Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Mtpo Hiring topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
MTPO board votes to offer executive director job to Whitfield after two-candidate interview
Summary
After interviewing two finalists, the Alachua County Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization voted unanimously to negotiate an employment offer with candidate Whitfield to serve as the agency's executive director, citing Whitfield's Florida local-government experience and ability to stand up the new organization.
The Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization voted Dec. 16 to authorize staff to negotiate an employment offer with candidate Whitfield for the position of executive director. The motion passed after a lengthy discussion that weighed Whitfield's local government and planning-management experience against the second finalist's technical transportation and grant-management background.
Jim Denene, the MGT consultant who led the recruitment, told the board the search produced nine resumes and a short list developed by a screening committee. "We received, 9 resumes," Denene said, summarizing the recruitment process that produced two finalists after several candidates withdrew. The board then interviewed both finalists in public.
Board members who supported Whitfield emphasized her record of standing up planning programs, managing staff and leading public involvement. Several commissioners said those skills mattered because the MTPO is transitioning from an urban-centered advisory role to an independent, countywide organization that needs administrative systems and local relationships in place quickly.
Opponents of selecting Whitfield as the top choice noted the other finalist's deep transportation-technical background, including experience securing federal grants and managing large capital portfolios. "We're hiring a transportation planner," a board member said during the deliberations, noting the importance of technical proficiency given the number of state-owned corridors the MTPO will oversee.
The board resolved the tension by approving a motion to negotiate first with Whitfield and to move to the other finalist only if negotiations fail. The motion also directed staff to return to the board with finalized terms and any necessary approvals. The vote to authorize negotiations and offer the position to Whitfield was recorded as unanimous.
Interim Director Allison Moss (staff lead for the MTPO transition) and county HR clarified next steps: the selected candidate can accept a county-provided salary offer within the board's advertised range, and the board asked to be briefed on the final terms when negotiations conclude. If talks break down, the board instructed staff to reopen talks with the other finalist.
The MTPO said the new executive director will take on establishing the MTPO's independent administration, hiring support staff under a county staffing agreement, and building relationships with municipal partners and the Florida Department of Transportation.
