Five City Manager Finalists Named

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Executive search firm Colin Baenziger & Associates submitted its recommendations for the five finalists to be considered as Fernandina Beach city manager. Below are the Colin Baenziger & Associates summary profiles of the five finalists.

The Recommended Candidates

• Sonia Alves-Viveiros:

Ms. Alves-Viveiros has been the Business Administrator of Edison Township, New Jersey (population 106,836) since 2022. There she oversees all the typical functions of a city as well as a health department, a department of senior citizen service, the municipal court and the Animal Shelter.

Previously, she was the City Manager for Englewood, New Jersey (population 29,034) for two years, and the Business Administrator for the Maplewood Township, New Jersey (population 25,684) for four years. Her management style is to be communicative and collaborative. She creates a participatory environment where department heads and subordinates feel valued. Having regular meetings ensures a constant flow of communication and avoids misunderstandings.

Her greatest achievement has been overcoming and rising through challenging moments as she worked her way from an internship to a City Manager position. It has been a labor of love, and she is truly appreciative of the challenges she has faced. Each has taught her something and made her a better municipal manager. As she has progressed through local government, she has learned the importance of communication, building strong relationships, and developing more effective teams. Each of her roles was an opportunity, and she constantly strived grow and improve.

She hopes that through her experience, she can inspire other public servants to be proud of the work they do, no matter what role they play. Ms. Alves-Viveiros has a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from Seton Hall University.

• Sarah Campbell:

Ms. Campbell has been with Orange Park, Florida (population 9,089) since 2008 and the Town Manager since 2017.

Her approach to management is to set high expectations for the department heads and team leaders, and then support them in doing their jobs with the resources, training, and equipment they need. Her biggest success in Orange Park has been the creation of their stormwater program. Hurricane Irma struck Florida ten days before she became the manager. In her new role, she first strove to understand the flood devastation and meet with residents about their concerns. She quickly recognized the need for an improved stormwater system – a system whose weaknesses had not been addressed for 40 years. Using contracted engineering services, they assessed their stormwater system and developed a model of the ideal system.

Once the list of maintenance and improvements was identified, they realized they would need a new stormwater fee. To make it less painful, they timed its introduction to coincide with a decrease in water and sewer rates (after paying off debts, a rate study showed that they were in good position to lower the rates). As a result, one fee went down and helped offset the new one. While funds are not unlimited, they have enough resources for a maintenance crew and some capital work.

They then found grants to fund the major improvements. While the work can never be done fast enough, they have made major progress towards creating the model system in a fiscally responsible way.

Ms. Campbell has a bachelor’s degree in architectural studies from the University of Nebraska and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Florida. She is an ICMA credentialed manager.

• Tandra Davis:

Ms. Davis has been with the Town of Dundee, Florida (population 6,725) since 2019 and has been serving as the Town Manager since 2020. Previously, she was the Assistant Finance Director for the City of Fort Meade, Florida (population 6,252) for two years, along with holding positions in the private sector.

Ms. Davis’ management approach is a blend of transactional, coaching, and charismatic styles.

One of her most significant accomplishments in Dundee was replacing a third-party vendor which provided sanitation services to the town. When she began in Dundee, the company was providing the worst service she had ever seen, and garbage was visible throughout the community. Management placed this vendor on an action plan that gave them 45 days to improve their service. When the company failed to comply, the town gave them 60 days’ notice to terminate. Within that timeframe, the towns management team had to put together an inhouse replacement including personnel and trucks. They were told they did not have enough time, and that they would fail. They did not. By taking over the function, and providing a high service level, Dundee has become a beautiful town that is now admired.

The staff takes great pride in the improved level of service they now render. Further, being responsible allows them accountability of actions.

Ms. Davis has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Strayer University, and a master’s degree in business administration from Warner University.

• Michael Mahaney:

Mr. Mahaney has been the City Manager for North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (population 20,303) since 2010. Previously he was the City Manager for Deerfield Beach, Florida (population 75,268) for three years and the County Administrator for Nassau County, Florida (population 69,969) for three years. Prior to those positions, he was the City Manager in Kannapolis, North Carolina for two years and the City Manager of St. Marys, Georgia for 12 years.

Mr. Mahaney’s approach to management is to treat others the way that he would want to be treated. Respect, empathy, and fairness are central to his leadership style. He strives to create a supportive and inclusive environment where every individual feels valued and heard.

His most significant achievement has been the strategic assembly of a dedicated and skilled team who have driven transformative changes in all areas of North Myrtle Beach’s government.

One of these was the creation of Sports Park which had a positive economic impact of $26,000,000 per year on the community. It has been a game-changer for the city as it expanded their busy season from the summer months to include spring and fall.

Additionally, their focus on infrastructure improvements has yielded tangible benefits by upgrading the roads and utilities and building multiple ocean outfalls. Their commitment to enhancing city facilities has resulted in modernized public spaces, efficient municipal services, and better accessibility. The residents' quality of life has improved, and it will ensure the city remains a desirable place to live, work, and visit for years to come.

Mr. Mahaney has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a master’s degree in business administration from James Madison University.

• William “Lee” Smith:

Mr. Smith was most recently the County Manager for Chatham County, Georgia (population 296,329) and he served in that role for eight years. Previously he was the County Manager for Wayne County, North Carolina (population 124,634) for thirteen years, and the County Manager for Washington County, North Carolina (population 13,589) for eight years.

His management style is inclusive and dependent on communication.

In his position as Chatham County’s County Manager, he was successful in moving the county to self-insured health and workers compensation programs. Their insurance rates had skyrocketed over the last 20 years, particularly as it pertained to law enforcement, emergency medical services, and fire department employees. Through health and wellness programs (such as weight loss and smoking cessation), they were able to reduce the costs of emergency room visits and days out of work.

His administration also created an employee health clinic with Marathon Health. Employees now have a primary care facility to diagnose potential health issues, treat present issues, and provide advice how to avoid future health problems through diet, regular monitoring, and exercise as well as having a personal relationship with a trusted advisor.

This initiative reduced health costs to the County by over 39% in five years.

Mr. Smith has a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Carolina.

Next Steps

The finalists have all been invited to Fernandina Beach for a tour, public reception, and formal interviews with the City Commission on September 4-5 with a possible decision then or shortly thereafter.