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Okeechobee council selects Denise Whitehead as top choice for city administrator
Summary
The Okeechobee City Council on May 11, 2026 selected applicant Denise Whitehead as its top choice to be offered the City Administrator position and instructed the city attorney to begin contract negotiations; Douglas Baber was named as the alternate if negotiations fail.
Mayor R. Watford Jr. announced on May 11, 2026 that the City Council selected applicant Denise Whitehead to be offered the City Administrator position, based on Candidate Appraisal Forms completed by council members. City Clerk Lane Gamiotea reported that Whitehead was ranked No. 1 on all five appraisal forms; the council designated Mr. Douglas Baber as the fallback candidate if a contract cannot be negotiated with Whitehead. City Attorney Fumero was directed to begin negotiations and prepare a proposed employment agreement for council consideration as soon as possible.
The action follows interviews of four applicants during a special meeting held in the City Council Chambers. The council recessed from 10:12 A.M. to 10:23 A.M. while the interview schedule proceeded. The meeting adjourned at 11:32 A.M. The city will return the proposed employment agreement to the council for further action once negotiations are complete.
