The barrier island towns of Treasure Island, Madeira Beach and St. Pete Beach have each hired new City Managers in the past year and a half. How is it working out?
In the past 17 months since November 2017, the barrier island towns of Treasure Island, Madeira Beach and St. Pete Beach have each hired new City Managers. It is a tedious process of hiring consultants, reviewing resumes, making short lists, engaging the community, interviewing top candidates and negotiating with top contenders.
Garry Brumback joined Treasure Island in late 2017, Jonathan Evans took over in Madeira Beach in February 2018, and Alex Rey comes to St. Pete Beach April 1.
Each one brings a solid professional background, a unique mix of management skills, and an optimistic outlook for the future for their respective communities.
Brumback at Treasure Island
The Treasure Island City Commissioners selected Garry Brumback as the new city manager with a Nov. 3, 2017, announcement. He replaced Reid Silverboard, who retired after 10 years in that post in May.
Brumback, then 60, was town manager of Southington, CT, for seven years, and began his new position before year-end. Southington was the third community Brumback had worked for as a manager, a career he entered after retiring as a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel. Prior to Southington, he was City Manager for three years in Baytown, TX, and Assistant City Manager in Clearwater where he worked for eight years.
Brumback came with a strong track record for economic development and revitalization, both traits that appealed to City Commissioners. Brumback earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Virginia Military Institute and a master’s degree in international relations from Boston University. Brumback’s initial contract went into effect Dec. 18, 2017, and continues through Dec. 18, 2020. He will earn $135,000 per year and will receive a $5,000 increase after six months, upon a successful review.
Brumback will be responsible for his own automobile and insurance expenses but will receive an annual automobile allowance of $4,800. In addition, the city will pay 8% of his base salary annually ($10,800) toward a 401a plan and he will contribute another 5% ($6,750). The city will also pay 7% of his annual salary ($9,450) to a Section 457 Retirement Plan.
Since taking on the post, Brumback has shown a hands-on approach to all city situations. As an example, he stated that he was very proud about the way the city’s employees pooled together to clean up the mess left behind by Hurricane IRMA.
“Employees worked their fingers to the bone using every bit of available resources,” he told Paradise News. “They helped one another with manpower and equipment to return life to normal after such a large event. And we were forced to do all the cleanup on our own due to the extraordinary circumstances of 2017. We don’t have plans to change our disaster abatement program.”
Evans in Madeira Beach
The City Commission of Madeira Beach announced that Jonathan Evans, recently City Manager of Riviera Beach, had accepted the post of City Manager on Jan. 31, 2018. His starting salary was $145,000 a year, as he requested.
“We are delighted to bring Mr. Evans to our City,” said Mayor Maggi Black. “We believe his experience will be a tremendous benefit to our community and we cannot wait to start working with him. I’m excited to start moving forward under his leadership.” Mr. Evans possesses a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration – both from the University of Central Florida – and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a Human Resources concentration from Saint Leo University.
Prior to Riviera Beach, Evans was Assistant County Administrator for Sarasota County, and has experience in Pinellas County as the Assistant City Manager and Public Information Officer for the City of Largo.
In accepting the position, Evans said, in part, “The premise of this email is to express my enthusiasm and excitement concerning the opportunity in Madeira Beach. I want you to know that I am committed to working with each and every one of you to do what is absolutely necessary to move this organization forward. I understand that there are some challenges that lie ahead, but through genuine, open and honest relationships, we will be able to accomplish any task we set forth to accomplish.
“Your support, guidance and vision for our community will be critical as we take the necessary steps to promote tourism, smart growth and preservation and protection of our most precious natural amenities. We are proud of the progress we have made to promote good governance and maintaining transparency at the forefront with everything we do.”
“I’m excited to meet our community stakeholders, staff and entrepreneurs, to understand their ideologies and perspectives on this great city. Today marks an important milestone in cementing our relationship. Rest assured that our team will be committed and focused on providing exceptional customer service, doing so with the utmost professionalism and integrity. Our customer-centric approach will become a model for many government entities to emulate. Rest assured that I am eager and enthusiastic about coming to work with a great community.” As incoming City Manager, soon after starting in late February, he issued a 100-day plan which outlined his commitment to communication, organization, and hard work. This plan was made available to the public at madeirabeachfl.gov/office-of-the-city-manager/.
Evans told Paradise News, “The executive management team and all the employees have been a core part of every accomplishment made thus far; their valuable contributions to this organization are interwoven into the fiber of our progress as a City and a municipal organization. I am humbled by the opportunity to serve in this capacity, and I appreciate both the challenges we have endured and the successes we have achieved.”
Recognizing his excellent performance, the City Commission gave him a “superior” rating on his first annual evaluation, and voted unanimously to give Evans a 4% raise on his job anniversary this past February to $150,800. Speaking for the Commission, Vice Mayor Deby Weinstein said Evans had inherited “some tough problems and had worked and shown intelligence and potential with various groups, exceeding anything I have seen here in the past 40 years.”
Rey Joining St. Pete Beach
In a special Feb. 6 meeting, the SPB City Commission hired Alejandro “Alex” Rey as new City Manager, succeeding Wayne Saunders who retired after four years in the post. Rey’s initial two-year contract includes a $175,000 annual salary, $5,000 in moving expenses, a $500 monthly car allowance, and a cell phone. Benefits include family health insurance and a retirement contribution equal to 15% of his salary.
In accepting the position, Rey said, “I am grateful to the Mayor and City Commission for placing their trust me in me. St. Pete Beach is a vibrant and welcoming community, and my wife Kathie and I look forward to meeting our future neighbors and enjoying the incredible sunsets. I am looking forward to joining the group of high-performing and dedicated employees; led by a committed Mayor and Commission who work closely together for the benefit of the community.
“As the longtime manager of the Town of Miami Lakes, which is also a picturesque, close-knit community near a large metropolitan area, it is a wonderful opportunity to lead a municipality that has met the challenges of maintaining its own identity.
“I am committed to serving the residents in an open way and I believe in accountability at all levels. My office door is always open, and I look forward to getting to know the residents who have shaped this community.”
Rey joins SPB from the Miami Lakes where he was Town Manager from Oct. 2002-Aug. 2008 and from Sept. 2010 to current. In that inter period he was Building Director for the City of Miami Beach from Sept, 2008 to Aug. 2010; Assistant Director – Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from 1997 to 2002 for Miami-Dade County, with the OMB responsible for preparing the annual $5 billion operating and capital budgets as well as providing managerial and technical support to the County Manager.
He was with Miami-Dade Transit Agency from 1983 to 1997, first as Management Productivity Analyst III (Project Leader), then Manager, Management Services, responsible for performing productivity studies and operational audits; evaluating the agency’s performance; evaluating special projects and developing a comprehensive reporting system, and the last five years as Assistant Director for Administration, responsible for policy development, supervision and direction of issues relating to budgeting, grants management, financial planning, audits, revenue collection, information services, procurement and contracts, materials distribution, warranty, joint development, leasing activities, advertising contracts, labor relations, training, and employee relations. It was the 15th largest transit agency in the U.S. with an annual operating budget of over $200 million per year and 2,600 employees.
In his job application to the City, Rey noted, “During my career, I have worked with large, medium and small governmental entities with various levels of complexity. My most recent experience is with the town of Miami Lakes, which has 33,000 residents. I am known for being a dynamic, diligent leader, eager to get results and improve an organization. Even though I have been in government for 35 years, I do not let bureaucracy get in the way of results.”
“I have extensive labor relations and contract negotiation experience dating back to my service with the Miami-Dade Transit Agency where I dealt with the Transportation Workers Union and General Services Administration Union. While I was at the City of Miami Beach, I was assigned to be a lead negotiator for contract renewals with the Police Benevolent Assn. and International Assn. of Firefighters. “I have also been involved in negotiating Public Private Partnerships – specifically the joint development agreement negotiated for Dadeland North and Dadeland South on behalf of the Transit Agency, with the developers for a hotel, parking garage, and a vertical mall.
“My financial and budgetary experiences are some of my strongest traits. I have worked for many years in budget related positions, including Assistant Director in the County Budget Office, serving on the County Managers Finance Committee to review and approve all financial transactions, and presenting 10 budgets to the town of Miami Lakes Council. During the contract negotiations in Miami Beach, pension cost was a key item and I quickly gained an understanding of the pension financial structure. I have also been directly involved in securing grants in the early part of my career and managing the grant process in the most recent years.
“I believe that the Commission here is responsible for setting the goals and objectives of the City. Once objectives have been set by the Commission, the Manager needs to lead your staff to the successful achievement of those goals. I believe that it is my responsibility to develop staff and make the most of their expertise, and while providing direction and guidance, let them run with their projects and ideas. I will make each staff member perform to the best of their abilities, feel included, and create a work environment where they feel valued and respected.”
Looking ahead, Rey told Paradise News, “Over my first year, I will concentrate on ensuring that all of the infrastructure improvements will continue on schedule and try to find new funding alternatives. Once we have the infrastructure in place we need to ensure that we get high-quality redevelopment in the commercial areas of St. Pete Beach.” PN
STORY by STEVE TRAIMAN