City Manager Search Group Launched -- With Surprise Advisors

By Mike Phillips

In a Fernandina Beach City Commission meeting made up primarily of routine 5-0 votes, there were three standouts in Tuesday evening’s meeting:

• Some impressive new landscaping around a spiffed-up but old-fashioned city entry sign.
• Heart-felt salutes to former Commissioner Ron Sapp, whose contributions were many, but whose hard work got a once-controversial and now much-loved trail created.
• And the formal launch of the citizen city manager search committee, along with a surprise addition of two advisors.

First, the city manager search committee: Five members, each nominated by one commissioner, were formally approved and charged with recommending candidates to the city commission, recommending search and hiring procedures to the oommission, and providing any other functions or advices the commission asks for.

They are Wayne Peterson, appointed by Commissioner Ayscue.

Tim Poynter, appointed by Commissioner Antun.

Margaret Davis, appointed by Commissioner Ross.

Steve Simmons, appointed by Vice Mayor Sturges.

Jackie Miller, appointed by Mayor Bean.

In discussion, the commission thought the committee’s first action after organizing would be to establish the criteria by which applicants should be judged.

They will have assistance from the city’s Human Resources staff, with HR Director Denise Matson serving as their staff liaison.

The surprise came when commissioner Sturges revealed that he had encountered two “experienced gentlemen,” Richard Sala and Jim Hanson, now retired, who had long experience in municipal management in various Florida cities and had offered to advise the committee on vetting applicants. That was wound into the original resolution as a friendly amendment.

Sturges also said he had met someone with extensive experience in background checks but couldn’t remember the man’s name. So that potential advisor was not part of the resolution, which passed 5-0.

All meetings of the committee will be at City Hall, open to the public and subject to the state's Sunshine Laws.

There was a brief conversation about whether the city should bring in a professional recruiting firm. Without a vote on the matter, opinions appeared to be leaning 3 yes and 2 no. But that was yesterday. Some commissioners have not yet formed firm opinions on the matter.

The praises of Ron Sapp were part of a resolution to name the Egans Creek Greenway “Ron Sapp Egans Creek Greenway.” This 5-0 vote was a necessary technicality. But plans are afoot, it was announced, for a major naming ceremony and an all citizens-invited event thanking former Commissioner Sapp for his many contributions to the community.

And, after a good bit of back and forth over recent weeks, Main Street Executive Director Lisa Finkelstein -- and the city entry task force chair -- presented an impressive set of entry ideas, including flagpoles and landscaping that includes adding several mature live-oak canopy trees. And she offered two choices for the entry sign: a sophisticated, completely new design, and a complete spiff-up of the old sign that Fernandinans have known for many years. The commissioners approved the landscaping and voted for the old sign: cleaned up, repainted, repaired, and the old style lettering rendered in a vinyl material that stands out.