City Manager search extended

The city of Fernandina Beach has extended the deadline for its search for city manager candidates  to next Wednesday, according to interim City Manager Jeremiah Glisson.

Glisson's weekly update on city projects included the notice that the city had approved extending the deadline to apply to executive search firm Colin Baenziger & Associates.

There were 45 applicants for the Fernandina Beach city manager position after the deadline to apply closed last week. Of the 45 who applied, 10 are either current or former city managers. Another seven are either current or former town/city administrators.

Notably absent is Lee Smith, the former  County Manager of Chatham County, Georgia. Smith was the city’s number two selection last year when the city manager position was filled by Ty Ross. Commissioners Chip Ross and James Antun favored hiring Smith in recent meetings.

Charles Hammond, city manager of Archer, Florida, is the only applicant from 2023 to apply this year.

The next step is for Colin Baenziger & Associates to narrow the applicants list to the “top 5” candidates for the city commission to consider on Aug. 14.