Delve into 12: Director of PZ&B

Wanted at Longboat Key Town Hall: Someone “collaborative, diplomatic, a team player, highly energetic, affable, assertive.” Someone with extensive knowledge and experience in municipal land-use and planning along with superb judgment and communication skills. “The candidate must possess the ability to navigate through complex issues, including but not limited to developing and implementing a comprehensive urban land-use and development plan consistent with the town’s mission statement and core values. The successful candidate must demonstrate a proven ability to efficiently allocate resources among staff.”

Translation: That someone will have a heavy workload.

The town is currently advertising the position of Planning Zoning & Building director to replace Monica Simpson, who resigned in December after 10 years in the department, including five years as director, and continues to work as a consultant for the town.

The new PZ&B director will have a key role in guiding the town through the many complex issues that the island has faced in recent years, including the Longboat Key Club and Resort’s proposed $400 million Islandside project, The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort redevelopment, wireless communications issues and Publix plans for a new Avenue of the Flowers store. The director will also face issues that are relatively new to the town, such as a potential expansion of town code to encompass aesthetic and maintenance issues not currently addressed by town code.

The town’s current advertisement for the position expires Jan. 20.

In the meantime, the department continues to operate as it has since Bullock took on the role of town manager, with Town Planner Steve Schield handling planning issues and Building Official John Fernandez being responsible for building issues — an arrangement reached at the suggestion of employees.

At the time of Simpson’s resignation, Town Manager David Bullock expressed confidence that the town could find a skilled professional to take on the role.

“I think that this is a good time to be in the marketplace looking,” he said. “A lot of municipalities and cities in the state are basically shrinking their staffs. I think there are a lot of folks who would be interested.”

>> Fast fact: The town’s advertisement lists the annual pay range as $76,024 to $117,728 and requirements such as a bachelor’s degree in planning, architecture, engineering, building construction or related field and a minimum of eight years in building construction, land development or planning with at least three years in a supervisory or public administrative position. 

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