City manager finalists selected

Mickey Starling reporter3@greenepublishing.com S

hortly after members of the Nu Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. successfully asked the Madison City Commission to name the new Public Works Facility in honor of former City Manager Jerome Wyche, the commissioners turned their attention to the search for a permanent city manager. Florida City and County Management Senior Advisor Mark Ryan gave the commissioners his point assessment of the candidates for the position. Ryan created a system of scoring candidates based on their experience, education and several other factors. He divided the 31 applicants into three tiers, with the top two having the best scores. The commissioners were free to choose any of the candidates but chose to eliminate the bottom tier of candidates. Of the remaining candidates, each commissioner voted for their top picks. Afterwards, Ryan presented the top six candidates chosen by the Commission. The following applicants were chosen for interviews: Charles Anderson, the former city manager of Treasure Island, Fla.; Rob Williamson, a local government consultant and former city commissioner in Navarre, Fla. who currently resides in Tallahassee, Fla.; Stanford Amos, a former city manager in Grenada, Miss. Amos is no stranger to the Commission, having interviewed for the position previously; Timothy Day, a district manager for Inframark Corporation, in Cape Coral, Fla.; William Whitson, Interim City Manager in Orange Park, Fla.; and David Schoeff, project manager for INDOT, in Hunington, In., who also has experience as a town manager. He was previously selected as Monticello’s city manager, but was passed over after failed financial negotiations stalled his selection. A special meet and greet for the finalists will take place preceding their interviews on Monday, Aug. 25. The meeting, beginning at 9 a.m., gives residents an opportunity to get to know the candidates and offer their advice to commissioners ahead of the selection process. Candidate interviews are each scheduled for one hour, beginning at 10 a.m. City Hall is located at 321 SW Rutledge St., in Madison.