Riviera Beach mayor names interim city manager; residents press for transparent, public hiring process

Mayor Douglas Lawson told a Riviera Beach town hall the council has chosen an interim city manager and will conduct a fast-moving search for a permanent manager.

"As of Wednesday, the city has made the decision to move forward with a new city manager. We have an interim city manager ... Mr. Bill Wilkins," Lawson said, announcing Wilkins will serve in the role while the council completes the selection process.

Lawson said the city charter requires a permanent manager within 120 days and indicated discussions and public engagement will occur over the next 60 to 90 days. Residents at the meeting urged open rules for the search: many called for a national search or headhunter-led recruitment, public meet-and-greets with finalists, live interviews at council meetings and a citizen advisory role in vetting candidates.

Speakers repeatedly asked the council to rewrite the city-manager job specification, prioritize integrity and management experience, and ensure appointments are not made behind closed doors. "Transparency is important. Honesty is important," one resident said. Several speakers also cited recent council conduct and personnel moves as reasons the process must be public and include opportunities for residents to meet finalists.

The mayor and staff committed to collecting resident feedback from the QR-code survey and presenting it to the council. Bill Wilkins, introduced by the mayor as the interim manager, was present to hear questions and take part in follow-up engagement.

Next steps: the city will compile survey responses and suggestions about process and candidate qualities to present to the council; the charter timeline requires a permanent appointment or replacement within 120 days of the interim appointment.

This article is based on the Riviera Beach town hall and public comments recorded at the event.