Weekly comments from Dale Martin

Dale Martin
City Manager
Fernandina Beach
April 14, 2017 1:00 a.m.

The City is currently addressing several high-visibility large-scale projects. These projects include the rebuilding of the Marina, the related development of other areas of the waterfront, and the construction of an Airport terminal. While the importance of these projects is significant, the daily and more routine business of the City commands regular attention and resources.

Personnel actions have required more attention recently. Some employees have left, which is not out of the ordinary, but with the impending start of summer, plenty of seasonal positions need to be filled: camp staff, summer programming, and Ocean Rescue lifeguards. The job descriptions for those positions are reviewed, job notices crafted and published, applications studied, interviews completed, offers tendered, regrets offered, and orientations scheduled. My role, for the most part with these positions, is somewhat limited: the Human Resources Department comprised of Ms. Robin Marley, Ms. Teresa Bryan, and Ms. Antoinette Brown, is responsible for handling the preponderance of the tasks: ninety-four positions have been posted this year, and fifty-seven of those positions filled.

I am more involved with the hiring of senior staff. Currently, the City has the need for two such positions. The first position is the Airport Manager. This position became vacant following the release of the former Airport Manager in January. With the major events scheduled at the Airport in March (Bonhams, Concours d’Elegance, and the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association), I decided to focus on ensuring that those events were properly and safely coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration, delaying the recruitment until after completing the March events. The job was posted internally (no available candidates) before being publicly posted on March 27.

To date, approximately three dozen applications have been received. Although the City published the notice on the same sites as was utilized for the previous search, the applicants this time appear to be, in general, a more qualified, and in specific, a more geographically dispersed, pool. Applicants have a wide range of experience and most come from states other than Florida (as far away as California and Idaho). The application period closes today, and then I will work with Human Resources staff to review the applications and schedule initial interviews. For planning purposes, I expect the new Airport Manager to begin in June.

Another key position that requires staffing is the Accounting Supervisor. Ms. Janet Harris has announced her retirement from the City in May after nearly twenty years of service (thank you, Janet). Her departure actually provides an opportunity for me to prepare for the scheduled retirement of City Comptroller Patti Clifford.

Ms. Clifford has announced her intention to retire in early 2019. I had indicated to her that I preferred to hire her replacement in early 2018 in order to provide the new Comptroller the time to transition with Ms. Clifford during a complete audit and budget cycle. After discussions with Ms. Clifford, I will look to hire her successor to first fill Ms. Harris’ position, and subsequently transition to Ms. Clifford’s position.

This sequence will provide about eighteen months of transition between Ms. Clifford and the “Comptroller-in-Waiting.” Additionally, the longer transition will provide the next Comptroller time to become familiar with the Finance Department staff before assuming full responsibility for the department. Perhaps the most notable change in the responsibilities of the next Comptroller will be the reconfiguration of the Information Technology (IT) Department as a stand-alone department: that department currently operates as a subordinate department to the Comptroller. The revised job description is currently under review by Ms. Clifford, Ms. Marley, and me. I expect the position will be published next week.

Another significant personnel activity was the recent revision of the City’s Personnel Policy Manual. All department directors offered contributions toward this effort. With most of the changes more administrative clarification than substantive policy changes, I had to eventually overcome my obsession with grammar and formatting and simply offer the revisions to the City Commission for review and approval.

The final major personnel effort has been the negotiation of Police Department and Fire Department collective bargaining agreements. The process has taken longer than anticipated, but that is more due to the busy-ness of everyone involved rather than protracted negotiations. Chief Hurley and Deputy Chief Foxworth worked closely with Patrol Officer Michael Mazuryk and Sergeant Jason Smith to produce a new contract that was readily ratified by the City and the Union. Chief Silcox and I have worked similarly with Firefighter/Paramedic James Tucker and Engineer/Paramedic Brad Mayberry. The proposed Fire Department agreement should be presented to the City Commission shortly.

The projects and personnel continue to make my job the most incredibly challenging (not so much the personnel) and rewarding (personnel and projects) of my municipal career. It will continue to be an exciting and busy time in Fernandina Beach.