Searches for City Managers in Sarasota and Palm Coast

The Palm Coast City Council holds interviews with prospective city managers on April 24, at least the last two still standing at last check. The city’s process, facilitated by Strategic Government Resources, a recruiting company, drew just 38 applicants, had to be reopened in an attempt to draw more, ended up with five short-listed candidates, three of whom swiftly bailed in the face of an unsettled council and a mercurial mayor seemingly at war with the city. Palm Coast appears not to be an exception.

A standard search for a new city manager in Sarasota quickly spiraled into a chaotic debacle. On April 11, during a morning workshop and an afternoon special session, commissioners expressed confusion and mistrust, revealing no clear path forward. The process, marred by contradictory statements and a lack of basic information from the search firm, left the public in the dark about future steps.

With 47 applicants yet no defined strategy to narrow the list, Mayor Liz Alpert expressed her discontent: “I feel like we’re floundering here.”

The situation took root when Marlon Brown retired, prompting the hiring of Colin Baenziger & Associates to facilitate the recruitment. However, by the last meeting, it became apparent that there was confusion about the control of the process.

Commissioners voiced their thoughts in private meetings with staff and the search firm, but this approach backfired, exposing the fractures in an unstructured process. Lacking defined evaluation criteria, discussions on priorities, and public participation, their indecision led to an unsettling vacuum. Alarmingly, commissioners submitted their preferred candidates outside public view, contravening the Sunshine Law.

Christine Robinson, representing the Argus Foundation, stated, “The public doesn’t have access to the materials you’re talking about today,” to which Commissioner Kyle Battie added, “We almost seem as though we don’t have a clue as to what we’re doing.”

Attempts to introduce a more transparent hybrid approach were rejected, signaling deeper issues. As the disarray peaked in the afternoon meeting, a motion to start the search anew was introduced but ultimately failed 4–1, further revealing divisions among the commissioners.

Commissioner Ahearn-Koch bluntly remarked, “We did not direct any of this. This is coming at us.” Even Vice Mayor Trice voiced concerns, noting that a potential candidate might reconsider applying due to the disarray exhibited, questioning why anyone would want to “move to this crazy city.”

The city attorney recommended a search “reboot”, but without a timeline or clear leadership direction agreed upon, the next steps were uncertain. While another meeting was planned, skepticism lingered regarding its effectiveness in resolving the chaos.

As the fallout continued, it seemed likely that the number of applicants would dwindle. One candidate had already pulled out after witnessing the proceedings, expressing disbelief that anyone would want to work in that environment.

What Comes Next?

As of April 17, inconsistencies in communication regarding candidate withdrawals added to the confusion. City officials contradicted one another on the number of candidates that had dropped out, further complicating the shaky process.

–Michael Barfield, Florida Trident

Key Information

• City of Sarasota’s city manager search spiraled into chaos during a public meeting on April 11.
• Former city manager Marlon Brown’s retirement triggered the search.
• 47 applicants initially considered; poor communication led to confusion among commissioners.
• Concerns raised over Sunshine Law violations regarding candidate evaluations.
• City Attorney advises a “reboot” of the search process without a clear plan in place.
• Reported concerns that the commission’s dysfunction could deter candidates from applying.