Town proceeds with interim manager talks

Town attorney David Persson got the go-ahead from the Longboat Key Town Commission to proceed with negotiations with David Bullock, deputy Sarasota County administrator, for the interim town manager position.

But the 4-3 vote came after extensive debate from the commission about where they’re heading in the search for a town manager — and how quickly they want to get there.

Before Monday’s meeting, Persson laid out Bullock’s qualifications for the interim position, which commissioners agreed would last six to eight months while the town searches for a permanent replacement for former Town Manager Bruce St. Denis, who served 14 years.

“I have a candidate who meets the qualifications that you outlined: extensive experience in governmental management and organizations, aware of and a participant in local and state issues, an activist manager rather than a passive one and from outside the town’s organization,” Persson wrote to commissioners.

But Commissioner Lynn Larson started discussions by suggesting for the interim position the man sitting two seats to her left: Longboat Key Police Chief Al Hogle, who was appointed acting town manager one week earlier.

“I felt like we would be walking past a diamond lying in the sand if we walked past Al Hogle as interim town manager,” Larson said.

But Commissioner Phill Younger disagreed. Describing the decision as “extremely agonizing” because of his respect for Hogle, Younger said: “If I were closing my eyes and not knowing the situation, I would choose Mr. Bullock.”

Commissioner Pat Zunz suggested that based on interest expressed by Bullock and Hogle, along with other interested parties who submitted resumes, “perhaps the decision shouldn’t be made quite as rapidly as we wanted it to.”

Commissioner Jack Duncan said that if the commission considered Hogle for the interim position, it should open it up for other town employees.

Vice Mayor David Brenner asked Persson if Bullock indicated a time frame for his interest in the position.

“The position you put me in is to do this quickly,” Persson said. “So I haven’t asked how to do it slow.”

The discussion then shifted to contracts and benefits, with commissioners at one point discussing a potential salary cap. But as they discussed salaries, Persson interjected.

“If part of this qualification is a salary cap, you need to tell me,” he said, “because that changes the ballgame significantly.”

Younger said that his concern was getting the best-qualified candidate — and that St. Denis’ compensation, which included an annual salary of $177,505, “seems to be the going rate for a quality person.”

But Mayor Jim Brown emphasized to commissioners that, for now, they are only searching for an interim manager.

“This is someone to run the town while we select a town manager,” he said.

Commissioners spoke about their one-on-one meetings with Bullock and said that he indicated that he wanted a one-year contract and hoped the position could become long term.

Commissioners expressed interest in other candidates, particularly Daniel Kleman, who will retire from the city of Jacksonville, where he held various positions, and also served more than 20 years as Tallahassee city manager.

But Younger made a motion to begin contract negotiations with Bullock. It passed, 4-3.

Then, Larson suggested another motion in which the commission would continue looking at other candidates. It failed, 3-4.

The commission will continue discussions at its Monday, Oct. 3 meeting.

Bullock said Tuesday afternoon that it was too early to discuss the terms of any possible agreement with the town. But he was pleased with the results of Monday’s meeting.

“I’m honored that the town would consider me,” he said.

Resume review
According to his resume, David Bullock earned a bachelor’s degree in education from West Chester State University, in West Chester, Pa., and operated his own construction company from 1976 to 1981 before beginning his career in government in 1981 as a manager with the Potter County Solid Waste Authority, in Ulysses, Pa. He served there for six years before becoming vice president of Waste Management Consultants in Falls Church, Va., where he served from 1987 to 1994. In 1994, he was hired by Sarasota County, first as solid waste director and, then, in 1997, as deputy county administrator.