HIGH SPRINGS – Commissioners conducted 30-minute interviews on Monday, Oct. 22, with the five candidates under consideration for the city manager position. Although no candidate was chosen at that meeting, commissioners were asked to rank their top 2-3 candidates and list them at the Thursday, Oct. 25, regular commission meeting. The next step in the hiring process will be determined after short listing.Scott Lippman, Andrew DeCandis, Kathleen Margoles, Edwin Booth and Isabel Smith attended and were interviewed individually with a small group of residents in the audience.
Lippman has a BA in Psychology from Wake Forest and a Master’s in Management. He received the 2003 City Manager’s Administrative Service Award, City of Dunnellon. Lippman’s strong suit is finance and accounting with expertise in grant management.
Most recently he was Administrative Support Manager for Alachua County where he directed water utility operations, finance and accounting, human resources, supply logistics and provided technology support for a 200-employee, seven division department.
Lippman also has served as city manager for the City of Archer and finance director for the City of Dunnellon as well as Director, Financial Services and Materials Management for Hospice of Marion County and Director of Finance and Administration for The Hitachi Foundation in Washington, DC. Presently, he resides in Williston.
DeCandis received his BA in Political Science at Pennsylvania State University and his Master of Public Administration from Marywood University. He is a certified planner.
Currently he is Senior Director of Planning and Governmental Affairs for Orange County Public Schools in Orlando. Previously, he was managing partner for DeCandis Group, LLC in Jacksonville, a consulting firm providing planning and development services. He also served as Director, Planning and Development in Palm Coast and Transportation Planning Manager for St. Johns County in St. Augustine.
DeCandis’ awards and recognition center on development and transportation planning, as well as providing job opportunities for the disabled. He currently resides in the Orlando area.
Margoles has a BA in Sociology from S.U.N.Y. College at Cortland and a MS in Human Services Administration from Nova Southeastern University. She is a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional.
Most recently, Margoles served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Lake Worth where she managed rehabilitation and redevelopment projects budgeted at over $11 million, prepared the city budget, served as Public Information Officer and co-led negotiations with labor unions.
She also served as a consultant to the Town of Lauderdale-By-the-Sea where one of her projects included a sewer rate analysis and also a program grant audit. Margoles was project manager managing public art projects for library and park bond programs for Broward County, Cultural Division and also served as Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Lauderdale Lakes.
Margoles’ received 2004 National Recreation and Parks Association Recognition of Significant Efforts award for her efforts to educate the public and elected officials on the benefits of parks and recreation. Margoles currently resides in Coral Springs.
Booth holds a BS in Management from Columbia College, a MA in Public Administration from Webster University, a MS in Military Science from Command and General Staff College. He is a retired U.S. Army Colonel with more than 20 years experience in all phases of utility management, police, fire and rescue experience, budget planning and preparation, master planning, economic development and staff management. He also has had extensive experience in zoning and planning issues and served on the Board of the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council for three years.
Recently, Booth has been the Town Administrator for Surfside Beach, SC. Previously he served as the Town Administrator for Malabar, Fla.; the City Manager in Ayden, NC; Commander, Dugway Proving Ground, UT, with 1200 housing units under military control; City Manager, West Point, NE; and Community Manager Fulda Military Community, with 1,800 housing units under military control. He currently resides in Surfside Beach, SC.
Smith has an AS Degree in Interior Design and an AA in Journalism from Miami Dade Community College as well as a BA in Political Science from Florida International University.
Currently Smith is a Utility Billing Clerk with the City of Newberry. Previous employment includes real estate sales for Coldwell Banker, Administrative Assistant and Financial Secretary for Bethel Baptist Church in Trenton, Administrative Assistant for the White Foundation in Bronson, Deputy Clerk and Administrative Assistant to mayor, City of Fanning Springs, and Administrative Specialist for Florida Power & Light, Miami. Smith resides in High Springs.
Two other candidates chosen to interview were Marty Simone and Douglas Hewett, both of whom removed their names from consideration as they were unable to attend the interviews.
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Email Cwalker@alachuatoday.com
Scott Lippman, Andrew DeCandis, Kathleen Margoles, Edwin Booth and Isabel Smith attended and were interviewed individually with a small group of residents in the audience.
Lippman has a BA in Psychology from Wake Forest and a Master’s in Management. He received the 2003 City Manager’s Administrative Service Award, City of Dunnellon. Lippman’s strong suit is finance and accounting with expertise in grant management.
Most recently he was Administrative Support Manager for Alachua County where he directed water utility operations, finance and accounting, human resources, supply logistics and provided technology support for a 200-employee, seven division department.
Lippman also has served as city manager for the City of Archer and finance director for the City of Dunnellon as well as Director, Financial Services and Materials Management for Hospice of Marion County and Director of Finance and Administration for The Hitachi Foundation in Washington, DC. Presently, he resides in Williston.
DeCandis received his BA in Political Science at Pennsylvania State University and his Master of Public Administration from Marywood University. He is a certified planner.
Currently he is Senior Director of Planning and Governmental Affairs for Orange County Public Schools in Orlando. Previously, he was managing partner for DeCandis Group, LLC in Jacksonville, a consulting firm providing planning and development services. He also served as Director, Planning and Development in Palm Coast and Transportation Planning Manager for St. Johns County in St. Augustine.
DeCandis’ awards and recognition center on development and transportation planning, as well as providing job opportunities for the disabled. He currently resides in the Orlando area.
Margoles has a BA in Sociology from S.U.N.Y. College at Cortland and a MS in Human Services Administration from Nova Southeastern University. She is a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional.
Most recently, Margoles served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Lake Worth where she managed rehabilitation and redevelopment projects budgeted at over $11 million, prepared the city budget, served as Public Information Officer and co-led negotiations with labor unions.
She also served as a consultant to the Town of Lauderdale-By-the-Sea where one of her projects included a sewer rate analysis and also a program grant audit. Margoles was project manager managing public art projects for library and park bond programs for Broward County, Cultural Division and also served as Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Lauderdale Lakes.
Margoles’ received 2004 National Recreation and Parks Association Recognition of Significant Efforts award for her efforts to educate the public and elected officials on the benefits of parks and recreation. Margoles currently resides in Coral Springs.
Booth holds a BS in Management from Columbia College, a MA in Public Administration from Webster University, a MS in Military Science from Command and General Staff College. He is a retired U.S. Army Colonel with more than 20 years experience in all phases of utility management, police, fire and rescue experience, budget planning and preparation, master planning, economic development and staff management. He also has had extensive experience in zoning and planning issues and served on the Board of the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council for three years.
Recently, Booth has been the Town Administrator for Surfside Beach, SC. Previously he served as the Town Administrator for Malabar, Fla.; the City Manager in Ayden, NC; Commander, Dugway Proving Ground, UT, with 1200 housing units under military control; City Manager, West Point, NE; and Community Manager Fulda Military Community, with 1,800 housing units under military control. He currently resides in Surfside Beach, SC.
Smith has an AS Degree in Interior Design and an AA in Journalism from Miami Dade Community College as well as a BA in Political Science from Florida International University.
Currently Smith is a Utility Billing Clerk with the City of Newberry. Previous employment includes real estate sales for Coldwell Banker, Administrative Assistant and Financial Secretary for Bethel Baptist Church in Trenton, Administrative Assistant for the White Foundation in Bronson, Deputy Clerk and Administrative Assistant to mayor, City of Fanning Springs, and Administrative Specialist for Florida Power & Light, Miami. Smith resides in High Springs.
Two other candidates chosen to interview were Marty Simone and Douglas Hewett, both of whom removed their names from consideration as they were unable to attend the interviews.
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