BM&A_RedactedBCEJ MURRAY
& ASSOCIATES
ll:XI"itl'\"1'11\ IN EX.I!:I:lU'f~ltit' lihl'AI'I.t::IH
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY MANAGER
CANDIDATE INTERVIEWS
January 30-31, 2013
CITY MANAGER RECRUITMENT January 30, -2013 Interview Schedule Instructions and briefing to Mayor and Commissioners by City Attorney Jose Smith and S. Renee Narloch of Bob Murray & Associates. Barwick, Stephen H. ' Cepero, Monica M. Mayer, Emanuel LUNCH BREAK Morales, Jimmy L. Rollason, Frank K. Wilson, Thomas J. Interview Location: Commission Chambers 8:00 a.m. -8:45 a.m. 8:50 a.m. -10:05 a.m. 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m. 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. 12:45 p.m. - 1 :45 p.m. 1 :50 p.m. -3:05 p.m. 3:10p.m. -4:25p.m. 4:30 p.m. -5:45 p.m. ,I I i I i
CITY MANAGER RECRUITMENT January 31, 2013 One-On-One Interview Schedule BOWER I EXPOSITO I GONGORA i I UBBIN I 9:00a.m. to 9:30a.m. 10:45 a.m. to Rollason Wilson 11:10a.m. (10:45 A.M. TO 11:05 11:15 a.m. to Barwick Morales I l 11:40 a.m. (11:10A.M. TO 11:30 A.M. 11 :45 a.m. to Wilson Cepero Mayer I I 12:15 p.m. (11 :35 A.M. TO 11:55 A.M. l.m. to ~~~~1·Ci>J m. ~; 5-~,~~C<.-X~ ,. ~ ~~ ;Jr ~ , 0 Jil ,"' .-": ~t;.-~ ,;~~~ --1 c,~~,r."'"m~~}', 1:00 p.m. to Barwick Wilson Cepero 1:25 p.m. 1:30 p.m. to Mayer Morales Barwick Rollason 1:55 p.m. 2:00p.m. to Morales Mayer Cepero I Wilson 2:25p.m. 2:30p.m. to Cepero Rollason Mayer I Morales 2:55p.m. 3:00p.m. to Cepero Rollason Barwick 3:25p.m. 3:30p.m. to Rollason Barwick Morales Mayer 4:00 Interview Location: Office of the Mayor and Commission Commission Chambers Debrief: I Wilson I Morales Rollason Cepero I Barwick I 1 Mayer I 1 Note that there is a modification to the start/end times for Commissioner Gongora's first three interviews. I Mayer I Wilson I Rollason I Barwick I Morales I Cepero
STEPHEN BARWICK
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1993 -present
1985-1993
1982-1985
SALARY
City of Aspen, CO
City Manager (1999 -present)
Assistant City Manager (1993 -1999)
Town ofVail, CO
Finance/ Administrative Services Director
University of Colorado at Boulder, CO
Senior Policy /Budget Analyst
Mr. Barwick reports a current annual salary of $173,000.
EDUCATION
1980
1977
M.F.A., Public Administration, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO
B.A., Liberal Arts, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO
Stephen H. Barwick
Professional Experience
City of Aspen, Colorado
CITY MANAGER 1999 -Present
Direct all operations for a full-service resort city with annual budget of $100+ million and 280
employees
• 85-95% customer satisfaction ratings that have consistently increased in every
department
• Directed creation and implementation of new large-scale public input process
• Built highly educated, motivated, and successful senior staff
• Directed construction of over $250 million in capital construction projects,
including 160+ units of affordable housing
• Fostered "Never Say No" staff attitude
• Led bond rating upgrade efforts resulting in highest rating of any resort
community in the United states
• Implemented wide variety of environmental initiatives including
• Stormwater improvement project
• 78% of all power delivered by City electric utility is from renewable sources
• Greenhouse gas reduction program
• World's first municipal carbon tax
• Expanded recycling programs
• New conservation-based water and electric rate systems
• Continue to enthusiastically lead and foster highly innovative government
organization
• Virtually every ski resort government in the United States (and several
foreign) has visited Aspen to study our programs
• Foster real employee input
• Believe strongly in decision-making at appropriate organizational levels (Most
operational decisions belong at departmental level)
• Implemented new strategic planning system with City Council and senior staff
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER October 1993-November 1999
Directed all organizational development, financial management and internal service
functions for City
• Directed radical changes to City of Aspen culture and internal control systems
leading to dramatic productivity and quality customer service increases
• Achieved first of two bond rating upgrades
• Developed and supplemented ongoing programs to measure results of City
departments
+ Created 10-year financial plans to inform Council and provide foundation for sound
fiscal decisions
Town of Vail, Colorado
FINANCE/ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR July 1985-0ctober 1993
Directed financial and operational support for Council, Town Manager, and Departments
• Created and implemented a new budget and management system
• Led the Town's quality improvement, cost accounting, and performance
budgeting efforts
• Managed several debt financings using both bid and negotiated processes
• Started as Budget Officer-left the Town after several promotions for
opportunity in Aspen
University of Colorado at Boulder
SENIOR POLICY /BUDGET ANALYST January 1982 -June 1985
Coordinated and analyzed the University's General Fund
EDUCATION
Master of Public Administration
University of Colorado at Boulder 1980
Bachelor of Arts
University of Colorado at Boulder 1977
! '
BoB MuRRAY & AssociATES
SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
(to be combined with City Commissioners' questions)
City Manager -City of Miami Beach, Florida
OPENING QUESTIONS
1. We have all had an opportunity to review your resume. Please explain, from your
perspective, how your background prepares you for this position.
2. Please describe your experience within the following specific areas:
• Community/Neighborhood Engagement
• Capital Improvement Projects
• Economic Development
• Budgeting/Financial Management
• Strategic Planning and Performance Based Initiatives
3. What would we learn about you if we contacted a cross section of citizens from your current
or most recent community including supporters, detractors, and community organizations?
4. With the continuing fiscal constraints faced by cities, how would you recommend the Board
of Commissioners, City Manager, and staff deal with increased demands for services?
CLOSING QUESTIONS
5. From your vantage point, what do you perceive to be the opportunities and challenges facing
the City of Miami Beach, now and in the future? Please be specific.
6. Why are you interested in the City Manager position with Miami Beach? Is there anything
you would like to add or clarify before we conclude? Do you have any questions of us? .
Notes
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY MANAGER
RATING SHEET
Steve Barwick
Fair Good Superior Outstanding
1. Job Preparation-background,
technical knowledge and training
appropriate for this level of position; D demonstrates understanding of local
D D D
and regional service delivery issues
2. Leadership Skills -personal sfYie
appropriate for this job; ''big picture" viewpoint;
collaborative, team-oriented approach; risk-taker; D D D D
innovative; goal-oriented
3. Interpersonal Skills -able to form
effective relationships, both inside and
outside the or;ganization;persuasive; D D D D
positive; diplomatic; empathetic;
approachable
4. Oral Communication and
Reasoning Skills -clear and
effective communicator;presents well-D D D D organized, logical flow of thoughts and
information; strong problem-solving
skills
5. Organizational Fit -management
sfYie and approach compatible with
the Ci!J;f!exible; creative; strong customer service,
D D D D team/ communz!J orientation
Greatest Strengths for this Position:
Areas of Hesitation/ Concern:
Reference Questions
Client/Position: City of Miami Beach, City Manager
Candidate Name: Steve Barwick
Reference Name: How long and in what capacity have you known the candidate?
Ron Erickson, Local businessman, (970) 618-9800
I have known Steve for 12 years. He was fttst the Assistant City Manager and later was
promoted to the City Manager of Aspen. I have been a volunteer on planning and zoning
board commissions. I was also the Chairman of certain task forces where we recommended
projects for the City.
Barry Crook, Assistant City Manager, (970) 544-8054 or 920-5296 (w)
I have known Steve for seven years. I have worked for him as the Assistant City Manager
for those seven years.
Jeff Woods, Parks & Recreation Director, (970) 274-1936 or 429-2028 (w)
I have known Steve my whole life. I have been working for the City of Aspen for fifteen
years. Initially he was the Assistant City Manager, and then we interviewed and chose him
for the City Manager position. He has done a phenomenal job and has been instrumental in
the City of Aspen's success.
Sam Mamot, Colorado Municipal League, Executive Director, (303) 831-6411
I have known Steve for 20 years. He was the Finance Director in Vail, Colorado before
becoming the City Manager in Aspen. He is a member of the City and Town's Association.
I have known Steve for a long time.
Courtney Lord, Local businessman, (248) 709-6009
I have known Steve for seven years. We developed a real estate project in Colorado which
was a public/private partnership with the City of Aspen. I worked with Steve and his staff
to make this happen.
Mil(e Ireland, Aspen Mayor, (970) 987-2122
I have been the Mayor here in Aspen for five and a half years, and I knew Steve before that
time because I was a County Commissioner. I have known him for ten years.
Steve Skadron, Aspen City Council Member, (970) 948-2021
I have known Steve for six years. I am a City Council Member in Aspen. I have known him
in a professional capacity.
How would you characterize Steve's management style? How are his interpersonal
skills?
I think that he is a terrific manager of people. He outlines their responsibilities and gives
them the freedom to exercise that authority. He has a staff that likes working for him,
because he lets them do their jobs without interfering. He shows loyalty to his employees.
He believes in fairness for his employees, as well as, for the citizens. His interpersonal skills
are excellent. Steve looks at things through a governmental point of view. I am always
learning from him. He is quiet and reserved typically, yet in social situations he is active and
outgoing.
I don't want him to leave, so this is hard for me. His management style is highly
participatoty, and he makes decisions when they need to be made. He leads by creating a
vision for his employees that appeal to them in asking them to strive for excellence, and he
gets that in return. His interpersonal skills are excellent.
Steve is patient, honest and always looking for a positive and comprehensive outcome. His
management style is excellent in working with his staff and with the Council. He is strong at
focusing on achieving the goals that make our City successful.
As a manager, he has allowed each department to function at a high level using business
principles of success through setting goals. We are challenged and awarded for being
successful on an annual basis. He is vety good at giving people the freedom to do their job
and giving them support. He is brilliant in finances. When the recession hit in 2007-2008,
and there was great concern about the economy, he took us through the downturn with his
leadership. He is a vety good communicator and does a good job of holding people
accountable. He instills confidence in leadership and allows us to do our job. Aspen is
highly successful because of his leadership.
He is a hard worker, vety diligent and takes things seriously. I think his background in
finance is awesome. He is a member of the GFOA which is a financial association. He is
always vety professional, keeps a low proflle and rarely do you see his name mentioned in
the newspapers. He does have articles written occasionally about him, but not vety often.
He is vety professional, although I don't think he is the warmest and most patient person.
He is well organized and listens to people and anticipates their needs so he can head off
problems before they develop. He is a bit of a "numbers person," so he is not necessarily
the warmest person, but he gets the job done and he is honest.
He is professional in his approach to all business matters. He is serious and careful. His
interpersonal skills are strong. He makes himself available, and he is approachable.
What is his technical experience and knowledge as related to the position?
He has a Master's degree in Public Administration. He was the Assistant City Manager in
Aspen before being promoted to the City Manager position, and he was the Finance
Director in Vail, Colorado, His professional career has been in governmental affairs.
He has been the City Manager of Aspen for 14 years. Before that he was the Assistant City
Manager of Aspen and the Finance Director of Vail, Colorado. He has spent many years in
the public sector, specifically local government. His expertise in finances is a prerequisite for
being a City Manager. We are a fairly full-service organization with water and electric
utilities, along with the fact that we are a resort community. Steve has been instrumental in
helping the elected off1cials understand what a resort town needs to think about and deal
with to be successful.
He has been there a long tllne in Aspen, Colorado. Aspen is a small town with a very big
footprint and a lot of public involvement. We have a government that has historically been
run on a very progressive, liberal basis with a lot of government control on taxation and
voting restrictions. We are also a resort community which relies on tourism. Steve has been
instrumental in generating affordable housing, managing the staff and balancing the
development of the business community.
His real strength is his understanding of the fmancial system, and how the city works
financially. This is critical and all city managers should have an understanding of fmances.
He is on the cutting edge in the management of government. Steve believes in new direction
for government to provide a better product. With a strong financial background, he
transitioned to a strong manager, and he is constantly looking for new direction and ideas to
improve the City.
He is at the top of his game in his profession. Steve understands city management. He has
been in Aspen a long tllne. He understands resort and tourist communities.
He has an advanced degree in public administration and has a long tenure in Aspen. He has
weathered a lot of diff1cult times and is very good in that area.
He has served in this capacity for a long time, and the depth of his experience and skill sets
makes hun a valuable asset. These are the kind of characteristics that make an individual
valuable for a position like City Manager. There are several parallels between Aspen and
Miami Beach. Both are resort and tourist communities, and Steve has had much experience
with the City of Aspen.
How does he relate with the Council, City or County Manager, or those he reports
to?
We have a Council/Manager type of government. Steve is the Chief Operating Officer and
the City Council is the Board of Directors. Unfortunately, we have a government that tends
to micro-manage, and this is a very frustrating position for people who have to deal with
them. Steve has had to quietly, with perseverance, educate our elected off1cials concerning
their job description along with the staffs responsibilities. It is a very frustrating situation at
times, but he has always handled it very well. The Council really likes Steve. Steve worked
for them for eight to ten years without a contract, and now he has one.
He has a very good relationship with the Council and knows how to cultivate those
relationships. He knows how to create dialogue with them. He checks with them on
matters to see what their concerns tnight be. He has regular meetings with them outside of
Council meetings, so that they know what is going on. He does very well in this regard.
In my experience, which is not involved in the day-to-day operations, Steve did an
exceptional job of explaining to the Council our real estate transaction, and he showed them
that out plan made sense and how the public would benefit. Steve worked hard to
coordinate with the Council and staff during that process. The results were that we had a
positive outcome, and we continue to operate in partnership with the City.
One of his management traits is that he allows the top managers to work directly with the
City Council, and they communicate back to Steve on what they talked about. He has been
here for 15 years and seen many City Councils, and he has been successful with all of them.
His working relationship is very good, and the Council has a very high confidence level in
him. Steve understands how government works.
He relates very well. Aspen is a very unique community. He has had to deal with many
different personalities with the Council for many years, and he has done so with
professionalism and class. Steve is not in a position that he has to leave Aspen. There is
nothing causing him to leave. He has done very well for many years with some tough people
on the City Council.
He reports to me and to the Council. He does that very well. He has frequent meetings
with me, and I generally know what he is thinking and planning. His office is always open to
counsel with people.
I knew him as City Manager. I think that he is appreciated by the City Council and brings a
tremendous depth of experience which is valuable to the elected officials who are often new
in these positions. We rely on his expertise, and he provides great value.
How does he relate with the Department Heads? What about with peers,
community groups and the public?
His management style is laid back. He has a group of very good department heads, and it
would be difficult to replace them. Steve has taken the approach that these people have
merit. If they are following the wrong path, he tries to educate them to show them their
approach is not good or not as productive as it could be. He runs a terrific staff although
there is one or two department heads that he inherited, that, in my mind, needs more help.
He has corrected situations by realigning the chain of command, so that the department
heads involved were given a new supervisor. The new supervisor counseled with them and
straightened things out. He has a very solid staff in Aspen.
He provides a vision to people and pushes them to focus on excellence. He questions how
well they are doing their job, and how they are striving to improve on things. He gives them
the tools and support, with an emphasis on customer service. He reaches out in the
community to get their opinion on how we are doing our job. He communicates with all the
departments and reminds them that we are a resort community, and we need to make sure
that tourists have a good experience. He has added a number of tools to have conversations
CAREER SUMMARY
EDUCATION
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
November 2008-Present
During my 20 year career, I have accumulated extensive policy, financial, and
budgetary experience at the top state and local government levels as well as in the
private sector, all of which have prepared me to effectively lead and manage a
thriving community as City Manager. Specifically, I have served as:
• an executive level member of county administration for the second largest
county in Florida;
• the environmental policy advisor and state-wide local government liaison to
the Governor of Florida, responsible for state policy development and
formation of a $6.5 B budget;
• a registered lobbyist on behalf of both the State of Florida as well as in the
private sector;
• the statewide public affairs and strategic positioning manager for an
international engineering firm; and
• a senior level municipal analyst, where I participated in the creation and
implementation of municipal fiscal and strategic planning.
Master of Public Administration; December 1992
Specialization in Local Government Administration
The Florida State University; Tallahassee, Florida
Bachelor of Science in International Affairs; December 1990
Minors in Business Administration and Political Science
The Florida State University; Tallahassee, Florida
Assistant to the County Administrator-Broward County, Florida
(Broward County is a full service local government serving nearly 1.8 million residents,31 municipalities, and
encompasses 1,220 sq miles (800 sq miles of which is Everglades conservation area). The proposed FY 2013
budget includes 5,464 employees, an operating budget of $2.41 B, and a capital and debt service budget of$1.4B).
• Responsible for managing the activities of assigned County departments, divisions and offices, as well as
exercising administrative control over assigned operations and functions. (Departmental, Division, and
Office responsibilities during my tenure includes oversight of: Aviation, Port Everglades (Seaport), Public
Works, Transportation, Environment and Growth Management, Finance and Administrative Services,
Greater Ft. Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, Office of Economic and Small Business
Development, Parks & Recreation, Libraries Division, Cultural Division, Office of the Medical Examiner,
Office of Public Communications, and the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Professional
Standards).
• Responsible for overseeing and conducting high community profile special assignments and projects,
(including: Major Aviation projects (Aviation's South Runway Expansion $791M, Terminal 4 Gate
Replacement $450M & Terminal Modernization (1-3) $100M), Bank Atlantic Center (Arena) development
analyses, the County's Bond financing activity, Sun Life (Miami Dolphin) Stadium improvement analyses,
the County's Administrative Policies & Ptocedures initiative, County Administration's audit review and
tracking system, as well as representing the County Administrator at community meetings, and serve as
liaison for various municipalities within the County).
• Lead County liaison for the Broward County Ethics Commission.
• Responsible for assisting in the general management of County government and formation of County
Administrator's annual budget recommendations to the County Commission.
I , I I
Monica M. Cepero
Resume -Page 2
• Serve as the County Administration point of contact for the Broward County's Emergency Operations
Center, serve as a member of the County Administrator's Emergency Command Staff, as well as
responsible for the County wide Continuity of Operations Plan (Emergency Management).
• Serve as the County Administration liaison for various County-wide audit reviews and reports.
• Responsible for exercising considerable independent judgment in determining proper courses of action and
developing recommendations for the County Administrator.
• Responsible for performing highly complex administrative assignments under the direction of the County
Administrator in order to assist the County Commission and other county officials in the management of
county government.
• Responsible for recommending, formulating and carrying out administrative principles, practices and
techniques designed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of county governmental services, as well
as analyzing and recommending policies and procedures with strategic foresight as to County wide impact.
• Responsible for proposing innovative approaches to complex problems with respect to the impact of those
decisions County wide.
• Share lead responsibility for the weekly County Commission agenda process, responsibility includes
review and approval of each agenda item that will be considered by the County Commission.
• Responsible for meeting and conferring with individuals and groups to explain, interpret and discuss county
policies on a variety of subjects.
• Serve on selection committees for County wide procurements (past selection committees have included
selection of Countywide master banking services, Underwriting firms, Financial Advising firms,
Supervisor of Elections facility selection, private auto tag providers, and Executive Search firm services).
• Serve on Executive level recruitment teams (including past nationwide recruitments have included Chief
Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer, Parks & Recreation Director, and Assistant Director for the
Office of Economic and Small Business Development).
• Responsible for supervising and participating in studies of departmental programs to determine conformity
with administrative policy.
• Serve in "Acting" capacity for the County Administrator/Deputy County Administrator in their concurrent
absences.
February 2007-June 2008 Manager of Strategic Positioning and Public Affairs
PBS&J (has since been acquired by Atkins Global); Miami, FL office
• Monitored statewide policy and budget development and guided the finn's professional technical staff in
offering clients project ideas which encompassed long range state policy information.
• Oversaw and guided the firm's legislative lobbying team, statewide contracts and all related activities.
• Served as a liaison and central point of contact to state agency secretaries and various local government
clients at the highest levels of the organizations statewide.
• Implemented statewide public relations and marketing strategies and programs to maintain and expand the
firm's active participation in various business opportunities.
January 2000-January 2007 Policy Coordinator, Executive Office of the Governor; Tallahassee, FL
(During the course of my tenure with the Governor's Office, my role evolved and included a wide array of
responsibilities and achievements spanning from the Finance and Economic Analysis oversight of cities in a state
of financial emergency, to development and oversight of all environmental policy and budget initiatives of the state.
I have listed some of the key elements of my roles below).
• Responsible for the policy and budgetary oversight of over $6.5 Band 12,800 employees within the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection, the State's five Water Management Districts (South Florida,
Southwest Florida, St. Johns River, Suwannee River and the Northwest Florida Water Management
Districts), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services, and the Florida Department of Citrus.
Monica M. Cepero
Resume~ Page 3
• Served as a liaison between the Governor's Office, elected officials, federal, state and local agencies,
specialized industries, and the public.
• Served as statewide local government liaison for the Governor.
• Served as one of only seven Policy Coordinators for the Governor, responsible for formulation of all
statewide policy and budget recommendations.
• Responsible for briefing the Governor on a daily basis on all matters related to the environment and
agriculture in the state.
• Responsible for development, passage and oversight of the Governor's statewide environmental and
agricultural policy and budget initiatives.
• Served as a member of the Financial Oversight Board for the City of Miami and the City of Opa Locka as
well as served as a member of the Revenue Estimating Conference responsible for monitoring all local
government financial emergencies statewide.
• Served as primary advisor to the Governor for the passage of many significant pieces of legislation
including: The Florida Energy Technologies and Energy Efficiency Act, the Water Protection and
Sustainability Program (which provides priority funding for alternative water supply projects and
encourages the establishment of cooperative efforts to meet the state's future water needs), the preservation
of nearly 74,000 acres of land by the passage of the Babcock Preservation Act, Workers' Compensation
reform (of 2003), and Revision Seven to Article V of the State of Florida Constitution (State funding of
courts).
• Prepared revenue and economic impact analyses of proposed legislation, on local government and tax
policy issues, as well as monitored complex implementation efforts of local government tax sources of
revenue.
• Made determinations for state approval or denial for waiver of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) local government match for reimbursement of disaster related expenses.
May 1992-January 2000 Senior Management Analyst, Department of Management and Administration
(Office of Budget and Policy); City of Tallahassee, Florida
(After a series of promotions over the course of my tenure with the City, beginning as a Management Intern with
the Office of the City Manager and advancing through various levels of analyst positions in the Office of Budget
and Policy, my responsibilities progressively increased and included the following):
• During the course of my tenure at the City, I coordinated, developed, and oversaw city-wide fiscal and
strategic planning initiatives, budget preparation and administration for each of the 25 municipal
departments, which included generating expenditure data base projections, forecasting, analyzing and
monitoring daily operations of departmental budgets, as well as conducting analyses and offering
consulting services to City departments on management and budgetary best practices.
• City-wide Coordinator for Performance Measurement and Reporting.
• Project Manager for City-wide Fire Services Charge implementation.
• Annexation Team-Lead: Directed annexation team, resulting in a 19% increase in City acreage.
• Directed groups as a facilitator throughout the City organization on such issues as performance data
benchmarking initiatives, service area accountability efforts, incident review cases, and organizational
survey findings resulting in best management practices.
• Created and conducted presentations for the City Manager and prepared City Commission agenda items.
Monica M. Cepero
Resume -Page 4
OTHER Management Style and Abilities -Strategic thinker with a proven track record as a visionary
leader; utilize participative management approaches; listen and value Commission,
community, and employee views; consensus builder; employ a strong ethics focus in the
workforce; encourage a diverse and inclusive workforce and community; ability to balance
neighborhood and business community concerns; possess excellent written and oral
communication skills; excellent interpersonal skills; solid project management skills; strong
budgetary and financial skills; am a prudent steward of public resources; and, a competent
fiscal conservative and resourceful leader.
Other Language -Spanish
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS, BOARDS & APPOINTMENTS
International City/County Management Association (ICMA) member (1991-1999, then 2007-Present)
• Workplace Diversity Committee member (1996-1999), Chairperson -Subcommittee for research on the
effects of Affirmative Action in higher education, Workplace Diversity Scholarship recipient (1992)
Florida City/County Management Association, member (1991-2002, then 2007-Present)
• Assistant's Committee (1995 -2000), Assistant's Scholarship recipient (1996)
International Hispanic Network, member (subsidiary ofiCMA) (1992-2002, then 2007-Present)
Hispanic Leadership Network, Charter Member (2012-Present)
Florida State Employee Charitable Campaign (2002 -2007) appointed by the Governor as Statewide Steering
Committee member, Executive Management Team member, and Governor's Office agency coordinator
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Monroe County, Member of the Board of Directors
(2007-Present), served as Co-Chair Policy Committee (2007-2012)
SAVE Dade (Safeguarding American Values for Everyone) Member of the Board of Directors (2009-Present)
United Way ofBroward County Public Policy Advisory Committee (2011-2012)
Superbowl XLIV Host Committee, Member (2010)
Sustainable Florida, Collins Center, Member of the Board of Directors
(2007-2011), served as Secretary (2010-2011)
Women's Fund of Miami-Dade County, Member of the Board of Directors (2007-2010)
The Florida Bar Association, Grievance Committee member for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Division 11E,
appointee (2007 -201 0)
American Council ofYoung Political Leaders, appointee (2005), current alumni member
Order of Omega National Fraternity Leadership Honorary, appointee (1990), cunent alumni member
Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, member (1987-1990); Chapter Advisor (1995-1999); current alumni member
REFERENCES FURNISHED UPON REQUEST
BOB MURRAY & ASSOCIATES
SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
(to be combined with City Commissioners' questions)
City Manager -City of Miami Beach, Florida
OPENING QUESTIONS
1. We have all had an opportunity to review yout resume. Please explain, from your
perspective, how your background prepares you for this position.
2. Please describe your experience within the following specific areas:
• Community /Neighborhood Engagement
• Capital Improvement Projects
• Economic Development
• Budgeting/Financial Management
• Strategic Planning and Performance Based Initiatives
3. What would we learn about you if we contacted a cross section of citizens from your current
or most recent community including supporters, detractors, and community organizations?
4. With the continuing fiscal constraints faced by cities, how would you recommend the Board
of Commissioners, City Manager, and staff deal with increased demands for se1vices?
CLOSING QUESTIONS
5. From your vantage point, what do you perceive to be the opportunities and challenges facing
the City of Miami Beach, now and in the future? Please be specific.
6. Why are you interested in the City Manager position with Miami Beach? Is there anything
you would like to add or clarify before we conclude? Do you have any questions of us?
Notes
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY MANAGER
RATING SHEET
Monica Cepero
Fair Good Superior Outstanding
1. Job Preparation-background,
technical knowledge and training
appropriate for this level o/ position; 0 0 0 0 demonstrates understanding if local
and regional service delivery issues
I 2. Leadership Skills -personal style
I ;
appropriate for this job; "bigpictttre" viewpoint;
collaborative, team-oriented approach; risk-taker; 0 D D 0
innovative; goal-oriented
3. Interpersonal Skills -able to form
efftctive relationships, both instde and
outside the organization;persuasive; D D 0 D
positive; diplomatic; empathetic;
approachable
4. Oral Communication and
Reasoning Skills -dear and
efftctive communicator;presents well-0 D D D organized, logical flow o/ thoughts and
iriformation; strongproblem-solving
skills
5. Organizational Fit-management
style and approach compatible with
the City;flexible; creative; strong customer service,
0 0 0 D team/ community orientation
Greatest Strengths for this Position:
Areas of Hesitation/ Concern:
Reference Questions
Client/Position: City of Miami Beach, City Manager
Candidate Name: Monica Cepero
Reference Name: How long and in what capacity have you known the candidate?
Nicki Grossman, President, Greater Ft. Lauderdale Convention & Visitor's Bureau
100 East Broward Blvd. Suite 200, Ft. Laudet·dale, FL 33301,
NGROSSMAN@broward.org, cell: (954) 993-6166
I have known Monica in a professional capacity as the Assistant to the County Administrator
fot approximately five years. Monica currently oversees the Convention & Visitor's Bureau
as one of her assigned departmental responsibilities.
Jeb Bush, Former Governor, State of Florida, Former employer, 1200 Anastasia, Suite
500, Coral Gables, FL 33134, jeb@jeb.org, office: (305) 416-2626 (0), (305) 719-0355.
I have known her since she started working for me when I became Governor. Monica
worked in the Office of Policy and Budget. I was pretty engaged in the budget process, so
Monica and I worked closely together. She is a very talented lady, and she did a fine job.
Bertha Henry, County Administrator, Broward County, Current employer, 115 S.
Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301, bhenry@broward.org, office: (954) 357-7362
I have known Monica since 1998. She was working for the Governor's office at the time,
and I was working for the City of Miami. She was the contact person that I worked with in
the Governor's office.
Clarence Anthony, President, Anthony Government Solutions, 1665 Palm beach
Lakes Blvd., Suite 520, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, Cant33@aol.com, cell (561) 310-
8877. Former employer at PBS&J. Clarence was on the Executive Board of
Directors, was a Senior Vice President, and was the Chief Marketing Officer for the
firm. He also was the Mayor of South Bay, Florida for 24 years and setved as the
President of the Florida League of Cities, as well as the National League of Cities.
I have known Monica for seven years now. I was her supervisor at PBS&J.
Alina Hudak, Deputy Mayor/County Manager Miami-Dade County, Stephen P.
Clark Center 111 NW 1st Street, Suite 2910 Miami, FL 33128-1994,
ath2@miamidade.gov, office (305) 375-2531. She worked with Monica in a variety of
capacities related to neighboring county issues, as well as served on the Super Bowl
XLIV Host Committee together.
I have known Monica as my peer and colleague. We served as representatives on the Super
Bowl XLIV Host Committee in 2010. Monica was responsible for Broward County's tole in
that Super Bowl.
Scarlet D. Pigott (former Budget Chief, Environmental Policy Unit, and one of
Monica's subordinates in Governor Jeb Bush's office) Currently, Staff Director,
Health & Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, The Florida Senate, Suite
201, The Capitol 404 South Monroe Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399,
Scarlet.pigott@laspbs.state.fl.us, office (850) 487-5148.
I have known Monica since 2003. We worked together in Governor Bush's office, and she
became my policy coordinator in the environmental policy unit. I worked for her until the
end of Governor Bush's term.
How would you characterize Monica's management style?
interpersonal skills?
How are her
Monica directly oversees the Tourist Development Council, and I am the Director of that
department. She is a big advocate on behalf of the tourism industty. Het management style
is great. She generates great respect from the people she manages. I don't tecommend
people vety often, but I did it happily for her. She works very hard and is vety often the last
petson to leave the office. Her intetpersonal skills ate tertific. She has a vety soothing
natute. She takes on issues and gives you the feeling that she is there for you. She wants to
be well advised and does not take things for granted. She works titelessly as an advocate.
Her interpersonal skills are great. She is vety hands-on. She is not a micro manager. She
was not familiat with our environmental policy unit, and she stepped in and quickly became
familiat with out budget process. She was tespected fot her leadership abilities with the staff
and let them work independently.
I have not observed Monica in a supervisoty role. Her intetpersonal skills are great. We
worked well together and complimented each other. She is an excellent communicator and
worked vety well with the group. She did a great job at managing the areas she was
responsible for on the Super Bowl Host Committee.
Her interpersonal skills are excellent. She communicates well, written as well as orally. Her
management style is collaborative. She is very interested in getting other people's input as a
part of the team. She is a good decision maker.
She has great interpersonal skills. She is easy to talk to and vety business otiented but not
abrasive. Her management style is collaborative.
Her management style is excellent. She is a team player. She is collegial and can be tough
and forceful. The job she had was part of a much larger effort. She actually acquired more
management skills in Broward County than she did with out office. She was smatt, always
prepared and highly respected. She was vety easy to get along with.
What is her technical experience and knowledge as related to the position?
I told her when she wanted to apply for the position in Miami Beach that she will be
jumping from a big pan into a hot fire, but I believe she is ready fot the transition. She has
had experience in many situations that Broward County faces such as airport, seaport,
economic development, transportation and many other responsibilities. She is very much
trusted by the employees and the rest of the department heads that deal with her. She
generated respect from the members of d1e Super Bowl Host Committee.
Her experience with the City of Tallahassee and under Governor Bush's administration is
helpful in preparing her for the City Manager position for Miami Beach. She was
instrumental in getting the Governor's policies and budget passed. Within the policy unit, I
was her budget chief and there were four analysts, and we worked together with the water
district and the environmental agencies. Those agencies included the Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Wildlife Conservation Commission. She worked
with all agencies to help implement the Governor's initiatives in developing his policy and
budget. She worked with the members, staff and legislature to bring about a successful
outco1ne.
Broward County is a large urban county and if you excel in it, you have the capability of
managing any city or county. I don't know much about her background, but I believe she
started in state government in Tallahassee with Governor Bush. She has diverse experience
with city and county government. She also has many different qualities from her past
experience at the state level.
From what I know, Monica has a long history of working in local, state and county
government which provides her with exceptionally well rounded knowledge of government
procedures. Her recent role working with the County Administrator in Broward County has
given her the opportunity to work direcdy with the elected officials and that takes a special
talent. She has the ability to understand their goals and that there is a balance. She works
with the elected officials on a day-to-day basis.
For Broward County, she is the Assistant to the County Administrator, so she works in a full
service county government. We have an airport, seaport, convention center, arena and
transportation to name a few so it is a full service government, and she works on a variety of
projects. She also works closely with the Board of Commissioners.
She is the Assistant to the County Administrator in Broward County. Her job in Tallahassee
involved working with local and county issues from the perspective of the state government
in relation to local districts and city governments.
How does she relate with the Council, City or County Manager, or those she reports
to?
She reports to the County Administrator and the County Commission. The Commissioners
are very aware of the role that assistants play. Our County Administrator gives her a lot of
responsibility, and she has done very well.
She absolutely has great interpersonal skills and is very respectful of other people. She
related well when working with the Governor, senior staff and the legislature when making
presentations.
Monica is highly regarded and well respected. She has an outstanding rapport with the
Council and County Administrator. She related well with the Board when we worked
together on the Super Bowl Host Committee.
As a person that she reported to, she always gave me her opinion when I asked her. She
always gave me vety honest, direct and transparent input in a respectful way. She was always
very well educated and prepared when she provided input in meetings.
Monica reports to me directly. There are times when she is assigned to a particular project
and many times this involves working directly with the Board members. She relates vety
well with the Board, and she makes sure they are informed on all the projects.
She presents herself vety well. She was primarily involved with presentations of the budget
to determine whether bills should be signed or vetoed. · She is also bilingual and bi-cultural
which was an asset.
How does she relate with the other Department heads? What about with peers,
community groups or the public?
She related vety well. When working on the Super Bowl Host Committee, she was
interacting with the public all the time. She never hesitated to answer questions, and she
always had the appropriate answer. She was comfortable in a crowd or one-on-one.
She related vety well. She was courteous, respectful, vety outgoing and always good about
getting to know people.
I would have to refer back to our Super Bowl experience where there was a large security
operation. We all developed good relationships with her. We had never had good relations
with Broward County before and this developed into a long term relationship.
With her peers, she always recognized that it is important to be a part of a team, and she
worked hard to make sure that she played that role as a team inember. She worked hard at
being able to reach out corporately to different players in the organization to make sure she
got all the information she needed. She was very resourceful in working with team members
in the organization.
Again, she is one of three assistants to the County Administrator. You have to work well, or
you would not be effective in this job. This job requires working with departments, agencies
and the Board of Commissioners, and she understands the basic fundamentals of the job.
I never had a complaint. We had some pretty tough sih1ations where we had to bring bad
news to people. There were several unruly districts who did not want to be held
accountable. Monica handled it all vety well in difficult circumstances.
What would you say are Monica's significant accomplishments?
Working with the County Government would be her single most significant
accomplishment. Evetything that she has put her hands on has a successful conclusion.
The Commission was constantly facing economic issues impacting many levels of
government, and Monica had to respond to the County Commission's decisions. We are a
full service government with an airport, seaports, visitor's bureau and other services, and she
always followed through and completed her assignments.
She was very successful as Governor Bush's policy coordinator. Monica assisted in pushing
the policies through and was very successful in working with the members to pass the
Governor's initiatives. Around 2005, there was a growth management and water policy issue
which was huge for Governor Bush, and she was very instrumental in getting the initiative
passed. She is very good at making her case for particular funding issues, and she was always
prepared and provided the facts.
I think to be in the capacity she is in at the highest level in a large county government, is very
significant and a huge accomplishment career wise. She has longevity and is a consistent
performer.
First of all, in our organization, she came in from state government, and she made sure she
created relationships throughout the agency. She brought value to public policy discussions.
She was successful in being able to design a political action strategy nationally. She has had
state government and private sector experience and has worked hard to prove her value.
We probably have the most stringent ethic codes in the State of Florida. Monica was the
point person in working with the committee to get an ethics code put in place and work with
staff to get it implemented.
She brought order to unyielding local district problems within the State of Florida where
people were passing taxes without voter approval. This was against my policies and Monica
established the guidelines which became the means by which the counties knew the taxes
would be vetoed or passed. This was a very significant victory because a lot of local
government entities had fmancial problems.
Please tell me about anything that Monica could improve upon. Are there any areas
where she might not have a strong skill set or might not have had as much exposure
to? What are her weaknesses?
No, I am not aware of any weaknesses. The position she now holds has her prepared to
work with elected officials. The position at Miami Beach would be a new experience for her,
but I believe she is prepared and could handle anything they throw at her. I think she has
the capability of working with the elected officials to handle whatever comes along and is
prepared to fix what needs to be changed.
I am not aware of any weaknesses. What she did not know, she took the time to learn and
understand the issues completely.
I am not aware of any weaknesses.
In her role as the Assistant to the County Administrator of Broward County, she has the
temperament and humility to work for five elected officials. She has the temperament one
needs in order to be a public servant. I cannot think of any weaknesses.
I really am not aware of any weaknesses. She has a financial background and many of the
projects I have given her require a lot of financial analysis. I don't know of any negatives.
I am not aware of any weaknesses. She is a solid public servant.
We will be conducting a very thorough search of newspaper articles as well as a
Google search on Monica. To your knowledge is there anything out there whether
true or not that warrants an explanation? Anything that would embarrass our client?
I believe not.
No, I don't know her personally, but I am not aware of anything.
I don't know of anything negative. She is a great candidate for the City of Miami Beach.
She is an outstanding Assistant to the County Administrator.
Not to my lmowledge.
No, I know of nothing at all.
No.
EMANUEL MAYER
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2011 -present
2008-2011
1996-2008
1994-1996
1994
SALARY
Mayer Development Group, Inc., Miami Beach, FL
President
City of Miami Beach, FL
Special Assistant to the City Manager
Mayer Development Group, Inc., Miami Beach, FL
President
Arber & Associates, Miami, FL
Project Engineer
United Nations, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
United Nations Development Program Engineering Project Manager
Mr. Mayer reports a current annual salary in excess of $300,000.
EDUCATION
1994
1987
B.S., Civil Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
A.A., Miami Dade College, Miami, FL
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
40 plus yeats-Miami Beach resident; degteed engineer; leader in business and cotntnunity; strategic
visionaty; expert negotiator; accomplished entrepteneut (founder of Miami-Beach based engineering
and construction fttm); state-licensed general contractor; over 20 yeats experience in management of
construction, engineering, projects (U.S. and intetnational) and business development; recruited to
advise City of Miami Beach City Manager and Commission on critical City issues and City's strategic
plans
Key Attributes:
Life-long Miami Beach resident, Miami-Beach homeowner, and owner of Miami-Beach based
business; degreed engineer; analytical problem-solver; natural motivator and cotntnunlcator;
established working relationships with management level personnel in Miami-Dade County and in
munlcipalities neighboring Miami Beach; established excellent working relationship with current City
Commission and City Mayor; established excellent working relationship with City department
directors and staff
Ready for job on Day 1 (e.g. have concrete strategic plans to effectively deal with City's ftte and
police unions in equitable manner); proven team leader; consensus builder; trained negotiator;
graduate of City of Miami Beach Employee Academy
Broad overall knowledge of City of Miami Beach, its strengths and challenges in the near-and long-
term; intimately familiar with the City of Miami Beach in the following ctitical areas:
• City's key intended outcomes ("KIO's")
• City's Convention Center master plan
• City's stormwater master plan and technical issues related to same
• City's aging infrastructure (roads, water and sewer systems) and technlcal issues related to
same
• City's Capital Improvement Program (including ongoing projects)
• City's Public Works Department
• City's Building Department issues
• City's Code Enforcement/Compliance issues
• City's challenges regarding collective bargaining agreements
• City's cotntnunlty leaders and other City stakeholders
• City's standing advisoty committees and boards
• City's existing talent pool and redundant and/ or inefficient staffing
23437634.1
Professional Experience:
Mayer Development Group, Inc.
Miatni Beach, Florida
1996 to present (with hiatus noted below)
President and founding principal of consulting engineering flrm
Kry accomplishments:
• work at all levels of management of construction and development including direct
interaction with owners, banks, community, developers, other professionals, planners,
designers and labor
• work on budgeting and budget implementation for ftrm and ftrm projects
• project management of large-scale projects
• labor efflciency and management training
• expert witness services (engineering and construction)
City of Miami Beach
Miatni Beach, Florida
Special Assistant to the City Manager
November 2008-january 2011
Senior managerial capacity with broad oversight of the general efflciencies and operations of the
Capital Improvements Program and the Public Works Department
Kry accomplishments:
• advised City Manager and City Comtnission regarding cost, methodology and efflciency of
City's Capital Improvements Program and Public Works Department
• successfully implemented new efflciency and cost-saving programs in major projects (e.g. in-
house design)
• saved the City of Miatni Beach over $3.0 million the ftrst year on the job through direct
negotiations with various parties and city vendors, analysis of relevant costs and expenditures
and performance of contractual reconstructing and cost-leveraging techniques
• alerted City administration to major issues and flaws regarding Government Cut dredge
project
• conducted a negotiations seminar to train management-level City employees to better
negotiate contracts with City vendors
• worked with the Procurement Department to develop a schedule of professional fees to be
used for City vendors
• assisted ToU1·ism Department in developing costs for City of Miatni Beach Convention
Center master renovation plan
• developed excellent relationships with City's community leaders through ftrst-hand
knowledge and understanding of community's needs and wants
23437634.1 2
• developed strategic initiative of "green alleys"
Arber & Associates May 1994-]uly 1996
Miami, Florida
Project Engineer for Consulting Structural Engineering firm
Kry responsibilities & accomplishments:
• Project management
• Structural design
• Stiuctural and building inspections
United Nations
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
United Nations Development Program
Engineering Project Manager
Kry responsibilities & accomplishments:
October-December 1994
• Conducted structural inspections of public school buildings
• Compiled data of evaluated structural components
• Prepared and presented study to the United Nations for submission to the World Bank
• Supervised and oversaw construction and material purchase orders for public school
buildings
• Preparation of specifications for material purchase orders for public school buildings
Notable Awards: Awarded "Emanuel Mayer Day" proclamation on September 15, 2010 by the City
of Miami Beach City Commission and City Mayor to honor efforts in leading and organizing "Rock
for Haiti," a city-wide concert which tapped the musical talent of city-wide employees to raise funds
for Haiti hurricane relief efforts
Licenses: State of Florida Certified General Contractor, CGC 059108
Professional affiliations: Florida Engineering Society
American Society of Civil Engineers
National Society of Professional Engineers (Associate)
Order of the Engineer
Education: Miami Dade College, A.A., 1985-1987
23437634.1
Institute of American Universities, Aix-en-Provence, France, 1987
University of Florida, College of Civil Engineering, 1988-1993
University of South Florida, College of Civil Engineering, B.S., 1993-1994
Hatvard Univetsity, Executive Education Program, Kennedy School of Government,
2009
3
I ' ,,
BoB MURRAY & ASSOCIATES
SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
(to be combined with City Commissionets' questions)
City Manager -City of Miami Beach, Florida
OPENING QUESTIONS
1. We have all had an opportunity to review your resume. Please explain, ftom your
perspective, how your backgtound prepares you for this position.
2. Please describe your experience within the following specific ateas:
• Community/Neighborhood Engagement
• Capital Imptovement Projects
• Economic Development
• Budgeting/Financial Management
• Strategic Planning and Perfotmance Based Initiatives
3. What would we learn about you if we contacted a ctoss section of citizens ftom your current
or most tecent community including suppotters, detractots, and community organizations?
4. With the continuing fiscal constraints faced by cities, how would you recommend the Board
of Commissioners, City Manager, and staff deal with increased demands for services?
CLOSING QUESTIONS
5. From your vantage point, what do you perceive to be the opportunities and challenges facing
the City of Miami Beach, now and in the future? Please be specific.
6. Why are you interested in the City Manager position with Miami Beach? Is there anything
you would like to add or clarify before we conclude? Do you have any questions of us?
Notes
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY MANAGER
RATING SHEET
Emanuel Mayer
Fair Good Superior Outstanding
1. Job Preparation-background,
technical knowledge and training
appropriate for this level of position; D D D D
demonstrates understanding of local
and regional service delivery issues
2. Leadership Skills -personal style
appropriate for this job; "big picture" viewpoint;
collaborative, team-oriented approach; risk-taker; D D D D
innovative; goal-oriented
3. Interpersonal Skills -able to form
effectitJe relationships, both inside and
outside the ot;ganization;persuasive; D D D D
positive; diplomatic; empathetic;
approachable
4. Oral Communication and
Reasoning Skills -clear and
effective communicator;presents well-D D D D ot;ganized, logical flow of thottghts and
information; strong problem-solving
skills
5. Organizational Fit-management
style and approach compatible with
the City;j!exible; creative; strong customer service,
D D D D team/ community orientation
Greatest Strengths for this Position:
Areas of Hesitation/ Concern:
Reference Questions
Client/Position: City of Miami Beach, City Manager
Candidate Name: Emanuel Mayer
Reference Name: How long and in what capacity have you known the candidate?*
::·Note: Mr. Mayer included several current City of Miami Beach City Commissioners
as references. Under the circumstances, we did not contact these Commissioners.
Neisen Kasdin, Esq., Managing Partner Akerman Senterfitt, Former Commissioner & Mayor
of the City of Miami Beach. neisen.kasdin@akerman.com, 305-3 7 4-0651, 305-318-8624.
I have known Emanuel for 3-4 years. Most of my interaction with him has been as a private
engineer and also when he was an assistant with the City of Miami Beach.
Ari Sklar, RA, President, Sklarchitecture. Ari@sklarchitect.com, 954-925-9292, 786-326-2747
(m). Left messages; waiting for callback 1/25/13.
Fernando Vazquez, P.E., City of Miami Beach Capital Improvements Projects Director,
fernandovazquez@miamibeachfl.gov, 305-673-7000, 954-261-7188.
I have known Emanuel since 2008. I knew him when he was a Special Assistant to the City
Manager for the City of Miami Beach. I worked under and in support of his role with the
City Manager to insure that cost control was running effectively and that the costs were
being controlled for all the projects.
How would you characterize Emanuel's management style?
interpersonal skills?
How are his
He is a strategic thinker, and he is extremely well qualified when it comes to negotiations.
He works vety diligently to capture both sides of the equation to reach and achieve
consensus when it comes to different ideas. He is very good at formulating different
processes from conception into reality. He defines the process and incorporates ideas out of
the box to ensure the projects get completed appropriately.
His interpersonal skills are great. His management style is constructive and he approaches
things positively. He is vety patient and likes to teach people and walk them through things.
He has a constructive, positive approach and reinforces his relationships among team
members.
What is his technical experience and knowledge as related to the position?
He is vety well seasoned with respect to handling the public and private sector. He is vety
eager and much involved in applying all his technical expertise for integrated solutions. He
has worked for internal clients and external agencies. He is a strategic thinker who
incorporates different solutions. He understands the funding and financing concepts and
how to streamline to reduce risk. He is a dynamic reader, innovative and thinks out of the
box on a high level. He has good verbal and writing skills. He has a great understanding in
dealing with high complex conttactual negotiations, procurement processes, development of
capital projects, bonds and state and federal grants.
He is very knowledgeable and knows City government. He is familiar with a number of
departments and knows about private business and the engineering business. His approach
is logical, orderly, and he has many years of experience in building. He has lived in Miarni
Beach for many years and knows the community. There will be no learning cutve for him.
How does he relate with the Council, City or County Manager, or those he reports
to?
He relates very well in discussions with the Conunissioners. He is a good listener and a
persuasive speaker. A good City Manager should be able to draw consensus. When there
are specific issues to be debated, you must first and foremost be a good listener and
understand the issues. Emanuel goes into the issues in depth and is very detailed oriented.
In being articulate and with his overall knowledge, he captures each individual idea to reach
consensus. The most important priority is to achieve consensus and Emanuel has been
successful with the elected officials in this regard.
I think he relates very well. In a difficult situation, the City Manager and department heads
are highly political, and he has been able to withstand those situations.
How does he relate with the other Department Heads? What about with peers,
community groups or the public?
I have the deepest respect in how he has dealt with me. I cannot speak about the
department heads, but I have heard no negative remarks from anyone. Part of his job was to
go into the City when he was working with cost conttol and make sure there was no wasteful
spending. He conducted himself in such a manner that he was able to address the issues
without interfering with the operation or personal relationships with individuals.
He is very knowledgeable and relates well with community groups, peers, department heads
and the public. He has a way of malting his point without being confrontational. He has a
low key, non-threatening approach.
What would you say are Emanuel's significant accomplishments?
Overall; he is highly respected by the City. He was able to institute a methodology in the
City that helped to conttol cost in the Capital Improvements Program and in the Public
Works Department. He drew out other ideas from the standpoint of taking into account
areas that were not as developed such as "green alleys." He was involved with the City
adtninisttation in regard to major issues with the Government Cut dredge project. He was
also insttumental in successfully implementing new cost saving programs in major projects
to name a few.
I would say his most significant accomplishment that I am aware of is that he got the Capital
Improvements Program up and running.
Please tell me about anything that Emanuel could improve upon. Are there any
areas where he might not have a strong skill set or might not have had as much
exposure to? What are his weaknesses?
Sorne rnay consider the fact that he has not been a City Manager before a weakness.
Sornetirnes you rnay hire people who have worked here or in other cities as a City Manager
and they carne in and institute a culture that is not fitting. Emanuel's experience at the top
administrative level has given hirn the respective ingredients to become a vety good rnanager
for the City of Miarni Beach. To bring in someone with a clean slate who is a diamond in
the rough and really works hard to become a great manager, that is an asset.
He is not experienced in city rnanagernent but experienced in business and that rnore than
rnakes up for it.
We will be conducting a very thorough search of newspaper articles as well as a
Google search on Emanuel. To your knowledge is there anything out there whether
true or not that warrants an explanation? Anything that would embarrass our client?
No. I think anything that rnay have happened in the past will be in the papers. I know of
one tirne there was an issue with a former Director of a department, but that has been
something in the past, but nothing that would embarrass your client.
No. I don't know of anything.
JIMMY MORALES
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2000 -present
1998-2000
1993-1998
1991-1993
1989-1991
1998-1989
1987-1998
SALARY
Stearns, Weaver, Miller, Weissler, Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A., Miami Beach,
FL
Shareholder
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, P.A., Miami, FL
Shareholder
Coli, Davidson, Carter, Smith, Salter & Barket P.A., Miami, FL
Shareholder
Debevoise & Pilmpton LLP, New York, NY
Senior Associate
Davis, Polk & Wardell, LLP, Washington, D.C., & New York, NY
Associate
United States District Court Judge Edward B. Davis, Miami, FL
Judicial Law Clerk
Davis, Polk & Wardell, LLP, Washington, D.C., & New York, NY
Associate
Mr. Morales reports a current annual salary in excess of $200,000.
EDUCATION
1987
1984
J.D., Law, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA
B.A., Government, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA
Jimmy L. Morales
Education
Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1984-1987
• J.D.; Magna Cum Laude; President, HLS Student Bar Association; National Board of Governors, Law Student Division
of the ABA (elected by the Northeast law schools)
Harvard College, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1980-1984
• B.A. in Government; Magna Cum Laude; Phi Beta Kappa; Delivered the Harvard Oration on Class Day as part of the
Undergraduate Commencement Program; Research Fellow of the Harvard Center for International Affairs; Voice of
Harvard Footb<1ll and Baseball, WHRB 95.3 FM
Miami Beach Senior High School, Miami Beach, Florida, 1977 -1980
• Salutatorian; Student Council President; Recipient of the Miami Herald Silver Knight Award for General
Scholarship; Selected as a U.S. Presidential Scholar; Florida State Champion in Two Man Debate
• Inducted into the Miami-Beach Senior High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame, 2004
Municipal Experience
City of Miami, Florida, Chairman of the Code Enforcement Board, 1994 • 1996
Miami-Dade County, Florida, Board of County Commissioners, 1996 • 2004
• County Commissioner representing District 7
• Chairman ofthe Budget and Finance Committee 1996-2002
• · Chairman of the Mayor's Task Force on Efficiency and Competition 1996-2004
• County Liaison to the Downtown Development Authority 1996-2004
• County Liaison to the Miami-Dade County League of Cities 1996-2004
• NACO Deferred Compensation Advisory Committee
City of Miami Beach, Florida, Chief Special Master, 2005-2007
City of Marathon, Florida, City Attorney, 2006 -2009
City ofDoral, Florida, City Attorney, 200.9 ·Present
Florida Atlantic Research and Development Authority, General Counsel, 2012 ·Present
Special Master for the municipalities of Miami Gardens, North Miami, Sunny Isles Beach and Surfside, 2005-Present
City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, Special Collective Bargaining Counsel, 2010-2012
City of Miami Gardens, Florida, Special Collective Bargaining Counsel, 2011-Present
Special outside counsel for assorted matters for the Cities of Coral Gables and Miami Gardens, 2011-Present
Government Achievements
As Miami-Dade County Commissioner, I played a significant role in the following accomplishments and projects:
• Preparing and sponsoring the legislation creating the Miami·Dade Ethics Commission
• Preparing and sponsoring the legislation creating the Miami Dade Sports Commission, promoting youth, amateur and
professional sports in Miami· Dade County
• Creation of the Mayor's Taskforce on Efficiency and Competition, which under my chairmanship identified and
implemented many projects across County government that saved millions of dollars and upgraded technology
• Preparing and enacting the legislation reforming the campaign finance rules in County elections, including the creation
of the first ever local public financing program in the State of Florida for County Mayor and County Commission races
• Co-sponsor of the historic Human Rights ordinance in 1998 that added sexual orientation to the County's anti-
discrimination laws
• Preparing and sponsoring the legislation creating the Office of Commission Auditor, to ensure that the County
. Commission had the finance and accounting resources necessary to review budget, contracts and economic proposals,
and thus provide better oversight over the professional management of the County
• Preparing and sponsoring legislation that reformed and eliminated many of the unethical practices in the common
practice of collecting and submitting absentee ballots (unfortunately, the State Legislature subsequently adopted
statues that preempted local control on this issue and repealed any such restrictive rules)
• Created an Apprenticeship program in the Miami-Dade Transit Department, in collaboration with Miami-Dade County
Schools and Miami-Dade College, whereby local residents meeting certain economic criteria would be trairied (at no
cost to them and during which time they would receive a salary) as mechanics to work on Metro buses. The program
served the dual role of creating jobs for locals and helping the Department address a shortage of qualified mechanics.
• Preparing and sponsoring the "Cone of Silence" legislation that reduced influence peddling in the public procurement
process by prohibiting any lobbying activities while a procurement solicitation is outstanding
• Chaired the Task Force assigned to evaluate the County's Special Transportation System for the elderly and disabled,
and working with both passenger representatives and industry leaders, presented and implemented significant reforms
Employment Experience
Stearns Weaver Miller WeisslerAlhadeff & Sitterson, P.A.; Miami, Florida; 2000-Present
• Shareholder and Member of the Board of Directors; Specialize in Local Government Law and Land Use
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, P.A., Miami, Florida, 1998 -2000
• Shareholder; Specialized in Corporate and International Law
Coli, Davidson, Carter, Smith, Salter & Barkett, P.A., Miami, Florida, 1993 • 1998
• Shareholder, Specialized in Corporate and International Law
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP; New York, New York, 1991·1993
• Senior Associate; Specialized in Corporate and International Law
Davis PoUt & Wardwell, LLP; Washington D.C. and New York, New York; 1987 and 1989 • 19<J1
• Associate; Corporate and International Law
United States District Court Judge Edward B. Davis, Southern District of Florida, Miami, Florida, 1988
• Judicial Law Clerk; research cases for the Judge; drafted opinions, orders and memoranda oflaw
Community Involvement
• Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trustees
• Dade Community Foundation (n/k/a The Miami Foundation), past Chairman and Board Member
• The DadeFund, Board of Trustees-a fund under the auspices of The Miami Foundation founded by Hugh Westbrook
and Esther Colliflower, dedicated to children's issues in Miami-Dade County
• . Leadership Florida, Graduate (Class XVIII) and past Board member
Leadership Miami, Graduate and frequent speaker at their animal programs
• Autism Speaks, Co-Fo:under and Co-chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Miami Chapter
• South Florida National Parks Trust, Board of Trustees
• Silver Knight Alumni Legacy Network, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors
• Orange Bowl Committee, Active Member
• WLRN Community Advisory Board, Member
• American Red Cross, Board Member
• Livability Task Force of the Miami-Dade Alliance for Human Services, past Chairman .. National PTA Hispanic Advisory Board, former Member
• Autism Speaks, Walk Co-Chairman 2006 and 2007
• Florida Heart Research Institute, Chairman of Heart of a Chef, 2010, 2011,2012
• East Little Havana CDC, former Board Member
• Asp ira of Florida, former Board Member
• Crime Stoppers of Miami-Dade County, former Board Member
II The Florida Bar, Eminent Domain Committee and the Annual Meeting Committee, past Board Member
II Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida, former Board Member
• Neighborhood Lending Partners of South Florida, past Board Member
II University of Miami Center for Autism and Related Disorders, past Advisory Board Member
• 5,000 Role Models of Excellence Project, past Mentor
• Miami-Dade Democratic Party, Chairman, 2005-2007
Awards
• Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Bill Colson Leadership Award for Outstanding Leadership and Superior Ability
• SAVE Dade Champion of Equality, 2006
• The "Civic Trailblazer" Award from the Miami-Dade Alumni Chapter of Bethune·Cookman College
• The Ambassador of the Arts medal from the Dade Cultural Alliance
• Community Leader of the Year, UM-CARD-NSU Tropical Nights, 2004
• MAXIE Award from the Miami Arts Exchange, 1998
• The Pitirre Award for Leadership from Asp ira of Florida
• The First Annual McClaskey Leadership Award from the Guardianship Program of Dade County
• Public Servant of the Year, Colombian American Service Association, 2004
• South Florida Legal Guide's annual list of"Top Lawyers in South Florida," 2008-2009; 2011
• Florida Super Lawyers, selected for inclusion, 2006-2010
Sldlls & Personal
• Fluent in Spanish
• Admitted to the Florida Bar in 1987 and the District of Columbia Bar in 1989
• Married to Dori Foster-Morales (University of Florida, B.A. 1986, J.D. 1989); met in high school and married 22
years; children Nora (18) and Peter (11); Dori and I were recognized by Florida Trend in 2005 in their "Double
Duty" feature as one of seven two care.er couples statewide who are making a difference in their community.
#2517357 vl
BOB MURRAY & ASSOCIATES
SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
(to be combined with City Commissioners' questions)
City Manager -City of Miami Beach, Florida
OPENING QUESTIONS
1. We have all had an opportunity to review your resume. Please explain, from your
perspective, how your background prepares you for this position.
2. Please describe your experience within the following specific areas:
• Community /Neighborhood Engagement
• Capital Improvement Projects
• Economic Development
• Budgeting/Financial Management
• Strategic Planning and Performance Based Initiatives
3. What would we learn about you if we contacted a cross section of citizens from your current
or most recent community including supporters, detractors, and community organizations?
4. With the continuing fiscal constraints faced by cities, how would you recommend the Board
of Commissioners, City Manager, and staff deal with increased demands for services?
CLOSING QUESTIONS
5. From your vantage point, what do you perceive to be the opportunities and challenges facing
the City of Miami Beach, now and in the future? Please be specific.
6. Why are you interested in the City Manager position with Miami Beach? Is there anything
you would like to add or clarify before we conclude? Do you have any questions of us?
Notes
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY MANAGER
RATING SHEET
Jimmy Morales
Fair Good Superior Outstanding
1. Job Preparation-background,
technical knowledge and training
appropriate for this level of position; D demonstrates understanding of local
D D D
and regional service delivery issues
2. Leadership Skills -personal sryle
appropriate for this job; ''bigpictttre" viewpoint;
collaborative, team-oriented approach; risk-taker; D D D D
innovative; goal-oriented
3. Interpersonal Skills -able to form
iffedive relationships, both inside and
outside the or;ganization;persuasive; D D D D
positive; diplomatic; empathetic;
approachable
4. Oral Communication and
Reasoning Skills -clear and
iffective communicator;presents well-D D D D organized, logical flow of thoughts and
information; strongproblem-solving
skills
5. Organizational Fit-management
sryle and approach compatible with
the Cz!J;flexible; creative; strong customer service,
D D D D team/ communi!)! orientation
Greatest Strengths for this Position:
Areas of Hesitation/ Concern:
Reference Questions
Client/Position: City of Miami Beach, City Manager
Candidate Name: Jimmy L. Morales
Reference Name: How long and in what capacity have you known the candidate?
Merrett Stierheim, Former Miami-Dade County Manager, Miami-Dade Public Schools
Superintendent, Pinellas County Manager, City of Miami Lakes Manager, Executive Director
of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, Cell 305-495-3070,
mrstierheim@tnsn. com
I have known Jimmy for 15 years. I was the County Manager, and he was a County
Commissioner. He was also the City Attorney for the City of Dotal, Florida, and I was also
the Manager there for a while. Jimmy is exceptionally bright. He is a Harvard College Law
School graduate. He was the President of the Student Council at Miami Beach Senior High
School. He is a very solid guy.
Alan Cohen, City Manager for Sunrise, Florida, former City Manager for Sunny Isles Beach,
Florida, former City Manager for Ithaca, New York
Cell 607-279-7725
I have known Jimmy for two years. I initially met him when he worked as a Labor Attorney
for the City, and I was the City Manager for Sunny Isles Beach at the time. I have come to
know him more since then. I also know him through his work as the City Attorney for
Dotal.
Mil\:e Puto
Former City Manager for the City of Marathon, Florida
Cell305-481-0438
Mikeputo@aol.com
I have known Jimmy for 9-10 years, and we are friends. I was the City Manager for the City
of Marathon, Florida, and he was my City Attorney. Jimmy did an awesome job of taking
care of me so that I did not do anything stupid to get into any trouble. He always made sure
we did the right thing.
Mark Taxis, Assistant City Manager of the City of Dotal, Florida, Cell 786-546-4182
Mark. taxis@cityofdoral. com
I have known Jimmy for 3 years. I served as the Assistant City Manager for the City of
Doral where Jimmy is the City Attorney.
Jorge Forte, Former Manager of North Bay Village, Florida, Cell 305-525-0700,
j forte@realmfl. com
I have known Jimmy for quite a few yeats in several capacities. I flrst knew him when he
was a County Commissioner and then really got to know him when he was our City
Attorney for the City of Dotal. My company was the procurement company for the City,
and so we worked hand in hand.
Richard Kuper, Executive Director of the Miami-Dade League of Cities, Cell 305-710-3722
mdclc@bellsouth.net
I have known Jitntny for 30 years. In more recent years, I worked with Jitntny with the
League of Cities. I am the Executive Director for the League of Cities, and Jimmy served as
our Attorney and Counselor on many issues involving city government.
Genaro "Chip" Iglesias (left messages; awaiting callback 1/25/13)
Current Deputy Mayor for Miami-Dade County, former Village Manager for Key Biscayne,
Florida, and former chief of staff to Commissioner Jimmy Morales.
Chipiglesias@miamidade.gov, Cell. 786-299-6744, Off. 305-815-5999
How would you characterize Jimmy's management style? How are his interpersonal
skills?
His interpersonal skills are very strong. I think his management style is really excellent. I
think it will obviously be tested at Miami Beach, but when you look at his background, he
has been dealing with public and private managers for a long time. He has extensive
community involvement with a long list of organizations that he has led, and he has served
on many boards. He has excellent managerial and judgment abilities. People like and
respect him.
On a scale of one to ten, his management style is above an eight. His interpersonal skills are
great. On how he handles and treats people, he would receive a ten. He always made it a
point to resolve and work things out.
Jitntny is a very genuine person who is very nice and also straightforward. He is a very good
communicator and is able to discuss all the issues and concerns in a professional manner.
He is one of these people who everyone tends to like because of his attitude and demeanor.
His interpersonal skills are outstanding. Jimmy is very thorough and he will research an
issue thoroughly before making an informed decision. One of his great strengths is that he
has tremendous integrity and desires to make sure the process is always done exactly as it
should be. He does not cut corners but chooses to do things right. There are people who
may not like the decisions he makes, but he will chose to do the right thing regardless. You
always feel with Jimmy that you are getting a fair shake. He is a pleasure to deal with.
His interpersonal skills are excellent. He was a County Commissioner, but yet in working
with the League of Cities, he knew how to present himself before the elected officials and
was very good at separating himself as an Attorney. He was always very confident and
professional. He is a very intelligent person and he has good managerial skills.
I have had limited exposure to his management style, but I would say he is collaborative and
really tries to engage others in discussions to get everyone in on the issues. His interpersonal
skills are very strong. He has good emotional intelligence and is a very affable individual.
What is his technical experience and knowledge as related to the position?
He has been the City Attorney for Marathon, Florida, and also the City of Dotal, Florida.
He has also been a County Commissioner. For several years now, he has been involved in
the policy making function of the elected body. He understands the push and pull of local
politics and the importance of being accessible, transparent and not playing favorites. He
understands all the dynamics and liabilities involved in municipal government. He loves
Miami. He was born in that City, and he wants to make it a better place and that is his
motivation.
I would think he would do a good job, because he likes to bring people together and do the
right thing. He was always so good to me. I could always go to hun and trust hun. He
believes you should surround yourself with good people, and I trust hun wholeheartedly.
He has a lengthy background in local government from being a policy maker to becoming a
County Commissioner and later a City Attorney. As a City Attorney, he was involved with
management and the legal issues facing our local government. He is also very active in
community boards and organizations, and he understands the issues that local governments
deal with. I was a former City Manager, and I can tell you that Jimmy is in tune with that
aspect of it. Beside his legal background, involvement with local government entities,
working closing with the administration and elected officials, he is qualified to run an
organization.
Junmy grew up on the beach and having had numerous conversations with hun, he has a lot
of passion about becoming the City Manager for Miami Beach to assist with rebuilding and
restoring the trust that has been broken. Jimmy wants to make sure that there are positive
headlines instead of the negative ones in the newspaper. He has a real sense of wanting to
do this because this is his community. Miami Beach obviously has huge issues before them
such as the convention center and other projects, but Jimmy has the aptitude and knowledge
to be able to take on those challenges for hunself and his hometown.
Having served as an elected official in the largest County in the state and worked with the
administration for many years, Junmy has a great reputation. He understands municipal
government from the administration and political sides. He has been the City Attorney for
two different cities and has worked with different managers. I have not worked with Junmy
direcdy, but I know that he has the skills required that are necessary to be able to manage the
City of Miami Beach in an honest and confident manner. Jimmy is very qualified for this
position. If he does not know something, he will learn it. He knows his strong points and
weak points. He will work on strengthening any weak areas.
I used to be an elected official myself as Mayor in upstate New York and then a City
Manager in Florida. Having that experience as an elected official gives you insight into bod1
the needs of the City Commission and the needs of the community, so you bring a more
realistic perspective to the job, more than the bureaucratic perspective that many managers
might bring.
How does he relate with the Council, City or County Manager, or those he reports
to?
He relates well to the elected officials, and he sits in on comrnission meetings. He is vety
knowledgeable and efficient.
He and I are the only two people who reported to the City Council. Jimmy has great skills,
and he communicates well. There are times when we agree to disagree, and you don't have
to go wild and call each other names. You must learn to get along with the Council
Members. All of the people expect out City Attorney and City Manager to be qualified but
elected officials require no qualifications to be elected. Jimmy did vety well and gave me
good legal advice. His people skills are vety good. I have never seen him come unglued.
Based on my experience traditionally in local government, if you clash with elected officials,
you don't survive. To his credit, he has been a City Attorney for quite some time at the City
of Dotal and seems to be someone who is vety well liked and respected by those individuals
who are the key stakeholders. His resume and track record speaks volumes.
Jimmy has worked as the City Attorney for the City of Dotal for four years, and I have
worked with him. When Jimmy was fttst hired, I had been in Dotal for 8.5 years. When the
Mayor went out and did his research and put forth a name for the City Attorney and
suggested Jimmy's name, I thought this is going to be a disaster. This would be a politician
giving politician's legal opinions. Within three years, I learned I was completely wrong.
Jimmy has been a breath of fresh air. He gave all five elected officials the same respect and
played it fait across the board since he had been on the other side and knew how to deal
with them. Jimmy played it straight across the board with all the elected officials. There
were times when the elected officials might not agree with the decisions Jimtny made, but
Jimmy was not playing politics, and he called it the way he saw it. He had very good
interactions with the Council. He always stayed hue to his moral compass. Jimmy did not
report to the City Manager, but he reported to the elected officials. He always supplied them
with pertinent information and was fait to evetyone. He was transparent, open to
discussions and stayed true to his values.
Under my role as Executive Director for the League of Cities, Jimmy worked directly for the
municipality with the County Administrator, Mayor and elected officials. He related well
with everyone, and he was very effective in his presenting our message and advocating for
out positions. He did vety well not only with the manager and elected officials, but with
Senators and State Representatives. He knows the rules and how to distinguish himself on
focusing on the rules and taking direction.
He related very well. He is very respectful, very responsive, and I could not identify a single
issue with his relationships.
How does he relate with the other Department Heads? What about with peers,
community groups or the public?
J:itniny got along well with everyone. I was the County Manager and everyone respected his
judgment. He was very supportive of the department heads and got along well with his
peers and the public.
He related very well. Whenever we had workshops, if there was a problem and someone
was coining unglued, Jimmy could calm them down. He made it a point to resolve the issues
and was good at calling people back and infor1ning me of what is going on. Jimmy was good
at putting out all the flres.
With the public, he is a well respected person because he gives respect. Anyone who has
worked with J:itniny and knows him personally knows that he is a solution provider instead
of someone who places obstacles in the way. Jimmy does things right.
Jimmy is open and willing to have discussions with all the department heads. The
department heads know that they can pick up the phone and talk with h:itn about anything at
any t:itne.
J:itnmy relates well with everyone he meets.
From my exposure, he has related very positively with everyone.
What would you say are Jimmy's significant accomplishments?
He has been very successful wherever he has been. He graduated from Hatvard Law
School. He was elected as a County Cominissioner, and he reptesented the City as the City
Attomey. His leadership ability to co1n1nittee based otganizations is phenomenal.
His gteatest accomplishment was assisting us with the development of our comprehensive
plan. It is still an on-going piece of wotk fot the County. He also worked very well with our
Gtowth Management Department. He put together the legalities and traveled also on behalf
of the City and did very well. If he did not have the answet, he got back with them. He did
not drop the ball and always wotked in a professional manner.
From my standpoint, he has been in local government fot a long t:itne on different levels
from being an elected offlcial fot one of the latgest counties in the country and in the State
of Florida. He is a City Attomey and represents cities on the local level, and he has been
able to do this in a positive mannet. I don't know anyone that speaks ill of J:itnmy. It is a
gteat accomplishment to be in government and not be sneered in some way. He has been
able to establish a positive teputation.
I think that knowing his past, with graduating ftom Harvard Law School with two degrees
and becoining a County C01runissionet and City Attorney fot two cities, speaks volumes.
He has done a tremendous job in mov:it1g the City fotward in a positive ditection in a
difflcult time with a divided Council. He restored ptofessionalism in our City and made sure
all elected offlcials ate treated the same. Aftet the former City Attorney left, J:itnmy put
attorneys in place that we needed. He has been instrumental in bringing in the right people
for the City of Dotal and has made sure that everything is done in accordance with the
policies, procedures and the law. He has made huge strides in the way we do things.
I think his accomplishment was cotning from his humble background from Student Council
President of Miami Beach Senior High School and then to attend Harvard Law School and
graduated with two degrees is phenomenal. He was an elected County Commissioner for
Miami-Dade County and City Attorney for two cities. His professionalism and experience
speaks for his qualifications for the position as City Manager of Mia1ni Beach.
I can't speak to this question because I don't know enough about his past accomplishments
to give a response.
Please tell me about anything that Jimmy could improve upon. Are there any areas
where he might not have a strong skill set or might not have had as much exposure
to? What are his weaknesses?
Jimmy has a lot of experience in dealing with elected officials and watching managers
operate and work. He obsetved me for thtee years. Even though he has not held a position
as City Managet, he has been all atound the periphery. He undetstands the tole of a City
Manager. He has the enthusiasm and passion to be the City Managet fot Miami Beach.
Public service is in his DNA, and he loves and respects it. He would nevet abuse it.
Jimmy has always made it a point to surtound himself with smatt people. I don't know of
any deficiencies.
Ftom my viewpoint and our telationship, I do not know of any weaknesses.
I don't know of any weaknesses. Obviously, there will be some concerns that Jimmy has not
been a City Managet before. I have been an Assistant City Managet and also an Intetim City
Manager at times, and I undetstand what it takes to be a managet. This could be perceived
to be a weakness, but Jimmy has the understanding and intelligence of the government
process, and his integtity will allow him to do a tremendous job as a City Manager.
The fact that he has not been a City Manager in another municipality tnight appear to be
petceived as a weakness. I have seen Jimmy perform and have worked alongside of him,
and he has been very involved in the local govetnment, so he will ovetcome very easily.
Jimmy is very positive and will not bring issues and baggage into the position that others
tnight have. He will be coming in with a clean slate. He is very intelligent and for the last
five years on a professional basis, he has worked with the League of Cities and is very
competent, astute, and understands what the positions are. He understands the rules and
implements them to make sure the staff is following those rules, procedures and protocol.
His eye is on top of this. He sees beyond just being an elected official and an attorney, he
has worked with government of many levels, and would be an asset to Mia1ni Beach. He is
also very highly respected and regarded in the legal community. People seek his counsel on
a variety of issues.
No. I am not aware of any.
We will be conducting a very thorough search of newspaper articles as well as a
Google search on Jimmy. To your knowledge is there anything out there whether
true or not that warrants an explanation? Anything that would embarrass our client?
No, I know of nothing at all. I don't recall any negative comments.
No. I am not aware of any.
Not to my knowledge. I think he is one of these unique individuals who has been in various
facets of government and has come out with a good reputation.
When it became evident that Jimmy had thrown his name in the hat for the position in
Miami Beach, one negative stoty came out from several years ago. It was talked about a little
bit because of the way it was reported. At one time, when he was running for the Dade
County Mayor, there was a bookkeeping issue concerning some expenses in his campaign
without the proper receipts attached. After this was investigated, it was determined that
Jimmy had all the cancelled checks along with the receipts, but the person taking care of his
books did not. He received a $100.00 fine which was paid. Jimmy did provide the backup
documents for those payments, and it was all cleared up.
Not that I am aware of. He works in a major law flrm as a City Attorney so I would think
that if there was something negative, it would have come out by now.
Not that I am aware of.
FRANK ROLLASON
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2006 -present
1966-2006
SALARY
Rodriquez and Quiroga Architects Chartered, Coral Gables, FL
Architect's Representative
City of Miami, FL
Executive Director, Southeast Overtown/Park West, Omni Redevelopment
District and Midtown Community Redevelopment Agencies (2003 -2006)
Assistant City Manager for Operations (2000 -2003)
Director, Building Department (1999 -2000)
Deputy Fire Chief for Administration (1998 -1999)
Interim City Manager (1997-1998)
Director, Department of General Services Administration (1997)
Director, Department of Risk Management (1992 -1997)
Manager, Hurricane Andrew Recovery Task Force (1992 -1997)
Fire Marshal, Division Chief for Firefighting, Fire Prevention Bureau, Support
Services Divisions (1983 -1992)
Deputy Fire Marshal & Rescue Ops Officer (1981 -1983)
Firefighter, Fire Lieutenant, Fire Captain, Chief Fire Officer (1966 -1983)
Mr. Rollason reports a previous salary of $150,000.
EDUCATION
1986 B.S., Fire Science & Safety, Florida International University, Miami, FL
FRANK K. ROLLASON
RESUME OF QUALIFICATIONS
CAREER SUMMARY
Over 40 years of experience in municipal government, last 20 in the management ranks, and the last
three as Executive Director for the Southeast Overtown/Park West, Omni Redevelopment District, and
Midtown Community Redevelopment Agencies for the City of Miami with demonstrated areas of
expertise in: Team Building, Employee Morale Building, Customer Service, Capital Planning, Financial
Management, Organizational Change, Development and Transformation, Organized and Non-union
Labor Relations, General Municipal Operations and Project Management, Community Relations and
Outreach, as well as Strategic Management. After retiring from the city of Miami, I made an
unsuccessful run for office seeking the District 2 Commission seat for the City of Miami in November
of 2006. In December of 2006, I was hired by the A&E firm of Rodriquez and Quiroga Chartered to
perform the duties as an Architect's Site Representative for various large capital projects.
Rodriguez and Quiroga Architects Chartered-Job Assignments
2010-2012-MIA Automated People Mover Train Station (new construction)
2006-2010-MDCPS Miami Central Senior High School (Renovation/new construction)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE-CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
Executive Director for the Southeast Overtown/Park West, Omni Redevelopment
District, and Midtown Community Redevelopment Agencies
Assistant City Manager for Operations
Director, Building Department
Interim City Manager
Director, Department of General Services Administration
Director, Department of Risk Management
Manager, Hurricane Andrew Recovery Task Force
Fire Department -Deputy Fire Chief for Administration
Fire Marshal, Division Chief for Firefighting, Fire
Prevention Bureau, Support Services Divisions.
Deputy Fire Marshal & Rescue Ops Officer.
Firefighter, Fire Lieutenant, Fire Captain, Chief Fire
Officer.
01/2003-8/2006
May 2000-2003
1999-2000
12/1997 -1/1998
3/1997-12/1997
1992-1997
1992-1997
1998-1999
1983-1992
1981-1983
1966-1983
FRANK K. ROLLASON
PAGE2:
LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE DETAILED
My career with the City of Miami has spanned 40+ years beginning in the Fire Service to the
present position which I hold as Executive Director for the City of Miami's Community Redevelopment
Agencies. It has been a great experience and little did I realize when I started out as a Fireman in 1966
where the path would lead. Part of my experience and opportunities have come about as a result of
planning, but the most interesting twists and turns have occurred by pure happenstance and being in the
right place at the right time.
Hurricane Andrew was probably the single most significant event that took me off the path of
the Fire Service. The City Manager, at the time, asked me to head up the City's Hurricane Andrew
Recovery Team (HART) which exposed me to a whole new world of city government. Within weeks
of that appointment, the Manager asked me to take over Risk Management and Group Benefits.
These positions allowed me to cut across all departmental lines and gain a firm understanding of the
inter-relationships amongst all the functions ofthe City.
It is no secret that the City ofMiami has had tumultuous times in recent years, and I was flung
into the midst of it all. With the arrival of a new Manager, I was appointed to the position of Director
of the Department of GSA with the responsibility for Light Fleet, Heavy Fleet, Risk Management,
Group Benefits, Graphic Reproductions, Radio Communications, Property Maintenance, City-Wide
Safety Program, Disaster Recovery, City-wide Purchasing, Conferences, Conventions & Public
Facilities, Information Technology, and Asset Management.
Within a year, however, the political climate changed and a new Manager came onboard. His
tenure was short, and one Friday afternoon, I received a call from the new Mayor who asked me to
become the new Manager. I accepted and relinquished my previous role and appointed an individual
to take my place in GSA. As I stated, those were tumultuous times, and within a month or so, the new
Mayor decided to replace me as Manager with a new Manager; and I returned to the Fire Service.
Within 6 months, however, we had the most recent Mayoral election overturned by the courts
and a new Mayor came into power and, you guessed it, with him a new Manager. The new Manager
asked me to become the Director of the Building Department which I gladly accepted and was
working contently in that position when we had a change of Managers, once again. This time, the new
Manager asked me to become the Assistant City Manager for Operations -the position which, again I
gladly accepted.
Assistant City Manager for Operations -In this position, I was responsible for seven
departments -Department of Neighborhood Enhancement Teams (NET), Department of Conferences,
Conventions, and Public Facilities, Department of General Services Administration, Department of
Public Works, Department of Solid Waste, Department of Parks and Recreation, and the City's
Homeless Assistance Program. The combined responsibility for these seven departments equates to
1,019 employees and a total annual operating budget in excess of $63 million. It was exciting,
interesting, and challenging.
Executive Director for the Southeast Overtown I Park West, Omni Redevelopment
District, and Midtown Community Redevelopment Agencies -as Executive Director for the
Southeast Overtown/Park West, Omni Redevelopment District, and Midtown Community
Redevelopment Agencies for the City of Miami I was responsible for a total annual budget of
$26,109,222.00 and a potential bond issue of between $250,000,000.00 and $300,000,000.00 for
capital projects. These agencies are a creature of the State under Chapter 163 with the primary mission
of removing slum and blight from depressed areas with the intention of returning the properties to a
productive status on the tax rolls for both the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County. The Board of
Directors for the CRAs in the City of Miami are the same individuals who hold the position of City
Commissioners. In this capacity, I worked directly for the Boards much the same as a City Manager
works for the Commission. In my capacity as the Executive Director, it was my responsibility to
coordinate capital projects dealing with infrastructure improvements above and below the ground as
well as improving and creating affordable and workforce housing. Above, you will find a chronological
synopsis of my different positions; and coupled with this explanation of events, one can gain a grasp of
the wide and varied career I have been fortunate to experience over the past forty years.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Implementation of the $1.4 Million Dollar Performing Arts Center Super Block Streetscape
Project-2006
• Completion of the historic rehabilitation of the Overtown Ward Rooming House -2006
• Complete renovation ofthe Overtown Just Right Barber Shop -2005
• Design and construction of the Park West Grand Promenade in the 24 Hour Entertainment
District -2004
• Recipient of Florida Redevelopment Association Roy Kenzie Award for Overtown 9th Street
Pedestrian Mall Extension Project-2004
• Completion of the Overtown 9th Street Pedestrian Mall Extension Project-2004
• Recipient of Florida Redevelopment Association Roy Kenzie Award for Margaret Pace Park
Project-2003
• Completion of the $4 Million Dollar renovation to Margaret Pace Park-2003
• Elimination of all CRA outstanding audit findings for previous years -2003
• Lead Coordinator for City/County General Election 2002 Operations
• Operations Coordinator for Raceworks, LLC/City of Miami Gran Prix Lease Agreement -2002
• Lead Negotiator for City approved Bus Bench Contract-2002
• Team Leader for voter approved $255 Million Bond Program Task Force-2001
• Lead Negotiator for City approved Newsrack Ordinance-2001
• Designed & implemented salary & benefit upgrade program for Building Trades Inspectors-1999
• Designed & implemented City's first Personnel Light Duty Program-1995
• Implemented City's first City-wide Safety Program-1995
FRANK K. ROLLASON
Page 3:
FORMAL EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Fire Science and Safety, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences,
Florida International University-1986
PROFESSIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION
Anti-Terrorism Incident Command Training/Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Weapons-
14 hours-Department of Defense, U.S. National Domestic Preparedness Program, Miami-1998
Academy for Strategic Planning-56 hours, College of Urban and Public Affairs, Florida
International University-1997
Integrated Emergency Management/Hurricane-32 hours, Emergency Management Institute,
FEMA, Miami-1995
Disaster Response and Recovery -24 hours, Emergency Management Institute, FEMA, Maryland
-1994
Disaster Preparedness -24 hours, Emergency Management Institute, FEMA, Maryland-1992
Executive MicroComputer Course -40 hours, City of Miami Department of Computers -1986
Organizational Analysis & Renewal Program-80 hours, National Fire Academy, FEMA,
Maryland-1986
Interpersonal Dynamics -80 hours, National Fire Academy, FEMA, Maryland-1984
Information Management-80 hours, National Fire Academy, FEMA, Maryland -1982
Management of Emergency Medical Services-80 hours, National Fire Academy, FEMA,
Maryland -1980
Executive Development III-80 hours, National Fire Academy, FEMA, Maryland -1980
Fire Department Administration & Management-80 hours, Florida Atlantic University,
College of Business and Public Administration-1975
MILITARY EXPERIENCE
U.S. Army -drafted in 1969 -served one year in the United States and one year in Vietnam-
Bronze Star Recipient.
BoB MURRAY & AssociATEs
SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
(to be combined with City Commissioners' questions)
City Manager-City of Miami Beach, Florida
OPENING QUESTIONS
1. We have all had an opportunity to review your resume. Please explain, from your
perspective, how your background prepares you for this position.
2. Please describe your experience within the following specific areas:
• Community /Neighborhood Engagement
• Capital Improvement Projects
• Economic Development
• Budgeting/Financial Management
• Strategic Planning and Performance Based Initiatives
3. What would we learn about you if we contacted a cross section of citizens from your current
or most recent community including supporters, detractors, and community organizations?
4. With the continuing fiscal constraints faced by cities, how would you recommend the Board
of Commissioners, City Manager, and staff deal with increased demands for services?
CLOSING QUESTIONS
5. From your vantage point, what do you perceive to be the opportunities and challenges facing
the City of Miami Beach, now and in the future? Please be specific.
6. Why are you interested in the City Manager position with Miami Beach? Is there anything
you would like to add or clarify before we conclude? Do you have any questions of us?
Notes
SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY
CITY MANAGER
RATING SHEET
Frank Rollason
Fair Good Superior Outstanding
1. Job Preparation-background,
technical knowledge and training
appropriate for this level of position; D demonstrates understanding of local D D D
and regional service delivery issues
2. Leadership Skills -personal sryle
appropriate for this job; ''big picture" viewpoint;
collaborative, team-oriented approach; risk-taker; D D D D
innovative; goal-oriented
3. Interpersonal Skills -able to form
iffective relationships, both inside and
outside the organization;persuasive; D D D D
positive; diplomatic; empathetic;
approachable
4. Oral Communication and
Reasoning Skills -clear and
iffective communicator;presents well-D D D D organized, logical flow of thoughts and
information; strong problem-solving
skills
5. Organizational Fit-management
sryle and approach compatible with
the Ci(Y;flexible; creative; strong customer service,
D D D D team/ communi()! orimtation
Greatest Strengths for this Position:
Areas of Hesitation/ Concern:
Reference Questions
Client/Position: City of Miami Beach, City Manager
Candidate Name: Frank K. Rollason
Reference Name: How long and in what capacity have you known the candidate?
Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez (appointed me to Assistant City Manager) -best way to contact is
through his Office Manager, Ms. Rita Lagace-305-375-5191.
I have known Frank since Januaty 1975. I have known him throughout our careers as
flreflghters. Frank was my Deputy in the Fire Department and years later the Director for
the Building Department for the City of Miami. He was my boss at times, and I was his
boss at times. We go back a long way.
Vice Mayor Ed Marquez (appointed me to Director of GSA and continued my position as
Manager for the Hurricane Andrew Recovery Task Force)-305-375-1451.
I have known Frank since 1996. I was the City Manager for the City of Miami and Frank
was a Fire Chief back then. I have also had the pleasure of dealing with Frank when he was
on various committees for the City.
Albert Ruder -Director of Parks and Recreation during the time I was Assistant City
Manager-305-439-7220.
I have known Frank for about 25 years. I flrst lmew Frank when he was a Fire Chief, and I
worked for the City of Miami as the Parks Director.
Evelyn Herbello -served as my Exec Asst. during the time I was the manager of Miami's
Hurricane Andrew Recovety Team-786-402-8047.
I have known Frank for over 20 years. I have lmown him from working for the City of
Miami, and I also worked direcdy for him in the Fire Department as his executive assistant
for 15 years.
Jason Walker-El Portal Village Manager (was Chief of Staff for Commissioner Johnny
Winton who was one of the CRA Chairmen while I was CRA Executive Director -I dealt
directly with Jason on a daily basis on both CRA issues and City issues while I was Assistant
City Manager) 305-795-7880.
I have known Frank since 1999. He was the Assistant City Manager of Operations for the
City of Miami. I was the Chief of Staff for the City Commissioners.
Commissioner Audrey Edmonson-current Miami-Dade County Commissioner (she is the
Count-y Commissioner for our residential community. I deal with her on local issues for our
neighborhood requiring county intervention. She has also appointed me to the Aircraft
Noise Abatement Advisory Board, of which I am currently the Chairman) -305-636-2331.
I have known Frank for 10 years. I knew him when he was working for the City of Miami.
I really got to known him when I became a Commissioner. He is a very active resident in
the community, and I have used him on certain issues with FDOT.
How would you characterize Frank's management style? How are his interpersonal
skills?
His interpersonal skills are very straightforward, and he sets his expectations of personnel
very high. He was head of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) for the City and
his staff liked him. He is also a very well organized individual.
His interpersonal skills are excellent. He gets along well with me and the residents. The
residents look up to him for suggestions and recommendations regarding their issues and
concerns. They follow his directives. He manages people well, and he was very helpful to
me with the FDOT. Frank was instrumental in negotiating with FDOT to reach our goals.
His management style is one of the best I have seen and experienced in my 20 years in
government. He worked as an Assistant City Manager, and he was excellent. His
interpersonal skills are great. He gets along well with everyone and is highly respected. He
deals well with subordinates as well as his superiors.
He is not a micro manager, and he lets you do your job. You could always go and talk with
him about any issues you may need to discuss. He has a hands-on approach but gives you
your space and is available for his guidance if you need it. He is a very responsible person.
He is very straightforward and will let you know what he thinks. He gets along well with
people.
He is very competent and diligent. He has been very responsive to our office when we have
requested information and updates on various projects. He ran a tight ship in the various
departments which he was over such as Public Works, Solid Waste and Parks and
Recreation.
Frank is very hands-on, empowering and also demanding. He expects you to do to your job.
He is good at fixing things and very organized. I would consider him a very good manager.
What is his technical experience and knowledge as related to the position?
When he was the Director of CRA, he was involved with city planning, development,
coordinating and working with the public. He has not been a City Manager with the City of
Miami but was the Interim City Manager for a couple of months. However, he has been
exposed to city government for about 25-30 years. To be an effective City Manager, two of
the best qualities are to be consistent and well organized and Frank has those qualities. He
also has a veq good handle on finances and budgets.
I think he would make an excellent manager. He is aware of the community itself. He
knows the operations of the County and has worked for the City of Miami. He would be a
great asset to the City of Miami Beach.
He was the Assistant City Manager for Operations for about three years. He has had 30 plus
years in city government and has held several different management positions. Eveq time
there was an area that needed to be fixed, they called Frank Frank got it running, turned
around and got the job done. Regardless of what is going on, they would always call Frank
I honestly have a great deal of respect and admiration for him for evetything he has done
and accomplished as a Manager with my experience with city government for 25 years.
Frank has excellent experience. Frank was the Executive Ditector for the Southeast
Overtown/Park West Omni Redevelopment, Assistant City Manager for Operations,
Ditector of the Community Redevelopment Agencies and several other managerial
positions. Frank knows the workings of a city and what it takes to be a City Manager. The
City of Miami Beach has a couple of CRA's and Frank has the experience necessaty to run
city government. He has good relationships with all the different departments. He is veq
well prepared to be the City Manager for the City of Miami Beach.
He has never been a City Manager, but has been an Assistant City Manager of Operations
and had several departments such as Solid Waste, Parks and Recreation and Public Works
that reported to him. He has run his own department when he was the Ditector of the
Building Department, and he was also chosen as the Ditector of the Community
Redevelopment Agency (CRA) in Miami. He has a lot of knowledge on how municipal
departments operate.
He was briefly the Interim City Manager, the Deputy Fite Chief and the Assistant City
Manager of Operations for Miami. I got to know him as the CRA Ditector in 2003-2004.
He turned the CRA around in Miami-Dade County, which was pretty substantial. The CRA
had a histoq of poor management and fiscal audits. Frank was appointed by the
Commissioners to be the Ditector, and he turned it around. He got the projects up and
running and off the ground. He is a very good manager and does a great job.
How does he relate with the Council, City or County Manager, or those he reports
to?
He related well with the City Council. The City Council appointed him as the Ditector of
the CRA and he did a vety good job. He brought projects up and they were approved. I did
not observe him in other capacities.
I have never sat in on those meetings, so I cannot speak to his abilities in this regard.
He got along great with all of them. He told them the truth, as it is. If he sees something
that is not correct that would hinder or harm you, he will come and tell you. They all
respected him, and he got along great with the commissioners, managers and mayors.
My observation is from afar because I have not been in those meetings. The City Manager
had faith in him when he was appointed to be the Assistant City Manager, and later he
became the CRA Director. The Commissioners obviously supported Frank because they are
responsible for the appointment of the CRA Director. He was a long time fireman and later
left that area and came into administration and has continued to advance in managerial
positions.
Frank related well with everyone. He has a very easy going disposition about him. He never
had any issues with the Commissioners except for one that he encountered some issues with.
He got along well with all the board members of the CRA.
He related very well. We have been friends for a very long time. Frank has quite a portfolio
underneath him. Frank was called when something needed to be fixed, and he got the job
done. He communicated well with the elected officials. He was always very respectful and
straightforward. Frank is a straight shooter. He will recommend what he thinks is the right
thing to do. He is a terrific and honest person.
How does he relate with the other Department Heads? What about with peers,
community groups or the public?
I have observed him with community groups, and he does very well. They look to him for
direction when it comes down to government issues. Frank is well versed on the issues and,
if not, he will research it out and then make his recommendations on how to proceed.
He relates well with everyone. He develops trust with people and when people get to know
him, they really like him. He is thoughtful, well organized and communicates very well. He
is honest and has very strong managerial qualities.
He deals with everyone in an excellent manner. I never knew of any issues with the
department heads. In fact, they came to him for guidance. He was the Director for the
CRA which is placed in areas where there are a lot of problem areas that need to be
redeveloped. Frank dealt well with all the community leaders and the activists. Even after
he retired from the CRA, they still came to him for advice.
He had good relationships with all the departments. He related well in the community and
with his peers. Frank was very cooperative and did not place stumbling blocks in the way.
He will tell you what he thinks, and that sometitnes is not appreciated and can backfue.
l-Ie has a happy-go-lucky attitude about himself. I don't know of any problems he had with
anyone. When there were constituent issues, he helped people out which a lot of people
might not know about. Frank goes out of his way to help people.
He works well with the public and behind closed doors at staff meetings. He will tell you
what his opinion is when there are differences. Frank carried a lot of weight in my
administration, and he was a team player. He always carried out any ultitnate decisions.
What would you say are Frank's significant accomplishments?
Surviving Miami politics is the greatest accomplishment, and there is a lot to be said for that.
He works well with people from different diverse backgrounds with different educational
levels. His strongest suit is his ability to relate and communicate information.
From my understanding, he has been an excellent employee for the City of Miami. During
his tenure there, I always received good comments when he was working in my district, and
he has done very well. I have not obsetved him in a working envitonment, so I cannot
answet about anything else.
From what I have observed when I worked with him, he has been able to take departments
with majot ptoblems and bring them whete they need to be within a shott period of time.
When he was the Ditector of Risk Management, he ptivatized the organization, fixed it and
had it mnning top notch. The CRA had a lot of problems and one of the commissioners
ended up being indicted, so there was a lot of bad ptess and a vety poot public image. Frank
came in and fixed the problems, tegained the trust of the community and did inctedible
things.
I think he did a good job of managing all depattments that reported to him, such as Solid
Waste, Police and Fite and Patks and Recreation. I was the Ditectot of Patks and
Recteation, and we had 500 employees. Ftom what I heatd, Ftank did a good job at the
CRAin turning some things atound. It was a teal mess, but he straightened things out. He
did a good job as the Assistant City Manager. He was instrumental in some big bond issues
to make capital improvements when votets mistrusted the government and did not want to
vote for bond issues for capital projects. Ftank came along with the City Managet and
sevetal other people and sold it and btought in capital dollats to a very poot city that was
struggling financially. The bond issue brought about $250-$350 million dollats for capital
projects. In 1996, the Govetnot had to bting an oversight boatd to try and survive the
financial ctisis. Frank was involved in this tole and managed the day-to-day problems and
kept the City going.
His gteatest accomplishment was tutning the CRA around. Because of this tutn atound, a
lot of development took place that Ftank nevet got the ctedit fat. Because of his
administrative skills, many ateas including redevelopment of 11th Street prospeted.
Ftank had a lot of accomplishments in Fite Setvices. He was an innovator. He was the guy
that took cate of straightening out the depattment. He is not aftaid to try new things. He
stretches the envelope but not in a careless fashion. If there is a bettet way, Frank will do it.
He is great at fixing things that ate broken. He has a cleat vision of what the departments
need to do in ordet to function in an excellent way. All the divisions worked well with
Ftank.
Please tell me about anything that Frank could improve upon. Are there any areas
where he might not have a strong skill set or might not have had as much exposure
to? What are his weaknesses?
I am not aware of any weaknesses. He is very well organized from being in the Fire
Departtnent. He would be a good City Manager.
No, I am not aware of any weaknesses.
I don't know of any weaknesses. He is so well rounded that I don't see hitn as having any
weaknesses. He will not let himself be walked on, and he tells it like it is.
He obviously has not been a City Manager except for a short tenure of about 30 days when
the City of Miami dismissed the previous City Manager. He has worked for the City for 30-
35 years and is very familiar with the City, the administration, and the different communities.
I think that he has probably been exposed to all the different departtnents. Again, he is a
straightforward person, and sometimes people may not like it.
I don't know of any weaknesses.
I think on the human services side with regard to public housing, he did not have as much
exposure to that but probably got more of that through being the Director of the CRA. He
worked with a wide variety of different departtnents and knows the functions of the City.
He is well prepared. I don't believe there would be any new situations that would come
from the City of Miami Beach that he would not be able to handle. I don't know of any
weaknesses even though we all have some. l-Ie is great with budgets and numbers.
We will be conducting a very thorough search of newspaper articles as well as a
Google search on Frank. To your knowledge is there anything out there whether
true or not that warrants an explanation? Anything that would embarrass our client?
Not that I am aware of.
No. To my knowledge, I don't know of anything.
No. I don't know of anything at all.
There is one unfortunate incident that happened when he was the Director of the CRA. On
Frank's titne off, he took his assistant to the County facility in which the police departtnent
kept their horses, and they went riding. His assistant was thrown off the horse, and she
eventually died. He was never charged criminally or anything like that, but it was a tragic
accident. I don't know of any thing else.
No. I don't know of anything.
No, absolutely not. Frank has always been outspoken. He 1s not afraid to offer his
opinions.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2005 -present
2000-2005
1993-2000
1989-1992
1987-1989
. 1972-1988
SALARY
City of Palm Springs, CA
Assistant City Manager
City of Milpitas, CA
City Manager
City of Oceanside, CA
City Manager
City of Tucson, AZ
City Manager (1990 -1992)
Deputy City Manager (1989 -1990)
City of Scottsdale, AZ
City Attorney (1988 -1989)
Interim City Manager and City Attorney (1988)
City Attorney (1987 -1988)
City of Tucson, AZ
Deputy City Attorney (1978-1988)
Assistant City Attorney/ Chief Prosecutor (1973 -1978)
Assistant City Attorney (1972 -1973)
Mr. Wilson reports an approximate annual salaty of$190,000.
EDUCATION
1972
1968
J.D., University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
B.A., University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Thomas J. Wilson 3
CITY
of
PALM
SPRINGS
CALIFORNIA
CITY
of
MILPITAS
CALIFORNIA
RESUME
THOMAS J. WILSON
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER (8/1/2005 to present)
+ Accepted the position of Assistant City Manager for Development Services
in Palm Springs, California on August 1, 2005. Reporting directly to City
Manager, David Ready, assumed responsibility for five departments:
Planning, Building, Public Works and Engineering, Community & Economic
Development, and Redevelopment.
+ Upon the resignation on May 30, 2008, of the Assistant City Manager for
Administrative Services, the City Manager reorganized with just one
Assistant Manager position, which I assumed, and added to the position the
direct, department responsibility for: Library Services, Parks & Recreation,
and the Palm Springs Convention Center.
+ I am also serving for an indefinite period as the Director of the Building
Department and the Director of the Community & Economic Development
Department
CITY MANAGER (5/8/2000 to 1122/05)
Milpitas is a Northern California, high-tech, high growth, full service city of more than
65,000. Located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay, Milpitas is the "Gateway
City" of Silicon Valley with a very diverse and well educated population. Milpitas is a
minority majority community which provides its residents a special quality of life -
featuring abundant parks and recreation facilities, three regional retail centers and more
high-tech corporations per capita than any city in the country. Employing 450+, its
annual operating/capital budget is $150 million.
City Manager serves as chief administrative officer of the City and the
Redevelopment Agency, responsible to the Mayor and Council for
administration of all city and asency business. Serving and performing
with the highest standards oj professionalism and ethical integrity,
some accomplishments in Milpitas include:
Thomas J. Wilson 4
+ Provided -as the fourth city manager in eight years -stable leadership and
comprehensive management focus and experience for the
departments/divisions of the organization which had become significantly
autonomous in perspective and operation.
+ Created a TOP STAFF leadership development program accenting
interdepartment/division communication, teamwork, collaboration and
planning.
+ Structured and implemented the termination of the private sector construction
management firm contracted to manage the construction of a new 62,000 sq.
ft. City Hall. Created and led the Milpitas staff team that took over the
construction management of the project at less than 20% complete. The
project was rescued from delays and cost overruns and successfully
completed.
+ Completed the 1 000+ acre Midtown Specific Plan which developed a
community-based plan for the contemporary revitalization and
redevelopment of the City's midtown area and "Main Street" corridor. The
Plan won a 2003 California American Planning Association A ward for
innovative planning. Since adoption in 2003 the plan has stimulated projects
described as creating a new "urbanism," accenting high-density residential
and mixed use projects.
+ Instituted an October 2001 hiring freeze in the aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist
attacks to address the $2.7 million revenue loss from the elimination of
business travel. The subsequent U.S. recession, technology meltdown and
the State's financial crisis has mandated the continuation of the freeze which
now contributes savings -through the natural attrition of the workforce -of
more than $3.5 million annually.
+ Ensured the continuing delivery of all City services at 2003 service levels
despite substantially reduced resources. Established a citywide, all
departments/divisions "SERVICE FIRST" Program which prioritized and
benchmarked citizen services and, where appropriate, retrained and
reallocated employees to meet service priorities.
+ Continued the City's regional leadership in the conception and
implementation of innovative transportation programs and facilities. To
secure the priority of needed interstate improvements, Milpitas partnered
with CALTRANS and invested more than 18 million local dollars in new I-
880 interchanges -the largest local contribution per capita to CAL TRANS
by any city in California. The City similarly worked with the Santa Clara
Thomas J. Wilson 5
County Valley Transportation Authority, securing m Milpitas the only
elevated segment of the county-wide light rail system.
+ Conceived, negotiated and implemented a major expansion of the Milpitas
Redevelopment agency project area and a comprehensive financial
restructuring of the Agency which: added 800+ acres to the project area;
extended the Agency's life to the statutory maximum; increased the bonded
debt capacity from $75 million to $500 million; and increased the Agency's
capacity to receive tax increment from $500 million to $2.4 billion.
+ Issued $200 million in Redevelopment Agency bonds in late November 2003
with the California economic climate defined by the recall of the governor
and an $18 billion State deficit. $60 million of the issue was a refinance;
$140 million was new money. The entire $200 million issue sold at an
average interest rate of 4.5%. Standard & Poors rated the City's and the
Agency's financial management as "AA'' at the time of the bond issuance-
the highest ratings given in California in 2003.
+ Designed the plan for Milpitas' acquisition of more than 40 acres of
undeveloped County property located in the core of the City's Midtown
Specific Plan area. Overcame the County's 40+ year resistance to Milpitas'
acquisition of the properties and negotiated their use and development. Final
approvals are scheduled in early 2005 for a 700 home subdivision developed
by KB Homes and for the Interstate 880 frontage to be developed for three
automobile dealerships.
+ Implemented an ongoing TOP STAFF leadership and organizational
development program which focuses on exploring and defining leadership
values, qualities and techniques specifically relevant in the setting of public
employment. The program has recently addressed the leadership challenges
presented by the loss of personnel and economic resources in relation to the
continuing increases in demand for city services.
+ Planned and negotiated the development of a major activity center anchoring
-the northern portion of the City's Midtown area. Development commitments
for the activity center include: City's new 60,000 sq. ft. library; County's new
62,000 sq. ft. regional Medical Center; private sector 100 unit apartment &
3000 sq. ft. commercial mixed use project; 100 unit private/non-profit senior
affordable apartment project; 700+ spaces of public parking and installation
of new streetscape.
+ Refocused the City's affordable housing program establishing a new priority
-the development of affordable "ownership" housing. Through mortgage
assistance financing, Milpitas and the Redevelopment Agency, in partnership
Thomas J. Wilson 6
CITY
of
OCEANSIDE
CALIFORNIA
with private housing developers, have designated through the planning
process 250+ homes -privatvly developed but to be marketed at "affordable"
prices through assisted financing.
+ Directed the development and adoption of the City's first longterm Utility
Financial Management Plan. Adopted in 2003, the 20 Year Plan defines the
facilities needed for the City's water and sewer utilities "build-out"
development and presents a fee and rate structure to finance the cost of the
construction, maintenance and operation of the utilities. The plan was
developed over 18 months through a consulted, community-based,
stakeholder Task Force.
+ Assembled a private/public sector stakeholder partnership to develop a
vision/plan for the development of the areas surrounding the Milpitas BART
station. Milpitas will be the first stop for the extension of BART from San
Francisco into Silicon Valley/Santa Clara County.
+ Provided guidance and support to the City's Community Activity
Commission, which received City Council authority and direction to develop
a comprehensive Code of Ethics for Milpitas Councilmembers and top staff.
The Code of Ethics was adopted by the City Council in April 2004 along
with a comprehensive implementation and training program.
CITY MANAGER (5/3/93-5/8/2000)
Oceanside is a Southern California coastal, high growth community of over 150,000.
Organized as a general law city, Oceanside provides full services, owning and operating
the water/sewer utility, a small general aviation airport and 975+ slip small-craft harbor.
Employing over 750, its annual operating/capital budget exceeds $200 million. Light
manufacturing, health/education and government employment (Marine Camp
Pendleton), combine with tourism to provide a diverse economy.
City Manager serves as chief administrative officer of the city responsible to
the Mayor and Council for administration of all city business. City Manager
also serves as the CEO of the Harbor District and Redevelopment Agency.
Highlights of service would include:
+ Stabilized the city's faltering finances in the face of Southern California's
deepest recession and the State's diversion of locally generated property tax
revenues to the State treasury. Produced six years of consistent growth in the
city's unreserved general fund balance without any fee or tax increases.
+ Established a comprehensive employee development, training and
recognition program. Focused department directors on providing consistent
in-year performance recognition, culminating in annual citywide awards.
Thomas J. Wilson 7
CITY
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TUCSON
ARIZONA
+ Initiated a community-based, open citizen participation planning process for
a 400+ acre real estate gift of property to the City of Oceanside. The
property was developed with public and private uses including a $500 million
pharmaceutical production facility.
+ Bench-marked new standards for all city services, establishing a "CITIZENS
& SERVICE-FIRST" program to focus Oceanside's employee commitment
to quality service.
+ Competitively contracted for city services-building maintenance, median
maintenance, tree trimming, park mowing, and beach facility maintenance
permitting the cost-efficient reallocation of employees to more productive
assignments.
+ Led in the development of a comprehensive, five-year Strategic Plan for the
Oceanside Police Department. The San Diego Chapter of the American
Planning Association specially recognized the plan in 1996 for its innovation
and quality.
+ Developed the concept for the creation of a community computer center as
part of the services of the Oceanside Public Library. The City of Oceanside
Public Library opened the first community computer center in Southern
California in January 1997. The community computer center was the winner
of a 1997 Helen Putnam award.
+ Conceived, structured and implemented an innovative property acquisition
and capital financial plan, which provided for a new 51,000 square foot
police facility and a new 12,000 square foot branch library. Both facilities
opened in September 1999.
+ Negotiated a disposition and development for a 104,000 sq. ft. downtown
redevelopment entertainment center anchored by a 16 screen multiplex Regal
Cinemas Theater. Center opened in December 1999.
CITY MANAGER (7/3/90 to 7/17/92)
Tucson is a full-service city, organized in the council/manager form, employing over
4,500 with an annual operating/capital budget of $700+ million. City owns a regional
water utility and bus system. Government employment, University of Arizona, Davis-
Monthan Air Force Base and manufacturing provide the economic foundation with
tourism giving the largest economic input.
City Manager serves as the chief administrative officer of the city
responsible to partisan Mayor and Council for the administration of all
city business. Highlights of service would include:
+ Restored the city's financial stability. The city's FY 1989-90 audited
unreserved fund balance was $260,000 from an operating budget of $350+
Thomas J. Wilson 8
CITY
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CITY
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SCOTTSDALE
ARIZONA
million. More than 26 million dollars was cut from the budget. No taxes
were increased. No new taxes or revenue sources were initiated. There were
no lay-offs. The city's first multi-year Financial Management Plan was
prepared and adopted. The city's bond rating were maintained, and the close
ofthe FY 1991-92 saw a $5 million unreserved fund balance.
+ Reconstituted management team. Quality appointments were made reflecting
ethnic and gender diversity accented by: the city's first Hispanic deputy city
manager, the first female assistant city manager, Hispanic female library
director, Hispanic human resources director, African-American female
director of intergovernmental affairs and the city's first (one of first
nationally) female police chief.
+ Created a city-assisted program of incentives to induce Hughes Aircraft to
consolidated all missile development and manufacturing in Tucson, including
designing an innovative "new employment credit" financing program for the
expansion of Hughes' facilities.
+ Assembled a city team and formulated a new, comprehensive employee
compensation plan (Pay for Performance). The plan provides for individual
employee performance incentives, with a structured evaluation process
resulting in performance recognition and annual compensation
review/adjustment.
+ Moved toward the region's elimination of its sole dependence upon
groundwater through the delivery of Central Arizona Project water.
Maintained the scheduled completion, under budget, of $90 million treatment
facility-first CAP water delivery, November 1992.
+ Generated innovative economic development initiatives utilizing public and
private partnerships of effort and resources, including redevelopment
authority, industrial development capacities, municipal Property Corporation
and private, non-profit Development Corporation. Structured the city's lead
role in removing Davis-Monthan Air Force Base from the closure list.
DEPUTY CITY MANAGER (9/18/89 to 7/3/90)
Chief assistant to the City Manager. Responsible for management direction
to the city departments of water, transportation and human resources.
Responsible for city's local inter-governmental relations and all state/federal
legislative proposals.
CITY ATTORNEY (1111188 to 9/18/89)
Scottsdale is a unique, quality-of-life community of more than 170,000 residents. While
maintaining it's western heritage, it is a sophisticated urban city featuring numerous
corporate headquarters, Mayo Clinic, upscale retail centers and internationally
recognized resorts and tourist destinations.
Thomas J. Wilson 9
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City Attorney served as the chief legal advisor to all officers and employees,
departments and agencies of the city.
INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY (4/27/88 to 11/1/88)
Served as the interim chief administrative officer and city attorney.
+ Provided transition leadership and management stability after the directed
resignation of 8 year city manager.
+ Prepared foundation analyses and recommendations for bond financed,
capital improvement program emphasizing prioritized transportation and
street needs. Community approved bond program authorization in 1990
election.
CITY ATTORNEY (12/21/87 to 4/27/88)
DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY (1978 -1988)
Served as the chief assistant to the city attorney. Responsible for day-to-day
administration and supervision of assistant attorneys and staff Prepared
complex agreements (water rights, economic development, zoning) and
conducted and/or supervised the preparation, trial/appeal of complex
litigation.
ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY/CHIEF PROSECUTOR (1973-1978)
Administered and supervised all activities of the criminal division of the City
Attorney's office.
ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY (1972-1973)
Conducted criminal misdemeanor prosecutions and general civil litigation.
Residential property manager and law student, Tucson, Arizona
(1969-1972)
Teacher, English and Reading, Tucson Unified School District
(1968-1969)
Thomas J. Wilson 10
EDUCATION
Juris Doctor, 1972, University of Arizona
Bachelor of Arts with Distinction, 1968, University of Arizona
Founding Editor, Associated Students' Course Evaluation
Member Associated Students' Publication Board 1966 through 1968
Recognized for Distinguished Service to Student Body -1967 and 1968
PROFESSIONAL/COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS
International City/County Management Association
American Public Works Association
International Personnel Management Association
State Bar of Arizona
Admitted to the practice of law in all Arizona Courts, the Federal District Court for District of
Arizona, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.
Founding Board of Directors President, Tucson AIDS Project
Founding Director, Santa Cruz Valley Water District, Arizona
Founding Contributor, Oceanside Museum of Art
Member, 1999 & 2000 Oceanside Unified School District Facilities and Bond Committee
Oceanside and Milpitas Rotary Club
Married, Patricia
Adult son, Robert
Excellent health
PERSONAL
Avid hiker, bicyclist-good racquetball, marginal tennis and golf
Enthusiast -early American history
BOB MURRAY & ASSOCIATES
SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
(to be combined with City Co1n1nissioners' questions)
City Manager -City of Miami Beach, Florida
OPENING QUESTIONS
1. We have all had an opportunity to review your resume. Please explain, from your
perspective, how your background prepares you for this position.
2. Please describe your experience within the following specific areas:
• Community/Neighborhood Engagement
• Capital Improvement Projects
• Economic Development
• Budgeting/Financial Management
• Strategic Planning and Performance Based Initiatives
3. What would we learn about you if we contacted a cross section of citizens from your current
or most recent community including supporters, detractors, and community organizations?
4. With the continuing fiscal constraints faced by cities, how would you recommend the Board
of Co1n1nissioners, City Manager, and staff deal with increased demands for services?
CLOSING QUESTIONS
5. From your vantage point, what do you perceive to be the opportunities and challenges facing
the City of Miami Beach, now and in the future? Please be specific.
6. Why are you interested in the City Manager position with Miami Beach? Is there anything
you would like to add or clarify before we conclude? Do you have any questions of us?
Notes
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY MANAGER
RATING SHEET
Thomas Wilson
Fait· Good Supedor Outstanding
1. Job Preparation -background,
technical knowledge and training
appropriate for this level rif position; D D D D demonstrates understanding rif local
and regional service delivery issues
2. Leadership Skills -personal style
appropriate for this job; 1'lYigpicture" viewpoint;
collaboratitJe, team-oriented approach; risk-taker; D D D D
innovative; goal-oriented
3. Interpersonal Skills -able to form
iffective relationships, both inside and
outside the m;ganization;persuasive; D D D D
positive; diplomatic; empathetic;
approachable
4. Oral Communication and
Reasoning Skills -clear and
iffectitJe communicator;presents well-D D D D organized, logical flow rif thoughts and
information; strongproblem-solving
skills
5. Organizational Fit-management
style and approach compatible with
the City;flexible; creative; strong customer service,
D D D D team/ community orientation
Greatest Strengths for this Position:
Areas of Hesitation/ Concern:
Reference Questions
Client/Position: City of Miami Beach, City Manager
Candidate Name: Thomas J. Wilson
Reference Name: How long and in what capacity have you known the candidate?
David H. Ready
Palm Springs City Manager
Contact: City Manager's Office Administrator, Bette O'Camb 760-322-8362
I have known Tom for seven years as the Assistant City Manager.
Douglas Holland
Palm Springs City Attorney
Contact: City Manager's Office Administrator, Bette O'Camb 760-322-8362
or Palm Springs, Direct 760-323-8211; Firm Office Direct 714-415-1042
I have known Tom since he started with the City in 2005. He is the Assistant City Manager
for Pahn Springs.
Steve Pougnet
Palm Springs Mayor
Contact: Mayor's Office Administrator, Jennifer Nelson 760-323-8200
I have known Tom for seven years. He is our Assistant City Manager.
Suzanne Harrell
Principal, Harrell & Company Financial Advisors, LLC
Palm Springs Financial Advisors
Contact: Assistant-Gwen 714-939-1464
I have known Tom since he started with the City of Palm Springs eight years ago. I have
worked for the City for 20 years. I am the financial advisor for the City and so I assist them
with bond issues and any other financial issues related to their general fund.
Terry Tatum
Palm Spring Director of Building and Safety
Contact: 760-343-6433 cell phone-preferred; 760-322-8723 Pahn Springs Office
I have known Tom for eight years. Tom was hired in 2005 as our Assistant City Manager
and is in charge of Development Services. I am the Director of Building and Safety and I
report direcdy to Tom.
How would you characterize Tom's management style? How are his interpersonal
skills?
Tom is a very straight forward manager, from what I have observed. I don't deal directly
with him on a day-to-day basis because I am an outside consultant. Tom does not leave
people second guessing what is expected of them or what he wants. He is always very clear
on what is expected. I have always gotten along well with him. He relates well with his staff
and others, and I have never heard any complaints regarding Tom. He is not unreasonable
when there are deadlines, and he encourages his staff to work as a team to reach their goals.
Tom's management style is very inclusive. He attempts to get as much input as he can from
his staff and department heads. He is firm and decisive on directions he wants implemented.
After considering issues and factors, he takes decisive action. He does not take a long time
to think about issues and usually moves quickly. Tom is a very bright man. He encourages
his staff to be involved in providing input. We have a good relationship. He is an attorney,
and we could sometimes get adamant, but it always turned out very good. Generally
speaking, he gets along well with people but he can be impatient with individuals who play
games. When asking for input and evaluations, he does not tolerate fools.
His management style is excellent. He gives you guidance when needed and is not a micro-
manager. You can come to him with any type of situation, and he will logically figure out
the best solution whether it is a developer, council member or staff personnel. He is very
good at analyzing the situation and giving you the right guidance and leadership. Tom. is
very personable. He has the ability to get the best out of his employees without being
overbearing. He brings out the excellent qualities in employees. His employees are always
confident that he is supportive. He has a very calm demeanor.
For seven years, Tom has been right in the thick of all policy decisions we have made. His
management style is very effective, and he interacts with every department we have and is
well regarded. He is highly skilled in those areas.
Tom is direct and very smart, and I interact mostly with him in closed session. Most of my
interaction is pretty intense at times. He is very knowledgeable, and my assumption is that
he gets along well with staff. Tom reports to the City Manager. He has a lot of dialogue
with the City Council in closed session when making redevelopment and real estate
decisions. Tom is direct and to the point. We only have two hours during our closed
sessions, so he gets to the point and lmows what he is tallcing about.
What is his technical experience and knowledge as related to the position?
I am not that familiar with Miami Beach, but I can tell you that Palm Springs is a tourist
based economy. I believe that Miami Beach and Pahn Springs have a lot of things in
common such as a convention center and lots of hotels. Tom has a lot of experience with
tourism related issues, specifically on how to attract additional visitors to town. He worked
closely with hotels in terms of getting programs to increase their occupancy. He worked on
the financing and refinancing of the convention center in order to reduce the debt. He
lmows a lot about airports, tourism, and how they impact the local economy.
He is an attorney by trade and a former City Attorney of a major Arizona city. He moved
from that position into a City Manager position in Arizona. He has been the City Manager
for two California cities. He is an experienced leader and manager of large organizations in
several states.
He has been the City Manager in Tucson, Arizona, the City Manager in Oceanside,
California and Milpitas, California. He has been City Attorney for the City of Scottsdale and
the City of Tucson, Arizona. When the City Manager is gone, he is the go-to person here in
Palm Springs. Tom would be my first choice to work for. I have been with the City for 36
years, and he is the best person I have ever worked with.
He certainly has all the technical skills that a city manager would need with his years of
experience as the Assistant City Manager for Palm Springs, former City Manager for
Milpitas, Oceanside and Tucson. He is also an attorney and worked with the Cities of
Scottsdale and Tucson, Arizona. He is well qualified for the City Manager position in Miami
Beach.
Miami Beach, in some ways, is very similar to Palm Springs, which is also a tourist city. The
Governor dissolved our redevelopment agency, and Tom came up with some creative
strategies on selling assets back to the City to decrease the economic hit to our City during
the downturn. I think he would do an incredibly good job in Miami Beach. I have no doubt
that he can handle it.
How does he relate with the Council, City or County Manager, or those he reports
to?
I am not in the right position to answer this question since I am an outside consultant, but I
have attended a few Council meetings when Tom has given staff reports. It always went
very smoothly.
In my observance of him with the City Manager and the City Council, in closed sessions and
public meetings, I think that he works very well with them. He is a high performer and
expects the same of his department heads. He is not a "yes" man but is willing to speak out
about the strengths and weaknesses of issues, and then determine the best course of action.
He has a great rapport with the City Manager and the Council. He is a team player and has
been around enough council members to understand council dynamics and what is the best
way to accomplish goals and not step on toes or offend someone. We are a resort town and
a very political city. Tom is politically astute.
He related very well in closed sessions with the Council and with me. He was very good at
it. He has a lot of political sense. He relates well with the City Manager and Council. In the
last seven years, specifically in closed session, there have been no incidents in which Tom
has not been ready and prepared.
How does he relate with the Department Heads? What about with peers,
community groups and the public?
I think the other department heads appreciate his straight forward management style.
Evetyone knows what the deadlines are and what is expected.
Tom is vety open and accessible. He is vety inclusive with his department heads. Tom was
supportive of department heads and encouraged them
I thought he did vety well. He is in charge of Development Services. I am the Director of
Building and Safety, and he is in charge of me. He is also in charge of economic
development, public works, engineering, and planning departments. When we lost the
former Assistant City Manager, Tom took over the libraty and planning departments. Tom
was always available to step in and was the go-to person for everyone. His office door is
always open. He encourages eveqone to work together as a team to strategize and
coordinate.
He had direct supervision over several departments. He has good communication skills and
good relationships with department heads and the managers below them.
He gets along and relates well with everyone just fine. I have had no complaints about Tom.
What would you say are Tom's significant accomplishments?
I think that his greatest accomplishment was the downtown revitalization project for the
City of Palm Springs. There was a downtown enclosed mall which never really worked for
the City. The City has wanted to change this for the last 20 years. Tom had to convince
voters to agree to a sales tax to fund the infrastructure to renovate downtown. Tom worked
closely with eveqone to get the tax passed by getting the information out to voters. He did
a great job working with all the stake holders and downtown businesses. He worked closely
with me on this project. He was the glue that held the project together from a staff
perspective. He negotiated with the developer for the property that was going to be
renovated. The bonds were issued back in June for the development. Tom was a very big
part of the team effort with getting the financing in place and was there to make sure the
project got started.
In a team structure, it is sometimes hard to allocate specific accomplishments. I believe
Tom's greatest strength has been keeping the department heads on board with the City's
mission especially during the last fiscal crisis when we were not hiring and basically lost 20
percent of the personnel. Tom was able to manage that fiscal crisis in an effective way and
keep the organization moving and goals of the City on track while still trying to deal with the
fiscal problems. This was a great accomplishment. Tom was able to insure that there were
minimal adverse affects of departments and divisions, and they could continue to operate
effectively. He minimized the organizational difficulties that could have burned us. Tom
was also instrumental in a number of development projects and tried to nurse a few along in
the process even during these tough economic times. He worked closely with a number of
departments who thought they were getting short changed because of the money
constraints. He worked with the Libraty and Parks Director to help minimize the impact on
their departments and worked on alternative ways to service the public.
i I c
At the time Tom was hired to be head of the Development Setvices, the otganization was in
total chaos. The depattments wete not tun efficiently. He saw what the problems wete and
began getting everyone's input and then came up with a solution to make it work. Tom does
not tetminate ot btow beat you but looks fot solutions on how we can make it operate more
effectively. Since Tom came hete, this City has functioned mote efficiently than evet. I
have been with the City fot 36 years and longet than any other employee. He tumed things
completely atound fot the good in our otganization.
I think Tom's significant accomplishments ate on the economic side with all the
complexities that go with that. His political astuteness, in tetms of what land mines are out
thete and what strategies to use to prevent bad things from happening, is outstanding. I-Ie is
very good at teading the situation at hand and articulating a good outcome and works very
well with the Council.
What he did with the City in the dissolution of the redevelopment agency and how we sold
assets back to the City without being confiscated by the State was very strategic. We took
appropriate action which othetwise would have been a hard hit for Pahn Springs. Tom saw
ahead and led us thtough that economic downtum, and Palm Springs was not affected as
much as other cities. I came up with the idea for a hotel incentive program and gave the
general concept to the City Manager and Tom. I gave them two weeks to come back with a
plan. Tom came up with a very unique plan, and it has cteated $200 million dollats in hotel
stock and cteated a huge inctease in toutism in Palm Sptings.
Please tell me about anything that Tom could improve upon. Are there any areas
where he might not have a strong skill set or might not have had as much exposure
to? What are his weaknesses?
I will say that I have only worked with him on financing issues, and he has a very good
understanding of fmancial issues which involves bonding and that sott of thing. I don't
know of any areas he is weak in. In my atea, he is strong. He has had a lot of experience in
other cities also.
The only critical aspect is sometimes thete ate issues or matters where I would have liked to
have had more time to teflect upon what is being done. There were times when he would
essentially come in and approve an agreement and tell me that it is in order and ask me to
just sign off on it. I would let him know that I needed mote time to teview it and sometimes
that became an issue. He always tespected me when I did this; thete was a degree of
impatience, but he respected me and my tequest.
I am not aware of any weaknesses. He has setved as City Manager in other places, and he
has always been successful in handling any ptoblems.
Personally in my book, I am not aware of any. Tom nevet takes credit fot himself and the
job he does. He lets the othet person take the ctedit for it. Tom's biggest asset is that he is
behind the scenes, and he is yout biggest supporter. I would wotk for him anytime. Tom
does not toot his own horn.
City of Miami Beach City Manager Ranking Sheet