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Commissioners seek clearer notifications when senior directors are hired; avoid charter change for now
Summary
Commissioners asked the city manager to notify the commission with candidate background when senior departmental hires occur. They emphasized information sharing rather than reclaiming hiring authority, and suggested the item be handled administratively rather than by immediate charter amendment.
Sanford commissioners on March 28 voiced frustration with learning about senior department hires only after the fact and asked the city manager to provide timely background material on finalist candidates.
Commissioner Britain urged that when the city manager selects a director, the commission should be given the candidate’s resume and rationale so commissioners ‘‘are not blindsided’’ by subsequent announcements. Several members agreed on the need for a consistent, written notification procedure but stopped short of seeking a formal charter change that would transfer hiring authority to the commission.
City Manager Norton Bonapart and other commissioners cautioned that the city‑manager model exists to shield directors from political pressure during hiring; commissioners said they did not want to reintroduce politicized hiring decisions. The group agreed to ask the manager’s office to provide timely offer‑acceptance notices with candidate backgrounds and to discuss plausible administrative steps for consistent briefings.
The commission did not adopt a charter amendment; staff said they will draft an administrative notification protocol that provides commissioners with resume and process details when senior hires are finalized.
