my wife sitting in the back. Anybody has not met her. Ra, >> she's actually in class right now. >> Are those Captain America? >> Yes, they are. >> I'm glad you noticed. I always have some kind of uh fun sock
that I wear. >> So, I was going to bring my skeleton socks for uh Halloween, but I couldn't find them. >> I got my Christmas socks waiting. >> So, when he gets gorgeous, look at my socks. They're gorgeous. What is he wearing?
>> Funky socks. Yeah, man. Let's make some funky socks up here. Bob, can you hear? >> I think so. >> I'd like to I'd come up here. >> While we're all here, does somebody know where these ducks came from? No, I asked
the same question. It was there was a meeting in here and pass. like pink glasses. >> Let's call for city council special meeting Tuesday, October 21st, 2025. Please stand the pledge.
>> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under government indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Ma'am quick have role please. >> Mayor John Eric Hoover
>> here. Vice Mayor Chris Mayer >> here. >> Councilman Robert Hubard. >> Make sure he's not on mute >> there. Bob, can you hear me now? >> Yep. >> Counciloman Lisa Burke >> here.
>> Councilwoman Christine Sullivan here. City attorney Nancy Meyer. Let the record show that our city attorney is absent from today's meeting. And city manager Andrew Butterfield >> here. Thank you. Okay, first up is comments from the general public. Open the floor. I don't have any signups. I don't if
they have a signup sheet, but uh like speak Deon, welcome. Uh we may do a mic. >> You're going to stand at the podium and I'll turn on you. >> This is so Frank just tackle me. >> He's just going to hit you with a stun gun. That's awesome.
>> Pick you up. >> Yeah, we hear you. >> Our first volunteer. >> Got it. >> All right. a little less anxiety from this article. It's good. >> Name address. Name addressing and everything. >> Uh Devon Aaron 5414 Bay Boulevard. I um
I guess we're two years um post hiring of Matt Cppler and I think he did a great job and we were all happy that he you know was here and he had a good tenure here and he left for various reasons and things like that. The second option was uh Don King and I was really
like kind of conflict conflicted um during that whole ordeal where you know like I wanted Coppler but I also wanted King both both of them have certain attributes that are you know phenomenal you know and and good um and
I think that uh it's really kind of like a blessing that Don is you know Don went to Kenneth City and that was there's a lot of issues over there just a lot of issues you I think we got issues. They don't we don't have issues. They have issues. Um and uh he dealt with that for
I think seven or eight months. And uh and now he's given given this another shot. And I think that you know it's actually a blessing that Matt was here. He cleaned up some stuff and took care of some things in a professional manner. Um and he's back you know up north and
God bless him. And uh and I think uh I think this man is is perfect for the job. And I think um and I also want to thank Andy um for the last you know meeting where he you know offered you know to stay six months do monthtomonth. I think that was
the right thing. That was you know a nice gesture and um I think you know this is the right thing for us moving forward and uh and I think we can get a lot done with Mr. Okay. And um not sure where he's living currently, but I'm
sure we could we can get him place to stay over here and sure'll be happy here. And and uh you know, hopefully we can get get somebody to stay for, you know, long a long tenure, you know, and that's really the stability of the city. I mean, the council is important, but
the reality of it is is the city manager is the most important thing for the city. And that's why I was always preaching about how we need to spend more money for that person because we spend millions of dollars here every year in our budget and you know squabbbling over 30 40,000 or whatever
for a city manager. We need to spend the right amount of money to hire the right person. I'm not sure what we're doing here. I know we're kind of talking against you know against the negotiation here with with Mr. King, but uh um as far as money is concerned, but uh we
should pay him accordingly. I don't know what that number is. Um, but I think we should give him a shot. I think he'll be great for the city and uh there's a lot more work to be done and we're we got a lot of issues and things we need to clean up. So, super happy and blessed that he uh he came here today. So, thank
you, Don. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Denn Rodriguez, 5917 Lantern Court. Um, what I'm about to say does not reflect on Mr. King, I met him last time he interviewed. So, this does not reflect on him, his resume, or his
ability to do the job. Um, what I do want to say, and I also want to say when I say council in this, I don't mean everybody on council. Okay? Um, but this has everything to do with the reputation and honesty.
Let me start with I do have a bachelor's in healthcare administration and I have been in management for over 30 years in nursing before retiring last year. So I have a lot of management experience. Last Tuesday, seven days ago, the city council had a lengthy discussion
surrounding the city manager position. At that time, just seven days ago, you decided to extend the city manager contract for six months. You directed city staff SA to develop a list of requirements including the salary range.
Big discussion on salary range. Within two to three days of that meeting, contact was made with Mr. King and interviews were set up two days after the meeting with council. This is a complete 180 degree term and reverse
decision. Trust and honesty are everything and this action breaks that. You broke trust with the current city manager who you're looking you had a six-month verbal agreement with and two
days later you broke that and prospective candidates by going back on your word. Your word is your bond. Last week Andy had a job for at least three months and two days later you broke that word. You broke trust. This
the decision shows poor management skills. That's what I have to say. I It's nothing against Mr. King at all. I think the process the process you came up with last week, seven days ago, was a great process and and I think that was a great thing
to do. I I think this was poor for this gentleman here as well as any other candidate that might come up and it's especially poor for the citizens of Port. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else? Rob Kimbery, 58 Quer Avenue. First like
to say, Colonel, thank you for spending your all basically your life helping defending our country and keeping America America. >> Thank you. >> Uh I'm not quite understood. Uh I believe Andy had till the end of
November was per current contract. So trying to get fuelers out there pretty quick. I think was a pretty good idea. If he want if he uh if we didn't find anyone, he would stay the extra six months. That's my understanding. So, I think the previous comment is kind of
off unless I'm missing something. But anyway, uh I just have one question for Mr. King. Why do you want to work here? >> Very good question and I appreciate it. Um, for me,
the time that I spent initially when I came to Port Richie was was was probably very enlightening to the type of community that you have. And for me, I really enjoy being a part of a not a large community, but a smaller community
that I can have more impact on because what had happened after that's one of the reasons I went to K City because it was a it was a wholesome small community where a town manager could have significant impact and I believe that here you know uh not as small but still,
you know, in that space to where, you know, as the city manager sure I can have that positive effect to ensure that our strategic plan moves forward and that that uh Port Richie gets the benefit of that plan. Uh for me
personally, um I love public service after 37 years of public service. That's kind of my that's kind of my forte. I did take time off after Kenn City and said I'm just going to retire and that's just going to be it because my retirement is more than enough.
>> Sure. But the reality of it was is I have I I I need a purpose. I need to be involved. I need to be of of a solution provider, a somebody that's benefiting someplace other than myself. So, it's
that sense of community development. And when I was asked by Mayor Hoover when he saw that I was available if I'd be interested, absolutely. because the first time I interviewed with you, I really enjoyed I I got around the town, actually got to see the place and do a
drive around before I actually sat down and met you. I didn't get to do it this time just based on traffic, but um knowing the community, knowing the involvement of the community with Fort Richie, I think it's I think it's a phenomenal place to be, live and raise your kids. >> So, I guess you did your time serving,
you know, hundreds of thousands of people. You just want a little bit more. >> I well I want more of an intimate more relationship to where you know the people that I'm helping I know. >> Okay. And they know me and that we're experiencing that positive exchange of
just goodness. >> Thank you sir. I appreciate that. >> Thank you sir. >> Thanks Rob. Anyone else? >> Okay now I bring back to comments from city manager. Do you have any comments? >> Uh just had a few minutes to talk to Mr. King before uh uh this session. I just
want to welcome them to City of Port Richie. >> Thank you. Anything else? >> No, sir. >> Okay. Okay. Next up, Council Biz and item number one is interviews of candidates for city manager position. Uh I'm going to open this with uh kind of how this came about. Um and I think it
addressed some of the maybe some of the confusion out there. Um and and even some uh the comments that was maybe to the negative, right? Um, so as uh as leaders of the community, obviously we we have a job to do, a couple jobs, right? Hire city manager, hire city
attorney, approve the budget, uh, and, you know, set policy code and ordinances, right? So that's kind of our scope here on council. Um, and in that, um, not all times are things clear-cut, not every time is is a is a wellthought
plan. Um, something that, you know, plans are set in a place that they can evolve if necessary. And so, um, good leaders have to be agile, right? They have to be able to, um, take things as they come and make adjustments. And so,
at the time when we had the conversation at council about how we proceed going forward, um, we we hashed that out. We came up with a plan. That plan was, in case you hadn't uh, watched the meeting, is that we were going to extend a contract of Andy for 6 months, and we would start the search process. We're
going to start the search process in-house first. in house meaning that we were going to do the advertising and stuff uh and the vetting for 90 days and then take whatever candidates get and review those and then at that point make a decision going forward if we were going to hire a search firm uh or
continue down another path. Right? So that was kind of the the the um the plan. Um I had saw that Don was available um before that but I had not talked to Don to see because I know that
he was available in the past four months ago I think it was we were considered and actually we council consensus was to interview him then as well. um that changed. Um and so um it was notice it was again, but I had not confirmed that he was interested in in coming here. And
so um we we we put that plan together. After that meeting, um I got confirmation that Don was interested in coming and Port Richie would definitely be something he would be interested in. And so at that point, I had to make a decision. do and and I I understand that
Don has other offers on the table and so we could uh we could stick to our our plan and move forward that and we still can do that. This this is not uh this is not change our plan per se. This is just um taking information and acting on it.
and it was put to council to see if uh individually Andy poll to see obviously I was interested in interviewing Don um and I I had Andy poll counsel to see if if everybody else felt the same and everybody else had that consensus and so that's why we're here today and so again
this is not a deviation from the plan if after this interview we decided we don't want to move forward with we do exactly what the plan states but I think it would be short-sighted of a of a council that uh especially with a candidate that we have here and I want to expand expanded a little bit upon that. Had
this not been Don King, this wouldn't be happening. And the reason for that is is that Don went through the process before when we hired Matt. We hired a Basinger search firm. He was a top candidate in that top 10 that came back to council.
Um it was narrowed down to five candidates that we selected at council. Don was one of the five. Uh consequently before we had the interviews, one of those five uh dropped out and so we had four. >> We had Matt Don and two other candidates. And so and we went through
that process, long lengthy process vetted by the the firm. And when it come down to make a decision, council really was was uh on board with hiring both. Um I think I made that statement, I'd love to hire both, but we couldn't do that at the time, right? And so we had to make a
decision. And so we um what really was pretty much a coin flip um in some people's minds. I know it was in mine. It um and I at the time I lent my my uh support towards Matt. Um but again it was it was pretty much a coin flip. And
so um we did that and Don went about his his his way. But he was our alternate pick. And so had negotiations and contract broke down with Matt, we were going to extend that to Don. He was our he was our alternate. And so
because of that history, because of that um that situation, I felt it it deserved a look before we put it out because two years ago, we could have very well hired Don. So that's kind of the rationale.
Um, I can tell you that I don't like I don't like doing things like this, um, per se, but given the circumstances, I think it's the right decision and I think it's a smart decision. Um, if we stay to the plan and we would not have done this, um, Don may have taken
another job and he wouldn't have been in the mix and maybe we may maybe we find somebody, maybe we don't, maybe we have we would struggle. I know around the state there's several cities that um are are looking for city managers. I know Dade City went through a hiring process
just recently. I think they went out twice. They had to change their salary on the second time. Um and he ended up hiring somebody I think that was kind of filling in for him interim wise. So it's not an easy job to find city manager. And so we went through that. Don was a
finalist and I think this is a this is a good um somewhat deviation from the plan but not necessarily deviation but just uh given the opportunity to to to talk to him and if council wants to make a decision after this great if we want to see more candidates after this we can do
that too. Um but again I think I think it'd be shortsighted and uh we wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't uh bring Don back in for some for some questioning. So that's kind of where I was at on and I want to kind of lay that out for the public again. It's a little unorthodox, but given the history and
all that, I think it uh it makes sense. So, that's why we're here today. So, that being said, um I open up the floor to council um for questions. Um and actually, if council would wouldn't mind, I know that um our time was very short. Staff had a very short time. I know that staff had a list of questions.
Um so, if you guys wouldn't mind, I'll go ahead and do the questions that he didn't get to answer in in the staff interviews. Get those out of the way first and then we can go set everybody with that. Bob, is that okay? >> Fine. >> Okay.
And so staff had a list of seven questions and it looked like Did you guys get through two or three or four? Because there's some on here that scored >> some we were able to score. >> Some we were able to score due to his his answer from the first question. That
was basically the first question that we got through. um some of us were able to between the conversation he had with staff was able to deduct some of the other answers for the for those questions. So um you know I as counsel I would feel free to ask any of those questions just to get your insight on
those answers. So um >> why don't we do why don't we do this? We start we started with the first one and he answered that very thoroughly and like I said um between that and then the other interaction conversation he had with staff uh some of us were able to um basically go you know look at the other
questions and found the answers we were looking for. >> Well if you since you were in there if you wouldn't mind why don't you go ahead since you know which questions were asked which weren't. If you wouldn't mind just going through the questions and just ask the ones that weren't asked in there and let him answer those. Well, the only question that was the only question that was actually asked was number one was the number one question.
After that, we didn't get to the other questions. Okay. >> Um, but like I said, because of his thorough answer and the conversation that he had with staff, some of us were able to put some marks next to those other, you know, have found the answers we were kind of looking for to those questions. So, um, but like I said, I I
as council, you should just I would go ahead and anything from number two to seven, feel free to to ask and get more insight on. >> Okay. Well, why don't we do this? Since it's just one, it was ask us reasset here. Um, and we'll just go down the list of seven and then um ask question. >> Yeah, sure.
>> So, we have seven on one page and four on the other. What's the deal with that? >> So, the the four on the back was a basically a a presentation skills. They weren't specific questions. It was that was more how he presented himself >> presented himself how he interacted with
with us time and and that's what he was marked on. >> Okay, cool. Thank you. >> And I do you know obviously 15 minutes with each group is a very short period of time. So I really think that we should um be thorough here and so that's I'll go through these questions and give my opportunity to answer them all and
then we can go to council. So number one, what particular skills or experiences make you the best match to be the city manager? I think I bring a a a broad set of skills based on you know my professional
career in the past. Uh not to dis well including Kansas City working as a town manager. Um the standard skill sets required to manage a town code enforcement municipal codes zoning all those things that I would do here as a
city manager fully ab breasted on that. But I think where a lot of my talent lies is uh when I served as a installation commander on a medium to largesize installation. Basically I was the city manager of a a very large
installation where I was the mayor, the council, the policy maker, the pos policy executor. So I have a lot of experience not only with the role that I will have to uh participate in but I also have a lot of experience with the
different agencies that I will participate with. Um simple example police department, security department, um two fire chiefs with two separate fire stations with two fire missions. Um,
I would say housing was a was one of the specific things that I had a big concern and issue with because government housing have to manage that and maintain it for the family folks out there. Parks and recreation, uh, one of the big things with our parks and recreation, it's not funded. I was required every
year to be able to fund it myself. If I didn't fund it, employees didn't get paid. So, it was a big challenge for us to do the best we could. One of the positive things that came out of it was is that we made the most revenue of any installation, you know, in the army. So,
my employees got paid. We had nice facilities. Unfortunately, the extra money that I made went to those that didn't perform. So, I wasn't able to expand and build additional facilities out there. um other um items uh FEMA
um uh crisis management, disaster management. One of the big things that not only is a as a installation commander running my own EOC for like a FEMA event, but also being a part of the FEMA resolution for the hurricane when
Hurricane Milton came through. Uh one of my my primary job was to get the town up up and running and standing. uh all over again. And what I will say is because of my leadership, the team building of my team, we were able to get our town up
and running before any town in St. Petersburg, uh St. Pete. So if you look at that, if you look at um Penllis County, we were the first ones to go green. Now, I did it at some risk because there was um resources FEMA provided, but because there was such a demand for
it that sometimes I lost it. So what I did is I got with FEMA, made an agreement with them, took some of my own budget, about $310,000, used that to finalize, you know, the restoration of of the town, and then submitted it to FEMA for it to be paid
back. So, I've got a broad spectrum of knowledge and all the requirements of of a city manager. And I've got the leadership and skill to execute and I've also got the ability to build a a very good team, positive, motivated people
that want to come in and have a great day and and do the mission. U because I believe what they do is important. And if it's important to them, it's by all means it's important to me. And I know for you guys it's important. >> Thank you.
>> Question number two. >> How do you encourage, motivate, and develop staff? In what ways have you found to promote morale >> by with and through? Positive a positive a very posit I've got, let me step back.
I am high energy. So when I come into the building for the morning, I come in with a positive attitude. So, I like to start off me being positive with my people to ensure that, you know, their day starts off with a bang, positive. If I've got to go bring donuts, I got to bring coffee, got to bring something just to make the day a little better, I
do that. But more importantly, it's my engagements with the with the staff, you know, going talking with them, the interpersonal skills, being able to build that relationship with them. Um, so if we're not having a good day, they can talk to me about the bad day that we can
make it better. It's like, "Hey, what's going on? You frustrated? Are we having a problem with finance? Are we having a problem with fix dealing with the budget? Do you need some more time? Or you need me to sit down here and help you because you need some assistance?" >> You know, working through that and and and just being a part of a team, I
think, helps build a very positive morale, you know, for people that that are working with me. >> And I think that extends itself to the council also. If you've got a positive team that enjoys what they do coming into work every day because the the
conditions are right, because you got the right guy in the seat that that can identify and and manage those emotions, so it's not a big roller coaster, then you guys are pleased every time you engage with us or anytime you're getting products from us uh to vote on or report on.
>> Great. Uh number three was tell us about your experience creating, administering and implementing policies, charter provisions and ordinances. >> Okay, this is this will be interesting because I I I had a a handful of them with Kenn City. I would say for
ordinances, uh some of the big ones we had were about right ofways and throughways for for parking and for um vehicle passage through the town. Um, our current policy as far as municipal municipal code said,
"Nope, can't park on the road. You can't do this. You can't park here, you can't park there." Uh, some of the frustrations we found is with some of the signs that said no parking couldn't be enforced. Lawyers said they couldn't be enforced unless somebody of authority put their name on it. So, I got the can
of spray paint, got a stencil that said town manager and stencled it all up so that my uh, police chief had the authority to do the things he needed to. But as far as the policy, because it was around the time of the storm, we had an influx of families and vehicles that
kind of collided into the neighborhood because you had families living with families. One of the big things I had to do is suspend that uh one of our policies, policy 65 for for parking and right throughways on the road just to be able to give people a place to park and
family members a place to park without having them well have without them blocking up the road. So, we allowed parking on the yards and a whole variety of different things that we wouldn't normally do part of our municipal code just to have it to come back, reassess
it, and then change it. Now, for zoning, zoning was one of the big things that was of uh importance to me because I I didn't think we were properly zoned for economic development and economic opportunity because we had a lot of um
storefront buildings that were kind of coded into the industrial area. Um so basically, we couldn't put really anything in there of value. You know, no burger shack, no clothing place, nothing that provided any type of service because the industrial defined parkway
was was uh limited. So, one of the big things I did is we I guess Tallahassee has to approve off on your plan on how your codes exist. So, I waited for that to get back. As soon as I got that back, I worked with the council and I worked with multiple business owners to modify
that um code so that I could bring in actually storefront businesses that would that could bring revenue, revenue generation, tourism, you know, into the location. And that was key for us because revenue was the hardest part for us to
generate because just we were we were maxed out to how we were filled up as a town and and in order to bring other business in. We had to we had to actually look at how our codes, our policies, our zones were laid out and go through those and make the make the appropriate adjustments for the best
interest of not only the city but the the residents and the community so that you know we weren't violating anything with it being an industrial area but also being able to provide those businesses to supply the families you know with the goods that they wanted. So
that was a big positive one for me because when when I got that approved in council, I had a whole bunch of business owners just cheering like crazy because they showed up and wanted to know what was going on. So that was a big one. What was the other part of your question, sir? >> Uh so it was uh experience creating
implementing policies, charter provisions, and ordinances. >> Uh uh one of my big uh tasks was to um amend some of the ordinances and the charter. Uh, matter of fact, as I was leaving, I went back through the charter and it was revising that because I'm
sure you guys know that um Kenna City was a town manager form of government um inside of our charter. It wasn't clearly defined like that and a lot of the position titles weren't tied to the
actual mission that they were executing. So, one of the things that I had to do was go back through, read through it, scrub through it, make the changes, make the corrections, pass it to the clerk for review, pass it to the lawyer to make sure I wasn't violating anything. And then we are in the process for the
charter completion review to go before council for review. >> So, I didn't get it before I didn't get it before the council before I I stepped out. >> Gotcha. Okay. Thank you. Number four, please describe your experience with budgeting and financial
management. >> Um, I've got a strong budget and management background. Um, I think the most I've ever managed is probably about five or six hundred million uh budgets, all different colors of money. And what
I mean by that is they were all allocated to specific things. So, I couldn't spend this amount on shoes and I couldn't spend this on cars, but you know, in different places I I could spend, you know, the money in different locations.
Um, I am very I am very dialed into budget development. Uh, what I do like to do is sit down with with a finance director, kind of look at, you know, what our previous background is, where we're at, are we current? Did we pass last year's audit? Um, are our audits up
to date? and then looking through the the line codes of where we're spending money, you know, where that money is going. Is it does it make sense, you know, and then making sure that as we develop the budget that it's focusing on those critical mission tasks, you know,
that the council needs uh that the residents are asking for and then bringing it to you once we've sat down and worked through it. and he's given me the green flag and the lawyer's given me the green flag that we're properly spending the the the monies that we have
um collected so that you guys can make a a educated positive vote on approving the budget so that we can move forward. Um I can go into more detail. Um I used to bring a lot of organizations in together to talk their budget pieces
before we start as we go through the lines. It's like I'd sit down with the police department and say, "Hey, here's your block. Show me what you need, what's important, what's critical, here's the limitation that we have based on the budget, fire department, DPW, so that we get at
least feedback from the directors on what is needed for them to conduct their mission." >> Gotcha. Uh, next up, it number five. Please describe your experience with strategic planning. >> Strategic planning. spent my whole
career doing that. Um, I think strategic planning is is is is the key to success of any organization. If you don't have a plan that's looking out looking forward, you know, to what it is that your vision's, you know, requesting, you're
kind of going nowhere. You've got to have I refer to them as milestones in place for that progress. So, as you develop your strategic plan, you identify those things that are I like to go 25 years out. People like to go five years out and then every five
years they work it. I like to do the 25 years because with 25 years all you got to do is make adjustments to the fiveyear increments as you move forward as things change and they will. But at least you've got a long-term direction on on where you're going to go. But I think the strategic plan allows us to
align our goals and objectives of what the city wants to look like, needs to look like, and should look like, you know, for a variety of reasons. For, you know, for presence, tourism, revenue,
marketing, just all those things that will make us, you know, that one town that everybody wants to go to because why? We probably we properly envisioned you know out into the future what our strategic plan is and how we want to develop and create a more successful
portie. >> Great six. With continuing fiscal constraints, what do you believe are the keys to cities managing increased demands for services? Now the question I have if I may ask is there been any restrictions to the
financial situation for Port Richie? Have you been Yes. Have you guys been restricted? Is there restricted income that's not being authorized federal funds for >> uh so obviously we have um we have
different funds that we can spend on different things utilities at building department and all that but no we don't have any any restrictions. I mean, our general fund, we, you know, everything it's it's unrestricted. Outside of the general fund, there's restrictions on different funds. Um, we just, um, received $4.3 million in appropriation
money is going to come from the state, um, to spend on on three items. Uh, we have grants and different things >> going on. But, uh, no, um, I think I'm answering a question like, we don't have any, um, restrictions based on some audit that we can't do something with.
We, I mean, we're we're we're in a good shape, maybe. Can you answer that any better? >> And a CRA CRA town. So there >> CRA and TIF for >> Yeah, we do have CRA. >> Yeah, as well. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm I'm I'm I'm right up to
speed on that. So the taxation of it and then any increase in the taxation you get to roll back into it as a >> 5% of the the goes back in there, right? And county as well >> to to continue development on whatever project, tourism, whatever it is. Um, as
far as the projects and if uh restrictions on money, I think the key is is one, you've got you've got uh employees, so employment pay, I'd say for me, I'm an infrastructure guy. Um,
that would be my primary focus on, you know, addressing where money should go because, uh, without a without a functioning infrastructure, you know, we're going to run into problems. you know, your roads, the evacuation routes, your watershed, you know, uh uh routes
and things like that if they're not up to code or standard, you know, it's going to cause a lot of havoc and damage and and concern with residents. I experienced that with Milton uh because unfortunately Kenny did not and was not proactive about going through the storm
water drains, the sewers and all that and ensuring that they were clear. So what happened? sewers blew up, the water um shed um pipes didn't work. We had flooding in in key areas and they didn't uh do any services on the pumps. So, the
pumps didn't work when the water started swelling in certain portions of the town. So, it led to be a major catastrophe. So, if I had to, you know, really focus on where budgeting and funding, if we had it limited, would be kind of keep the town running,
um manage the infrastructure and ensure that we've got a safe and secure community with law enforcement and fire department. So, if um something does occur, we're able to take care of our residents. >> Okay, perfect. Uh number, that's the last one. Number seven, how would you establish
credibility and build trust with elected officials, department directors, staff, and citizens if hired as a city manager? >> Through positive engagement and transparency, I think all of those are key. Um, I think getting out in the
community and having community events. Um, we used to have a a police coffee that we used to do every other Friday where we'd invite residents out to meet with us um and talk with the community. Council members would show
up. There'd be police officers there because it was community policing. So, it gave the people the opportunity to interact with their police, but also the town manager for them to be able to come out and talk with me. I was doing uh town manager um
gettogethers because I said if you do a meeting, it's got to be on record, blah blah blah. So, I was like, "Okay, let's find a different way to do this." So, what I would do is I would hold social gatherings, you know, second Tuesday of the month before our our Wednesday uh council meeting and I'd sit down and I
would have an opportunity at doughnut shop somewhere where I would get some support from the community to feed and provide, you know, drinks to residents that would show up and I would answer all the hard questions. It was like, okay, before you go to council, what is it do you want to ask? What are the hard questions that you need to ask? Because
I'm the executing arm for the council. you know what you know can I answer your question now before you go and and and help the process or do I just need to tell you that hey we're working on it because one of the things that I found is you know being being honest being
transparent and being available and seen is is critical to the credibility of of probably all of us because if they don't see us they don't interact with us and they don't have some type of engagement with us they don't know they don't know who we are and they really don't know,
you know, our position on things and I think they like to know that. >> Yeah. By by far, communication is the most important tool in toolbox. >> Yes. >> Sure. >> Um, so that's all the staff questions. Um, >> well, with that being key, one of the
things that that I would say that that I did do as a town manager is we revamped our entire uh website so that we could get direct feedback via I wish I could remember this the the um anybody in the community could send us a message
>> and about anything and it was set up so me as the town manager or any of the primary custodians that had management of it could respond back. And I mean, this is like a midnight. Somebody's got a question. Because it's just driving them crazy. They would get on this little app. Boom. And then I just turn the response, say, "Hey, yep, you're
absolutely right. We're working on it. I'll be in your yard tomorrow at 7 o'clock." So, communication, yes, absolutely key. And you've got to have the right tools for the communication because if you >> Right. If you don't have the right tools, you're not hitting your your your your larger audience. >> 100%.
>> Um, so that I'm going to this I'm going to turn it over to council. So what I'll I'll go out to Bob first since he's virtual. Bob, I'm going I'm going to turn the floor over to you. You have any questions? >> No, I don't at this time. I think those questions are
good questions. >> Okay. Okay. If you uh if you want to come back and ask any, just let me know. Um >> thank you. >> Yep. Councilwoman Burke, I'll go with you next. >> No, somebody else. >> Okay. Council, >> what do you see as the top three
challenges facing the city? What would you begin to do about them? >> I've got them in my book, but I'm going to go off the top of my head. Uh, I think infrastructure is one of the key ones, and you never get away with that. Get away from that because it's just we don't have the ability to constantly
sustain, you know, the the the facilities and road structures that we have. I would say um fiscal management of money making sure that you know not only we managing it but we're actually able to produce you
know u revenue that helps build you know the community and provide the services that they want because without the revenue there's only so much that we can do and that's one of the frustrations that I have and that's why grants grant writing grant money to me is is the
solution to small towns and small cities on how they have success is being able to reach out to those organizations to fill the gaps with those issues that we have. And I think the last piece is getting our tourism revitalized to where we're we're maximizing all of the
tourism spots and potential locations to not only build it up for revenue, but build it up for the community, but also build it up as a hallmark for, you know, Port Richie. So when people talk about
St. Pete Beach. You can laugh at them and go, "Nope, Port Richie Beach." >> So, is your is your is you're being compared to others. You want to be one of those locations that you know that people love to come to because it does help the community. It does help
revenue. It does help me be helping us uh to be able to get after those things that that do make the community better and that do make it grow that do make you know being here better than being you know somewhere else. I won't use any
specific towns because but I I think those are three big ones that that that that I would I would see. >> I had infrastructure, tourism and something blended in >> physical physical management. >> Okay. and and and and revenue.
>> Okay. Yeah, blended that in. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Last night, >> um I spent time with Don spent time with Don. I've read over his
resume and his cover page multiple times. Um, I have hired many highle people in my lifetime. And you know, regardless of how this happened or why we're here, you know, it's like it's like when you when you
have somebody in front of you that's the right person for the job, you know, and and and you know, their credentials were all what you need. It's like all the pieces are falling together like a puzzle. You know, you don't look back and say, "Well, hold on. We need to go do it the hard way." You don't do that.
you know, because when you do that, you lose opportunities. Opportunities come and go pretty quickly, you know. Um, I believe in my whole heart that Don wasn't hired last time for a reason. We had to go through that Matt period.
Matt's expertise. Matt is not Don and Don is not Matt. There's things I like a lot about Don. And I'm telling you based on what I know right now, had I been through that last interview, I would have hired Don, not Matt. That's just my opinion, okay? because I I I connect with Don a little faster and easier and
that is that allows you to get traction and get things done. So, I'm thankful you're here, sir. I really mean that. Thank you for um your candid responses that you're giving and I think they're heartfelt and true and uh so that's all I have right now. >> No questions. >> No, just a statement. Okay,
>> sir. Yeah. Um, I got I got a couple. Um, and you know, I'm I want to these are kind of some some hot topics in the community right now that um obviously there's uh I don't know how much you know about, but
economic development is a is a huge thing. Of course, you you you mentioned that. Um, and so we have um we have that opportunity going on right in our waterfront. And so if you could give me a little more background on uh kind of dive down into
your economic development experience um to include anything that you've done as far as you mentioned CRAAS and in the the tiffs and and whatnot and incentives and stuff like that to make economic development happen or help it along if you give any kind of experience that you
have in in that realm. Well, I I think the the biggest part with the economic development, especially with, you know, the waterfront and and being somebody that grew up in Panama City, I watched Panama City go from being just a little coastal town with a Panama City driveway
and then amusement parks with nothing on the beach. Um, what it comes down to is business and business development. What are you willing What are you willing to allow Fort Richie to do? because there's a lot of opportunity um to build up
scale up or just to maintain you know a a policy level scaled um type of um revenue generation but I think bringing businesses in um being able to get the business taxes on them I think there's
opportunities um for um infrastructure parking lots parking lots would probably be your biggest generating revenue stream period. If if there was a way to do that in order to
support the um the waterfront because that in itself is is non-stop. I mean it would be hundreds of thousands of dollars um if not more. Um, as far as the CRAAS, I think those would be very
beneficial to different businesses and different projects that we want to bring on board because it allows us the opportunity to bring what we want to get somebody there by not taxing the hell out of them, but being able to take the taxes that do eventually generate and
being able to to to reinvest. And I think that's another big thing is what do we divest in to reinvest in on the waterfront to make it be that community of excellence that we want. Do we want it to be large tourism with everybody
and their brother and sister, which comes some risk because then you got safety and other things, or do you want to kind of build it as a boardwalk where you still have all the all the showand go, but at least, you know, it's more family oriented, more
protected. So, if it's more family oriented, you're going to get more people there as opposed to uh just adults if it's just bars running all the way across, you know, the water. looking at more different businesses and activities that can be placed there that would be well suited for the location.
So for me it would be more of a real estate business investment um capitalize what I can for the CR uh uh CRAAS and the TIFFs. Um, and then looking at potentially some benefit,
some infrastructure support that can support the community down there that also provides us some revenue and payback. And that's where I mean a big parking lot guy. If I if if I were in business and you guys had a big beach going on, I' I'd buy a lot and put a
parking lot on it and make a fortune just to do it. I see that with uh Myrtle Beach. Myrtle Beach has done that with uh their community for resources for for city funding. I mean, they make a fortune off of it, but then again, they have them piled, you know, throughout the uh throughout the strip that they
have. >> Okay. The uh the other aspect was uh we we started an annexation compa campaign. I know. Yeah. And I know it's um uh you kind of went through that with the city and it kind of got poo pooed when it came to execute on it, but we we're in
very early stages of of kind of broadening our city boundaries and filling in some of the the gaps that we have within the city. So, if you could expand a little bit on your experience with annexation and and >> Okay. >> how that works. >> Um, for me, annexation just as an introduction was was key to
revenue generation for Kenn City to be able to give us the the funds and the resources that we needed to actually be a proper town to provide the proper services with the right amount of people because we were so under manned and we couldn't afford anybody else. So that
was my goal to get and so I looked at annexation. When I looked at annexation, I looked at I did I I looked at more of being inclusive in totality, not just going not just, you know, picking and choosing because I found that the previous town
manager before me decided to pick and choose businesses along the pathway um for inclusion. And so the whole thing got shut down because everybody came back said, "No, you're not going to pick and choose businesses that make large revenue. If you're not including all, you don't include any." So what I looked
at is I developed my larger Ken City town development. I found areas and communities and what I did is I tied them together in large communities. And so I wasn't just
collecting from businesses that I was actually including communities that would benefit from our law enforcement that would benefit from our DPW because at that point it because for me as I looked at the communities across the street from us they were horrible. I
mean you could tell where Kenn City began nice pretty well manicured and then you look across the street and oh that's horrible. So being able to provide them services to improve their community to provide them not only the services but the type of community they want to live in. So that was my initial goal with it. So one of the first things
I started with is I started off with my map said this is this is what I want. And then I got with my finance director who was very good on being able to pull the the uh addresses and residences to give me kind of a strategic plan on okay if we pull all these people in here's
our revenue generation. this is what it will buy us if we invest in this. Do we want to go bigger? Do we want to go smaller? Do we think this is the right size? Do we think we can incorporate all these places? Because initially I had it phased and then I was like, you know what, let's just take a big swath at it and let's just take everything. I'll
coordinate with uh Leman Fire Department because some of that was in their district. They were more than willing to uh support it. They just wanted to make sure that, you know, we weren't cherry-picking things inside their community. So, no issues there. And then
sitting down with my lawyer who was a um annexation lawyer who would be able to write up the the paperwork and and the requirements and the notifications that we would have to present and then actually um helping prepare for any meetings that we need to host to be able
to educate them the positive benefits to the annexation. So when the vote went down, you know, that we could that we could get consensus on on the property inclusion. So for me I think the biggest thing was is
just having the right players you know involved in the project knowing how the project was supposed to evolve and be executed. Knowing the financial you know requirements and risks and then knowing the legal requirements and limitations in in order to do the actual you know um
annexation and then executing the annexation piece to actually include it. And then from there I I think our next biggest problem in project was is was the service that we were proving to provide would take a while to develop as the
revenue came in from property um um property monies um like that. So, we were looking at maybe a two to three year period where we'd have to have agreements with the sheriffs, other localities to help assist us with law
enforcement within that that portion of our town. And then, um, as we got more money, able to recruit, able to hire, able to get more DPW to manage resources, you know, our uh, code enforcement agent, get more than one because we now have a larger area that
needs, you know, work done to it. So, um, that was pretty much the way I was going through with the annexation piece. Um, matter of fact, I had it complete day one when I took the job. Um, was ready to execute. Had a lawyer on standby to help me do it. And was told,
yes, we want annexation, but we don't want it now. I was a little frustrated because I was like, hey, I'm ready to go. And then by the time I left, they said, where's your annexation plan? Said, well, I gave it to you on day one. I said, I give it to you again. Right. >> So, but I said the problem is is you
haven't approved me to hire lawyer X in order to execute this process because I'm I'm almost start resourcing the properties. >> Okay. Um I've got two more things. Um, as the first one, um, I want to ask and
we've had conversations, um, about this, so I kind of know the answer, but I'd like for the rest of council to hear it and as well as the public and so obviously, you know, you didn't get hired here back a couple years ago. Um, you went to Ken City and all that and then, um, we had, um, uh, found out we
were losing Matt. Um, you were in the market. um we had talked you were interested at that time and that you um was going to interview and then that changed. So what I'd like to you tell uh the public is one why didn't why did that change and then why now are you um
interested again? Just kind of explain kind of >> well why that happening. >> Well most of you probably read up on what happened in Kansas City. Hopefully you had. If you hadn't well there was there was a wee bit of corruption. Um me being a person not tolerant of corrupt
corruption went and corrected it. The correction was the loss of the vice mayor. Vice mayor resigned. Vice mayor became very toxic as a resident and the only people that showed up to the meeting were her fans. So every time we'd have a city council, it was nothing but hours of complaining. No work was
getting done at all. And this was going to be a continuous process until they had the mayoral election a year from that point. And so I made the decision that I am no longer providing the the town a benefit because as long as I'm here, nothing's going to get done because they're going to fight
everything I I'm doing. They're going to fight everything that's being recommended by the council just for the simple fact that I got involved with with corruption and and and corrected it. And so when I left that job, while I did change my resume and I was
like, "Hey, I'm willing to work with anything." I didn't realize how much of a toll that took on me with just just that because it was it was it was it was months of just just frustration, stress, just trying to do the right thing because I tried to do the right thing and
address it so that I eliminated the perception of any kind of corruption. But it got to the point where I couldn't eliminate it because it was just so bad that it had to be identified, it had to be recorded, it had to be announced. Um, so by the time we initially talked, I updated my resume. I thought I was going
to do it. I was just like, I think I'm worn out. I'm beat. And at that point, I was like, I'm just going to retire. I got enough money. I don't need any money. I'm just going to retire because I'm done. Um, my wife can tell you it didn't take long for me to get severely depressed and bored because I don't I
lacked a purpose. I really didn't have any purpose. And I said, I've got to do something. I've got to do something. And that's when I you saw me come back out saying, "Hey, I'm I'm ready because I was looking for something to give me purpose, somewhere to go and and just
being able to help others." And that's what I love about municipal government is that from a former service member, my whole life has been about service. And I get nothing back from that other than the pleasure of of providing that service.
And that's how I see this is I don't really I'm not getting kickbacks. I'm not getting any money on the table. I'm getting satisfaction from the people that I'm helping and helping as much as I can. And so I was like, my purpose is providing others solutions to problems.
And I and I and I said, I I think I'm a pretty good problem solver, so I think I could, you know, really help. And when you you called me, I was like, there's my chance to be able to be be a an asset to to to a city that's looking for
somebody to help them problem solve issues they have or to manage, you know, them as they go into the future. >> Yep. >> And so when you reached out to me, I was excited. You you can tell my wife I was like, "Yeah, he called me back. This is awesome." And so that's when I immediately said, "Yep, I'm available."
So I think you and I talked till midnight a couple times because I don't sleep. I don't think you sleep either. >> No. >> And so it it it kind of worked out that um that that we were able to arrange this meeting and get together to be able to talk with the community and talk with
the council and the directors. >> Good. And I tell you, the city manager job is a tough job. It's uh it's a job that uh you know, you really got to you really got to be a a special person to live and working with in that
environment and do it successfully. And uh you know, one of the things that um I I find admiral both in in yourself and in in Matt, our previous city manager, is that uh you know, Matt, he actually did it for a while and he took a break and he just had to do some soularching and see exactly what he wanted to do
because and what he what he did is he he came back and he decided I still want to do city management. Similar with Don. Don's been doing this type of thing for a while. Well, he kind of had that, you know, just I just need to retire, get away. But there's there's a there's a drive that um that these folks have. And
so, very similar to what Matt has is they said this it's this really is about the service. And so, I appreciate you sharing it with everybody. Um and I said I had just two more, but I I'm going to slide this one in. The um and so that being said that you've had that soularching period and you've said
this is what you want to do. Obviously, here at the city, you know, I I went back and and and looked at our history with city managers, and about every two to three years is we're changing them. And that's not um that's not a great position to be in. You know, we need somebody that's going to be in there that's going to be in there for the long
haul. Um you know, at least five, six, 10 plus years. That'd be great to have somebody. So, um I just wanted to say if you were selected, where do you see yourself five, 10 years? Do you still see yourself being here at city manager or you just is this another notch in the belt or is it going to be an experimentation and you want to retire
again? What's what's your um what's your um goal? >> My goal would be to continue to work until you fired me. So, one month, 10 years, you know, it it would be at the at the discretion of the council however long you guys wanted to.
>> You're you're in it for the long haul. I I'm in it for the long haul because like I said, for me it's not not so much a job because while I will enjoy getting paid, I don't need it, >> right? >> And for me, it's more about service to a community and and trying to do what I
can for others. >> Yeah. And I will say um one of the the hardest decisions back when we interviewed before is know you and your wife are here and and it was you guys really wanted to be a part of the community. You wanted to immediately move here and and all that. And so that was tough because Matt was coming from
up north bring him down here and so you were already here. You were ready to commit. So that was that was one of the hard things in that decision-m process. So I appreciate your your cander there. >> Um and so finally um Port Richie has a has a history. I'm sure you're aware of
it. And uh but it has an extremely bright future, right? And this role will not be an easy one. and it needs a strong and capable city manager at the helm in order to make things uh continue to progress. Right. How confident are you in your ability to accomplish that
goal of making Port Richie great and actually getting us to where we need to be? >> Very confident. Um I've not met a task that I haven't accomplished. I haven't met a task that I haven't busted my butt to accomplish. Um, the only way that I
will fail is if I die in the process of trying to make it great because that'll be my committed role. >> Great. Thanks. So, that's all I have. So, um, at this point, does anybody have one?
>> Um, in relation to longevity and the problem that we've had maintaining city managers, what would you need from council and staff in order to make this a career choice for you that you you could stay long term.
>> What What behaviors do you need to see out of us and what behaviors do you need for us not to exhibit? >> I think a positive relationship with the with the council and and I would say the administration is is trust. Trust being one of the big things. I didn't I didn't
really have that at Kansas City with the with my vice mayor. She would she had access to all my buildings. No one was authorized to have access. she magically had it. I don't know how she got it. And so she was very toxic to my my administrative staff and to the point they wanted to quit. So what I would ask
is is some trust in what we do. Let me be your focal point and mouth for the directors and the team so that you know, one, I'm receiving what you want so I'm able to manage it, but yet getting it out to the proper people. But I know there's going to be times you're going to want to talk with the sheriff or
you're going to want to talk with finance or there's just things that you're going to want to do. I would just say please notify me so that I'm in the loop with with any of any of the activities that are ongoing because what we don't want is communication.
Well, it ends up being a lack of communication, which I'm, you know, privy to at that point because I should be tied into everything that you guys are wanting and needing coming through. But in the same breath, I've got to protect my staff from being overwhelmed with, you know, things that that you
guys want and need. Whereas if you give it to me, at least I can triage it and prioritize it as is as as it gets down to directors for work because I know that there's certain things that they've got on their plate that do have priority and that this may be something that we have to okay let's wait or maybe hey Bob
you can do it or hey city manager you got enough common sense on this one um here's some information you can pass it up just so that so that we we manage and respect everybody's time and effort. Thank you.
>> There is a condition, I don't know if it got brought up with anybody else, that he's not able to move here right away. >> Correct. >> Due to due to housing. So, if somebody else didn't get that question answered, I did, >> but it'd be the same sort of scenario as with Andy.
>> I am a I am I am a I'm a homeowner with a home in Riverview. I'm a veteran, so I purchase it with a veterans uh purchase agreement or wherever with the bank. Um I have to stay in the house a specific amount of time or they will
pull my certificate so I'll never be able to use it again. So um I've got a window of time in which I have to stay in the house and from that point I can rent it or sell it. Um big question is the housing market down there. What's it like? Um, I would we
would love to be up in this area because we don't want to be where we are. It was just our temporary fix as we decided on where we were going to go in the future. Um, but we are prepared. Um, we've even discussed that uh maybe I do what Andy's done, you know, find a place here and
then Monday through Friday this is where I reside and then on the weekends I go home with my family. What is that time frame that? >> That's what I'm working with my real estate agent with right now. I just sent him a nasty gram today saying, "Hey, I need to understand, you know, the
mortgage the mortgage uh policies and everything here so I can make a decision." >> So, >> ball park is it like year, two years? >> About a year. >> Okay. >> I was I was going to say I seems to me because I've used the VA loan program
before. I want to say it's two years. You've had yours for about a year. >> Yeah. So, I think that probably about right. So, >> unless the city would like to buy it from me and relieve me from that pressure and I can move here. >> I mean, that's that's an option.
>> No, that's not an option. That is not an option. >> Questions, >> but >> I have a suggestion. >> Okay. Uh but well say yes we did hire
Mr. K which which I do like I was I was thinking that best case scenario I would I would appreciate if he would sit down with Andy and Chris and Nancy and Adam to work out
something that he would be satisfied with as far as a pay scale. maybe the the tears pay scale. Chris has experience in that area. Um where Andy and Don can work together be happy because last I checked Andy had
250 projects on the table and there's going to be a transition period. Longer the better. No one's in a big hurry, but I think if they can work together for maybe till the end of the year, we can work something out. I think that
would be a good idea. >> Yeah. And so by >> go ahead >> Chris Chris is willing to do that. >> Yeah. So by by um >> Chris who? >> Me. >> So the um one of the things that that um
that is a concern of mine is that uh you know there is there is some turnover that needs to happen and I know we we we kind of hurried up with Andy to get that and he had a week with Matt which is obviously not near enough. And so if we were to move forward with Don, I would hope that uh they could work alongside
each other for at least a month, if not two months together and may maybe even longer. Um the um and I wanted to ask Don too and I know I feel like you're fairly flexible. Like I said, you you're retired. You it's not about the money. Um I guess if we were to work out some
arrangement and obviously we you know Andy um we kind of said we were going to extend his contract for six months. Um, and so >> and so I I really want to honor that. Um, but again, I didn't want to miss out on opportunity you either. Um, so I
guess if we were to if we were to select you, um, what how long do I mean, would you need to start work like tomorrow or would you be okay with kind of having some time to to get your affairs in order? I mean, what's if you could tell us kind about that? >> I'm not in any rush. If you guys need
time, that's fine. >> Yeah. And like we need time and like I said we want to we we need somebody on board or whatever but again Andy's been doing a great job for us and I don't want I don't want this to uh be something where we push him out the door quicker than necessary. Like I said he's
uh he's he's well entrenched in in the issues of the city. he's when it's time for him to move on, he he has uh great knowledge, he can help whoever's coming in, whether it be you or somebody else um to bridge that gap and actually working alongside each other for a
period of time can only help, like I said, if if we can work it out number-wise and and whatnot. So, >> I think that's great. >> So, if you >> I think it's great because I think you can get those 250 projects done before we >> got two fingers up here. Yeah, I I will say that uh you know, obviously when
when he took over, I think Matt dropped a couple bombs on him that he wasn't expecting. And so what uh what I would hope for is that we could have a good transition period and and um >> yeah, I I I I am fully on board for the transition, but if I need to be baptized
by fire either way, it's it because if something comes up, I it's it is what it is and I will settle in accordingly. But I think the transition would be fantastic. >> Yeah. and and with that transition obviously with the trans constraints that we have um you know we it's very
difficult to pay two city managers right so depending on how we structure that if if we wish to phase your salary in is that is that something that you'd be willing to work with and again we have negotiations just got to see what your thought is >> no we can we can negotiate >> okay
>> yeah like I said I wonder what Andy would think about working with Don and Chris and Nancy on uh on figuring out what kind of pay that would work out to be. >> Happy to happy to work with
>> Yes, sir. Happy to do whatever it takes. >> You can hire me as a private contractor. >> Okay. >> Um >> I want to know because nobody else has brought this up. Um we we did last week say this this is like us not nothing
with you. Um we did say last week we're extending his contract for six months and then the next thing I know I was being told there's a meeting on Tuesday. So it wasn't really it wasn't really a joint effort on picking that this was going to happen and it did. I'm
concerned because I like to go by the book thing this it wasn't advertised. It wasn't noticed. It wasn't transparent. It just happened. It's one person. It's one person. >> Yeah. >> So, >> so are we, you know, without, and I'm
not saying I don't think that you're qualified or even that I'd pick you, but the fact is it's also not due diligence to to to run with one person and not know what else is available when and I'm not sure we've even done it
right. And I don't want to be in the middle of something that is not done right. >> Yeah. So I I can answer that question. It's a great question. So at the end of the day, it's it's count city manager. Uh we could we could hire a search firm. We
could uh put out like we planned on for 90 days. Uh we could literally throw a dart at a wall and say we want you and hire that person. That's you know. So, obviously there's there's uh there's uh when you're in a hiring process, there's there's things you have to file from the
law, right? But there's there's no uh no law that states that you have to have so many candidates you have to put it out. Um it's it's really >> No, but isn't that due diligence? We get we talk we talk a lot about due diligence here and really this is not an
issue. We talk a lot about due diligence. I hear it all the time on both sides of me. And is this it? Because we're almost making it sound like here you go. And I like to do things by the rules. And I'm I'm not so
sure this was real transparent. The people didn't know. >> People didn't know. Go ahead. >> We we have been plagued through the years with feasibility studies with, you know, all kinds of, you know, research and all this stuff. And we've got the
guy sitting right here in front of us. We've been looking for >> You're the one that says due diligence all the time. In fact, you said it last week. In fact, last week you said we would if we didn't check out other people. >> Let me Let me give me one second, please. I'll give you the full when I'm
done. I was adamantly against a long-term extension on his contract last week. Okay. I It wasn't that I knew Don. I never met you before today, did I? No, >> but I knew that there was something that
we were supposed to be doing as a city council to look out there. Now, something didn't we didn't have to go grab it, pull it, pay 30, 40, $50,000 for it. Walked in the door. It's sitting here in front of us right now. Sorry for using that it. Okay. But, but here's
what I think. Here's here's what I think we should do. You know, I think that there's probably going to be a one to three month period where Don would be gracious to grab as much information from Andy as he could to to do this job here. You know, I don't think six months
is going to be a realistic because you can't ask a guy to get out there and run the show, right? And then put another guy next to him and handcuff him together. It doesn't work that way. It would be a dis a disservice to dump, you know, and I think Andy understands that with military experience, too. So, it
would be my motion if I can step into this. >> There's no motions today. >> Yes, there is. >> Make a motion. >> I don't know. That's what it said on our >> You can you can make a motion. There's just no negotiations because we do not
contract negotiating. >> We can make a decision if we don't. >> It would be my motion. >> Before you before you hear that motion, um I'd let you jump in in front of >> This happens to me a lot when I ask questions. When I ask questions, what ends up happen and it it happens a lot.
I'll ask a question, I'll try to get an answer and then everybody else jumps in and starts talking and it never comes back to me. And it's getting a little bit old. >> So when I ask a question when I ask a question, >> I I want to answer. I don't want somebody else jumping in and telling me
what they think and their opinion and and all that. I want to know if this is the right way for us to do this. So, >> I want to know if the people feel like this was transparent for us to do this thing. I want to know if it was the
right way rather than it being unnoticed unadvertised on everything. >> You know, as long as I know it's the way it's the way we're supposed to do it, I'm good. >> It was advertised. Okay. Okay. So, where was it advertised? >> I think it could have been handled differently, Lisa. I I I agree with you.
I mean, there's different ways to do it. If if I was in the position and I had talked to Don, I would have told Don that uh appreciate your help. Can you wait? I would like to bring us up to the next council meeting to present that you're available and see if they want to have an emergency meeting u in your
regard. So, that that's might have been the way I did it, but I guess, you know, some people think it needs to be done urgently, but I I agree with Lisa. it could have been done a little bit different way um and handled in in the next council meeting. We could have had
the same results. >> So, and this is why I stopped the motion because I I want to I want to answer your question. This was not a decision that I made. I I gave you the background of it and
Andy asked if you all were interested in in interviewing Don or not. if you weren't interested in view interviewing Don, we wouldn't be here. But the consensus was everybody wanted to do that. And so we're here, right? And to answer your question, um there's there's
one of two things can happen this meeting. We can decide we want to move forward with Donna. >> We can say we appreciate you coming out, Don, but we'd like to see some other candidates. Verifiable. So the the goal of this meeting is not necessarily to
hire Don. It's to interview Don because if we go out for this 90 days um Don has an active offer on the table. Can I share that? Is that >> two >> two active offers? Okay. And so if we
were to go out um Don may accept those that he may not be a candidate anymore. That's just the reality. And I can I can tell you back through our history. Um when we hired John Duke, candidates came in,
candidates left for their I mean the the longer thing I mean the the the the hiring market out there um people move, right? And if you if if you want a certain candidate, you need to seize the opportunity or they may not be a candidate anymore. So that's just the
reality. And so that's why I wanted I wanted the opportunity to do that. And when he p when uh Andy pulled everybody to see if because I was just going to call and I have the power to call a special meeting whenever I want. It's in the charter and I could have called a special meeting for this but I didn't
want to do that um if nobody was interested in entertaining candidate. And so I had Andy see if everybody was everybody was. And here I want to be perfectly clear here. This is not not Mayor Hoover trying to shove a cannon down your throat. That's not at
all. I I just wanted to interview Don. I've interviewed him in the past. I know his value. Um he was viable candidate. He was he was actually going to be selected by the city if it wasn't if if Matt wouldn't have took the job. And so the vetting and stuff I'll come back to
you and the vetting and stuff that you mentioned and all that we went through that process and paid $ 35 some thousand for basic. He was a top candidate. So that's it's been done. Um, now that's not saying that there's other candidates, not other candidates out there now that we might want to look at
and we can definitely do that. And if that's the decision of council, I'm more than happy to do that, but I just want to be clear here that here's Don and if you want to entertain him, he may or may not be in that pool. And that's just the reality of it. And I just want to put out there and that's fine.
>> That was my question. My question is, can we do this without it being advertised, without it being noticed, without without any of that? because that's what we said before. That's my question. >> Yes, the answer is yes. >> Okay. Wow. See, we don't have to go in
circles. >> Oh, that's >> I can just get an answer. We don't, >> you know, I don't have NY's not here to ask her these things. To me, it seemed like not something we would normally do. >> It it it is a little, as I said before, it's a little unorthodox, but given the
history and the situation or whatever, that's what's a little different. But from a legal standpoint, we can literally throw it. We could we could say, "Rob, you want the job?" Rob say yes. We negotiate whether you need a city manager. That's, you know, you don't you don't have to put it out there. Now, it's if you put it out
there, um you can't you know, you there's there's rules for hiring, but um we we don't have to there's no set law that says we have to put this out. Um now, to your point, if you feel like it's not transparent, I mean, if it was advertised to the public, they have a
chance to be here. have public hear. Um, and I'm going to give that after we do this. I'm going to obviously bring them back up to public comment. Um, but it's uh it's just really it's it's a situation that we decided collectively that we want to have this and here we
are. And so we can we can hire or we can go ahead and put it out and get more candidates. It's really it's really up to the council, not up to me, not up to you. It's up to the collective body. So I'm going to open up comment just a minute. So is there anything? Can I ask one more question of that candidate?
>> Um, what was the the damage after Milton to Kenneth City and was um was Kenneth City in the FEMA disaster zone? >> Yes. >> Or it was okay. >> Um, most of the significant damage that
we had was uh there was a significant amount of water erosion because we didn't manage our water shed and our um our sewage lines properly. they weren't cleared out prior to the hurricane season occurring. Um the biggest piece of it was was the erosion of the soil
which caused collapse of of thousands of trees on um on watershed areas that wouldn't let water you know take off and then on homes and houses. And so one of our biggest our biggest um task was to
get electricity up and going and then start working with the debris to get it up and going so that we can clear paths for any type of emergency vehicles that needed to get to and from you know locations where people might have been hurt or or um
might have been hurt. >> So that was one of our big goals to make sure that we've got that taken care of. an issue in Kenneth City? Was flooding an issue in >> flooding was an issue in some portions and those portions are where we didn't properly clear out our water drains. Um,
which we were >> I mean flooding of the homes of the residents >> flooding. Yes. Flooding of the homes because because where the water would settle, it actually brought the water levels up about three or four feet. >> Okay. >> Yes, ma'am. And we were we were very tied into FEMA, the FEMA um operations center that was
in Penllis County and uh they were very responsive to all of our issues and requirements um based on the resources that they had available. >> Part of that entire process. >> Yep. and what they didn't have available. I
suspect that we get reimbursed and then talking with council saying, "Hey guys, if I don't do this, it's going to be another two months before we can do anything. So, if you let me do this now, I can have it done in a week and a half, two weeks max. >> Um, how did Kenneth City deal with
substantial damage to homes? Did you have substantial damage determinations? >> Um, some um I think the biggest issue that we had was on one of our condo residents. Um, there was significant
erosion to where it actually started to collapse the building. Uh unfortunately because of the conduct agreement that they uh abided by um Tallahassee we had no jurisdiction on it but the land that eroded was actually Penllis County's
land. Penllis County refused to do any assistance or help because they said that the condo community encroached on property. So it wasn't their requirement. But good news story I resolved it all. I got everybody on
board. I got Penllis County to help. I got FEMA involved. So, at the end of the day, this took six, seven months >> to work through the process because nobody wanted to own the problem. And that was my big question is who owns it because we're going to know who owns it
when there's a when there's a casualty and I said that's going to be very embarrassing. So, who owns it? If I own it, tell me. I'll resolve it right now. I'll resolve it today. But it was a big challenge, you know, as far as some of the stuff that occurred because of Milton. I think uh where we were
successful with the flooding is the sandbag facilities that we had the ability to provide that to people rapidly before you know the water started coming to us because most of the water was on the beach in that area but because we are the wershed for everything that gets flooded there
because we didn't manage our systems well we got you know a good portion of that water but because we were preventative in um some of our actions we we were able to eliminate you know any significant real water damage to houses. >> Okay, thank you.
>> Sorry for the long answer. >> That's why the 15 minutes went so quick. >> Is there any questions about what just so public knows? So, >> I'm good. I just Yeah, I just wonder what Chris thought about working and
address that. >> Yeah. So, um, what I'm going to do, I'm going to go ahead and hear the motion so that you guys when you comment, you can comment on whatever the motion is and then if, uh, that'd be better, I think. So >> so I'm going to make a motion that we
extend an immediate hiring of Don to this position that we extend, you know, a one to threemonth time frame for Andy, you know, and knowing that I believe Don's going to get in and get traction and the two of
them would be like hooking two trucks up against each other going two different directions. Um and and and I don't think um you know as far as Bob's recommendation of negotiating through it, I think that's fine. You understand what the what we've already talked about
as a council last week. Um you know, and I'm sure we can work out those details. I think the fact getting them here quickly getting him off the market, getting you planted here in our city is important. So I make a motion we extend an immediate offer to Don tonight to
hire him as our new city manager in the city corporation. Okay. Is there a second? >> I see another motion. >> Second. >> Oh, okay. We got a second from Bob. Any further discussion? Um, I'd just like to clarify what we do
for Andy because I feel like we got very close and um to signing another contract with Andy for six months and I think that we need to make sure that we do right by that
in this motion. We need we need that solidified in this motion. I I would like to I guess I can't a second. >> Let me um so the to clarify the motion. The motion was to to extend the offer to hire. You did mention something about a
one to three. So >> one to three months. >> So one we if if if you wouldn't mind amending your motion. I think because I think these are two separate things. If you could just take Andy out of the equation right now, amend your motion to
extend the offer to to Don in one motion. We'll we'll make that decision and then then we can talk about Andy. >> Can we deal with Andy first and then the motion? >> Well, well, if we're not hiring Don, there is then
>> I I would just really like to know what we're doing for Andy before I make a motion to hire Don. Well, it's it would be a separate thing. >> We could do a contingent motion that
should we hire another city manager. What are we doing? >> Rephrase his motion. >> Yes. Or just or just rephrase it to the exact time frame of >> And I think it should be at least three minutes. >> At least.
you have a comment. >> You're clarifying you're wanting two motions. >> Well, so my thought was is is to is to whittle the motion down to two things because I again they're two separate things. We're either hiring Don or we're
not. Okay. And if and again what we do with Andy it can is a totally separate thing. If if we don't hire Don well then Andy needs something more, right? or or >> we already said last week Andy gets six.
>> I get that. So again, we we can address Andy separately. It it has no bearing on whether we hire Don or not. >> But we addressed Andy last week and now has changed. >> Nothing's changed. >> Chris, talk for a minute. >> So last week and and what we've done
with Andy is exactly what we agreed to do. We gave him a six-month contract and he was an interim manager. Not at any given time do we say, "You're going to be our full-time manager." I'm not being disrespectful. I'm being truthful. I'm being truthful and and the fact that we talked about six months last week when
we left last week's meeting, Andy was going back to figure out what tell us what he needed for the position which leaves the things open. It's like a real estate contract. Okay, we made this offer here of six more months. He said, "Well, I'm going to figure out what I'm going to do." And he came back here. So, that leaves the whole thing open and in the meantime, we're interviewing Don.
So, I think we're being gracious to Andy and very respectful by saying, "Hey, Andy, you know, a one to three month time frame to get Don, you know, familiar with the job is more than sufficient. It'll give him plenty of time to get some runway. We're not
going to leave behind dry for it to be three months." That's >> to three months is more reasonable. So, we can give our new city manager the opportunity. >> I don't agree with that. I I don't agree with that. So, I want I'm going to ask again because I I'm reading the room here. I'm going to ask that you amend
your motion. >> I'm amended my motion. My motion is to hire Dun as our new city manager started immediately. >> Okay. Is there a second for that? >> Bob, are you going to second that or No, >> I'll second it.
>> Okay. >> I I don't know if the delay is because you can't be heard or not. So, I want >> Okay, so I've got a motion, a second to hire uh Don as our next city manager. Any further discussion?
>> Yeah, I think that Don is a great hire. >> Okay. >> But we do have have respect for both these gentlemen, Andy and Don, and we need to have them work together on on actually what Don's roles going to be and what the contracts going to be
with Don in the future. There's a lot to discuss with benefits and FRS and like I said Andy's got a lot of things on the table. We don't want to we want to make it most of these guys happy. So the city's happy. I think Chris can sit down with them with Nancy and with Adam and
work this out. But yes, I'd like to lock Don in. I'd like to hire him under those under those circumstances. Yes, >> we can do the lock in and then you guys take the time that you need to decision you need because All you're doing is interfering my
Netflix, you know, >> and I've already seen everything on Netflix, so it's not really >> Well, that's >> so the motion on the floor in a second and I'm open up public comment is that we move forward with Don as city manager and that's the extent of the motion at
this point. So with that, I'm going to open up public comment. >> I think Devin would like to make a comment. See his hand up several times anyway. All right. >> Who are you and where you live? >> Oh, sorry. Sorry, Eric. Deon Air 5414 Bay Boulevard. I think
that all the details can get worked out. Andrew, um, Andy was really great for us and I think that, um, you know, he's he's more than happy to be malleable. Um, I think that, you know, outside of his wants and needs or desires, he's
willing to, you know, do what's best for the city moving forward. And I think that's he's a really great guy. I love Andy. Andy's awesome. Um, we got a lot of like hardcore things. He's got 250, you know, line items on his agenda. And, you know, it's hard for Andy to get it
all done because he's older. That's the reality of it. No, seriously, that's the reality. You're very nice gentleman. Um, but that's the reality of it. Listen, >> people who are older aren't as, you know, I'm 30 years old. I'm like a spring chicken. I can work, you know, 15, 16 hours all day long. That's just
the reality of it. >> Sorry about that. I I'm not saying anything, but it's it's everybody sort of knows we don't have to like, you know, you know, um, walk on eggshells here. This is a really important decision. And I'm I'm I I've been doing this for two years now, you know, where,
you know, I I saw Don two years ago already. You know, he went through Matt. Andy came in. We like Andy, but Andy's an intram gentleman here. And and you know, we we hired him knowing that Matt made that very clear as well, by the way. And uh and we need our, you know,
our guy who's like our forever guy basically. And I think Don is that gentleman. And we need to retain him. and we need to work out all the all the details. And I think Bob's right, Chris can work that out. Um, and the nice thing about Don is he doesn't need a million dollars to make him happy
because he's got a, you know, income from the military because he guy served, you know, 30 some 30 plus years, you know, base commander, you know, this that and the other. I mean that's very impressive resume and uh this is a really lucky opportunity that he came
around and also too he's got experience from Kenneth City and all the craziness that he dealt with there which is really a you know a good thing which kind of polished him a little more before we got him and we had a lot of things with with math that he cleaned up. So this is all
perfect and and and Lisa's right this is sort of an unconventional way of going about it. Um, but we already did our due diligence two years ago on this guy and and he's who showed up and you know, maybe we should have hired him, maybe not, but God works in mysterious ways and this gentleman came back around and
he's here and we need to hire him. And I think that um Andy Andy will should probably stick around for one to three months, probably two months. I don't really think you need more than that. Um, but you know, all that can be worked out and um and I think you know that's
that's a wrap on that and we're moving forward, you know, and and I'm so glad that this gentleman came came around and if we don't hire him, somebody's going to hire him for sure. I mean, think this guy's so eloquent with how he answered all your questions and everything. I mean, he's rock solid. So, I'm I'm
stoked for this guy, you know. Anyways, thank you. >> Thanks, Deon. >> Anyone else like to speak? >> Linda, welcome. >> Tell us tell us who you are, where you live. still Linda Rodri. Haven't moved yet. Still at 5917 Lantern Court. Um I interviewed Mr. King two years ago and
he is a wonderful candidate. It was the process I had a problem with. It wasn't Mr. King. Um the process that I had a problem with was Andy who has all of you said did a wonderful job and I agree with y'all and
I think offering him a minimum of a three-month severance after we just said we were going to do a six-month contract for him would be fair. I don't know what you feel Andy about that but that would be the minimum I would say. I'm not opposed I never when I came up here before I wasn't opposed to Mr. King. I
spoke to him two years ago. He is a wonderful candidate. Had nothing to do with that. It was with the process. Um and I and I don't he's been wonderful in helping us and I think we should reward him because he deserves it. He has helped us through a difficult time. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Anyone else? >> Okay. See, I'm I'm going to bring back council for a roll call vote. And I would reate the motion. The motion is to uh move forward with hiring Don King as our city manager. That is it. Yes.
>> Councilwoman Sullivan, what is your vote? >> Yay. >> Councilwoman Burke, what is your vote? >> Yes. >> Councilman Robert Huard, what's your vote? >> Yes. >> Vice Mayor Mayor, your vote. >> Mayor Hoover, your vote.
>> Yes. The motion passes unanimously. Congratulations, John. Don, we're going to be working with you going forward. Sounds like >> um so the next uh the next order of business we need to to tackle obviously is about Andy. Now, there's a couple different ways that we can do this. We can make a motion, talk about times, um
or we can um and and what what suggestion I would give um and and for what it's world according to me. We can do whatever you guys feel, but I would like um uh to have the opportunity to
negotiate with Don and and Andy start dates, how long they work together and all that, and then bring that back to council to uh discuss and either amend or accept as opposed to um deciding on that tonight. And I I can tell you um
and and and I I I do want to hear from you, Bob, on this because you've you you've mentioned Chris's name several times about negotiating this. Um you know, I'm the most senior person on council on the mayor of the city. Um elected by the people and I have the
most experience up here. Um I've I've I pour my heart and soul into this job. I'm well verssed in all the rules and the finances of the city. I stay very much involved. And so I think I'm quite capable of negotiating um going forward on that. Again, I don't
make the decisions. I bring it back to council and um and so I would I would prefer that uh that that I'm involved in that. I don't have a problem with Chris doing it by any stretch of means. Chris is a is or anybody up here for that matter. Um obviously Chris is hold say
about it. I turn this over to you a minute. But obviously Chris is a uh is is a businessman. He's hired and fired and is quite capable making those things. I'm just thinking that um in a case of the city um I have knowledge because I've been up here. Chris was just elected and so um I think I could
be better served in in in helping bring about that uh that transition and and that obviously comes back to council and you guys could tweak that however you see fit. Um I will say that um I agree with um uh the folks here that we just
don't dump Andy into the streets. Um I uh Andy's done a great job for the city and you know I know that Don is flexible and so I would be looking for the uh a solution that would be beneficial to all parties including the city. And so um I'm not in any hurry to get rid of
anybody. Um the more the marrier. We need we need lots of folks, lots of good folks to get jobs done. And so I would ask that the council consider uh letting me do that and then we bring that back at a later meeting to discuss. There is no hurry. Um, Andy's here. He's doing a
great job. Uh, Don just needs to know what his next move is, and I think we just gave him that. So, >> I just think Andy would feel better knowing instead of being in limbo until the next time we come back. I I mean, if it was me or you, you would want to
know. >> Yeah. Well, I I agree. And um we can we can do that. We can we can try to hash that out now as far as what happens uh with Andy. Um, but I I don't know if we have enough information necessarily. I mean, there's there's numbers involved
and and and whatnot, but um I I would I would venture to say that I would not bring anything back to council less than three three more months on top of this contract. And um >> that >> so again, >> that's four months. That's four months. >> That's that's 100% correct. That's
right. >> Yeah. >> And so I would I would not go any lower than that. My vote would not go any lower than that. Anyway, I would uh I would like to go back and and see how that looks with real data because that's a prudent thing to do um as supposed to make that. But I I could definitely say
that I I don't see any reason get him out of here any any quicker than that. >> I'm not by any means >> trying to kick Andy out the door. >> But I also feel very compelled to be accountable to taxpayers with the money we're spending. You know, we've we gave
Andy till November, right? You're saying you want another through another three months on that? I mean, I think I think the taxpayers, we owe it to them to be fiscally responsible with what we've been given, you know, and I I would be, you know, greatly um interested in and
in and in in how Don's going to feel after he's on the job for 30 days, 60 days. We've committed through November. You know, we did vote six months, but that six months thing was opened up when we left the last night. it wasn't all tied down. Okay, that 6 months thing had some open ends to it which leaves
everything open, you know. So, I think one to three months is a reasonable um offer. And I think when it comes to taxpayers and spending their money and we look at the amount of money one of the city managers makes, I think that I think that we have an accountability to that. >> Yeah. And I will say too that um had
we've had we go out to a search firm, that's 30 to $40,000 right there that uh we're saving by not doing that. So again, I, you know, I would like to look at this objectively, not base things on
feeling. I'm a data driven decision maker and so I would like to take a look at that. I'd like to talk with the candidates, both of them, uh, both Don and how, you know, when he coordinated start time with him, how much time they go together. I want to have some in-depth conversations about that to
where again we come to a mutually agreed decision amongst the parties. We bring it back to council and then if you guys are good with that, we we go with it. If not, then we do something different. >> I'd be willing to do that as long as you kept an open mind going into this because you got a lot of moving pieces. >> There's a lot of moving pieces you don't
even know about right now. There's things right now you're going to gather information. >> That's why I suggest that Chris has the experience in that area. That's >> all any of us can interject. We have ideas, call Andy and whats you have going and and get ideas, but we all can't sit there at the same time.
>> That's correct. important that Andy and Don work this out together and the cast members should be there since Chris has the most experience in contracting and hiring people. That's why I suggested help >> and I just thought it would be a lot easier if you wanted any of us can call
Dom call Andy or Don for that matter and see how it's going and they got an idea introducted that's fine but Nancy and Adam also need to be there because we have a budget and that's Adam and he needs to help with those guys on what they're going to decide. I just think
Chris would be a good good council person out of all of us to be there to do that. Okay. >> Is there something you think I lack, Bob? >> What? >> Is there something that I lack? >> No, not at all. I'm just thinking Chris
has got the experience in hiring contractual >> sitting right there. I'd say the same thing. I think >> Yeah. Well, I appreciate that, but but you don't think I have experience hiring people? >> Do you do you?
>> Absolutely. Okay. >> So, I I you know, this is not a conversation about who should do it or not. I just I what I've asked >> I mean >> I suggested
I I don't really care who does it. I don't really >> know, >> Bob. I don't really care who does it, but I don't want to go into that meeting with statements like, "Hey, we're going to give him three months on top of this." Because that's not you doing your job that you're supposed to be doing. You're supposed to be diligently
grabbing information and making that information pure and and transparent and then coming back to us as a council and saying, "Here's what I came up with. Here's what I found." And if you start making statements before you get there, you can't do that because then you back up. That's what we did last week. and
throwing out one-year contracts last week and that was not the way you negotiate contracts. >> What? >> Again, there's there's there's data behind that decision. What I what I'm what I'm letting you know is is I don't feel that uh and again I'm going to be
I'm going be candid with you. >> Please do. Uh, last meeting we told Andy we were going to extend his contact for six months >> and and Andy responded to us and said, "I'm going to go through and figure out what I'm going to need for that additional six months," which is like an open-ended contract,
>> right? We were going to negotiate, but again, we we we and again, we're not bound to that six months. >> No, but that's what I'm saying. I'm not trying to be difficult with Andy. I I really I'm not. I mean, Andy's Andy to me has been wonderful for us, and I don't want to kick him in the butt on the way out the door, but I also know
that we are accountable to those taxpayers out >> 100%. >> And and when you start adding up what it is, you know, it's not just, you know, here's some money for you on the way out. This could be some serious jack that we need to to get our city running, >> which is exactly why uh we need to go back with a data driven decision to look
at that and look at options and talk to both candidates and to come up with that. And maybe at the end of that conversation he's good with two months. Maybe he maybe >> Eric, I'm I'm I'm okay with you doing it. >> I just don't want you to make preconceived statements before you go into that
meeting. Then you're going to be bound to those statements. >> No, with the statement that I made is is it is my it is my feeling that we shouldn't do anything less than 3 months. But as I go back and look and talk to finance and we talk and and see what the what the options are and where
Andy's at, where Don's at, and how flexible we can be, then we'll know. It's those conversations can happen um outside of council and we can come to that conclusion and bring it back and present. >> Are you willing to keep an open mind going into this? >> What's wrong with me asking that
question? >> Vice Mayor, my mind is extremely open. Thank you. I >> can I make a motion that you negotiate between the the new city manager and the old city manager and work out a deal that works for everybody involved that you're willing to go to the polls with in April and tell the taxpayers, you did
the best job for everybody involved. It's all mass. >> I tell you what, I I stand behind every decision I make and I I am a countless taxpayer first and foremost. That's why they put me here. And I can tell you I have their best interest in mind. The absolute best. Always has.
>> Always have. Always will. So, was that was that a motion? >> Yeah, I'll make the motion Eric handle that. Okay. Have a motion in a second. Any further discussion? And >> and I don't want you to feel bad about Bob. Bob is a person with a thought and a heartbeat.
>> Oh, I don't feel bad about Bob >> when he made that. If you took it personally, and you shouldn't take it personally because as a council person, we're supposed to go to the best resources we have here. There's things Christine's good at. There's things that you're good at. That's all he was doing. >> Oh, I understand. and and I honor your position as our mayor and say, "Hey, no,
I want you to do it." >> Understand? And I, like I said, I I don't have anything against Bob. I just I just want to know where Bob was coming from on that because if it was something else, I just want to be aware of it because I can't talk to him about it in in public. And then >> I didn't hear Lisa come up and say, "Why didn't you choose me or Christine saying
that?" That's that's the point Chris was making. It's not personal. I just look at all of us. I think Chris is most best suited myself personally to do that. That's all. >> Yeah. I appreciate that. And I and and and I don't have necessarily a problem with Chris doing it other than the fact
that obviously I've been around for a while and I've I know a bit more about city stuff than than Chris does. >> I was not even annoyed that you did not pick me. Thank you. >> I'm glad. >> And be and like I said, >> I apologize anyway. >> And and to be honest with you, I would
much rather us all be up here in a collaborative decision-making thing, but I think in this thing, we need to we need to do a little different. And that's and but but by all means when it comes back I'm going to want your all's input and we can tweak it right there on site if nobody likes it and we'll vote
on that. But I I think I can get us to a place we can at least have a conversation and I appreciate the the confidence. >> Yes sir. >> Public where you live and who are you address >> they're all in the city. Use anyone you
want. Yeah, that's true. Um, I think that was a mistake. Chris should totally negotiate that because he has the most experience. John's a nice gentleman, but he doesn't have any experience hiring and firing people in it and stuff like that. Love you. Love you, John. But, but
you you've hired and fired. You've operated companies. It's not everybody has the time as a business owner and things like that with with the scope of breath of experience and things like that to actually sit up here and donate your time to the city for the measly nine grand a year, whatever it is that
you guys are getting paid. Um, that's not compensating Chris at all for what he's doing. And uh, for us to have a gentleman of this caliber up here, uh, we need to let him do that. So, I know you guys obviously just voted on that, but I I >> motion second.
>> Oh. Oh. Well, yeah, we need to let Chris do this. Um, because he's the most, you know, knowledgeable person who's going to be able to make that decision. Um, you know, and as far as negotiating and things like that, business understanding of business, that's Chris's, you know,
you want to know about the water, that's that's uh Bob's stuff. You know, if you want to know about legal stuff, Christine's got that, you know, handled. Um, you know, John, you're really good at running the meetings and things like that and you become really good at doing this ceremonial role for sure. Um, but
there's things that you know that that Chris has that you don't and you know, even Bob. So, um, we let Chris run this and, uh, it'd be a mistake to to not do that. And, um, and Andy, I love you. No disrespect to you, sir. You've been
really great to us and I appreciate you. Um, but I have opinions and we got to run this place and we got to make sure it's moving in the right direction. That's all. So, thank you so much. Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Still same place. Runworthy 5800 Queen Avenue. I love you. I love you. I love
you. I love I love all John. John's been here. He He does know the intricacies of the city. He's been here. I mean, he doesn't have regular job. This is his regular job. Am I right? >> That's correct.
>> This is all that he does for no money. Basically, he's dedicated, as far as I see, unless I'm got my eyes have closed, but he's dedicated more time to this than I know and than anyone sitting here has ever done. Now, Christian's going to be right behind him because she does the same
thing. She's dedicated so much time to the job. He knows what he's doing and he's you got the right people. So just and and as far as negotiating, he I think he's right, man. He's 38 years in the military. He's he can't be without
anything any real purpose. It's true. When you're in the military, you come out of the military, you're good for a little while, but then then you lost. You really need purpose. So, thank you for that. But I think that's that's the right circle to go. I don't I don't know too much about your background, but I
know I know the mayor will will be able to handle it. >> Thanks. Anyone else? >> And before we vote, I'm going to be clear with everyone. I'm not making any decisions here. We're just having conversations to come up with something to present to the body. And really, any
of us could do that, right? And um so no disrespect for anybody. Like I said, I any one of you can do it. Um I just, you know, it's going to come back to you. You're going to you're going to be able to tweak it. So if you don't like what we've all come together and
decided, Chris could take over from that point and and do it, Lee could do it, anybody do it. So, I I just I feel like there's for some reason it's that uh people are saying I'm not capable of having discussions with a
city manager that I've been working with for last couple months, somebody I've been with. Um, you know, interviewed before and I've been in this job coming up on three years now. Um, it's I have knowledge of the city that I' I'd like to take consideration again. I am
accounted taxpayers like everybody else. Um and my as I negotiate it will be in the best interest of the city residents because at the end of the day that's that's who we account you're accountable to. >> I'm confident you can I have no idea and I'd be count. >> So without put that to a vote. All in
favor signify by saying actually let's do a roll call vote on that as well because there may be some >> say it again. Uh so the motion on table is that I um negotiate the uh the contract with um Don and Andy's extension and how all
that's going to work out and that that would come back to council then uh with with results of that for your uh potential approval. >> It was so long ago I forgot what the whole thing was. >> Okay. So roll call vote, please. >> Councilwoman Sullivan, what is your vote? >> Yay.
>> Councilwoman Burke, what is your vote? >> Yay. Councilman Huard, what is your vote? >> Exactly. Is the motion again? I didn't hear >> So, we're voting on me Ashley. Let >> Ashley I can't hear Ashley. >> Okay, go ahead.
>> Sorry. Uh, vice mayor, mayor made a motion to have the mayor in negotiations for Mr. King and Mr. Butterfield, but he also did specify to have the taxpayers in mind. So, that's kind of what I put in there.
just with that. >> Absolutely. >> Um and bring it back to council. >> Y. >> Oh, okay. >> Vice Mayor, mayor, your vote. >> Yay. >> Mayor Hoover, your vote. >> Yeah. That motion carries. Um that's all council business for
tonight. Um we don't have any old business on here, but if anybody want to talk about something since we're in public, I'd be happy to open up anything. >> Can I? >> You can absolutely. I just want to thank the staff for putting this together. It it it doesn't it's not easy doing something so last minute and uh so I'd like to thank S and Ashley and the
directors for all the work they did to put into this. >> Yeah, absolutely. I appreciate guys. I know it was short notice and you guys do work hard for us. So definitely want to reiterate that. Thank you very much. But the good news is is it looks like we have uh a lot of time saving later that we would have had to go through. So we get it all done now. We can um move
forward and and be successful. So let I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Second.