Senior employee with City of Sarasota interested in interim manager’s position, Human Resources director tells commissioners

Discussion about candidates seeking to replace City Manager Brown tentatively set for Oct. 7 City Commission meeting

City Manager Marlon Brown. Image courtesy City of Sarasota

A senior level department director with the City of Sarasota has announced his interest in serving as interim city manager after City Manager Marlon Brown steps down on Oct. 15.

The city’s Human Resources Department director, Stacie Mason, reported that to the city commissioners during a Sept. 30 workshop, following up on a Sept. 16 discussion that the board members had with her.

She also had “reached out” to a number of the people on the Florida League of Cities’ Members-in-Transition list, who are former city managers or managers seeking new positions, Mason continued on Sept. 30. Some of those also would be willing to serve in the interim capacity, she noted.

At the recommendation of Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch, a discussion item regarding the internal and external options would be added to the commission’s agenda for its regular meeting on Oct. 7, Deputy City Manager Pat Robinson said. After the interim position has been filled, staff will begin the national search for a permanent replacement for Brown, he noted.

When Ahearn-Koch asked whether each of the commissioners should conduct a meeting with the internal candidate prior to the Oct. 7 meeting, Robinson responded that he already had spoken with the internal candidate about such sessions. As a result, Robinson said, staff would be scheduling those talks this week. “We will make that a priority,” he told Ahearn-Koch.

Nonetheless, Robinson added, “You know him very well already …”

(As of the deadline for publication of this issue of The Sarasota News Leader, the Oct. 7 agenda did not include the discussion item regarding the interim position. However, Robinson indicated on Sept. 30 that it would be included as a “Change to the Order of the Day” for that agenda, with the corresponding notice sent to the public in advance of the Oct. 7 session.)

Deputy Sarasota City Manager Pat Robinson. Image courtesy Sarasota Police Department

Commissioner Debbie Trice also asked Mason this week to remind the board members how long Mason expects it will take for the national search to lead to the naming of a new manager.

“I would say four to six months,” Mason replied. Her plan, she said, is to continue working on executive search firm proposals, with the goal of providing that information to the commission in late October or early November. From that point, she added, she expected the maximum time to name Brown’s successor would be six months.

Referencing the Sept. 16 discussion, Deputy City Manager Robinson emphasized to the commissioners, “You truly will be in the driver’s seat” for that search.

After the firm has been engaged, he continued, city staff will let the firm know “basically what we want out of that process.”
He added, “They’ll facilitate everything. So I just want to make sure you guys understand that there will be no directing of the commission on how it goes.”

Commissioner Erik Arroyo was the only commissioner not present for the Sept. 30 workshop. Mayor Liz Alpert indicated at one point that he would be joining the meeting via Zoom, but he did not do so.