SEBASTIAN — Although the Sebastian City Council previously had voted to get more information for the best way to seek a permanent city manager and the item was not on the Jan. 22 agenda, the Council again floated the idea of naming Interim City Manager Joe Griffin to the post.
At the last meeting, the Council had narrowed down the search procedures to two:
Conducting the search in-house, through the City’s Administrative Services Department or enlisting the services of the Florida City and County Management Association Range Rider program, which provides a “well-respected, retired former City Manager to work with Staff and City Council to offer professional guidance and assistance.”
Councilwoman Andrea Coy had suggested postponing the decision until the following meeting, and, in the meantime, have staff obtain details on the Range Rider cost and on the individual who would be assigned to Sebastian. They could then make an informed choice. Agreeing to the postponement, Mayor Bob McPartlan moved to go with the Range Rider program if the cost was not over $5,000.
At the Jan. 22 meeting, however, the two options were not discussed.
Instead, Vice Mayor Jim Hill, who had not been present for the previous meeting, maintained the position he had taken from the start – that Interim City Manager Joe Griffin should be appointed to the permanent spot without conducting an outside search.
He reiterated that Griffin was extremely well-qualified, well-liked and respected and very familiar with the city projects.
Griffin continues to fill his previous city positions of Community Development Director and Airport Director.
Hill expressed his belief that no one else with such a combination of qualities was likely to be found.
”If you have someone in-house, why spend the money,” he asked, noting that information from the Range Rider program indicated the cost would be at least $10,000, double the amount the Council had felt would be appropriate at their last meeting. “I’ve done my due diligence and feel I have the transparency.”
Then, Hill moved to appoint Griffin City Manager. Councilman Richard Gillmor seconded the motion. It was the third time since the search began last December that such a motion had been made. The motions never came to a vote.
Councilwoman Andrea Coy said, as she had said in the previous meeting, that she agreed with everything that had been said about Griffin but “far more than that is my belief in the process.”
Going through the process, she maintained, would take away any possible “Good Old Boy” suspicions, and “give everyone a fair opportunity. It’s nothing personal,” she assured Griffin. “I can’t support this because I believe even more strongly in the process. I think it’s our job. It’s what we get paid for. AND, I think it’s unfair to do this as an agenda add-on. It’s unfair to the public.”
Council member Jerome Adams said he, too, wants to be “completely transparent.”
Gillmor made a final attempt to get a decision. He mentioned all the projects under way in the city, saying the learning curve for someone new and unfamiliar with Sebastian would be extremely steep.
He concluded, “I have no doubt that when we go through this process we’ll be right back here nominating Joe Griffin.”
Mayor Bob McPartlan held to his previous position, opting for going through a selection process.
“I had already read (Griffin’s) bio, and I don’t think he takes this personally,” he said.
Hill withdrew his motion, ending the discussion. When the meeting was adjourned, no decision on whether to go ahead with the costlier-than-expected Range Rider program or to conduct the process in-house had been decided.
