as a commissioner in 2005.
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Mr. McNees is a wonderful administrator. He is very good at handling budgets. He is straightforward and never conceals information from commissioners. Their interactions were always very comfortable. Mr. McNees is truthful and does not hold back with his opinions.
When the City experienced a major sewage spill, employees in the Public Works department concealed information. Mr. McNees took the heat for the problem. Mr. Shelin wanted to know the identity of the employees who had lied and concealed information. He encouraged Mr. McNees to take action against them. Mr. McNees worked with the management of the department to uncover the root cause of the problem. The problems had begun before Mr. McNees was hired. Mr. McNees did not deserve the blame, but he did find the solution.
Mr. McNees also led the organization through major zoning changes when the City adopted a new code based on the New Urbanism philosophy which encourages mixed-use zoning. He met with staff and guided the City Commission through this initiative.
Mr. McNees made great hiring decisions. However, he understood his role as a manager and did not step outside of his role. He made good decisions in his areas of responsibility and respected the Commissioners’ rights to make the final choices in theirs.
Mr. McNees is a change agent. He keeps on top of trends and always looks for ways to improve the organization’s operations. A Manager is not a spokesperson for the City; he or she is the spokesperson for the City Commission. He understands whom he is speaking on behalf of when he works with the public and does very well. He is also a leader who works among his troops.
Mr. McNees is customer service oriented, but he is also very private. He is a leader who is able to separate his private and personal life. He is very good and very creative when managing a budget. Under his management the City has received many awards for its budgets and budget presentations. He completed his tasks on time and never allows them to drag on.
Mr. Shelin is not aware of anything in Mr. McNees background that would be embarrassing to any future employer. He gives Mr. McNees very high ratings and would definitely hire him, if given the opportunity. Mr. McNees is an excellent City Manager.
Words or phrases used to describe Michael McNees:
• Professional, • Businesslike, • People person, • Does not impose personal views on others, • Factual, and • Objective.
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Strengths: Handling budgets, and relates well to other people.
Weaknesses: Some residents wanted confidential information. When Mr. McNees did not release it, they complained about his lack of communication. However, Mr. McNees always communicated very well with the Commissioners. Mr. Shelin voted to keep Mr. McNees.
Vanessa Fry – Cofounder/Former Chair, Sustain Blaine, Blaine County, ID 208-720-8310
Ms. Fry has known Mr. McNees since 2007. He is one of the few individuals she worked with for whom she wondered anyone else could fill his shoes when he left. He is an excellent administrator and wonderful to work with. He was a mentor. She admires him personally and professionally.
Mr. McNees did an excellent job building the community. He is a strong leader who follows the directions of his commission. He is enthusiastic and passionate about his work. They worked closely to get Sustain Blaine off on a good footing. He is very responsive and follows up on everything he promises to accomplish.
Mr. McNees is open to the ideas of others. Their interactions were always very positive. During the hiring process the organization held a ‘meet and greet’ session. Mr. McNees was very personable. In their particular community many older men work and women are usually not well respected. Mr. McNees shows equal respect for everyone as long as each person comes to the table with good ideas and is forthright. He creates a very good work environment for everyone.
As a resident, Ms. Fry has been extremely happy with the decisions made by Mr. McNees. He prioritizes well. Mr. McNees is innovative, a change agent, and maintains a high functioning organization. He keeps others well informed. He works well with the public both in group settings and individually. He is very easy to talk to whenever someone has a concern or grievance.
Mr. McNees is not the type of manager who sits behind a desk. He rallies his employees around the vision and goals of the organization. When he was hired the economy was functioning well, but then financial affairs became very difficult. Mr. McNees did a wonderful job of working with employees, elected officials, and community members to determine where cuts could be made. He handled this process in a manner that did not disenfranchise others.
Ms. Fry did not work for the City so she cannot adequately speak to the extent of Mr. McNees’ financial knowledge; however they worked together on the budget, the funding plan, and the economic development plan for Sustain Blaine. Mr. McNees performed very well in those roles. He always responds to requests for information within a twenty-four hour period.
When an organization faces planning and budgeting concerns you will always find someone who does not like the proposed solutions or changes. Such situations often cause controversy. Mr. McNees always handled disagreements well. He is firm and speaks with conviction, without
Page 28 of 108 Section 8 Reference Notes Michael Alan McNees raising his voice or condescending to others. He is a very good moderator and mediator. He listens to all sides in a dispute and persuasively talks them through the issue.
Ms. Fry is not aware of anything personally or professionally controversial relating to Mr. McNees. He left Blaine County simply to pursue an amazing opportunity. He was recruited by a colleague to join USA Track and Field. This position fit him very well considering his athletic background.
Ms. Fry would hire Mr. McNees in a second, and she would work for him again. The community that hires him will be lucky to have him.
Words or phrases used to describe Michael McNees:
• Innovative, • Leader, • Modest, • Very intelligent, • Addresses issues without attacking or belittling employees, • Forthright, and • Approachable.
Strengths: Leadership, and a superlative, creative thinker who thinks outside the box.
Weaknesses: He is modest and does not give himself enough credit.
Heather Dawson – City Administrator, Hailey, ID 208-788-4221
Ms. Dawson has known Mr. McNees since 2007 when he was hired as the Blaine County Administrator. Hailey and Blaine County have had an adversarial relationship and are frequently on opposite sides of the table. However, Ms. Dawson has always had a great deal of respect for the manner in which Mr. McNees handles his responsibilities.
Mr. McNees was the first County Administrator ever employed in Blaine County. Prior to his arrival the County asked a consultant from ICMA to assess whether or not the County needed an administrator. The consultant took over control of administrative duties so the community would have the opportunity to see what it would be like to have an administrator.
Ms. Dawson liked working with Mr. McNees. He builds partnerships within his organization and with other associations. They did not work together frequently so she is unable to speak about his day to day handling of administrative duties. Her opinions are based on their limited interaction and the skills she saw him develop.
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Mr. McNees asked if the City of Hailey would be a contributor to an economic development effort called Sustain Blaine, a study of the economic needs in the area. Hailey contributed, but very modestly. Mr. McNees did an incredible job. He engaged a wide variety of partners in the efforts of Sustain Blaine. Any cause must have a champion, and Mr. McNees was that champion. He launched the effort, but he rallied so much community involvement that Sustain Blaine has continued on well without him and been very successful.
Another project they worked on together was the consolidation of all dispatch services for the entire County. Hailey and Blaine County were on opposite sides of the table so this decision was very controversial. However, Mr. McNees remained respectful and did a good job of shepherding the process through to completion. He employed a strategic approach couple with a strong communication effort throughout the negotiations. Whenever they reached an impasse, Mr. McNees formulated a solution that allowed negotiations to move forward.
Although she was not in a position to see how well Mr. McNees managed his own organization, Ms. Dawson knows he was innovative in their interactions. He kept her informed of all matters that affected Hailey. He has experience working with the public and handles them well.
Ms. Dawson is not aware of anything in Mr. McNees’ background that would be of concern to any future employer. If she were an elected official in Hailey and he was being considered as the manager, she would hire Mr. McNees. He is a very experienced local government CEO.
Words or phrases used to describe Michael McNees:
• Strategic, • Powerful, • Athletic, • Relaxed, and • Fun loving.
Strengths: Gathers the right people into any conversation; and communicates appropriately with different parties, using diverse communication styles with different people.
Weaknesses: Blaine County is a resort area. Two communities are extremely affluent while the rest of the County has a fairly median income level. Mr. McNees seemed to favor the affluent element, although that approach is easy to fall into.
Pete Ugo – External Auditor, Crowe-Horwath, USA Track and Field, Indianapolis, IN 317-208-2509
Mr. Ugo has known Mr. McNees since 2009. Mr. Ugo is the external auditor for USA Track and Field. His interactions were limited to inquiries about the audit and reviews of any findings or
Page 30 of 108 Section 8 Reference Notes Michael Alan McNees issues. He did not observe any situations that would indicate poor performance on Mr. McNees’ part, and no unusual incidents occurred during their interactions.
Mr. McNees was very different from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) he succeeded. He was quieter, reserved, and very receptive. Many clients argue against or challenge any findings. Mr. McNees listened carefully to what the auditors had to say and took their recommendations seriously. The firing of the previous CEO had created a very stressful environment. However, even with the stress, Mr. Ugo did not notice anything in Mr. McNees that needed improvement.
Their interactions were very professional. Mr. McNees was quick to provide answers and feedback as needed. He was always present when the audit committee met. The USA Track and Field Board is very involved in the organization. He was not in a position to make significant changes or decisions without their direction. Mr. McNees took the right steps for every decision. Mr. McNees kept employees informed of all matters related to their responsibilities. Although not involved in day to day accounting, he understands budgeting and how to monitor budgets. When financial situations are discussed, he comprehends and does not require an explanation.
As far as Mr. Ugo knows Mr. McNees was not involved in any controversies. Nothing controversial in Mr. McNees’ background has ever been brought to Mr. Ugo’s attention.
Mr. McNees appreciates details and likes having interactions with diverse groups of people. He enjoys being a local government CEO.
Words or phrases used to describe Michael McNees:
• Reserved, • Professional, • Ethical, • Wants to do the right think, and • Gets into the details to problem solve any issue.
Strengths: Receptive and cooperative.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Prepared by: Lynelle Klein Colin Baenziger & Associates
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CB&A Internet Research
Page 33 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Florida Today (FL) July 13, 2018
Melbourne Police Officers Suspended, Disciplined for Violating Payroll Policy Author: Rick Neale
Two Melbourne police officers received two-week suspensions without pay after an anonymous email triggered an internal investigation into alleged payroll record falsifications. The investigation concluded that Lt. Steven Sadoff and Officer Brittney Skovsgard failed to be punctual and failed to complete work shifts during various dates between January and June 2017. In May, both were suspended for 80 hours without pay, suspended from the take-home car program for six months, and deemed ineligible for promotional testing for two years. Sadoff was also demoted to sergeant and transferred to a different shift. These disciplinary actions were scheduled to take effect upon exhaustion of their appeal rights. The investigation became public earlier this week when Brevard County Clerk of Courts Scott Ellis criticized the investigation at a City Council meeting.
Skovsgard submitted her resignation, effective Friday, July 13. Sadoff is grieving his discipline, and his case is working its way through the grievance process. Police Chief David Gillespie declined an interview request, citing the grievance process. The department's Kronos Workforce TeleStaff payroll system was implemented in August 2013 to document employee timekeeping, including overtime, compensatory time and leave time. Investigators examined officers' shift starting and ending times that were entered in TeleStaff. They also studied GPS coordinates and data from laptops inside their police cruisers. Two sergeants also received written reprimands for violating TeleStaff policy, while a detective and an officer were referred for counseling/retraining.
“One of the main purposes of TeleStaff is to accurately track individual work schedules. This includes weekly work schedules including overtime. Officers are responsible for tracking all changes to their regular work schedules and overtime entries," Gillespie wrote in a statement to Florida Today. "The impact of false or inaccurate entries becomes an integrity issue when employees are flexing their schedule so they are working different hours than recorded in TeleStaff," Gillespie stated. "Additionally, when officers do not work their entire work day it can be construed as theft as well as administrative violations,” he stated.
The investigation was triggered by an anonymous email complaint in November to Gillespie, City Manager Mike McNees and Melbourne City Council members. The email alleged that some police officers were "falsifying their payroll records on a regular basis," and it listed the names of the six officers alongside computer-aided dispatch records from January to February 2017. The following morning, McNees emailed council members: “A few weeks ago we had an officer resign while under investigation for some alleged activity similar to what’s been detailed in this email. Chief Gillespie has already been looking into whether there is evidence of other, similar activities and he will continue that process.” Ellis questioned who was responsible for monitoring the officers' time. “Who verifies daily hours and how do they do so?
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You have taken these officers to task for their time, was there no one responsible for monitoring their time or signing their time sheets?” Ellis wrote in a list of comments he distributed to city council members Tuesday during their regular meeting.
From the public comment podium, Ellis made a public records request for copies of time cards for all Melbourne Police Department employees from the past two pay periods, along with corresponding laptop check-in, check-out times and GPS coordinates for take-home vehicles. "The investigations had no control group. There is no way to verify this algorithm that you're using to run the investigation. And you have no idea if this one particular squad is an anomaly or if all squads look the same," Ellis told council members. Mayor Kathy Meehan requested that Ellis meet with Gillespie and McNees to discuss the matter.
Page 35 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Club & Resort Business (FL) May 7, 2018
Melbourne (Fla.) to Keep Operating Crane Creek Reserve, Mallards Landing Courses Author: Joe Barks
While the courses have been generating paper losses, the decision by city council members was influenced by a report that showed much more was spent over a four-year period for other municipal recreational facilities, and that the cost per round of golf to the city was $3.60, compared to $8.20 per participant at the other combined facilities. The focus will now be on crafting a 2018-19 balanced budget for the golf course enterprise fund, while continuing to squeeze expenses and closely monitoring the number of rounds played. Officials in Melbourne, Fla. have reaffirmed they will keep operating the city’s two golf courses as community amenities, similar to swimming pools, parks, and recreation centers, although City Hall accounting practices show that the courses rack up paper losses, Florida Today reported.
During a special workshop held on May 1, the Melbourne City Council discussed the fiscal status of Crane Creek Reserve Golf Course and Mallards Landing Golf Course, Florida Today reported, and roughly 50 golfers and nearby homeowners attended — many of whom feared the city might sell or shut down the golf courses. The discussion taking place in Melbourne is not an isolated case, Florida Today noted, as across the Sunshine State, municipal golf courses have lost nearly $100 million during the past five years, as a recent investigation by USA Today Network-Florida revealed. And in March, the Brevard County (Fla.) Commission voted to transfer The Habitat in Grant-Valkaria and Spessard Holland south of Melbourne Beach to Golf Brevard, a new nonprofit group. The county’s third golf course, The Savannahs on Merritt Island, will be controlled by The Savannahs at Sykes Creek Homeowners’ Association.
“When I was first elected, I was gung-ho on getting rid of the golf courses. Mr. (City Manager Mike) McNees can testify to that,” Melbourne City Councilwoman Teresa Lopez said during the May 1st workshop, Florida Today reported. “[But] since October 1, 2013, to March 31, 2017, we have given the other recreational activities $5.6 million,” Lopez added. “So giving the golf from that period of time $1.3 million doesn’t really bother me, to tell you the truth.” “So I think we should keep them,” she concluded, garnering applause from the audience. Lopez was citing figures from a report by Robert Ober, the city’s Senior Compliance and Management Analyst, Florida Today reported, in which Ober compared the golf courses with an array of popular Melbourne parks and recreation attractions, in terms of cost per participant in general fund dollars.
The general fund provided $1.3 million for golf course personnel and other expenses from October 2013 to March 2017, Ober’s report showed, while financing $5.6 million during the same period for the Melbourne Auditorium, Eau Gallie Civic Center, four community centers (Lipscomb Park, Joseph H. Davis, Wickham Park and Crane), tennis courts and swimming pools. How did the golf courses stack up? The cost per round of golf was $3.60 — cheaper than $8.20 per participant at the other combined recreational facilities, Florida Today reported. “There are
Page 36 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) so many people that golf is so important to. And it’s part of the whole quality-of-life thing,” a golfer from the area, Sally White, told council members at the workshop. White plays in the Thursday night league at Crane Creek Reserve and has played golf at both courses for 30 years, Florida Today reported. This is her fifth year working as a starter at Crane Creek Reserve. “I feel like I’m the Walmart greeter there,” she said. “I have so much fun with the customers. And this year, this season, I have talked to people from 42 different states, six Canadian provinces, and 21 different countries. And I think that is pretty amazing.”
With the decision to continue to operate the courses now made, McNees said Melbourne officials will craft a 2018-19 balanced budget for the golf course enterprise fund, while also continuing to squeeze expenses and closely monitoring the number of rounds played. “It’s going to be very important to watch this industry,” McNees said. “And if the golf industry continues to shrink as a whole, that’s a tide that is way bigger than we are.” John Francey, who chairs the Melbourne Golf Courses Advisory Board, said he has played golf in the city for 30 years, Florida Today reported. “Yeah, not as many people play golf,” Francey told council members. “But I think the biggest problem we really have here is, the course conditions really hit the toilet at one time. I don’t know any other way to put it,” “We’re starting to see people come back from [other regional courses]. And it’s great to see,” Francey added.
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VeroNews.com (FL) January 4, 2018
Eau Gallie Arts District Backers Win Fight for More Funds Author: George White
After being grilled about its purpose and usefulness, the Eau Gallie Arts District Main Street organization received its $55,000 allocation for 2018, continuing an eight-year process to revitalize the Old Eau Gallie area of Melbourne. Funded by a small portion of additional taxes gained in the district as a result of revitalization in the Community Redevelopment Area, Main Street program officials successfully argued to the CRA board of directors that the process is working. They said progress is both apparent and gaining momentum in the district, so its funding should continue to fully realize its potential as a location for new businesses and other redevelopment. The $55,000 will be used for administration, including the $44,000 compensation for Executive Director Lisa Packard, a $2,500 seasonal lighting project and normal activities “consistent with the CRA plan” such as façade improvement grants.
Special events and festivals – one of the funding questions brought up at the Dec. 12 meeting – are financially self-sufficient and therefore do not need any of the CRA funding. However, events can be problematic as a main source of fundraising, Packard said. With the 2018 allocation, “it’s really business as usual: we will do what we’ve always been doing but now we know we need to find ways to bring more money in. That’s the goal for any Main Street program, to be self-sustaining,’’ Packard said. The reason events are not the best fundraisers is because they cost a lot to put on and, if outdoors, they are risky with the often fickle Florida weather All it takes are strong winds, rain or even the threat of rain to have art shows and other outdoor events fall flat and barely break even, even if well-planned. An example of the new and hopefully more stable direction in EGAD Main Street fundraising will be an indoor themed party on Saturday night in conjunction with the annual April in Paris event on the first Friday in April, she said. “Main Street programs are all about redevelopment of the area; that’s the saving grace of Main Street, but it all starts with the events and getting people to understand the progress in the area. “Now it’s up to our side to take it to the next level in fundraising to make the program self-sufficient,’’ Packard said.
Melbourne City Manager Mike McNees said in just five years he has noticed an increased viability in the EGAD Main Street area, even though the money generated through the tax increment financing there is relatively small. He does expect the area will ultimately benefit from recent zoning changes enabling new developments to get a toe-hold in the up-and-coming area. He suggested that the big payoffs for the CRA and Main Street program in Eau Gallie may be years off and will require all involved to “keep the long view” and take incremental steps, including putting on quality events, to make substantive progress toward the goal of increased development and self-sufficiency. “The point of the events (rather than being fundraisers) is to bring in new eyes and vitality to the area. People who normally might not normally have come to the area see what’s going on and they come back and that supports the businesses. It all feeds on itself,’’ he said.
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Spectrum News 13 (FL) June 19, 2017
Brevard County-Area Roads Crumbling as Heavy Rains Continue Author: News 13 Florida
About two weeks of daily rain is taking its toll on Brevard County roads that are already in need of repair. Brevard County officials have identified 589 miles of county roads that need to be resurfaced and 145 miles that need to be reconstructed. The roadway issues are a challenge for the county's municipalities, as well. Beat up roadways are hard to avoid if you're driving along Babcock Street in Melbourne. Broken areas of roadway and potholes are common, and the heavy rains are not helping as pieces of asphalt crumble as vehicles pass over. "They come out to fix it, but it comes back," said Nathaniel Ashton, who lives in Melbourne. He said he does his best to avoid the damaged roadways. "Your car can get out of line, tires rotated more often," he said. "A lot more wear and tear on your car."
Melbourne is similar to other cities in the county: strapped for cash that it can devote to road maintenance. "Let's keep things resurfaced before they reach a point they need to be rebuilt," Melbourne City Manager Mike McNees said. "The conditions of the roads are looked at every year. It's about prioritizing and putting money where it needs to go first, and we are doing a reasonable job of keeping the city road network up."
Melbourne city leaders are two years into a millage rate increase and devoting the property tax money to road repairs. It costs about $120,000 to resurface one mile of roadway compared to repairing that mile at a cost of about $650,000. McNees said many roads crossing through the cities are owned by the county or the state. Brevard County is also trying to keep up with repairs. Officials said they need to resurface at least 55 miles of roadway each year to prevent a backlog. The next fiscal year begins Oct. 1, and county leaders plan on tripling the amount of money to resurface roads. The road maintenance budget could be about $4 million. Officials plan to increase the money by cutting other services and not raising taxes.
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Targeted News Service (USA) March 2, 2017
City of Melbourne Recognized for Excellence in Financial Reporting
MELBOURNE, Fla., March 1 -- The city of Melbourne issued the following news: The City of Melbourne has been awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). The Certificate is the national organization's highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting. The City of Melbourne has received this award each time it has applied for it in the past 28 years. The Certificate of Excellence is awarded to municipalities for producing annual financial reports that meet the association's stringent standards, including demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate the city's financial story.
"This award demonstrates the City's commitment to proper stewardship of public funds, as well as the high quality work of the entire Financial Services department," said Melbourne City Manager Mike McNees. GFOA established the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program in 1945 to encourage and assist state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles.
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Florida Today (FL) January 17, 2017
Melbourne Pushes Downtown While Rethinking Roads Author: Matt Reed
Melbourne has figured in one interesting growth-and-development story after another. It could soon get new urban-style apartments, a boutique hotel and even a WaWa gas station downtown. A group of investors has begun mentoring more tech startups in the city and is building a privately funded incubator south of Crane Creek. Aerospace contractors such as Northrop Grumman continue to hire more engineers near the airport. Together, these could drive economic and social change in a city center that for decades struggled with vacancies and blight. It also brings new challenges for police and for preserving quality of life. And, yes, the city still has to balance its budget and repave miles of roads. I explored all of those issues in depth with Melbourne City Manager Mike McNees. Check out these excerpts from our interview for WEFS-TV.
Question: The highest-profile project up for votes this month is the Highline apartment complex on New Haven Avenue, next door to the Henegar Center for the arts downtown. Eight stories, 171 units, three years of planning and negotiations. What do you make of it? McNees: This has been years and years in the making, all the way back to the development of the downtown master plan in the first place. It’s a really important project in terms of bringing residential densities downtown. That does so many things: It creates a vitality, it supports retail, it supports office uses -- which we’ve struggled to preserve – and helps drive a varied economy. Thankfully, we have a very committed, high-energy investor-developer who has worked with us as we assembled the land needed. It’s a long process that is not for the meek – especially if you’re the guy investing the money. Something I hear out there is, “Why does the city pay so much attention to downtown?” with the connotation that it’s somehow at the expense of other parts of Melbourne. I hope people recognize that downtown is everyone’s “living room.” It’s where everyone goes for recreation, specialty retail and restaurants you don’t see elsewhere. The better that environment is, the better it is for everyone. It supports everyone’s property values and quality of life.
Q: And now there’s the possibility of a stylish apartment project in old Eau Gallie, between the east- and westbound lanes of the boulevard, at the site of an old discount-furniture store. Same situation? McNees: That’s a concept at this point, I don’t know a lot about the details, although it could have the same kind of catalytic effect in Eau Gallie. The scale of Eau Gallie and the maturation of the area as an entertainment district are a little different. But what I like about Eau Gallie is that the intrinsic values to the geography are off the charts. River views. Legitimate old-Florida charm that isn’t manufactured. This is an exciting concept.
Q: Farther along, it sounds like, is a downtown hotel proposed on what is now a parking lot behind Meg O’Malley’s between Strawbridge and New Haven. What’s up with that?
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McNees: The developers have proposed an urban, boutique-type hotel, and they are diligently working. They’ve talked about several different brands – a lot of the hotel chains now have those. It would be perfect for downtown. I understand the lending markets are a little hinky right now with the transition in Washington and other conditions. But they’re working on financing. The city has worked with them to where we wouldn’t be in it financially but would be helping them get access to lower interest rates. And we’d have some sharing of parking. If that one breaks ground, and the Highline breaks ground, things are really going to get exciting.
Q: Less exciting are the city’s core responsibilities to maintain its roads – something every local government seemed to fall behind on during the recession. How has Melbourne coped? McNees: I give all credit to the Melbourne city council to being willing to take a stand, and to taxpayers and our city engineer. The council, starting three years ago, realized we had a critical problem. They agreed to raise a certain amount of general fund tax millage to commit specifically to road resurfacing. They’ve kept that commitment. At budget hearings, residents have generally been supportive. Our city engineer, Jenny Lamb, has done an excellent job of researching where the work was most needed. The council agreed to a priority list, not based on their districts but on need. We’re repaving 18 miles of road this year, so at least we’re keeping up.
Q: One downside, it seemed, to downtown nightlife was the need for more cops to deal with fights and noise. But there’s been little news about that lately. What happened? McNees: We’ve had some changes in our strategies. We were approaching the downtown issues as “extras.” How could we scrape up enough people and overtime to deal with Friday and Saturday night? My way of thinking was different. What happens downtown is not extra, it’s part of our core work. We support this environment, and it’s a critical part of our community. So, the chief organized a community-response team, and not just on Friday and Saturday. Cause and effect is a little hard to prove, but since then, the problems seem to have died down. Some our problems with transients have improved. But it’s going to be a constant process.
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Florida Today (FL) October 22, 2016
During Storm, Water Pressure too Low to Fight Fires Author: James Dean
Ken and Sigrid McGlothlin prepared as well as anyone for Hurricane Matthew. Days before Brevard County issued an evacuation order to barrier island residents, the Satellite Beach family booked rooms at a pet-friendly hotel, just in case. They spent two days covering every window of their Thyme Street home with metal shutters. Lawn furniture was stowed in a partially drained pool, and TVs and other electronics unplugged. Recent renovations had installed stronger garage and front doors. “We had a fortress here,” said 56-year-old Sigrid. The fortress was in ruins. A blown transformer and downed power line likely sparked a fire that melted their hurricane shutters and left only the home’s concrete walls intact. “We lost everything we’ve built up over a life,” said 54-year-old Ken. “Everything is gone.”
Officially labeled an “act of nature,” the fire showed the danger and unpredictability inherent in a major storm, even one that caused far less damage overall than was feared in Brevard. It also focused attention on several issues that local officials say they will learn from to improve preparedness for the next storm. Chief among those was a lack of water pressure needed to fight the fire, which followed confusion about if and when water utilities run by Melbourne and Cocoa planned to cut off their feeds to the barrier islands. Satellite Beach firefighters quickly surrounded the McGlothlins’ home before sunrise on a recent Friday, working in powerful wind gusts and pelting rain, but found water pressure too weak to beat back the fire. “We had the people and we had the equipment to flow the maximum amount of water,” said Fire Chief Don Hughes. “The thing that was missing was the water.”
Melbourne officials said they closed valves to the barrier island around 7 p.m. as a necessary precaution to protect the integrity of the broader system, which serves 150,000 people in Melbourne and surrounding communities including West Melbourne, Palm Shores and the beach south of the Pineda Causeway. They did so with unanimous agreement from the managers of the beachside cities the system serves. In addition, they said an equipment failure at a pumping station, not a lack of water, caused the drop in pressure needed to fight the Thyme Street fire. “We’re sorry as heck about what happened to their house,” said Mike McNees, Melbourne city manager. “It’s terrible, it’s tragic. But that doesn’t mean that segregating the island water system based on the information that was on the table was the wrong move. No, I think it was exactly the right move.”
A major rupture on the barrier island, if not isolated in advance, could leave the entire system unable to fight fires, serve hospitals or provide drinking water for days or weeks, compounding the disaster. The day after the storm, Ken McGlothlin wondered if anything could have been salvaged as he surveyed the charred chassis of a beloved sports car left in the garage, and sifted through a guitar and record collection reduced to ashes, like other family treasures. “The fire department did an outstanding job, but they didn’t have the tools they needed,” he said.
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Discussions about the water supply began the night of Oct. 5, hours after a barrier island evacuation order had taken effect at 3 p.m., as Matthew swirled closer at Category 4 strength. On a conference call involving county and city emergency managers, Chief Hughes asked about rumors circulating on social media that the utilities planned to cut off the islands. The answer was an emphatic no, according to several participants in the call, with the utilities saying any word would come directly from them. But 24 hours later beachside cities received little warning that water would in fact be shut off. Some learned about the plan from media reports. Fire chiefs protested what they considered a last-minute decision. They assumed it would make fighting fires harder, as was the case when a Satellite Beach business burned down during a 2004 hurricane. If pressure dropped, it might also limit the effectiveness of sprinkler systems serving many multi-story beachside buildings. Given more notice, the chiefs said they would have planned differently. For example, they would have asked Brevard County Fire Rescue, which was evacuating the barrier islands, to borrow water tankers for backup capacity. “We can be prepared, but you’ve got to tell us,” said Cape Canaveral Fire Chief David Sargeant, whose district receives water from Cocoa’s system. “You can’t make a decision at the last hour.”
Recognizing that the water decision reversed Melbourne’s message a day earlier, McNees convened a call with the city managers from Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne Beach and Satellite Beach to seek their input and explain the situation. Revised forecasts and models for a direct hit by winds up to 135 mph and storm surge up to 11 feet indicated a breach of barrier island water mains was highly likely. Barrier islands would lose water service no matter what, but the utility couldn’t allow such a breach to drain pressure from the rest of the system. “We understood the model, we understood the risk of draining the entire city of Melbourne water system for over 100,000 customers had we left the water on,” said Mark Ryan, Indian Harbour Beach city manager. The timing of the move was based on Melbourne not wanting to expose to dangerous winds utility workers who would close two valves controlling beachside feeds, each one taking a half-hour.
The utility managers explained that storage facilities held about 2 million gallons of water on the south barrier island and 3 million gallons on Merritt Island. For the south end, that was estimated to maintain pressure for about 12 hours — hopefully enough to get through the night — depending on any fire events and how much water was used by residents who chose not to evacuate. County and city officials proceeded to urge their residents to conserve water. McNees agreed that 6 p.m. was too soon to shut off Melbourne’s valves. They were closed around 7 p.m., according to the city, about an hour before tropical storm-force winds were forecasted. Fire departments needn’t have waited until then, McNees said, to prepare for a potential loss of water pressure that could have many causes, including uprooted trees. “It is not unforeseeable even with a Category 1 hurricane that pressure would be lost in the system,” he said.
Shortly after midnight on a recent Thursday, the Indialantic Fire Department responded to a fire at Riverside Drive, an unincorporated address typically covered by county fire crews who had evacuated the island at 7 p.m. Supported by Satellite Beach, Indialantic extinguished the fire that destroyed an orchid house. “We did have water, but there was a drop in pressure,” said Indialantic Fire Chief Thomas Flamm. Hours later at Station 55 in Satellite Beach, firefighters
Page 44 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) could not flush toilets. They placed buckets outside to collect more water. County and city officials proceeded to urge their residents to conserve water. Local officials plan to discuss other issues, too. For example, why not also cut off electricity, the most common cause of fires during storms? Melbourne will look into whether more automation of infrastructure is possible to reduce reliance on people to turn valves in dangerous winds. “Everybody wants to work together,” said Hughes. “Let’s move forward to do what the citizens expect us to do, and that’s to always improve.”
The McGlothlins’ phones began ringing early Friday at the Viera hotel to which they had evacuated with family members and several pets. A home on their Satellite Beach block was burning. Frantic calls and Internet searches ultimately confirmed the bad news: the house was theirs. “Our heart just sunk,” said Ken. The next day, the family combed through the wreckage, moving carefully around burned appliances and mounds of debris. Dish fragments, charred picture frames and remnants of Ken’s sheet music and vinyl records — Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top — could be seen on the surface. Sigrid McGlothlin was grateful that the family had evacuated, no one was hurt and neighbors’ homes weren’t damaged. She rationalized that no one can take their possessions with them in the end. But the family, which was taken in by a neighbor, was just beginning to cope with the disaster. “All of the sudden you see grandma’s china and it chokes you up,” said Sigrid. “It’s just a loss.”
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Fox 35 (FL) April 15, 2016
FDLE Agents Arrest Melbourne Police Office on Felony Battery Charge Author: David Williams
Forty-seven year-old Melbourne Police Officer, Christpher Eisen II, was arrested Friday afternoon, on charges of felony battery against a Palm Bay man. Eisen turned himself in to the Brevard County Jail Friday evening. "The entire incident is extremely disappointing. The behaviors that are alleged to have happened certainly don't fit within anything that we tolerate or espouse for our police officers," said Mike McNees, City Manager of the City of Melbourne. Eisen is accused of punching David Martin several times after arresting him, and putting him in handcuffs. McNees said, "It's certainly not anything that we're going to tolerate or allow in the City of Melbourne Police Department."
FDLE said agents began investigating Officer Eisen, at the request of Melbourne Police Chief, Steve Mimbs. Chief Mimbs released a statement saying, in part, "We absolutely will not tolerate these types of activities, and will be thorough and relentless when allegations such as these arise." McNees said the city decided last Fall, to select an outside consultant to study Melbourne's Police Department's strengths and weaknesses. Othe past year, 25 officers have been investigated for various allegations. "... and help us identify what are our cultural issues, what are things we're always going to have to make sure we're doing the right things going forward?" McNees explained. Eisen was released on bond Friday evening, according to the Melbourne Police Department. Melbourne's Police Department said Eisen will be placed on Administrative suspension without pay. An FDLE spokeswoman said the State Attorneys Office is now involved.
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Targeted News Service (USA) October 29, 2015
City of Melbourne Earns National Recognition in Financial Reporting
MELBOURNE, Fla., Oct. 28 -- The city of Melbourne issued the following news:
The City of Melbourne has been awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). The Certificate is GFOA's highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting. The City of Melbourne has received this award each time it has applied for it in the past 27 years.
"The City of Melbourne holds itself to the highest standards of accuracy and transparency," said Melbourne City Manager Mike McNees. "This award recognizes the excellent work of the city's Financial Services Department in ensuring good stewardship of tax-payer dollars."
The GFOA also recognized Melbourne's Director of Financial Services Michele Ennis with an Award of Financial Reporting Achievement for her leadership of the Financial Services Department's work in preparing the City's comprehensive annual financial report.
The Certificate of Excellence is awarded to municipalities for producing annual financial reports that meet the association's high standards, including demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate the city's financial story.
GFOA established the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program in 1945 to encourage and assist state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles.
Page 47 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Viera Voice (FL) April 30, 2015
Melbourne Balks at Downtown Stadium for Manatees Author: Mike Gaffey
The Washington Nationals are leaving Viera, and the Brevard County Manatees might be right behind them. But a proposal to build a 4,000-seat stadium for the team in downtown Melbourne likely has struck out. Melbourne City Manager Mike McNees recommended on April 13 that the city abandon further talks with officials from the Manatees about building a stadium on New Haven Avenue, citing problems with buying properties needed for the project. The proposed stadium, called Harbor City Ballpark, would have occupied a 3 ½-acre lot where a SunTrust Bank once stood. McNees said owners of two of five parcels of land required to locate the stadium on property between New Haven Avenue and Promenade Park have no intention of selling.
Another parcel portion owned by Florida East Coast Railroad must remain as right-of-way for the railroad. And the stadium’s size would encompass part of Melbourne Avenue as well as the Promenade Park boardwalk area between U.S. 1 and the railroad tracks. “Vacating this property in favor of stadium construction is problematic for a number of reasons,” McNees wrote. “Melbourne Avenue is a highly used collector road.” McNees noted that the boardwalk was built to connect the waterfront area to downtown, “something a stadium would not accomplish.” However, McNees recommended that Melbourne continue talks with the Manatees, a Single-A Advanced Florida State League affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, on alternative locations. “It is my belief that under the partnership structure proposed, the economic benefits to the city and region could be substantial, and that more suitable siting options may exist,” he wrote.
On March 24, City Council members had voted 6-1 — with Mayor Kathy Meehan dissenting — to start discussions with the team, Melbourne and Brevard County staff members and a South Florida landowner about the stadium project. At that meeting, business consultant and project leader Mark LaRusso estimated that the stadium would attract 150,000 people downtown and pump about $6 million a year into the local economy. Manatees officials also have offered to pay for half of land-acquisition costs and all stadium operating costs for 25 years. Since 1994, the Manatees have played home games at the 8,100-seat Space Coast Stadium on Stadium Parkway. But the minor league team may leave Viera for a smaller venue after the Washington Nationals move in 2017 to a new West Palm Beach stadium they’ll share with the Houston Astros, who are leaving Kissimmee. “Quite frankly, it’s a very big, expensive facility for a minor league team to take care of,” Manatees general manager Kyle Smith said. The team currently is “looking at our options going forward to try to find a long-term home here in Brevard,” he added.
The property between New Haven Avenue and Promenade Park is owned by South Florida developer Brandon Lurie, who once planned to build a 159-foot condominium, townhouses, a restaurant and shops at the site. McNees noted that Lurie is “currently working on development options of his own.” The Manatees are owned and operated by Central Florida Baseball Group,
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LLC, which is made up of chairman Dr. Tom Winters, vice chairman Dewight Titus and president Charlie Baumann. Last year, trustees at Rollins College in Winter Park rejected a plan to build an on-campus stadium that would be home to the Manatees and the Rollins Tars baseball team.
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WFTV 9 ABC (FL) November 3, 2014
Violent Incidents Prompt Melbourne City Manager to Action Author: WFTV 9 ABC
Two unrelated violent attacks took place in Melbourne over the weekend, according to police. According to police, 30-year-old Reginald Garoute was fatally stabbed after an altercation on New Haven Avenue early Saturday morning. Police were dispatched again to the same area early Sunday morning for reports of a fight. Johnathan Touchton, 36, was knocked to the ground and suffered a serious head injury, officers said. Melbourne police said the downtown area is a priority and officers are regularly patrolling the area. "It's something that we have to pay attention to. We have to be cognizant and continue to do what we have been doing, have a police presence down there," said Sgt. Shawn Eising, with Melbourne police.
The attacks prompted Melbourne City Manager Michael McNees to call a special meeting with city agencies to discuss the incidents. He said he is calling on the Police Department, Code Enforcement, Planning and Community Development and even the City Attorney's Office to review what happened to determine if any changes need to be made. "It's very unusual in the city of Melbourne to have the level of violence we saw in downtown this weekend," said McNees. "We've had a successful run. The bars and restaurants have been thriving. We need to take a look to see if things are getting loose around the edges." McNees said city officials want to be careful and not overreact to the weekend's violence. Touchton was taken to the hospital, was said to be in critical but stable condition. There have been no arrests in either of the weekend's incidents.
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Hometown News (FL) October 10, 2014
City Receives Recognition for Excellence Financial Reporting Author: Chris Fish
For the 26th consecutive year, the city of Melbourne was awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting last month. The city received the recognition from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada, and the certificate is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting. "This award demonstrates the city of Melbourne's commitment to proper stewardship of public funds, as well as the high quality work of finance director Michele Ennis and her entire department," said Mike McNees, Melbourne city manager, in an email.
Ms. Ennis was also recognized by the GFOA with an award of financial reporting achievement for her leadership of the financial services department's work in preparing the city's comprehensive annual financial report, a spokesperson for the city said. According to the GFOA, local governments, which participate in the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting program, are asked to submit their report within six months of the end of the fiscal year. The GFOA review process requires an additional four to six months. The GFOA established the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting program in 1945 to encourage and assist state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles to prepare comprehensive annual financial reports that evidence the "spirit of transparency and full disclosure and then recognize individual government that succeed in achieving that goal," according to the organization's website.
Reports submitted to the program are reviewed by selected members of the GFOA professional staff and the GFOA Special Review Committee. The Special Review Committee is comprised of individuals with expertise in public-sector financial reporting and includes financial statement preparers, independent auditors, academics and other finance professionals, according to the organization's website.
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Florida Today (FL) August 29, 2014
Melbourne Spends Thousands on Food, Hotels Wooing Out-of-Towners Author: Stacey Barchenger
In the past 11 months, the city has spent just more than $6,100 wining and dining foreign dignitaries and monied moguls in the hopes of luring economic development. Almost half of that money bought a banquet of Napa Valley wines, sizzling mushrooms and fish dishes at Chart House restaurant. There was another $848 tab for Chinese food and more for bookings at beachfront hotel rooms. The money comes from the "external relations" account — with a total purse of $15,000 — that was established by the Melbourne City Council in October. The annual allowance is less than one-half of a percent of the city's general fund budget, and is available at City Manager Mike McNees' discretion to be used for entertainment, housing and other costs when Melbourne hosts guests.
With only one month left in the fiscal year, not even half of the money has been spent. Two trips have drawn on the account since it was created. Three officials from São José dos Campos, Brazil, visited in October and November, watching the airshow and touring Embraer Executive Jets and city water facilities. São José dos Campos is Melbourne's sister city and is home to the headquarters of Embraer. Mayor Kathy Meehan visited the city in July 2013, at a cost of $2,583. To reciprocate, Melbourne put up three Brazilian officials at the Crowne Plaza on the beach and covered two meals. Total cost was $4,875. Also in October, two managers from Wanda Commercial Group Americas came to scout the area for possible development of a theme park or hotel. Melbourne picked up costs of dinner and a hotel. Total cost was $1,230. (The Melbourne airport separately paid $4,700 for a private chartered flight tour of the county.)
Brevard County Clerk Scott Ellis raised issue with government spending — particularly Melbourne's funding of the Chart House dinner — in a guest column in FLORIDA TODAY last week, criticizing such spending as self-serving and with limited return. McNees, the city manager, called the funds "soft" economic development and "speculative prospecting," confirming there is no guaranteed return on the city's investment. But he and Councilman John Thomas, who has an international economic development background and who recommended creating the expense account, said there is value in showing the best of Melbourne to those with big pockets who are considering development here. "If you've got someone who's interested in significant investment in your community, you want to show them your best side," McNees said. "Business is about relationships. If the city's going to be in the business, we've got to invest in relationships."
The Wanda Commercial Group brought with it big pockets: The China-based parent company is run by billionaire Wang Jianlin, who Forbes magazine reported this year was the richest man in China. Wang is making major investments around the United States, including in real estate and hotels, and his conglomerate owns the AMC Theatres chain. McNees, the city manager, said the Brazilian delegation's visit built on an ongoing sister-city relationship and helped solidify
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Embraer's decision to expand here. Embraer has five offices in the United States and facilities in seven countries. Councilwoman Betty Moore said the dinner gave her face time with Embraer leadership and the ability to advocate them hiring employees aged 50 and over. Inviting other people to dinner was necessary to show the potential investors a spirit of collaboration, he said. Representatives of Melbourne International Airport, Melbourne Regional Chamber of East Central Florida, Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast and Brevard County Commission also attended some of the events at Melbourne's expense. Thomas denied any claims the expenditures were extravagant. He said the Wanda group is still evaluating Melbourne for development opportunities. "The other option is to take them out for a cheeseburger," he said, "but that's not our best foot forward."
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Spectrum News 13 (FL) May 29, 2014
Melbourne Firefighters Battling City Officials for Benefits Author: News 13 Florida
The battle over firefighter pay continues in Melbourne -- and today the two sides sat down in a hearing trying to come to a compromise. This after more than two years of ongoing talks. The sticking points range from current pay to retirement pay -- plus being able to have another job away from firefighting. All on the table -- now being negotiated. The city and firefighters' union has been at it since August of 2012 -- that's when the latest contract between them expired. Since, there have been twenty-two meetings as they try to hammer out a new agreement. All but 5 issues out of 40 total have been resolved. And that's why now there's the need for this impasse hearing before a special magistrate. "He's going to hear both sides, the city's opinion on what they can do and can't do. And our opinion as to what we would like and want, and rule on that," says Firefighters Union President Roger Van Kramer.
Overtime, outside employment, staffing levels, wages and retirement are the remaining issues. Firefighters want a five percent cost of living increase -- plus a 2 and a half percent raise this Fall. The city is countering with a 3 and a half percent raise. Also the city is proposing new firefighters must contribute more towards pensions than current ones. But the union says it should be the same across the board. "We've tried to bargain in good faith, we've tried to understand the firefighters' issues, and how things should be put together, how it should be worded, what we can and can't fix," says Mike McNees, Melbourne City Manager.
Right now a new firefighter in the city makes just over $12 an hour. Many have second jobs to supplement their income. That's another sticking point -- the city wants them to get permission from their supervisor before that can happen. "Those guys are going to have to be working another job, to support their families and themselves. Until raises come, or they get better education or pick new careers and go somewhere else to make more money," says Van Kramer. That special magistrate is expected to review all the information talked about today -- then get back with both sides to see if a new contract can finally be drawn up.
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Spectrum News 13 (FL) May 8, 2014
Northrop Grumman is ‘Mystery’ Company Bringing 1,800 Jobs to Brevard Author: News 13 Florida
It’s being called the boost the Space Coast needs after the end of the shuttle program. Project Magellan was officially revealed today as the 18-hundred job expansion at Northrop Grumman in Melbourne. County leaders now expect the unemployment rate to drop and Brevard County to thrive in this post-shuttle era. Construction crews have about a month left on Northrop Grumman’s new Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence before they move on to their next project, known until now as Project Magellan. "We're talking about a major announcement, certainly the biggest in the country, probably the biggest in the last 10 years," said Lynda Weatherman, CEO & President, EDC of Florida’s Space Coast. Northrop Grumman is calling this an expansion of their Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence, where they’ll design and engineer aircraft systems for the military. The defense contractor plans to hire 300 people by the end of 2015 as a part of phase one. If it proves successful, phase two will mean an additional 1,500 jobs. The average annual salary, officials say, is around $100,000.
The EDC says Phase one construction should begin in the next six months and in another six months they say there should be noticeable changes in Melbourne and Brevard County. Weatherman is convinced it will improve the local economy "That means people will be going out, dinner, buying cars, homes, furniture, traveling, the immediate economic impact of the construction alone, you’ll see it the next six months. You’ll see the unemployment rate change I believe in the next six months, based on that alone.” Northrop Grumman plans to invest half a billion dollars in its new facility, which will be located next door to the company’s current facilities at Melbourne International Airport.
Mike McNees, Melbourne City Manager "It’s a huge thing for the city of Melbourne, a game changer for us for the next 50 to 100 years as far as I can tell." The shot in the arm the Space Coast needs as it recovers from the loss of the space shuttle program. Northrop Grumman has a 51 year history on the Space Coast. It built Apollo’s lunar lander, which helped put man on the moon.
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Florida Today (FL) October 10, 2013
Melbourne Family Shaken after Wanted Man Uses Their Home in Police Standoff Author: Unknown
A Melbourne family is still shaken up Thursday night after a wanted man barricaded himself inside their home. The family said they were having a normal day Wednesday until Wade Jackson, a man they didn't know, kicked in their door. Jackson, 24, then held police and SWAT at bay for several hours. "You never know what's going to happen," said one of the residents, who asked not to be identified. "I don't know, it's hard to explain." The man said SWAT members had to break out windows in the house to reach Jackson. "I never saw him. I never heard him," the man said. But he said he knew someone was inside of his home. "I go to the back door, the door was kicked in. A big panel on my back door was kicked in. The cop told me to get back. I told him my wife and child were in the house. He told me, 'I'll get them out.' He got them out," the man said.
It would take around five hours to get the Jackson out of the home. The Brevard County Sheriff's Office's Game Over Task Force was searching for Jackson on a long list of charges Investigators said when Jackson refused to communicate they went in after him. They said Jackson was found hiding behind a bed in a back bedroom. On Thursday, Melbourne's City Manager Michael McNees said the city would be making repairs to the family's home. "We'll be sure that they're taken care of. I can't imagine what kind of nightmare it's been and we don't want to make it any worse," said McNees. "I'm just glad that nobody's hurt. They did their job. Nobody got hurt. Everybody's safe and I lived to talk to you about it," said the man. Jackson now faces new charges for fleeing and eluding, and occupied burglary, investigators said.
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Space Coast Daily (FL) December 1, 2012
Melbourne Council Chooses McNees as City Manager Author: Space Coast Daily
He succeeds Jack Schluckebier, who will retire early in 2013 after serving 10 years as Melbourne’s city manager. McNees joined USA Track & Field in 2009 as Chief Operating Officer. He was named the organization’s Interim CEO in 2010 and served in that capacity until April. A former County Administrator for Blaine County, Idaho, McNees, 56, also served as the city manager of Sarasota. In five years as Sarasota city manager, McNees led 800 employees at the height of Sarasota’s rapid growth and expansion. He also spent 17 years as an employee of Collier County in Southwest Florida, rising to the position of assistant county manager where he was involved in developing the county’s budget, overseeing its utilities division, directing its emergency medical services department and coordinating its transportation efforts.
McNees also is a champion for local arts in the community, having served as president of the Naples Players Inc., a large community theater group. He’s a native of Indiana, where he was a three-time varsity letterman for the Indiana University track team. He was a Big Ten team champion as well as a member of Indiana’s and Big Ten meet record-setting 4 x 400 meter relay. At Indiana University, he majored in chemistry and later earned a Master of Business degree at Louisiana Tech University. McNees was chosen from a field of five finalists for the position including Matt Benoit (former assistant city manager of Farmers Branch, Texas), Louie Chapman, Jr. (town manager of Bloomfield, Conn.), Richard Starks (management consultant and former county administrator for Florence, S.C.) and Stockton Whitten (assistant county manager for Brevard County).
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) July 9, 2012
City Managers Found Sarasota a Challenge Author: Jeff Lahurd
The first three gentlemen to serve as city manager of Sarasota -- Colonel Ross Windom, Carl Bischoff and Ken Thompson -- had their office in the historic Hover Arcade at the foot of lower Main Street on Sarasota Bay. Noted for its Neoclassical design, inviting archway onto the pier, and the two towers which flanked the archway, it was built in 1913 by the Hover brothers, Dr. William, J.O. and Frank B., winter residents from Lima, Ohio. The original dock was constructed by the Florida Mortgage and Investment Company in 1886 near the spot the Scot Colonists landed the previous December, and was purchased by Harry Higel. Higel was one of Sarasota’s foremost civic leaders and boosters, remembered chiefly today for developing Siesta Key. Higel offered the property to the town council in 1905 for $1,500 and again, five years later, after Sarasota became a city, for $5,000, but they declined, seemingly satisfied to rent office space. When his second offer was rejected he sold to the Hovers for $12,500. They improved the dock, added some structures and the arcade, which housed the Lyric theater and Dave Broadway’s restaurant. In 1917 the brothers sold the much-improved site to the now- willing city as the seat for local government for $39,581.34.
Over the years the building became the iconic symbol of small town Sarasota, but as the city blossomed after World War II, it had outlived its usefulness. In a bond proposal put out in 1964, the Hover Arcade was declared obsolete, and plans were drawn for a modern city hall. Sarasota’s prolific architect Jack West, a talented member of the Sarasota School of Architecture, drew the plans. As he recalled the assignment in his book “The Lives of An Architect,” a $1,000,000 budget was whittled down to $600,000, and the low bid, put in by local contractor Gene Simmons was $840,000. The budget would not be increased nor could the building size be reduced. As West put it, “The architect could not eat or sleep.” West indicated that the building was a “far cry” from his initial plans but still retained some of his original concepts. Of the Jack Cartlidge sculpture “Nobody’s Listening,” he indicated that Mr. Cartlidge “produced a $100,000 monumental sculpture in copper for $4,000.”
A vibrant downtown The new city hall was dedicated on Dec. 12, 1967, and 17 former mayors and city commissioners attended, including former Mayor A.B. Edwards who was 93. Mayor Jack Betz intoned of former city leaders, “The image of this building was dreamed of for years by these gentlemen.” Ken Thompson who had done more to make Sarasota live up to the town’s original motto “May Sarasota Prosper” than any other person, was 17 years into a 38-year stint as city manager. When he retired, the man whose daunting task was to replace him was David Sollenberger, an affable, soft-spoken former teacher whose 14-year tenure as city manager was likened to a roller coaster ride. He frequently seemed to be only one vote away from being removed. Coming to Sarasota in 1987, Sollenberger did much to revitalize the downtown core.
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Among his most pressing responsibilities was the implementation of $19 million in parks, roads and drainage projects.
Sollenberger was finally brought down by cost overruns and other problems associated with the renovation of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, a project he called his “Titanic.” But even his critics on the commission had nothing but kind words for him after he resigned in March of 2001. Commissioner Gene Pillot called him “a strong administrator with absolute integrity.” In an interview with the Herald-Tribune, Sollenberger said he “was most proud of his efforts to make downtown more vibrant and attractive.” The Sarasota Herald once editorialized about the city manager position, “The job is a tough one, requiring vast abilities that most mortals lack.”
Michael McNees was the next person to learn the wisdom of that statement. Bright, articulate and confident, McNees came to Sarasota in 2001 from Collier County, where he had been the assistant county manager for 17 years. He was quoted in the Herald-Tribune, “Give me something to run and it’s gonna work. I guarantee I’ll do a good job if you decide to hire me.”
‘Rocky’ times After his first year in office, he was generally praised for the way he handled the job -- cited for his problem solving skills and the hiring of Peter Abbott as police chief. But pleasing the five city commissioners became increasingly difficult and he was cited for not communicating well, not following commission instructions and appearing -- to some, at least -- as arrogant. He rankled some in the community by the way he responded to a massive sewage spill into Hudson Bayou, and the firing of the executive director of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall was criticized by the Van Wezel Foundation. He resigned in January of 2007, heading off what could have been his ouster. He seemed not bitter by his experience here. In a blog he started while he was city manager, he wrote a “thank you” to city employees, the city commissioners and the residents of Sarasota who supported him.
Sarasota’s most recent city manager, Bob Bartolotta, arrived in June 2007 during the worst of economic times. He had 30 years of experience to help him contend with budget cuts, layoffs, disputes with the police union and the endlessly controversial downtown parking meter situation. His tenure was described as “rocky.” In the end, it was not the “hard decisions” Bartolotta made which caused a lack of confidence in him by the city commissioners. Denying any wrongdoing, he resigned in January 2012 amid allegations of computer mismanagement and the erasure of public records. Bruce Franklin, who was president of the ADP Group, a high-profile planning and architectural firm in Sarasota, summed up the major problem inherent with the job: “It’s hard to be effective when you always have to have your finger in the air, trying to see how the wind is blowing and trying not to offend five different bosses going in five different directions.”
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ESPN May 7, 2012
Mike McNees leaving USATF
INDIANAPOLIS -- USA Track and Field interim CEO Mike McNees has decided to leave the organization after Max Siegel was picked to fill the CEO spot on a permanent basis. McNees, the chief operating officer, filled the top role for more than 19 months following the ouster of Doug Logan. USATF conducted two searches for a permanent CEO and came up with Siegel, a former board member who resigned that position to take a paid consultant's job with the federation before becoming CEO. Siegel's hiring was announced April 23. McNees says: "The organization is charting a new course, and I'm proud to have done my small part in support of the team as I now re-chart my own."
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USA Today September 13, 2010
USA Track and Field board votes to oust CEO Doug Logan
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Doug Logan spent two years telling other leaders on the U.S. track scene things they didn't want to hear. On Monday, they drowned him out, firing him as CEO and going in another direction with less than two years remaining before the London Olympics. Unswayed last weekend by Logan's 45-minute defense of his performance, the USA Track and Field board of directors voted to oust the outspoken, unconventional leader who proposed many uncomfortable changes after America's disappointing performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Logan's contract called for a payment of nearly $1.8 million if he was terminated without cause, though he is negotiating terms of his departure and may not end up receiving the full amount. "I was given the opportunity to be the custodian of a wonderful sport for two years," Logan said. "I knew my agenda was going to make some uncomfortable and that it was not going to be popular. I knew there would be people that were going to be upset and uncomfortable with the changes we were trying to introduce. At the end of the day, the people who were upset over what I did prevailed."
Chief operating officer Mike McNees will assume leadership duties while the board begins its search for a new CEO. Board president Stephanie Hightower said a thorough search would be conducted and the change would not adversely affect preparation for London. "I have every bit of confidence, and I don't say this lightly, that this is not a headless horse running around right now," Hightower said. "We have very, very, very good administrators who are responsible for development and implementation of the high-performance plan. As a board, we're all looking at 2012. We felt we needed a different kind of leadership to be successful when we get there."
Logan was an outsider when he was hired and made little secret about his intent to take people out of their comfort zone as he tried to bring a fresh perspective to track and field — a sport run largely by volunteers and oft-criticized for instability at the top. His biggest endeavor was the "Project 30" report — an unflinching account of the problems at USA Track and Field that contributed to winning 23 medals in Beijing, disappointing by U.S. standards. The panel Logan appointed to research and write the report decried an overall "lack of accountability, professionalism and cohesion" among staff, coaches and athletes.
One of the most radical ideas from the report was a restructuring of the way the United States trains for relays — a controversial undertaking, the progress of which has been hard to evaluate thus far, but which will continue under new leadership. "We want to begin to have conversations with those athletes, coaches, agents and stakeholders who we think will be directly affected and involved and engaged in the relay process," Hightower said. Logan's main goal was winning 30 medals at the London Olympics and doing it without any doping problems. He showed no compassion for athletes who got caught and didn't try to hide his disgust when they did. It was part of his overall way of doing business, a method that left him open to criticism for being a loose cannon who didn't play to the core members of the track world. "There are some really
Page 61 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) good people in this sport and I thoroughly enjoyed my interaction with them," Logan said. "Unfortunately, there are a number that are not. I would hope they don't carry the day."
Word that his job was in jeopardy started circulating earlier this summer. On Saturday, he was given 45 minutes to state his case at a board meeting in Las Vegas. On Sunday, the board met without him in the room to discuss his future. The announcement of his firing came Monday in a news release. The news is being watched closely at the U.S. Olympic Committee, which two years ago issued a directive to USATF to clean up its governance structure and try to bring more stability to its way of doing business. "They're on the right path," USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said. "I don't know if this decision affects that path one way or another." More alarming to Blackmun was that Logan is the third leader of an Olympic summer sport to be terminated this summer, following those at triathlon and fencing. "You have to be concerned about whether there's something systemic driving these changes," Blackmun said. "It's not in our interest to have this much turnover in top spots. It's hard to field the best candidates if these jobs are as high-risk as they appear to be."
No job in the Olympic program is higher risk than USATF, and Logan was well aware of that when he signed on. He started posting a regular blog on the USATF website that pulled no punches. Within a few weeks, there were grumblings about the way this outsider — a successful sports consultant and entrepreneur who also served as the first commissioner at Major League Soccer — was dealing with the insiders. He was on the job for the Beijing Olympics, though more as an onlooker because he had just taken over. Last year, he signed a deal with Nike reportedly worth $10 million a year that marked at least a 30% increase over the last contract. It was applauded in some corners, criticized in others. Either way, he won't get a chance to direct that money in the leadup to London. "We challenged the lethargy that existed with regard to getting 22, 23 medals," Logan said. "We said, 'No, we belong at the 30-medal level.' We have much higher aspirations. I'm my own worst critic, but I'm walking away with my head held high."
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The Times-News (ID) February 18, 2009
Blaine Co. votes on dispatch funding plan Author: Ariel Hansen
After coming up with a new plan to pay for emergency dispatchers' salaries, Blaine County commissioners voted Tuesday to have their county administrator move forward. If the other jurisdictions that will contribute to dispatch funding don't consent to the new plan, which divides funding based on the number of addresses in each jurisdiction, the administrator must revert to a plan of funding based on calls for service. The calls-for-service basis was originally proposed a year ago by the users' group that advised the creation of a joint dispatch center. "We've been massaging alternate models for some time now," said Blaine County Administrator Mike McNees. "This is as good as we're going to get."
Representatives from Hailey and Bellevue, which have struggled the most to make dispatch funding fit within tightening budgets, were present at the meeting. They argued that the other jurisdictions need a few weeks to discuss the county's plan, which includes elements not discussed in detail before. The county argued that because annual budgeting must begin in March, time is of the essence. "Two more weeks would not have been a fatal flaw," said Hailey City Councilwoman Carol Brown, who was not present at the Tuesday meeting but has represented her city in the discussions. Hailey sent the commissioners a letter on Monday outlining what city leaders perceive as the plan's biggest flaws.
One is the county's firm stance that it will pay for six dispatchers and nothing more; Hailey wants the county to pay for a portion of additional use of the system. Hailey, Bellevue and other smaller jurisdictions also feel the dispatch system can function fine on 11 dispatchers; since the users' group has been firm that 13 are needed, Hailey has argued that those who can afford the additional dispatchers should pay for them. McNees noted that additional dispatchers cover times of high call volume, and that Hailey and Bellevue generate large numbers of calls at these times proportionate to their populations. The county's plan has only those jurisdictions that generate high call volume contributing to the salaries of four dispatchers. "These are the guys who are really driving the system at the margins," McNees said. A plan based on fixed costs rather than call volume, which can be adjusted by each municipality, may be seen by all as being precise and defensible, McNees noted. "It is equally fair, but more palatable politically."
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) December 20, 2008
McNees will lead sports group USA TRACK & FIELD: He was Sarasota's city manager from '01 to '07 Author: Roger Drouin
Former City Manager Mike McNees has been named chief operating officer of USA Track & Field. McNees will take over March 1, just as the governing body for track and field begins a reorganization of its national office and takes a tough stance on drug use in the sport. The organization establishes and enforces regulations for all track and field, long-distance and race walking events in the United States, develops a training program for USA Olympic athletes and runs the Junior Olympics. "Bringing Michael McNees on board is the first, crucial step for remaking USATF as a highly functioning business," said USATF Chief Operating Executive Doug Logan. "He has a unique blend of qualities that makes him extraordinarily well-suited for the particular challenges of this new role."
McNees was city manager in Sarasota from 2001 to 2007, and is now the county administrator of Blaine County, Idaho. He was a three-time varsity letterman for the Indiana University track team, earning all-conference honors in the 400-meter hurdles. McNees will be busy his first few months on the new job in Indianapolis. He will serve as the principal deputy to the CEO, supervise the USATF's administration, operations and marketing departments and coordinate planning. "From everything I've heard, he is the type of guy who busyness is always part of his job, and he can handle it," said Jill Greer, director of communications with USATF. McNees said he is sad to leave Idaho, where he has spent time hiking, camping and learning to fly fish, but he is excited about the new job. "One goal is to win 30 clean medals at the London Olympics in 2012," McNees said. "That is the kind of goal when you go to work in the morning that you can get excited about."
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The Times-News (ID) August 18, 2007
Fire prompts Blaine County to declare emergency Author: Kathleen L. Turner
Blaine County Commissioners called an emergency meeting Friday to add the county to the list of state counties under a fire emergency. Three fires currently burning in Blaine County have made the request necessary. Idaho code allows intergovernmental agencies to extend the seven- day declaration with approval of governing bodies. The commissioners agreed that a 30-day duration would be appropriate. "I hereby declare Blaine County an area of disaster because of extreme fire conditions on public and private lands," Commissioner Tom Bowman said, as he declared the state of local emergency. The declaration will allow access to additional state resources and will also make important agencies and the public aware of the seriousness of the situation. "There are three active fires in Blaine County," Bowman continued, noting a 2,500- acre fire in Carey, a fire up Muldoon Canyon in Bellevue and a fire near Warm Springs that scorched about 30 acres in heavy timber.
Bowman described the Warm Springs scene, saying that the air drops were holding the fire and that 10 smoke jumpers were activated along with a hot shot crew and a Native American ground crew. Bowman described the location as 12 miles out, near Placer Creek. Chuck Turner, just back from Penny Lake, added that the location was on the south or Baldy side of Warm Springs, over the first face and that while the fire was not visible from the roadway the smoke indeed was. Turner said the fire was being referred to as the Castle Rock Fire and that he expected containment by Sunday. Bowman said that what was really needed were ground crews with chain saws to get through heavy timber. County administrator Michael McNees added that he hopes this will help people to be cognizant of the presence of these crews and to give them the space to do their jobs. Bowman emphasized that many agencies are currently stretched thin and that it would be appreciated if all would use extra patience for administrative types of calls and processes during this period.
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The Sarasota Observer (FL) May 24, 2007
Moving Out McNees Lands Job in Idaho
Former Sarasota City Manager Mike McNees accepted a job earlier this week as the Blaine County, Idaho, manager in Sun Valley, Idaho. McNees said he is looking forward to managing a 2,600-square-mile county that includes Ernest Hemingway's old stomping ground of Ketchum, ski resorts and a large agricultural area. McNees was Sarasota's city manager for five years until he resigned in January, after he was unable to gain the City Commission's full support. McNees applied for the Idaho job three months ago and received an offer last week. McNees did not want to disclose a salary figure until a contract was finalized. McNees said the new job will pay less than his job in Sarasota, but the responsibilities will likely not be as demanding as his Sarasota post.
As county administrator, McNees will oversee a budget of $25 million and a staff of about 150 employees. Sarasota has an $18-million budget and about 800 employees. Although Blaine County only has a little more than 20,000 residents — compared to Sarasota's 55,000-plus — it is feeling immense pressure from developers. McNees will become the county's first professional administrator. One of the reasons the commission opted to hire an administrator is because it is expecting a significant amount of development over the next 10 years, and it wanted to hire a professional manager.
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) January 12, 2007
McNees resigns Search begins Sarasota commissioners say they want a manager with experience. Author: Mike Saewitz
City Manager Michael McNees, the city's top administrator since 2001, resigned Thursday before three city commissioners had the chance to call for his ouster. McNees' departure worried the city's sports facilities manager, Pat Calhoon, who said it could create another hurdle in developing a finance plan for a $54 million spring training complex for the Cincinnati Reds. "It is certainly a blow," Calhoon said. "Tough day." The resignation also led at least one booster of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall to call on the City Commission to review McNees' decision to fire popular arts hall director John Wilkes. Harvey Rothenberg, founding co-chairman of the Van Wezel Foundation, said that Wilkes was never allowed to present his side of the story because of a gag order from McNees. Rothenberg also argues that there was a huge disconnect between the city manager and the arts hall.
As the city moves forward, two city commissioners say they'll look for a manager with experience in a growing and redeveloping city -- and someone who can give equal treatment to anyone who comes to City Hall for help. "I want a city manager that doesn't learn on the job, that knows what to expect," said City Commissioner Mary Anne Servian. Two city commissioners didn't feel it was time to see McNees go. Commissioner Ken Shelin said McNees' resignation was caused by "a personality conflict." Mayor Fredd "Glossie" Atkins abruptly cut Thursday's meeting short, saying he didn't want to "masquerade" through the process. "Yes, the city manager was fired," he said. "Yes, we gotta move on." And then he quickly banged the gavel.
V. Peter Schneider, a longtime deputy city manager who could retire within the year, will take over as the interim city manager. Servian next week will call for an advisory committee to begin the search for McNees' replacement. City commissioners and community leaders say they want the next city manager to be a better communicator and consensus-builder than McNees, who led the city during a time of unprecedented development, but whose style and actions alienated some groups. Servian said she wanted a manager who has dealt with issues typical in a redeveloping area. "Many cities in this country are going backwards," she said. "They are dying. We are a city that's growing." She and other commissioners say they want the next manager to re-evaluate whether the city could be more customer-friendly, and how it could best serve the people.
Vice-Mayor Danny Bilyeu, a frequent critic of McNees, said he wants someone who can be more proactive with both residents and developers who want to build in Sarasota. "I want somebody that treats everybody the same," Bilyeu said. "The citizens are our customers and we work for them. We need to always remember that." While McNees will not be remembered for his communication skills, his legacy will include helping to land a Whole Foods Market in the center of the city -- a feat that urban planning guru Andres Duany, during a Wednesday visit to
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Sarasota, called the "single most important" downtown improvement. "I'll always be really happy every time I walk into the Whole Foods Market for a salad and my dinner," McNees said in an interview after his resignation. "I feel really good about that."
After commissioners accepted his resignation and approved giving him about $75,000 in severance pay, McNees asked to be excused from Thursday's meeting and agreed to be interviewed inside the city commission office. He said he made his decision this week after learning that three commissioners planned to call for his resignation Thursday. "City Hall will be fine," he said. "The city doesn't need me to be successful." McNees said he will stay on for the next two weeks to help with the transition. He said he was proud to help build a "good machine" at City Hall. He said he is a finalist for the town manager position in Superior, Colo., a bedroom community on the outskirts of Boulder. After he nearly lost his job in 2005, McNees was in the running for another post in Colorado, but took his name out. He said he might have resigned even if he didn't have three votes against him. "How long do we want to go forward with a manager working under a 3-2 vote?" he asked. "That's no way to run an organization. The employees deserve better than that." He said he had no specific plan on what to do now, but mentioned that his girlfriend and his life are here in Sarasota. "I'll end up on my feet, and we'll all move forward," he said.
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) January 11, 2007
McNees' fate may be settled today City Hall is abuzz on the eve of the manager's performance evaluation. Author: Mike Saewitz
City Hall was buzzing Wednesday about whether City Manager Michael McNees would resign today, when at least two city commissioners are expected to call for his job. McNees would neither confirm nor deny that he plans to leave, but said he had come to a good understanding with the commissioners he met with this week about his evaluation. "I don't have anything to say about the evaluation process," he said. "It needs to take its course." However his annual evaluation goes today -- it appears there could be as many as three votes calling for his resignation -- McNees has made a mark on the city during a time of rapid development and change downtown. During more than five years on the job, McNees has provided guidance that helped land the city a Whole Foods Market downtown and could ultimately result in a new and improved police station and revamped Payne Park.
At the same time, McNees has alienated and angered certain groups. He has been the subject of numerous complaints of miscommunication, both from the community and from the City Commission. Stan Zimmerman, president of the Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations, said McNees has been "unfailingly helpful" whenever he has needed something. Still, Zimmerman has seen "one unfortunate flaw" as he has watched McNees over the years. "He has to get in the last word," Zimmerman said. "That's a very, very bad attribute in a public servant." City commissioners have also complained that McNees dragged his feet on implementing city policy -- the crux of his job.
Vice Mayor Danny Bilyeu and City Commissioner Lou Ann Palmer, who have slammed McNees' communication skills and called him defensive, have twice called for his resignation since 2005. In the last week, they asked that today's workshop be changed into a special meeting, which would allow the commission to take a vote on McNees' future. City Commissioner Mary Anne Servian, once one of McNees' biggest supporters, has recently become a more vocal critic of the city manager. "There are certain things he hasn't followed through on," said Servian, who could be the swing vote if commissioners call for McNees to resign. "It's a major event to change city managers, so you don't do that lightly," Servian said. Servian said that McNees had to do a lot of learning on the job, and that was not his fault. While he steadily climbed the ranks of Collier County government, getting the Sarasota job was his first time in the top seat. "It's not about his success or failure," Servian said. "Many people just feel like this is the time to make a change."
Of course, not everyone feels that way. Fans of McNees have been lobbying Servian and others all week to try to keep him on. Two commissioners say that McNees does not really have a communication problem -- that is just something people say when they do not agree with what he does, or do not like his style. "He doesn't do everything perfectly, but neither does anyone at the
Page 69 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) commission," said Mayor Fredd "Glossie" Atkins. "Because he is who he is, I believe I can trust him. I believe his word is solid. I have not seen him waver." Atkins says McNees is a master of finances and budgeting. Others who have worked with him say he is ethical and trustworthy, especially when it comes to being a steward of the public's trust and money. They also applaud his hiring of a police chief and human resources director. "All along, he's run a pretty tight ship, and through a particularly busy time," said former Mayor Richard Martin, who was on the commission that hired McNees. "He's done well navigating."
Still, Martin joins other community members in questioning McNees' creativity and vision. He also found fault with McNees' people skills. He said McNees sometimes gives a sense of defensiveness, a sense that he knows better. At times, that impression carried over into how he dealt with residents. "There was a certain hubris," Martin said. "A feeling that he was not aware or sensitive to the people we serve." It is that perception that has gotten the city manager in trouble during the past two years, Servian points out. A crucial point in McNees' tenure has been his reaction to residents angry over two huge sewage spills in Hudson Bayou in 2005. "It was an initial reaction of defensiveness," Servian said Wednesday. "He was somewhat dismissive to the neighbors." Some residents say that McNees learned to be more responsive and showed great improvement in dealing with their concerns.
Because of his efforts to improve, Gillespie Park resident Linda Holland said she has "mixed feelings" about McNees' possible departure. "It took a while for him to come to grips that the neighborhoods were a really important part of the city," Holland said. "He got better about it. Our neighborhood was starting to feel he was being a little more responsive to some of the issues we had." He also made efforts to improve communication. His Web log won him accolades and awards. He personally answered every post. "I give him credit for trying to change a personality that's kind of rigid," said resident Gretchen Serrie. Still, McNees was nagged by complaints that he took a long time to get things done.
It took several years to find a site for the new police station, lift the Newtown Redevelopment Plan off the ground and secure the money to improve Payne Park. But all those things are now being done. Some commissioners and community leaders say that is a reason to keep McNees. Ernie Ritz, president of the Downtown Merchants Association, said McNees was integral to bringing a Whole Foods Market to downtown. It was the "single most important" thing that has happened for the heart of the city, urban planner Andres Duany said Wednesday. "I think he is doing a fine job," Ritz said of McNees. McNees said his department heads have expressed concern about what will happen at today's meeting. "They're concerned about losing the direction and investment we've put into the organization -- and having to start over," McNees said. Commissioners who support the city manager say they hope the evaluation does not become a popularity contest, and do not think he should lose his job because he has ruffled a few feathers. "It's gotten to be, 'Do you like him or don't you like him?'" said City Commissioner Ken Shelin.
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) January 9, 2007
Friends lobby on McNees' behalf Commissioners to vote whether Sarasota city manager keeps job Author: Mike Saewitz
City Manager Michael McNees' job appears to be very much in jeopardy, prompting his friends and allies to lobby behind the scenes on his behalf in the days leading up to his annual performance evaluation. Most of the e-mails and phone calls in support of McNees are going to City Commissioner Mary Anne Servian, the likely swing vote in whether the city will retain McNees. McNees said he is not asking people to stick up for him, although he appreciates it. "I serve at the will of the city commissioners," McNees said. "If three of them want to make a change, then tomorrow I'll do something else." McNees has weathered criticism for the past few years from two commissioners who complained that he ignored their questions and suggestions, that he was defensive at times, and that he had trouble communicating with commissioners and the public.
McNees backers who have written or called commissioners say that he has provided valuable leadership as Sarasota has entered an unprecedented time of development and success. "To let him go at a time like this is not wise," said Jill Kaplan, executive director of the Sarasota Season of Sculpture, the group that lined the bayfront with art earlier this year. McNees tried to arrange a meeting with Servian after he read about her concerns about his job performance in the Herald- Tribune. He is scheduled to meet with Servian and two other commissioners today, and could know by the end of the day whether he has three votes against him. At least one department head has set up a last-minute coffee and breakfast meeting with Servian and Commissioner Lou Ann Palmer, who has long complained of problems with McNees and would likely vote against him.
The city manager's girlfriend, Denise Kowal, is also meeting with Servian to try to sway her before Thursday's meeting. Kowal said the first time McNees heard about many of Servian's concerns was in the newspaper. Servian could not be reached for comment Monday. Some of the speculation that his job could be on the line comes from an abrupt change in Thursday's meeting. The two commissioners who have twice voted for McNees' resignation have asked that Thursday's workshop be switched to a "special meeting," which would allow them to take a vote on McNees. A change like that can only be made by the mayor, or by two commissioners. In an e-mail to the city clerk, McNees questioned how the two commissioners could have requested the change without discussing his evaluation outside the meeting -- something that is forbidden by state law. "I suppose I'm to assume there's no collusion there, those things just happened independently," McNees wrote in the e-mail to City Clerk Billy Robinson.
In another e-mail, McNees wrote: "The only reason to change the status of the meeting is to allow the commission to take a serious action with no notice to the public and no opportunity for public input. Does that bother anyone else?" Vice Mayor Danny Bilyeu, one of the commissioners who requested the change in format, said the commission should have the option
Page 71 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) to take action Thursday. Palmer said the same thing. Robinson said the commissioners approached him on two separate occasions. "I think people know how I've felt about Mr. McNees for two years," Bilyeu said. Since August 2005, commissioners and members from the public have complained that McNees lacks communication skills. When residents were concerned that more than a million gallons of city sewage spilled into Hudson Bayou, McNees' response only seemed to make people more angry.
His firing of Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Executive Director John Wilkes late last year led to criticism from a different set of constituents -- leaders of the Van Wezel Foundation, a nonprofit group with members who supported Wilkes and believed McNees was out to get him. Servian has said publicly that she thinks McNees could have handled the Van Wezel situation better. One McNees supporter, Doug Logan, a consultant working at the Van Wezel, said that McNees' "professional values rank among the highest of all public officials" he knew. Kowal, who said she owned property in Burns Square long before she began dating McNees, said that commissioners are focusing on "petty" things and not on the big picture. She thinks that no decision should be made this political season, as three commissioners are up for re-election. “He is so dedicated," Kowal said. "I've never been around somebody as ethically responsible as Michael. He totally looks out for Sarasota."
The city's sports facilities manager, Pat Calhoon, has also arranged last-minute meetings with commissioners, including a Thursday morning breakfast with Palmer at the Waffle House. Calhoon said McNees was "integral" in putting together a finance plan for a $54 million spring training stadium complex for the Cincinnati Reds. "He's really been the right guy for the right time, and has empowered his staff to get things done," Calhoon said. "I really think that changing horses at this point would not be the right thing to do."
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) November 3, 2006
Arts hall director fired for misuses. City manager says accumulation too much Author: Mike Saewitz and Bob Mahlburg
City officials fired Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Director John Wilkes Thursday for filing improper travel expenses, using city equipment and staff for a private business and failing to adequately supervise his assistants, one of whom now faces criminal bid-rigging charges. Wilkes, who has led the prestigious city-run hall since 2000, displayed a "pattern of disregard for the most fundamental responsibility of a public official, which is the proper stewardship of public assets with which we are entrusted," City Manager Michael McNees said at a press conference. Inside City Hall just minutes later, Wilkes gave an emotional hug to Dottie Baer Garner of the Van Wezel Foundation's board. Wilkes, red-eyed and wearing a trademark purple tie, said he was sad to be leaving the hall. "It has been a big part of my life," Wilkes said. Wilkes had apologized to McNees on Thursday and taken responsibility for violating city rules. He also offered to repay more than $1,100 to the city for theater tickets he got at taxpayer expense. "I've spent the last number of weeks answering questions," Wilkes said after he was fired. "I'm absolutely shocked and disappointed this is the response." McNees' decision followed a difficult summer for the hall. At least five employees were investigated for misconduct, most involving how they handled Van Wezel purchases. Two top officials quit, two were suspended and another was reprimanded. Wilkes' former top deputy faces criminal charges of forgery, bid- rigging and falsifying purchase documents. Investigations by police, the city auditor and the Herald-Tribune revealed problems ranging from faked purchasing bids to pornography on a city computer to an employee who steered purchases to her husband's company.
McNees cited an accumulation of problems under Wilkes, including management lapses that allowed what he called serious purchasing abuses. But McNees said, in the end, it was mostly Wilkes' own misconduct that led him to fire the executive director. Wilkes used a city-provided car, city employees, and city gas for his private consulting job. State law bans using government equipment or employees for a private business. A review of his travel reports showed that since 2002 he submitted expense reports for as much as $3,400 in Broadway tickets when he could have gotten complimentary tickets to the shows because of a city-paid theater membership. McNees said he "recognized John for the positive things at the hall." "There is no level of past success, however, that relieves the individual from the simple standards of accountability that come with the role of public servant." McNees said he began Thursday with an open mind, but decided after meeting with Wilkes that the accumulation of abuses was too serious to keep him. Wilkes apparently believed he had saved his job during a tense 90-minute morning meeting during which he defended his behavior. After the 11 a.m. meeting, Wilkes had a late lunch at the Metro Cafe near downtown with Garner and John Sullivan, another Van Wezel Foundation board member. "He thought the meeting had gone exceptionally well," said Sullivan. Wilkes was told he was being fired just 30 minutes before it was announced publicly, McNees said. McNees said he decided to fire Wilkes after weighing Wilkes' responses in the morning meeting about his travel expenses, including Wilkes' requests for reimbursement of Broadway theater
Page 73 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) tickets. "I can't say I ever got a clear explanation as to why," McNees said. Wilkes, who has led the Van Wezel twice, from 1987 to 1993 and from 2000 to 2006, is widely credited with turning around the Van Wezel's reputation and finances since returning as director. He inherited a $1.3 million deficit and two years later posted a profit -- an unusual feat in a business where most public halls require major tax support. The hall this year again faces a $900,000 deficit. "The support of this community has made the Van Wezel what it is," Wilkes said, calling it "one of the most successful performance halls in the country." The city manager's decision to fire Wilkes was met with shock and disappointment from arts leaders who said Wilkes has been an invaluable part of the hall, booking shows that revived audiences. "It is truly a sad day for the arts community of Sarasota," said Rodger DeRose, president of the Van Wezel Foundation, a nonprofit group that supports the arts hall. DeRose and Garner said McNees' decision leaves the Van Wezel in a precarious position. They wondered about the hall's ability to attract quality programming for the 2007-2008 season and if Wilkes' departure might cause some longtime donors to close their wallets. "Without John being there, they will see this as a loss of artistic leadership," DeRose said.
Those who have worked with Wilkes over the years were shocked at what they thought was an extreme reaction. "I'm heartsick," said Nancy Roucher, interim executive director of the Sarasota County Arts Council. "This has been blown way out of proportion." But McNees stressed that the combination of abuses was serious and that a performing arts hall run by the city must follow government rules. Wilkes was accused of violating several city rules. The Herald-Tribune reported that Wilkes and two city workers exchanged budget spreadsheets for Wilkes' private consulting work involving a theater renovation job in Mount Dora. In the preceding months, Wilkes fielded dozens of messages on the city's e-mail system about private business between architects, officials and his consulting partner. Wilkes used his city-provided car for two consulting trips to Mount Dora. He filled up at the city gas pump for both trips, racking up almost 700 miles. He also was accused of overcharging the city for Broadway theater expenses. Wilkes said he shared free theater tickets with associates he was entertaining and then bought other tickets for himself at taxpayer expense. Wilkes refused to discuss new allegations against him last week and was put on indefinite administrative leave. When it appeared that Wilkes wasn't going to cooperate with the city manager, it forced McNees' hand, said Sarasota Mayor Fredd "Glossie" Atkins. Wilkes should have "shut up and apologized quietly," rather than involve the board from the foundation, Atkins said. "I believe that he had no alternative," Atkins said of McNees. Longtime Van Wezel booster Harvey Rothenberg, who resigned his lifetime spot on the hall's city advisory board Monday to protest the treatment of Wilkes, said the entire matter was "mishandled in a deceitful manner from the start." "For me, it's a sad culmination of my 15-year association with the hall," Rothenberg wrote in a statement.
Wilkes declined to say if he was considering legal action or what he plans to do next. He said he hopes his replacement has deep experience in the entertainment industry and thanked his employees and the community. "I've been overwhelmed by the incredible support," he said. McNees named former Sarasota County Administrator John Wesley White as interim director of the hall while a search is conducted for a new director. McNees and White both said he would not be considered as a permanent replacement.
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) June 7, 2006
Sarasota city manager wins award for Web log
City Manager Michael McNees had to fight for his job last year, criticized for his communication skills and a demeanor that many called defensive. So McNees regrouped and turned to an unusual high-tech forum to pull himself from the political muck: a Web log, or online journal, that lets people say whatever they want about city government on the city's own Web site. The blog welcomed anonymous critics to blast the city manager (McNees responds to every one), and it has also turned into a useful discussion place for city politics, issues, and rants. Now, McNees can say it's an "award-winning" blog. For his risk-taking and innovation, the city manager was given a "Courage in Communication" award from the Florida City and County Management Association. The group says that, to its knowledge, McNees is the only city manager in Florida with his own blog. Careful and understated in the way he deals with some citizens face-to-face, McNees seems at home in cyberspace, where he writes with intelligence and a dry sense of humor. The award did not make him gush. "It's not like an Academy Award or something, but it's nice to be recognized," McNees said.
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) March 5, 2006
Finding comic ground Author: Tom Heatherman
One is a denizen of local government. The other inhabits the morning airwaves. With such disparate careers, one might easily wonder what city manager Michael McNees and morning DJ David Jones could possibly have in common, apart from living in the same city. McNees, who cuts a lean figure through City Hall, seems almost as tall when he sits down as Jones does standing up. His penetrating eyes, carefully modulated demeanor, and dark, stylish attire convey just the sort of gravitas you'd expect from the manager of a city challenged by historic growth and a plethora of opposing interests. Jones, on the other hand, is far less the lightning rod when it comes to public accountability -- unless you count audience ratings as accountability. Clearly, his over-the-top personality makes him the less reserved and more affable of the two men. For more than 18 years, he's been behind a microphone, most recently at WSRZ-FM in Sarasota, better known as "Oldies 108."
On just about every level, these two guys seem like polar opposites. Except one. As if their jobs didn't put them in front of enough demanding audiences, they yearn to do stand-up comedy. No snickers please. The darkened cabaret of McCurdy's Comedy Club on the North Trail contains the secret to McNees' and Jones' shared ambition. Here, owner and comedian Les McCurdy, along with lifelong friend and business partner, Ken Sons, explain how these two high-profile Sarasotans got infected by the comedy bug. It seems our would-be funny guys developed the fever in school. Yes, it's true. Sarasota has yet another distinguished institute of higher learning to brag about. Move over New College, USF and Ringling School of Art and Design. Make way for the Humor Institute at McCurdy's Comedy Club.
The Humor Institute hardly rates a comparison to these more illustrious schools, you say. But alumni of The Humor Institute, including Jones and McNees, swear that McCurdy's classes have given them a leg-up in their everyday jobs that they couldn't have obtained anywhere else. And even if this isn't the sort of post-graduate business program you'd find at the Wharton School or Harvard, at least you don't need Donald Trump's kind of money or Kennedy-style connections to enroll. (Although a head of hair like The Donald's might be good for a few opening laughs.) In their six-week, stand-up class, professors Les and Ken teach the rudiments of what takes decades of touring, legions of hecklers and buckets of "flop sweat" -- or nervous perspiration -- to master. Course objective: Comedy is no laughing matter, unless it's well-conceived, appropriate to the audience and delivered with style, confidence and ease.
Chattanooga natives and best friends since the age of 5, Les and Ken put students through their paces; schooling them in the finer points of timing, improvisation, the art of writing humorous material, and finally -- when all is said and done -- how to command a stage and comically captivate a live audience. How does this help ordinary business people with no plans to abandon their day jobs for the comedy circuit? Imagine sizing up a room full of clients within seconds, or
Page 76 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) diffusing a difficult or hostile meeting with a few lines of exquisitely timed humor. Picture a once-skeptical customer hanging on your every word and laughing at all the right moments. This is where comedic training makes all the difference in the workplace. "The biggest fear business people have is of speaking in public," says Jones. "Most people don't do it very often and have practically no clue how to prepare." This is exactly what the comedy classes do. They teach preparation and delivery, and offer tried-and-true tips for dealing with nerves and adjusting a routine when an audience isn't responding.
On a more cautionary note, students learn how to distinguish between comedy that strikes just the right chord, versus humor that is inappropriate or overtly offensive. "Like never before," Les says, "offending humor can spell big trouble, especially in an age when ill-considered remarks can be broadcast around the world with the mere click of a mouse." McNees hasn't actually taken the stand-up course yet. But he plans to. His earliest exposure to the comic wisdom of Les and Ken (aka, The Bermuda Mavericks comedy team) was at a "Humor in the Workplace" seminar, presented a few years ago to a Sarasota gathering of the Florida City & County Management Association. "Les and Ken do an exceptionally good job of tailoring these seminars to fit the audience," McNees advises. "In our case, it was a group of city managers, and they did an excellent job figuring out what would appeal to us and be useful in our daily routines."
Later he participated in a second seminar -- this one on humor in public speaking and presentations -- that headlined a meeting of the city's Economic Development Council. On this occasion, the event was held at McCurdy's Comedy Theatre, which is perfectly suited for these customized seminars. None of what is taught at McCurdy's Humor Institute is a closely guarded secret. Madison Avenue has known forever that people perk up and pay closer attention to messages laced with humor. McNees, a veteran public speaker, is aware of this and hastens to commend what he's learned so far: "The class offers good, nuts-and-bolts suggestions for anyone curious about using humor as a business tool. For me, it was an excellent affirmation of many of the things I already do. If I'm speaking in a formal setting, be it a Rotary or Kiwanis Club, I try to build humor into the topic. People have fun and are much more receptive to what I say. All-in- all, I think it's really useful for anyone who has the occasion to speak in public."
McNees also believes that humor goes a long way toward dissolving pre-conceived notions that people may have about him and other city bureaucrats, especially, he says, if the humor is self- deprecating. "If you're willing to poke fun at yourself, it tends to disarm people, put them at ease, and make them more sympathetic to you," he adds. "Once you hear them laugh, you know they're with you." It's a lot easier to understand why sharpened comedic skills would be an important career-booster for David Jones. As a radio and budding TV personality, he views stand-up as a necessary skill for any serious performer. It's a talent, he believes, that can be a major portal to stardom. "A lot of big TV stars, who you think are overnight sensations, have been doing stand-up comedy for years," he says. "It helps in just about every branch of show business, especially radio, TV and film. So I knew the course would yield positive results, and I was determined to get the most out of it."
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Even the tiniest exposure to stand-up is apparently enough to send otherwise rational people over the edge and make them crave the stage, the mike and -- above all -- the laughter. Jones admits his own comic addiction: "The classes should come with one of those disclaimers," he chuckles. "Warning. Even the smallest taste of laughter will hook you on stand-up forever." Nothing, he adds, beats walking on stage with material you've written yourself. "It's just you and the microphone up there and nothing compares to the instant feedback of laughter. Where else can you enjoy the fruits of your labors so quickly?" Jones first got wind of the Humor Institute when Les and Ken came on his radio show to promote the comedy club. "I was always interested in stand-up, but I would never just jump on stage and do it. Being in the business, I know nothing is ever as easy as it looks. One of the first things you learn is that good comics go through years and years of hitting the stage, night after night, in town after town. They bomb, try out new material, and bomb again until they eventually find bits that work. Then they tweak the timing and tempo and lots of other subtleties that make an act rock solid."
McNees is also hooked on performing and professes a long-standing desire to add stand-up to his range of talents. The McCurdy classes have edged him in that direction, but it may surprise many to learn that he studied acting for years and has appeared with local theatre companies in Sarasota and Naples. He even starred in a locally-produced independent film and is past- president of the Naples Players, one of the 10 largest community theaters in the country. Since completing the course two years ago, Jones estimates he's returned to the McCurdy's stage some 20 to 30 times and has proudly worked his way up to a 15-minute routine, which doesn't sound all that long, until he adds dryly that 60 seconds of bad or ho-hum material can equal a lifetime of misery on stage. Last year, he was asked to help emcee the Sarasota Comedy Festival, and accepted the gig on the proviso that they let him deliver his 10-minute comedy set at the same time. Now that's confidence for a guy who admits to being terrified on stage. McNees thinks appropriate humor in the workplace is a good-natured goal that every business should pursue. "Just the general idea that you can have fun at work and be willing to laugh at yourself is a great message to send," he concludes.
Les McCurdy and Ken Sons couldn't agree more, and frequently conduct "Humor in the Workplace" seminars as team-building exercises for companies throughout the region. These one-day seminars are not only hilarious fun for those who attend, but also provide an opportunity for co-workers to bond and learn constructive ways to inject humor into speeches, presentations and daily business routines. Les and his wife, Pam, own and operate McCurdy's Comedy Club. Ken, a former special-education teacher, is a partner in the Humor Institute. He also works as development director for "Children First," a program that benefits low-income children and their families in Sarasota County. Last year, the pair conducted their first comedy workshop for mentally challenged adults -- aptly called "Special O-laugh-ics," which they also filmed for an upcoming documentary. All this funny business helps Les and Ken fulfill their wildest dream of show-business success. Neither pines for triumph in entertainment capitals, such as Los Angeles or New York -- the Holy Grail for most other comedians. All they ever wanted, from the moment they first fell head over heels for Sarasota, was to perfect their craft well enough to live and work happily-ever-after in paradise. Nothing funny about that.*
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) February 15, 2006
City defends 'tough love' of homeless Sarasota's city manager explains policy at a forum Author: Mike Saewitz
If its policies toward the homeless mean that Sarasota has to endure the moniker of the meanest city in the nation, then it's a price some in the city are willing to pay. City officials and service providers say they are here to help the homeless, and that they want the homeless to help themselves. A homeless person who wants to improve his situation has several options. But when that person refuses to accept help, it's another story. The city's ordinance outlawing public sleeping allows violators to be taken to the Salvation Army shelter instead of jail. At the shelter, homeless persons are allowed to stay 10 days for free. After that they are charged $8 a night unless they agree to participate in a counseling and case management program.
It's that "tough love" policy that feeds into the city's reputation for being mean, some have argued. City officials don't see it that way. "Philosophically, there's a point where that individual is making choices," City Manager Michael McNees told a crowd of 250 people who attended a New College of Florida forum on homeless issues. But McNees and others didn't linger Tuesday on the title given to Sarasota this year. Instead, they tried to explain why the no-lodging ordinances were passed in the first place. "In municipal government, we live at that place where different individual rights collide," McNees said. "This is really an issue where one person's right to set up camp and establish residence on the step of a business or a lawn conflicts with that property owner's individual rights."
City commissioners have now passed three ordinances making it a crime to sleep on the streets. The first two were declared unconstitutional. To the head of the National Coalition for the Homeless, who was in town for the forum, the ordinance and some of the other policies in place are only worsening Sarasota's homeless problems. Michael Stoops, the coalition's acting director, renewed his plea for a moratorium on no-lodging arrests. McNees said the city is trying to create more options. The city's police department is working to hire a "transient coordinator," or an experienced officer to handle homeless issues. Major Bert Tanner of The Salvation Army said that his group's 240-bed shelter has had a population that exceeds its number of beds every day since it opened in 2003. Monday night's chill brought in more than 300 people, he said. But the Salvation Army charges $8 a night for those who refuse to become a part of a shelter case management program. If they accept help, Tanner said, they can stay as long as they want free of charge. If they don't, after 10 days they have to pay or they may be turned away. In response, the forum moderator asked Tanner "What would Jesus do?" "He would look at the situation just like we do," Tanner said. "They turn themselves away," he said after the public forum. Stoops said that Salvation Army organizations across the country have fees like Sarasota's, but that doesn't make it right. To a homeless person $8 is like "$1,000 to you and I," Stoops said after the forum. "All the folks that are living in the woods are the folks that did not want to enter into counseling," Stoops said. "You really can't get your life together in 10 days."
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) January 6, 2006
City manager holds onto job despite criticism 3 commissioners back him, 2 seek resignation Author: Mike Saewitz
City commissioners pledged Thursday to continue to work with City Manager Michael McNees, even though two commissioners would rather see him gone. "Just because he can be defensive and edgy doesn't mean that's a fireable offense," said Commissioner Ken Shelin, one of McNees' supporters. During his annual evaluation Thursday, McNees responded to criticism about his leadership style with plans to improve, and with a few jokes. "I try every day to smile at somebody at least once, and I usually succeed," McNees said. His supporters say McNees has led the city in an unprecedented time of growth. It is true that he may be hard-edged, they say, but that's a valuable attribute in a city with growing pains. "He's the manager for the time," said Vice Mayor Fredd Atkins. "In an amazing way, I like this guy's style. I think he's tough. But the city of Sarasota needs somebody tough after the last two we had."
Thursday was the day to evaluate all three charter officials. But City Attorney Robert Fournier and City Auditor and Clerk Billy Robinson got glowing reviews. Grading McNees became the day's main event. McNees pleaded his case in front of the commissioners before they talked about him in a strange third-person way. The workshop went much the same way as a meeting on Aug. 12, when two commissioners called for McNees' resignation. The same two commissioners -- Lou Ann Palmer and Danny Bilyeu -- asked the city manager to resign again Thursday. But the other three commissioners supported McNees once again, and he hung on. At the end of McNees' evaluation, more than a dozen department heads and city workers cheered for him. After thanking his department heads for the support, McNees said he would do his best "to win the other two commissioners over."
The commissioners seemed a bit uncomfortable, calling the process of evaluating their top administrator in public "barbaric" and "invasive." Such comments have been another running theme at his annual evaluations. Most of the commissioners also acknowledged that 2005 wasn't the easiest year for McNees. He took criticism for pushing an expensive and unpopular deal to buy a Burns Court property and turn it into a parking garage. It all happened while critics were blasting him for the way he handled the concerns of Hudson Bayou residents following a 500,000-gallon sewage spill. It was at the Aug. 12 meeting about the sewage spills that McNees nearly lost his job. He was already in the midst of a job search. At the same time, he was taking steps to improve here. He started a Web log, or blog, to discuss city issues with residents, which addressed complaints about his communication skills. He decided not to take a $5,000 raise.
Shelin said he talked to McNees about his formal and businesslike manner, and how that could be perceived in a negative way. "Not displaying genuine sympathy and understanding allows some people to think you don't care," Shelin said he told the city manager. In an interview after the evaluation, Palmer said that her meetings with McNees became more cordial after she asked
Page 80 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) him to resign in August. But that didn't last long, according to Palmer. "Within a month, the honeymoon was over," she said. "I don't feel that a tiger can change his stripes." Palmer and Bilyeu were the hardest on McNees. The two commissioners wrote that the city manager performed below expectations on categories like leadership, management and team approach. Palmer said that she respects McNees, but she feels that it's time for a change of leadership. "Mr. McNees is a fine man," wrote Palmer, in a statement she read aloud on Thursday. "He is intelligent and possesses many qualities and skills to be a good administrator." But three to four years of identifying the same problems was too much, she said. "This commissioner suggests it is time for Mr. McNees to move on," she said.
Other commissioners said that McNees met expectations in most cases and exceeded expectations in others. His professional knowledge and personal effectiveness received high rankings from some of the commissioners. Shelin said that McNees has a remarkable way of cutting to the heart of an issue, and is the best strategic thinker at the commission table. The city manager "blew me away" when he advised the commission during budget meetings, Shelin said. For the evaluation, McNees had prepared a lengthy list of accomplishments during his tenure. He said that a downtown parking plan was his idea, and that he was proud of his role in the Newtown redevelopment effort. And since Dec. 20, he said, more than 600 people had gone to his blog. "It's not just me going on and on and on, although I thought about that," he joked. He said that he has played a role in many of the city's most positive changes. "I don't believe these things would have happened without some of my participation," he said.
Page 81 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) September 7, 2005
McNees cancels his pay raise over handling of spill Only those who worked in levels below the city manager had been punished for the mess. Author: Mike Saewitz
City Manager Michael McNees has agreed to forgo the annual raise for city employees, less than a month after he was nearly fired at the end of a heated meeting about the city's response to two large sewage spills. He has also sliced raises for two of his top administrators in connection with the spills, saying that there was a "certain amount of complacency" among supervisors who oversaw public works and city operations during two major sewage spills into the Hudson Bayou, according to a memo obtained Tuesday. McNees' memo comes after a commissioner and community members accused him of blaming mostly lower-level employees for making mistakes that dumped more than a million gallons of sewage into Hudson Bayou.
It also comes at a time when McNees' future in Sarasota is precarious. McNees held on to his job by only one vote last month after two commissioners called for his resignation. Commissioners say his willingness to forgo a raise is a sign he is trying to do better. "He believes it is only right that he accept responsibility," said Mayor Mary Anne Servian, one of McNees' staunchest supporters on the commission. "This is a very serious situation. To only punish those at the lowest level doesn't seem to be fair. Everyone needs to take responsibility." Others, like Commissioner Ken Shelin don't think McNees went far enough. Shelin plans to ask McNees "probing" questions at next week's workshop about senior managers' culpability in the spills. "I still have a question as to whether the punishment fits the crime," Shelin said. "What did he fail to do, and is this sufficient punishment?" For McNees, who earns about $141,500 a year, his decision will cost him a $5,660, raise.
Deputy City Manager Peter Schneider and Public Works Director Bill Hallisey will get 2 percent raises, instead of the standard 4 percent city employees will receive Oct. 1. Since the Aug. 12 meeting where two commissioners called for his resignation, McNees said he has "given considerable thought" to who "in the chain of command knew what, and when" in regards to the spills. "My conclusion is that a certain amount of complacency had worked its way into our supervisory control systems ..." McNees wrote. "Ultimate responsibility for this failure to adequately evaluate our own internal control systems lies with management."
Reached moments before stepping into a Tuesday night commission meeting, McNees said only that the "memo speaks for itself." He declined to elaborate, saying only that "it's what I think is appropriate based on the concerns about accountability." In August, McNees disciplined six employees for the spills, which happened after a city lift station failed this year and last. One midmanager was demoted and received a pay cut, and four other plant operators and crewmen received written reprimands or notes. Hallisey was also given the first reprimand of his long career. McNees said he followed Hallisey's recommendation to discipline lower-level employees for failure to act.
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Commissioner Danny Bilyeu was outraged that McNees was not holding himself accountable, and asked the city manager to resign at the Aug. 12 meeting. Commissioner Lou Ann Palmer later made the motion to ask for McNees' resignation, but it failed 3-2. Since the meeting, McNees has worked hard to counter criticism of poor communication and defensiveness. Commissioners say he has been humble and enthusiastic in one-on-one meetings about his performance. Just last week, he started a Web log to communicate with employees and community members about important city issues. As of two weeks ago, McNees had solid support from Servian and Vice Mayor Fredd Atkins.
After Shelin voted to hold onto McNees, the newest commissioner's constituents demanded that he hold the city manager accountable. And it was Shelin who called for next week's workshop. "I still think the managers are getting away with far too much," Shelin said Tuesday night. Bilyeu said McNees' offer to forgo his 4 percent increase is "a start." "I think he felt had to do something," he said. "It's not quite honorable, but it's good. Honorable would have been what I asked for that night, for him to resign. “Servian said that McNees gave himself a "harsh punishment," considering how much money he's giving up. But she believes he's doing the right thing. "It sends the message that we expect our senior administrators to be held accountable," she said.
Page 83 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) August 28, 2005
Sarasota manager says memo 'out of context' Author: Mike Saewitz
This month, a handful of members of the Burns Square Property Owners Association went before city commissioners asking for a last-minute change to a rezoning plan. The association, led by President Denise Kowal, said property owners in and around Burns Court should be allowed to build to 10 stories instead of the five listed in a new zoning plan. Commissioners, with advice from planning staff, didn't go for the change, although they said the plan could be amended later. Kowal, who lives, works and owns property in the area and is the longtime girlfriend of City Manager Michael McNees, has been lobbying commissioners ever since. The city manager has chimed in on the issue, too. About a week after Kowal addressed commissioners, McNees asked his deputy to find out why the planning staff is being "so rigid" in its defense of the zoning for a tiny triangle of land that includes Kowal's property.
Deputy City Manager V. Peter Schneider, writing on McNees' behalf, said in his interoffice memorandum: "There doesn't seem to be any legal issue that the staff is basing its position on, so what is the basis for refusing to consider other zones for the triangle?" Planning Director Jane Robinson wrote she was "somewhat taken back" that the staff's position on the issue, which was approved by McNees, is now being characterized as rigid and "without foundation." Kowal owns the Herald Square building, which houses her jewelry store and the Citrus Cafe. The building is a significant part of the "Orange Avenue/Pineapple Avenue triangle," which is a block from artsy Burns Court. McNees said last week that his interest in the triangle had nothing to do with Kowal. He said he simply was trying to make sure the city had a good basis for the zoning position, which was part of the city's largest rezoning effort since the 1970s.
McNees said he hadn't read Schneider's memo until after talking to the Herald-Tribune last week, but that his deputy failed "to explain the context" of his question. "I wanted staff to make sure their rationale is well supported," McNees said. After reading the memo, he said the whole thing was a communication issue and that he would have to make himself clear. Schneider said that what he put in the memo is exactly what McNees said. "That was it," Schneider said. "He was concerned about what had been said at the meeting, and he wanted to convey it to the planning director." According to Schneider, the direction came after an Aug. 12 meeting in which McNees nearly was fired. It was one of the city manager's final directions before leaving for a vacation in Wyoming. Two commissioners cited his poor communication skills in calling for McNees' resignation. His performance likely will come up again.
McNees said that "people should question what I'm up to" if he didn't weigh in on the biggest issue facing the city's rezoning effort. Commissioners thought staff's position was rigid, too, he said. He said he has not taken a position on the issue. But his desire to "shore up" the staff's position is "diametrically in opposition" to Kowal's goals. "If I were greasing the wheels for her district, why are they in this battle over zoning?" McNees asked. Kowal has met individually
Page 84 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) with each of the commissioners since the Aug. 4 meeting. She has insisted that they grant the triangle a zoning that would allow up to 10 stories or hold off on rezoning the properties until an urban planner hired by the property owners studies the area. “Don’t put the property owners in the adversarial position of having to fight to get back property rights we have enjoyed for decades when you have already acknowledged the inequity," she wrote in an e-mail to commissioners. "You still have an opportunity to solve this legislatively." McNees said it's his job to be concerned with a situation that puts the city in the "weakest position from a legal standpoint." "This seemed to be a situation where we worked a lot of compromise on other parts of the plan," McNees said this week. "And we seemed committed to certain outcomes there."
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) August 2, 2005
City commissioners back out of costly garage deal Officials will rethink purchase after site is appraised Author: Mike Saewitz
Public outcry and a threat of a lawsuit prompted city commissioners to back off of a $4.4 million deal to buy property near Burns Court for a parking garage. After hearing that the city might risk a costly eminent domain lawsuit or spend another $1 million to settle with tenants of the Orange Dolphin Galleria, City Commissioner Lou Ann Palmer compared going through the deal with walking into a "hellhole" or a "buzz saw." City leaders had until today to terminate the contract over lease issues at the shopping center. The commissioners debated late into the night before coming to a 3-2 vote. "I really feel that the community perhaps has been concerned about this, and with good cause," Palmer said. "We made the decision based on the information that we had. It now looks like the decision was not in the best interest of the city."
City Manager Michael McNees, who negotiated the deal in a weekend, urged commissioners to back out of the contract Monday night. City commissioners agreed to rethink the deal and come back with another offer once the city gets an appraisal on the half-acre property at the corner of Orange Avenue and Dolphin Street. "I don't care what happens," Palmer said, "we need that appraisal." Commissioners didn't have an appraisal when they approved the first contract. They also said they didn't have enough information on lease agreements with the shopping center's tenants.
McNees said that the property owner, Eva Bartenschlager, didn't give the city complete information about the leases. McNees was also taken off-guard when Michael Saunders stepped forward Monday night and agreed to work with the city. Saunders, president of the area's leading residential real estate firm, said she would consider public parking in plans for her new headquarters, located across the street from the property the city agreed to buy. "I am not here to be the trash condo queen," Saunders said. "I am here to say that I think we all need to take a breath. I hear condemnation and lawsuits. I am just saying there might be other options. No one has come to me to talk seriously. Nobody's been banging my door down." Saunders' offer to talk with the city spurred a variety of strong feelings from commissioners, and especially McNees.
The city manager said he had several conversations with Saunders about the need for parking and was shocked that she didn't know he was serious. "I rarely find myself speechless," McNees said at Monday's meeting. "I thought it was understood. If it isn't, by God, let it be understood." Two years ago, the city decided against bidding for the site on South Orange Avenue, McNees said in previous interviews, with the understanding that Saunders would consider including public parking in development. McNees said he would find "the biggest sledgehammer" he could find, and started banging on the desk later in the meeting to simulate knocking on her door.
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Saunders said that putting more parking in her plans could mean getting rid of a residential tower. "I'm serious about sitting down with them," Saunders said after the meeting. "I'd consider anything that made sense for everyone." After Saunders came forward, Vice-Mayor Fredd Atkins wanted to forget about a second offer for the Burns Court property. "I think this whole process took a drastic change when Ms. Saunders stepped forward and decided to participate again," Atkins said. "We got caught on the wrong side of Orange Avenue, and now we want to get back on the right side of the street." The community has expressed strong feelings about the deal since commissioners approved it at an emergency meeting July 11. Several disapproving citizens got to tell commissioners for the first time Monday. "I would advise you not to get into this quagmire," said resident Dick Sheldon. "The rush to judgment really bothered me. Please, please cancel the deal that we're in now."
Page 87 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) July 24, 2005
City manager defends land deal Michael McNees says his girlfriend's nearby property had nothing to do with the $4.4 million purchase. Author: Mike Saewitz
City Manager Michael McNees this month negotiated one of the city's biggest land buys -- $4.4 million for a half-acre Burns Court lot intended for a public parking garage, which has been a top priority for city commissioners. Critics of the deal say the city overpaid. Some at City Hall have questioned whether McNees pushed for the deal because it benefits his girlfriend, who owns a nearby building that houses several businesses. Denise Kowal, the head of a Burns Court property owners association, has long been asking for more parking in the historic district, where she lives and works. McNees and Kowal say their relationship has nothing to do with the city's purchase and that the city manager shouldn't be prevented from doing city business in the Burns Court area simply because they're dating.
Most city commissioners agree. "I don't believe it benefits Denise more than anyone else," said Mayor Mary Anne Servian. "It'll benefit me. Should I disclose that I go to the Burns Court Cinema 12 times a year and that it would make my life a lot easier? I don't think it matters a rip whether she owns property there or not." Kowal, 41, owns the historic Herald Square building, where she lives and sells jewelry. The building houses the Citrus Cafe, a popular lunch spot in need of parking. It's a short walk from the site of the proposed parking garage. And Kowal had been making inquiries about the land, which includes a shopping center with a fine jewelry store, on behalf of an unnamed potential business partner at the same time that McNees started negotiations to buy it.
McNees was acting at the City Commission's direction, and the idea that he acted with his girlfriend in mind is ridiculous, he said. "I want to make it categorically clear that this is an arm's-length transaction," he said. "No special benefit is being provided. I want to assure everyone there is no conflict." Kowal said that she and McNees, 50, rarely talk city business. The pair, who have been dating for several years, are so "burnt out" by the end of the day that they don't talk shop, she said. So Kowal said she had no idea, at first, that she and McNees were both pursuing the Orange Dolphin Galleria at Orange Avenue and Dolphin Street. "Did I learn that very quickly?" Kowal asked. "Yes."
The Burns Court area, with its popular galleries, restaurants and cinema, is considered one of the hottest real estate markets in Sarasota. It's also been identified as having a dire need for parking, city leaders say. McNees said he began looking at the property when he heard it was for sale months ago, but had trouble finding its owner, Eva Bartenschlager, a German woman who owns property in Sarasota but rarely visits here. Kowal and her business partner had also been trying to contact Bartenschlager about the property. "Along the way, Denise and I certainly had
Page 88 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) conversations about the city's interest or lack of interest and what I was hearing or what she was hearing," McNees said. "Precisely who knew what when, I can't tell you."
Kowal and her business partner were one of two interested groups that stepped aside because they didn't want to compete with the city, McNees said. McNees was the city's point person in a negotiation that he admits was unusually fast. Bartenschlager was in town for one weekend, and it was clear she was anxious to sell and had other bidders, McNees said. As Hurricane Dennis threatened Florida the weekend of July 8, McNees was in meetings with Bartenschlager -- in the lobby of The Ritz-Carlton on Friday afternoon, at her home Saturday morning and at a restaurant later that night. There, the city manager agreed to recommend the deal to commissioners at an emergency meeting the following Monday.
McNees presented the commission with neither an appraisal for the property nor comparisons of recent sales of similar-sized properties in the market. If the city didn't go for it right away, McNees told them, the owner had other bidders that would. The deal's lone dissenter on the commission, Danny Bilyeu, criticized the city for wanting to pay $4.4 million for a half-acre property that had been purchased less than two years ago at $1.7 million. In the Plaza Verdi project, Commissioner Bilyeu said, a developer is paying the city only $4.1 million for two acres. The Burns Court lot contract was signed last week. The city plans to close the deal by the end of August.
In the meantime, McNees said he has been talking "in concept" with a nearby property owner about the potential for a public-private mixed-use project that could combine retail with public parking. Bilyeu said the idea that McNees' girlfriend made inquiries about the same property makes his "gut feel funny." "The whole thing seems kind of funny to me, above and beyond paying too much for the land," he said. "I find it rather humorous that she didn't know Mike was maybe interested." In an e-mail to commissioners, McNees acknowledged that there has been a "suggestion, from within the organization," that his interest in the deal was "rooted" in a desire to help his girlfriend. He took the suggestion as an attack on his integrity. "My sanity being questioned is par for the course, sometimes I even wonder myself," he wrote. "But my integrity I will defend vigorously, should that become necessary." Kowal said she would defend her integrity "all day long. "I have a long-standing relationship with my city way before Michael ever decided to take the job in Sarasota," she said. "To me, my interest comes first in the district. My relationship comes second." Kowal said the garage would benefit her no more than any of the other merchants, who have flooded commissioners with laudatory e-mails. "Did I know they were really going to go after a piece of property? No," she said. "Am I thrilled that they acted as fast as they have? Yeah."
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) March 20, 2005
Spills have put city manager on defensive Author: Lisa Rab
Michael McNees sat before the City Commission last week and spoke of a "deep failure" in his role as city manager. The failure, in his eyes, was not that more than a million gallons of raw sewage spilled into Hudson Bayou in the past year. McNees said he was "extremely disappointed" because the commissioners decided to launch an independent investigation into the spills, instead of having his office conduct the probe. For once, McNees was not in control. For nearly four years, he has become accustomed to the commissioners following his lead. But last Tuesday, two commissioners called an emergency meeting without his advice. "I think the only way the public will respect the results of that is if it's done on an independent basis," City Commissioner Lou Ann Palmer said.
The commissioners said the manager's involvement in the sewage investigation would make it appear biased. They stressed their decision had nothing to do with McNees' performance; rather, they wanted to gain public trust. "His integrity is not in question as far as I'm concerned," said Vice Mayor Mary Anne Servian. "I wanted to be sure that the public was comfortable with the report." As the top administrator for more than 800 city employees, McNees said he considers it his job to investigate when something goes wrong. But ever since 550,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into the bayou last month, McNees has struggled to gain control of the situation.
His communication with the public -- a weakness that the commissioners have cited in the past -- has become increasingly strained. One of his e-mails to the Hudson Bayou Neighborhood Association president even prompted an apology from Palmer. Hudson Bayou residents say McNees was too quick to defend his employees when complaints about the spills arose. Immediately after the public learned that city officials never informed them of a spill last year, McNees declared that he would not fire Public Works Director Bill Hallisey. That angered Servian and some residents, who said McNees should have waited for an investigation before making that conclusion. "Your kneejerk defensiveness on behalf of the staff of the Public Works Department is inappropriate," Hudson Bayou Neighborhood Association President Susan Chapman wrote in an e-mail to McNees.
McNees insists that the criticism is unfounded and comes only from a small group of residents. He says he simply wants a "full and open investigation" of the spills, while maintaining due process for the employees accused of making mistakes. And he is happy to step aside to let that happen. "I think what we've been trying to do, we've been trying to answer questions, we've been trying to be open," McNees said. When the news first broke that public works employees waited nearly four hours to respond to a 550,000-gallon sewage spill Feb. 2, McNees cautioned against making quick judgments about who was to blame. "I will not ... hang city employees based on a hindsight-oriented rush to judgment just to appease you and your neighbors," he wrote in an e- mail to Chapman.
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When he learned that a public works employee had tried to withhold e-mails about the spill from a public access e-mail system, McNees blamed the system, not the employee. He said public access to the e-mail system might be taken away if employees were publicly criticized for not using it properly. As the chorus of public criticism increased, McNees changed tactics. On March 4, he wrote a letter to the editor of the Herald-Tribune promising a full investigation into the spills. Finally, when he discovered that public works officials never informed him or the public about a 500,000-gallon sewage spill one year earlier, McNees held interviews with the media to express his disapproval. "We've shot ourselves in the foot ... from a credibility standpoint," he said then. "This is not acceptable."
But it was too late. Hudson Bayou residents learned about the hidden spill before City Hall sent out a press release, and some commissioners were upset that McNees waited three days to tell them. "That's not the way things should happen," Servian said. "You don't let events take over and force you to communicate." McNees explained that he has been playing catch-up on the spill because he was out of town for two weeks when public works officials began investigating the latest spill and talking to residents in the neighborhood. He also faulted the news media for wanting information immediately, while he was trying to preserve the integrity of the city's investigation. "That public impatience can't override the importance and value of a complete and thorough investigation," McNees said.
Friday afternoon, at a public meeting with the Hudson Bayou association, McNees struggled to repair the damage. As residents vented 20 years of frustrations about living with the city's largest sewage lift station in the middle of their neighborhood, nothing McNees said could assuage them. "Every word that I'm saying is being turned into some kind of negative," he said. Finally, one man in the audience explained to McNees what he thought was the problem. "We don't trust you, plain and simple," he said.
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) February 8, 2005
Sarasota city manager defends GPS contract Author: Lisa Rab
City Manager Michael McNees on Monday defended his decision to sign a $438,000 contract for golf cart equipment without seeking competitive bids or City Commission approval. But he conceded that parts of the approval process should have been done differently, and he will correct them in the future. "Some of this could've been done with better precision, but I don't think there was anything major," McNees said. McNees was responding to a city audit, released last month, that raised questions about Sarasota's contract to lease global positioning equipment for golf carts at the city- owned Bobby Jones Golf Complex. The auditors found "serious control breakdowns" in the way the complex contracts for goods and services. The audit said McNees' decision to sign the contract without bids or commission approval was "not appropriate." It also said McNees violated city ordinances by signing off on the deal before the commission budgeted money for it. McNees admitted that he should have asked the commission to budget the money before signing the contract. "We won't do that again," he said. "I would typically require that myself." But he argued that he didn't need bids for the contract because he considered ParView Inc. the "sole source" for the equipment. Sarasota has been using GPS equipment from ParView since 1997, and McNees wanted to make sure the new equipment would be compatible with the old system.
His only mistake, he said, was not documenting his decision. City officials are required to document "sole source" deals, and there was no paperwork in this case. McNees said he would correct that problem for future deals. McNees also contended that the contract didn't require commission approval because the GPS equipment is a "software driven application." Under city regulations, the city manager has the power to approve agreements for computer hardware and software without commission approval. But in the contract with ParView, the GPS system is referred to as equipment, and is described as an electronic system that provides distance measurements for golfers. Finally, McNees said he did not know, until after he signed the contract, that one provision had been crossed out. That section would have allowed the city manager to cancel the deal at any time, for any reason. Golf course manager Ray Grady signed off on the change, which was requested by ParView. But since McNees did not sign, he said he considers the change to be void. It's not clear whether ParView will agree. "We may have something to talk about," McNees said. Some people have expressed concern that Grady had a close relationship with ParView. Until a few years ago, ParView paid for him to travel to golf trade shows and speak on the company's behalf. McNees said Grady's supervisors, Deputy City Manager V. Peter Schneider and Sports Facilities Manager Pat Calhoon, approved of the trips before McNees became city manager. But he made it clear that city employees will not be allowed to travel on a vendor's dime in the future. "From this point forward, that sort of travel will not be considered appropriate for city employees," McNees said.
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) January 12, 2005
City manager receives passing marks Author: Lisa Rab
City Manager Michael McNees received a passing grade from the City Commission during his annual evaluation Tuesday, despite substantial criticism from two members of the board. All five commissioners said McNees, who earns $141,508 a year and oversees a $151 million annual budget, fulfilled their expectations last year. They praised his leadership skills, "big picture" vision and knowledge of complex government issues. But they said he needs to improve communication with them and with the public. And two members of the panel, Commissioners Danny Bilyeu and Lou Ann Palmer, had a wide-ranging list of complaints about his performance. "A lot of the details get lost in the shuffle," Palmer said.
McNees is one of three appointed city officials and can be fired at any time if three commissioners vote against him. An annual evaluation is required by his contract. Both Palmer and Bilyeu said they had discussed their concerns with McNees privately before Tuesday's public meeting and were confident that he could improve. Specifically, Palmer said McNees needs to develop a better relationship with residents, neighborhoods and business groups. She described him as an imposing figure who doesn't react well to constructive criticism, and she has heard complaints about his attitude. "There seems to be kind of a feeling that there is an arrogance there," Palmer said. Palmer also wants McNees to do a better job of following up on directions from the commission. Several of his goals for last year, such as reviewing the city's agreements with other local governments and signing a contract with the union that represents city employees, were not completed.
Bilyeu said he was concerned that it took city officials 15 months to negotiate a contract with the local police union. He also wondered why, until recently, McNees allowed the city to lose an estimated $350,000 a year in developer fees because employees did not accurately log the hours they worked on development projects. A March audit pointed out flaws in the fee-tracking system, but city officials are still working to fix it. Finally, Bilyeu said teamwork was lacking in City Hall, and McNees needed to delegate more responsibilities. "I really expected him to be more of a cheerleader towards our employees," said Bilyeu, who gave McNees the lowest marks of anyone on the panel.
The commission's critique of McNees' communication skills and his relationship with city employees echoed concerns voiced at his last public evaluation, in the fall of 2002. On Tuesday, McNees said he is aware that his communication style can be "an acquired taste," and he is working to improve his relationship with the public. He's also planning to hire someone to assist him with grant-writing and research, which he said should help him address some of the problems Palmer cited.
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) November 27, 2002
Three city officials receive high marks However, the City Commission cites missteps by the city manager. Author: Kevin L. McQuaid
The City Commission gave Michael McNees solid marks in his first year as city manager, despite several missteps and assertions that he doesn't communicate well. The five-member commission gave McNees kudos for the search for and selection of Peter Abbott, Sarasota's new police chief, and credited him with innovative thinking, and for solving myriad problems that existed before he joined the city in late September 2001. "You've steered the city ship through several storms," Commissioner Lou Ann Palmer said. Commissioner Richard Martin praised McNees for beginning a study of downtown parking and for making the city's Information and Technology Services department independent from the Finance Department. Commissioner Mary Anne Servian said she was pleased that McNees had begun long-range planning with each department.
But the commission slammed McNees for sagging employee morale, for mishandling crises involving rising city health care costs; and for not re-organizing city government. McNees, who earns $133,385, also took shots for not communicating well. Last spring, McNees angered the commissioners by saying nothing about mounting problems within the Police Department and plans to replace former Chief Skip Jolly. And last week, the commission blasted McNees for failing to tell them he had rescheduled a crucial vote on a settlement challenging aspects of Downtown Master Plan 2020. Commissioner Mary Quillin complained that McNees often seemed "pre-occupied," and Mayor Carolyn Mason chided him for a "perception of arrogance" that has developed among some residents.
Martin said McNees mishandled the planning for a new Sarasota County Area Transit station, after the city manager tried to shift the bus hub's future location, despite a commission vote. Martin described McNees' handling of employee concerns over health care insurance increases earlier this year as a "debacle." McNees graded his own performance over the past year as a "B+." The commissioners praised the longtime city attorney and the city auditor and clerk, who, with the manager, are Sarasota's charter officials. The commission said Auditor and Clerk Billy Robinson goes "above and beyond." Robinson and his 19 employees maintain city records, coordinate elections, assemble and publish meeting agendas, oversee the city's public access television station and organize advisory boards and special events. "We depend on him for so many things I don't know how we'd ever replace him," Palmer said.
Martin described the response time to requests made of Robinson's office as "nothing short of astounding," adding that he displays "grace under pressure." The commissioners did tell Robinson to monitor employee burnout, because the workload there often strains the office's resources. The panel also praised City Attorney Richard Taylor for his responsiveness and for juggling numerous city legal duties simultaneously. "I find them cooperative, helpful and
Page 94 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) informative," Servian said. Martin suggested that Taylor be more aggressive about refusing to take on additional work, and Quillin recommended that Taylor's office produce an annual report on its activities. Palmer cautioned that the officials must work better together in the coming year to deal with the "daunting tasks ahead."
They include the possibility of litigation over the $22 million renovation of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall; the challenge to aspects of Downtown Master Plan 2020; issues surrounding city firefighters; rising health care costs; increased traffic; and the lack of affordable housing. Servian said she believes McNees will meet future challenges. "He's looked for creative ways to solve problems," Servian said. "And he's been quick to change when he's realized things were not working."
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) September 23, 2001
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT Mike McNees, who becomes Sarasota's new City Manager on Monday, has a reputation as a no-nonsense, honest administrator. But with so much in flux, is he up to the task? Author: Kevin L. McQuaid
Every five years or so, Mike McNees feels the itch to take on something new. A little over 15 years ago, on a whim and with no previous experience, he auditioned for a small role in a community theater production of the musical "Guys and Dolls" and got it. Since then, he's appeared in almost a dozen Naples Players Inc. performances. He also worked a stint as president of the group, overseeing a $1.1 million annual budget, and served on its board when the group built a $6 million theater in downtown Naples. A decade ago, at age 36, he taught himself to snow ski, just because it looked like a challenge. In 1996, he took up a more Floridaesque sport and began scuba diving. "I don't like to be static," said McNees.
Beginning Monday, he'll take on a new challenge, when he becomes the fifth city manager in Sarasota history. City commissioners selected him in mid-August to replace the retiring David Sollenberger, at a salary of $129,500. McNees takes over the city's helm at a time of unprecedented growth, and as Sarasota is fighting to keep pace with issues that will significantly shape its future, including the economic resurgence of Newtown and the proliferation of so- called "mega homes." He'll also have to grapple with a lawsuit involving the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall's $20 million renovation and the effects of two special elections, including one that could alter the city's form of government.
At the same time, McNees will be charged with finding a way to pump up employee morale and residents' confidence, both of which have eroded from a perceived lack of accountability and oversight. Friends and former colleagues say McNees is up to the job. “He’s fair, he's above reproach, and if he has a stance, he has a damn good reason for that stance," said Mark Middlebrook, chief of operations for Collier County's court system. "He's a very well-rounded individual," said Mark Shroyer, a college friend who ran track with McNees at Indiana University. "He's always looking for something new to conquer. I'd let him manage my affairs in a minute." Jim Rideoutte, executive director of the Naples Players, describes McNees as analytical. "He doesn't do anything out of emotion, which is odd for someone who works on the stage," Rideoutte said. "He's very thoughtful."
McNees is no stranger to the inner workings of government, or to tackling prickly issues, either. Since 1995, McNees has worked as assistant county manager and chief operating officer in Collier County, capping a 17-year career there. During his tenure as assistant county manager, he lobbied for a voter referendum for a controversial one-cent sales tax to fix roads and bridges and was the "last stop in the disciplinary chain" dealing with employees. He's also twice run the county on an interim basis for months at a time, in the absence of a manager. But the Collier County Commission both times declined to give him the manager's job.
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The first time McNees ran Collier, he had been the assistant county manager for only a few months, and the commission felt he lacked experience, according to news reports. The commission eventually selected Bob Fernandez, who resigned in December 1999. Two months later, the County Commission chose Tom Olliff, an 18-year Collier County veteran, over McNees. More than one commissioner referred to the county's top management as a "dream team" with Olliff as manager and McNees as No. 2.
County government observers believe Olliff got the nod, in part, because he's more outgoing and affable. Middlebrook and others also contend McNees was too candid for the commission in place at that time. "It may have hurt his chances," Middlebrook said. McNees displayed some of that frankness during his mid-August interview with the Sarasota City Commission, too. "I don't use my workday making myself look impressive," McNees said.
For the hyper-competitive McNees, though, losing out to Olliff was a blow that sent him searching for someplace where he could run the show. “I’ve got a career to think about and Collier County has told me that my career has reached its peak here and I'm way too young and full of juice to accept that this is as far as I am going to go," McNees said in response to a question on his future career plans, in the wake of Olliff's selection. He came close to being picked as a municipal manager several times, when he was named a finalist for the top administrative job in Clearwater, Bonita Springs, and Castle Rock, Colo.
McNees said last month he feels as if he's been "in training" to run Sarasota his entire government career. McNees' path to Sarasota began in the mid-1950s, growing up in Brownsburg, Ind., a suburb of Indianapolis. After high school he attended IU, where despite his size -- McNees is 6-feet-4 -- he walked onto the track team and landed a spot on a relay team. "I didn't have any business running track. I wasn't good enough," McNees said. "But I didn't know that." In 1977, McNees and his relay team won a Big Ten track championship and he helped set a Big Ten record in the 1,600-meter relay. Today, he describes his track experience as "one of the defining events of my life." "He took the ability he had and channeled it to a higher level," said Shroyer, his college track teammate, who now lives outside Austin, Tex.
McNees majored in chemistry at IU and then earned a master's degree in business from Louisiana Tech University, where he also worked as an assistant track coach. After school, McNees went to work for Internorth, Inc./Northern Propane Gas Co., where he entered a management trainee program. The job took him to Naples, his home ever since. McNees left the company four years later, after resisting transfers to rural Louisiana and Georgia. Eager to remain in Naples, where he could pursue hobbies, remain close to the water and be near friends, McNees went to work for West Coast Windows Inc., a fast-growing blinds manufacturer, as its comptroller.
He got fired when he refused to go along with the company's owner, who was borrowing money against equipment that already carried debt on it. To make ends meet, he began selling health club memberships, which led to a chance meeting with then- County Manager Neil Dorrill. Impressed with his drive, Dorrill hired McNees as a utility rate analyst. Shortly thereafter, he
Page 97 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) became an administrative assistant to the county's utilities manager. McNees rose through the ranks of the county's government and two years after being hired, he was named utilities finance director. Within a decade, McNees was appointed to head the department as utilities administrator. In 1995, Dorrill picked him to be assistant county manager and Collier's chief operating officer. In that capacity, he oversaw 1,400 employees and an annual budget of more than $600 million.
Along the way, McNees developed a reputation among some county workers as a demanding boss. "He doesn't sugar coat things," said Mike Smykowski, Collier's budget management director. "He gets the most out of his staff. And he can play the bad cop if need be." Still, Smykowski rates McNees as a "good manager overall." McNees, who told the City Commission in mid-August that "you live or die by the people you hire" and that he goes out of his way to back department heads, considers himself tough, but fair. "I don't think of myself as overly demanding, I just don't put up with anyone who's not willing to give their all," McNees said. If McNees has become known by some as a stern task master, he has avoided being tainted by a scandal that has shaken Collier County government.
Stadium Naples had been planned as a major new development. Instead, the failed deal has resulted in a federal investigation and a handful of indictments. Various officials, including a pair of county commissioners, have been arrested and implicated in a scheme to help developers receive special treatment and avoid paying required impact fees. McNees said he wasn't fouled by the scandal because he works hard to separate his professional and personal lives. "I never got involved in those social circles," McNees said. "Plus, I think people knew me as someone who wouldn't roll over for those who expected special treatment."
Although McNees has called Naples home for two decades, he isn't anchored by family there. His parents live in Indiana and Atlanta. An older brother lives in Indiana. And at 46, he's never been married, which he acknowledges is unusual for a heterosexual male with a solid job and varied interests. "It just hasn't happened for me," he said. "I haven't given up on it yet, though." For now, McNees lives alone with his dog, Zoey. Perhaps surprising for someone in such a public position, McNees describes himself as a "private" person. It's part of the reason he became involved with the Naples Players. "I figured if I can go in and audition and stand in front of strangers and sing, I can do anything," he said.
Those desires to keep moving and to accomplish extend to his social life as well, which centers around basketball, tennis and spear fishing. On weekends, he often takes out his 20-foot motorboat to go diving. His waterfront home is filled with framed pictures of fish caught on past fishing trips and other adventures. Outside, McNees flies a red and white IU flag, along with the stars and stripes. McNees' loyalty to his school extends to the theater. He proudly takes a visitor to the Naples Players' 420-seat community theater that opened in November 1999, and boasts that it is debt-free, thanks to aggressive fundraising. "I'm gonna hate to leave this," he said. "It's been a big part of my life." The feeling is mutual.
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"He takes his roles as a performer very seriously," said Dallas Dunnigan, the theater's artistic director. "He does his homework. And he's very much a leader. He knows what he wants, and his commitment to whatever he does is 100 percent, or more." Most recently, McNees took on the role of Gordon in the theater's production of "Catfish Moon," a character McNees describes as a "simple-minded" alcoholic. He also acted in "On Golden Pond" and a play called "Lips Together, Teeth Apart," where he played John Haddock, a "bigoted, yuppie, homophobe." McNees said he was attracted to both roles because they were challenges and "nothing like me." For the time being, McNees plans to put his acting on hold, and concentrate instead on improving Sarasota. And while running the city may be the biggest challenge of his life, he's undaunted. "To me, life is about achievement. You have to have something to shoot for," McNees said. "Without that, I don't know how you get up in the morning."
INSIDERS GUIDE TO MIKE McNEES Favorite late night talk show host - David Letterman Longest county commission meeting - 10 hours Favorite play - "The Rainmaker," by Richard Nash Last book read - "Sick Puppy," Carl Hiaasen Hero - His grandfather, Leon McNees Favorite sport - basketball Favorite fish - Hogfish
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) August 21, 2001
City votes to pay manager $129,500 The approved contract also pays Michael McNees, who begins work Sept. 24, a financial package worth $12,100. Author: Kevin L. McQuaid
The City Commission on Monday voted unanimously to pay Sarasota's new city manager $129,500 a year. Michael McNees, who will begin work as Sarasota's top administrator on Sept. 24, also will receive a financial package from the city worth $12,100 a year. The majority of that money, $8,500, will be deposited into a deferred compensation plan. The remaining $3,600 a year will be paid to McNees as an automobile allowance. In addition, McNees will receive moving expenses from his residence in Naples; $3,000 for temporary housing for up to two months; and complete medical insurance.
The five-member commission, which hired McNees on Saturday to be the fifth city manager in Sarasota's history, guaranteed McNees' salary through Sept. 30, 2003, even if he is fired. "He, of course, will serve at the pleasure of the commission," said City Attorney Dick Taylor, one of three city charter officials, along with City Auditor and Clerk Billy Robinson and the city manager. The city's rules require a three-fifths majority of the commission to terminate the city manager. At $129,500, McNees' salary will be only slightly higher than that of City Manager David Sollenberger, who makes just over $126,000 annually.
City leaders said they were delighted with the compensation package. "It is with great pleasure that I move that the employment contract with Michael McNees be approved," said Commissioner Lou Ann Palmer. As of Oct. 1, 2003, McNees will receive six months' salary if he is fired, according to an agreement reached Monday between the new manager and city officials. He will also accrue three weeks of vacation each year, and nine sick days. McNees now makes $119,000 as assistant county manager in Collier County, a position he has held since September 1995. He could not be reached for comment Monday evening. Sollenberger, who plans to cease working for the city at the end of September, will officially retire at the end of the year, after using accrued vacation and compensatory time. As part of his agreement, McNees must give the city 60 days' notice if he plans to resign as city manager.
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The Banner (FL) October 14, 2000
Michael McNees
There have been many changes to the Bonita Springs area over the years and city manager candidate Michael McNees has seen many of them. McNees has worked within Collier County government since 1984. He has worked his way up from administrative assistant to utilities administrator to assistant county administrator, clocking in two stints as acting county administrator. It was those two periods -- six months in 1997 and five months between 1999 and this year -- that whetted his appetite for a full-time top position. "There's no doubt about it," he said. Since 1995, McNees has been assistant county administrator. He has been responsible for the day-to-day operations under the Collier County Commission. He has authority on hiring, salary administration and discipline issues. He has also worked as acting emergency services administrator since May 1999. He also has experience working with new municipalities. McNees was the primary architect of Collier County's transition strategies when Marco Island incorporated in 1997. The issues facing Bonita, he said, would be similar to the issues in Collier County. But the way those issues are handled would be different, he said. The entire city staff in Bonita probably wouldn't fill the offices of many Collier County departments. "There are 1,200 employees in Collier County government," he said. "It is a much different scale and, in that, it would be completely different."
The big difference between McNees' current job and the city manager position would be ultimate accountability. As an assistant, he said, he is free to give ideas but someone else is finally accountable. In Bonita Springs, he would be that someone else, but that is something he says he wouldn't mind. "I would be happy to be in that position," he said. "I think it's gone well here when I've had that opportunity." He also said that he would enjoy working in a young city. "It's a unique opportunity," he said. "I think it would be interesting and an awful lot of fun to build from the ground up."
McNees' co-workers say he is ready for that opportunity. Collier County Manager Tom Olliff has worked side by side with McNees for years and the two vied for the county manager job after former Administrator Robert Fernandez resigned under pressure. He said McNees has the tools to manage any local government anywhere. "He has a great wealth of experience in terms of local government management," he said. Olliff added that McNees also has a good working relationship with the County Commission. "He has a tremendous amount of respect from the board," he said. "When Mike tells the board something, there is no doubt it is the truth and that it has been well thought out."
Commissioner Barbara Berry agreed McNees would be a top candidate for any manager job. She was McNees' sole supporter on the commission for the county manager job after Fernandez resigned. "He is very straightforward and pulls no punches," she said. "I admire that." She also said he is not afraid to make sure the job is done right. "He is a tough task master," Berry said, "but he is fair. You have to have some of that to be in the position he is in." His supporters say it
Page 101 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) can only help that he has worked next door to the city for 16 years. Olliff said the luxury of hiring locally would be that the new manager would already have a grasp of the local government and the feelings of the citizens. "I think it would give Mike an advantage in terms of local government and local history," he said. McNees said he likes to think in terms of what he does or doesn't offer to a city, but knowing the city's background would be an asset. "It couldn't hurt to know a little about how things have progressed around there," he said.
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Naples Daily News (FL) August 2, 2000
Collier County Commission approves purchase of first set of public buses Author: Daily News staff
The purchase of seven buses for Collier County's first public bus system was unanimously approved at Tuesday's County Commission meeting. The buses, which will be 25 feet long, will cost $112,000 each. They require diesel fuel and are expected to be able to run every day for 7- 10 years, Collier County Transportation Manager Gavin Jones said. Some commissioners expressed concern that diesel-fueled buses would leave large amounts of exhaust in their wake. But Jones and Assistant County Manager Michael McNees said the buses would be fuel efficient and wouldn't belch black smoke when stopping and starting. A tentative bus route has hourly service between Naples, Golden Gate, Immokalee and East Naples. The bus system is expected to begin operations sometime in February 2001, Jones said.
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Naples Daily News (FL) October 2, 1997
Ex-Collier worker files federal suit Author: Gina Edwards
A former maintenance worker has filed a federal lawsuit against Collier County claiming the county violated his civil rights and fired him in retaliation for filing a grievance against his supervisor. Robert Richman, an air conditioning worker for the Facilities Maintenance Department, filed a lawsuit on Sept. 22 in Fort Myers federal court. In the lawsuit, Richman claims he was disciplined and retaliated against by his supervisor after he filed a complaint under the county's so-called Commitment to Fair Treatment policy. He is asking that the court force the county to give him his job back and pay him for lost wages and an unspecified amount for mental suffering.
Assistant County Attorney Mike Pettit said the county has not yet been served with the lawsuit and customarily doesn't comment on pending litigation. Pettit did say: "To my knowledge, Mr. Richman was given all of the normal procedures available to an employee involved in a discharge proceeding." Richman's lawyer Toni Horne, of Naples, declined to comment about the lawsuit saying she preferred to let the court complaint speak for itself. The lawsuit names as defendants Collier County, the Board of County Commissioners, Facilities Supervisor George Gulley, Human Resources Analyst Jerre Salmon, Facilities Management Director Skip Camp, Support Services Director Leo Ochs, Facilities Administrative Manager James Hehl, Interim County Administrator Mike McNees and County Administrator Robert Fernandez.
Richman, who began working for the county in 1989, claims in the lawsuit that he complained to Salmon, Camp and Ochs about a "good old boy" system of management perpetuated by Gulley in the maintenance shop. After Richman complained in July 1996, Gulley began issuing disciplinary reports against Richman, the suit claims. Within three weeks of Richman's grievance, he was reprimanded by his supervisor for not wearing a proper uniform, taking a coffee break on his way to a job site and improperly using a county truck, according to the lawsuit. Camp wrote a memo saying he was concerned about Richman's mental stability and that he found Richman's claims that another supervisor was "out to get him" unfounded.
Richman received a below standard rating on his 1996 evaluation, following "good" evaluation reports the previous two years. Richman was discharged from his $22,000-a-year job in November 1996 for falsifying his time card. The lawsuit claims Richman was fired for including a half-hour he spent at Vo-tech talking to a teacher about a class required by his supervisor. Following his discharge, Richman received an administrative hearing at which time McNees upheld the termination. Personnel records show that Richman's supervisor said he needed to improve his working relations with others and improve his contribution in handling the department's work load on a 1995 report, although he was given an overall good rating. He was reprimanded on a 1992 evaluation for record keeping, personnel records show.
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Naples Daily News (FL) April 13, 1997
Mike McNees Author: Gina Edwards
Crooning bluegrass songs for the Naples Players in his role as a wannabe country star in the play "Foxfire" was uncomfortable for 41-year-old Mike McNees. He says he's not a singer. But uncomfortable is how McNees likes it sometimes. "I like challenges, and I like to get shaken up a little," said McNees, who is interim county manager and one of three contenders for the permanent job. McNees, after one year in his position as assistant county manager, stepped temporarily into the top job after Neil Dorrill departed as county manager in February to take a position with a private developer. Commissioners plan to interview Fernandez and internal candidates Mike McNees and Leo Ochs on April 23 and 24 and make a selection on April 29.
Commissioners debated whether giving McNees the interim slot would appear to give him an advantage over the other internal candidate vying for the job, Leo Ochs, who oversees one of the county's four divisions as support services administrator. At that time, commissioners humbled McNees, telling him he was facing competition from some highly accomplished outside contenders. Since then, McNees has described himself as a longshot. That commissioners only selected two of seven outside candidates to interview is perhaps a signal, McNees said. "I think it says they see Leo and I as viable candidates," he said. "It says to the whole staff that we're legitimate contenders."
As assistant county manager, McNees oversaw the day-to-day operations of all four of the county's divisions that employ 1,100 people. McNees joined Collier County government in 1984 as an administrative assistant to the utilities director making $18,000. From there he served as utilities finance director and was appointed budget director in 1989. After serving for five years as budget director, McNees was appointed utilities administrator for 19 months until named assistant county manager in September 1995.
Colleagues and friends describe McNees as confident, direct, analytical and a quick study. He has an aversion to bureau speak. "I don't use buzz words," McNees said. "I don't need to use big words to impress people. I want to communicate in language people can understand." McNees said the challenge for Collier County government is holding the line on property taxes. "People expect, demand and deserve high quality serves. People also expect and demand that the ad valorem tax rate not go up. That's a challenge," McNees said.
While budget director, McNees got tapped by former manager Dorrill to, as McNees described, secure control of a utilities department adrift. For one of his two greatest accomplishments on his written application, McNees wrote: "Bringing the utilities ship back on course." McNees listed his other greatest accomplishment as: "Advancement to assistant county manager without self- promotion or deal-making -- strictly by being competent every day and getting the job done." While budget director, McNees assembled a downsizing team that recommended cutting 10
Page 105 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order) percent of the county's supervisory and management positions after a business downturn left the county with large shortfalls in sales and gas tax revenue. "It's not the kind of thing people send you Christmas cards for," McNees said.
Former McNees utilities colleague Mary Jo Thurston called McNees a professional and skillful manager. When a proposal to privatize county utilities was floated, McNees proved the county could provide the services in just as cost effective a way, Thurston said. "He's very attuned at picking up new skills," Thurston said. And while a former supervisor once took him to task in an evaluation for being the "consummate delegator," several of those who have worked under him praised McNees for the trait. Current Budget Director Mike Smykowski called McNees' management style direct. He's very good at cutting to the chase and getting to the bottom line very quickly," Smykowski said.
Outside of government, McNees has plunged into a diverse range of community activities. He says he is still a bachelor by accident, not design. The 6-foot 5-inch McNees is a former Big Ten Track Champion from Indiana University and plays basketball in two adult leagues. He served as a volunteer assistant boys basketball coach at Lely High School for five years. McNees coached track as an assistant at Louisiana Tech University to pay his way through graduate school and earn his master's of business administration. Lely Boy's Basketball Coach Don Stewart said McNees served as a good role model for the players. "He was very personable and related real well to the players," Stewart said. Stewart described McNees as a good athlete: perfect for working with the team's big men.
McNees joined the Naples Players in 1985 after a friend convinced him that trying out for a gangster part in "Guys and Dolls" would be fun. McNees played Harry the Horse. He admitted the Brooklyn accent was a stretch for his Indiana native dialect. "I thought, if I can do this, I can do anything," McNees said. McNees, who is currently on the Naples Player board of directors, served as president for two years. Naples Players President Ted Tobye credits McNees for being instrumental in setting up the nest egg for the Players planned new theater. "He's the one that had the vision and the foresight," Tobye said, who described McNees' fortes as finances and planning. "He's played a vital role in the advancement of the players. He's very insightful and asks good questions."
"Foxfire" director Emily Gehrke picked McNees for the part of Dillard Nations because of his charisma and believability. "He really brought the part to life. The character evolved as a person throughout the show," Gehrke said. She said McNees was forced to sing a lot of goofy songs, some of which he rewrote to make them in Gerhke's words "less stupid." "He's somebody who says, 'I'm going to do it right or not do it at all,'" Gehrke said.
Page 106 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Naples Daily News (FL) January 29, 1997
McNees fills Neil Dorrill's chair Author: Gina Edwards
Assistant County Manager Mike McNees will take the county's top job while Collier County commissioners narrow the field of applicants and select a new county manager. Commissioners appointed McNees on Tuesday as the interim county manager despite some concerns raised about his also applying to fill the job permanently. McNees will take over as interim county manager on Feb. 11 to replace outgoing manager Neil Dorrill, who announced in December he would leave his position after 10 years to take a job with a private developer. Commissioner Tim Constantine said he did not want there to be a perception that McNees had an unfair advantage in the application process, which to date has netted 57 prospects from around the country. Commissioner John Norris, who cast the only negative vote on McNees' interim appointment, said he preferred to hire someone not applying for the permanent manager job. Commissioners have not set a deadline to pick a new manager but expect the process to last at least a month. My responsibility is to work on a smooth transition. I can't be worried about if (serving as interim county manager) makes me look good or bad," McNees said. Also applying for the interim county manager position was Ed Day, the executive assistant to the county manager. Day said he won't pursue the permanent county manager position, which nets a minimum salary of $118,000. The deadline for applications closes on Friday, at which time a five-member citizens committee will begin winnowing down applications to a short list of about 15 people. Commissioners said they anticipate interviewing less than a half dozen candidates. All of the interviews will be held at public meetings. Chairman Tim Hancock said he would favor allowing a citizens committee to ask questions of the top candidates at some public forums and that interviews of candidates be broadcast in the evening on cable channel 54.
McNees, 41, has served as assistant county manager for just over a year and makes $72,300 a year. He was the county's utilities finance director from 1986 to 1989, budget director from 1989 to 1994, and utilities administrator from 1994 to 1995. He received his master's degree in business administration from Louisiana Tech University and began his career with Collier County in 1984 as an administrative assistant to the utilities director. McNees, who earned his bachelor's degree from Indiana University Bloomington, was a Big Ten track champion in 1977. He has served as a Lely High School assistant basketball coach for five years and as president of the Naples Players Board of Directors for two years. Commissioner Pam Mac'Kie said she did not believe hiring McNees in the interim would be giving him an advantage. She said at Tuesday's meeting that McNees will be "hard pressed" to compete against some of the applicants already in who have more experience heading large organizations than McNees. Similarly, Chairman Tim Hancock said McNees will be competing with some highly qualified applicants from around the country. "For me personally it doesn't give him a leg up," Hancock said. Commissioner Barbara Berry said she believed McNees is the logical choice for interim manager because of his job description, which makes him the current stand-in Dorrill is absent. Berry said not appointing McNees would appear that commissioners were "tinkering" with the application process.
Page 107 of 108 Section 8 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Michael Alan McNees (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Naples Daily News (FL) February 3, 1996
ASSISTANT COUNTY MANAGER NAMED MIKE MCNEES HAS BEEN ACTING ASSISTANT COUNTY MANAGER SINCE AUGUST. Author: Steve Hart
After nearly two and a half years, senior Collier County administrator Mike McNees can finally take the acting part off his title. County Manager Neil Dorrill named McNees Thursday to the post of assistant county manager, making him the second highest ranking administrator in county government. McNees, 40, has been acting assistant county manager since August when Dorrill elevated him in the wake of the resignation of Assistant County Manager Bill Hargett, who left to become city manager in Pompano Beach.
Prior to taking that job, McNees was acting county utilities chief for two years. He was Dorrill's budget director before going to the utilities division. He's been good in relief, Dorrill said Friday. Collier County commissioners will be asked to ratify the appointment when they meet Tuesday. Dorrill said he doesn't expect any opposition from the lawmakers. Mike is highly respected in the organization, Dorrill said. His credibility in the community and his intellect and knowledge of county operations make him good for the position. For his part, McNees said Friday he is pleased to take the job on a permanent basis. I've worked here (in county government) a long time and have sought this job in the past, he said. I appreciate the manager's confidence in me, and will do the very best job I can.
A graduate of Indiana University in 1977 and Louisiana Tech University, where he earned a masters degree in business administration in 1979, McNees joined Collier County government in 1984 as a utilities rate analyst. He was quickly elevated to an administrative assistant's position in utilities and later became the utilities division's finance director. He became county budget director in 1989 and was asked by Dorrill in 1994 to take over a troubled utilities department in the wake of the forced resignation of the former utilities director. Before joining county government, McNees worked in the private sector for four years as district manager for the Northern Propane Gas Company, known commercially as Norgas.
McNees was one of four current county employees considered by Dorrill for the post of assistant county manager. Marco Island resident and retired U.S. Navy captain Ed Day, currently Dorrill's special assistant; Acting Human Resources Director Jennifer Edwards; and Administrative Services Administrator Leo Ochs all interviewed for the job. We had some fine candidates, Dorrill said.
Research Compiled by: Amanda Beyer & Lynelle Klein Colin Baenziger & Associates
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Section 9
Benjamin “Ben” B. Newhouse
Naples City Manager Candidate Report
Section 9
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
COVER LETTER AND RESUME 1
CANDIDATE INTRODUCTION 7
BACKGROUND CHECKS 13
CB&A REFERENCE NOTES 17
INTERNET SEARCH 25
Section 9
Cover Letter and Resume
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1111 N. Poplar Fork Road Hurricane, WV 25526 E-Mail: [email protected] (304) 741-4878
June 29, 2018
Colin Baenziger & Associates 2055 South Atlantic Avenue, Suite 504 Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118
RE: City Manager of Naples, FL
Dear Mr. Baenziger:
Enclosed you will find my resume concerning the position of City Manager of Naples, Florida. For the past 25 years, I have worked extensively in economic and community development throughout West Virginia. I have served on many boards to better understand various agencies and programs from which I could assist with collaboration, advocacy and education to assist families and businesses.
My background stems from community development and I chose this profession based on the great reward to link individuals to programs and agencies that would provide direction and enrich lives. Community enhancement leads to many possibilities such as job creation, higher educational standards, and heightened goals and benchmarks.
Throughout my education and experience, I have collaborated with many organizations to initiate and/or invigorate existing programs. By developing benchmarks and goals, projects such as housing, business development and community revitalization have been a part of my career to reshape neighborhoods and create opportunities.
My perception of this position is to work with many partners, educate, advocate, energize and stimulate activity for the City of Naples toward their greatest needs. I consider myself to work well within a team dynamic to create new opportunities for residents, businesses and employees of the City of Naples.
I greatly appreciate the consideration to work for the City of Naples, Florida. If you should have any questions, please call or e-mail me. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Ben Newhouse
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Ben Newhouse 1111 N. Poplar Fork Road, Hurricane, West Virginia 25526
(304) 741-4878 [email protected] ======
PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE
City of Hurricane 2005-Present
In my current position as City Manager for the City of Hurricane, West Virginia, I oversee various departments including police, administration, maintenance, street, water, wastewater, storm water, code enforcement, housing inspection and demolition. The city has a population of approximately 7,000 residents and approximately 300 businesses. I oversee a $10 million per year budget with 80 employees. Some of my responsibilities include the oversight and operation of the wastewater and water plants, personnel/human resources, finances, budgeting, forecasting, insurance, equipment, loss prevention, grant writing, and fund raising. I work in unison with many other agencies to provide resources to various residents such as housing rehabilitation, recreation, education, economic and community growth. My goal is to advocate for a stronger community through family and business development by understanding and utilizing all assets to enhance our standard of living. Community benchmarks and objectives are developed to ensure growth and stability throughout the City. Community and economic initiatives are developed to heighten awareness, viability and sustainability in the region.
To quantify my success at the City, the following statistics have been accomplished due to my ability to secure grant funds, financing and refinancing equipment and improvements and to evaluate service related contracts to provide more income to the City:
1. Housing rehabilitation-Over 300 homes have been rehabilitation in the community by securing $160,000 in grant funds, which in turn reinvested more than $2 million to local vendors and residents. Vendors benefitted from the workcamps with all material, supplies and other needs purchased locally. Workers resided in the community from across the United States to fix structural problems for homes across the region. Significant investment has been made to many seniors, low-income and handicapped individuals with the free housing rehabilitation.
2. Grants-Many grants have been secured to purchase equipment and improvements such as energy efficiency, police equipment, computers/laptops and community enhancements. Approximately, $200,000 has been secured for lighting improvements, solar panels, and external insulating finishing system (EIFS). Funding in the amount of $100,000 has been granted for police vests, shotguns, and in-car cameras and computers. Recreation funding was also gained during my tenure with over $1 million provided from various agencies. Various projects include sidewalks ($900,000) and trail development at the city park ($100,000).
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3. Contractual-What I consider to be one of my greatest accomplishments is the ability to identify, evaluate and resolve service contracts to benefit the City and its workers. Hiring local contractors, vendors and employees has always been a top priority. Coupling with the hiring of local companies and residents, savings were gained by ensuring reliability and maintaining a high level of consistency within the workplace. It is estimated that over $500,000 has been saved by evaluating competitors and price to strengthen the City’s financial status while providing enhanced service for our employees and residents.
4. Financial-Approximately $1 million has been saved by the City by refinancing projects such as Main Street building and improvements, city vehicles and water/wastewater loans/bonds. All financial instruments have been evaluated and restructured to apply to fiscal budgets and garner savings for the City. Many loans were consolidated to give terms that would provide greater flexibility for various departments. Having flexibility is crucial based upon varying revenues and expenses that could be experienced in future years.
5. Community Development-Several projects have been established and completed during my tenure. A few projects that have been significant and been fortunate to obtain grant funding has been the Sprayground ($250,000) and the new bridge ($350,000) that are located at the Hurricane City Park. The sprayground has provided a free water park for children in the community for the past 5 years. Approximately 100,000 children and family members have utilized the sprayground in the past five years. The new bridge was recently constructed to provide a new two-lane access into the city park. A new pedestrian bridge is planned for the Spring of 2017 to accompany the new bridge.
Upper Kanawha Valley Enterprise Community (UKVEC) 1998-2005
After serving as Community Development Specialist with the West Virginia Development Office, I was hired as the Executive Director of the Upper Kanawha Valley Enterprise Community (UKVEC). Our mission was to assist with community and economic development efforts to an area that had a federal poverty rate of 25.1%. Several projects were initiated and completed by the UKVEC, but the development of the business incubator served as a pivotal accomplishment to retain and expand jobs in eastern Kanawha and Fayette Counties. The incubator was a substantial achievement due to its creation of new jobs, community connectivity, and available training space. I attended many trade shows to illustrate West Virginia and attract businesses to the state as well. I worked in conjunction with the West Virginia Development Office, Upper Kanawha Valley Economic Development Corporation, Charleston Area Alliance and the West Virginia University Institute of Technology. This role also offered me the opportunity to rehabilitate 700 homes at no cost for area residents, $1 Home Purchases with Habitat for Humanity and demolition of blighted buildings were some of the other projects our organization worked collaboratively with other non-profits in the area. Some of the other community agencies that I worked with in the Upper Kanawha Valley included Cabin Creek Health Clinic, Starting Points, Kimberly Community Center, Southern Appalachian Labor
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School, East Bank Community Cupboard, Cabin Creek and Lower Paint Creek Watershed Associations.
Following are some of the funding secured for various projects:
1. Business incubator-$1.5 million was secured for the business incubator in Chelyan that established offices for small businesses, entrepreneurs and other non-profits. Over 50 jobs were provided through the use of the incubator. Various community programs and meeting space were provided from the restoration of the former elementary school into an incubator.
2. Approximately 200 computers were refurbished and distributed to low-income residents to strengthen their family’s technology in their homes for educational attainment. Computers were provided by American Electric Power (AEP) and improved with new software and hardware.
3. Through Group and REACH Workcamps, 700 homes were rehabilitated for an investment of almost $3 million in the Upper Kanawha Valley. Again, the housing rehabilitation was provided at no charge to residents. The initiative behind the many weeks of workcamps was to orient out-of-state visitors with the community with the hope that they would return to West Virginia for tourism or other purposes.
West Virginia Development Office (WVDO) -U.S. Housing and Urban Development (SCBG) (1992-94) -U.S. Department of Energy (1994-96) -Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) (1996-98)
1992-1998
After graduating from West Virginia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, I worked for the West Virginia Development Office (WVDO) in three divisions. Initially, I started with the Energy Efficiency Office, progressed to the Small Cities Block Grant office, and concluded with the Appalachian Regional Commission. For almost seven years, I was with the West Virginia Development Office. I worked extensively with other economic and community development agencies in many areas of West Virginia. These agencies include public service districts, counties, regional councils, regional development authorities, cities, and businesses. Some of the projects I was involved in included small business expansion, energy efficiency, alternative fuels, infrastructure, education, and health care.
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EDUCATION
Masters in Strategic Leadership (2005). Mountain State University - Beckley, WV
Bachelors in Accounting with a Minor in Business and Computer Management (1992). West Virginia University Institute of Technology – Montgomery, WV
Community Development Certificate (1996). Central Arkansas University – Conway, AR
Economic Development Certificate (1994). University of Kentucky – Lexington, KY
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Habitat for Humanity Rebuilding Together Cabin Creek Quilts Charleston Area Alliance United Way-Putnam County Committee Putnam County Chamber of Commerce-Education Committee Putnam County Solid Waste Authority Hatfield-McCoy Recreational Trail Authority Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIF) - Freshwater Institute EnAct BridgeValley Foundation Hurricane Development Authority United Way’s Program Services Advisory Committee Upper Kanawha Valley Starting Points Regional Intergovernmental Council Arts in Action BB&T Community Reinvestment Act Advisory Board Generation Putnam Micro Enterprise Development Association (MEDA)
VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT
Coach-For the past 25 years, I’ve coached various athletic teams including; baseball, flag football, high school and middle school soccer, girls volleyball and track Portfolio-Assisted by reviewing resumes and portfolios for area high school students to better prepare for a collegiate career by assessing their personal skills during an interview process. Additional assessment was provided to the student to determine their financial aid, curriculum and schedule to assist with future success in a college setting.
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Candidate Introduction
Page 7 of 46 Section 9 Ben Newhouse
EDUCATION
Masters in Strategic Leadership (2005). Mountain State University - Beckley, WV
Bachelors in Accounting with a Minor in Business and Computer Management (1992). West Virginia University Institute of Technology – Montgomery, WV
Community Development Certificate (1996). Central Arkansas University – Conway, AR
Economic Development Certificate (1994). University of Kentucky – Lexington, KY
EXPERIENCE
City of Hurricane 2005-Present
Upper Kanawha Valley Enterprise Community (UKVEC) 1998-2005
West Virginia Development Office (WVDO) -U.S. Housing and Urban Development (SCBG) 1992-94 -U.S. Department of Energy 1994-96 -Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) 1996-98
BACKGROUND
The City of Hurricane is the fastest growing community in Putnam County, West Virginia and is in the top five in the State of West Virginia. Growth is attributed to proximity to close markets in Lexington, KY, Pittsburgh, PA and Columbus/Cincinnati, OH. Community and economic development planning and infrastructure are integral to future development/expansion for residential and commercial growth. The U.S. Census Bureau had determined that our community experienced a growth rate of 25.4% for the past ten years.
The City of Hurricane has 82 employees and has an annual budget comprised of $3 million in water, $4 million in wastewater and $4 million in general fund. Our departments include police, building code, building inspection, emergency response, administration, water, wastewater, convention and visitor bureau, parks, street and animal warden. The City is also designated by U.S. EPA as an MS4 Community responsible for water pollution control, testing, construction supervision and run-off/detention measures. Hurricane has been ranked the #1 community to retire and raise a family in West Virginia. The City has also been ranked the seventh safest community in West Virginia.
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The three most significant issues facing the City are:
• Garnering and collaborating federal, state and local resources for project development. The City of Hurricane is considered a non-distressed community determined by most federal agencies. Leveraging funds and resources is difficult unless applying for grants or programs that are under the auspice of foundations, other grant providers or businesses/individuals. • Another issue facing the City is keeping up with the growth rate and the expectations of the community. With Hurricane receiving new residents and job growth, completing infrastructure and assessing development trends can provide more complexities. For example, with new business development, infrastructure such as sidewalks, roads and water pollution control run-off must be assessed and constructed to meet needs. • Community outreach and collaboration remains a top priority for the City to expand parks, expand resources and knowledge and explore new opportunities. Enhancing and developing our community remains a challenge as programs, funding, agencies and other external factors are altered and changed from changing legislatures, state administration and other that influence our community.
GENERAL, MANAGEMENT STYLE AND EXPERIENCE
The City of Hurricane is three square miles, but it comprises 2,500 households and 7,000 residents. The City has been acknowledged as an innovative community that has blazed various new paths over the years, which many cities and counties have called the City for advice and knowledge. Innovations include being the largest housing rehab provider in the State and initiating programs in several communities in West Virginia.
The City has also constructed a new sprayground, performed demolition, purchased new property for another city park, renovated a caboose for a museum, restored five building on Main Street to create economic vitality and value to surrounding neighborhoods. Several communities have called Hurricane to request their assistance toward infrastructure, housing, legislation, Main Street development, parks and recreation, building code/inspection and much more.
Over the course of my career, I have made a deliberate effort to learn from others to provide a positive impact on our community. My passion is community and economic development. My past experience and knowledge provides me the understanding to integrate and utilize staff and other agencies and personnel to create a better community for residents and businesses. Staff development and education is crucial for my inherent values. I strongly encourage personnel to become better prepared and educated for daily and future expectations. The management strategy that I utilize is a democratic style. Team perspective and buy-in is crucial for organizational worth and employee recognition from the organization and for themselves.
Page 9 of 46 Section 9 Ben Newhouse
As I previously mentioned, I learn from every facet of the organizational chart, starting from executive level to entry level employees. Through 26 years of experience, I’m cognizant and appreciate everything I’ve learned from my first job to my current position. Details are important as they resonate throughout my career and I can apply what I’ve learned to manage an organization and our benchmarks.
My current and past employers and employees will acknowledge that I’m driven to achieve goals on behalf of the organization that I represent. Most importantly, they’ll tell you that I’m conscious to forecast and meet objectives to assist residents and businesses that better the community. Many will state that I can multi-task and that my memory is deep with respect to many facets to City management, organization and development. My position affords me the ability to assist City Council and all staff members no matter how small the task may be.
One of my greatest strengths is to identify strengths and weaknesses with the community, City or other peripheral organizations. Some developments or fixes may be in a matter of days and some projects may constitute years. I’m prepared and organized to address short and long-term projects. Again, gaining an understanding of problems and situations is crucial, but implementing resources and staff is even more important.
In terms of weaknesses, I understand that failures will exist with relation to staff, organizations and programs that impact the City. Understanding when to undertake losses and move on is often complicated, especially when trying to change methodology, concepts and mindset that are detrimental in various functions. I have knowledge in the fact that there is no perfect situation, staff member or concept. I do take pride that I can ascertain the information and surroundings to best apply my skills to make a positive impact, albeit if it takes a few days or several years.
Understanding my role as City Manager affords me to be in a leadership capacity that implies that I have to make daily decisions that have impact. My role is to be honest to the furthest extent and understand the environment as to be sensitive to every situation. Future collaboration is hinged on understanding the environment and how to act/react. City goals and benchmarks are consistent with agency and staff communication, collaboration and progression.
My past losses and regrets are important to me as I gain a further understanding to avoid mistakes and shortcomings. Reflecting and rationalizing provides objectives ideas and the creation of strategies. My past experience provides me the regrets and losses of; not fulling understanding/direction of an individual or organization, not meeting goals due to lack of communication from those around you that may have an impact.
The challenges I see facing the City of Naples are:
1. Assessing strengths and weaknesses with respect to budget, revenue and expenses so that the City flourishes internally and externally 2. Maintaining and enhancing community standards with respect to quality of life, safety,
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wellness and good relations with the City 3. Forecasting and remedying future liabilities and hinderances that stifle the ability of the City to provide sustained, smart growth for its residents and businesses 4. Building and strengthening alliances to garner support for all projects in various communities that may have varying opinions, ideologies and/or philosophies 5. Motivating residents, businesses and all City and non-City related organizations to work toward initiatives and projects, even with consideration to priorities, political motivations and bias 6. Understanding and exceeding in new trends, technologies and processes that would assist the City in being more efficient and setting the standard as a leader in municipal government 7. Realizing and overcoming perceptions and standards 8. Educate and empower boards, committees, staff and all affiliated residents and organizations to become knowledgeable of City practices, projects and procedures to organize and synergize all parties 9. Assessing internal and external weaknesses and strengths and continually listening to all departments and staff to garner knowledge and understanding that could be applied to enhanced municipal operation and community projects
During the first six months my efforts will involve:
• Meeting with the City’s Mayor and council members, staff and other affiliated organizations that affect operations, budget/finance and programs • Reviewing all City infrastructure, facilities and equipment • Reviewing all City ordinances and regulations that affect residents, businesses and staff • Understand the goals, direction and strategies of the Mayor and City Council • Review and understand all internal and external policies of the City • Analyze all contractual and professional affiliated personnel and contracts with the City • Assess revenue and expense data and determine projections/needs • Attend all organizational, public and associated meetings to gather community concerns • Meet with staff to garner further knowledge and understand their concerns/needs • Develop strategies, projects and goals • Ensure that departmental goals, processes, strategies and benchmarks are understood by all levels of City government and residents/businesses • Assess community outreach, citizen and business processes with the City • Garner an understanding of current grants, grantors and future grants needed for projects • Evaluate other area municipal and county governments to gain an understanding of their practices, funding and strengths/weaknesses that may impact the City of Naples
I have worked well with the media, but I often relegate all media to discuss stories with the Mayor and/or City Council unless otherwise directed. I have performed numerous television/radio interviews as well as periodical interviews.
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From my past employment, work with many organizations/individuals and serving on more than 28 board of directors, I anticipate that many will say that I’ve made a positive impact in the community I served for years to come. In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, biking, coaching and volunteering.
SIX ADJECTIVES OR PHRASES I WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE MYSELF
• Honest • Driven • Hard Working • Highly Ethical • Proactive • Accessible
REASON FOR DEPARTING CURRENT POSITION
I’m looking to work for a progressive community, such as the City of Naples. I consider the City of Naples to provide me new objectives and benchmarks to enhance my experience and knowledge.
CURRENT / MOST RECENT SALARY
My final compensation at the City of Hurricane is $80,000, including fringe benefits such as health, dental, vision and life insurance.
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CB&A Background Checks
Page 13 of 46 Section 9 Background Check Summary for BENJAMIN BRIAN NEWHOUSE
Criminal Records Checks:
Nationwide Criminal Records Search No Records Found
County Lincoln County, WV No Records Found Putnam County, WV No Records Found Kanawha County, WV No Records Found
State West Virginia Records Maintained By County. See Above
Civil Records Checks:
County Lincoln County, WV No Records Found Putnam County, WV No Records Found Kanawha County, WV No Records Found
Federal West Virginia No Records Found
Motor Vehicle West Virginia No Records Found
Credit Excellent
Bankruptcy No Records Found
Education Confirmed
Employment Confirmed
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. 1681-1681Y, credit and bankruptcy information are very sensitive and should not be used be in the consideration of hiring. The information is included for each candidate because we do not want you to be surprised if third parties raise what they consider to be a concern.
Page 14 of 46 Section 9 Background Check Summary for BENJAMIN BRIAN NEWHOUSE Personal Disclosure
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CB&A Reference Notes
Page 17 of 46 Section 9 Reference Notes Ben Newhouse
Damron Bradshaw – Former Mayor, Chesapeake, WV 304-541-0753
Mr. Bradshaw worked with Mr. Newhouse in a variety of positions between 2000 to 2015. Mr. Bradshaw was the Mayor of Chesapeake for 24 years when Mr. Newhouse served as the Executive Director of the Upper Kanawha Valley Enterprise Community. They worked on several different boards and councils together until Mr. Bradshaw retired in 2015.
Mr. Newhouse did his job better than any other executive director Mr. Bradshaw knew. All the surrounding mayors looked to Mr. Newhouse for assistance and expertise both in personnel issues and economic growth within their communities. He is a people person and is always very cordial to everyone he meets.
Mr. Newhouse handles controversial situations very well. He dealt with a very belligerent woman who had to be terminated from her position. He did it in a way that did not create a big stir and with the least amount of publicity as possible. He was very tactful about her feelings regarding the matter, even though she was behaving so poorly.
Mr. Newhouse is innovative. He led the charge in remodeling an old, unused junior high school building into a business incubator that included an engineering firm, a CPA office, a children’s nonprofit group, a women’s physical fitness gym, a woodworking shop, and a conference room that was available to the public. It was a very efficient use of space and resources and turned an eyesore into a valuable community resource.
Mr. Newhouse is a talented leader. When he leads meetings, he gives everyone a chance to voice their opinions, while not getting distracted from the agenda. When confronted with a member of the board of directors who has opposing views, or community members complaining about certain businesses in the City, he responds professionally and nicely.
Mr. Bradshaw is not aware of any personal or professional conduct that would cause a reasonable person to be concerned about Mr. Newhouse’s background. He is an excellent City Manager right now and would only take him a short time to acclimate to a new location. His skills will transfer over easily and he will continue to excel wherever he goes.
Words or phrases used to describe Ben Newhouse:
• Smart, • Driven, • Intelligent, • Diplomatic, • Positive, and • Pleasant.
Page 18 of 46 Section 9 Reference Notes Ben Newhouse
Strengths: Strong leader.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Lisa Hudnall – Community Services Director, United Way of Central West Virginia, WV 304-340-3500
Ms. Hudnall has known Mr. Newhouse since 2008. They have served on various committees together and Mr. Newhouse is very active in his community. He keeps her involved in applicable projects the city is involved in, why it is good for the city and the status of the projects. He is very outspoken in what he believes. He does not give up easily, which is sometimes a strength, sometimes a weakness.
Mr. Newhouse is very interested in being involved in the nonprofit community. He especially champions those who are less fortunate and unable to help themselves. He finds the needed resources and brings people and organizations together to do the most good possible.
United Way gives Christmas food and toys to children and families in need every year. In Mr. Newhouse’s county, he felt the children were not being served adequately. He took on the project and worked with the schools and got the word out to United Way, other community organizations and churches to help buy gifts, or donate money and time. The result was a much bigger collaboration with many different agencies involved, which means more children could be reached and helped especially during the Christmas season.
Mr. Newhouse is innovative. Where others might give up, he finds solutions. With a very small budget, he helped revitalize the downtown area, including updating many storefronts. He did a great job increasing the foot traffic and making it a better business community for their residents. He is a hard worker and does not quit until the job is complete.
The City of Hurricane has grown and an increased number of businesses have come into town. It is a nice, clean community, and is somewhere people want to live. Mr. Newhouse knows and understands his community and is passionate about doing the best he can for the residents who live there. Based on Mr. Newhouse’s involvement in the City of Hurricane, he will continue to make an excellent City Manager wherever he goes.
Words or phrases used to describe Ben Newhouse:
• Friendly, • Verbal, • Outgoing, • Tireless, • Good work ethic, and • Hands on.
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Strengths: Passionate.
Weaknesses: What his strength is, can also be taken as his greatest weakness, but he understands that concept and with experience has learned not to burn bridges behind him.
Ron Flora – City Attorney, City of Hurricane, WV 304-743-5354
Mr. Flora has known Mr. Newhouse since 2013. They typically interact once or twice a week and Mr. Flora considers him a quality city manager who generally makes good decisions.
Mr. Newhouse is innovative. He strives to serve the city’s needs now and moving forward. He finds ways he can help the community members and knows how to find the means in which to do so. He is well known and respected throughout the community and frequently represents the city by attending public events and functions.
Mr. Newhouse keeps Mr. Flora well informed of the city’s needs. He has good communication skills both within the public and private sectors. As city manager, he is frequently involved in small controversial issues, such as increasing public rates. He explains the situation to the residents and handles the disgruntled citizens with professionalism.
There is nothing in Mr. Newhouse’s personal or professional background of which Mr. Flora is aware that any reasonable person would find questionable. He has been a good city manager for the City of Hurricane. He is experienced, especially in working with governmental agencies and regulatory agencies, and that experience will serve him well going forward.
Words or phrases used to describe Ben Newhouse:
• Timely, • Forward thinking, • Empathetic, • Innovative, • Respected, and • Experienced.
Strengths: Energetic.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Barb Topham – Former Utility Clerk, City of Hurricane, WV 304-767-8300
Ms. Topham worked for the City of Hurricane and with Mr. Newhouse from 2009 to 2014. She currently works as a social worker for a psychiatric hospital in the juvenile unit. Her general
Page 20 of 46 Section 9 Reference Notes Ben Newhouse assessment of Mr. Newhouse is that he is a very caring person and passionate about reaching out to help community members who are unable to help themselves.
Mr. Newhouse knows how to organize outreach programs. The city’s annual Water Festival held in April each year aims to teach people about clean water and air quality. He is a main contributor in helping with the housing rehabilitation program. He does all the important background work in the city and in Ms. Topham’s opinion, does not get enough credit for everything he does. He is satisfied with being in the background though and does much good where he stands.
Mr. Newhouse communicates well with the residents in one on one situations. He listens to them, addresses their concerns, and works quickly on finding resolutions and getting back to them. He cares about the people in his City and is especially cognizant about those who do not have the resources or abilities to care for themselves.
Mr. Newhouse is a good manager and leader for his employees. He is balanced between being personable and welcoming with his employees, but also being authoritative and disciplinary when appropriate. He prefers to be out front with his employees, instead of managing processes behind his desk. He rallies the team around their central goal. He presents information well and helps everyone come together. He knows what they need to get done, and what will be the best action for the businesses in the city, as well as the residents. He is frequently in the community by meeting with business owners, visiting the senior home, attending ribbon cuttings, and speaking with the residents.
Mr. Newhouse is innovative, caring, educated, and experienced. He is a great City Manager for the City of Hurricane and will continue to do a good job anywhere he goes. His main priority is helping people and the communities he lives in, which is what it really comes down to for a City Manager.
Words or phrases used to describe Ben Newhouse:
• Personable, • Funny, • Easy to work with, • Kind, • Thinks outside of the box, and • Balanced.
Strengths: Communicating what the city needs and getting people on board with initiatives and programs.
Weaknesses: He frequently lets others take credit for what he does. He could stand up for himself a little more, although he is generally satisfied as long as the job is done he does not care who gets the credit.
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Mark Baldwin – City Manager, City of Martinsburg, WV 304-264-2131
Mr. Baldwin has known Mr. Newhouse since the latter became City Manager for the City of Hurricane in 2005. Mr. Baldwin has been with the City of Martinsburg since 1998.
The cities of Martinsburg and Hurricane are several miles away from each other and not in the same region. Therefore, the two city managers do not interact very closely together, except through the City Manager Association, which meets quarterly every year. Mr. Newhouse takes an active role in the association and comes prepared to every meeting. He gives good input and ideas and is very knowledgeable about his role as City Manager.
Because Mr. Newhouse is actively involved in being part of the organization and team environment, he does not simply sit back and wait for others to participate. He offers input, solutions, suggestions, and listens to others input as well. He brainstorms and is open minded to differing opinions and viewpoints. He works well within a group setting.
Even though Mr. Baldwin does not work closely with Mr. Newhouse, he has a high level of respect for the latter. He values Mr. Newhouse’s opinions and experience as a City Manager and is confident that Mr. Newhouse will continue to do a good job for any municipality.
Words or phrases used to describe Ben Newhouse:
• Knowledgeable, • Attentive, • Engaged, • Participative, • Involved, and • Aggressive.
Strengths: Has a talent for understanding how to be successful in dealing with government bodies.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Shawn Means – Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity for Kanawha and Putnam Counties, WV 304-720-0141
Mr. Means has known Mr. Newhouse since 2004 in both his former position with the Upper Kanawha Valley Enterprise Community and currently as City Manager for the City of hurricane. Mr. Newhouse served on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity for a few years as well. Mr. Means has been in his position since 1994.
Page 22 of 46 Section 9 Reference Notes Ben Newhouse
Mr. Newhouse is the best city administrator that Mr. Means has ever worked with. He is pragmatic, gets things done, and has a good sense of humor. He understands that he must be innovative to accomplish what is needed in the community.
Mr. Newhouse works mostly behind the scenes. People in the community know and respect him, but he prefers to stay focused and work hard, instead of being at every meet and greet type of event. He keeps Mr. Means informed of relevant projects going on in the city. He keeps stakeholders involved and is very outgoing in that sense.
Mr. Newhouse has a very strong work ethic. He works with several different nonprofit organizations to help address community issues. He is a natural leader and people enjoy working with him. To the best of Mr. Means’ knowledge, Mr. Newhouse has not been involved with anything either in his personal or professional life that could be construed as controversial or negative. He is the best City Manager Mr. Means has ever seen and he wishes him well in his future endeavors.
Words or phrases used to describe Ben Newhouse:
• Efficient, • Professional, • Results oriented, • Timely, • Hard worker, and • Creative.
Strengths: Gets things done.
Weaknesses: Mr. Means has not worked closely enough with Mr. Newhouse to identify any weaknesses.
Ian Peters – Former Intern, City of Hurricane, WV 304-278-3459
Mr. Peters briefly worked with Mr. Newhouse for six months in 2012 before he went to law school. His internship at the City focused on city economics. His main responsibility was to call potential businesses and assess whether they could be interested in moving to their community. Mr. Peters is currently an attorney.
Mr. Newhouse was a good manager. He is very knowledgeable and serious about what he does. He is very confident and a hands-on manager. He likes to know what is going on and stays up to date. He delegates appropriately.
Page 23 of 46 Section 9 Reference Notes Ben Newhouse
Mr. Newhouse is innovative. He is involved in the police department and is progressive with the community projects he spearheaded. He implemented the placement of solar panels next to the water treatment plant, placed Pepsi can recycling machines in various parks to help residents recycle their cans more easily, along with several other initiatives. He is open to new ideas while making sure everything was within the budget and the city had more money coming in than out.
Mr. Newhouse is friendly and open to the public. He attends ribbon cuttings and community functions. He does not get flustered easily and keeps a level composure. He is an honest, hard working individual, and has the experience, background, and skill as City Manager. He will continue to do great things for any municipality.
Words or phrases used to describe Ben Newhouse:
• Assertive, • Competent, • Leader, • Strong, • Friendly, and • Creative.
Strengths: Leadership ability. Strong figure and commands the situation well. He maintains a good attitude and the employees got along with him.
Weaknesses: No major personality flaws.
Prepared by: Amanda Jenkins Colin Baenziger & Associates
Page 24 of 46 Section 9
CB&A Internet Research
Page 25 of 46 Section 9 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Benjamin “Ben” Newhouse (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Charleston Gazette-Mail (WV) December 6, 2017
Officials ponder change to Valley Park alcohol policy Author: Carlee Lammers
Members of the Putnam County Parks and Recreation Commission are interested in expanding the use of alcohol in Valley Park. Parks Director Jarrod Dean said, as it currently stands, alcohol is only permitted inside the commons building or inside the conference center in the community building during private events. Dean told county commissioners Thursday that no official plans have been made, but that members of the parks board had expressed interest in expanding the park's alcohol use policy to allow for more events.
Members of the parks board, many of whom were not able to attend the commission meeting Thursday, want to do this to allow for outdoor weddings, concerts, food truck festivals and events similar to the Blues, Brews and BBQ event held in Charleston each year. The park renovations include a large, grassy area, ideal for hosting events. "We want to expand events, said Commissioner Steve Andes, who also serves on the parks board. "Those are the type of things we want to draw to Putnam County.
While no formal plans have been made, Andes said the board has had discussions about what it would like to propose to commissioners. Andes said the board has discussed state Alcohol Beverage Control Administration compliance, as well as potentially creating a screened-in defined area because of the proximity of the park's green space to the new playground. Several residents attended the commission meeting Thursday, many speaking out against the possibility of changing the rules.
The parks commission voted to amend the park's alcohol policy in 2016, and residents repeatedly spoke out against the proposed changes. Thursday was no different. Many residents expressed concerns about "exposing children to alcohol and the potential for drunken driving incidents. "Our kids are subject to alcohol wherever. You look at TV and you see some guy running a corporation that has to have his drink. Why do they have to be subject to alcohol out in the public? Do they have to be subject to it in the parks? No, said Putnam County resident James Taylor. "People came to those events before we had the alcohol. Fourth of July is a blowout at Hurricane Park, he said. "Every year, you guys try to bring in alcohol through a different means. It's not something that is going to be allowed in this community.
Taylor said he believes expanding alcohol use in the park has the potential to create other issues - noting that he believes Putnam County does not have similar drug, alcohol and crime issues as neighboring Cabell and Kanawha counties. "We live in Putnam County because I look at Kanawha County and I see a dirty county, he said.
Shirley Searls, who served on the parks commission in 2016 when the previous rules were amended, also spoke out against the possibility of changing the rules again. Searls said, as a
Page 26 of 46 Section 9 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Benjamin “Ben” Newhouse (Articles are in reverse chronological order) grandmother, she has concerns about having children in the park while events with alcohol are also going on. "I've been to a wine festival. It was beautiful. They had it set up great - in a field. It was not near a playground. We can have events, we can have festivals where everybody would want to come, but I - again - don't see why you have to have alcohol to feel good, she said. "If you don't feel good enough about yourself and drink to feel good, then I pray for you. Please keep the alcohol inside the buildings during private events.
Ben Newhouse, who works for the city of Hurricane, was one of few people in attendance to speak in favor of the possible changes. While Newhouse said he doesn't approve of people getting "sloshed in the park, he believes allowing alcohol in a controlled environment would allow for the county to grow. Expanding the use of the park could attract more people, having a greater economic impact on the county, he said. "I don't see it as an alcohol issue. It's an opportunity issue, he said. "This is an opportunity for Putnam County to grow.
Dean, who said the current rules are still in effect and being are enforced, said the parks commission will now have to decide if it wants to proceed, make a proposal and present it to the county commission. State code requires all parks commissions to get approval from their respective county commissions before enacting any policy changes in parks. "The parks commission is just working on a proposal to present to the county commission, he said. "That's where we stand right now.
Page 27 of 46 Section 9 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Benjamin “Ben” Newhouse (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Charleston Gazette (WV) April 16, 2015
MCHM AT LANDFILL Deal near on suit settlement Author: Andrew Brown
Both the Putnam County Commission and the city of Hurricane have now accepted the settlement over the dumping of hazardous chemicals into a county landfill in 2014. On Wednesday, Mike Callaghan, the attorney for both the county and the city, said government officials from both groups had approved of the deal with Waste Management - the parent company of the Disposal Services landfill that accepted MCHM-contaminated waste from the January 2014 Freedom Industries spill.
Callaghan said the settlement, which requires five years of chemical testing and the repayment of $600,000 in legal fees by Waste Management, will now go to the company for final approval. Until the deal is completed, Lisa Kardell, the director of public affairs for Waste Management, said she could not comment about the terms of the settlement. "We have no further comment at this time, Kardell said. "The lawyers are continuing to finalize the settlement and we'll have more information once it's completed. The nearly-completed settlement follows a year of litigation and discussions between the county, the city and Waste Management over the dumping of more than 36,000 gallons of MCHM, the chemical that tainted the drinking water of more than 300,000 people, into the solid waste landfill.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ben Newhouse, Hurricane's city manager, said he couldn't comment about the ongoing settlement process, but said he expected the settlement to be completed soon. "This is mostly a time frame thing, Newhouse said. "I think everything is good to go. Newhouse said the Hurricane Sanitary Board, which manages the city's waste water system, had already affirmed the deal.
That approval was needed because leachate - the water that drains out of the landfill - is treated and released into the city's waste water system. As part of the deal, the sanitary board will also have to repay Disposal Services $325,000 for overcharging the company for processing of the landfill's leachate after the city became aware that MCHM had been dumped at the site.
The county commissioners said Tuesday that the deal would ensure that residents in Hurricane and surrounding communities would be protected from possible exposure to the hazardous chemicals. The deal calls for Waste Management to test both the leachate and the landfill's three groundwater test wells at least once every six months for the next five years. If a significant levels of MCHM - 120 parts per billion - are detected, the settlement requires the company to stop releasing the landfills leachate and to shut down the aeration system that treats the fluid before it is sent to the city's waste water treatment facility. According to the settlement, if Waste Management does not comply with those orders, the county and the city can reopen the federal lawsuit.
Page 28 of 46 Section 9 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Benjamin “Ben” Newhouse (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Charleston Gazette (WV) September 18, 2014
Hurricane officials won't say why workers left city Author: Ryan Quinn Staff writer
HURRICANE - City of Hurricane officials won't say why several full-time employees, including one who spent two decades with the city, left their positions last month. According to documents the Gazette obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, the employees included three who left between Aug. 20 and 21. They were Brenda Campbell, who vacated her marketing/development manager position after 20 years with the city; Brenda Burden, who vacated her police department clerk position after nine years with the city; and Melissa Runyon, who vacated her utility/human resources/personnel manager position after two years with the city.
Barbara Topham and Elena Patton, two utility clerks, left their positions between Aug. 1 and Aug. 5. Topham had been with the city five years and Patton two. City council member Brian Ellis said employees were dismissed last month but declined to name them or say why. Police Officer Joe Sisk left his position Aug. 29 after three decades with the city, but City Manager Ben Newhouse said he retired and Ellis confirmed that Sisk left on good terms. Newhouse declined comment when asked why the other five workers no longer occupy their positions.
Hurricane has about 80 employees overall. The city manager has authority to hire and fire most workers without city council's approval. Council member Gerry Spears did say the council is "aware of what's going on" but said she wasn't "at liberty to discuss personnel matters. Campbell, who was making about $42,000 annually, declined comment, saying she can't speak about the situation. She said she's looking for a new job. The Gazette was unable to reach the other former employees. Runyon made $36,400 in her position, which Newhouse said included handling work orders and utility bills for the city's drinking water, sewer and stormwater operations. Raymond Peak, the former Hurricane mayor who left-office in 2007, said he hired Campbell during his 40-year tenure. "She always did her job, Peak said. "I don't know what went wrong.
Frank Sergent, who served on council a dozen years and lost to current Mayor Scott Edwards in the 2007 mayoral race, vouched for Campbell and Runyon. "They were top-notch employees, he said. In its documents request, the Gazette asked for the names, titles, lengths of employment and salaries for city workers released in the last few months. The newspaper also requested documents showing the reasons the employees left the city, but the city declined to provide that information, citing a state exemption to the open records law for "information of a personal nature that could "constitute an unreasonable invasion of privacy if made public. When the Gazette asked Edwards at a Sept. 2 city council meeting about the vacancies and asked specifically if they were because of firings, he declined to say. "There are vacancies, Edwards said repeatedly in response to a reporter's questions. Newhouse said Tuesday that all the vacancies have now been filled.
Page 29 of 46 Section 9 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Benjamin “Ben” Newhouse (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Charleston Gazette (WV) November 7, 2012
Hurricane city manager addresses Putnam Rotary
Ben Newhouse has been city manager for Hurricane since 2005. He supervises an annual budget of $8 million and oversees some 70 employees for the seven-member city council. “We do a lot of grant-writing,” he told Putnam Rotarians on Oct. 23. “The results speak for themselves.”
A project in point is the new “sprayground” at the City Park. The toddler water spray area cost about $250,000, and nearly all the costs were funded through grants. “We had about 10 different collaborators,” Newhouse said. The city targeted an area of need. “We had a Wave Pool,” he said, “but many kids can't afford it.” And there were limited recreational opportunities for the pre-kindergarten set. The city is installing sidewalks in the Hurricane Town area, at an estimated cost of $630,000. “We are doing recycling. We are looking at alternative energy plans. Those solar panels beside the waste water treatment plant on the interstate. Those are ours,” he said. “We want more recreational facilities for people to walk or hike on in the community,” said Newhouse.
A five-foot-wide walking path is planned for the city park. “If you have a good community base, you're going to have a good economic base. People are going to be attracted to come if you've got great housing, great law enforcement, great water, sewer and infrastructure,” he added. “You've got a great education system. Guess what happens next. You have all the jobs in the world. It makes our job a little easier to try to attract Wal-Mart, or Walgreen's, or Sheetz, or somebody else.”
In the past eighteen months, Hurricane has been represented at trade shows in Charlotte, Columbus, Ohio, and Washington, D.C. “We are trying to attract people whether its retail, manufacturing or service. They all mean jobs. “We've torn down a lot of unsafe houses in the community. When we do demolition, it opens up land to do other development.” Upgrading and repair of homes is also high on the priority list. “We have rehabilitated about 200 houses in the last three years,” said Newhouse.
Roofs have been replaced. Ramps were installed for handicapped access. And this, too, came through grants such as the Reach Workcamp projects. Newhouse cited recent census data which indicates a growth rate of 20 percent for Hurricane over the last 10 years while neighboring areas have lost population. Aside from the West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle, Putnam is the fastest- growing county in the state. But the area has its problems, too. In Putnam County, some 6,000 people — 10 percent of the population — are on some type of state-supported financial assistance. And therein may lie the greatest challenge: “It is easy to get a loan, but difficult to get grant funding,” he said. “There is a perception that everyone in Teays Valley and Hurricane is well-to-do.”
Page 30 of 46 Section 9 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Benjamin “Ben” Newhouse (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Charleston Gazette (WV) August 12, 2011
HURRICANE IN THE SUN Putnam wastewater plant goes solar Author: Kate White Staff writer
HURRICANE - A dream the city manager and the chief operator at Hurricane's wastewater plant share is coming true. John Thayer and Ben Newhouse believe alternative energy sources are necessary, and it's only a matter of days before their dream comes to fruition and the city starts saving money by using solar energy. "We can't keep depending on one source of energy," said Newhouse, the city manager. "We need to consider having back-up plans."
Hurricane's water reclamation plant, which handles the city's wastewater, has been equipped with 84 solar panels, which Newhouse says will save the city about $1,000 a month. "Our plant costs the city a lot of money - around $15,000 a month - to operate," he said. The plant is a $35 million operation, Newhouse said. He said people often take for granted how much it costs to run that type of facility.
Colin Williams, director of operations for Mountain View Solar, the company hired to install the system, said the project is the first time in the state, and possibly on the entire East Coast, that solar panels have been installed at a wastewater plant. "Wastewater treatment plants require some of the largest amounts of energy in municipalities," he said. "Pumps are working 24/7 and require a tremendous amount of energy to be used." Because of a $193,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, Hurricane taxpayers won't have to pay a dime for the new panels.
In April, the City Council approved Mountain View Solar's bid of approximately $135,000. The Morgan County firm's estimate was the lowest submitted and is more than $50,000 less than the amount of the grant. Newhouse said the department will monitor how the city's solar project works and make a decision on whether or not to allow it to use the extra money for similar projects.
The system's net-metering feature is programmed to run backward when excess electricity is produced, essentially turning the power company into a storage system for the solar-powered building. Williams said that when the solar panels are producing more energy than the building is consuming, it flows back into the grid, creating energy credits. "We're considering installing more solar panels at the wastewater plant, because we have a large piece of land there and it's already wired for them - it's a logical choice," Newhouse said. "The more panels added, the more money the city will save."
Williams said the 19.74-kilowatt system will generate about 25,000 kilowatt-hours a year, which is enough to power two or three average-size homes. The panels come with a 25-year manufacturer's warranty, but the expected life of a solar panel is 30 to 40 years, and, Williams
Page 31 of 46 Section 9 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Benjamin “Ben” Newhouse (Articles are in reverse chronological order) said, the installation typically pays for itself in about 10 years. "In the first year, it will save the city about $12,500," he said, "and every time there's a rate increase, the savings will get better."
The solar-panel system requires very little maintenance besides a periodic cleaning to keep the panels free of dust and pollen. "It's a very simple system, the equipment is very robust and designed to work in outer space - where people can't get to them" Williams said. The panels, which sit on the ground on racks beside the plant, are angled to obtain optimum solar exposure, Newhouse said. The fact that travelers on Interstate 64 can see them is not a mistake. "This is something we can illustrate to people and show them we're trying to make long-term investments and minimize our effect on current resources," Newhouse said.
Kathy Cosco, spokeswoman for the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, said that although sustainability measures often cost more up front, the investment pays off over time. "We don't want to use up all our resources today, we'll need them in the future," she said. "We should be doing things with an eye on conservation to help ensure we'll be able to do what we're doing now decades down the road." Cosco said that although the DEP doesn't have funds available to help cities with solar projects, it does have a representative who can help point people in the right direction to apply for grants like the one Hurricane received.
Bill Willis of state's Division of Energy said Hurricane is one of four solar-energy projects in the state funded by federal stimulus money. Colin Williams stands beside solar panels that his company, Mountain View Solar, installed at the Hurricane wastewater plant in Putnam County. Williams says the $135,000 project will pay for itself in about 10 years.
John Thayer, chief operator of the Hurricane wastewater plant, stands in the shadow of the 84- panel project to check electrical output. When the panels are producing more energy than the building is consuming, it flows back into the grid, creating energy credits.
Page 32 of 46 Section 9 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Benjamin “Ben” Newhouse (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Herald-Dispatch, The (Huntington, WV) August 5, 2011 Page: 0
Mayor: Hurricane can afford pay raises Author: JILL OXLEY
[CB&A Note: Only the information relevant to Benjamin Newhouse is listed below.]
HURRICANE -- Hurricane City employees will receive a pay raise for the first time in three years At Monday's regularly schedule City Council meeting, Hurricane Mayor Scott Edwards announced that the city's fiscal office has confirmed the budget is solid enough to provide the raises. The 3 percent raises will go into effect on Sept. 1.
Also Monday, City Manager Ben Newhouse, reported that last week's Workcamps, a Christian- based youth and skilled volunteer organization, put 48,000 volunteer hours in the Hurricane area doing home repair and construction projects for 61 households in need. Workcamps spent $36,000 in area businesses for materials. Only one project did not receive rave reviews by the homeowner; the job has since been taken care of by Newhouse himself and a volunteer contractor. "I want to thank you Ben for your hard work on this," Edwards said. "Ben causes this to occur. He is in constant search of organizations like Workcamps. Once he finds an organization that can help our city, whether it be through grants or a volunteer organization, he communicates with them and makes it happen. Ben puts in hours of his own time to see things like this happen for our people."
Page 33 of 46 Section 9 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Benjamin “Ben” Newhouse (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Herald-Dispatch.com June 10, 2011
Hurricane awarded for clean water Author: JILL OXLEY
[CB&A Note: Only the information relevant to Benjamin Newhouse is listed below.]
HURRICANE -- The City of Hurricane has received a crystal award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency for its drinking water, City City Manager Ben Newhouse reported at Monday's City Council Meeting.
Mayor Scott Edwards announced to council and meeting attendees that Hurricane City Accountant Fredda Ray has reported that all debt for vehicles and equipment used at the water and sewer plants has been paid off. The $1 million bond remains.
The city has secured a $193,000 grant from the West Virginia Division of Energy, which is to be used to install a solar panel system at the wastewater treatment plant. Construction of the panel began in May and is expected to be complete by July. The panel will save the city $15,000 in energy costs per year. The panel will be the largest used by a municipality in the state.
Other grant monies reported at Monday's meeting were: $6,000 from a Community Participation Grant, which will be used to purchase two new snowplows for the Street Department; $5,000 was granted from BB&T for the Spray Ground construction in City Park. The donation puts funds collected at $120,000; the equipment has been purchased and construction is being done by Hurricane employees, making the Spray Ground completely cost-free to tax payers.
Also Monday, Council held its first reading of and amendment that would allow first-time driving under the influence offenders to have the charge erased upon satisfactorily completing the alcohol test and lock program for one year. However, if a second DUI occurs within three years, the first incident will reappear on the drivers' record. This is a new state law.
Page 34 of 46 Section 9 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Benjamin “Ben” Newhouse (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Charleston Gazette (WV) May 14, 2010
Freelance writer sues, says Hurricane violated FOIA
WINFIELD - A local freelance writer is suing the city of Hurricane, its mayor and city manager, claiming they violated the Freedom of Information Act. Jay Lawrence Smith, who writes for PutnamLive.com and the West Virginia Record, filed the lawsuit in Putnam County Circuit Court on Friday. The lawsuit alleges the city violated state code regarding FOIA requests by requiring Smith to pay a $200 fee before giving him copies of documents from four FOIA requests he filed on March 13. The fee is for five hours of research that it would take city employees to find the papers, and for copying fees, as required by the city's FOIA policy, according to the lawsuit.
Smith alleges in his lawsuit that he sent the city a letter April 8, stating the city was in violation of state FOIA law. Ben Newhouse, Hurricane's city manager, said Thursday the city never received the letter, and the lawsuit is the first response it has received from Smith since March. Smith is representing himself. He asks for reimbursement for attorney fees, court costs and access to the requested documents.
Page 35 of 46 Section 9 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Benjamin “Ben” Newhouse (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Charleston Gazette (WV) February 8, 2008
Hurricane ex-mayor's son sues city Doug Peak claims wrongful termination, whistleblower violations Author: Alison Knezevich
WINFIELD - The son of Hurricane's former mayor has sued the current mayor and city council, claiming they fired him from his city job after he tried to clear his name of false accusations, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Putnam Circuit Court. Doug Peak says city officials violated public policy, state whistleblower laws, and his constitutional rights when they fired him last August. His suit names the city, Mayor Scott Edwards and city council members as defendants. Peak's father, Raymond Peak, retired as mayor in 2007 after almost 50 years in the position.
Doug Peak was hired by the city in 1987, when he became city superintendent, according to the lawsuit. In March 2003, he became the city's information-technology manager and benefits coordinator. Edwards presided over his first City Council meeting on July 2.
At that meeting, City Councilman Donald Chaney "publicly accused [Peak] and City Manager Ben Newhouse of misusing a city vehicle and falsifying work-attendance records to play golf," the lawsuit states. "Chaney further claimed to have evidence of such wrongdoing." A few days later, Peak gave city officials records and other information proving Chaney had lied, according to the lawsuit.
However, no one from the city made any effort to clear up the public record "or otherwise to advise the citizens of Hurricane that Defendant Chaney's allegations were lies." After the July 2 City Council meeting, Edwards "took a number of actions" that made it hard for Peak to do his job, the lawsuit alleges
First, Peak told Edwards that the city needed to put out bids for cell phone service, according to the lawsuit. The mayor "disagreed and awarded the telephone contract to one of this friends," the lawsuit states. Then, the mayor took control of all pass keys and demanded all computer passwords, the lawsuit states. On July 12, Peak sent a letter to Edwards asking for the pass keys "so that he could do his job." He never got a response.
On July 30, Peak wrote a letter to Newhouse and carbon-copied it to Edwards. "You approached me in my office and requested my records from Sleepy Hollow Golf Club to investigate the matter," Peak wrote. "I promptly supplied those documents. As an investigation would undoubtedly reveal that the allegations were unfounded, I expected to be notified of the results." But he wrote that he hadn't heard about the results of the investigation, or "seen the proof that Mr. Chaney publicly alleged he had in his possession." In the letter, Peak asked for the results of the investigation to be released at the next council meeting. He also asked that Chaney publicly apologize.
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On Aug. 6, the defendants met and decided to fire Peak, according to the lawsuit. The next day, Edwards approached him in the parking lot, demanded all his keys, told him he was fired and ordered him to leave. On Thursday, Edwards said he hadn't yet seen the lawsuit and wouldn't comment on it. The lawsuit, filed by lawyer Lonnie C. Simmons, claims city officials violated state whistleblower laws because Peak had "sought to correct the public record" when he asked for a public statement that Chaney had lied.
Peak wants a jury to make the city reinstate all the wages and benefits he would have earned had he not been fired. He also asks for a "substantial award of punitive damages." The case has been assigned to Putnam Circuit Judge Ed Eagloski.
Page 37 of 46 Section 9 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Benjamin “Ben” Newhouse (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Charleston Daily Mail (WV) December 11, 2007
Man sues for damage done by sewer line
A lawsuit alleges that sewage blew into a man's bathroom when Hurricane city workers were unclogging a sewer line. The lawsuit was filed last week in Putnam Circuit Court. Karol Clark, a man who apparently used to live in Hurricane but now lives in Huntington, asks for unspecified damages in his lawsuit.
On June 27, 2006, Hurricane workers were working on a sewer line that ran in front of Clark's home, according to the suit. They used a large compressor that forced water and air through the line to unclog it. "As a result of the negligent conduct of employees of the City of Hurricane and air and water being blown into the sewer line, raw sewerage and water were blown out of the bathroom in [Clark's] home, causing damage to the home in an amount that is not entirely ascertainable at this time," the lawsuit states.
The water and sewage also damaged Clark's possessions inside his home, the suit continues. It caused Clark "severe injuries to the upper and lower extremities of his body." Clark now has "permanent injury to his body," the lawsuit states. He had to pay for medical fees and traveling to hospitals. He also claims he has lost wages and experienced physical and mental pain and suffering. Clark's lawyer, R.R. Fredeking II of Huntington, could not be reached Monday.
Hurricane City Manager Ben Newhouse said Monday he remembers the incident as a "rather small issue" where some water got into Clark's bathroom. Workers were performing routine maintenance in front of Clark's home, Newhouse said. Clark came outside to talk with the workers, and the sewer manager spoke with him. "We investigated the situation," Newhouse said. When the incident occurred, the sewer manager notified the city's insurance company, Newhouse said. He added that he does not understand how Clark could have gotten permanent injuries from the water.
City officials have not yet seen the lawsuit, but are "very aware of the situation," Newhouse said. The case has been assigned to Putnam Circuit Judge O.C. Spaulding.
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Herald-Dispatch, The (Huntington, WV) June 29, 2007
Putnam County growth outpaces region Author: JEAN TARBETT HARDIMANT
Putnam County municipalities continued to outpace the rest of the Tri-State in population growth during the past six years, according to U.S. Census figures released Wednesday. Other communities -- Milton, Barboursville and some areas of Lawrence County, Ohio -- also saw their numbers climb.
Most larger West Virginia cities posted losses, however, with Huntington showing a 4.8 percent decline since 2000. The city has embarked on some initiatives to bring people back. Those include renovating buildings downtown and focusing on biotechnology research and capital projects at Marshall University, among other efforts. The estimates for July 1, 2006, are based on the 2000 census population counts and updates using information on building permits and other estimates of change.
According to the new numbers, Hurricane had the most growth, with a 16.3 percent increase in population since 2000. Its population is up to 6,071. Eleanor saw the second-biggest jump, with almost 13 percent growth, followed by Winfield with a 9.8 percent rise in population.
In Cabell County, Milton saw the most growth with a 6.8 percent jump. And in Lawrence County, Ohio, the biggest increase was in South Point, at 6.2 percent, followed by Proctorville with 4.4 percent. Leaders of the growing cities offered different ideas about what may have led to the increases.
Ben Newhouse, city manager of Hurricane, cited that bedroom community's availability of land to develop and its convenient access to Interstate 64. About 30 to 50 houses are under construction in Hurricane during any given month, he said. The city also expects the county's first Wal-Mart before the end of the year, Newhouse said. "It's a full-time gig here," he said. "Something is new here every day."
Some of the new residents are families who have one spouse working in Charleston and another working in Huntington. Others were drawn to the county to work for the Toyota Plant in Buffalo or International Coal Group in Teays Valley. There also are a lot of professional offices, he said. "My wife and I have lived in the area about seven or eight years now," Newhouse said. "There are a lot of different things to do -- hike, fish, bike, jog, golf."
Tina English and her family moved to Hurricane just this week from Newmarket, N.H. Her husband works in the environmental field and got a job in Huntington, but the family decided to settle in Hurricane mostly because of the schools and housing costs, English said. "The school system is absolutely fabulous," she said. "I have four children, so that's important to me."
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They also liked that they could find a home that was big enough in their price range, and that taxes were lower than in New Hampshire. Newhouse also attributed growth to affordable water and sewer rates, good utility choices and reasonable business and occupation taxes. The city also works to get new building plans done quickly and efficiently, he said. "We have a good relationship with contractors here in the area," Newhouse said.
The city lowered B & O taxes after he arrived. "We want to make sure we take care of and look over our small business people here," he said. All the growth is exciting but also "nerve-racking," Newhouse said. "With growth, of course, comes proper planning and engineering. There are always things from the past you have to remedy as well. ... It's an ever-evolving thing."
In eastern Cabell County, Milton has many of the same benefits as Hurricane, Milton Mayor Betty Sargent said. It has a lot of room for construction, compared with other cities, and it's near the halfway point of I-64 between Charleston and Huntington. New subdivisions have filled up rapidly, said Sargent, who is also a Realtor with Old Colony/GMAC. While Huntington's population has dropped and Barboursville got an additional 84 people over the past six years, the smaller town of Milton rose by 150 people -- from 2,206 to 2,356.
Sargent hopes the increasing tax base helps the city improve services for its residents. "There are a lot of things that we need and want that we don't have funds for yet," she said. "We want to build a community building, more activities for the kids and to work with the park board to add onto April Dawn Park." The city already is getting a new middle school to accommodate growth. Construction has not yet started for the school, which will be along Pine Haven Drive.
New schools might also be part of the draw in South Point, Ohio, which passed a levy and has new schools under construction, its mayor said. Mayor Bill Gaskin thinks the town's new industrial park, The Point, may be encouraging people to settle down in town. "Several hundred are employed there already, and more and more are all the time," he said. A couple of subdivisions in South Point have done very well, and a couple more just started, he said.
There also are many folks who work in Huntington but move to Lawrence County for tax purposes. "Taxes are a little less and more friendly in a couple, three ways," he said. They pay less in property taxes and there's no municipal income tax, he said. "We don't have some of the things (residents have to pay) that the larger towns have," he said.
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Charleston Daily Mail (WV) June 13, 2006
Hurricane-area growth spurs water, sewer, power upgrades Author: GEORGE HOHMANN
Growth in Hurricane and the surrounding area is resulting in upgrades to the water, sewer and electric distribution systems. The biggest project is a $10.6 million upgrade to Hurricane's sewer system. Ben Newhouse, Hurricane city manager, said the work would increase the plant's capacity from 3 million to 4.5 million gallons a day.
Work started in September 2004. Completion is expected in the next four to six weeks, Newhouse said. He praised Hayslett Construction Co. of Hurricane, the contractor responsible for the project, and Plant Manager John Thayer and his staff. "They've done a tremendous job," he said.
The Hurricane sewage treatment plant currently serves 1,841 households and commercial entities within the city. The plant also serves the South Putnam Public Service District, which has 1,376 customers. "There's a lot of development going on in the area and a lot of proposed development," Newhouse said.
Examples of proposed developments: A more than 900-unit housing development proposed off Hedrick Road at Teays Valley; a 29-unit housing development proposed behind city hall; a 20,000-square-foot satellite campus for Marshall University; and a strip mall on Hurricane Creek Road. Then there's Wal-Mart.
A Wal-Mart spokesman said last year the giant discount retailer plans to build a 184,000-square- foot store in the Putnam County Development Authority's Advantage Valley Business Park overlooking Interstate 64. "As part of the deal, Wal-Mart required having fire protection and basic water needs for this new development," Newhouse said.
Hurricane will provide water to Wal-Mart and other tenants of the park. The county is paying for a new water tank and water line and those improvements have been put out for bid. The total cost is expected to be about $500,000, Newhouse said. Hurricane's water plant was upgraded a few years ago, and its 2.8 million-gallon-per-day capacity is sufficient for the foreseeable future. It now pumps 600,000 to 700,000 gallons a day, Newhouse said. "One problem we have had that we hope to remedy this summer is dredging the reservoir," he said. "We just bought a dredger for about $200,000 from a company out of Oklahoma."
The South Putnam Public Service District will provide sewer service to Wal-Mart via Hurricane's sewage treatment plant. Wal-Mart's decision to build a store in Putnam County also has resulted in the need for some upgrades to the electric distribution system. There was a planned power interruption earlier this month when seven wires were strung across Interstate 64 to add capacity to the area where the store will be located.
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Allegheny Power spokesman Phil Moye said about 500 customers were affected by the planned interruption. He said a telephone message was sent to the affected customers. The 2000 Census reported that the population of Hurricane was 5,222. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates Putnam County's population increased 5.5 percent in the last five years, to 54,443 on July 1, 2005.
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Charleston Gazette (WV) November 30, 2005
Hurricane chooses new city manager Author: Charles Shumaker
HURRICANE - Hurricane city officials plan to hire Ben Newhouse, executive director of the Upper Kanawha Valley Enterprise Community, as city manager. Hurricane City Council must approve the hiring at its meeting Monday night. City Manager Karen Lilly, who has had the post since 2003, will retire at the end of December. Lilly said she does not expect council members to have any problems with Newhouse's hiring.
Newhouse, 35, lives in Hurricane and has worked at the Chelyan-based UKVEC since 1999. Before that, he worked in the state Development Office. He has a degree in accounting from West Virginia University Tech. "Hurricane is such a prosperous community and there are great opportunities there," Newhouse said. He will resign from the UKVEC and begin his new job Dec. 13. Newhouse said he will be paid $58,500 per year. Lilly, the first city manager in the city's history, said she made about $58,000 per year.
The Hurricane position pays $10,000 more than Putnam County Administrator Brian Donat's salary of $47,639. Charleston City Manager David Molgaard makes about $79,000. Lilly said the city manager's duties include handling the city's capital improvement and finances. Newhouse has handled millions of dollars in federal, state and local grant money through the UKVEC. He has been director throughout the renovations that turned the former Chelyan Elementary School building into office space for the eastern part of the county.
Newhouse said he has known Hurricane Mayor Raymond Peak and Lilly for years. He said he sees a lot of potential for the 5,800-resident city. He also said he wanted to cut down on his commute so he could spend more time with his family. An emergency meeting will be held by the UKVEC board to discuss Newhouse's position, Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper said. "I thought [Ben] did a very fine job up there," Carper said. "I wish him the best." Lilly will remain with the city on a contract basis to help continue current city projects. She will also help train Newhouse.
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Charleston Gazette (WV) September 23, 2004
UKVEC aims to eliminate area eyesores Property owners to be given notices Author: Clint Thomas
In late July 1998, the Kanawha County Commission approved a resolution to eradicate structures throughout the county that are unsafe, unsanitary, unstable and just plain unpleasant to the eye. In adopting the state ordinance on abandoned structures and dilapidated buildings, the county commission subsequently formed the Kanawha County Enforcement Agency. As specified by the commission, the enforcement agency consists of the executive director of the Kanawha County Planning Committee, the county health officer or a health department designee, a county fire chief and two members-at-large chosen by the commission to serve two-year terms.
As outlined in the 1998 ordinance, the Enforcement Agency was empowered to identify properties in Kanawha County that pose hazards to the community. The agency then notifies the property's owner of its nuisance/hazard status. The landowner has 30 days to contact the county Planning Commission and present a plan to rectify the situation. If the landowner fails to respond to the agency's notification within the 30-day period, the agency may formally investigate the property to ascertain the actual hazard risk.
Following the investigation, the agency may prepare a complaint and recommendation for cleanup of the property. If OK'd by the county commission, the complaint is served on the landowner(s). A hearing may be held, in which the landowner(s) may be ordered to comply with the cleanup efforts or be fined.
In the Chelyan and Cabin Creek area, the Upper Kanawha Valley Enterprise Community serves as the local arm of the county Enforcement Agency. According to the UKVEC Web site, more than 60 structures in the Upper Kanawha Valley have been demolished at no cost to the state, county or municipalities. "Our role is to inform people that, 'Hey, you've got overvegetation ... an unsafe structure ... it's a blight to the community, and you need to clean it up'," explained UKVEC Executive Director Ben Newhouse.
"Unfortunately, the ordinance gives homeowners 180 days of paperwork, with six or seven notices send to the individual," said Newhouse. "What we're trying to do," the executive director said, "is to clean up the community and encourage others to do before the UKVEC steps in. "It's a push to get people to think more about taking care of their property a little bit better. That's all we're trying to do."
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Charleston Gazette (WV) November 15, 2001
Bidding open for renovated house UKVEC selling Malden homesite Author: Clint Thomas
The Upper Kanawha Valley Enterprise Community is selling a restored home in Malden with far-reaching amenities for more than the new owner or owners. The Cabin Creek-based, nonprofit organization obtained the house at 5513 Raven Drive, Malden, for $1 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
After hiring a local contractor, extensive renovations were made on the three-bedroom dwelling, according to UKVEC Executive Director Ben Newhouse. A new porch, new deck, siding, windows, kitchen, plumbing and electrical work, painting and the removal of a dilapidated maintenance building on the property were among the work done. "The county was gracious enough to give us $15,000 for renovations," said Newhouse in a telephone interview last week. "We spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $22,000 on the renovations.
"We also did a cleanup of the area, and we've done a lot to make it look good for the neighborhood. This would make a nice starter home for someone," he said. "The neighbors have been ecstatic about how much progress we've made on the house. "It was a rat pit when we first got to it, but we saw some potential," Newhouse explained.
The UKVEC will accept bids on the house, located near the old DuPont Elementary School, through Friday, Nov. 23. Newhouse said a real estate appraiser toured the site and appraised the home's value at $62,500. "But we're taking any bids," Newhouse said. "The board has a minimum bid it's looking for, however, and if that's not reached, it will be rebid."
This is the UKVEC's first attempt at selling a home to fund ongoing projects. Proceeds from the home's sale will go toward programs that include a Rails-to-Trails project, housing rehabilitation, demolition and other efforts benchmarked by the UKVEC board members. The Upper Kanawha Valley Enterprise Community is a federally funded and federally designated nonprofit group founded in late 1998 through efforts by former Vice President Al Gore. As a rural and enterprise community endeavor, it has received 10 years of funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The UKVEC's service area runs from Chesapeake in Kanawha County to Cotton Hill in Fayette County, along W.Va. 61, a total of 221 square miles. "The area has a 25.1 percent poverty rate; that's how we qualified," said Newhouse. "We're one of 60 enterprise communities nationwide," he said. "We were recently nominated by the USDA as one of the top five in the country."
The UKVEC's board members include one county commissioner from Kanawha and Fayette counties each; the mayors of Chesapeake, Pratt, Handley, East Bank and Montgomery; and eight community representatives, Newhouse said. UKVEC projects have included contributions to the
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Cabin Creek health clinic, providing playground equipment at Sharon-Dawes Elementary School and assisting with the opening of a human service building in Chesapeake, as well as various sewer and water projects and other local improvements.
Last year, Newhouse said, the UKVEC rehabilitated 415 houses in the Kanawha Valley for low- income, elderly and handicapped residents, working with the Southern Appalachian Labor School from Fayette County. The UKVEC moved its offices recently to the site of the former Chelyan Elementary School. Plans are to make the one-time school a business incubator and a setting for various community functions.
Research Compiled by: Cara Slade Colin Baenziger & Associates
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Section 10 J. Mark Rooney Naples City Manager Candidate Report Section 10
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
COVER LETTER AND RESUME 1
CANDIDATE INTRODUCTION 7
BACKGROUND CHECKS 17
CB&A REFERENCE NOTES 25
INTERNET SEARCH 39 Section 10
Cover Letter and Resume
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Candidate Introduction
Page 7 of 92 Section 10 J. Mark Rooney
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
Completed Coursework for Master of Public Administration, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
Civilian Equivalent to Master in Leadership Management, Command & General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, KS
EXPERIENCE
Interim Town Manager, Westerly, FL Apr 2018 - present Village Manager, Carpentersville, IL 2010 – Jan 2018 Chief of Staff, North Chicago, IL 2009 – 2010 Village Manager, Wheeling, IL 2006 – 2009 Assistant Village Manager, Wheeling, IL 2003 – 2006 City Administrator, Highwood, IL 1996 – 2003 Staff Assistant to Senator Paul Simon, Chicago, IL 1992 – 1996 United States Army Officer, various 1983 – 2014
BACKGROUND
The Town of Westerly, incorporated in 1669, is a coastal community located on the southwestern shoreline of Rhode Island. Westerly is 80 miles southeast of Boston and 130 miles north of New York City. The Town of Westerly serves a population of 22,787 residents and grows to 40,000+ during the summer months. The Town covers 32.5 square miles and has over 7 miles of magnificent beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, including Watch Hill. Westerly is known for granite and for the stone cutting industry. A type of granite known as Westerly granite has been quarried here for over 200 years. 80% of all civil war monuments and memorials were quarried in Westerly. Westerly is home to the Westerly State Airport and to an Amtrak Station with service to Both Boston and New York City.
The Town of Westerly operates under a home rule charter adopted in 1968, which provides for a council/manager form of government. The Town Council consists of 7-members who elect a Town President, all serving for 2-year terms. The Town Manager is the Chief Executive Officer and the head of the administrative branch of the Town government. The Town Manager is responsible for carrying out the policies of the Town Council, overseeing the day-to-day operations, and appointing all Town employees, except for School District personnel.
The Town provides a full range of services, including police; volunteer fire department; contracted
Page 8 of 92 Section 10 J. Mark Rooney ambulance rescue services; community development – code enforcement; public works which includes water and sewer, utilities and engineering; finance; human resources; town clerk; tax assessor; tax collector; animal shelter; recreation; town solicitor; and information technology.
The Town of Westerly employs 180 full time employees and 50 part time employees. I am responsible for 10 operating departments. Westerly’s thriving tourist economy supplements a healthy mix of commercial and residential tax base exceeding $6.2B in EAV. The overall FY 2017/18 budget is $90M.
MAJOR INITIATIVES & CHALLENGES
Westerly has a net OPED obligation of $27.9M, related to retired and active employees. OPED funds were previously part of the pension funds, but have not been segregated. The OPED is 9.1% funded and is a challenge to the long term fiscal stability of the Town. Yet Westerly has the lowest tax rate of any of the 38 municipalities of Rhode Island. Other issues are completing the updates of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan and Harbor Management Plan. In addition, the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan of 2018 need to be adopted and training with the state of Rhode Island and Connecticut and neighboring communities must be executed.
In 2002 the National Trust for Historic Preservation named Westerly one of the twelve “Most Distinctive Places” in the country. This is a blessing and a challenge to manage economic development proposals that enhance without harming the distinct qualities and characteristics of the community.
GENERAL, MANAGEMENT STYLE AND EXPERIENCE
I would like to become the next City Manager of Naples because the description of your ideal candidate aligns with my background and experience. I believe that my leadership skills will serve the organization and community well. I am very adept at getting projects accomplished on time and within budget while developing the team in the process. My strategic planning experience in the military is a skill that separates me from my peers because I have the ability to understand and anticipate the second and third order impacts of events and actions. This allows me to work with staff to have plans that anticipate problems and be proactive rather than reactive, thus delivering superior customer service to our number one customer, the residents. I would absolutely cherish the opportunity to join your organization and lead your management team.
Elected officials and staff would state that (1) I am a problem solver and an excellent listener. (2) I have the ability to collaborate with staff and present options to the Board. Staff would say they appreciate how I always publicly recognize them for their accomplishments. (3) I can operate in a political environment without being political. (4) I respect the line between the policy maker and the staff role of executing and implementing the priorities of the elected officials who represent
Page 9 of 92 Section 10 J. Mark Rooney the will of the citizen taxpayer. Both groups would see me as a visionary who uses team work and innovation to think of and implement creative solutions to tackle difficult challenges and to improve the organization and the community.
My greatest weakness is that I can be far too trusting of people. I believe people are basically honest and that they act with integrity. This leads me to underestimate the cunning and guile of people with bad intentions. The biggest mistake in my career led me to improving my management style and relationships within my organization. I lost my temper, in a public setting, when a candidate for trustee, who was facing domestic violence charges, threatened me physically and threatened my job if elected. The man eventually apologized for his actions and we now have a warm and cordial relationship. I requested, and the Village Board granted, to hold me accountable for my actions by participating in a training seminar dealing with emotions. I chose to learn and grow from this experience. Dr. Morrison, the leader of the Midwest Leadership Institute, meets monthly with City Managers to discuss “Understanding Human Motivation and Leadership for City Managers”. I have learned that to become a better Village Manager is more than managing complex projects. Leading people successfully requires a better understanding of myself and the people I lead. I participated in a critical strengths assessment and discovered that my weakness was that I can be excessively competitive and focus on task completion over relationships. My strength of managing and dealing with ambiguity and accomplishment needs to be tempered with building relationships and trust with direct reports. Building trust requires that I provide structure to reduce ambiguity and stress. I am very aware of how my mood and attitude impact the culture of the organization. I have learned that team building in the public sector is vastly different than the U.S. Army, where values and ideals are more universally shared. Yet, in both sectors, team building takes effort, planning and commitment on both parties to build trust.
Ben Franklin’s adage “Those things that hurt, instruct” succinctly summarizes that some of life’s most painful lessons are also the most valuable. The pain and disappointment in not living up to my own personal standard of conduct led me to the Morrison group where I emerged both wiser and stronger. I know from my military experience that success is often largely determined by how well one deals with adversity. I chose to face up to it and grow from it. I have learned to handle issues and events that are unfair and to mentor my staff to deal with the fact that life is not always fair and that one must learn to accept and manage challenges and frustrations constructively. My greatest strength I possess is an optimistic attitude.
When Winston Churchill stated, “Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others” he was not referring to major events or life or death situations, but everyday courage. More than anything else, courage is a decision. It’s a decision to dig down and search our character, to find a source of strength when life is unfair or frustrates us. I am fully aware of my need to manage with an attentive need of the individual. Managing group dynamics, monitoring emotions as data points rather than reacting to them, managing conflict, giving and receiving feedback, providing support through structure and recognizing formal and informal authority are all critically important. I must have a realistic view of myself as a manager in any given situation. It is critical that both the process and outcome of a project be monitored through
Page 10 of 92 Section 10 J. Mark Rooney disciplined reflection as well as the energy level of the group. As a leader, I must be aware that the staff or any group has limits and can only work at a pace the group can handle. Keeping the stress levels manageable is my responsibility.
I have found that many of the municipal organizations I have joined have had a desperate need for greater discipline. They lacked focus and a culture of discipline. Disciplined people engage in disciplined thought and take disciplined action based on prior planning and put into practice their stated mission statement and core values. I have had a great deal of experience in reorganization and training key staff and team building. I have expended a great deal of energy getting the right people on the bus and in the right seats. I passionately believe that in order for an organization to be successful, the problem people and the under performers must get off the bus so that the organization can thrive. Removing people from the organization must be done with great care and it must be done on a fair and consistent basis, or else employee trust and morale will be destroyed. Individual people who are dedicated to public service are the key asset of a public sector organization. They create the positive culture that makes a great organization capable of superior customer service. Yes, I have fired a number of people, but an even higher number departed prior to termination with assistance because of knowledge that they were a poor fit. It is a difficult process but the needs of the many and the organization must supersede that of an individual. The goal is to create a great organization that delivers superior performance and makes a distinctive impact over a long period of time. To accomplish this goal, an organization must have dedicated public servants in key roles.
I use the City Council’s goals and objectives to form the basis for both budget preparation and a means to benchmark and set the metrics by which Department Heads and I evaluate their performance annually at the conclusion of the annual City budget process. Then we work together in an iterative discussion of the resources required for the subsequent years goals to be accomplished and convey this in the budget document for the Council’s discussion and consideration. My budget experience has taught me that there is a vast difference between measuring efficiency and measuring effectiveness. Efficiency is a measure of how much each unit of output costs. Effectiveness is a measure of the quality of that output; how well did it achieve the desired outcome. When we measure effectiveness, we know whether our investment is worthwhile. There is nothing so foolish as to do more efficiently something that should no longer be done or does not fit Council priorities and goals.
I have a deep understanding of the passion and commitment elected officials must produce short- term, tangible results. I believe I have the tact and courage to speak truth to power and facilitate consensus on difficult and far reaching decisions. I never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the course and direction of a community, especially when they represent the political will of their neighbors and stakeholders in the business community.
Yet, like most government organizations, in the early part of my career I focused on the inputs: how much time is spent on a program or a department, the cost of overtime by department, how many people were served, and what service was received. This is helpful information and required
Page 11 of 92 Section 10 J. Mark Rooney for political accountability and transparency. Yet, as my staff and I developed greater skills we adapted our metrics to focus on outcomes and the results of our processes, so we could demonstrate annually at budget hearings how dollar inputs and staff time tied to policy goals and objectives. This is extremely difficult and many of our early attempts often measured volume of outputs. For example, in community development, rather than measuring customer satisfaction we often measured administration process, i.e. how many permits were issued, how fast were the permits issued, what percentage of requests were fulfilled within a predetermined set time period depending on complexity level. Although these process outputs are useful metrics they do not measure the policy goal of “improved customer service and satisfaction.” This required a new survey instrument and customer cooperation to make the results statistically valid, in order to measure both our process and their overall satisfaction with the results. This required building trust with staff and explaining why it was important and listening to their input in designing the survey instrument. We needed to find the balance between efficiency and effectiveness of achieving policy outcomes. It is important to combine quantitative measurement with qualitative evaluation. Senior staff and elected policy makers can get enormous insight into performance by evaluating relevant statistics and numbers, but they can make better decisions and gain valuable insight by spending time observing the program and department, talking with staff at all levels and “listening” to customers feedback. No measures / metrics are perfect. Because governance is not a science, it is often impossible to isolate measures that perfectly reflect the outcomes desired by the policy makers. Staff and I must acknowledge that we are often using the best proxies available. Therefore, it makes sense to modify and adjust and refine performance measures periodically, particularly as their flaws are revealed in practice— often by frontline clerks or patrolman. Yet, once metrics are refined, it is best to keep some measures consistent over time, so as to compare performance from one year to the next. It takes time and training to get staff to use the data for forward-looking purposes and to make meaningful changes to traditional practices.
One of my successes that I am very proud of in the Village of Carpentersville, is creating the slogan of “Get to YES” as our over-arching vision and guidance to the team, with an important caveat of, do not ignore the imperative of public safety. This vision transformed a bureaucratic mindset to a mindset of engaged problem solver. Employee morale sky rocketed as well as the satisfaction of citizen and stakeholders as measured by surveys and feedback from the community. This became a competitive edge with local developers and businesses interested in locating or expanding operations.
To increase the civility of public discourse I have done the following: Clarified policies of online engagement, particularly when there has been an issue with open meetings laws when multiple elected officials are commenting. Coordinated with key influencers in the community so they know how to engage with the public. Adopted consistent branding across departments so the public can recognize official content. Partnered with regional entities to help share information. Posted Q&A page around major projects or controversial topics to dispel rumors. I have strived to get the real news out early and often so that the public trusts that the Town will be the best and most reliable source of information. Where outside social media blogs are sharing misinformation,
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I have limited direct engagement. I have also invited critics for a listening session and opportunity to share more accurate information.
CHALLENGES I SEE FACING THE NEW CITY MANAGER
The challenges I see facing the City of Naples are:
• The City Council and many in the community likely perceive, with good reason, that they need a strong leader to help them meet an existential threat to their “quality of life” as they struggle to balance new development with the desires of most residents to preserve what has already made Naples so desirable and successful. Thus, the need to get input from all stakeholders on the update to the Comprehensive Plan and the update to the 2007 city’s Vision Plan are top priority.
• The issue of parking and beach access will have to be addressed by the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan.
• The challenge of meeting high customer service is a challenge I have addressed in all the communities I have served. Staff is trained and given a clear vision and expectation of placing a priority on customer satisfaction. The customer service issue is best addressed from the aspect of the overall organizational culture and shared values the employees have for the organization; where service and being a public servant is instilled with pride in the individual employee and there is ownership for the health and wellbeing of the greater organization by the employees. For an organizational culture to be healthy and sustainable it must not only be management driven, but be part of the unwritten rules of behavior and norms that everyone holds throughout the organization. Ideals and values must be modeled by the Senior staff without compromise in all situations in order to foster an environment where city employees are motivated and engaged and care about customer satisfaction not just task completion.
• The challenge of finding and retaining staff is integrally tied to the culture and reputation the organization has for being a great place to work. It is not hard work that burns people out. But rather the feeling that their work doesn’t matter. Every member of senior management must be able to model a passion for public service and a commitment to excellence and a collaborative, engaging management style in order to create a high level of trust and confidence within their departments and the greater organization. FEMA and disaster preparedness procedures are critical skill sets that must be trained on, but the staff must be capable of operating with a significant level of independence, initiative, and take a creative approach in solving problems and challenges in a crisis simply following bureaucratic procedures will not suffice.
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• The challenge of dealing with a citizen proposed ethics amendment to the charter is a familiar issue that I have recently experienced in my current assignment. An interest group with a passion cannot be reasoned with facts and a lack of recent actual or perceived violations they need to be shown that existing process and procedures are up to the task or can be modified to correct any actual threats from bad actors now or in the future. The lack of a current problem will not dissuade them as they have a distrust of government mindset.
• Airport relations is always a difficult issue as the citizens most impacted by noise and activity are rarely the ones who benefit or use the airport. I have found that building relationships by creating dialogue with the community and key airport stakeholders with full transparency can mitigate the level of anger and distrust.
DURING MY FIRST SIX MONTHS
• I would be dependent on staff and elected officials to navigate the aspect of managing expectations of stakeholders until I became acclimated to Naples’ unique political culture. Initially, I would ask questions, listen and learn before making even minor changes to policies and procedures, in order to avoid the new guy mistake of acting before understanding the history behind a policy. Experience has taught me that leadership requires humility in admitting I need staff’s input before making changes that could have unintended consequences to the organization. Change can be threatening to members of the organization and I will exercise strategic patience in my first 3-6 months in order to minimize resistance to change and my leadership going forward.
• Have candid conversations with the Council as a whole and individually to listen and understand current situations and establish short-term (1-2 years) goals as well as mid-term (2-5 years) goals and objectives.
• Speak with Bill Moss, who after 10 successful years and over 40 years in the profession, could provide valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of not only individual department heads, but of their respective departments. I would seek his thoughts and evaluations of the opportunities and threats to the organization and that of the community both economically, and not just from obvious ones like Hurricanes, but of development that could be or be perceived to be a threat to the quality of life that has made Naples such a desirable location and engine for the greater county and region of the SW Gulf coast. I would ask, discuss and listen to his take on the culture of the organization from a staff perspective and his insight into the unique political culture of the Council and the key stakeholders of community leaders and business interests. As the new City Manager it would be imperative to get up to speed on understanding the past and current situation; in order to be a creative force in pursuing the right policies in order to move the organization and community forward with a vision aligned with the Council goals and be able to
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anticipate issues and to act strategically to meet current and future city needs. Given the extent and nature of intergovernmental relations, it would be essential to understand the key players and issues and challenges in continuing the track record of Naples being the leader in building consensus, collaboration, and strategic partnerships with our neighbors in order to preserve the quality of life of all.
• Listen to key staff regarding their assessment of resources available to achieve Council goals.
• Meet with Florida state ICMA Senior Advisors and City Attorney to familiarize myself with relevant laws and City codes prior to my start date.
• Ask the acting Manager and Department Heads to prepare an orientation binder for me. I would ask them to include the following items: 1. Information about the organization: people and projects. 2. Departmental goals, objectives and responsibilities. 3. Key policy documents. 4. One-page analysis, by Department, of the Department’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges. 5. Department led tours, to meet with employees and explain their goals and objectives to me in the workplace. 6. I would solicit suggestions about community leaders and stakeholders I should meet, from the departmental perspective. I would share this stakeholder list with the Council to gain their individual and collective input and judgement.
I would review this binder after 30 days and again after 60 days, to gain context about the who, what, where, when and why of the organization. I believe it would be important for the elected officials to give clear direction on their performance objectives and goals for the new manager at the outset and at periodic reviews to assist my transition and help direct my time and attention to the areas of the organization the Council has identified as priorities.
• Yet the most critical goal in my transition in Naples would be to develop, in conjunction with the Council, a time line to updating the 2007 Naples Vision Plan. The Manager and the organization will be far more effective knowing their efforts and Departmental goals are aligned with the Council, particularly with regard to developing and managing the impacts on “quality of life” issues and impacts to the character of the community. Managing the challenge of growing the economy may in fact be an existential threat to the character and the small town charm of the City of Naples.
I have extensive experience with both local and major newspaper reporters. I have been interviewed by all the major networks that serve the Chicago media market. (NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox and WGN) I always defer to the Mayor and elected officials before I assume the role of spokesman for the City.
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SIX ADJECTIVES OR PHRASES YOU WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF
• Fair and consistent in holding staff accountable • Innovative, honest and open • Tactful leader; considerate of others; uses restraint and humor while obtaining results • Decisive in action and deed under pressure • Reputation of candor and integrity • Excellent communicator with the ability to build trust and build great teams
REASON FOR WANTING TO LEAVE CURRENT JOB
I am currently serving as the Interim Town Manager of Westerly. I am seeking a permanent position.
CURRENT/MOST RECENT OR RELEVANT SALARY
My compensation at the Village of Carpentersville was $186,565, including vehicle and life insurance allowance.
I do not believe the City will be contacted by any disgruntled community activist or stakeholder with any negative or sordid allegations of my tenure in my previous positions.
I am an avid runner and gardener. I also enjoy salmon fishing on Lake Michigan. I enjoy reading nonfiction and autobiographies of historical figures. My greatest passion is attending and coaching my children’s sporting events
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CB&A Background Checks
Page 17 of 92 Section 10 Background Check Summary for JAMES MARK ROONEY
Criminal Records Checks:
Nationwide Criminal Records Search No Records Found
County Washington County, RI No Records Found Kane County, IL No Records Found Lake County, IL No Records Found Cook County, IL No Records Found
State Rhode Island No Records Found Illinois No Records Found
Civil Records Checks:
County Washington County, RI No Records Found Kane County, IL No Records Found Lake County, IL No Records Found Cook County, IL No Records Found
Federal Rhode Island No Records Found Illinois No Records Found
Motor Vehicle Illinois No Records Found
Credit Excellent
Bankruptcy No Records Found
Education Confirmed
Employment Confirmed
Page 18 of 92 Section 10 Background Check Summary for JAMES MARK ROONEY
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. 1681-1681Y, credit and bankruptcy information are very sensitive and should not be used be in the consideration of hiring. The information is included for each candidate because we do not want you to be surprised if third parties raise what they consider to be a concern.
Page 19 of 92 Section 10 Background Check Summary for JAMES MARK ROONEY Personal Disclosure
Page 20 of 92 Section 10 Background Check Summary for JAMES MARK ROONEY Personal Disclosure Explanation
Page 21 of 92 Section 10 Background Check Summary for JAMES MARK ROONEY Personal Disclosure Explanation
Page 22 of 92 Section 10 Background Check Summary for JAMES MARK ROONEY Personal Disclosure Explanation
Page 23 of 92 Section 10 Background Check Summary for JAMES MARK ROONEY Personal Disclosure Explanation
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CB&A Reference Notes
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Kay Teeter – former Trustee, Carpentersville, IL 847-894-8804
Ms. Teeter was a Village Trustee for ten years and worked with Mr. Rooney as the Village Manager for five of them. She has served on the Business Development and the Planning and Zoning Commissions since she left the Board.
In terms of job performance, Mr. Rooney is on point. They did not hire him because they wanted people to like him, although he is a nice guy. Change was absolutely necessary for Carpentersville. Staff had not been held accountable by the previous manager. Hiring was done based on who you knew and the previous manager was personally doing some of the work that employees did not know how to do. They conducted an intensive interview process because they needed a change agent who could sustain a high performance group. They selected Mr. Rooney and he was the right person for the job.
Mr. Rooney came in and counseled some of the employees so they improved and they are still with the organization. Some were already doing well and he solidified them. When employees left or were not performing, he helped identify the qualities needed for that position so they hired the right person to replace them. He always did what needed to be done. He made good decisions because he always focused on what was good for the whole and not one single entity.
Mr. Rooney attended every community event and many of the community meetings. When interacting with the public he was very friendly, open and approachable. He greets people with respect and listens to their comments and concerns. He is very good about keeping the Board informed and he meets deadlines.
The departments were not working well together which made community development very challenging. Developers and business owners met with one department and were given a to-do list. When they completed that list, they went to the next step and were given a second list, etc. The back and forth was incredibly frustrating for them. Mr. Rooney helped the departments put a master list together while putting the right staff in place, even if it meant moving employees around. He balanced out the issues and helped the departments work together. When someone wants to do something in the Village, every department that needs to be involved in that particular project is sitting at the table for the very first meeting. It has not only stream lined the process but has made it very customer friendly. The changes are significant and wonderful.
The person who owns the business that employs the most residents would not do any economic development in Carpentersville because the departments gave him grief and the process was not defined. He was very critical of their organization and took his business to surrounding communities. Since the change in the process he is doing business development in Carpentersville and he speaks well of the City. He has seen the leadership of Mr. Rooney and is now willing to invest in the community.
The public works department had not been remodeled since the 1950’s. The plan to remodel it received much pushback from the community but Mr. Rooney guided them through the process
Page 26 of 92 Section 10 Reference Notes J. Mark Rooney and helped them see the vision. Since the project has been completed, the residents are so excited about the changes, even those who complained in the beginning. The right thing to do is not always the easy thing, but Mr. Rooney can always discern the right thing to do and work in the right direction. He brought the project in under budget because he utilized the staff for the project when he could. With the money saved, he did an expansion and redevelopment of their City Hall which had not been updated since the 1970’s. He helped the Board see the possibilities when they could not envision them. Mr. Rooney realizes that investing in the staff is beneficial and helps the organization to be more efficient. The end result has been wonderful.
The Village had never saved for capital purchases and projects before. Mr. Rooney put money aside every year so that when they need to buy a fire truck or ambulance, or need to paint the water tower, the funds are already available.
The Village had full time and part time firefighters. The part time fire fighters filled in the gaps and are cost effective because they do not require benefits. The full timers try to get rid of the part timers to increase their own pay by demanding that all firefighters have the same education level. Rather than dismissing the part time fire fighters, Mr. Rooney and the Board worked with the part timers to increase their education. An additional benefit is that they are able to step into a full time position as openings occur. The full timers went public with allegations that Mr. Rooney was against fire safety and claimed he was a detriment to the community. The situation was very controversial but none of what they claimed was justified or accurate. Ms. Teeter is not aware of anything controversial in Mr. Rooney’s history.
Ms. Teeter would hire Mr. Rooney. He was a great leader for Carpentersville, he did the job that needed to be done.
Words or phrases used to describe Mark Rooney:
• Driven, • On purpose, • Open, • Futuristic, and • Visionary.
Strengths: He looks at a situation from both perspectives because he is very objective but he does have a heart. He sees what changes need to be made and what strengths the organization already has. He was very good at working through the process and provided the Board with enough information to make educated decisions.
Weaknesses: He has a military background and at times can be more focused on the task at hand rather than being warm and fuzzy. He is very personable but he is also strong willed which is not a bad thing if it is channeled in the right direction. He is sometimes so passionate and he could be softer when presenting his ideas.
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Dean Argiris – former Village President, Wheeling, IL 847-845-6990
Mr. Argiris has known Mr. Rooney since 2003. Mr. Arigis was a Trustee when Mr. Rooney was the Manager. Mr. Argiris was an aggressive Trustee who was always suggesting ideas, Mr. Rooney always found ways to accomplish them. They had a great relationship.
Mr. Rooney is a hard worker and a smart guy. He is very good and dedicated to his business. He likes challenges, which is a good thing. Each of the Trustees has a different personality and he worked well with all of them.
When hiring personnel Mr. Rooney made good choices and they are happy with his selections. His decisions in general are good, he is very focused on the job. He answered the phone, even late at night on the weekend, and communicated well. He quickly supplied any information they requested. He managed 245 employees, worked with the unions and managed the TIF districts, which was a significant undertaking. He worked seven days a week and did well.
Because of the climate in Illinois, Mr. Rooney is always looking for ways to save money and find new revenue sources. He was always trying to keep businesses in the community, and was really good at growing the community and maintaining services.
Mr. Rooney attended City events and other events like Chamber meetings. They held some fundraisers and he was always in attendance. When in the community he has a great personality and the gift of gab. He can speak to anyone.
Keeping the Board informed was a mandate and Mr. Rooney did well. The elected officials created the vision, Mr. Rooney made sure the vision was set forth in the organization. He knew how to address hair brained ideas and suggested better ways to get to the end result. He listened and researched options. The residents gained a sense of pride by his example.
Schools, libraries, and parks were against TIF districts but the only way the Village could fund economic development was to create them. Mr. Rooney met with supervisors from the taxing bodies to explain why the district was important and how it would benefit their organization. He assured them that it was the right choice because he knew that they all had to work together. They now have five TIF Districts. One expired after laying dormant for twelve years because of the past administration. Mr. Rooney declared a surplus to expand the District, which is bringing in some nice revenue. He is very creative.
During Mr. Rooney’s tenure, they had to lay people off and teach employees to multi task. The situation was challenging but he was able to lead the organization while keeping the funding in place and their bond rate consistent. They also received financial awards during his tenure. He was creative in refinancing the bond debt. He saved millions by changing from a 5% interest rate to a 2% interest rate. He is very skilled with finances and very instrumental in what they were able to accomplish.
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Mr. Rooney is visionary and always looks ahead. He is very transparent. He has a good head on his shoulders. If he has a Board who supports him and a good team to work with, he will thrive.
Before he came to Wheeling Mr. Rooney was involved in a controversial situation involving the union members who were backed by lobbyists. He did what was right for the community. He left Wheeling after a new Mayor was elected who decided to go in another direction. It was based on politics and not on Mr. Rooney’s job performance. People were happy with him and it was unfortunate that politics interfered.
Mr. Argiris would hire Mr. Rooney, he is a good Manager.
Words or phrases used to describe Mark Rooney:
• Good personality, • Military background, • No nonsense approach, • Leads by example • Fun to be with socially, • Creative, and • Innovative.
Strengths: Good personality, separates the politics and dealt with each of the seven board members well. Good work ethic, just a great Manager.
Weaknesses: In Wheeling he was a bit of a micro manager. However, Mr. Argiris knows employees in Carpentersville and they have confirmed that Mr. Rooney has improved in this regard.
Mr. Pat Horcher – Village President, Wheeling, IL 847-331-4234
Mr. Horcher was a Trustee in Wheeling when Mr. Rooney was selected as the Village Manager in 2006.
Mr. Rooney was excellent and always did a great job. At least two of the employees he hired are still working for the Village. He explained every decision he made and they all made sense. Working with him was very easy.
The Village went through a big growth spurt before the economy tanked. Mr. Rooney definitely maintains an organization but he was able to be innovative because of revenue streams from the growth spurt. He coordinated the construction of a new Village Hall, Fire Station, Public Works Building, and turned the old Village Hall into a dedicated Police Station. He definitely kept the Village moving forward.
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Mr. Rooney was always at community events like the 4th of July celebration, but meeting with the general public was not his responsibility, Mr. Rooney primarily met with developers. He became involved when the job progressed to the point that it required coordination with the Village Attorney, Engineers, the developer’s attorneys and the engineers.
Mr. Rooney always presented every option rather than just highlighting those that might be favorable to one side of the board or the other. He kept them very well informed. He led the project to buy a parcel of property that is now being developed as the Village Town Center.
When they began to feel the loss of tax revenue after the economic downturn, Mr. Rooney had to reprioritize departments, functions and services. He looked at employees who were close enough to retirement that they could buy out. He managed the Village during a volatile time and did very well. He always meets deadlines.
The Village had a fueling station with gas pumps and tanks. The Park District uses the station and pays for the gas. The Board decided that the Park District should contribute to a new building. Mr. Rooney sent them a memo outlining this idea and they were not happy about having to contribute. Even though Mr. Rooney was only doing as he was instructed, the Board declared he had overstepped his bounds and asked him to apologize to the Park District. Mr. Horcher thought it was absolutely wrong to ask him to do so, but Mr. Rooney understands the chain of command and that he needed to make the apology. He is honorable and did his job.
Mr. Rooney has not been involved in anything controversial. Over a period of several years a developer was given over 10 million dollars in TIF money, which put the Village in a difficult situation because they have maxed out the funds but did not receive the benefits they had hoped to receive. At the time the Village President was the Vice President of the bank who financed the developer on the other end and another Trustee backed the developer no matter what. On a day that this developer was coming before the Board to ask for more funds, they discovered that the developer had allowed his associates to dump material on a piece of Village owned designated wetland, and they had filled this area up to eight feet. The Board had to hold an emergency executive session. The Trustee who backed the developer stated that she did not understand why they were making a federal case out of it. Mr. Horcher responded that it was a federal case as the land was federally owned wetland. The Trustee convinced the Board to give the developer more money anyway, which Mr. Rooney was opposed to. He pointed out that they were not receiving much value per unit being built. This situation factored into his departure from the Village and was part of the reason that Mr. Horcher resigned from the Board.
Mr. Horcher would hire Mr. Rooney in a heartbeat and really enjoyed working with him. Mr. Rooney’s information was always accurate and he relayed all of the options even when they were not in the best interest of the community. He implemented whatever the Board decided.
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Words or phrases used to describe Mark Rooney:
• Dedicated, • Loyal, • Honest, • Diligent, and • Honorable.
Strengths: Very thorough with his research, absolutely committed to the chain of command – his job was to give the Board the facts and then implement the decision made. Working with him was very simple.
Weaknesses: He trusted people.
Oneida Fehring – Administrative Assistant to Police Department and Village Manager, Carpentersville, IL 224-293-1660
Ms. Fehring met Mr. Rooney in 2013. She has worked for the Village since 1999 and is the administrative assistant for the police department. After his administrative assistant left, he began utilizing her as his administrative assistant, too, until he left in 2018.
Mr. Rooney was tough, but fair. He was the best Village Manager they have had during her tenure. He made good decisions when hiring and likes to promote from within if he found the talent. He made good decisions in general.
The Village was very rundown with many potholes when Mr. Rooney was hired. She never would have moved into the Village at that time but with the upgrades and changes that he has introduced, she would gladly move into town. He maintains operations at a high level.
Mr. Rooney was often out in the community and was very friendly with residents. He was always happy and shakes their hands. When residents call, he answered the phone and spoke to them. He was very involved in the community.
Even though Ms. Fehring was an admin, Mr. Rooney always treated her as though she was part of the Senior Staff. His leadership was exceptional. All of the department heads did their best to please him, and whatever it took to make sure the organization is running smoothly and well. He had good financial skills and was very responsive.
Controversy always exists in municipalities and people do not always agree, but those who are critical of Mr. Rooney do not always see the whole picture. Ms. Fehring does not believe that anything in Mr. Rooney’s background would concern an employer. People did not complain about
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Mr. Rooney to Ms. Fehring because she came to his defense, but she acknowledges that sometimes union employees were unhappy because they did not get their way.
Ms. Fehring would hire Mr. Rooney and enjoyed working with him, he is excellent. The town really turned around through his leadership. When he was walking to her office, he spoke to people on the way to find out how their day was going. He was very involved in City Hall. He was with Carpentersville longer than any previous Manager and was very, very fair. An employee in finance told Ms. Fehring she was very grateful to him because he gave her the opportunity to prove herself. He offered a position in payroll to another employee who did data entry for the police department and it worked out very well. He encourages talent and makes sure that employees grow within the organization. He is fantastic.
Words or phrases used to describe Mark Rooney:
• Fair, • Great leader, • Good natured, and • Great leadership skills.
Strengths: Leadership, knows how to lead his departments heads. The Village ran so much better and comradery between departments was better than it ever has been.
Weaknesses: When people do not follow orders, he calls them into his office though this does not happen often nowadays.
Kathy Lamkin – former Human Resource Director, Carpentersville, IL 630-464-4690
Ms. Lamkin does Human Resource consulting. Another manager recommended her to Mr. Rooney and they worked together from September 2015 to January 2017.
Overall Mr. Rooney had an excellent job performance. He is extremely analytical. He was hired to help Carpentersville from a budget perspective and did an excellent job. He was a good match for the Village at that time.
Everyone makes a mistake or two but Mr. Rooney made good hiring decisions overall. He made really good decisions for the organization. From Ms. Lamkin’s perspective in Human Resources, she would have liked him to think more about the individual employee but she understands that the City Manager has to look at the big picture.
Mr. Rooney is definitely innovative. He came up with many ideas, some of which Ms. Lamkin questioned, but they almost always worked. If someone does not like change, they might be
Page 32 of 92 Section 10 Reference Notes J. Mark Rooney frustrated working for him because he always has new ideas to try. When employees do their work, he is good to them. If they do not, they will know they are not meeting expectations.
Mr. Rooney attended Board and staff meetings. He kept Ms. Lamkin informed most of the time, but she was only in the office three days a week, which made it challenging. When she felt she should have been informed about something, he always listened. He was always responsive.
During a police department investigation, they had to decide how to handle it to keep the employee from filing charges. Mr. Rooney asked some questions and helped them determine the best route. He used the newspaper test, meaning he asked them what each decision would look like on the front page of the newspaper.
The Fire Chief was investigated and rather than being fired, he was given the option to retire. He then ran for Mayor and won which created a very uncomfortable situation. This Chief grew up in the Village. Ms. Lamkin gained a great deal of respect for Mr. Rooney during this time. It was a difficult decision and asking for the Chief’s resignation could have been the end of Mr. Rooney’s career. Even so, he did what was right for the organization. Also, there was a situation about a disagreement that ended up in the paper. Ms. Lamkin does not know much about it, except that he was exonerated.
In Illinois, Administrators do not hire their department heads. Mr. Rooney will do better if he has control over who his department heads are.
Depending on the culture, Ms. Lamkin would hire Mr. Rooney. He is not a good fit for her client that is extremely focused on doing everything for the employee even if it means changing the rules. To be clear, Mr. Rooney was fair to employees and offered benefits that were cost neutral to part timers, but he did not bend over backwards to make sure that everyone gets what they want. In general, she recommends him and enjoyed working with him.
Words or phrases used to describe Mark Rooney:
• Smart, • Creative, • Wants to do the best for the organization, • Loyal, and • Assertive. Strengths: Extremely smart, analytical, understands the politics, keeps the Board informed, handled very sensitive issues including union negotiations or investigations, knew what to tell the Board without getting them involved in the minutia.
Weaknesses: He can be pretty business oriented and some who are sensitive might not think that he cares as he is just not touchy feely. While it did not bother Ms. Lamkin, she had hoped he would open up a little more.
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Dave Limardi – former City Manager, Highland Park, IL 847-533-0402
Mr. Limardi is a former ICMA President. He was the City Manager for Highland Park when Mr. Rooney was the Village Manager in Highwood. They met in the mid 1990s when they worked closely together to purchase a military base. The base was divided between both cities.
Mr. Rooney was a strong, no-nonsense leader. He had the technical skills to do the job and he worked well with others. He made good decisions. He maintained operations at a high level but was not afraid of innovation or change. He was often out in the community and was very personable and professional in all of their interactions. He was a good steward of the resources.
Managing that many elected officials and a complicated process meant that it was very important to keep each other involved. Mr. Rooney was working with a Board who had not been immersed in large development opportunities before. He led his group toward agreements that had to be in place before they could move forward.
Mr. Rooney has not been involved in any controversy that is out of the ordinary for a City Manager. Someone he told “no” to who wanted to hear “yes” might have a negative opinion of him, but he had the respect of everyone he has worked with.
Mr. Limardi knows someone who used to work with Mr. Rooney. This individual really appreciated Mr. Rooney’s style. He was always upfront with employees and if they performed in the way they promised, he was their biggest supporter. If they did not perform well, he held them accountable. His managing style is an asset in this day and age.
Mr. Limardi would hire Mr. Rooney, he has done well in the communities he has managed.
Words or phrases used to describe Mark Rooney:
• Committed, • Passionate, • Technically sound, • Leader, • Capable of learning, and • Ethical.
Strengths: Passion for the job, straight forward and no nonsense, military background, what you see is what you get, very honest, high ethics.
Weaknesses: He expects a great deal from people and believes in them and what they can accomplish. Some employees like his style while others do not.
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Mike Angus – President, Chicago Area Mountain Bikers, Carpentersville, IL 630-804-9521
Mr. Angus and Mr. Rooney met in 2013. They worked together on projects for the community which mainly consisted of identifying land options and approaching owners to see if they were amenable to using the land for a bike park. The park they envisioned is now in construction.
They participated in eight formal meetings together. When issues occurred, Mr. Rooney was very quick to address them and he even visited the park to see the progress. He was very supportive. He is a great person and did everything that they asked of him.
Mr. Rooney was open to the idea of a bike park when many people were negative, and the resulting project has improved the Village substantially. When Mr. Angus had a question Mr. Rooney either responded quickly or delegated to the staff if he was busy. He was very good about keeping others informed.
The park had an issue with gangs and graffiti, Mr. Rooney was quick to offer police support and City staff to clean up the graffiti. If they had leftover rubble or trash, Mr. Angus called the City. Mr. Rooney swiftly took care of any issue.
Mr. Angus had limited exposure to Mr. Rooney but is not aware of anything controversial that is related to him.
Mr. Angus would hire Mr. Rooney, he did very well in Carpentersville. They would not have the bike park without his efforts, he was very supportive.
Words or phrases used to describe Mark Rooney:
• Open minded, • Direct, • Caring, • Supportive, • Responsive, and • Collaborative.
Strengths: Can make decisions and does not beat around the bush, he deals with issues.
Weaknesses: Employees have said that he can be pretty direct but Mr. Angus has not witnessed it firsthand.
Jeff Sabbe – former Trustee, Carpentersville, IL 317-420-9432
Mr. Sabbe was on the Village Board and has known Mr. Rooney since 2015.
Page 35 of 92 Section 10 Reference Notes J. Mark Rooney
Mr. Rooney did a great job. He made good decisions and the village flourished under his leadership. He maintained a high performance level in the organization.
Mr. Rooney was involved in the community and attended public meetings. He kept the Board informed and called to discuss what was on the agenda before Board meetings.
Mr. Rooney was responsible for negotiations with the Fire, Police and Public Works unions. Every employee worked under him. He did very well managing the budget and completed tasks in a timely fashion.
Mr. Sabbe is not aware of anything controversial in Mr. Rooney’s background.
Mr. Sabbe would hire Mr. Rooney, he did a great job in Carpentersville. He put the finances in order and helped them grow.
Words or phrases used to describe Mark Rooney:
• Intelligent, • Strong leader, and • Military precision.
Strengths: Very organized, very intelligent.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Kevin Goethals – Information Technology Director, Carpentersville, IL 224-293-1601
Mr. Goethals met Mr. Rooney in 2009. Mr. Rooney was the Village Manager of Wheeling and Mr. Goethals working in the Information Technology Department. They worked together for nine months until Mr. Rooney was hired in Carpentersville. Mr. Goethals began working in Carpentersville in 2011 and they worked together until Mr. Rooney left in 2018.
On a scale from 1 to 10, Mr. Rooney rated a 9 or a 10 in terms of performance. Mr. Rooney made good decisions both when hiring personnel and in general. He maintained the organization at a high performance level and came up with the best ideas that were suited for the situation.
Mr. Rooney regularly attended community meetings to represent the organization. He is a very social person and interacted very well with the public at events that Mr. Goethals attended.
Mr. Rooney keeps others informed and is very customer service oriented. Mr. Goethals could not think of a specific issue Mr. Rooney solved, but issues came up daily that he addressed and moved people in the right direction to resolve. He absolutely has good financial skills and was always
Page 36 of 92 Section 10 Reference Notes J. Mark Rooney timely in responding to questions or completing tasks. He was responsive even outside of business hours.
Mr. Rooney has not been involved in anything controversial. Mr. Goethals cannot think of anyone who would disagree with the statements in this reference.
Mr. Goethals would hire Mr. Rooney if he were in a position to. Mr. Rooney is a great City Manager.
Words or phrases used to describe Mark Rooney:
• Energetic, • Enthusiastic, • Driven, • Knowledgeable, • Supportive, and • Motivator.
Strengths: Supportive of staff and their decisions, extremely knowledgeable and wants to learn more about the departments, great motivator.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Prepared by: Lynelle Klein Colin Baenziger & Associates
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CB&A Internet Research
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Westerly Sun, The (RI) July 24, 2018
Rooney to help mediate dispute Author: Dale P. Faulkner
WESTERLY - Interim Town Manager J. Mark Rooney will meet with the town's lawyer and Planning Board Chairman Jack Armstrong to discuss and iron out the roles and duties of the town's planning staff and their professional relationship with the town's director of development services.
The meeting, which will follow three such similar sessions that Rooney says he already conducted with Armstrong, comes at the urging of a majority of Town Council members after the council listened Monday to concerns raised by Armstrong and other members of his board. The council also heard explanations from Nancy Letendre, the lawyer appointed by the Town Council to handle land-use cases, on Monday.
The board had asked to meet with the council in April following the sudden end of former Town Planner Jason Parker 's tenure in his position. At the time, former Town Manager Derrik M. Kennedy said that Parker had been placed on administrative leave and would not be returning to his position.
In a letter signed by all but one member of the Planning Board requesting the meeting, the board raised concerns about not having been informed of Parker's status prior to his departure, as well as questions as to whether under the current structure the town planner can make independent decisions without fear of reprisal and whether the board was able to fulfill all of its statutory duties as well as those set out in municipal ordinances and the Town Charter. The board, Armstrong said Monday, had been left "without a planner for a period of time without any knowledge or forewarning. It left us vulnerable regarding our ability to fulfill our obligations under the law," Armstrong said.
Armstrong said the tone of the April letter might have been "a little angry, maybe a little harder than we needed to be," but he said the board continues to worry about a section of state law which calls for the town's land-use administrative officer "to report to the Planning Board." In Westerly, the administrative officer is the town planner.
The Department of Development Services encompasses the town's planning, zoning, building, and code-enforcement functions, which leaves the director, currently Pellegrini, as the supervisor of employees in the department. Armstrong also noted that for about six weeks, while the town was without a planner, Pellegrini signed off on certifications of completeness. The certifications signal applications for various board actions are complete and can move to the board for consideration. Letendre defended the practice, saying the town's associate planner reviewed the applications. His work was reviewed by Letendre and then the material was forwarded to Pellegrini for final
Page 40 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order) sign off. "I advised Lisa that in the absence of a planner it was OK for her to sign … I have no problem bringing that to your attention. I think it was the right thing to do," Letendre said.
A seasoned land-use lawyer and a certified planner, Letendre praised the Department of Development Services staff for their abilities and for working together as a team. She also acknowledged possible conflicts between town ordinances and state law, which she said should be addressed but often crop up as town's grow and change.
Pellegrini said she was focused on keeping the town's governmental functions moving following Parker's departure. Efforts to hire an interim town planner were unsuccessful. "No one would come to Westerly," Pellegrini said. "In the absence of people in key positions, everything can't just stop. Part of my role is to ensure that doesn't happen," Pellegrini said.
Councilors Jean Gagnier and Mario Celico questioned whether town staff communicated well with Armstrong following Parker's departure and focused on an e-mail exchange between the two. Pellegrini asked the councilors not to focus solely on the e-mails, saying she spoke to Armstrong by phone as well.
Council President Edward Morrone said he hoped the discussion on Monday would allow for a "new beginning" between the board, town staff and the council. Armstrong said Monday's discussion was hindered by the delay between the date of the board's letter and when the council invited the board in for a meeting that was originally scheduled to take place during a private, executive session. Morrone said he had not scheduled a meeting earlier because he was aware that Rooney had met with Armstrong.
Page 41 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Westerly Sun, The (RI) July 8, 2018
'Staunch support' for Silva Author: Dale P. Faulkner Sun staff writer
WESTERLY - The Rhode Island Police Chiefs' Association has entered the fray in the spat between members of the Westerly Police Department and town management.
In a June 28 letter to interim Town Manager J. Mark Rooney, the association announced its "staunch support" for Police Chief Richard Silva. In May, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers Local 503, the labor union that represents the Westerly department 's rank-and- file officers, wrote to Rooney to inform him that its members had approved a vote of no confidence in Silva, who has served as chief since November 2016. The union wrote to Rooney again on June 13 and asked for the removal of Silva from his position.
Col. James J. Mendonca, president of the police chiefs' association, in his letter to Rooney, said Silva has "demonstrated an unparalleled level of professionalism" and has displayed selfless and devoted service to the organization during his four years on the association's executive board. Mendonca is police chief in Central Falls. Silva currently serves as vice president of the association.
Silva has faced intense scrutiny from members of the local union since he was selected by former Town Manager Derrik M. Kennedy over Capt. Shawn Lacey, the other finalist for the position. Lacey has worked for the department for about 30 years, starting as a patrol officer and working his way up through the ranks. The union announced its displeasure with the selection of Silva before he even started and members of the local police honor guard refused to participate in his swearing-in ceremony.
The letter from the police chiefs' association was intended "as a character rebuttal with regard to the unfortunate events that have taken place within the Westerly Police Department - namely the 'no confidence vote' in opposition to Chief Silva - which is clearly void of substance and veracity," Mendonca wrote.
Town Council President Edward Morrone on Friday said the council will have little if any involvement with the ongoing clash involving the union's dissatisfaction with Silva. "Obviously it's the manager 's issue. He makes the appointment," Morrone said. Given Rooney's unfamiliarity with many of the issues, Morrone said it seems unlikely that he would act on the union's request. Rooney started his interim post on May 7. "I don't think the manager's in a position to, in any way, make this type of decision, at least not in the short term," Morrone said.
According to Morrone, Rooney is monitoring the situation and has communicated with the union and with Silva about the situation. Morrone said he has no reason to believe that members of the department are compromised in their ability to perform their duties. "I haven't been advised by
Page 42 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order) my constituents of any such problem. I think the citizens of Westerly can rest assured they're protected and this does not seem to be affecting the delivery of the department 's vital service," Morrone said.
Mendonca asked Rooney to consider the entirety of Silv a's work in law enforcement. He came to Westerly after completing a 28-year career in West Warwick, including eight as chief. "Chief Silva is a valuable and respected member of the law enforcement community that the RIPCA relies on heavily. It is with hopes that you see his value and leadership, and balance the hollowed accusations against him with his career accomplishments," Mendonca wrote.
The Fraternal Order of Police Association Lodge 10, a Westerly-based lay group that supports the town's police officers, has also inserted itself into the debate. The association wrote to Rooney and the Town Council on June 12 and called for Silva's dismissal. Rooney, Silva, Mendonca and Patrolman Anthony Alicchio, president of the Local 503, did not respond to messages seeking comment for this article.
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Westerly Sun, The (RI) May 8, 2018
FIRST DAY ON THE JOB Town welcomes interim manager Author: Dale P. Faulkner
WESTERLY - On the night of his first Town Council meeting Monday, J. Mark Rooney was provided with a glimpse into a perennial topic of discussion - parking in Watch Hill. Rooney took his oath of office earlier in the day and then again during a ceremony at the start of the council's meeting. A 15-minute-long reception followed the ceremony, giving Rooney a chance to meet residents who were either on hand for other agenda items or who came to meet him.
The parking discussion had its origins in a proposal to lift a parking ban on Bluff Avenue to add 13 to 27 new parking spaces for the public. The Bluff Avenue proposal grew out of efforts last year to establish drop-off zones to improve shoreline access in Watch Hill and Misquamicut. On Monday, the Town Council agreed, by unanimous consensus, to drop the Bluff Avenue proposal after hearing the Watch Hill Fire District Counc il's proposed alternative - to establish seven parking spots in the district's Larkin Road parking lot for Westerly residents.
The spots would be free for residents parking for up to three hours. The district also plans to create a drop-off loop in the lot where an estimated three vehicles could pull in at a time, drop off their passengers, and then drive out of the lot without being charged. The lot will also be available for free after 5 p.m. in the hope of making parking available for residents. Rather than simply stand in opposition to the Bluff Avenue parking proposal, Randy Abood, Watch Hill Fire District moderator, said district officials developed the Larkin Road parking lot idea in the spirit of "seeking the common good and solutions."
Abood was joined by other district officials as well as property owners and representatives of businesses and other organizations including Daniel Hostettler, president and managing director of Ocean House Management, which runs the Bluff Avenue resort hotel, and Deborah Lamm, Watch Hill Conservancy chairwoman. Allowing parking on Bluff Avenue would detract from the look and feel of the village and could hurt business at the Ocean House, an important part of the town's tourism economy, Abood said.
Town Councilor Philip Overton praised the citizens of Watch Hilll for "working in good faith." "I'm very impressed that in the spirit of community you have come forward with these really good ideas," Overton said. The fire district also plans to install an automated gate system and a security camera at the lot.
Abood said he is in discussions with the district's legal advisor to determine whether the gate proposal will require approval by the district's voters. Regardless, he said, the drop-off loop and seven spaces for Westerly residents can be established immediately. Rooney also witnessed
Page 44 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order) another important aspect of the town - a group of citizens who pay attention to their local government.
Hatsy Moore, a former Town Council member and a resident of Watch Hill, took to the podium in Council Chambers to raise questions about the Larkin Road parking plan, saying it did not align with previous commitments made to Misquamicut Club members and residents who invested in the Lanphear Livery parking lot. "Welcome Mr. Rooney, I am your and the council's worst nightmare, but I have a sense of humor, and I've been threatened with being handcuffed," she said, alluding to a previous meeting during which she was asked to hold off from commenting at the podium because she was trying to speak at an inappropriate time.
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CB&A Note: The situation described in the following story is one of the strangest we have seen in our 20 years of municipal executive search work. Towards the end of Mr. Rooney’s tenure in Carpentersville, the elected body made it clear it was time to part company and essentially sent him home while they negotiated an exit package. Several weeks later, the Board withdrew their offer, stating he had voluntarily resigned when he ceased coming to work and stopped negotiating a severance package. It, thus, avoided paying the severance he was entitled to.
Chicago Tribune January 25, 2018
Ousted Carpentersville manager resigns, board withdraws separation deal: officials Author: Erin Sauder
Carpentersville trustees on Wednesday withdrew their separation agreement offer to J. Mark Rooney, saying the village manager voluntarily resigned when he stopped showing up for work earlier this month. Last week, the Village Board unanimously approved offering the deal to Rooney, who was hired as village manager in 2010. Village President John Skillman said at the time that attorneys were working out the terms.
Trustees also approved naming Marc Huber, Carpentersville's assistant village manager/director of community development, as acting village manager on an interim basis. The board reconvened Saturday to continue discussing the separation agreement. At issue, according to village attorney Hart Passman, was the inclusion of a nondisparagement clause, a provision that means neither party can make negative comments about the other. "Mr. Skillman mentioned there was room for the attorneys to work out the details. We've been unable to do so," Passman said Saturday. "Mr. Rooney did not accept the village's effort to compromise on that provision."
During this week's board meeting, Trustee Diane Lawrence motioned withdrawing the village's separation agreement offer, saying Rooney voluntarily resigned his employment when he stopped coming to work. "Records indicate the last day he reported to work was Jan. 5. At that time, he cleared out his office of his personal belongings," Lawrence said. "According to the employee handbook, any employee who fails to come to work without notifying the village will be considered voluntarily resigned from the village. I motion to accept his voluntary resignation."
Her motion was approved 4-2, with trustees Paul Humpfer and Don Burroway dissenting. "While the village was trying in good faith to find an agreeable solution to the subject of Mr. Rooney's employment, we identified that he had cleared out his office and stopped reporting to work," Skillman said in a statement following Wednesday's vote. "There is no circumstance in which an employee can just stop reporting to work and expect to maintain their status as an employee or expect taxpayers to foot the bill for a substantial salary and benefits package."
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He added that the board had already been in the midst of addressing whether Rooney was the correct person to serve in the role of manager. "His voluntary resignation allows us to focus on moving the village forward in a new and better direction," Skillman said. "We are not interested in drawing unnecessary negative attention to Mr. Rooney, who we recognize has added some degree of value to the village in the past. But in the interests of openness, I do say that there have been increasing and continuing concerns regarding Mr. Rooney's communications with stakeholders in the village, his administrative decisions and his fiscal management of the taxpayers' resources." Rooney could not be reached for comment. Prior to coming to Carpentersville, Rooney was the village manager for Wheeling from 2006 to 2009 and Wheeling's assistant village manager from 2003 to 2006.
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Daily Herald January 16, 2018
Carpentersville approves separation deal with village manager Author: Lauren Rohr
The Carpentersville village board Tuesday night approved a separation agreement with Village Manager Mark Rooney, who has served in the position for more than seven years.
Village officials did not immediately release the details of the agreement, and Village President John Skillman declined to comment. The unanimous vote came after a nearly hourlong discussion in closed session, in addition to a two-hour closed session during a Jan. 6 special meeting. The measure was not discussed in open session. "I will leave my position with a sense of accomplishment and thanks for all I have learned through the inevitable challenges with a position such as mine," Rooney said in a statement to the Daily Herald. "I served with a specific set of values and principles with the overriding goal to make the lives of Carpentersville residents better."
Trustees also voted Tuesday to appoint Assistant Village Manager Marc Huber to the interim manager role, effective immediately. Rooney, an Army veteran, was hired as village manager in 2010. Last year, he was earning a salary of $175,710 plus benefits, according to village records.During his tenure, trustees supported two amendments to Rooney's employment contract, the most recent of which included a 5.5 percent raise that brought his annual salary up to $167,000 in 2015. His salary was adjusted each year based on performance evaluations by the village board, according to the contract.
The village board has seen significant turnover since Skillman, a retired Carpentersville fire chief, beat out incumbent Ed Ritter for village president last spring. Voters elected newcomer Diane Lawrence to a trustee seat, and Skillman later appointed John O'Sullivan and Jeff Frost to fill vacancies on the board. "In this era of compressed time, constant commentary and polarized politics, things do not always work as they should," Rooney said. "Elections have consequences. I leave my position with my head held high."
In his statement, Rooney thanked trustees and Ritter for working cooperatively "with a mutual sense of respect and trust." He lauded the village's improved transparency rating, the creation of a community development department, new economic activity such as the Walmart Supercenter, and various other accomplishments in the last seven years. Skillman said no decisions have been made for finding a permanent replacement for Rooney. The village board is expected to discuss its next steps at a later date.
Rooney previously served as village manager in Wheeling, a position from which he resigned in 2009. At the time, two trustees said his departure came after a majority of the board indicated in closed session that they no longer supported him. Before Wheeling, Rooney served as village administrator in Highwood.
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) June 29, 2017
Carpentersville OKs settlement with its former director of HR Author: Lauren Rohr
Carpentersville’s human resources director resigned last month after village officials indicated they were contemplating her termination, according to a separation agreement. Samantha Brunell, who had been on the job since last July, was placed on administrative leave May 10 while the village assessed her performance and the needs of the department, Village Manager Mark Rooney said in a memo to the village board. She resigned from the position six days later as part of a settlement that would pay her salary and benefits through June 30.
What led to Brunell’s departure — and the village’s roughly $13,738 payout — remains unknown. Rooney declined to discuss personnel matters, and Brunell was unavailable for comment. Under the agreement, which was approved last week by the village board, both parties are releasing one another from any "claims, demands, causes of action or liability" related to Brunell’s employment or departure. Brunell will also receive a letter of reference from Rooney.
In addition to her human resources role, Brunell served as the assistant to the village manager and handled public relations responsibilities. She was employed in the finance department, and her starting salary was $70,000. Carpentersville officials are now working with an outside consulting firm, GovHR USA, to review the vacant position and consider a possible staffing reorganization, Rooney said.
Jeff Monteleone, the village’s senior management analyst, is taking over Brunell’s human resources duties on an interim basis with help from Rooney and Assistant Village Manager Marc Huber. The village will not backfill the analyst position until they determine whether Monteleone is a good fit in human resources, Rooney said. Additionally, he said, department heads have been trained to handle some public relations responsibilities, such as writing news releases. The village might also consider hiring part-time consultants to help with special projects. Rooney said the review and reorganization period is expected to be complete by the end of August, when planning for the 2018 budget cycle begins.
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Courier News: Web Edition Articles (Elgin, IL) March 30, 2017
Carpentersville, Illinois Policy Institute, website transparency Carpentersville lauded for transparency Author: Erin Sauder
Carpentersville has been recognized by the Illinois Policy Institute for its "highly transparent" municipal website. "This kind of transparency is critical for trust," Village Manager Mark Rooney said in a news release. "We strive to make sure we remain accountable to our taxpayers." The transparency score of 96.2 percent represents nearly a 5 percent improvement since the last audit in December, and more than a 45 percent increase since 2013. Those scores were 91.6 percent and 50.6 percent, respectively.
The Illinois Policy Institute ranks municipalities, townships, school districts, libraries and other entities for transparency based on their websites. "Over the past few years, the IT Department has consistently worked with the village board, village manager, and village staff to evaluate ways to redesign our website in order to make key information more readily available to our citizens and businesses," said IT Director Kevin Goethals.
After receiving the dismal score in 2013, a new page was created dedicated to government transparency (cville.org/Reference-Desk/Website-Transparency.aspx) and allows searching through links to all of the information from a 10-point transparency checklist in just one click. The checklist evaluates how accessible it is to find information on a municipality's taxes and fees, lobbying activity, bids and contracts, salary and benefits, expenditures, financial audits, budgets, public records, meeting information, and contact information for elected and administrative officials.
Carpentersville received perfect scores in seven out of the 10 categories on the checklist in the latest audit. "Our goal is to reach 100 percent transparency," Goethals said. "We want Carpentersville residents to have the ability to easily contact village officials, while making key village information readily available to anyone visiting our website."
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) June 23, 2016
Lawsuit headed back to court, with a new judge Author: Lauren Rohr
A lawsuit filed by East Dundee officials, who are trying to prevent Wal-Mart from obtaining more than $4.3 million in special taxing funds for its new Carpentersville store, is headed back to court, this time with a new judge. East Dundee Attorney Tom Gardiner said state law prohibits tax increment financing funds from being used to entice a business to relocate within 10 miles. Because the new store is less than three miles away, East Dundee argues Wal-Mart does not qualify for TIF funds, Gardiner said, noting the village wasn’t trying to stop the store from opening.
Kane County Judge David Akemann dismissed the lawsuit last year, saying East Dundee’s case lacked standing. The village appealed that decision, as well as an order denying the village’s motion for a substitution of judge.
After the appellate court decision Monday, the lawsuit will go back to the circuit court, and East Dundee can continue making its case in front of a new Kane County judge. The decision also means Akemann’s ruling is void. "This shows we have standing, we have merit in this case," East Dundee Village President Lael Miller said. "The important thing is for us that this validates the fact that we did have a valid case and that the previous judge’s ruling is tossed out."
Carpentersville Village Manager Mark Rooney, who argued the village did not violate TIF laws, said the appellate court decision to put a new judge on the case doesn’t mean Akemann’s initial ruling isn’t valid. Wal-Mart and Carpentersville officials have argued the company’s decision to move was market driven and a result of circumstances beyond its control. "It’s a meritless case," Rooney said. "It’s a complete waste of the taxpayers’ money in East Dundee, and now they’re also wasting Carpentersville taxpayers’ money to defend a meritless case." Rooney said the village has not yet decided its next steps.
In a TIF district, the property tax revenues that go to local governments are frozen for up to 23 years at a certain level, which is set on a base assessed property value. Any taxes generated above that level can go back into redevelopment. The new Wal-Mart Supercenter in Carpentersville held its grand opening early Wednesday. East Dundee estimated it would lose an estimated $60,000 to $80,000 per month in sales tax revenue after the closing of its Wal-Mart store.
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL),April 27, 2016
Carpentersville firefighter’s union seeking arbitrator in disputed layoffs Author: Lauren Rohr
Amid contract negotiations with the village, the Carpentersville firefighter’s union is asking an arbitrator to negotiate the layoffs of two full-time firefighters. The layoffs took effect Friday, but the union filed a grievance last month after they were announced, claiming the move violated the current contract, which expires at the end of the month, said Rick Nieves, president of the Carpentersville Professional Firefighters Union. But the union and the village disagree vehemently on the circumstances that resulted in the layoffs, mainly centering on cost savings.
In 2014, the union and village signed a "side letter" agreeing to a swing shift, which moves firefighters from normal to short-staffed shifts. The agreement called for the village not to lay off any firefighters during the duration of the contract, as long as the swing shift structure saved $75,000 annually. "It’s the village’s position to end our side letter because the savings that were promised did not materialize," Village Manager J. Mark Rooney said.
Nieves said the swing shift did reduce overtime costs by $75,000, but the village used the additional funds ineffectively, "not at the fault of the union." He also argued the layoffs wouldn’t result in significant cost savings, as the village would have to pay overtime costs and part-timers to make up for the loss. "We strongly feel that these layoffs are not really necessary and are against the agreement we had with them this last time around," Nieves said. "We don’t feel there’s a true bona fide economic problem." The two parties were unable to come to a resolution during negotiations, Nieves said, and the union is requesting a third party to settle the dispute.
Rooney said he made an offer during contract negotiations to postpone the layoffs until the end of negotiations, but it was rejected by the union. "If we didn’t find the savings, (layoffs) could’ve still happened," Rooney said. "But it wouldn’t have to happen until that point in time when we concluded those negotiations." Nieves said the union never received a formal offer to stave off the layoffs. Instead, he said, Rooney indicated he would rescind the layoffs if the union paid the full salaries and benefits for the two firefighters. Rooney denied such an offer was ever made.
Contradicting statements from both parties don’t end there. Nieves claimed the fire department is the only unit in the village experiencing layoffs, while Rooney says cuts are being made across several other departments. Nieves says the two firefighter layoffs would save only $20,000 per year, and Rooney argues it’ll result in about $100,000 in net savings. Rooney said the union linked negotiations about the layoffs to an unrelated issue: Allowing firefighters to wear shorts while on duty. Nieves said the union always handled the two issues separately. Now, Nieves said, arbitration is the union’s last chance to restore the firefighters’ jobs. "I’m hoping at some point in the near future (the village will) still rescind the layoffs and we can come together," Nieves said. "Losing two guys is an unfortunate situation, not only for the community but also for the guys and their families."
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Courier News: Web Edition Articles (Elgin, IL) March 18, 2016
Carpentersville, branding, Spring Hill Mall, Meadowdale, District 300 Carpentersville trying to change village's public perception Author: Erin Sauder
Carpentersville officials know that changing the village's public perception could be an uphill battle. But it's one they're willing to take on. About 30 individuals, including staff and board and commission members, took the first step in the branding campaign process by attending a brainstorming workshop Wednesday, led by Bill Balling, managing director of the WRB LLC consulting firm. His colleague, Adriane Johnson, an associate consultant, also attended the workshop. "Branding is essentially everything you do," Johnson said. "It isn't just the logo. It's a specialized type of marketing to help tell a community's story. It gets to the foundation of what makes a place desirable. It's also what people say about you when you're not around."
She said the goal of branding is to enhance and/or improve the community's image and attract the desired residents, businesses and visitors. Attendees were asked to weigh in on the village's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and ultimate threats. Carpentersville's industrial base, diversity, residents, services, walkability, location and long-range planning topped the list of the village's strengths. "Most of our town is pretty well kept up," Village President Ed Ritter said. "There's some dark spots here and there and we have to keep fighting them but that percentage is much lower than it was 10 or 12 years ago."
As for the village's weaknesses, "public perception," said former trustee Kay Teeter, who is currently a member of the Business Development Commission. "That's huge." "The lowest hanging fruit on the weakness side is the perceived level of crime and the actual level of crime which is lower than our surrounding communities," added Trustee Kevin Rehberg. "There are metrics out there that prove this." Traffic flow and the negative perception of the area's public schools were also noted as weaknesses.
Village Manager Mark Rooney said the village's business corridors also provide a challenge. "We have Randall Road, Route 31 and Route 25 — they don't have any correlation," he said. "There's a very different challenge of marketing Randall Road than Route 25." As for Carpentersville's opportunities, the riverfront was suggested. "Our section isn't developed yet," Rehberg said. "You can't get a motorboat in there. You have to paddle, with a canoe or kayak. But the fishery has rebounded tremendously. When you get to the Dundee area it turns more urban. We're in this transition zone between a highly boatable area to this urban Dundee area." He added the village "has a real opportunity to make ourselves attractive to new families that are fleeing Chicago." "Most people don't want to raise families in the Chicago public schools anymore," he said.
Trustee Jeff Sabbe said District 300 also "is a huge opportunity for us." He cited the district's partnership with Elgin Community College which is allowing qualified high school seniors the
Page 53 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order) opportunity to enroll at ECC full-time and earn up to 32 college credit hours, tuition free. Another suggestion was implementing community events throughout the year instead of just spring through fall. As for threats to the village's success, declining equalized assessed values, lack of revenue, and Spring Hill Mall were mentioned.
Rouse Properties, which owns Spring Hill Mall, asked to partner with both Carpentersville and West Dundee to bring the $40 million renovation project to fruition. Plans call for a movie theater, restaurants, and a new layout. Mall officials were seeking $8.6 million total in financial assistance from Carpentersville and West Dundee, with the majority, about $7.4 million, coming from the latter since most of the shopping center falls within the village. Carpentersville's ask is about $1.2 million. "Two villages have spent a lot of time and money but it is very possible that mall will fail," Rooney said. "That's a pretty big threat."
He cited the Meadowdale property which runs from Besinger Drive to Lake Marian Road. At one time, the shopping center on the property was a popular draw due to anchor stores such as Wieboldt's and Woolworth's. It was such a high-trafficked area in 1960 that John F. Kennedy delivered a stump speech there while running for president. "That threat would be a repeat of what happened to Meadowdale and create a perception problem," Rooney said. "It went from a JFK rally point to nothing." The next workshop on the initiative is set for next month. "I'd like you to think about and reflect on the topic we're discussing this evening and come back in early April and get additional feedback," Balling said.
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) April 30, 2015
Carpentersville manager gets 5.5% raise in new village budget Author: Madhu Krishnamurthy
Carpentersville village leaders approved a 5.5 percent pay raise for Village Manager Mark Rooney, part of a roughly $46 million budget of expenditures for the remaining eight months of this year, which officials say includes no staffing or service cuts. Rooney’s yearly salary goes up from $158,000 to roughly $167,000 retroactive to Jan. 1. He also gets five more vacation days (25 in total) and guarantees nine months of severance pay that equals his current pay, plus fringe benefits, if he is fired after five years of service for any reason other than being convicted of a felony.
Rooney said the salary increase is comparable to what managers/administrators of neighboring communities receive. "I’m still nine out of 10 in the ranking of salaries (of managers)," Rooney said. "I just bumped ahead of Lake in the Hills village manager." Rooney received a similar salary increase last year, as did a few other department heads.
Chris Scholl, a firefighter who ran unsuccessfully for the village board in April, said Rooney’s pay hike is "fiscally irresponsible at a time when the village is talking about deficits." "What concerns me is also that this contract spells out his severance package, and severance packages should be dealt with at the time for severance and based upon the reasons for that severance," Scholl said. "The taxpayers should not be on the hook for (paying) $125,000 plus the fringe benefits ... he will also be compensated for unused vacation time and unused sick leave, which no employees get in the village."
Rooney said the increases are justified by how much money the village has saved through his leadership. "I had a good year last year," Rooney said. "We successfully got a $400,000 OSLAD (Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Program) grant and a U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) grant of $628,000. Wal-Mart Supercenter successfully coming to town is a pretty significant event, which will be $1 million in sales tax (revenue) every year."
The Wal-Mart project — targeted for 26 acres along Lake Marian Road and Route 25 — is a nearly $30 million development, which includes a $4.3 million village incentive funded through a special taxing district to help with site improvements, such as the widening and signalization of Lake Marian Road, said Joe Wade, assistant village manager. Construction of the supercenter is expected to begin this summer and open by fall of 2016, officials said.
The village seems to have turned the corner after eliminating 34 positions during the past four years through layoffs, consolidation, reorganization, retirements and attrition. No personnel cuts are in this budget, Rooney said. "We save on an annual basis on salary and health care costs of over $1.5 million," Rooney said. The village also has saved roughly $195,000 by refinancing an
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IEPA loan earlier this year, and nearly $100,000 in yearly debt service when borrowing $10 million for infrastructure improvements that will be completed over four years, he added.
The 2015 budget includes a salary increase of 1 percent for public works employees, and 3 percent for police and firefighters. On average, personnel costs increased 2.2 percent, and health insurance costs increased 2.5 percent, Finance Director Hitesh Desai said. The village will be spending nearly $10 million on water and sewer improvements, and $3.5 million on infrastructure projects this year, and roughly $2 million on water main and road improvements related to the Wal-Mart project, in addition to the business incentive. Starting next year, Carpentersville will follow a calendar year budget once the tax levy is determined in December, officials said.
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Courier News (Elgin, IL) April 5, 2015
In wake of spat, official hires private detective Author: Mike Danahey
Carpentersville Village Manager Mark Rooney said he is spending his own funds on a private detective after a March 14 altercation with a member of the Finance and Audit Commission. Harry Brown, of H. Brown Investigations, said he was hired by Rooney shortly after the incident with Humberto Garcia.
Garcia, a Carpentersville trustee candidate, filed a police report regarding Rooney's actions during and outside a Finance and Audit Commission meeting March 14 at the town's public works building. "Mr. Rooney has a reputation to protect, with military service and an exemplary career," said Brown.
During the March 14 session Rooney questioned claims some people in town and some firefighters have been making that the Fire Department is understaffed. Garcia responded that he had heard those claims and that the department is understaffed. He asked Rooney if those people are lying. Rooney asserted that they are lying, noted Garcia has been on the commission for several years and that the numbers were there before him.
Rooney commented, "If you can't figure it out, I can draw you a picture. But if you can't understand what's before you, I can't help that God didn't give you enough gift to process the information." That escalated into a heated discussion in the public works building lobby at a break during the meeting. Police investigated and did not pursue charges. Brown said he is now investigating the matter. "This is in no way about the police investigation," Rooney said.
On Wednesday, after an executive session at its village board meeting the prior night, trustees issued an online statement that communicated to Rooney "its expectation that all village employees, especially those in leadership positions, conduct the village's business in a way that is professional and respectful of others at all times." Beyond that, the board took no action on the matter. Garcia was disappointed the board apparently took no disciplinary action. "As a public official, he should not behave like that," Garcia said.
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Courier News (Elgin, IL) April 1, 2015
Carpentersville meeting gets heated; no charges Police investigate after trustee candidate and village manager trade insults Author: Mike Danahey
Insults about intelligence and bitter debate between the Carpentersville village manager and a village trustee candidate spilled over into an angry confrontation outside a meeting room, leading to a police investigation but no charges, officials said this week. Carpentersville trustee candidate Humberto Garcia filed a police report regarding Village Manager Mark Rooney's actions during and outside a Finance and Audit Commission meeting March 14 at the town's public works building. Garcia has been serving on the commission for about four years.
Responding to a Freedom of Information Act request from The Courier-News, Carpentersville released a video, police reports and the results of a police investigation about the incident with a memo that states: "Based on interviews and review of the evidence, there is no basis for pursuing criminal charges against any of the individuals involved." Still, Carpentersville Village President Ed Ritter said that the matter would be discussed in executive session following the Village Board meeting Tuesday night and that an official statement would be posted on the village's website after that discussion.
What led to the heated discussion and the ensuing report and investigation was a comment Rooney made to Garcia during the March 14 meeting. On an audio of that meeting obtained through the FOIA request, more than 20 minutes into a discussion of the fire department's proposed budget, Rooney calls into question claims some people in town and some firefighters have been making that the fire department is understaffed.
Garcia responded that he had heard those claims and that the department is understaffed. He asked Rooney if those people are lying. Rooney asserted that they are lying, noted that Garcia has been on the commission for several years and that the numbers are there before him. Rooney commented, "If you can't figure it out, I can draw you a picture. But if you can't understand what's before you, I can't help that God didn't give you enough gift to process the information."
According to Garcia, the matter escalated at a break several hours into the session, prior to him leaving to participate in the East Dundee St. Patrick's Day parade. The report released Monday notes a surveillance video from the lobby that caught the incident. The video, with no audio, shows Garcia using a finger to emphasize a point and Rooney immediately stepping into Garcia and using the same gesture, the report states. "Humberto did not appear to be threatening at that point, and Mark Rooney appeared to be the aggressor by stepping into Humberto," the report states.
Then, "as Humberto was walking away Mark suddenly turns and approaches Humberto again at a fast pace and Mark is again using his finger in a poking motion to emphasize his point," the
Page 58 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order) report states. Garcia exited the front door but then comes back into the lobby, the report states. Garcia looked toward the meeting room, then Rooney walked toward Garcia, the report states. Garcia does appear threatened at this point, the report states, "as he slowly edges toward Mark with (redacted name) in between them. As (name redacted) grabbed Mark, it appears he is trying to shepherd him away from Humberto."
"It appears that Mark's body is leaning in towards the meeting room and not towards Humberto, and Mark appears to look directly at (redacted name) and Mark says something to (redacted name) who immediately releases Mark and lets him pass." The report states, it "doesn't appear that Mark is trying to physically harm or threaten Humberto. It appears to be a disagreement that became personal, not criminal. Although there were many things said that could be considered insulting and unprofessional, it does not appear that any of these things would rise to the level of criminal conduct in that no physical threats were muttered."
According to the reports, Rooney told police that Garcia stopped him in the lobby and asked for an apology for what Rooney said during the meeting. Rooney said he would not apologize, the report states. Rooney told police Garcia threatened to have Rooney fired if Garcia got elected as a trustee. Rooney also claimed Garcia made a comment about "beating an apology out of him." Rooney said he "told Garcia he was a son of a bitch if he thought he could use violence against him." Rooney also advised police that during the argument, "he did make a comment to Humberto about beating his wife."
Tuesday, Garcia said he would wait until after the Village Board meeting to make any further comment. Rooney could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon. As for Rooney's comment about Garcia and a domestic offense, according to a redacted police report, officers were called to the Garcia home on Oct. 13, 2013, about a physical altercation. Media outlets learned about the incident last week from a tipster. Garcia was taken into custody and charged with domestic battery, according to the report. Garcia and his wife, Bibiana, said that the Monday after the incident she and her daughter asked to have the charges dropped and thought they had been, but soon learned they had not.
According to online court records, on Jan. 30, 2014, Garcia pleaded guilty and paid fines and fees totaling $820. He completed counseling, and the plea was vacated Nov. 20, 2014. The Garcias said Friday that they didn't want to bring up the matter because of their children and the attention it might receive. "It was embarrassing," Garcia said. Garcia has lived in Carpentersville for 20 years and owns and operates Meadowdale Performance Garage,. He said he intends to remain in the race for one of the three spots on the village board up this April.
One of the other trustee candidates, incumbent Paul Humpfer was sentenced to a year of probation in October 2008 and ordered to enroll in a 26-week domestic violence program because of an incident with his wife in May 2007. Humpfer paid $1,000 in fines and costs and was ordered to refrain from abusive contact with his now-ex-wife. After complying with the conditions, the case was discharged in October 2009. Other Village Board candidates are incumbent Don Burroway along with Sara Miller, Jeff Sabbe and Chris Scholl.
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) July 10, 2014
Investigation clears Carpentersville official Author: Madhu Krishnamurthy
An independent investigator looking into allegations of gender discrimination, retaliation and harassment made by a former Carpentersville village employee against Village Manager J. Mark Rooney determined there was no validity to the claims. The allegations were made by the village’s former human resources director, Linda Mogren, who resigned in May under a separation agreement with the village.
At the time, neither village officials nor Rooney would discuss the reasons that led to Mogren’s departure. Mogren, a village employee since 1998, served as human resources director for nine years. Several attempts to reach her and her attorney were unsuccessful. Mogren refused to cooperate with the investigation citing her severance agreement with the village in which both parties agreed to refrain from disparaging statements. Mogren was assured she would have immunity for any comments made during the investigation, according to independent investigator Dennis Walsh with the legal firm Klein, Thorpe and Jenkins.
The firm previously served as the village’s attorney and was chosen to do the investigation because of Walsh’s reputation, Village President Ed Ritter said. Walsh interviewed Rooney and several other village employees who either witnessed interactions between Rooney and Mogren or could speak to the allegations, and reviewed numerous documents of communication between Mogren and Rooney, according to documents obtained by the Daily Herald through a public records request.
Among Mogren’s allegations were that Rooney "had a pattern of replacing women senior staff over 40 years old with males" and that he was trying to force her out after 15 years of service. She also claimed Rooney made several threats to physically harm village employees. According to the investigator’s report several employees interviewed said Rooney would make references to his military service, but never expressly threatened to harm any employees. The police chief also looked into that allegation and determined it was unfounded. The investigation determined Rooney, formerly village manager in Wheeling, didn’t break any state or federal laws or violate village policy, and acknowledged he is a demanding manager.
Ritter said the report puts an end to the matter. "I have a lot of confidence in our manager, the way he operates and how careful he is in anything that he does involving personnel," Ritter said. Ritter’s only comment about Mogren was that she was "an excellent employee." "She chose to leave, and she was not forced to leave. She was a good employee while she was here," he said. Ritter said the village hired the independent investigator only to avoid potential litigation. "We’re being proactive," he said. "We did not have to investigate. We could have just left it. But I didn’t want to do that because sometimes when you just leave something, it seems like you are afraid to investigate."
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) March 22, 2014
Village postpones laying off firefighters Author: Lenore T. Adkins
Carpentersville has delayed the planned layoffs of two full-time firefighters while union officials discuss cuts they can make to save those jobs, Village Manager J. Mark Rooney said Friday. "I’m very optimistic that the firefighter’s union will help us find a solution to avoid the layoffs," Rooney said. This action comes after the union met with Rooney on Wednesday to discuss the pending layoffs of the firefighters who were originally going to be let go March 28. There are 32 full-time firefighters, and the two at risk of losing their jobs have the least seniority.
Rather than work with a specific dollar amount, the union will instead make cuts from its recent contract and present the proposed savings to Rooney. The village board has final say and will vote on the new fiscal year budget April 1.
The extension gives the union time to consider what cutbacks it can take. Three years ago, during contract negotiations, the union agreed to several concessions so the village would not lay off three firefighters. The concessions included reduced holiday pay, no salary increase during the first year of the contract and a reduction in overtime pay. The union last fall agreed to another employment deal, which is what’s being reviewed. "We are actively discussing our options with our members," said Lt. Rick Nieves, president of International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4790. "We are happy to see the village extend the timeline."
Last month, Rooney announced staff cuts of the two firefighters and three other village employees to help plug a projected $429,000 deficit. Rooney said similar negotiations are also afoot with the union that represents the other three employees. Since the announcement of the layoffs, the firefighter’s union has filed a grievance. Also, several firefighters and retired chief John Schuldt have attended various board and budget meetings.
In the aftermath, firefighter Chris Scholl, a Carpentersville resident, publicly questioned whether the village is really in a financial bind and created an online petition to oust Rooney over what he calls his "poor management of village affairs."
As of Friday afternoon, 114 people had signed the petition. Scholl said most of them have family members working in the village or are firefighters elsewhere. He said 14 people are from out of state and others are from outside the area, according to information Scholl released to the Daily Herald. Rooney said he is aware of the petition and is ignoring it. "It does me no good to study every blog that is ever out there about me," Rooney said. "I just never made it a practice to read blogs. And I’m not going to start now."
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) January 9, 2014
Carpentersville approves settlement with firefighters Author: Lenore T. Adkins
Carpentersville officials approved a contract settlement with the village’s full-time firefighters Wednesday — a move that puts to rest the issues between the two parties and gives residents the protection they need without breaking the bank, officials said. In doing so, both parties also avoided settling their disputes through an often lengthy and costly arbitration proceeding. "That would have been the next step had we not come to a resolution," union President Lt. Rick Nieves said.
The settlement stipulates that the village use a daily minimum of eight full-time firefighters spread among the three stations; the village previously staffed them according to daily demands. In exchange, village officials can also use as many part-time firefighters as needed. Other highlights in the settlement include a round-the-clock lieutenant at every station, and the elimination of the village’s right to remove fire engines from service when an unusual number of firefighters are absent.
In turn, the union agreed to drop the six grievances it filed against the village related to staffing and seniority issues. "We’re moving in the right direction; obviously we’ve got this compromise, and we think it’s good for both sides," said Nieves, who could not stop smiling after the vote. "We’re looking towards the future." The settlement, meanwhile, is expected to cost the village less than $50,000 in overtime, Village Manager J. Mark Rooney said.
Wednesday’s board action came nearly three months after the village and the union agreed to a three-year contract for the 32 full-time firefighters. But several weeks later, the union complained the staffing changes would lead to slower response times that would endanger residents. Village officials, however, said the community was never in jeopardy, and the union actually was upset over the anticipated loss of overtime. The contract, they said, was meant to help curb $300,000 in overtime expenses. In the ensuing months, the full-time firefighters launched a social media campaign against the new pact, met with a pair of neighborhood groups and with Tom Roeser, an influential businessman and philanthropist. Also in the aftermath, resident Chris Scholl, a full-time Carpentersville firefighter, started a that was critical of the board and of Rooney.
At the end of November, the board authorized Rooney to request a meeting with the union to resolve the impasse. The interest was in a workforce concentrated on the business at hand, rather than problems on the periphery. "This is an example where compromise should not be a dirty word," Rooney said. Wednesday’s vote was unanimous, with trustees Paul Humpfer and Pat Schultz absent from the meeting. Village President Ed Ritter heralds the process as a win for everyone and thanks everyone for their willingness to compromise. "We’ve put some of the biggest disagreements behind us, and we’re moving forward cooperatively," Ritter said.
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) September 19, 2013
Village working to resolve driveway issue Author: Lenore T. Adkins
Business owner Tom Roeser continues to feud with the village of Carpentersville over the brick driveway he installed that violates village code. While brick pavers are a no-no for driveways, they are allowed for patio construction, Village Manager J. Mark Rooney said. So if Roeser treats the driveway like a patio, it will comply with village code, Rooney said. "I’m not going to make a mountain out of a molehill," Rooney said. "If it’s not looking like a driveway and it’s not acting like a driveway, it’s time to move on."
But Roeser, owner of, the village’s largest employer, doesn’t want a patio; he wants a driveway. And he says he intends to use that property as a driveway instead of playing a game of semantics with the village. "These guys are trying to make a problem go away that they created by calling a duck a swan," Roeser said. "This is not a small issue, and it’s not about a driveway. It’s about management that is so bad and inconsistent, they make me laugh."
The driveway lies between and the Order of Odd Fellows Lodge. Roeser owns the building that houses Sign-A-Rama. He says he built the grass-friendly driveway to blend in with the nearby residential area. The village rejected his original application for a brick driveway, and the community development department fined his contractor $150 for building it without a permit.
Roeser caused a stir last month when he complained to the village board about the miscommunication and misinformation he said he received from the community development department on several matters, including the controversial driveway at 3 N. Washington St. He told the board to get more involved in day-to-day operations but stopped short of asking trustees to fire Community Development Director Jim Hock.
In response to complaints from Roeser and others, Rooney ordered Hock and several members from that department to attend in-house educational seminars on customer service. Villagewide training on communication and customer service will take place later this month, Rooney said. Within the next six to 12 months, trustees could also consider changing the code when they address gravel driveways in the village, Rooney said. That, he added, has nothing to do with Roeser’s complaint. "It was something that was under consideration for the last year," Rooney said. "We don’t write laws for one person.
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Courier News (Elgin, IL) February 1, 2013
Report says C’ville fire chief put on administrative leave Author: Mike Danahey
CARPENTERSVILLE — Village Fire Chief John Schuldt has been put on administrative leave, according to a Chicago radio report. WBBM News Radio reported Thursday morning that Schuldt had been put on leave and that Village Manager Mark Rooney would not comment as to why the move had been made.
Village President Ed Ritter told The Courier-News Thursday morning that he had received several calls about the report but he could neither confirm nor deny it. He referred calls to Rooney’s office. Rooney was not available for comment, and his office also would neither confirm nor deny the reports. Schuldt was not in his office Thursday morning and could not immediately be reached for comment.
The Illinois Fire Chiefs Association named Schuldt, 52, the Illinois Fire Chief of the Year for 2011 from among departments with a population of more than 25,000. Schuldt was nominated for the award by Assistant Fire Chief John Skillman. At the time, Skillman told The Courier- News that Schuldt had been with the department for 34 years, including 31 in a full-time role. Schuldt was named chief in 1996 and has served with fire safety organizations on the state and even the national level, Skillman said.
Skillman noted in his nomination that “in May 2001, Chief Schuldt was asked by his village board to serve as acting village manager. He faced several key village staff positions that were vacant and the need to develop a village budget, at the time $40 million. He was responsible for a staff of 300 people during his 12 months as acting manager until his return to fire chief in May 2002. He was asked to stay in the position, but his love for the fire service returned him to his chief’s position.”
In the community, Skillman noted, Schuldt was on the founding board of the local Boys & Girls Club in the 1990s. Schuldt served on a 2010 committee that brought the Healing Field to Carpentersville to honor war heroes. Since 1998, he has participated in a community-wide paint- a-thon in which volunteers’ paint homes of those unable to do so. He helped coordinate area fire departments’ sending of help to victims of the 2004 Utica tornado and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In 2010, when a local family was left homeless by a fire, Schuldt worked first to solicit donations of furniture and clothing the family needed and then worked with the owner of a storage facility to create a permanent cache of such items for future fire victims. Schuldt helped bring “Remembering When,” a fire- and fall-prevention program for older adults, to Carpentersville as a pilot project and was instrumental in setting up a division technical rescue team for the area.
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Northwest Herald, The (Crystal Lake, IL), August 28, 2012
Lawsuit claims brutality, racism in Carpentersville Author: LAWERENCE SYNETT
CARPENTERSVILLE – A Crystal Lake man has filed a civil lawsuit against the village of Carpentersville and its police department, claiming that he was battered and racially mistreated during a traffic stop last year. Johny Perez, 21, is seeking more than $50,000 in damages in relation to an incident more than a year ago when Officer Alan Webb arrested him for misdemeanor resisting a peace officer and aggravated battery, according to the lawsuit filed in Kane County earlier this month. The 12-count lawsuit against the city and its police officers alleges that Perez was physically and verbally abused during a traffic stop March 16, 2011, on Route 25. It also states that the village’s nonbinding resolution to make English its official language gives police a license to discriminate against Spanish-speaking people. Perez was pulled over that day by a member of the Carpentersville Police Department for driving 5 mph over the posted speed limit, the lawsuit states. He then was asked to step out of the vehicle to read the speed limit sign and return to the car before Webb and several other officers arrived.
According to the lawsuit, Perez again was asked to exit his vehicle by Webb and was shoved in the chest. Webb punched him twice in the face, kneed him and struck him in the back of the head. Other officers held Perez while the abuse occurred, his lawsuit states. The officers also shouted racial slurs and verbally threatened Perez, a U.S. citizen who speaks Spanish and English, the lawsuit states. He suffered bruising on his face and body.
The charges later were dismissed, court records show. Perez was treated for bruises to his face and body at Centegra Hospital – McHenry, which cost $3,000 in medical bills, according to the lawsuit. Carpentersville Village Board members approved making English the official language in June 2007. At the time, proponents said it would strengthen the village and save taxpayers' money. Others argued that it would make the village a more difficult place to do business. Latinos make up more than 44 percent of the village population, according to 2010 Census data. The lawsuit alleges that resolution “was the product of pervasive racism of the village government, and some village residents against individuals of Mexican descent.” “Police officers were permitted and emboldened by the village’s institutional racism to use force against individuals of Mexican descent at a frequency disproportionate to their use of force against other individuals,” the lawsuit states.
The counts include civil-rights violations, false arrest and imprisonment, physical abuse, unlawful search and deprivation of liberty, excessive force, civil conspiracy, and assault and battery, among others. The lawsuit also accuses Webb of lying in the subsequent police report by making it out as though Perez was the aggressor. That includes Perez yelling and bumping Webb, as well as refusing to be handcuffed. Carpentersville Village Manager Mark Rooney said the village had not been served the lawsuit as of Tuesday afternoon, and could not comment on any litigation.
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) February 9, 2012
Village rewarding healthy employees Author: Lenore T. Adkins
Carpentersville is so serious about getting its employees fit that it is issuing reimbursements to those who get involved in wellness activities. Tuesday, the village board approved $50 reimbursements for each of the 11 employees taking part in the village’s "Biggest Loser" contest. Those employees are: Village Manager J. Mark Rooney, Acting Police Chief Michael Kilbourne, Fire Chief John Schuldt, Public Works Director Bob Cole, Capital Projects Manager Ed Szydlowski, Assistant Fire Chief John Skillman, public works employee Felice Grandinetti and police officers Erman Blevens, Barb Rowley, Michael Salvaggio and Morgan Brown.
It cost $105 to participate. Everyone’s $5 goes to the "biggest loser" and the rest of the money is split among the contestants who lose 10 percent of their weight over 13 weeks, said Linda Mogren, the village’s human resources director. The contest started in January and ends in April. "It’s just a fun way, we thought, would help allow people to reach their goal through some fun and friendly competition," Mogren said.
As part of its wellness program, the village has pledged to reimburse half of the entry fees — up to $50 — for races, bike rides and other activities, Mogren said. Her department is developing other wellness activities, like offering flu shots, health screenings and running educational seminars during lunch about eating right and exercising. The idea is to keep employees moving and educated.
Ultimately, healthy employees mean fewer sick days and lower insurance costs, Mogren said. Szydlowski, another contestant, the contest’s coordinator and a wellness committee member, said the program has been highly successful so far because everyone has been losing weight. Kilbourne has dropped 10 pounds so far, but admits to trying to sabotage his police comrades by dropping candy bars in their mailboxes, "to wish them well," he joked.
All kidding aside, he said, he now understands the important role eating plays in losing weight and that exercising is not enough. His goal is to shed 30 pounds. "Hey, I could lose some weight and the village came out with the competition and I felt with a lot of things when you have group support, you’re more likely to be successful at it," Kilbourne said.
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) November 7, 2011
Carpentersville wins award for labor negotiations Author: Lenore T. Adkins
The Illinois Public Employer Labor Relations Association has recognized Carpentersville for its four contract negotiations in 2011 that saved hundreds of thousands of dollars, avoided layoffs and kept public services intact. The village received the Rosemont-based association’s James Baird Leadership Award, which notes "leadership and achievement" in Illinois public sector labor relations. "The IPELRA board has determined that Carpentersville’s labor relations efforts ... are positive contributions to the Illinois public sector labor relations field," Awards Committee chairwoman Mary Rath wrote in her congratulatory letter to the village.
The village this year negotiated four, three-year contracts with unions representing firefighters, police officers, police sergeants and public works employees. But it was the talks with the fire department that set the tone for how the other three sessions went, Village Manager J. Mark Rooney said. The firefighters’ union accepted smaller pay increases and other concessions that saved the village $192,640, and agreed to hold contract negotiations without an attorney. "It gave some level of trust and probably assurance that policemen could do the same," Rooney said, adding that the village also kept attorneys out of the mix until the very end. "(Attorneys) didn’t come to the table; that was just kind of an email and a conference call situation."
Rick Nieves, president of the firefighters’ union, said the union also kept the taxpayers and their struggles in mind during the negotiations. "It’s not just about us; it’s about the public," Nieves said. "What we do is public service. It’s tough now; everybody’s struggling economically." In the end, after the firefighter’s contract was ratified, the other unions agreed to smaller raises and other cutbacks. Last year, the village’s dire financial situation resulted in the layoffs of five public works employees, two employees from the community development department and a part-time information technology worker, said Linda Mogren, director of the human resources. She also is the liaison between the union representatives and the village. "When we learned what the economic picture was, we worked hard to work with the unions and we felt that we both came to the table with some good compromises, so we felt very good about the results," Mogren said.
Carpentersville officials are in the middle of negotiating contracts with unions representing part- time firefighters and civilian employees that include building inspectors, clerks and code enforcement officers. They hope those go as smoothly as the others. James Powers, the village’s labor attorney, nominated Carpentersville for the award and Carpentersville Fire Chief John Schuldt accepted the award. He presented it to the village board last week. It marks the first time Carpentersville has received the recognition. "I think it shows the effort that was put in by the village and the unions," Schuldt said. "The village coming together and negotiating four successful contracts that reduced overall expenses, without laying anybody off in those units, I think that was remarkable."
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Courier News (Elgin, IL) October 30, 2011
Injured cop sues C’ville for health insurance coverage Author: By Mike Danahey
CARPENTERSVILLE — Former village police Officer Joseph Cecala is suing the village, Village Manager Mark Rooney and village human resources Director Linda Mogren for health insurance benefits for himself and his family he feels are owed him under Illinois law. Cecala, 40, was injured Dec. 29, 2008, while on duty at the scene of an accident at Route 31 and Spruce Road. According to the lawsuit, a driver had knocked down a tree that led to a traffic signal falling onto Route 31.
Believing the situation to be an emergency and that, due to the hour, no help would come for several hours to remove the signal, Cecala and another officer moved the item off the road. In the process, Cecala injured his back in what the lawsuit calls a “catastrophic injury.”
In November 2010, Cecala, the married father of two children, was awarded an in-the-line-of- duty disability pension by the village’s police pension board that went into effect that December. That month, he applied to the village for health insurance benefits he felt were his under the state’s Public Safety Employee Benefits Act (PSEBA).
The act states if a police officer suffers a catastrophic injury or is killed in the line of duty, his employer shall pay the entire premium of the employer’s health insurance plan for the injured employee, the injured employee’s spouse, and for each dependent child of the injured employee until the child reaches the age of majority or until the end of the calendar year in which the child reaches the age of 25 if the child continues to be a dependent. To be covered under the act, the injury or death must have resulted from the officer’s response to fresh pursuit or is reasonably believed to be an emergency, an unlawful act by another, or during the investigation of a crime.
The lawsuit includes a copy of a Dec. 9, 2010, letter from Mogren to Cecala’s attorney, Ryan Theriault, stating that Cecala does not qualify for benefits under PSEBA. “In particular, his injury did not occur as a result of any of the circumstances enumerated in (the act). Consequently, Officer Cecala’s application for receipt of benefits is denied. Officer Cecala is eligible for insurance coverage as a retiree under the Illinois Insurance Code provisions relating to police officers. If Officer Cecala elects and pays the total cost of such coverage, the benefits will be available as of January 1, 2011,” the letter states.
Theriault is an attorney at Foote, Meyers, Mielke and Flowers in St. Charles. He said that Cecala currently is covered under the policy his wife has at her job. The suit seeks reimbursement for $212 per month since December 2010 for those premiums. “This lawsuit has been filed to force the village to uphold its legal obligation to provide health insurance to police officers who are catastrophically injured in the line of duty,” Theriault said Friday.
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The village, he said, “has intentionally chosen to turn its back on an officer and his family who sustained career-ending injuries as the result of his dedicated service to the village and the people of Carpentersville.” Rooney was out of the office Friday and could not be reached for comment.
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) February 12, 2011
Carpentersville lays off six Author: Lenore T. Adkins
In an effort to slash $1.1 million from its budget, the village Carpentersville has laid off six village employees and eliminated 4 1/2 empty positions in the police department, officials said Friday. But depending on how upcoming union negotiations go, that number could grow, Village Manager Mark Rooney warned. Union contracts are up with full-time fire fighters, police officers and sergeants, public works employees and civilian workers in finance, community development and police records. "If the demands that they have in their union negotiations exceed the budget ... there will have to be additional layoffs," Rooney said.
Last Friday’s layoffs were just part of the overall cost savings package to balance the village’s roughly $55 million budget. The village also combined the community development, engineering and economic development departments into one department and merged human resources with the finance department. Moreover, Carpentersville is completing an analysis to see whether it’s cheaper to outsource building inspection services or to keep it in house, said Finance Committee Chairman Paul Humpfer. "We need to make sure that we’re going to save money at the end of the day," Humpfer said.
Last Friday’s layoffs marked the first time in recent memory that Carpentersville let employees go, said Finance Director Lisa Happ. As compensation, the employees received two weeks’ severance pay and a month of additional health care coverage. Depending on seniority, the package ranged from $2,600 to $4,000. With Friday’s cuts, there are now 180 village employees.
Employees have known since the first week of November layoffs were coming and that they’d be based on seniority. The village warned them far in advance so the workers could plan their holidays. "It’s been stressful for months around here," Happ said.
Authorities say the state owes them nearly $900,000 in income tax and that building permits are down, while sales tax remained flat. As well, the village recently increased the tax levy from $10.18 million to $10.89 million, but the increase funded debt service and pension costs, rather than employees, Rooney said. "Something had to give and that give would be personnel," Rooney said.
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) November 11, 2010
Carpentersville officials weighing higher levy Author: Tara García Mathewson
What looks like bad news for taxpayers is, at the same time, a village trying to keep its income steady — or at least, stem its losses. At Carpentersville’s Audit and Finance committee meeting Wednesday night, the village manager and finance director presented recommendations for next year’s levy. Last year, the village asked for — and received — about $10.2 million in the levy. This year, the board must decide if it wants to ask for the same amount and end up with $1.1 million less in the budget because of decreasing assessed values, or ask for a little more.
The village manager, Mark Rooney, is suggesting the board request almost $10.9 million to keep the budget losses at just more than $400,000. Both options will mean a tax rate increase for residents. "Are we going to reduce revenues or increase taxes? I have a feeling we’re going to have to raise our tax rates, but we’re not going to raise any more money," said Ed Ritter, Carpentersville village president. Rooney’s recommendation would mean a 15 percent increase in the tax rate over last year, though that will likely not increase individual taxpayers’ bills by much.
The Audit and Finance committee did not make a formal recommendation to the board, but Paul Lanspa and David High, the only two members who would not be voting on the levy as trustees, both endorsed Rooney’s recommendation. "I don’t want to pay any more, but it’s not egregious," Lanspa conceded.
The board will decide on the levy at its Dec. 7 meeting where the public can comment. To access the PowerPoint presentation with information about the village’s revenues and the various levy options to be discussed by the board, residents can go to the village website at vil.carpentersville.il.us. On the home page, there is a link called "Village Board Presentation: 2011/2012 Budget."
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Courier News (Elgin, IL) September 2, 2010
Former Wheeling manager is hired by Carpentersville Author: Jacob Hurwith
CARPENTERSVILLE - After extensive interviews and lengthy debate over which of 48 candidates would fit the position of village manager, trustees decided to go with the one they say has the most experience and professionalism. Mark Rooney, a former village manager in Wheeling, was chosen for the job Tuesday night. He will start on Sept. 21. Rooney served as Wheeling village manager from 2006 to 2009 and was the assistant manager for three years before that.
While in Wheeling, which has a population of about 40,300, he helped implement two new tax increment financing districts and extended a third TIF district, something familiar to the village of Carpentersville. Rooney also helped maintain Wheeling's AA+ Fitch Investor Services and S&P AA bond rating in addition to helping raise $40 million in bond debt to construct new municipal facilities.
Carpentersville officials said that experience will come in handy as the village begins to build a new public works facility. Rooney is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and was a senior adviser for the Army's Military Transition Team, where he trained and mentored two separate Iraqi regiments composed of 900 Iraqi soldiers. Rooney, 50, will be paid an annual salary of $130,000. He said he is looking forward to getting to know village staff. "I'm excited to do more listening than talking," Rooney said. "I want to learn the specifics and the intricacies of how Carpentersville functions. The formal structure is important, but the informal structure is just as important."
Rooney hold a master's degree in public administration from Northern Illinois University. He enlisted in the Army immediately after earning his degree and served in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait. He later went to work as a staff assistant for the now-late U.S. Sen. Paul Simon, helping facilitate the passage of legislation that resulted in the redevelopment of Joliet Arsenal, Fort Sheridan and Glenview Naval Air Station. Simon "taught me the greatest lesson," Rooney said. "Disagree without being disagreeable is the quality you have to have to be in public service."
Rooney will take over from Assistant Village Manager Dawn Wucki-Rossbach, whom the board praised for her work since the retirement of former manager Craig Anderson earlier this year. "We made a great choice, and I am happy for the residents of Carpentersville," Trustee Brad McFeggan said. "He will lead us in the right direction and the direction we need."
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) September 24, 2009
Village Leader Is out Author: Madhu Krishnamurthy
Wheeling Village Manager J. Mark Rooney has resigned his post as of Wednesday, Village President Judy Abruscato confirmed Wednesday night. Two trustees say Rooney’s departure was imminent after a majority of the board indicated in closed session Monday that they no longer supported him. Abruscato did not confirm that but would not offer an explanation for his departure.
She said the village board is grateful to Rooney because under his leadership a new village hall, fire station and public works facility were built, and the staff and board successfully negotiated police and fire union contracts. "The village board wishes Mark the best in his career," Abruscato said. "There are no problems with Mr. Rooney."
Assistant Village Manager Jon Sfondilis has been designated acting village manager, and he will remain in that post for the foreseeable future, said Martin Seay, administrative assistant. Rooney declined to comment Wednesday, directing all questions to Abruscato. He joined Wheeling in 2003 as assistant village manager and was named acting village manager in December 2006 when then-manager Wally Douthwaite resigned. Rooney was named manager in February 2007. Before Wheeling, he was city administrator in Highwood.
Trustees Pat Horcher and Dean Argiris said that in a poll taken Monday night among the six trustees and Abruscato, Rooney had lost the support of five of them. Neither Argiris nor Horcher would fully explain what caused Rooney’s loss of favor. They said Horcher and Robert Heer supported Rooney staying, while Argiris, Abruscato, Ken Brady, Dave Vogel and Ray Lang did not. "Most of what happened in my mind was politics and clash of personalities, really," Horcher said.
Horcher said some trustees complained Rooney did not keep them fully informed about village business. "They were basically not liking the way he was managing the village," Horcher said. Argiris, meanwhile, disagreed Rooney’s departure was political. "It wasn’t about personality conflicts and it wasn’t about politics," Argiris said. "There were issues. This was a business decision by a majority of the board."
Argiris said the problems have been going on for more than a year, but he would not divulge the actual reasons why Rooney was leaving. He said it was not because of any illegal actions or financial mismanagement. "I believe it was hurting the village keeping him on and that’s why we need to move on," Argiris said. "His style ... the way he would do business, eventually it would hurt the village, if it hadn’t already. And these were issues that never seemed to be going away. They needed to be addressed." Argiris said he has a high opinion of Rooney and was an advocate of hiring him at first, but he said Rooney was "jeopardizing things."
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Horcher, meanwhile, believes Rooney has been one of Wheeling’s best managers. "Look at what got done under this guy," he said. "We built the public works building and the village hall. We finally finished the space study for the village. He managed two police and fire contract negotiations without going into arbitration. "The guy did a really good job. He was dedicated to this village."
A lieutenant colonel with the U.S. Army Reserve, Rooney served 18 months in Iraq while he was Wheeling’s assistant village manager. Rooney’s $140,000 salary for this year was frozen last November in a joint decision he made with the village board. The terms of his departure are still being worked out, Seay said.
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Wheeling Countryside (IL) February 28, 2008
Rooney gets 12 percent raise Author: KIT KADLEC
A year after he was hired to be village manager, Mark Rooney was given a $15,000 raise last week. Previously making $125,000, he will now receive an annual salary of $140,000, or 12 percent more, under a resolution signed and put into effect Feb. 19. Rooney was hired as village manager on Feb. 26 last year, after first serving as the village's acting manager. In becoming manager, he replaced Wallace Douthwaite, who resigned in December 2006.
In unanimously approving the raise, which was tied to a performance review, no trustees made a comment during the Village Board meeting. Reached after the meeting, Acting Village President Patrick Horcher said he and others had been pleased with how Rooney has done in his first year. "I think everybody is pretty happy," he said. "We've had a lot going on, and he's handled it well." Rooney is Wheeling's seventh village manager since it adopted the board/manager style of government in 1970. He first joined the village staff in 2003 as an assistant village manager. In 2005, as an Army reservist, Rooney was called into active duty and sent to Iraq. He trained soldiers for the new Iraqi army, then returned 15 months later.
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Des Plaines Times (IL) December 13, 2007
Wheeling manager responds to Prospect Heights criticism Author: CHARLES BERMAN
Four days after the city of Prospect Heights and the village of Wheeling came together to appoint the new chairman of the Chicago Executive Airport, bad blood between the two municipalities continued to boil over. The hiring of former United Airlines pilot E. Allan Englehardt was supposed to signal a new era in leadership of the airport, formerly known as Palwaukee Municipal Airport.
Recent board meetings have focused on future airport business, not the alleged misconduct of former board Chairman Kevin Dohm and Vice Chairman L. James Wylie. Both leaders resigned within a one-month span earlier this year after concerns were raised regarding the payment of an airport contractor that was never approved by the board. On the surface, it appeared that the Airport Board moved on from those allegations, or at least kept its ongoing investigation and now apparent feud behind closed-session doors.
However, on Dec. 5, a letter attributed to five Prospect Heights aldermen was sent to Acting Wheeling President Judy Abruscato. The letter accuses Wheeling Village Manager Mark Rooney of sidestepping the board in an attempt to seek Federal Aviation Administration approval to build a Wheeling fire station on airport property. "It has come to our attention that since September, Mr. Rooney has ignored our collective understanding and pursued a course of conduct which mirrors the very conduct he complained about in the Fall," the Prospect Heights officials wrote.
The letter, which made it to the news media before Wheeling's Village Hall, also claims that Rooney, who sits on the Airport Board, threatened Airport Manager Dennis Rouleau's job for not obtaining the FAA's consent. "Mr. Rooney's conduct hurts airport morale and the important relationship of the City and the Village as partners in the ownership of the airport," the Prospect Heights officials wrote.
'Nothing to hide'
Rooney adamantly denies all of Prospect Heights' charges. Before the Dec. 10 Wheeling Village Board meeting, he presented a litany of evidence, including e-mails, that he said proves he did not overstep his authority. "Prospect Heights is questioning my integrity," he said. "I have nothing to hide. "They are baseless and meaningless allegations. Now we'll have full disclosure of what's gone on (at the airport). You'll see I don't lie, cheat or steal and I don't tolerate those who do. "My job is to protect Wheeling's assets, including the airport."
Wheeling has been planning to build two new fire stations because the village's Police Department is taking over the entire building that police currently share with the Fire Department
Page 76 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order) and Village Hall. To avoid the problems that the Alexander Graham Bell Montessori School faced in trying to build a school in a runway zone, Rooney said he wanted to at least know if it was usable land before recommending any location. Rooney said he never received that answer, so there were never any real plans to build on that property.
Abruscato surprised
The letter came as a surprise to Wheeling officials. Abruscato said the two municipalities met last week to discuss lingering issues and that the two sides left the sit-down on a positive note. Abruscato said she supports Rooney and does not believe he did anything inappropriate. "Mr. Rooney does a good job fulfilling the direction of the Wheeling board," she said. "That was poor judgment by Prospect Heights," she added. "They should have sent me the letter before going to the press. That makes for a bad relationship."
'Positive' chairman
E. Allan Englehardt will officially take over the chairmanship of the Chicago Executive Airport Wednesday (Dec. 19) when he leads the board's next meeting. "I've been around this airport for a long time, and I want to do everything I can to see the airport get back on track," said Englehardt, who was appointed Dec. 1.
The 60-year-old former United Airlines pilot started as a flight instructor at Palwaukee 40 years ago. He retired as a Boeing 777 international captain on Feb. 1, but he still trains and certifies new pilots. Englehardt said it's not his place to comment on the tumultuous last few months at the airport, and he is focused on reaching the airport's full potential for all users. "I am a positive person and I see things continuing to spin that way," he said.
Rouleau spent last week showing Englehardt around the airport and brought him up to speed with ongoing airport business, good and bad. "He is very aware of the past," Rouleau said. "He is going to work to get everybody back on the same page. "I see us working past it. There are a lot of people who love this airport and when it comes down to it, people will roll up their sleeves and get back to business." Rouleau said Englehardt was an excellent choice. "He's very energetic, he understands the position and he will be a tremendous asset to the board of directors."
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Wheeling Countryside (IL) March 8, 2007
Wheeling drops 'acting' from Rooney's job title Author: CASEY MOFFITT
The Wheeling Village Board gave Mark Rooney 90 days as the village's acting manager as an audition to the permanent role. However, Rooney impressed trustees so quickly, they gave him the job nearly a month early. Rooney was officially hired as Wheeling's village manager during the board's Feb. 26 meeting. Trustees voted unanimously on the decision. "I just want to say, 'Thanks,' for the last two months," Rooney said after the vote. "I've had a great deal of satisfaction working with the staff and the board." Rooney replaces Wallace Douthwaite, who resigned in December. His contract was bought out at the end of that month. Since then, Rooney has been the acting village manager.
Local knowledge
Village President Greg Klatecki said Rooney is very knowledgeable about the issues in the village, and showed an aggressive edge while performing as acting village manager. "It makes the transition a lot easier," Klatecki said of the hire. "He is aware of most everything going on in the village." Klatecki said if the Village Board were to search for a new village manager, it could easily have taken six months, and then that person would have acclimated himself or herself to the issues in the village.
As village officials are working on redevelopment projects, building a new village hall and two fire stations, along with other projects, Klatecki said a long transition is not in the best interest of the village. "We would end up in a lull waiting through the transition," he said. "Everything is falling into place and we don't want that momentum to stop."
'Personality fits'
Other trustees also praised Rooney's work over the past few months as acting village manager. "His personality fits the timing," Trustee Dean Argiris said. "It takes good leadership to get things done. I see the attitude changing at Village Hall. He comes with leadership." "We need to continue to work as a team," Trustee Bob Heer said. "This hiring makes us proud." Rooney first joined the village staff in 2003 as assistant village manager.
As an Army reservist, Rooney was called into active duty in 2005. He was sent to Iraq where he trained soldiers for the new Iraqi army. He spent 15 months in active duty. "What a country," Rooney said. "I was gone for 15 months, and the Village Board still has the confidence in me to work for the village." Rooney was previously the city administrator for Highwood, where he worked for seven years. His tenure there was marked by the conversion of Fort Sheridan to civilian uses. Rooney becomes Wheeling's seventh village manager since the village adopted the board/manager style of government in 1970.
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) February 27, 2007
Village manager begins new tour Iraq war veteran eager to lead Wheeling Author: Avian Carrasquillo
As a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, Mark Rooney led troops in Iraq. As Wheeling's village manager, Rooney intends to lead the town forward. In a unanimous vote, the Wheeling village board officially promoted Rooney to village manager Monday. He has held the title of acting village manager since December, after the resignation of Wally Douthwaite.
Rooney, a former city administrator in Highwood, joined Wheeling as an assistant village manager in 2003. That job title was put on hold in February 2005, when Rooney was called to serve in Iraq for 15 months. He returned to the village last summer and worked closely with other staff members on economic development. "I'd like to thank the village board for giving me this opportunity to work as the village manager the last two months in the acting capacity," he said.
"I've had a great deal of satisfaction in working with staff and the board. I've got one of those jobs that very few people have where I really enjoy my work, and it's a joy to come to work in the village every day," Rooney said. "What a country. I was gone for 15 months and the village board still has confidence in me to work for the village, and I appreciate that." After his appointment, Rooney got up from his seat and shook hands with each village board member. Trustees and department heads all congratulated Rooney, and expressed their desire to continue working with him. "There's great things going on in this town and it takes great leadership to get those things done," Trustee Dean Argiris said
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) December 19, 2006
Wheeling board names acting village manager Author: Sue Ter Maat
The Wheeling village board Monday formally appointed an acting village manager to temporarily replace the current manager, who handed in his resignation last week. J. Mark Rooney, who was the assistant village manager, was designated as acting village manager, and he presided as such during the meeting.
The board also accepted the resignation of Wally Douthwaite, who was not present at the meeting. Last week, Douthwaite put in his resignation. He will remain with the village until the end of the year to tie up loose ends on projects he was working on, village officials said.
Douthwaite has declined to comment on his resignation. Some board members had hoped Douthwaite would've continued as village manager. Trustee Judy Abruscato said she was sad to see him go. "I thought he did a good job," she said.
Douthwaite was city manager of Des Plaines until 2001. He left the city to take a job as city manager in Springboro, Ohio. Douthwaite, 53, was hired as Wheeling's village manager in September 2002 after a seven-month search to fill the position. Rooney may become the village manager after a three-month trial. The board will decide to promote him or look for a new manager after that time. Before coming to Wheeling, Rooney was the city manager of Highwood.
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Glencoe News (IL) November 10, 2005
For Rooney in Iraq, thoughts will turn to Veterans Day Author: KENNETH L R. PATCHEN
For Lt. Col. Mark Rooney, a former city administrator for Highwood who is now in Baghdad, Veterans Day offers a chance to consider anew the meaning of ceremonies intended to honor armed forces personnel. He has more time to think about remembrance these days. With a more normal schedule than he had in July when located near Tal Afar in northwestern Iraq, Rooney now is part of a group of 100 American soldiers working with 15,000 Iraqis. No longer assigned to improve water and sewage treatment plants, he is an adviser for Iraqi soldiers working in Taji to protect their country. Each day he is training and advising a regiment of 800 soldiers. "I think every day is getting better," he said.
Rooney's family lives at Town of Fort Sheridan. In March, 2003, he left Highwood to work as assistant village manager in Wheeling. A year later, he was called to serve in Iraq. While working in Highwood, he would take his children to participate in ceremonies sponsored by Highwood American Legion Post 501 to honor armed forces personnel. "You think about (Veterans Day) here more than you do there," Rooney said.
For many people, Veterans Day is a singular holiday of remembrance, he said, whereas in a war zone, it's more common to think of those who have died at any time of the day or year. In either case, both in a war zone or at home, a time of remembrance is not a time of enjoyment. "It's a traumatic event for those who have seen something," he said. On the home front, he said, "The families of deployed soldiers are unduly stressed."
Spouses live every day with the responsibility to maintain a household and to raise children. At any time, a military representative in dress greens may knock on the door with news that their life as they knew it is now over and the children have lost a parent. Rooney said this can create a tougher year for those left behind than for those who are deployed. Karen Rooney, taking care of their three children, agrees that explaining their life can be difficult. "It really is tough," she said. "It's hard to explain to (children)."
Veterans Day, she said, can be a time for people to remember those who are left at home while a spouse or child serves overseas. The focus can include those who were or are in the armed forces and their families. Rooney sees differences between the experience of World War II and Desert Storm veterans which is reflected in how they may view an occasion such as Veterans Day. World War II soldiers had cohesive units and a more common experience with one another and could share their experiences among themselves. That is not the pattern for today's soldier.
Rooney has served in both Gulf War invasions and said the battlefield experience is different for a modern soldier. Military service is much more technological and specialized than it was I World War II. These days, some personnel do not see gunfire so that alone creates a difference
Page 81 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order) among armed forces personnel in the same war. For example, his own experience in the past three months has exposed him to more gun fire than in previous assignments there. "(Service here is) violent, but not really as violent as portrayed in the media," he said. "The Gulf War was, in retrospect, a very easy operation. This one is much tougher. Operations (such as) fighting insurgents are never easy."
He is comfortable serving in Iraq. "I'm not troubled by anything I've seen or done," he said. "The part that helps me is that I know what the mission is." He is helping Iraqi soldiers protect their country. He said many citizens there have a lot of motivation to make things better and adopt change. "The Iraqi soldiers are fighting and dying for their country here a lot more than the media portray," Rooney said. "It's good they're doing it. It's their country."
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) June 26, 2004
Wheeling could benefit twice from federal flood-control plan Author: Avian Carrasquillo
Wheeling's decision to take part in a federal flood mitigation program has economic implications for the town center, businesses and local homeowners, village officials say. The Army Corps of Engineers and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are working with communities throughout the state on six projects meant to curb flooding in Illinois.
Wheeling holds a major stake in one of those projects, known as Levee 37, which calls for a Buffalo Creek reservoir expansion. The project calls for obtaining another 476 acre-feet (the amount of water required to cover 1 acre with 1 foot of water) of water storage at additional sites in Wheeling. Assistant Village Manager Mark Rooney said Wheeling's interest in this project is to protect existing businesses and houses from flooding. But he added Wheeling has a secondary goal of economic redevelopment of the downtown and Metra train station areas in mind with this project.
Rooney said development cannot occur in a heavy flood plain. Areas where homes and businesses exist in a flood plain were built before any study identified them as being in a flood plain, but it could affect future development there. "It's very expensive, if not impossible, to get permits to rebuild and build new things (in a flood plain) without this program," he said. "The federal project is a win-win situation as we see it in Wheeling," Rooney added.
Of the 33 sites being considered for water storage throughout the area, only two would be in Wheeling. One of the more visible sites is at the Wheeling Park District, 333 W. Dundee Road. where 205 acre-feet would be used. The other site identified is in the northwest corner of Wheeling on farm land. Rooney said the site would not be a detention pond, but would be designed to hold small amounts of water from the Des Plaines River when it overflowed until it subsided, and would not be enough to do any damage.
Jan Buchs, executive director of the Wheeling Park District said the park district will take a serious look at the federal plan. "We're excited to explore future opportunities to continue the future development of the park district," she said. The project would be federally funded and could be ready to break ground as early as fall 2005, Rooney estimated.
Page 83 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Daily Herald October 23, 2003
Wheeling sues to acquire property for redevelopment Author: Matt Arado
The village of Wheeling has filed a condemnation lawsuit against the owners of property on North Milwaukee Avenue in an effort to facilitate redevelopment of the area.The village is trying to acquire the property at 597 N. Milwaukee Ave., now home to a warehouse building and a used car dealership. The property owners could not be reached for comment. The property sits in a tax increment financing district the village established in February near the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue and Lake-Cook Road.
Wheeling officials would like to join the property with other parcels just to the north, forming a 20-acre site that could then be developed with shops and other commercial outlets. The village is negotiating purchase prices with the other property owners. "We believe commercial is the best use for that land," Assistant Village Manager Mark Rooney said. "A strong commercial area would be to the betterment of the entire community."
A TIF district is a redevelopment tool that allows towns to freeze property tax levels in a designated area for up to 23 years. As the value of the property rises, property owners in the district pay taxes as usual, but towns can use the amount paid above and beyond the frozen levels to cover redevelopment costs.
Wheeling now has three active TIF districts. In addition to the North Milwaukee-Lake-Cook Road area, there is a TIF district near the intersection of Dundee Road and Milwaukee Avenue and one further south on Milwaukee near Hintz Road. Next month, the village will hold a public hearing on a proposed fourth TIF district, which would be located around the Metra train tracks across Dundee Road. That hearing will be held Nov. 10. All of the redevelopment efforts are designed to give Wheeling a strong commercial tax base and improve the village's image.
Page 84 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Daily Herald March 3, 2003
Village works to fill out staff in top spots Author: Cass Cliatt
A year ago, Wheeling trustees tried to steer the village toward improvement, but with a shortage of hands to work the helm. The vacancies in Wheeling's top village staff began to mount. Now, the village is about finished amassing the administrative muscle it needs to push toward upgrading Wheeling's image, with the latest hire of a new assistant village manager.
J. Mark Rooney, the city administrator of Highwood, has been named Wheeling's new assistant village manager. "The volume of work here is such that we need two people to not only handle the day-to-day business, but also keep an eye on the bigger picture - being, where the village is going long term," Village Manager Wally Douthwaite said. If the village manager has to focus on such things as reviewing liquor licensing fees, he'll be distracted from "what are we doing downtown, what are we doing with a Kmart lease, what are we doing with a transit study," Douthwaite said.
Rooney, 43, will coordinate Wheeling's three redevelopment districts, negotiate the renewal of Wheeling's waste contract and manage special projects. He served seven years as Highwood's administrator and will fill a position left vacant in February 2002 when former Assistant Village Manager James Grabowski temporarily stepped in to fill Wheeling's top executive position.
That job was left empty by the dismissal of former Village Manager Craig Anderson, which later added to vacancies at the top of Wheeling's public works, community development, airport management and village attorney divisions. All of those vacant positions are now full. Wheeling is interviewing to fill a newly created position of public relations coordinator to be more efficient in informing residents of village news, Douthwaite said. The new staff member also will work with the Wheeling Special Events Commission on publicizing the annual Taste of Wheeling and other events.
Page 85 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Highland Park News (IL) July 4, 2002
Lack of revenue hurts city Author: KENNETH L R. PATCHEN
Once upon a time, in Highwood, residents and city officials had a property tax. This allowed them to build and maintain city services, such as fire protection, sewer pipes, police protection, library and other city services. Then, in 1983, Mayor Fidel Ghini became frustrated with political haggling on the city council. "He eliminated the property tax," said city administrator J. Mark Rooney. Later, Illinois State legislators passed tax cap legislation and Highwood was caught with its taxes down to zero.
Ever since then, city officials and council members have had to figure out alternative ways to raise money to meet city obligations. The creative thinking and some proposals have caused controversy in this town that does not welcome change with open easily. "I don't know if (Ghini) realized the far-reaching implications of it," said city attorney Paul P. Diambri. Then, "Several years ago there was a referendum to raise the (tax) cap," Diambri said. The city council supported a referendum in November, 1994 to increase property taxes. Voters later defeated it.
Lately, Highwood has adopted and implemented other ways to raise public revenue. The most recent was creation of a Tax Increment Financing district, TIF district, to help the city fix streets, repair sewer and water pipes and thereby improve the local business district and thereby boost sales tax revenue. Currently the city is awaiting results of a Plan Commission study of the downtown area to determine if some businesses are no longer appropriate and should be moved or closed to allow others which generate sales tax revenue. The study may or may not support adoption of an Amortization Ordinance. Rooney has said the impact to local businesses of such a study are unlikely to occur this decade and the Plan Commission's studies barely have started.
Home rule
Another idea under consideration by city officials is for Highwood to become a home rule city. According to a study prepared for Highwood officials by James M. Banovetz of the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University, home rule powers have often been used to "shift local tax burdens to non-residents, primarily through sales and use taxes." Stories about home rule causing heavier tax burdens for residents, according to Banovetz, are not supported by evidence and is usually based on rumors. Ultimately, voters have the power to vote out of office elected officials or eliminate home rule status.
Former Highwood City Treasurer William Lolli said the effect of Fidel Ghini's actions was long term. From 1983 to 1987 in Highwood there was no money for city pension obligations, the library and other city expenses. Lolli estimated the city lost about $100,000 a year as a result of the political in-fighting during that time period. In 1987, the library was given funding. Pensions were added later.
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As late as 1994, the city still was able to make payments only on its pension obligations and the library. The financial effects were widespread because the city supports fire and recreation services which in other areas may be financed by special taxing districts. Lolli sat down one day in 1994 to determine the financial impact of the decision to eliminate the property sales tax. He assumed the 1983 tax rate had continued but was set aside to earn market interest rates.
By that time, Highwood residents and property owners had lost the value of $5 million to improve their city and protect property values. That scale of loss continues to this day. "The real problem with this was the tax cap came in during this period of time," Lolli said. Highwood, so far, has never financially recovered from the abrupt loss of its property tax and then the passage of tax cap legislation by Illinois legislators.
Page 87 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Highland Park News (IL) June 24, 1999
Highwood cops say city dragging its feet Author: KENNETH L R. PATCHEN
The Metropolitan Alliance of Police has filed an unfair labor relations practice complaint with the Illinois State Labor Relations Board against the City of Highwood on behalf of Highwood Police Officers. As of Tuesday afternoon, village officials and city contract negotiators had yet to receive notification of the filing and were unable to discuss the charges contained in it.
City Administrator Mark Rooney said he expected the contract negotiations to take place during the first week of July. Negotiations had been set for that time because attorneys for both sides would be able to meet at that time. Union attorney John Rossi said that a draft contract for Highwood Police Officers had been submitted to the city in late April or early May. The city had expressed a desire for more and more time to review the language of the contract. During the week of June 7, the union filed an unfair labor relations practice charge with the Illinois State Labor Relations Board, according to Rossi.
Highwood Police union President Jeff Neimark expressed optimism about the ultimate outcome of negotiations between the union and city. "The future definitely looks optimistic, especially because of state labor laws in place." Highwood Police Officers voted to be represented by the Metropolitan Alliance of Police in March. At that time, City Administrator Mark Rooney had said, "We will negotiate in good faith if they decide to have a union or if they don't."
Incorporated in 1984, MAP is made up of sworn police officers up to the rank of lieutenant and civilian employees who work full or part-time with state, county, or municipal law enforcement agencies. MAP officials have stated that their union is concerned with the ideals of police professionalism. In the past, Highwood union officials have expressed "The future definitely looks optimistic, especially because of state labor laws in place. concern about overtime pay, scheduling, and the amount of turn-around time between work shifts.
Union officials have expressed additional concerns. "We're hoping for fire-arms training. We haven't had it for several years and (it is) a mandate of federal law," Neimark said. Neimark also said that regular pursuit training is needed for officers. "It is also mandated by federal law." "Basically we want to solidify our benefits," he said. There is a concern about salary, according to Neimark.
He said he expects the police department union contract to benefit the city. A negotiated agreement will lead to better police equipment and better additional training. "It is one of the things that will help us and the city down the road."
Negotiations on a contract between the city and union were initially delayed last summer when the city claimed it did not have enough employees to meet eligibility requirements for cities that
Page 88 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order) can negotiate with unions. Highwood argued that on-call firefighters are independent contractors and should not be included in personnel counts. That argument was not accepted and the city was told to negotiate with the new police union. "We're very optimistic," Neimark said. "We're going to move ahead."
Page 89 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Highland Park News (IL) July 24, 1997
Rooney called up to serve tour in Bosnia Author: STEVE ZALUSKY
The U.S. Army will get to see two sides of Highwood City Administrator Mark Rooney this month.
HIGHWOOD
On Wednesday, Rooney, who is in the Army reserve, will be called up for a brief tour of duty that includes trips to Germany, Hungary and Sarajevo, the former capital of Yugoslavia. By the end of the month, though, Rooney will travel to Washington, this time to wrangle with the Army as he takes part in negotiations for the transfer of Fort Sheridan to Highland Park and Highwood.
During his European stint, Rooney, a captain, will help the Army identify its needs for the next 18 months, if troops continue to be deployed in Bosnia that long. "It's kind of ironic," said Rooney, as he recalled that he argued for the deployment with his then-boss, former Sen. Paul Simon. "It came home to roost for me."
Rooney has already seen plenty of action. He volunteered for duty in the Persian Gulf, where he narrowly missed being hit by a Scud missile. He was walking toward a building that blew up right in front of him. "I saw a lot of people die in front of me," he said. "Everything gets easier after that." Rooney now serves in a data processing unit that, among other duties, enables e-mail to be sent across the countries where the operation is being conducted. It has also kept track of inventory being shipped into the theater.
He originally joined the Army as an enlisted man in 1983. He eventually attended Officer Candidate School. The U.S. force, originally as high as 18,000, has dwindled to 12,000, Rooney said, mostly in Hungary and Bosnia. "The troops over there know they're doing something worthwhile," Rooney said, adding that if the Americans don't do the job, the Europeans won't either.
Page 90 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Highland Park News (IL) March 14, 1996
Highwood gets administrator Author: BARBARA BELL
Highwood is a changing town. For the first time in the city's 109-year history, Highwood has a professional city administrator. He is 36-year-old Mark Rooney, who was a liaison for Sen. Paul Simon on the Joint Fort Sheridan Planning Committee and helped write federal legislation to transfer the property to Highwood and Highland Park as well as transferring the golf course to the Lake County Forest Preserve.
Rooney, who is a captain in the Army Reserves at Fort Sheridan, has completed the course work for his master's degree in public administration at Northern Illinois University and is working on his thesis. Rooney will be paid a salary of $35,000. "This is the last community on the North Shore to my knowledge not to have a professional form of government," Rooney said.
Mayor John Sirotti said he and the City Council had been considering hiring an administrator for two years. "We have to look at the city as a business," Sirotti said. "A city administrator is almost a must in this world." Sirotti is particularly pleased to have hired Rooney, who has been on the job about three weeks. "We were real fortunate to get him, I felt," the mayor said. "He's sincere about his interest and wanting to help us improve and move forward. The best thing everyone liked about him is he's excited about the future."
Indeed Rooney is. He said he feels "blessed" to be Highwood's city administrator. He's particularly excited about the development of Fort Sheridan by Stein & Co. because the fort will be the last piece of lakefront property to be developed on the North Shore. As Highwood's city administrator, Rooney will oversee the day-to-day operations of the city. In June, Highwood will receive its first payment of property taxes for city operations. Voters approved a referendum proposal last fall to raise taxes to pay for more city services.
Eventually, Rooney will develop a budget for all of Highwood's operations. Currently, the city operates under an appropriations ordinance in which a sum of money is approved for expenditure but not broken down by line item. Under a budget, each department is given a certain amount of money, and big expenditures such as a new fire truck are planned by placing money in cash reserves. "It tells the citizens where their money is being spent. It's the highest form of accountability," Rooney said of a formal budget. He hopes the city will be able to adopt a budget in 1997. "That's a goal," he said.
Another one of Rooney's responsibilities will be coordinating community policing at North Shore Estates, an apartment complex primarily inhabited by Hispanics. The police department plans to have an officer based there seven days a week to help residents and deter crime. In addition, other services such as health care would be provided to residents. A goal of community policing is to integrate Hispanics into the Highwood community. "They need someone to
Page 91 of 92 Section 10 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches J. Mark Rooney (Articles are in reverse chronological order) coordinate a lot of that actual work with outreach agencies," Rooney said. "You have to manage change in a positive fashion."
Rooney and his wife, who live in Northbrook, were the last couple to have their wedding reception at Fort Sheridan. In fact, the officers club had officially closed but it was reopened for Rooney, a veteran of Desert Storm. "I have an emotional attachment to Fort Sheridan," Rooney said. He's also affectionate toward Highwood. "For me, it's going to be a great opportunity," Rooney said.
Research Compiled by: Cara Slade Colin Baenziger & Associates
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Section 11
Joyce A. Shanahan
Naples City Manager Candidate Report
Section 11
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
COVER LETTER AND RESUME 1
CANDIDATE INTRODUCTION 9
BACKGROUND CHECKS 17
CB&A REFERENCE NOTES 21
INTERNET SEARCH 33
Section 11
Cover Letter and Resume
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Candidate Introduction
Page 9 of 67 Section 11 Joyce Shanahan
EDUCATION
Master of Public Administration, University of Pittsburgh Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, University of North Carolina – Greensboro ICMA Credentialed Manager
AWARDS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• 2017 50 Most Influential Women in Business, Daytona Beach News Journal • 2015 Essential Piece Award, Florida Business Watch • 2013 City Manager of the Year, Volusia League of Cities • 2012 Influential Women in Business, Daytona Beach News Journal • 2011 Silver Star Manager of the Year, Volusia League of Cities • 2011 Rotarian of the Year, Rotary Club of Daytona Beach, FL • 2010 Bronze Star Manager of the Year, Volusia League of Cities • 2008 Finalist - City Manager of the Year, Florida League of Cities • 2007 Rotarian of the Year, Rotary Club of Fort Walton Beach, FL • 2007 Athena Award Nominee - Fort Walton Beach/Destin and Walton County Chambers of Commerce • 2006 Finalist - City Manager of the Year, Florida League of Cities
EXPERIENCE
City Manager, Ormond Beach, FL Feb 2009 – Present City Manager, Fort Walton Beach, FL Nov 2003 – Dec 2008 Interim City Manager, Fort Walton Beach, FL Aug 2003 – Nov 2003 Finance Director, Fort Walton Beach, FL Nov 1997 – Aug 2003 Chief Financial Officer, Shenandoah Valley Westminster Canterbury, Continuing Care Retirement Community, Winchester, VA Oct 1995 – Oct 1997 Management Services Director, Winchester, VA 1992 – 1995 Risk Manager, Winchester, VA 1989 – 1992 Tax Field Auditor, Winchester, VA 1987 – 1989 Finance Director, McKeesport, PA 1985 – 1987
BACKGROUND
The City of Ormond Beach is a northeastern Florida coastal community of 35 square miles, with 3 miles of beachfront and a population of approximately 40,000 residents. It is located just north of Daytona Beach Florida and approximately 60 miles south of St. Augustine, Florida. Ormond Beach provides the full array of municipal services including: general government, police, fire,
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public works, public utilities, information technology, planning/building services, finance, human resources, leisure/cultural services, economic development, as well as, a municipal airport. The City has two CRA districts. The City’s General Fund Budget is $31 million, and its all funds budget is $78 million, with 371 employees and 8 department directors reporting to me.
The City boasts a great mix of business and tourism. The business community is thriving in the downtown and a long awaited mixed-use development project has its first tenant. The City is also home to Andy Romano Beachfront Park, built during my tenure in 2013. It is a 4-acre park on the Atlantic Ocean with many amenities and plenty of parking. It has earned a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence and a five-star rating.
The three most significant issues facing the City of Ormond Beach are:
• The City is largely built out and there are less than 40 acres available for development along the City’s major east/west thoroughfare SR40/Granada Blvd. With the improving economy, some of these vacant, tree-lined lots have begun developing, causing residential concerns about the intensity of development. To listen to the concerns of resident and understand their desires for the future, the City has begun a series of community conversations, which will provide feedback to the City Commission in updating their strategic plan in 2019. • Ormond Crossings is a planned residential and business development. It is the only area remaining for expansion and future growth in our landlocked City. The business park’s first tenant, Security First Insurance Company, expects to open its $30M/130,000SF facility in May 2019 with over 350 high wage jobs. However, during the sluggish economy, the developer made no progress in developing the infrastructure necessary to construct the 2,700 residential units. As a result, this part of the development has languished. Believing in the momentum of a stronger economy and with new project ownership, we remain hopeful the residential project moves forward. • During Hurricane Matthew in 2016, the City’s beachside hospital sustained considerable damage and was closed. We just learned that the facility will not be repaired and is scheduled for demolition. Although there is a full-service hospital just past the City’s westerly boundary, this has been a difficult loss. The City’s priority is to attract a facility that can provide emergency care to our beachside community.
GENERAL MANAGEMENT STYLE AND EXPERIENCE
Ormond Beach is one of the most desirable places to live in Volusia County, as is Naples in Collier County. Both communities are well known for their charm and unique character, coupled with a thriving business community. Both communities are also experiencing similar issues regarding growth and development.
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The residents deserve, expect and should receive the highest level of customer service. Throughout my career, I’ve demonstrated my ability to develop a highly trained and responsive staff, as well as my commitment to customer service, accountability and transparency. I lead in a highly ethical, open and collaborative way. I believe my skills and my management style make me uniquely qualified for Naples.
Early in my career, I developed the “City Manager Field Day” program. It provides me the opportunity to work alongside my employees, one day a month, to learn what they do. I also learn what resources they may need to be more efficient and effective in their work. I’ve worked at the sewer treatment plant, helped install a water line, mowed ballfields and rode along with police officers and firefighters, among many other jobs. Besides being great fun and challenging work, it helps me understand every aspect of what the City does and how it impacts our residents, businesses and employees. The employees appreciate my interest in what they do, and I have earned their respect.
As a strategic, results-driven leader, with a strong financial background, the City has maintained at least the third lowest tax rate of the 16 Cities in Volusia County over the past 9 years. We have reduced the general employees’ pension plan costs by almost 25%, through the development of a defined contribution plan for employees hired after 2013. Likewise, we’ve completed major capital projects including: (a) $20M in upgrades at the sewer treatment plant; (b) revitalized the City’s downtown core; (c) constructed the Andy Romano Beachfront Park in 2013, a 4-acre beachfront park with 600 linear feet of beachfront, park amenities and 98 parking spaces. This park was a collaborative effort with the assistance of The Trust for Public Lands, a successful citizen-led revenue bond referendum initiative, along with an intergovernmental agreement and financial support from Volusia County and; (d) recently completed the construction of an Environmental Discovery Center in the City’s “Central Parks”, offering stimulating environmental educational programs that focus an awareness and appreciation of our natural environment.
The City of Ormond Beach has linked its departmental goals and objectives to our strategic plan. In addition, each agenda item is also linked to the strategic plan. Each department has a series of metrics and benchmarks that are specific to their responsibilities. We monitor and evaluate those metrics annually and adjust as necessary. Likewise, we present quarterly financial reports to the City Commission.
I feel fortunate and deeply grateful to have an excellent management team and a great working relationship with my City Commission. I believe the Commission would say I am an innovative and collaborative leader. We have addressed catastrophic increases in health insurance costs through partnerships and creative ideas, such as employee wellness programs and free medication for certain chronic diseases. I have strong relationships with Volusia County and its 16 cities, as well as with the countywide economic development council – Team Volusia. The Commission would also say I am highly engaged and actively volunteer in the community, for such
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organizations as (a) United Way, (b) Pace Center for Girls, and (c) The Rotary Club of Daytona Beach.
Staff would say my open-door policy is appreciated. Staff supports my participative management style with the “City Manager Field Day” program. They would also say that the professional skills training we’ve developed, helps us promote from within, which allows employees the opportunity to succeed. I recognize their accomplishments through the City Manager Above and Beyond Awards and they know I believe in them.
My greatest strength is my ability to bring people together, understand issues and overcome challenges; whether it’s the staff, the community or other cities. As an example, a project we’ve just undertaken is the Ormond Beach Life, a six-part civic engagement series. We’ve conducted two of six meetings: community development and transportation. The remaining topics are environment/water quality, public safety/emergency preparedness, leisure services and economic development. The meetings have been very successful, with a combined citizen participation of nearly 400 residents, community leaders, and business owners at the first two meetings. The outcome of these meetings will result in updating the strategic plan.
At one time, early on in my career, I was a bit shy. However, through my work in the health care industry, it helped me tackle that weakness by interacting daily with residents and family members. Now I am confident, comfortable and at ease interacting and meeting people. I easily share with them my passion about our community.
My biggest success has been the revitalization of the city’s downtown core. The second day I was hired in Ormond Beach, I walked the City’s downtown with the Florida Department of Transportation’s District 5 Secretary, explaining the City’s desire to improve this area. After arduous work with FDOT, the City earned the necessary approvals and secured grant funding to install landscaped medians, underground utilities, decorative lighting, and traffic calming; all while maintaining on-street parking, which was the single biggest concern for our downtown merchants. This has transformed our community. A very close second is that I have successfully managed and effectively led the City through the process of clean-up, recovery, restoration and reimbursement of two major hurricanes in 11 months (Hurricane Matthew Oct 2016 and Hurricane Irma Sept 2017). I’m proud to say that we had 100% recall of our essential personnel. Also, I worked closely with our FPL representative to get immediate updates on power restorations and projected restoration times for our community.
Perhaps one of my biggest challenges were infrastructure improvements to John Anderson Drive. The City needed new utility lines, the residents wanted repaving/traffic calming and other community members wanted to install a sidewalk along this roadway. This was a project the city had planned and then tried to execute for nearly 10 years, prior to my arrival in Ormond Beach. Over the years, there were varying degrees of residential concerns about this project, ranging from the desire to preserve hardwood trees during repaving, concerns about damage to lawns and driveways along with opposition to the sidewalk. In early 2009, the City tried again to advance
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this project, but it was met with considerable resistance. Learning from our experience from another successful project, we asked the residents what they wanted. Through a residential survey we determined the residents were very supportive of the infrastructure improvements, if there were adequate measures in place to safeguard their lawns and driveways. Due to considerable opposition, the sidewalk was excluded. The City hired a well-respected, local engineering firm to serve as a residential ombudsman, to alleviate resident’s fears during the project’s construction. Finally, staff conducted a tree survey to identify what trees would be preserved and where new ones would be planted. Because of these efforts, the project was completed, new infrastructure was installed, the roadway rebuilt, and the residents were very satisfied with the results.
Terminations are never easy, even when they are necessary. Throughout my career, when faced with the issues of termination, it is always necessary to consult with the Human Resources Director, and in some cases the city attorney. The most critical issue is to ensure that there is sufficient documentation for termination. In a recent pre-determination hearing, there wasn’t sufficient documentation to proceed with termination. In that case, as we are accustomed to doing, we tailored a personal improvement plan for that employee. Through the personal improvement plan, we clearly identify accomplishments and behaviors necessary for success. Along with a firm timeline for improvement. It’s particularly rewarding when these employees successfully complete their plan and then become a productive employee.
Some of the opportunities and challenges I see facing the City of Naples are:
• Working with residents to address development concerns. In my opinion, Naples has jump- started this process by procuring the professional services of Stantec Consulting Services to review and update the Adopted 2007 Naples Visioning Plan. This comprehensive community engagement process will help ensure that the charm and character of Naples remains strong and continues to be the emerald jewel of the Gulf Coast. • Communicating with the Naples Airport Authority to understand residential concerns and plans to address these as they arise. I’m familiar with these types of challenges because the City of Ormond Beach also has a municipal, general aviation airport. • Prioritization and implementation of issues identified in the Hurricane Irma After Action Report. • As with any beautiful beachfront community, there are sometimes challenges balancing residential needs and the desires of visitors. We are faced with these similar challenges in Ormond Beach. I have found that community and intergovernmental partnerships are key.
During the first six months as City Manager my efforts will center around getting to know the City of Naples, its residents, its businesses, its community leaders and the elected officials. This will involve:
• Conducting meetings with community leaders, business owners and residents to understand how the City can best preserve the unique character and culture of Naples.
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Like I did when I started in Ormond Beach, I would ask everyone the same three questions: (1) What do you think we should start doing? (2) What do you think we should stop doing? and finally (3) What is the one thing you think we do best? • Meeting with community partners such as the Associations’ boards, the Chamber of Commerce, the Third Street Association, the Fifth Avenue South Business District, the Naples Airport Authority and other business and professional organizations. • Learning the Council’s goals and objectives to determine their progress towards updating the City’s 10-year vision plan that expired in 2016-2017. • Conducting “City Manager Field Day” in various departments and participate in the ride along program with the Police and Fire Departments to get to know the employees personally. • Meet regularly with the elected officials to ensure I stay focused on their goals and priorities.
Throughout my career, I’ve had a positive, transparent and professional relationship with the media. My approach is to be direct, open, transparent and prompt with replies. We try our best to answer their questions as completely as possible. My established practice is to notify the elected officials of all media contact.
I do not anticipate anyone contacting the City with negative comments about me. Nor do I anticipate anything in my background that would embarrass the City of Naples.
Recently we’ve launched a web-based portal called Open Gov where we share information and seek input from our residents. We’ve also begun to become more active in social media on Facebook, especially with the Police Department and Leisure Services. We need the assistance of a fulltime PIO officer and I hope to include this in next year’s budget.
I enjoy spending time with my family and our three cats. Running is something I do for fun and since 2009 I’ve completed over 100 half marathons. I’m always looking for new races. I know Naples has a half marathon each January and this will be a fun race to add to my calendar.
SIX ADJECTIVES OR PHRASES I WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE MYSELF
• Highly Ethical • Results Oriented • Proven Leader • Respected • Passionate about local government • Engaged in the Community
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REASON FOR DEPARTING CURRENT POSITION
I have a long history of career stability: 8 years with the City of Winchester, VA, 12 years with the City of Fort Walton Beach, FL and nearly 10 years with the City of Ormond Beach, FL. I have had the opportunity to work with amazing staff, elected officials and community members. I have been able to accomplish many things over the years. I am fortunate that I can be very selective about new career opportunities. Naples, like Ormond Beach is a thriving, stable community with high expectations, engaged and caring elected officials. New challenges have always appealed to me and is demonstrated by my career history. This opportunity would be a great fit for my management style, skills and abilities.
CURRENT / MOST RECENT SALARY
$159,650
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CB&A Background Checks
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Criminal Records Checks:
Nationwide Criminal Records Search No Records Found
County Flagler County, FL No Records Found Volusia County, FL No Records Found Okaloosa County, FL No Records Found
State Florida No Records Found
Civil Records Checks:
County Flagler County, FL No Records Found Volusia County, FL No Records Found Okaloosa County, FL No Records Found
Federal Florida No Records Found
Motor Vehicle Florida No Records Found
Credit Excellent
Bankruptcy No Records Found
Education Confirmed
Employment Confirmed
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. 1681-1681Y, credit and bankruptcy information are very sensitive and should not be used be in the consideration of hiring. The information is included for each candidate because we do not want you to be surprised if third parties raise what they consider to be a concern.
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CB&A Reference Notes
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Troy Kent – Deputy Mayor, City of Ormond Beach, FL 386-871-1859
Mr. Kent first met Ms. Shanahan when she came on board in Ormond Beach in 2009. He was a commissioner at the time and they have enjoyed a good working relationship since her arrival.
If ten is the highest rating, Mr. Kent would definitely rate Ms. Shanahan much higher than that. She is extremely efficient at her job and data driven. She is punctual, follows through and follows up on every assignment given her. She is a people person and has a wonderful disposition with everyone. On his yearly evaluation of her he has never put down a weakness and he is amazed at the job she does.
Ms. Shanahan is an excellent decision maker especially when it comes to hiring personnel. Those skills are actually some of her stronger ones. She is good at putting the right people in the right positions. That is one of the ways that she keeps the organization running at a high performance level. She is also capable of being a change agent if that is the directions in which the commission wants to go.
Not only is Ms. Shanahan the kind of person who is often out in the community attending meetings representing the organization, but she also holds once per month walks with the city manager. On those walks she interacts with members of the public where they can ask her questions about city business. She is customer service oriented and extremely responsive.
Problem solving is another area where Ms. Shanahan shines. One problem that she took care of occurred when they were having some new water lines put in. The contractor was being sloppy with their work. When she was informed about the situation, she went out right away to observe the situation, put the contractor on alert, and had them immediately fix the situation.
One of Ms. Shanahan’s other strong areas is that of finance. Her experience at Ft. Walton Beach comes with tremendous financial knowledge. She has excellent financial skills and definitely knows what she is doing in that area.
When stressful situations arise Ms. Shanahan responds appropriately. They have had some stressful moments and she does fine. She is above average in that area and Mr. Kent would give her a 9 on a scale from 1-10.
Mr. Kent is not aware of any controversies involving Ms. Shanahan. To the best of his knowledge she has nothing in her background that would be considered embarrassing if the press were to go digging. She is a true asset to their community and it will be a sad day in Ormond Beach if, or when, she leaves.
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Words or phrases used to describe Joyce Shanahan:
• Efficient, • Effective, • Kind, • Considerate, • Caring, and • Punctual.
Strengths: An amazing person who is a solid manager with excellent financial skills.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Debbie Cotton – Chairman of the Board, Florida Association of Chamber Professionals, CEO/President, Chamber of Commerce, Ormond Beach, FL 386-717-9832
Ms. Cotton first met Ms. Shanahan in 2016 when she came on board at the chamber. Ms. Shanahan also sits on Ms. Cotton’s board as an ex officio member.
Ms. Shanahan is an excellent city manager from the point of always taking care of her team, community, and ensuring that the elected officials abide by the statutes. She is a wonderful communicator and is consistently transparent as far as other entities in the community are concerned. She also keeps the chamber in the loop at all times. Her excellent communication is what ties them together as a community.
When it comes to decisions Ms. Shanahan makes good ones. She has seen her interact with the elected officials and the staff and she always has the best interest of everyone else in mind. It is all about the mission of the community for her. She is also innovative and a change agent and she is not afraid to try something different getting the community involved. If something is not working she will try it another way to make it happen.
Ms. Shanahan has experience dealing with the public and she is good at it. She is also the type of manager who is often out in the community. She is extremely involved with several charities and serves on many boards. She practices service above self.
They have had some development in the area which has attracted some opposition. Ms. Shanahan has held some meetings where she addressed their concerns head on. Rather than let the issue become large she dealt with them quickly with dignity and professionalism.
Ms. Cotton is not aware of any controversies involving Ms. Shanahan. She does not know of any embarrassing items from her background that would be brought to light if the press were to investigate. If she had the opportunity to hire Ms. Shanahan she would.
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Words or phrases used to describe Joyce Shanahan:
• Progressive, • Respected, • Excellent communicator, • Outgoing, • Very intelligent about her community, and • Leader.
Strengths: A transparent leader who is a good communicator and genuinely cares about her community.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Dwight Selby – Commissioner, City of Ormond Beach, FL 386-295-8729
Mr. Selby has known Ms. Shanahan since 2009. He started working with her however when he became a commissioner in November 2016.
Ms. Shanahan has done a fantastic job for their city. She is thorough and quick to respond to requests. She is extremely transparent and makes the entire government transparent as well. She has a clear understanding of the role of commission and the staff.
In terms of hiring personnel, Ms. Shanahan has proven to be very strong at hiring very capable people at the city. She has hired an excellent police chief and most recently a new fire chief. She is a leader who attracts high energy and high quality people.
Mr. Selby would characterize Ms. Shanahan as someone who is innovative, a change agent, and someone who maintains an organization at a high performance level. She is involved with professional associations at the state and national levels. She always stays up to speed in her industry and has high expectations for her staff. One idea she came up with that was particularly creative is walking the bridge with the citizens where the public can talk to her about city business.
Mr. Selby is not aware of anything in Ms. Shanahan’s background that would be construed as embarrassing. She has not been involved in any controversies since he has known her. Ormond Beach has been well served by her and it will be difficult to find anyone to replace her when she leaves.
Words or phrases used to describe Joyce Shanahan:
• Hardworking, • Dedicated,
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• Anticipates, • Proactive, • Humble, and • Leader.
Strengths: A thorough leader who works hard and is extremely transparent.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Rick Boehm – Commissioner, City of Ormond Beach, FL 386-214-9580
Mr. Boehm first met Ms. Shanahan in 2009 when she came on board at the City. He was part of the search committee when she was being vetted, however he did not come on council until November 2010.
Ms. Shanahan is hardworking, diligent, and knowledgeable in the area of budget and finance. When citizens present Mr. Boehm with issues and he in turn shares them with her, she has proven to be very responsive in resolving them. She is not one to take credit on her own when resolving the issues, but she acknowledges whoever resolved it.
Ms. Shanahan is transparent beyond what the council asks of her. She keeps them informed about what is happening in the city. She works well with the elected officials and the staff and is extremely involved in the community far more than just with her city manager duties.
Decisions Ms. Shanahan have made have proven to be good. Her decisions regarding personnel have also been solid. They have had some senior staff turnover because of retirement and those she brought in to replace those employees have done well within the organization.
Mr. Boehm would characterize Ms. Shanahan as someone who maintains the organization at a high performance level. He does not think she views her role as innovative. However, if a staff member comes up with an idea she will promote and support it. She does not necessarily come up with her own ideas.
Ms. Shanahan is visible in the community. She attends city events and is out and about in the public eye. She does well dealing with stress as it is part of everyday life especially when you are managing a city. Mr. Boehm has never seen her stressed out or unable to function or make decisions due to stress.
In terms of problems, Ms. Shanahan functions well. When Hurricane Matthew came through in 2016 they had to respond to the aftermath. The cleanup had to be arranged in advance for FEMA certified contractors to do the work so they could be reimbursed by FEMA. She anticipated that the need would arise again to use their services and she established a relationship with them. When
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Hurricane Irma came through the following year their debris was picked up in a timely manner compared to the rest of the municipalities in the state because she had forged a relationship with those contractors.
Mr. Boehm is not aware of anything in Ms. Shanahan’s past history that would be thought of as controversial or embarrassing. He has no knowledge of anything in her personal or professional conduct that would be thought of as concerning by anyone.
Words or phrases used to describe Joyce Shanahan:
• Transparent, • Unimpeachable integrity, • Honest, • Hardworking, • Defers credit to others, and • Knowledgeable in all aspects of city government.
Strengths: A diligent and hardworking leader who is knowledgeable and transparent.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Pam Brangaccio – City Manager, New Smyrna Beach, FL 727-204-8095
Ms. Brangaccio first met Ms. Shanahan in approximately 2004 when she was with Ft. Walton Beach. The have been involved with forming and serving on Team Volusia.
Ms. Shanahan’s job performance over the years has been most excellent. She and Ms. Brangaccio have similar cities that are affluent, progressive, and extremely innovative, but are also fiscally conservative with fantastic tax rates.
Ms. Shanahan has a tremendously good regional and statewide reputation and is a well-respected community leader. One of her biggest strengths is that of her staff. She has done an extraordinary job with recruitment and retention. Her team building skills are phenomenal. Her process for hiring a new police chief was so amazing that the city of Deland implemented it.
When it comes to innovation Ms. Shanahan has stepped up the community engagement and implemented some innovative programs. She is extremely involved in her community far more than just being a city manager. Some programs that she started were the walk with the city manager program and the monthly work day program. The work day program is carried out by her choosing one department each month to work in and she shadows someone from that department finding out what they do and ways that their jobs can be improved.
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Dealing with decisions is another area where Ms. Shanahan shines. She and Ms. Brangaccio regularly bounce ideas off of each other to come up with solutions to issues and to find the best possible scenarios to decisions that have to be made. She has done a fine job of dealing with some tough issues at her city. She works her way through them staying transparent throughout the entire process.
Ms. Shanahan tends to be the one who asks the tough questions not only her municipalities, but also when working with other cities and the county. Even when that does happen she still manages to make progress on her commission’s strategic goals with tact and grace.
Ms. Brangaccio is not aware of anything in Ms. Shanahan’s background that would be looked upon as unflattering. She knows of nothing controversial involving Ms. Shanahan either personal or professional. Ms. Shanahan would be an excellent candidate and a good fit for the city of Naples.
Words or phrases used to describe Joyce Shanahan:
• Respected, • Innovative, • Team builder, • Spotless reputation, • Involved in the community, and • Proud of her city.
Strengths: An innovative leader who is well respected amongst her peers and her community.
Weaknesses: Can be too modest with her achievements.
John Hofstad – County Administrator, Okaloosa County, FL 850-305-7906
Mr. Hofstad has known Ms. Shanahan since approximately 1998. He worked with her in Ft. Walton Beach as her colleague until she was promoted to city manager and then he reported to her. They worked together until 2008 when she left the city for another opportunity. They continue to stay in contact.
Mr. Hofstad has worked with a number of managers over the years and puts Ms. Shanahan at the top. She is a bright and articulate individual who immerses herself in her job. She pays attention to detail and is heavily engaged in her community. That is a trait that he tries to emulate in his position.
Ms. Shanahan is loyal and supportive to her employers as well as her staff. When she became a city manager she set out to learn as much as possible on the operations side and learn all of the
Page 27 of 67 Section 11 Reference Notes Joyce Shanahan facets of governmental activity. When she was with Ft. Walton Beach she spent one day per month with a particular department learning their work.
In terms of decisions Ms. Shanahan does a fine job. It can be difficult to transition to a city manager role with an existing council that did not hire you, however she did a wonderful job when she was promoted to the position. She also does well in regards to decisions about hiring personnel. She inherited most of the staff and has made some key promotion which have proven to be successful. She has also hired a police and fire chief which have been solid, good hires who are professionals in their own right. She supports her staff and gives her employees as much confidence to do their jobs. She was a huge supporter of Mr. Hofstad’s professional endeavors and always encouraged him in his efforts.
Mr. Hofstad would say that Ms. Shanahan is innovative. She will dig into an organization and find strengths and weaknesses manipulating it to take advantage of the talent within. In Ft. Walton Beach they had a blighted downtown area with which she became heavily involved. She was heavily engaged in making changes to improve it.
Much of what Mr. Hofstad has picked up in his career he attributes to what he learned from Ms. Shanahan. It can be hard to find time to be part of the community, but she does well with that both as a city manager and beyond her role. She works well with the public. She is sharp, articulate, and can speak to any type of audience no matter their occupation or station in life.
One controversial issue that Ms. Shanahan dealt with in Ft. Walton dealt with a finance director appointed by the council. She was a bad fit for the organization and created several problems for Ms. Shanahan. The director was angling for Ms. Shanahan’s job and tried to discredit her. In the end the council terminated her. Ms. Shanahan weathered the storm and maintained her integrity and professionalism during the entire situation.
Mr. Hofstad would be surprised to know if Ms. Shanahan had anything in her background that would be considered embarrassing. He has no knowledge of any personal or professional conduct that anyone would consider questionable. He would hire her in a minute if he were given the opportunity. She would be a solid choice for any organization and it would be proud to have her on its team.
Words or phrases used to describe Joyce Shanahan:
• Determined, • Energetic, • Faithful, • Solid leader, and • Someone for whom people want to work.
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Strengths: A bright and articulate individual who is organized and pays attention to detail.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Bill Partington – Mayor, City of Ormond Beach, FL 386-871-8232
Mr. Partington has known Ms. Shanahan since she came to the city in 2009. He worked with her for the first two years as a commissioner, then as the deputy mayor, and since 2016 as the mayor.
Ms. Shanahan has done a fantastic job for the city. It has been a difficult position but she has handled it in a professional and knowledgeable manner. She operates with an open door policy and is an excellent communicator with the elected officials and the public.
Ms. Shanahan is proficient in each area of city management. She is also good at working with her staff and gives her employees direction and the freedom to implement the policy direction from the commission. She continues to do a solid job for them even after ten years and the community loves her and is also happy with the job she is doing. She is pretty solid across the board.
In terms of decisions Ms. Shanahan gathers as much information as she can, listens to her staff, and then makes her decisions based on those two things. She has a good feel for her commission and is consistent with implementing policy direction. She is careful not to overstep her bounds, but is always prepared enough to stay somewhat ahead of them.
Mr. Partington would definitely characterize Ms. Shanahan as someone who maintains her organization at a high performance level. Customer service is very important to her and she has implemented specialized training for the staff so they can improve. She is certainly up to date on new thoughts and ideas, but a good city manager will only be able to go as far as the commission directs. She will discuss some of the cutting edge ideas, but she will not implement anything without checking with the commission first to ensure what she is implementing is consistent with their goals and direction.
Being out in the community is an area where Ms. Shanahan excels. She attends chamber meetings, events, arts council functions, etc. She also has an open door policy and holds a walk with the manager meeting with the public in a different part of the city to talk and answer questions.
When it comes to resolving issues and solving problems, Ms. Shanahan does a wonderful job. One problem she took care of was the recently opened dog park. The project had some problems with a large amount of different variables from legal, to property, and funding. She played a big part of coordinating everything to finish it in the best way for the residents. It was a multi-year process that she handled in a professional manner.
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Mr. Partington is not aware of any controversies involving Ms. Shanahan. He does not know of anything in her background that would be considered embarrassing if the press were to investigate her past history.
Words or phrases used to describe Joyce Shanahan:
• Competent, • Knowledgeable, • Responsive, • Kind, • Good work ethic, and • Well loved by her staff.
Strengths: A proficient manager who works well with her employees and communicates well.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Fred Costello – Former Mayor of Ormond Beach and Former Member of the Florida House of Representatives, Ormond Beach, FL 386-451-1558
Mr. Costello first met Ms. Shanahan in 2009 when she was being vetted for her position at the city. He worked with her for about a year as the mayor. He also worked with her during his term as a state representative and continues to be connected to her as a resident of the city.
Ms. Shanahan has done an outstanding job for the city. She was not Mr. Costello’s first choice and, in fact, did not vote for her. Six months after she took her position, he publicly said he messed up with his choice and he is glad that they chose her.
Ms. Shanahan runs a tight ship and is gracious and humble. She is heavily involved with the community and ensures that she is in tune with the residents. She conducts a monthly walk with the manager where the community can speak to her and discuss city business. She also works one day per month in a different department to learn how to help the organization function better. She is proactive, not reactive, and looks for ways to make things better.
Ms. Shanahan absolutely makes good decisions. Part of that shows in the staff she has chosen to hire. She has surrounded herself with good people who are experts in their fields and who do their jobs professionally and correctly.
Presently, the city has some growth issues on which it is working. Ms. Shanahan has brought in a mediator to have some conversations with the community regarding infrastructure and growth, and to come up with a consensus for the vision of the community. The leaders want to know what the
Page 30 of 67 Section 11 Reference Notes Joyce Shanahan residents think about the future of the community and she has come up with a helpful way of figuring that out.
Mr. Costello is not aware of any controversies involving Ms. Shanahan. She has nothing in her personal or professional background that would be thought of as detrimental to her character if the press were to go digging.
Words or phrases used to describe Joyce Shanahan:
• Communicator, • Innovator, • Fiscally responsible, • Gracious, and • Wants to please.
Strengths: An excellent manager who engages with the community.
Weaknesses: None Identified.
Prepared by: Heather Linares Colin Baenziger & Associates
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CB&A Internet Research
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Daytona Beach News-Journal, The: Web Edition Articles (FL) June 29, 2018
Ormond Beach residents question if city is listening Author: T. S. Jarmusz
ORMOND BEACH – With tensions rising over what residents say is unchecked development, Ormond Beach officials have attempted to engage residents rather than enrage them. While residents have lambasted the city at public meetings and even staged a protest, city officials said the new series of civic engagement workshops, dubbed "The OB Life" initiative, were planned well in advance of resident blowback and are to gather input for the commission's upcoming 2019 Strategic Plan.
Some residents, such and Ken and Julie Sipes, the co-founders of Citizens and Neighbors Dedicated to Ormond (CANDO2,) which advocates for responsible development, questioned the timing of the workshops given that it's an election year. While they said it was a good idea to host a forum, they also remained skeptical that the city actually would listen to residents' concerns, given it had a similar series of workshops in 2015 where voices went unheard.
"They (the city) didn't even use that information to make their decisions. That's clear. You just have to use your eyes to see," Julie Sipes said of the 2015 workshops. "So that fell on deaf ears and that seems to be their pattern." More than 200 people, mostly Ormond Beach residents, attended the first OB Life meeting Thursday at the Calvary Christian Academy Kids Center, which covered everything from residential development to the future of downtown Ormond Beach.
One of CANDO2's points of contention is that no one knew about the recent commercial development called Granada Pointe until it was too late. During City Planning Director Steven Spraker's presentation, he explained the numerous steps and reviews a project must go through before it's approved.
In the case of Granada Pointe, it went through all the reviews and committees publicly, Spraker said. Spraker also displayed a map showing the potential commercial development sites along Granada Boulevard. Only about 58 acres of vacant, commercially zoned property remain there, so CANDO2's primary concerns may soon be moot.
Ormond Beach MainStreet director Julie Truilo also presented and said she's heard an endless procession of complaints about the city's downtown. Reciting the complaints, Truilo said, "We don't have a downtown. I've lived here my whole life and I don't even know where downtown is. Our downtown will never be as good as DeLand."
However, she countered that Ormond's downtown has shown both visible and economic progress. In fiscal year 2016-17, Ormond Beach MainStreet added "13 new businesses, 45 new
Page 34 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order) full-time jobs and $1,198,272 of private investment in the rehabilitation and expansion of existing buildings," Truilo said.
City officials answered audience questions randomly drawn from a fish bowl, which covered everything from the city's thought process of approving Granada Pointe, to blight on State Road A1A, and even why the sewer plant smells bad – the answer to which prompted giggles from the audience as City Manager Joyce Shanahan tried to explain the mysteries of biology.
There wasn't time to answer all of the audience's questions, and for the most part, officials' answers were short. The city will answer every question and post its responses on its website within 10 days. The audience was polled during the meeting and the findings were interesting, with two-thirds of the audience ranking Ormond in the top three tiers as the best place to live.
More concerning, however, was that 84 percent of those polled said the city's approach to development had significant impact on quality of life – and only 48 percent said they thought the city has addressed development over the last 10 years favorably. A total of 22 percent of respondents ranked the city's performance on development as poor and in the bottom three tiers. Discussions took place at tables where residents addressed what they felt were some of the opportunities and challenges facing Ormond Beach.
William Rice said he'd like to see more development at the beachside and improve U.S. Highway 1 as it approaches Holly Hill. Connie Colby said she was concerned about the lack of hospitals on the beachside and the lack of boutique shops in the area. The audience also was asked what the single most important thing for the city to achieve in regards to development in the next five years was. "The City Commission needs to listen to its citizens," Colby wrote. Other responses included improving beach access, increasing bicycle routes and improving pedestrian crossings, and curtailing Ormond's growing traffic problem.
While Rice said he learned how projects are approved, he also said that the city should make more of an effort to inform residents of those projects. "Honestly, most people won't care about small projects, so you have to know what you're looking for," Rice said. "People find out after the fact."
Rice said he wanted to wait and see how the city responded before gauging the workshop's effectiveness. Bill Deny said the city made a "fantastic effort" in engaging with residents. "I think the city is listening. I think they want to hear all the voices," Deny said. "But how that is reduced to some coherent plan or action and trying to make that workable is going to be a challenge."
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Ormond Beach Observer (FL) May 3, 2018
Kudos for Shanahan
Ormond Beach City Manager Joyce Shanahan was named United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties’ Board Member of the Fourth Quarter thanks to her work leading the nonprofit’s campaign. During this time, Shanahan, who serves as chair of United Way’s board of directors, set up a meeting with city managers to present on United Way and has advocated on its behalf to increase campaigns. She also continues to lead her own internal campaign and to promote its growth.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) April 23, 2018
Volusia, Ormond at odds in tax dispute Author: Dustin Wyatt
Volusia County, the City of Ormond Beach and a golf course are tangled in a tax dispute that will likely be settled in court, potentially costing taxpayers much more than the $100,698 the county is attempting to collect in unpaid dues. At the center of the conflict is River Bend Golf Club at 730 Airport Road, which uses city property through a lease agreement that was established between both parties in 1988. A 1994 court ruling determined that the golf course could operate tax-free. But when the county property appraiser’s office reviewed municipal golf courses in 2012 it was determined that they should be added to the tax roll, including River Bend. While Ormond Beach officials contend that the course should still be exempt, there’s disagreement over who should pay those taxes if it’s not: the city, which owns the land, or the golf course which uses the 171 acres for profit.
The county, pointing to a 2015 Supreme Court ruling, says the city should pay. The city, pointing to state statute, says the lessee should pay. Golf course owners, pointing to industry challenges over the past decade, say this unforeseen delinquency puts them in a bind. At a time when golf courses throughout the country are struggling — many closing for good — Wes Norwood, owner of River Bend Golf Club, has felt the squeeze. “It’s not an easy industry right now,” said Norwood, who poured millions into the business when he took over operations in 2005. “Everybody in general has had a decline in business. Every golf course around here is under the same burden. We are not quite breaking even now.”
Piling on top of those financial pressures, Norwood said he was “blindsided” by the county’s sudden push to collect taxes of about $20,000 per year from his business. He claims River Bend wasn’t notified when the tax exemption status was unexpectedly stripped in 2012, and his business didn’t start getting collection notices from the county until three years later in 2015 when the bill amount had already quadrupled. Before then, the county property appraiser’s office had been sending delinquent notices to the city, though Ormond Beach officials say they weren’t aware of the notices until 2017.
It caught everyone by surprise, said Norwood. “This is simply something that we weren’t aware of and didn’t anticipate, it shocked everyone,” Norwood said. “The county blindsided us and it’s hardly fair. ... For our business, it’s not a small chunk of change.” However, Norwood said he has every intention of paying — somehow, someway. “I don’t think this will go to court. I think we can find a way to resolve it. It’s not like I’m choosing not to pay taxes; I just cannot afford to pay it.” The county feels the golf course doesn’t have to pay. Believing Ormond Beach owes more than $100,000 plus interest, the county attempted to block a city grant request because of the outstanding balance. “The city owes the money. It should be paid,” County Attorney Dan Eckert told the council early last week before they voted on how ECHO money should be awarded. “The city refuses to pay the taxes.”
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Ormond Beach City Attorney Randy Hayes attended that meeting to protest. He pointed to a Florida statute that reads: “When property owned by a governmental unit is leased to a nongovernmental lessee and is not exempt from taxation, the tax must be assessed to the lessee.” Late last week, after the County Council decided to grant the city’s ECHO funding request despite the tax squabble, Eckert said the county would accept the money from either the city or the golf course.
City and county feud
The same year that the county decided to revoke tax exempt status from River Bend Golf Club, they also stripped LPGA International of its exemption and the New Smyrna Golf Course became 10 percent taxable due to the onsite restaurant being leased to a for-profit company. To county officials, public land used by a golf course no longer serves a public purpose. “Not when (the land) is leased to a for-profit entity,” said Deputy Property Appraiser Jan Cornelius. “If the city runs it, then yes, (but) it would give an unfair advantage to the for-profit company that leases a city golf course over other golf courses.” It’s not uncommon for government entities to lease land to for-profit businesses. Joe’s Crab Shack has a long-term lease with the City of Daytona Beach for use of its pier, and the restaurant pays those taxes. Daytona Lagoon Waterpark leases county land. However, it does not pay property taxes.
That’s different, county officials say.
The federal government, the state and counties are exempt from property taxes; municipalities are exempt from taxation if they are using the property for a public purpose, Cornelius said. A better example would be the Outback Steakhouse or Houligan’s in Daytona Beach which sit on county-owned land where the tenants built the buildings. “In this case the land is not taxable, but the buildings are taxable with the tenant is paying the tax bill,” Cornelius said, adding, “You can’t compare county-owned property with city-owned property.” Tax law disputes centered on city-owned property have worked their way to the Florida Supreme Court before and a 2015 ruling is a reason why Eckert and other county officials believe Ormond Beach owes taxes for the golf course.
In 1975, the city of Miami leased oceanfront property to Grove Key, a private, for-profit entity. In 1995, after a bar and restaurant began operating out of the marina, Miami-Dade County began sending property tax bills to the city, which in turn, handed them over to the business owners. The business owners said no thanks, arguing the city should be responsible.
The Florida Supreme Court in 2015 determined that that the city alone owed the unpaid taxes because the property was not being exclusively utilized for public purpose. Ormond Beach officials disagree, saying it’s unfair to compare the two situations. They also say that since a court ruling in 1994 determined the golf course as exempt, the county can’t overrule that decision. “A city can’t be compelled to pay a tax on exempt government property,” Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington wrote in an email. “You can’t tax public property for nonpayment. It just defies common sense.”
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He said it’s clear that the county property appraiser’s office is getting “poor legal advice” which will ultimately lead to litigation, which will lead to “increased bureaucracy and waste of staff time and more taxpayer dollars,” Partington said. The city has held a lease with the golf course for 171 acres of airport property since 1988. Last year, the city received $93,100 in revenue for the deal.
Dispute takes center stage
Though the dispute between Volusia County and Ormond Beach has spanned years, it has avoided the spotlight of a public meeting. That changed recently.
With the county unsuccessful in collecting taxes for the land over the past six years, officials requested denial of an Ormond Beach ECHO funding request. That brought Hayes, the city attorney and Joyce Shanahan, the city manager, to Tuesday’s council meeting to protest. The council has the final say every year on how ECHO funding, generated through a taxpayer- supported initiative, should be used to support environmental, cultural, historic and outdoor projects in the area.
However, rules state that grant recipients can’t have outstanding balances with the county. Whether or not a balance is owed, however, is open to interpretation. “The city doesn’t owe the county any taxes,” Hayes told the council, adding that this could create a precedent where other Volusia cities are forced to pay taxes to the county. “This is insulting, it’s repugnant and it’s just plain wrong.” Eckert and County Manager Jim Dinneen disagreed. “I think taxes are owed,” Dinneen said. “I do believe they (the city) are responsible (for the taxes) and I do believe they were contacted and I can prove that. This has to go to court. It’s a big issue. I really do believe they are responsible for the taxes.”
Neither side were swayed on their opinions at Tuesday’s meeting. However, the council went against the county’s recommendation regarding the ECHO grant and approved the request, despite the lingering tax dispute. The ECHO grant for $400,000 to fund lighting improvements at a sports complex in Ormond Beach was approved by a 5-2 vote. County Chair Ed Kelley and members Billie Wheeler, Heather Post, Deb Denys and Joyce Cusack said the ECHO project, unrelated to the taxing issue, was too valuable to the community to reject. Meanwhile, members Fred Lowry and Pat Patterson sided with the county and voted to deny the request.
The approval of the ECHO grant does little to settle the tax problem though. “I don’t know if this can be resolved without going to court,” said Kelley. ”I can play judge on this one, but that’s why we have plaintiffs and defendants. Each side thinks they are right and in this case it will take a court to decide.” However, if it’s determined that the golf course owes the taxes, Kelley said he’d like to see the county work out a payment agreement with management so it’s easier to handle and doesn’t result in the closure of a “beautiful” 18-hole course along the Tomoka River.
Page 39 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Ormond Beach Observer (FL) March 8, 2018
‘It’s a real privilege’: Ormond Beach City Manager talks female leadership Author: JARLEENE ALMENAS
Ormond Beach City Manager Joyce Shanahan is the only woman sitting up high with the City Commissioners every first and third Tuesday of the month. As one of five female city managers in Volusia County and with more than 25 years of experience in local government, Shanahan loves what she does. “It is the most wonderful job in the whole world,” Shanahan said. “There’s something different every single day — we have such amazing leadership here with the City Commission, we’ve got great employees, a wonderfully dedicated engaged community and that’s really the reason why I came here.”
Shanahan began her career with local government as an intern in the 1980s with a council of governments in Pittsburgh. She said that after the grocery store she worked in during grad school closed down, she was standing in a hallway at the University of Pittsburgh when one of her professors passed by her and asked if she would be interested in a paid internship.
After 13 months helping small cities implement financial software, she was brought on board full time. She stayed in the same area for a number of years and worked different finance-related jobs. That was, until the April Fool’s Day blizzard of 1997. “I thought: ‘I’m done,’” Shanahan said. “‘I’m tapping out.’” Deciding to move somewhere warm and sunny, she ended up in Fort Walton Beach, where she stayed for 12 years, six of which she spent as the city manager. In 2009, she moved to Ormond Beach. In the time she’s been with the city, two things she said the city is proud of accomplishing are the development of the downtown district and the construction of the Andy Romano Beachfront Park, which Shanahan called a “crown jewel” of the city.
For Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington, some of Shanahan’s “secrets of her successes” include her focus on transparency and her open-door policy for citizens to come and voice their concerns. He said the kindness that she shows to both her staff and the residents comes through in how she approaches the job. “She is very competent with the nuts and bolts of city government as far as the budget and finance side of it, but then she tempers that with a heart,” Partington said.
Shanahan said it’s a real privilege to be a woman in leadership today. While in Volusia County, she said all the managers learn from each other regardless of gender, nationwide, she believes the city manager profession tends to be more male-occupied. “But there’s so many bright, young women out there, so our ranks are growing every day,” Shanahan said. And when she’s not working? You might spot Shanahan running. She recently ran her 100th half-marathon. At the end of the day, though, Shanahan said she doesn’t like the limelight when it comes to her job. “It’s not about me,” Shanahan said. “It’s about the community. It’s about the city and what they accomplish, and if I’m a small part of that, I’m happy to be a small part of that.”
Page 40 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Ormond Beach Observer (FL) October 26, 2017
Raises approved The commission agreed to increase the salaries of the city manager and city attorney. Author: JARLEENE ALMENAS
Ormond Beach’s city manager and city attorney might find themselves with a salary adjustment to make up for two years of no raises. The City Commission unanimously approved a recommendation to increase City Manager Joyce Shanahan’s salary by 8% and City Attorney Randy Hayes’ salary by 12%. The figures were discussed during the Oct. 17 Ormond Beach City Commission meeting and will be brought back for discussion again at the next meeting on Nov. 7. “This item for some individuals is uncomfortable,” City Commissioner Troy Kent said. “It never is for me.”
Kent said the city was fortunate to have both Shanahan and Hayes, and over the eight and 24 years each respectively have dedicated to their jobs, he’s never had a major problem with them. He defended adjusting Shanahan’s salary by a little over $11,000 and Hayes’ by about $25,000 by referencing back to their approval ratings, where both got near-perfect scores. As of now, Shanahan’s salary is $143,908, falling somewhere in between what other Volusia County city managers make.
The city manager of DeLand’s salary is $157,082, with a city population of about 31,569. Port Orange has an estimated population of 61,105, and their city manager makes $140,000 a year. Daytona Beach’s city manager’s salary is the highest at $213,497, with a population of about 66,645.
As for Hayes, his current salary is on the lower end of the spectrum when compared to the city attorneys in Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach, whose salaries are $183,750 and $213,242. Port Orange’s city attorney also has a lower salary, making $123,000 a year. Kent said at the city commission meeting he believed Shanahan and Hayes were both “grossly underpaid.”
“Anybody that knows these two individuals knows the caliber of individuals and the quality of work they give this city,” he said. While the other commissioners were on board with giving Shanahan an 8% bump, Kent’s proposed 20% salary increase for Hayes was met with some hesitance. City Commissioner Rob Littleton voiced his unease and said he wasn’t comfortable giving Hayes a salary adjustment that was so much higher than Shanahan’s. With Kent’s proposal, the city manager’s salary would be bumped up to $155,000 and Hayes would be adjusted to $150,000.
City Commissioner Rick Boehm was also conflicted about giving Hayes a 20% raise, but did say Kent’s figures could be justified. “They never complained about what they’re getting paid,” Boehm said. “They never complained about, ‘they got a zero’. They took the zero and kept doing the job they’ve been doing.”
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Mayor Bill Partington suggested a 12% bump for Hayes instead, to which Kent replied by questioning whether the City Commission was doing half this year and half the next in order for it to look better on paper. He said he wanted to do right by the city attorney and that he could defend the large adjustment by his work. He also said the City Commission adjusted the salaries of the police department a few years back and many of the salaries received a large percentage bump.
Kent said if the other city commissioners agreed Hayes’ salary should be $150,000 that they should do it all at once. In the end, the City Commission went with Partington’s 12% salary adjustment for Hayes. “Deputy Mayor, I know we’re not quite to where you want it to be, but it’s a start,” Partington said.
Page 42 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Ormond Beach Observer (FL) August 4, 2016
Officials set tentative tax rate, budget Author: WAYNE GRANT
The City Commission, at their July 26 meeting, set the tentative property tax rate that will be placed on the TRIM notice to be mailed out by the Volusia County Property Appraiser. The TRIM notice will show the total property tax, including city, county, school district, etc., that homeowners will pay if the tax rates remain the same.
The public will get a chance to comment on the city tax rate as well as the proposed budget for the 2016/2017 year at two public hearings. They will be at 7 p.m. on Sept. 6 and Sept. 20 in City Commission Chambers at City Hall, 22 S. Beach St. The tentative millage (tax rate) for the city was set at 4.5362, which includes a millage of 0.2519 to pay debt service bonds for construction of a police station, fire station and Andy Romano Park.
At a workshop before the City Commission vote, Finance Director Kelly McGuire told the commissioners that the rate was less than last year’s rate of 4.5570, but will bring in more money because of increased property values. A person who owns a property valued at $150,000, and has exemptions of $50,000, will pay $2.68 more than in 2015 for the city portion of their property tax. There are no planned increases for water or solid waste collection.
Being added to the budget next year is $500,000, because of wage increases, a planned employee health care clinic and new hires. Plans call for the addition of two police lieutenants, building inspector and landscape architect. Added part-time employees will include a leader for the Environmental Discovery Center and a Human Resources assistant. The budget presentation can be found on ormondbeach.org in the agenda packet for the July 26 workshop.
RECLAIMED WATER TO BE MORE AVAILABLE
Included in the budget is $3.2 million to increase reclaimed water availability on the beachside south of Granada Boulevard, but the city has $1.2 million in grants from the St. Johns Water Management District to use for the project, according to John Noble, city engineer. Reclaimed water is wastewater that has been treated by the city and is available for lawn irrigation. A pipe under the river carries it to the beachside.
Reclaimed water has been available on the beachside north of Granada Boulevard and several streets south of Granada Boulevard including Seton Trail and Magnolia Avenue. The pipes were added when streets were dug up for the two-inch water main project.
At one time, all treated water was dumped into the Halifax River, but now, only a percentage goes into the river, and it must be treated per EPA standards. Another benefit is that the use of reclaimed water cuts down on water removed from the aquifer. At the workshop, the officials
Page 43 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order) expressed the need for more people to get hooked up. “We need to make people aware it’s available,” said Mayor Ed Kelley.
City Manager Joyce Shanahan said staff will improve education of the public on its availability. After the meeting, Noble said when the reclaimed water was made available north of Granada Boulevard, a lot of people hooked up to the system, because there was a problem of salt water incursion in well water, which killed grass, and iron, which stained houses.
But south of Granada Boulevard, few people are signing up for the service. There is a $245 connection fee and a $16 per month charge. Reclaimed water is also used for irrigation in Breakaway Trails, Hunter’s Ridge, Oceanside Golf Club and Tomoka Oaks Golf Club.
Page 44 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Daytona Beach News-Journal, The (FL) June 29, 2016
Ormond commissioners give city manager high marks Author: Tony Holt
ORMOND BEACH — City Manager Joyce Shanahan has earned a near-perfect job- performance rating. In her annual evaluation, which was presented during a public meeting Monday night, Shanahan scored 4.96 out of 5. If translated to a 100-point scale, her score would have been 99.2 percent. Mayor Ed Kelley commended her and told her she's made a significant difference in terms of "where we are as a community and as a city."
Shanahan, in turn, thanked commissioners for their "generous" remarks. At the end of the brief discussion of her evaluation, those in the audience applauded. A score of 4 means Shanahan exceeded expectations. A score of 5 is considered outstanding. She was .04 points from an overall outstanding score. "Together we've accomplished a great deal of which we can all be proud," Shanahan stated in a letter Tuesday. "Our 2016 started off with a bang with the long- awaited opening of the Environmental Discovery Center and recently installed landscape improvements along U.S. 1. We have many more projects on the horizon and our future remains bright and exciting."
Two out of the five on the commission gave Shanahan a perfect rating. The other three never gave her a score below 4 in any category. She received a total of seven 4 ratings. The other 168 scores were 5 ratings. "You think of our taxpayers as shareholders in our city and (you) deliver a great R.O.I. (return on investment) to them," wrote Zone 4 Commissioner and Mayor-Elect Bill Partington.
Among her proudest achievements, Shanahan stated in her letter, is how well the city has acquired grant money to bolster infrastructure. More than $10 million has been secured during the past five years, she said. Shanahan, who is into her eighth year as city manager, earns an annual salary of $143,908. Her most recent raise came last year, she said. Her contract is open- ended.
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Ormond Beach Observer (FL) June 12, 2014
City manager gets her hands dirty Author: Wayne Grant
The old joke is that when you see two workers digging a hole, one of them is always leaning on a shovel. City Manager Joyce Shanahan will tell you it’s not a joke but actually true, and there’s a good reason for it. She found out what it’s like to dig on a hot day in her Field Day program, where she takes on a city employee’s job. It was 85 degrees the day Shanahan helped dig a 4- foot deep trench for a sewer line. “Honestly, you can’t dig nonstop,” she said. “It’s exhausting. I was the one leaning on a shovel.”
In the Field Day program, Shanahan learns the details of city jobs, so that when there is a request in the budget for equipment, or some type of problem, Shanahan knows what the city staff is talking about. “It’s been very beneficial,” she said. “It helps me understand what crew members do.” It also gives her a chance to talk to employees one on one. “They are not shy,” Shanahan said.
Sometimes, an employee may need a part that does not cost a lot of money. Shanahan can expedite the purchasing process, so the employee doesn’t have to wait a year for it to be placed in the budget. For example, when she dressed up in a padded suit to learn how to subdue an unruly suspect with the police department, she discovered the suit was held together with duct tape. She made sure the police got a new one.
Reading meters may look like it only involves strolling down the street, but there’s much more to it, Shanahan learned. “A lot of people don’t trim around the meters,” she said. “And they are full of sand and bugs. I don’t like bugs.” And when she tried to read the meters, her glasses would steam up because it was so hot. (The city is currently replacing the manual-read meters with touch-read and radio-read meters in a five-to eight-year project.)
Another project involved adding chemicals at a sewage lift station. “It’s very aromatic,” she said. She has also dipped a cup in sewage at the main treatment plant for testing and found that a lot of things advertised as flushable do not biodegrade. The city recently redesigned the impeller system at the plant so these items don’t clog up the system. “That commercial that shows someone dumping golf balls down a toilet doesn’t help us,” she said.
She also has gone down into a manhole to remove tires and other objects from stormwater lines. People throw all kinds of things down the drains along the streets, she said, but they are designed only for stormwater. Other Field Day projects include operating an industrial mower, unloading and spreading mulch, taking part in an “active shooter” exercise with police, sign-making, code enforcement and street sweeping. “We have an amazing group of employees,” Shanahan said. “They do their jobs well, and I’m proud to be part of that.”
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Ormond Beach Observer (FL) January 30, 2014
Inbrief City manager preps for budget season
City Manager Joyce Shanahan met with the public Jan. 15, in her quarterly Meeting with the Manager session, in the Ormond Beach City Commission Conference Room. The topic of the day: Ormond Beach's challenges, from street scaping to pension reform.
Shanahan also encouraged the public to attend upcoming meetings on the budget. At 5:30 p.m. March 4, the city's financial director will report financial trends to the commission. Those who have questions for the city manager can attend Walking with the Manager, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Jan. 31. The two-mile walk will begin at the public parking area on Hand Avenue and will include an overview of the work that has recently been completed in the area.
Page 47 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Ormond Beach Observer (FL) August 22, 2013
Two Top City Workers Get 4% Raises The Proposed Increase, According to the Ormond Beach City Commission, is Long Overdue. Author: Wayne Grant
The Ormond Beach City Commission approved Tuesday a 4% salary increase for City Attorney Randy Hayes and City Manager Joyce Shanahan, in its 2013-2014 proposed budget. The budget will be reviewed and approved in September. Shanahan currently earns $133,000, and Hayes earns $109,147.
Commissioners had initially asked city staff to add the raises to the budget at a workshop last July, where they praised the work of the two employees. "We couldn't pay them what they are worth," Mayor Ed Kelley said at the workshop. Commissioner Troy Kent said he had never heard a negative word about Shanahan. "This is long overdue," he said. "Only the city manager and Randy have not received raises."
Shanahan has not received a raise in the four years she has worked for the city. Hayes was the only other professional staff member who did not receive a raise of 1.5% in 2012. Kelley said 4% seemed like a reasonable raise for Shanahan after four years. "We are where we are because of Joyce's leadership and Randy keeping us straight," he said.
Annexations approved In other business, the city gave final approval to the annexation of several properties including land the U.S Post Office occupies on Williamson Boulevard. Also annexed was the Tire Kingdom store and San Marco apartments, both on Williamson. The city also annexed about 14.5 acres on Granada Boulevard east of Lowe's Home Improvement Store. The owner of the property requested annexation so he could connect to water and sewer for a commercial development.
Acting as the Community Redevelopment Agency for the City, the commission also gave the go- ahead for Bomar Construction Inc. to renovate the fishing pier at Cassen Park, as well as replace the decorative pedestrian guard-rail under the east and west ends of the Granada Bridge at a cost of $170,295.
Last year, approximately 50% of the pier was renovated by replacing the wooden decking and repairing both handrails along the northern section from Bailey Riverbridge Gardens to the gaze- bo and the two sections that run parallel with the shore. The new project will include renovation of the southern section that connects to Cassen Park and complete all decking and handrail renovations to the fishing pier.
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Ormond Beach Observer (FL) August 1, 2013
Tentative tax rate is up 4% The millage increase would bring in an extra $476, 000, according to the city manager. Author: Wayne Grant
Ormond Beach city commissioners approved an increased tentative millage rate Tuesday, July 30, setting the stage for public hearings and final votes on the tax and city budget in September. The proposed rate was set at 4.1181 mills, or about $4.12 per $1, 000 of taxable property value. That is 4% higher than the rolled-back rate, or the rate which would yield the same amount of revenue as the year prior. The current millage rate is 4.0132.
City Manager Joyce Shanahan said an additional $476, 000 would be brought into city coffers with the new rate. She said more funds are needed because franchise fees and communications services tax dollars are decreasing $400, 000, health insurance costs are budgeted to rise 10% and operating costs, such as fuel and oil, continue to rise. According to Shanahan, a person with a house valued at $150, 000, with a homestead credit of $50, 000, would see a $10 increase in their tax bill under the proposed rate, coming in at about $412.
The first public hearing on the city's budget and millage will be Sept. 3, with the final public hearing Sept. 17. The approved millage rate will appear on the TRIM (Truth In Millage) notice sent out by the Volusia County tax appraiser.
At the budget workshop, Commissioner Rick Boehm questioned why there would be fewer communications services tax dollars collected by the city. "My cable bill hasn't gone down," he said. Shanahan said one reason for the tax reduction could be that more people are canceling their land-line telephones. The millage rate could go down at the meetings in September if the commissioners cut some expenditures from the budget or find an alternate way to pay for the item.
Appearing at the budget workshop was Ed Connor, of Volusia Tax Reform, who opposed a tax increase. "If you don't approach this with the idea that you'll only raise taxes in case of disaster, you've lost the debate," he said. "It's been a failure of policy for decades and will decimate our business community."
Mayor Ed Kelley responded that the tax rate is not out of line for the services that Ormond Beach residents receive and that the commission keeps taxes as low as possible. "We pay the same tax you do," he said. "I wish there were no tax." Commissioner Troy Kent was pleased with the proposed tentative millage rate and budget. "You really get a bang for your buck when you live in Ormond Beach," he said. "It's amazing what you get for your money."
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Ormond Beach Observer (FL) January 3, 2013
Joyce Shanahan puts herself in her workers' shoes - even when those shoes are knee-deep in sewer-line trenches. Author: Mike Cavaliere
You might have spotted Ormond Beach City Manager Joyce Shanahan up to her knees in mud last July, digging trenches on Beach Street with the city's sewer crew. Days like these she calls "field days." They're when she gets out from behind her desk at City Hall and into the actual city, to work a day for her employees - and they don't take it easy on her, either, Shanahan jokes.
It was 7 a.m., and she was dressed in trench-digging clothes in the heat of the summer. The crew put a shovel in her hands. And she started digging. "If you saw me on the side of you road, you wouldn't have known what I really did for a living," Shanahan said. "It really gives me a deeper appreciation for (these jobs)." But even though this kind of thing is common for Shanahan after 10 years managing cities in Florida (before taking over Ormond four years ago, she managed Fort Walton Beach), this kind of work is not common for all city managers.
"I do everything from roads to commodes," Shanahan said of her position. But at its core, a city manager's job is to ensure that the city runs smoothly and uses its resources most efficiently. And for Shanahan, the best way to do that is to get her hands dirty To friend Pam Brangaccio, though, who manages the city of New Smyrna Beach and has known Shanahan more than a decade, this kind of double-duty is no suprise.
"She's an amazon, basically," Brangaccio said, citing Shanahan's after-hours service on the United Way board of directors and for the Rotary Club of Daytona Beach, her presidency of the Florida City and County Management Association and how committed she is to marathon- running. "She can be a very serious person," Brangaccio added. "Type A. Serious. (But) she excels at everything."
Having gotten into bicycling from spinning at the gym, Shanahan started long-distance cycling, and now she takes semi-regular trips from Ormond to St. Augustine, up State Road A1A. She also "was determined to become a marathon runner," Brangaccio said. And so she became one. In the past two years, Shanahan has run 10 half-marathons and one full. In the next month, she'll run in four more races.
Pulling at an animal charm she wears around her neck, Shanahan says that the turtle is her mascot. "I'm not fast," she said. "But I finish the race. Attitude is everything. You can train for skill but if you don't have the right attitude, you're dead in the water." So Shanahan thinks a lot about her attitude. She truly believes that she can effectuate change "on the grassroots level," and that keeps her passionate. "That's what draws me to the government," she added, "the great ability to impact lives."
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In 2013, the most major changes Shanahan hopes to facilitate are the remodeling of Granada Boulevard and Andy Romano Beachfront Park ("the newest jewel in the Ormond Beach crown"). A $20 million wastewater treatment plant upgrade is slated to finish early this year. And she hopes to work with police and fire unions, as well as the state Legislature, to negotiate pension plans.
Longer range, stormwater and street improvements on John Anderson Drive and Hand Avenue, as well as interconnecting lakes in Central Park, are also on her to-do list. "She has such a huge professional job, and so much responsibility. And yet, she still has time to do (nonprofit work)," Rotary Club of Daytona Beach President Susan Perry, who's known Shanahan about six years, said. "If Joyce is involved with (an event), it attracts other people." And that's thanks to her high level of commitment, which Brangaccio says translates directly to Shanahan's personal life.
In order to move up in government administration, Brangaccio says, you have to move around. And so if you want to keep contact with old friends, you need the make an effort. So Shanahan organizes her friends for annual Disney marathons. She themes each run and orders T-shirts. She's the glue. "She uses running as a chance to stick with her friend-s," Brangaccio said. "She's amazing. I don't know how she does it."
But if you asked Shanahan, she'd tell you she does it because it's what she loves to do. She wants to make a difference. And there's no point resting until she does. "Every day is different," Shanahan said of her work for the city. "That's the real beauty in what I do, and that's what keeps the job exciting. You never know what problems will come to the forefront." But whatever they are, Shanahan will face them - even if it means grabbing a shovel and hitting the trenches.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) June 20, 2012
Ormond Beach gives city manager high ratings Author: CHRIS GRAHAM
ORMOND BEACH - After more than three years on the job, City Manager Joyce Shanahan continues to exceed expectations, according to evaluations given out by members of the City Commission. Shanahan's job performance was a topic of discussion at Tuesday night's City Commission meeting and members of the board urged her to keep up the good work. "We're not easy to please," Mayor Ed Kelley said. "(But) we're all happy. . and people are happy with the job that's being done."
Shanahan who was hired in 2009, consistently rated well with commissioners on their evaluations of her. Her cumulative score was a 4.77 out of 5. Commissioner Bill Partington doled out a 4.46 - her lowest score. Commissioner Rick Boehm gave the highest score with a 4.94.
Many of the commissioners gave glowing reviews along with the ratings, though Boehm listed some items he would like to move forward, including completion of negotiations with the city's union employees over pension reform.
The city manager's salary will be up for debate next month as commissioners look to put together the 2012-2013 budget. Several commissioners have voiced their support for giving Shanahan a raise. According to News-Journal records, Shanahan made slightly more than $139,000 in 2010. "Miss Shanahan and her team, they've exceeded what we've asked of them to do," Commissioner Troy Kent said.
Commissioners have also said they want to give Shanahan more money so she doesn't leave the city, but she said at a previous meeting that won't be a problem. "It is my distinct honor to serve as your manager," she said at Tuesday's meeting.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) June 7, 2012
Ormond city manager backed for raise Author: CHRIS GRAHAM
Correction: *A story Thursday on page 1C about Ormond Beach City Manager Joyce Shanahan should have stated that in 2010, she had the fourth-highest salary among city managers still employed today in Volusia County.
Article Text: ORMOND BEACH - It's been three years since City Manager Joyce Shanahan took over the city's top administrative position. Since then, she hasn't received a pay increase but at least one commissioner is open to changing that.
At Tuesday's meeting, Shanahan was recognized for being elected president of the Florida City and County Management Association. Commissioner James Stowers later said she deserved a raise. "I felt the timing was right, given her new position," he said Wednesday. Stowers said at Tuesday's meeting he doesn't want a situation to develop like the one with Daytona Beach's City Manager Jim Chisholm, who has recently applied for several jobs including the city manager position in Sarasota. "I don't want to lose our city manager," Stowers said at the meeting. "There's no fear of that," Shanahan quickly responded. On Wednesday, Shanahan said she and other city officials haven't received a raise since she arrived, though general employees received a 1.5 percent adjustment to their salaries recently. Still, she said she has no plans to leave. "I'm extremely happy in Ormond Beach," said Shanahan, who previously served as city manager for Fort Walton Beach. Other commissioners Wednesday voiced their support for Shanahan.
Commissioner Rick Boehm said he would be supportive of Shanahan receiving a raise, but only if other city employees could get one as well. Commissioners Bill Partington and Troy Kent were also in favor Wednesday of giving Shanahan a pay increase. "I totally understand a pat on the back," Kent said. "But you really need to show people how much you appreciate them." Mayor Ed Kelley said the commission has previously extended pay increases to Shanahan, which she has turned down. "She is paid probably less than a lot of her peers," he said. "Does she deserve something? Absolutely." Compared to other city managers in surrounding cities, Shanahan's annual salary of about $139,000, benefits not included, falls somewhere in the middle.
In Volusia County, though, Shanahan is the second highest paid city manager, behind Daytona Beach's Jim Chisholm, who made $186,701 in 2010, according to News-Journal records. Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen made $215,394.
Port Orange City Manager Kenneth Parker, whose city has a larger population than Ormond Beach, makes about $124,000 annually. DeLand City Manager Michael Pleus makes $116,000 a
Page 53 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order) year. But in other cities with comparable populations to Ormond Beach, such as North Miami Beach and Ocoee, the city managers make $165,000 and $153,217, respectively.
Commissioners will likely discuss giving Shanahan a raise after she receives her annual evaluations and as they prepare next year's budget, Kelley said. Stowers said he doesn't have a number in mind but he would want it to reflect Shanahan's three years on the job. "I'm not talking about anything crazy," Stowers said. "I'm sure we'll come up with something."
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Hometown News (Fort Pierce, FL) July 15, 2011
Shanahan honored, 'lives to serve others' Author: Sean McCallister
ORMOND BEACH - City Manager Joyce Shanahan is a busy woman, leading some to conspiracy theories. "She must have a twin," Mayor Ed Kelley said with a laugh. Ms. Shanahan was recently honored by the Rotary Club of Daytona Beach as its Rotarian of the Year. That came on the heels of her election to the 2012 presidency of the Florida City and County Management Association. She's also the Volusia County League of Cities 2011 Manager of the Year Silver Star Distinguished Service Award winner. All that in addition to managing a city with almost 40,000 residents, no wonder Mr. Kelly wonders if there are two of her. "I was extremely humbled," Ms. Shanahan said of the honors.
Ray Salazar, president of the Daytona Beach Rotary Club, said Ms. Shanahan's humbleness is what draws much attention to her. "She lives to serve others," he said. Mr. Salazar said the city manager ducks the spotlight, but gets it often.
Ms. Shanahan took the helm at Ormond in 2009 as local property values were crashing, cutting deep into the city's revenues. That year, Volusia's tax base was about $30 billion, which was about 17 percent less than the previous year. In 2008, Ormond's tax roll decreased nearly 10 percent, due to property devaluations. That dropped an additional 13 percent in 2009.
The mayor said Ms. Shanahan "did a remarkable job driving through the rough economic times." He said as president of the managers association, Ms. Shanahan will be a model to other cities' managers.
At her Rotary Club, Ms. Shanahan is editor of e-In Gear, its online newsletter. She estimated that she's helped the organization raise "hundreds of thousands" of dollars for Easter Seals and college scholarships. Mr. Salazar said she's been an extraordinary member of the organization. The city manager said her future plans were straightforward: living out the Rotary motto. "Service above self," she said.
Page 55 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Hometown News (Fort Pierce, FL) June 10, 2011
Individuals honored by League
The Volusia League of Cities celebrated its 2011 annual Distinguished Service Awards Banquet on Thursday evening, May 26, 2011, at the Pelican Bay Golf and Country Club in Daytona Beach Florida. Council Member Jeff Allebach of Orange City, President of the Volusia League hosted the event. There are three levels of awards (Gold, Silver and Bronze) presented in each category:
Citizen of the Year: Gold Star: Dr. Arlen Stauffer, New Smyrna Beach Silver Star: Mr. Jack Becker , DeLand Bronze Star: Mr. Frank Heckman, Daytona Beach Employee of the Year: Gold Star: Mr. David Denny, Deltona Silver Star :Mr. Errol Percy, DeLand Bronze Star: Ms. Debbie Renner , Orange City Manager of the Year: Gold Star: Ms. Pam Brangaccio, Manager, New Smyrna Beach Silver Star: Ms. Joyce Shanahan, Manager, Ormond Beach Bronze Star: Ms. Jeaneen Clauss, Manager, Ponce Inlet Elected Official of the Year: Gold Star: Commissioner Michael Carmolingo, Deltona Silver Star: Mayor Bob Garcia, DeBary Bronze Star: Mayor Adam Barringer, New Smyrna Beach The 2011 Blaine O'Neal Award of Excellence: Robert F. Apgar, Mayor, DeLand 2011 President's Award: Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce
Page 56 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) June 10, 2010
Residents get chance to question manager Author: RAY WEISS
ORMOND BEACH - They arrived with perceptions and problems, questions and concerns about their city. Taxes and a possible beachfront park. Employee pensions and electrical changeable signs. And much more.
City Manager Joyce Shanahan sat at the head of a table and covered a variety of issues from residents Monday afternoon, something she does every three months at City Hall. "I get to have an informal dialogue and answer directly questions that citizens have," she said. "This gives them firsthand contact with the city. And when I don't have an answer to a question, I get back to them."
What developed during the course of the hour-long gathering, called "Meet With the Manager," was more of a general conversation, a cordial give-and-take between the city's "CEO" and 10 residents who offered ideas and opinions on everything from flood abatement to kite festivals and legalized gambling.
Doris Harrington, a city resident since 1963, came to the meeting wanting more information on how the city's first beachfront park - if approved by voters in an Aug. 24 election - would be funded, and if it would only be for Ormond Beach residents.
Shanahan said anyone can use any park in the city or in Volusia County. In addition, she said the county has agreed to share about half the cost of buying and developing a beachfront park in the city. It's estimated that each Ormond Beach property owner would pay an additional $14 to $20 in taxes annually to pay off a 20-year bond. Shanahan told the group the recession and the subsequent foreclosures will create about a $2 million property tax shortfall this year. She said city employee and police pensions must be addressed when current contracts expire in September. The Fire Department contract ends the following September.
Last year, Ormond Beach had the second lowest tax rate for Volusia County cities, behind only DeBary. Shanahan said city employees also have not received raises in three years. "We're looking to decrease expenses and not fill vacant positions now," she said. "But we do not expect layoffs." The first public hearing on the 2011 budget is tentatively set for Sept. 7.
Another matter brought up by residents was a proposal that's been discussed in recent months to allow electronic changeable signs, something that started with a few churches and has expanded to businesses along the city's main highways. Lucille Bornmann voiced concern, saying "I don't think they add any class to the city."
Page 57 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Another resident, K. Randall Neland, brought up what he called FPL's "devastation and mutilation" of trees along North Beach Street, as crews cut back the limbs near power lines. "There are magnolia trees that look like half a magnolia tree," he said. "They don't care about the trees."
Shanahan said FPL has authority to work along those property easements, but added she would talk with a company representative about being more sensitive to maintain the scenic look along that part of The Loop. Mandy Rossmeyer Campbell and Sean Daly brought up the dangers that bicyclists, walkers and runners encounter going over the Granada Bride, a road that's maintained and controlled by the state.
Daly said the bike lane is "inconsistent," ultimately merging into traffic. "I'm just amazed we haven't had more people killed," he said. Shanahan said city officials have contacted the state's Department of Transportation regarding alternatives, adding "it's a challenge to make it safe for bikers, walkers and motorists."
Page 58 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) May 23, 2010
City manager earns praise Commissioners applaud Shanahan's work so far Author: RAY WEISS
ORMOND BEACH -The fate of city managers can be as fickle as that of professional baseball managers. Joyce Shanahan took over running this team in early 2009 after Isaac Turner was forced to resign following an increasingly stormy seven years on the job. That hasn't been the case with Shanahan and her city-commission bosses - at least not in her first year on the job.
In their first formal evaluations, each of the five commissioners gave Shanahan nothing but praise. "Congratulations Joyce, and it's to your credit in these tough economic times you're not requesting any performance, benefit or salary review," said Commissioner Bill Partington. "I think that sends a great message to all our employees and to our citizens that this city administration understands how difficult it is for people out there during this time . . . To your credit, you've kept costs in line."
Commissioners said they had high expectations of Shanahan, who makes $133,000 annually, when she started and she has met them. Troy Kent said she "hit a home run" in her first year. "As a commissioner I haven't had one hiccup with you since you've been here," said Kent, who called himself a tough grader. "And more importantly, the constituents who have contacted me about concerns say you have dealt with them in warp speed. And that has really shined a positive light on you and your administration."
Commissioner Lori Gillooly was impressed that Shanahan makes it a priority to involve residents with her "manager talks" and "manager walks" each month. Gillooly called Shanahan a professional with a "human side," who makes it a point to attend numerous public events in the city. "In a very short time, you established yourself as a member of this community in addition to all of the tasks and experience you brought to the job. You came in running and haven't stopped," Gillooly said. "You are the face of the city, and I appreciate the job you are doing." Shanahan credited her staff, city employees and commissioners for their help, maintaining: "We work great as a unit. So it's just not me. It's all of us together."
Page 59 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) October 15, 2009
Ormond official receives credential Author: STAFF REPORT
ORMND BEACH - City Manager Joyce Shanahan recently received the credentialed manager designation from ICMA International, a professional and educational organization for chief appointed managers, administrators and assistants in cities, towns, counties and regional entities throughout the world.
Shanahan is one of more than 1,000 local government management professionals currently credentialed through the ICMA's voluntary credentialing program, according to a press release from the city of Ormond Beach.
To receive the designation, a member must have: significant experience as a senior management executive in local government; have earned a degree, preferably in public administration or a related field; and demonstrated a commitment to high standards of integrity and to lifelong learning and professional development.
"Joyce Shanahan continually demonstrates the benefits of her extensive training, her management expertise and her financial acumen," Mayor Fred Costello said in the release issued last week. "Although Joyce may be one of a thousand credentialed professionals, in Ormond Beach we consider her to be one in a million."
Shanahan has 24 years of professional executive experience in local government. Prior to her appointment in February as city manager of Ormond Beach, she served as city manager of Fort Walton Beach from 2003 to 2009.
Page 60 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) July 23, 2009
Budget cuts include loss of 13 jobs Author: FRANK FERNANDEZ
ORMOND BEACH - Ormond Beach commissioners on Tuesday tentatively approved keeping the city's total tax rate the same at $3.81 per $1,000 of taxable property value. The proposed net budget for fiscal year 2009-10 is close to $84.4 million - $17 million lower than the current budget - and includes the elimination of 13 full-time positions. The city will conduct two public hearings before approving the budget and proposed tax rate on Sept. 8 and Sept. 14.
At the proposed total rate of $3.81, the owner of a $150,000 home who takes the $50,000 homestead exemption would pay $381 in city taxes. The proposed rate includes $3.67 per $1,000 of taxable value for general fund operations. That general fund rate is 6.4 percent below the rolled-back rate of $3.93 which is the rate designed to collect the same amount of money as the current year, not including new construction. The general fund portion would account for $367 of the $381 city tax bill in the example above. The rest would go toward paying off debt.
Commissioners considered a lower general fund rate of $3.57 per $1,000 of taxable value but opted for the $3.67 figure that would collect an additional $298,000. The discussion Tuesday night centered on what the nearly $300,000 would go toward. Mayor Fred Costello said he would like to see the money help pay for opening a new beachfront park. Costello said other good uses for the money would be making drainage improvements and buying land for a new fire station. The city would apply for a federal grant to build the station.
Costello said a 2004 survey indicated residents favored a beachfront park. But Commissioner Lori Gillooly said she would like to see the results of a new survey the city is planning to see if residents still make a beachfront park a top priority. "In my mind the stormwater issues hold a much higher priority than our desire to have a beachfront park," Gillooly said after the meeting.
This tax bill also has a new wrinkle. Homeowners who have seen their property values plunge shouldn't think that means an equally steep decline in their tax bill. That's because of a state rule associated with Save Our Homes, which caps annual assessment increases for homestead properties when the market is going up. The rules also require assessments to go up - this year by 0.1 percent - when values go down, at least until the assessments equal market values.
Because of that, the same homeowners who benefited most from the system when values were soaring will be most vulnerable to increases this year because their taxable values won't decrease with the market. The city is also proposing a 2 percent increase in water and wastewater bills but is looking at how to structure that hike, which has yet to be approved.
City officials are also in discussions with Waste Management, which is requesting a 10 percent increase in fees for the next two years. City commissioners said Tuesday they want the city
Page 61 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order) attorney to check whether the city can unilaterally extend its contract with Waste Management for five years. If so, commissioners indicated they would be agreeable to a 10 percent hike for five years. At a budget workshop Monday, City Manager Joyce Shanahan warned of tougher times to come. "I think next year will be a harder year for us. I don't think we are out of the woods yet," she said.
Budget breakdown
Ormond Beach commissioners have proposed keeping the city's total tax rate the same at $3.81 per $1,000 of taxable property value. At the proposed rate of $3.81, the owner of a $150,000 home taking the $50,000 homestead exemption would pay $381 in city taxes. The total rate includes 9 cents per $1,000 of taxable value for the 2002 general obligation bond issue and 3 cents for the 2003 general obligation bond issue. Here are some other numbers from the proposed budget:*A 3 percent increase in leisure services fees to raise $25,000 in additional revenue.
*Elimination of 13 full-time positions and three part-time positions. A full-time courier position will be converted to part-time. The cuts will save the city $819,427.
*Taxable property values have declined by $440 million down to $2.96 billion, a 15 percent decline.
*Sales tax and municipal revenue sharing are estimated to decline by about $372,942, an 11 percent drop.
*The pension system sustained a 16 percent investment loss, meaning an increase of about $500,000 (23 percent) in the city's required contribution.
*Leisure service fees are expected to decline by $191,500 as residents tighten their belts, a 16.8 percent decline.
WHAT'S NEXT: City officials will have public hearings on Sept. 8 and Sept. 14 before approving the budget and proposed tax rate.
Page 62 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach, FL) January 17, 2009
City manager says goodbye to FWB: Joyce Shanahan will take similar post in Ormond Beach on Feb. 2 Author: Dusty Ricketts
Jan. 17--FORT WALTON BEACH -- Friday was an emotional day for Joyce Shanahan. After 11 years with Fort Walton Beach, the past five as the city manager, Shanahan left City Hall as an employee for the last time. She will move to Ormond Beach next week to start her job as the city manager Feb. 2. "I've been so blessed here to have an opportunity to work for a wonderful staff and a wonderful council," Shanahan said. "It certainly feels bittersweet. "I'm sure it's going to be an emotional time for me. I have a lot of friends here. It's always hard saying goodbye."
Shanahan was hired in October 1997 as the city's finance director. She was named interim city manager after her predecessor, Reid Silverboard, resigned in August 2003. She was named permanent city manager that October. Shanahan's final City Council meeting Tuesday was a five-hour marathon that ended with several council members saying their goodbyes. "It's our loss and the next city's gain," said Councilman Mike Minich.
Mayor Mike Anderson presented her with a plaque thanking her for her years of service. "The next city manager is going to be blessed with a dedicated workforce and council with a vision for the future and that's the best that any manager can ask for," Shanahan said. Her tenure at Fort Walton Beach was tumultuous at times.
Controversy erupted last year when a feud between Shanahan and former Finance Director Lisa Absher spilled over into City Council meetings and ultimately ended with Absher's firing. That was followed by some council members expressing their displeasure with Shanahan. A special meeting was scheduled to discuss firing her, but was canceled. "You're never going to please everyone," Shanahan said. "You have to hold the course and know in your heart that you've got strong integrity and good skill sets. If you can communicate that (every chance you get), you can change some of the opinions of folks who don't agree with you. Again, it's part of the challenge of being a manager."
Times have not always been that contentious for Shanahan, though. Shanahan said she was proud of the city's accomplishments during her tenure, particularly the partnerships with local governments and private businesses. They include the sale of a portion of the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds property to Okaloosa County for a new judicial center annex. Also, a tentative agreement has been reached for the city to use the county's new wastewater treatment plant after it is built.
Page 63 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach, FL) March 1, 2008
Probe digs into City Hall feud: Friction between City Manager Shanahan, Finance Director Absher causing waves Author: Dusty Ricketts
Mar. 1--FORT WALTON BEACH -- Several councilmen say the friction between the city manager and finance director is at the heart of controversy that has led to the investigation at City Hall. Fort Walton Beach Mayor Mike Anderson initiated the investigation last month to review the working relationships of employees at City Hall. The investigation is being conducted by the city's labor and employment attorney, Mike Mattimore of Tallahassee, and is expected to be completed Monday.
Anderson said earlier this week the investigation is focusing on the entire city staff, not just a few. However, several councilmen said Friday that the inquiry is related specifically to ongoing problems between City Manager Joyce Shanahan and Finance Director Lisa Absher. "I like the finance director and I don't have anything against the city manager other than she can't get along with the finance director," said Councilman Bill Garvie. "Personalities have gotten so intertwined it's just disturbing and distressing to me. And it's hamstringing the finance director in a lot of ways because much of her work goes through the city manager."
Garvie said the investigation has become a big topic around the city. He said several people asked him about it while he was at lunch Friday. Friction between Shanahan and Absher began soon after the finance director was hired in November 2006. The issue was raised at several City Council meetings last year. City Councilmen Mike Minich, Mike Holmes, Wayne Pullen and Dennis Reeves did not want to comment on the situation until the investigation is completed and they have seen the results. "I don't think it's appropriate for any of us to comment before the results are in," Minich said.
Councilman Jim Hartwell pointed the finger at Shanahan as the cause of the problems at City Hall. "There is a cancer eating away at the city" he said of the city manager. Shanahan declined to comment on Hartwell's remark. "The big issue relates back to Joyce Shanahan and her inability to work with the finance director and her inability to knock that nonsense off," Hartwell added. "She is unrelenting in trying to throw Lisa Absher out of town."
Hartwell said he has heard second-hand that problems between Shanahan and Absher have negatively affected others at City Hall. Shanahan was the city's finance director before becoming the city manager. Hartwell said he does not believe that she is qualified for the job. "We should have hired a city manager, not a finance director," he said. Councilman Virgil Miller said the working environment at City Hall must change. He said negative letters about Absher have been put in her personnel file that are not related to her official review. "I expect people to work together," Miller said. "Hopefully we can put this issue to rest."
Page 64 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach, FL) January 10, 2008
FWB city manager gets raise: City Attorney Toni Craig will now be paid by the hour instead of a flat rate Author: Rachel Kyler
Jan. 10--FORT WALTON BEACH -- The City Council approved a raise Tuesday for the city manager and pay adjustment for the city attorney. City Manager Joyce Shanahan will receive a 1.4 percent cost-of-living adjustment and a one-time raise of 2.27 percent. Shanahan's salary would increase from $113,738 to $115,330.
The one-time adjustment of $3,171 is consistent with what department directors receive as merit increases. The amount would be paid in one lump sum to hold down the base salary, which Shanahan said could save the city money in the long run. Voting 6-1, most council members said the raise was fair and equitable.
However, Councilman Bill Pullen opposed the increase "on principle." With budgetary concerns, "I think we should try and control our spending," he said. The council amended the annual flat- rate contracted price for City Attorney Toni Craig. Craig will now be paid $125 an hour. Her current $90,000 salary has been based on an hourly rate of $125 for an average of 60 billable hours per month.
However, she said her hours had increased over the past two years. In 2007, she said she worked about 69 hours per month, which cost her more than $14,000 by the end of year. Some council members were concerned how they would budget the change and if the city would end up paying more for Craig's services. However, Councilman Mike Minich said it would deter officials from wasting her time. "Now you're really going to have to think about what it's costing the city," he said.
Page 65 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach, FL) June 1, 2007
FWB officials to work 'bugs out': The city manager and finance director both offered to resign at one point Author: Jeff Ayres
Jun. 1--FORT WALTON BEACH -- City Manager Joyce Shanahan acknowledged Thursday past disagreements with city Finance Director Lisa Absher, and said she told a city councilman she would resign if Absher kept her job. But Shanahan said she later regretted making the remark and wants to work with Absher to resolve any differences. "I think it takes awhile to work the bugs out," Shanahan said of their rift that became public at a City Council meeting Tuesday night. "She and I are committed to that."
The council voted to keep Absher as finance director. Most of the panel's members did not agree with others on the council who contended Absher continually questioned the city's financial policies and had treated a former employee poorly. That employee roundly criticized her during an exit interview. Absher denied any harsh treatment of the employee, but admitted to re- examining the way the city conducts some financial matters.
Neither she nor Shanahan elaborated on the root of their disagreements, but Councilman Jim Hartwell said Absher's review of certain financial matters was involved. "She questioned some of the things that had been done, and that caused some tension," he said. One thing Absher is examining is how the city has contributed to employee, police and fire pension funds in recent years. She is expected to report to the council June 12 about her findings, but wouldn't say this week what they are.
Shanahan has said the city has contributed what it said it would give to each fund and welcomes any review. Councilman Mike Holmes said he told Absher he would ask the council to fire her over the employee and other matters. He wouldn't elaborate on them Thursday. Absher said she offered to resign instead, but later withdrew the offer because she believed a solution could be reached under different working conditions.
Shanahan, who was the city's finance director before becoming city manager, met with Hartwell and told him she would resign if Absher stayed. However, she quickly regretted that statement, saying it was made in the midst of an emotional time for her. "She told me, 'It's either Lisa or me,' " Hartwell recalled. "I made a poorly considered remark about my future with the city," Shanahan said. "I was wrong to make my remark."
The Daily News reported Wednesday that Shanahan had denied telling Hartwell she would leave if Absher didn't. When a reporter asked her if Hartwell's statement at the meeting that Shanahan had threatened to resign was true, Shanahan said her shaking of her head before answering was not meant as a denial of the councilman's words.
Page 66 of 67 Section 11 Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches Joyce Shanahan (Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Hartwell said a city employee described the mood at City Hall as the situation unfolded as having "a lot of tension. People weren't sure what was going down." Absher says she wants to be a good employee and colleague. "Right now, we are trying to work things out," she said. "I'm hopeful that I can do that. I'm very appreciative of my job. I think I'm very qualified." She has said the city charter has confused her as to who she reports to and who can hire or fire her.
According to the charter, Fort Walton Beach's finance director is "subject to the supervision and control of the city manager" but is hired and fired by the council. Holmes said he sees no confusion over who Absher reports to. "Our city charter is very plain in that issue," he said.
The council has hiring and terminating responsibilities for the city's charter officers: the city manager, attorney, clerk and finance director. Absher will eventually work with a contract that she says should better outline who she answers to and what her duties are. The city will host a workshop later this summer to reexamine the charter. Councilmen say that idea predates the Absher-Shanahan dispute. Provisions relating to the dispute may not necessarily be discussed, Holmes said.
Research Compiled by: Cara Slade Colin Baenziger & Associates
Page 67 of 67 Section 12
Salaries
Section 12
Candidate Salaries
The following are the base salaries that the semi-finalist candidates gave to us. Although salary is always a consideration, we recommend that it not be the determining factor. A highly qualified, experienced candidate may warrant a higher salary. That individual may well save the City several times the difference in salary by making better decisions.
We should also add that we have spoken with all the candidates and made it clear what the City wants to pay. Each has agreed to accept a salary in the advertised range.
Current / Most Candidate Recent Salary
David L. Andrews $ 158,739
Charles T. Chapman 129,708
James T. Dinneen 249,000
Erdal Donmez 238,000
Michael A. McNees *Not Disclosed
Benjamin B. Newhouse 80,000
J. Mark Rooney 186,565
Joyce A. Shanahan 159,650
We suggest you ask the finalists about their salary requirements when you interview them.