Brown alludes to both professional and life challenges in making decision
The afternoon of Aug. 15 — first, to the City of Sarasota employees and then to the city commissioners — City Manager Marlon Brown announced that he was giving the 60 days of notice, required in his contract, about his plans to retire.
The effective date will be Oct. 15, he wrote in a letter, though he noted that he would be willing to remain in his position another 60 days beyond that, “until a successor is appointed or you decide otherwise.”
Brown has recommended that the City Commission choose Deputy City Manager Patrick Robinson as his successor, pointing to Robinson’s “institutional wisdom, operational skillset, his ‘get it done’ approach, integrity, tenure with the organization, communication style, partnerships and connections throughout the city of Sarasota, Sarasota County and beyond makes him an excellent choice for this role.”
In his letter, Brown pointed out that, beginning in the fall of 2023, he “shared with my family, close friends and associates” his “timelines and decision related to [his] continued employment” with the city. Brown added that he had conveyed the same information to “key staff” in December 2023 before broaching the topic with the city commissioners “at the beginning of this year.”
Moreover, Brown wrote in his letter to the board members that he had shared with them at the start of this year “both professional challenges never experienced in my career and life challenges that I continue to face that led to my decision.”
He also noted that he had been in government service for 31 years, which was one year more than the goal he had set for himself. He cited that factor in making his decision, “coupled with witnessing very close family, friends and colleagues leave us unexpectedly without having accomplished other lifelong career and personal opportunities/goals/dreams.”
Brown continued, “I realized now is the time for me to pursue other opportunities. Although I do not have a specific plan in place or another career opportunity, I am ready and excited to discover and fully embrace new challenges that may arise and to begin my next chapter.”
The city’s Aug. 16 newsletter included the news of Brown’s decision, reinforcing the fact that Brown will “continue his regular responsibilities at least until Oct. 15, including participating in the Florida League of Cities annual conference which he currently is attending in Hollywood.”
During the remarks segment at the end of the regular City Commission meeting on Aug. 19, Mayor Liz Alpert turned to Brown and asked, with a laugh, “Anything new?”
Brown acknowledged that his Aug. 15 announcement “probably came as a surprise to probably you all.”
Yet, he added, “I think it’s time.”
He proposed that he and the board members discuss his plans — and the selection of a new city manager — during a future commission meeting. However, he did reiterate his recommendation that Deputy City Manager Robinson succeed him. “I have a lot of confidence in the gentleman that sits next to me,” Brown said, referring to Robinson.
“Stability, obviously, is important to me,” Brown pointed out.
Referring to his letter, Brown continued, “If I had my druthers,” he would leave after the contract-required 60 days of notice.
When Alpert asked whether any of her colleagues had questions, Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch expressed agreement with Brown that the board members should discuss the issues at a future time.
Alpert then said, “I think Mr. Brown has been an incredible, incredible city manager, and people that I talk to … say he is like the best city manager they have ever worked with.
“I’m heartbroken,” she continued, her voice wavering, “and disappointed.” Nonetheless, Alpert told Brown, “I understand.”
She pointed out that she had worked with Brown for nine-and-a-half years. She won her first term on the commission in the spring of 2015.
“You’ve got tons of institutional knowledge,” Alpert added, addressing Brown. “So maybe we can still call on you [after retirement].”
For the next 60 days, Brown assured her and the other commissioners, “You will get 100% of Marlon Brown.”
‘You know the reasons’
In his Aug. 15 letter to the commissioners, Brown also noted the fact that he has been working for the City of Sarasota for 15 years, writing that he hoped the commissioners would agree that that was “dedicated and loyal service to the public, you, and the city of Sarasota in general.”
Brown did acknowledge, “Many will speculate and come to their own conclusions as to the reason for my decision, but you know the reasons from what I have personally shared with you.”
He also pointed out, “I suspect that a very few will celebrate this decision as some kind of moral victory, while many others will celebrate it as a recognition of my years of service to this amazing city; its residents, business owners, and visitors, and my previous service to other municipal entities including my strong relationships with non-governmental organizations, all within the state of Florida.”
“Our city has grown into a municipality that is widely recognized and respected statewide, nationally and internationally, and as a result, many have now chosen Sarasota as their home, drawn by its unique charm and success,” he continued. “My greatest fear,” Brown added, “is that the voices of dissent and their constant negative discourse will overshadow our achievements and jeopardize our city’s continued progressive future, our low tax rate, our strong financial position and visible economic prosperity accessible to and enjoyed by our residents and businesses.”
“Be warned of succumbing to a loud vocal minority,” Brown cautioned.
Years of public service
On Jan. 19, 2021, it took the city commissioners seated at that time less than 15 minutes to formally name Brown the city manager, succeeding Tom Barwin, who had been the city manager from June 2012 until December 2020. Brown was appointed interim city manager following Barwin’s announcement that he would retire.
During the Jan. 19, 2021 City Commission meeting, then-Mayor Hagen Brody told Brown, “This community, over the past several weeks, has expressed so much support for you. … I have had people coming out of the woodwork in organizations, just emphasizing how great you will be in this role,” Brody continued in addressing Brown.
Additionally, Brody talked of his delight in the fact that Brown would be the first person of color to serve as Sarasota city manager.
Brown is a native of the islands of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean.
Before the board vote that day, Brown announced that he wanted his base pay to be $196,500, instead of the $204,000 called for in the proposed contract for him to serve as city manager.
Commissioner Erik Arroyo did raise the point that day that the commissioners the previous year declined to provide cost-of-living raises to the City Charter officials — then-Deputy City Manager Brown, then-Manager Barwin and City Auditor and Clerk Shayla Griggs. The decision was linked to the economic constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brown’s resume, which was included in the agenda packet for that meeting, noted that he received his Bachelor of Arts in geography from West Virginia University and a Master of City Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Brown also had received certification as a planner, as a credentialed manager and as a public manager, the resume said. The latter designation was accorded him by Florida State University’s Florida Center for Public Management.
Brown began his career as a management trainee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1988, the resume added.
From 1994 to 1999, he was the administrator of the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the City of Tallahassee and Leon County.
From December 2003 to April 2005, Brown served as interim transit director for the City of Tallahassee. He was named assistant to the city manager in Tallahassee in November 1999 and remained in that position until April 2005.
Brown next served as the Gadsden County administrator from May 2005 to December 2008, and then he held the position of county adviser on economic stimulus for the Florida Association of Counties from March 2009 to June 2009.