Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Administrator Search topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Flagler County sets qualifications, posts $195,000–$235,000 range for county administrator search
Summary
The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners agreed on minimum education and experience standards and a posting salary range for a new county administrator, asking HR and the Florida Association of County Managers to vet applicants and return with a shortlist.
The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners on April 6 directed human resources to prepare a job posting for a new county administrator that will require a bachelor’s degree, prefer a master’s, and set minimum experience thresholds intended to attract seasoned public‑sector managers.
Charlie Picano, the county’s human resources director, told commissioners the county will rely on the Florida Association of County Managers (FACM) to review applications and provide a shortlist but that most of the search work will be conducted in‑house. "FACM is not a recruiting agency or search agency," Picano said. "They’re more so a professional service that’s going to offer expertise to us during the process." He said FACM will help rank and vet candidates and that HR will use the board’s questionnaire answers to shape the job description.
Why it matters: The board is replacing an outgoing county administrator and commissioners said they want a candidate who can manage a growing, fiscally constrained county, secure outside funding and take on capital projects. Commissioners prioritized budgeting, economic development and intergovernmental relations as top skills.
On minimums, HR recommended an overall leadership experience benchmark of about 10 years, with at least five years at an executive level and five years in government or public‑sector roles. Commissioners agreed to screen for at least five years of local government management experience while remaining open to exceptional private‑sector candidates.
Education and credentials: Commissioners voted to require a bachelor’s degree and to list a master’s degree in public administration or business administration as preferred. Several members also favored listing ICMA credentialing as preferred or as a contract condition (allowing a newly hired administrator time to obtain the credential).
Compensation: The board debated market realities and settled on a posting range of roughly $195,000 to $235,000, with the option to negotiate beyond that for an "exceptional" candidate and to include performance incentives. "It is a $200,000 a year plus job," the chair said during the salary discussion, arguing the county needs to offer competitive pay for a demanding role.
Process and timeline: Picano said HR will draft the posting, share it with FACM and return the association’s feedback to the board before the position goes live. FACM will screen to the board’s minimums and can deliver a ranked or narrowed shortlist as the board prefers. Commissioners also asked to receive the full applicant list and to have an interactive process with FACM on shortlisting.
Next steps: HR will finalize the job description based on today’s guidance, seek FACM feedback, and post the opening. Commissioners signaled interest in adding measurable performance incentives to the contract and in adjusting the posting if outreach indicates the range needs to be widened.
