Flagler commissioners confirm deputy to carry administrator authority, launch interim search

The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners unanimously confirmed Deputy County Administrator Sally Sherman on Jan. 14 to exercise the county administrator's authority until an interim is appointed.

The county's special meeting opened with Sherman saying one of the outgoing administrator's last acts was to delegate authority. "He assigned that authority to me in the interim," Sherman said. The board then voted 5-0 after Commissioner Hansen moved to confirm Sherman and a colleague seconded the motion. Chairman (name not specified) announced, "Motion carries unanimously 5 to 0."

Why it matters: The appointment gives the county a designated official to sign contracts and manage daily operations while the board begins a separate process to find an interim and later a permanent county administrator. Commissioners said ensuring continuity, protecting staff morale and managing an extensive project list — including the upcoming budget cycle — were immediate priorities.

At the meeting Sherman described a path forward for recruiting an interim manager: drafting a request for qualifications/request for proposals and seeking quick responses from firms that provide executive recruitment for local government. "We can make a 30 day turnaround as far as response to the request for qualifications," Sherman said. The board asked staff to collaborate with human resources and purchasing to prepare the RFQ/RFP.

Commissioners directed outreach to several professional organizations and resources to identify potential interim candidates, including the Florida Association of Counties (FAC), the Florida City and County Management Association (FCCMA), the League of Cities and Palm Coast's recruitment consultant Marilyn Crotty. Sherman and other commissioners also noted FAC's "Range Riders" program, which lists retired administrators available for short-term transitional assignments. Several commissioners volunteered to work with Sherman on candidate outreach and review.

Board members discussed the likely length of an interim appointment and the trade-offs of internal versus external placements. The chair said an interim could serve "five to six months" while the permanent recruitment proceeds. Commissioners cautioned about drawing senior staff into temporary roles because of current workloads and the risk of overburdening remaining staff. Joe Mayer, identified in the meeting as the HR staff member, was noted as a potential resource to assist the process.

The board agreed to a public-facing step: issuing a press release with a single contact for applicants; the chair offered to be the initial contact and gather résumés. Commissioners set a follow-up meeting to review progress; a motion was made to meet again on Jan. 23 at 3:00 p.m. (the schedule was described as subject to final confirmation).

Discussion versus decision: The explicit formal action was the confirmation of Sherman to exercise administrator authority, recorded as a 5-0 vote. The recruitment plan and outreach were captured as board directions by consensus to staff, with several commissioners volunteering to assist. Several substantive items remained discussion or direction only (candidate criteria, duration of an interim placement, internal temporary coverage and staff retention measures).

The board also acknowledged the outgoing county administrator, Craig Coffey, and indicated his resignation is effective Jan. 31. Commissioners repeatedly emphasized communication with staff to reduce turnover and maintain operations during the transition.

Looking ahead: Staff was directed to draft recruitment materials, contact FAC and other organizations, assemble candidate materials for commissioners, and return with an update at the next scheduled meeting. The board indicated it would be deliberate in hiring a permanent administrator and not rush that long-term selection.