City manager finalist Paul Trumbino emphasizes infrastructure, growth planning and partnership in Palm Coast interview

Paul Trumbino, a finalist for Palm Coast city manager, told the City Council during a public interview that his top priorities would be transparent communication, coordinated capital planning and building partnerships to support the city’s westward growth and aging infrastructure.

Trumbino said he would “lead with transparency, collaboration, and a focus on sustainable growth” if appointed, and described a 60- to 180-day plan of listening, learning and establishing regular reporting to the council and community.

The candidate framed stormwater and utility systems as Palm Coast’s most pressing infrastructure challenges and described a programmatic approach he said he used elsewhere: “We are gonna hit the gas on this,” Trumbino said, referring to a large-scale, multi-year stormwater program. He called for a single, coordinated project management process, clearer project dashboards and an investment strategy that aligns maintenance and capital spending.

Trumbino recounted the experience of another city he worked in, saying that council there approved what he described as “a $520,000,000 investment” and assented to a one-time, large rate increase to fund improvements. He cited that example when discussing tradeoffs between near-term rates and long-term infrastructure resilience.

On economic development, Trumbino recommended forming an economic development authority, implementing a site-certification process to make shovel-ready sites more marketable, and pursuing federal and state grant programs to diversify the tax base and create jobs.

He also emphasized schools and childcare as key assets for recruiting employers: “Businesses coming to cities is… an educational system. They want to bring jobs in. They’re looking for… the school district,” Trumbino said.

The candidate described his experience managing large capital programs, citing award and financing strategies including federal USDOT grants and TIFIA (Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act) financing to close funding gaps on major transportation projects. He said those tools can be structured to reduce borrowing costs and bridge shortfalls.

Trumbino addressed emergency management and resiliency, telling council members that emergency plans must be exercised regularly and that resilient infrastructure reduces recovery time after storms: “If you don’t exercise it regularly… you’re not prepared,” he said.

Council members asked about management style and technical background. Trumbino acknowledged he is not primarily a long-tenured city manager but said his strengths are in process improvement, cross-jurisdictional partnerships and building teams. When asked about prior relationships with council members, he said, “I do not.”

No final action was taken during the interview; council members confirmed a follow-up meeting for deliberation at 6 p.m. on the date announced by the dais. The public portion of interviews concluded and a public meet-and-greet was scheduled later the same evening.

The interview included questions from multiple council members about fiscal strategy, capital planning, emergency preparedness and succession planning within departments. Trumbino repeatedly emphasized listening and a phased onboarding approach to learn Palm Coast’s specific operational details before proposing major structural changes.