Fort Pierce commissioners set interviews for seven city manager finalists, schedule Feb. 18-19 special meeting

The City of Fort Pierce Commission voted Feb. 5 to interview seven finalists for the city manager position and scheduled interviews for Feb. 18-19, with a special meeting at 5:05 p.m. Feb. 19 to consider next steps.

Commissioners reached the decision after using a ballot procedure to compile the names they wished to interview. Sarah Hedges, the city’s human resources director, described the proposed process and ballots that listed all applicants categorized as qualified, qualified but without questionnaires, and not qualified. Mr. Sorensen, who reviewed recruitment metrics for the commission, told commissioners the city received 77 applicants and that two withdrew, leaving 75 applicants; of those, 66 listed in-state addresses and nine listed out-of-state addresses, and one was an internal applicant. Hedges told the commission the ballots required each commissioner to write their name at the top and list up to eight candidates they wanted interviewed.

Why it matters: The commission’s interviews will narrow the applicant pool to a finalist for the city manager role, a key executive…