SEBASTIAN — When all was said and done, it only took Leesburg City Commissioners seconds to decide – unanimously – to offer their city manager position to Sebastian City Manager Al Minner.
Minner was one of the last two candidates standing, having made it to the top of the several-hundred applicant heap, as the 21,000-population central Florida city reached the end of a very long search to replace City Manager Jay Evans, who left the job in January for another position.
Minner and his wife, Chris, and children Madelyn, 12, Cecilia, 9, and Fred, 3 have lived in Sebastian since Minner came on board with the City of Sebastian eight years ago.
Although excited at the new challenges ahead, still he says, “It’s bittersweet, obviously. I have really enjoyed my time in Sebastian, it is a great place for family. I feel good about the things we have accomplished here.”
Minner looks forward to the opportunities the City of Leesburg offers, and was already familiar with the area, having applied for the position of deputy city manager in 2004.
“Leesburg has a number of neat things occurring now. It’s a great community in Central Florida and I look forward to returning there and managing their electric and utilities systems. They have a strong statewide reputation, the airport and the economic development concepts, in and around the lakefront, offer a great opportunity.”
Minner says, “If the employment agreement can be worked out in the next week or so, (the Leesburg Council meets next on Nov. 12) assuming it will be approved and signed off on, then I’ll officially offer my resignation.”
“Chris and the kids are excited, but Chris really loves it here. So it is bittersweet.”
The news comes at a rather awkward time for the Sebastian City Council, with the election only days away and the task of finding a replacement for Minner – one that the new council will need to deal with right out of the gate.
And what might the composition of the new Council be? There are several possibilities: All three incumbent candidates could be re-elected and the council would remain the same. Or the Council could have two new faces, or one new face, and any combination could change the process of seeking a replacement to some degree.
Minner agrees that the timing “is a coincidence, with the election. But,” he concludes, “there is never a ‘good time’ to leave.”
Vice-Mayor and current candidate for re-election Don Wright , commented: “I congratulate Al on his successful recruitment. He has been an excellent City Manager for the City of Sebastian. I think that next move would be to decide who to interview, to seek a company that specializes in municipal city managers – Municipal Solutions, Ed Singer and Associates. We need to talk about that. That is why it needs to be discussed in Council. Probably, with the election coming up, the new elected City Council will deal with it. We have to decide on the process, that’s the first order of business. We have the Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum coming up, I expect the issue will be brought up during that.”
Another incumbent seeking re-election, is Andrea Coy.
“The City of Sebastian has been very fortunate to have had Al Minner at the helm for more than eight years. I am proud to say that I was on City Council when he was hired, and he has been a great asset to the City. City Council, staff, and residents will miss him, but also wish him well as he moves on with his career. Thanks for everything Al, you’ve done a great job in Sebastian. Good luck in Leesburg.”
Asked whether a special council meeting would be called to discuss the change of command, she said, “City council will decide how to proceed at the next meeting. With the election only one week away, it would not be prudent for us to call a special meeting at this time.”
Council Member Jerome Adams said of Minner, “In the time that I have known Mr. Minner, he has proven himself to be a knowledgeable and competent City Manager. I have always been able to talk frankly with him on city matters. I will be sorry to see him go, but I understand why. Everyone has aspirations and should always strive to better themselves. I wish him all the best in his new endeavor. Being the newest member of the Council, I am not sure how the process of finding a City Manager works. I would think that we will appoint an Interim City Manager while we go through the search for a replacement.”
At last week’s Council meeting, before Minner had been chosen by Leesburg, Mayor Bob McPartlan had commented, “Al is a talented guy and he has done a great job for us, and I wish him well.”
He noted that there is a “sort of evolution” in these kinds of jobs, as individuals grow in their career paths and want to move on.
As to the task ahead for Council, McPartlan said, “I would like to see us look within our own ranks for a replacement first” and not necessarily go immediately out to a head hunter.
