Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 12-22-08 special agenda — reading text

Coast. In addition to the tourism industry, the area is also home to Eglin Air Force Base, the largest in the free world, and Hurlburt Field, home of Air Force Special Operation Command ( AFSOC). Fort Walton Beach is an innovative City and leader of munici- palities in the area. Strong neighborhood programs, water quality initiatives, internationally recognized recreation opportu- nities and superior services are just some of the outstanding programs the City has to offer. THE CITY GOVERNMENT The City ofFort Walton. Beach operates under a council- manager form of government. The City Council is formed of seven members elected at large, and a mayor. Elections are held every other spring to elect 4 positions. The next elections will be held in March 2009 to select a Mayor and 3 Council Members. Fort Walton Beach is a full service City offering Police, Fire, Recreation, Planning and Zoning, Code Enforcement, Engi- neering, Solid Waste, Water and Sewer, Streets and Right- of- Way Maintenance, and a Municipal Golf Club. The overall budget for Fiscal Year 2008- 2009 is $ 36.5 million, with a millage rate of 4. 1986 and 396 full and part time employ- ees. CURRENT ISSUES Budget The City of Fort Walton Beach is experiencing . many of the same budget issues as the rest of the State of Florida. The City continues to evaluate the services provided to residents without affecting their quality of life. Balancing revenues and expenditures while maintaining that quality of life will be a key 22- issue for the incoming City Manager. Economic Development Outstanding development and redevelopment opportunities are abound in the City. Fort Walton Beach is experiencing growth in mixed use developments City wide. A live-work- play atmos- phere exists in the City, placing residents in close proximity to shopping and dining. One major new development preparing to break ground in the coming months is Landmark. This development located in downtown Fort Walton Beach will be home to restaurants, shops, office space and residential units. The City and Land- mark have ventured into a public- private partnership to build a parking garage to facilitate the development. In addition, the City is home to a Commerce and Technology Park and CRA. Other projects are currently in the planning and permitting stage, including the Joe and Eddies Mixed- use. development, Sunrise on the Sound Marina and Yacht Club, and Uptown Sta- tion phase two. The City has been an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Center' s Florida Conference in Orlando, and works closely with the Okaloosa County Economic Devel- opment Council to bring more businesses and development to the City. HISTORY The City of Fort Walton Beach was first created and chartered as a municipality in 1937. Though Fort Walton Beach is a rela- tively young city, its history actually goes back thousands of years. There is evidence from radioactive dating of artifacts back to 10, 000 B. C., and archeological evidence of five distinct Indian periods between 600 - 1650 A. D. There were pirates, the most notorious being Billy Bowlegs between 1500 - 1800, and there was a Civil War encampment. In the early days Fort Walton was known both as Brooks Landing when John Thomas Brooks and his family settled here in 1868 and Camp Walton for the Civil War encampment by the Walton Guards. It was renamed Fort Walton when a Civil War cannon was discovered in 1932 and excavated from an Indian mound in the present downtown area on Santa Rosa Sound. 23- Okaloosa County was formed from two counties, Santa Rosa and Walton, in 1915, and Eglin Field was created in 1937. In 1930, the population of the area was approximately 90 people; between 1940- 1950, the population quadrupled. Between 1950- 1970, Fort Walton Beach grew 7000/0 and was recognized nationally as one of the fastest growing cities in the country. The existing Brooks Bridge was built in 1964, replacing the two- lane swing bridge, Eglin Parkway was widened to six lanes, and seven new traffic lights were installed. The tax base ex- panded, the Fort Walton Beach Civic Center complex and audi- torium were built, as well as neighborhood parks and tennis courts, the Library, the Senior Center, the Tennis Center, the Municipal Golf Course ( now the Fort Walton Beach Golf Club), and three neighborhood recreation centers- Docie Bass, Ches- ter Pruitt, and Fred Hedrick. CANDIDATE PROFILE The City of Fort Walton Beach is seeking a highly motivated and effective leader to be the next City Manager. The ideal candidate should have: A reputation of high ethical standards History of proactively identifying and implementing creative solutions to community needs. Exhibit strong leadership qualities that build consensus. Demonstrated strong personal commitment to customer ser- vice. History of making and implementing independent and timely decisions and effectively managing multiple tasks. Successful experience with economic development. A track record of identifying and resolving conflict in a timely manner. Grasp of public financial, budgeting and accounting princi- ples and practices; reputation of conservative fiscal man- agement. Background of effectively facilitating and encouraging inter- departmental teamwork and cooperation. Successful experience recruiting, selecting and motivating competent employees. Reputation for providing full and timely information to all members of the governing body. Open, accessible and responsive to Council Members, City staff and the public. Superior communicator and public speaker. Experience in a coastal and/ or tourist community. Knowledge of all City functions including planning, land use, water and sewer, public safety and recreation. 24-  EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE Minimum requirements include a Bachelor' s Degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field Masters Degree in Public Administration preferred), a minimum of 5 years experience as Manager in City or County government of similar size and service delivery levels or 7 years as a Deputy/ Asst. Manager, or an equivalent combination of education and experience in managing a full service organi- zation. The ideal candidate will possess strong interpersonal, public presentation and writing skills with extensive knowledge of pub- lic administration principles and practices and will have a career path which demonstrates increasingly progressive responsibility in a similar public sector organization( s). Must possess com- puter skills to include Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook. COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS The salary for this position is $ 110, 000 to $ 125, 000 depending on qualifications. Benefits are competitive. HOW TO APPLY Send a cover letter, resume, salary and benefit requirements and five ( 5) work related references to: City of Fort Walton Beach Human Resources Department P. O. Box 4009 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549 107 Miracle Strip Parkway SW Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 Resumes must be received by: February 6, 2009 For further information, contact Mark Wiltsie at 850) 833-9507 or mwiltsie@fwb. org Please visit our website at www. fwb. ora. Resumes are subject to Florida' s public records law. The City of Fort Walton Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 25-  g~ s:.- r\ 6 O~- r\ o o!>; o m~ m-;oz C.;o~ 00 J- N~ cz. tm tP s:.~ OtJ;() ctJ ~ : t. J- c o J'\ 26-  City of Fort Walton Beach City Manager Recruitment 2009 Short List of Candidates I, City Councilman , name the following candidates as my selection to continue in the City Manager recruitment process. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Signature Date 27- COLIN BAENZIGER & ASSOCIATES 12970 DARTFORD TRAIL · SUITE 8 561) 793- 2624 WELLINGTON, FL 33414 November 25, 2008 The Honorable Mayor Mike Anderson and Council Members Bill Garvie, Jim Hartwell, Mike Holmes, Virgil Miller, Mike Minich, Dr. Wayne Pullen and Dennis Reeves Town of Fort Walton Beach POBox 4009 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549- 4009 RE: City Manager Executive Recruitment Services Dear Mayor Anderson and Council Members Garvie, Hartwell, Holmes, Miller, Minich, Pullen and Reeves: As I understand it, your City Manager, Ms. Joyce Shanahan may be leaving for another position. Should that occur, my firm, Colin Baenziger & Associates, would like to conduct the search for your next City Manager and to do so at no cost to the City. As you know, several years ago, we assisted Fort Walton Beach in hiring a Finance r. That Direct() Director turned out to be controversial and left in less than two years of being hired. That search is one of a very, very few blemishes on our record of successful placements for local governments in Florida. While there is nothing we can do at this point to reverse what occurred, we hope to make amends by finding an outstanding City Manager to replace Ms. Shanahan if she leaves. As noted above, we will waive our fee entirely and will cover any out- of-pocket expenses that we incur. The only cost to the City will be those associated with bringing the candidates to the City for interviews. We do sincerely hope to work with you again. Should you have any questions, please contact me at my office at 561- 707- 3537. Sincerely, 6~ Colin Baenziger Principal 28- 1\ FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA Executive Search Proposal for City Manager Prepared by Robert E. Slavin on December 12, 2008 SlAVIN AGEMENT CONSULTANTS 3040 Holcomb Bridge Rd. Suite A-1 . Norcross, Georgia 30071 . ( 770) 449-4656. FAX (770) 416- 0848 . E. mail: slavin@bellsouth. net