HIGH SPRINGS – The future of City Manager Jeri Langman remained in limbo after commissioners met during an hour-long workshop Tuesday night, July 10.Although they were unable to take any official action in the workshop, at least some of the commissioners seemed to lay the groundwork to find a replacement for Langman. Vice-Mayor Bob Barnas and Commissioner Linda Gestrin made it clear that they wanted to move ahead with the search for a new city manager.
It was Barnas, Gestrin and Mayor Dean Davis who hired Langman as the interim city manager last November, making her permanent on Feb. 9.
Much of the discussion seemed to focus on the potential termination of Langman as the city manager, rather than a potential hiring process.
Commissioner Scott Jamison said he disagreed with how some commissioners view their own roles. “Several of my colleagues up here believe that it is the responsibility of the commissioners to have a hands-on or quasi-micromanagement relationship with the city manager,” he said.
Moreover, Jamison said he was worried that hiring another city manager could prove fruitless. “I don’t believe that with the current state that we’re in right now, that we’ll be able to hire a long-term person as a city manager if we don’t allow them to manage.”
Gestrin said she was interested in finding a city manager who could best help High Springs with its current needs.
“Right now, because of the condition of our City, I would like to see someone with a professional background in business and financial, someone that can handle contracts, someone that knows how to negotiate contracts,” Gestrin said.
Commissioner Sue Weller noted ongoing discussions of amending the city’s Charter and the potential impacts doing so could have on the city manager candidates. “I’m not sure it’s fair to go forward with trying to hire a city manager at this point… knowing that there’s a possibility the Charter may change.”
“At this point, we may need to step back and see what’s going to happen on the Charter.”
Jamison and Weller also expressed concern over providing notice to Langman if the commission decides to find another city manager. Based on requirements of the City of High Springs Charter, terminating the employment of a permanent city manager triggers a series of notices and potential hearings that could take as long as 45 days. That, Jamison and Weller contend, could place the City in a bind if it conflicts with bringing on a new city manager.
Gestrin said that at the time Langman was appointed the permanent city manager, it was discussed that she would fulfill that role through November.
Firing back against that claim, however, was former High Springs City Attorney and current resident Thomas Depeter who said putting a time limit on the city manager position would be violation of the Charter.
“If any of you think you hired the city manager until November, you do not have a clue how your Charter works,” Depeter said. “You do not have the power to put a time period on that employment,” he added.
While no action was taken, commissioners did discuss potential salaries for a new city manager, which ranged from $48,000 to $75,000 annually. They also considered where advertisements would be placed.
Further details are slated to be hammered out during a 6:30 p.m. commission meeting on Thursday, July 12 at City Hall.
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Although they were unable to take any official action in the workshop, at least some of the commissioners seemed to lay the groundwork to find a replacement for Langman. Vice-Mayor Bob Barnas and Commissioner Linda Gestrin made it clear that they wanted to move ahead with the search for a new city manager.
It was Barnas, Gestrin and Mayor Dean Davis who hired Langman as the interim city manager last November, making her permanent on Feb. 9.
Much of the discussion seemed to focus on the potential termination of Langman as the city manager, rather than a potential hiring process.
Commissioner Scott Jamison said he disagreed with how some commissioners view their own roles. “Several of my colleagues up here believe that it is the responsibility of the commissioners to have a hands-on or quasi-micromanagement relationship with the city manager,” he said.
Moreover, Jamison said he was worried that hiring another city manager could prove fruitless. “I don’t believe that with the current state that we’re in right now, that we’ll be able to hire a long-term person as a city manager if we don’t allow them to manage.”
Gestrin said she was interested in finding a city manager who could best help High Springs with its current needs.
“Right now, because of the condition of our City, I would like to see someone with a professional background in business and financial, someone that can handle contracts, someone that knows how to negotiate contracts,” Gestrin said.
Commissioner Sue Weller noted ongoing discussions of amending the city’s Charter and the potential impacts doing so could have on the city manager candidates. “I’m not sure it’s fair to go forward with trying to hire a city manager at this point… knowing that there’s a possibility the Charter may change.”
“At this point, we may need to step back and see what’s going to happen on the Charter.”
Jamison and Weller also expressed concern over providing notice to Langman if the commission decides to find another city manager. Based on requirements of the City of High Springs Charter, terminating the employment of a permanent city manager triggers a series of notices and potential hearings that could take as long as 45 days. That, Jamison and Weller contend, could place the City in a bind if it conflicts with bringing on a new city manager.
Gestrin said that at the time Langman was appointed the permanent city manager, it was discussed that she would fulfill that role through November.
Firing back against that claim, however, was former High Springs City Attorney and current resident Thomas Depeter who said putting a time limit on the city manager position would be violation of the Charter.
“If any of you think you hired the city manager until November, you do not have a clue how your Charter works,” Depeter said. “You do not have the power to put a time period on that employment,” he added.
While no action was taken, commissioners did discuss potential salaries for a new city manager, which ranged from $48,000 to $75,000 annually. They also considered where advertisements would be placed.
Further details are slated to be hammered out during a 6:30 p.m. commission meeting on Thursday, July 12 at City Hall.
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