Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the City Manager Search topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Palm Coast council narrows city manager search to five semifinalists, plans public finalist interviews
Summary
After a presentation by executive-search firm Strategic Government Resources, the Palm Coast City Council agreed by consensus to invite five semifinalists for on-site interviews and to proceed with background checks and written plans; staff will schedule public meet-and-greets and a two-day interview window in late April.
The Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday narrowed the pool of semifinalists for the city manager recruitment to five candidates and directed the search firm and staff to prepare those finalists for on-site interviews.
The move followed a virtual presentation by Strategic Government Resources (SGR), which laid out the semifinalist review process and the next steps for finalist vetting. “Our goal tonight would be to talk through that with you, to see if there is consensus to move forward with regards to typically, most of our clients select somewhere between 3 to 5 finalists that they would invite for an on-site interview process,” SGR representative Doug said.
Council members discussed the candidates’ experience and whether they had the executive-level background the city needs. Several council members said they wanted time to digest candidate materials; others pushed to keep the process moving because finalists are often in other searches. After discussion, the council reached consensus to invite five candidates for the next stage: Lee Smith, Paul Trombino, Richard Ho, Sonia Alves (sometimes listed as Sonia Viveiros/Alves in the packet), and Michael Reese.
Why it matters: The city manager leads an organization responsible for utilities, public safety, capital projects and the city budget. Council members said they want finalists who can handle large budgets, complex development and the city’s utility and growth-management challenges.
What happens next: The council asked SGR and staff to perform formal background checks, criminal and credit searches, and stage-2 media reviews; request references; and require each finalist to prepare a short written first-year plan. Council members also asked for a short public presentation (a 10-minute PowerPoint) from each finalist and a public meet-and-greet so residents and stakeholders can meet the finalists. SGR said it typically also provides a brief personality assessment and a candidate briefing book prior to on-site interviews.
SGR told the council it prefers to hold the on-site interview events as a two-day window so finalists can be evaluated in person; council members discussed late-April dates for interviews and a subsequent deliberation session. Council agreed staff should notify chosen semifinalists, confirm their willingness to attend in person (including whether they would bring spouses/partners), and proceed with the vetting work SGR outlined.
Quotes and context: “We typically ask [finalists] to complete a written assessment … outlining how they will approach the position if selected as your manager in the first 30, 60, 90, 180 days,” Doug said while outlining the finalist-stage requirements. Vice Mayor Panieri and other members emphasized the importance of finalists having experience running large budgets and multiple departments.
Next steps and timeline: Staff said they will notify finalists, coordinate travel and community tours, and return to council with scheduling details and briefing materials. The council will take a formal employment decision after on-site interviews and any follow-up checks.
Ending: The council’s decision keeps the recruitment process moving toward in-person finalist interviews and public sessions intended to give council and the community a closer look before a final hiring decision.
