Eustis staff outline executive search approach and Police Athletic League launch; firm cost estimated at about $31,000

City manager Tom told the City Commission on Jan. 8 that staff is preparing to recruit a new city manager and intends to use a piggyback procurement — using an existing contract awarded by another municipality — to speed the process rather than issuing a new RFP.

Tom said staff has identified a firm with previous municipal work and is conducting reference checks. He told commissioners the likely cost to complete the search would be about $31,000, with potential add-ons, and that the firm’s timeline for marketing and stakeholder engagement would make the total process roughly 14 to 16 weeks. Tom said using a piggyback contract avoids staff time and advertising costs that would accompany issuing a new RFP.

Separately, Police Chief Craig Capri announced the department has completed registration paperwork to establish a Police Athletic League (PAL) for Eustis. Capri said private-sector donors are prepared to make a substantial contribution to start the program, which will fund youth programs including a boxing program; he also said he intends to bid to host the State PAL Tournament, an event he said can bring roughly 300 people to town and provide an economic boost.

The commission heard questions about timeline and cost; staff said they expect to be able to move into contract within one to two weeks and begin the marketing phase soon after the firm is on board.

Next steps: staff will return with firm information and a proposed process for commissioner review; PAL organizers will pursue tournament bid and program setup.