Bonita Springs City Manager Carl Schwing to retire in May

Bonita Springs City Manager Carl Schwing on Thursday announced his retirement in a letter to city councilors. 

“It is with some regret that I advise the Mayor and Council that I will not be extending my employment with the City of Bonita Springs beyond my contract expiration date of May 31, 2018,” the letter states. 

Schwing's announcement came nearly seven years after the city hired him. He declined a Daily News request for further comment.

More: Schwing named Bonita city manager

The city manager's future with Bonita Springs was uncertain in recent days. 

During Schwing's annual evaluation, Mayor Peter Simmons criticized the city manager's performance. Simmons said Schwing's leadership was the cause of the city's failure to accurately plan for the cost of Hurricane Irma debris pickup, and that Schwing's administration failed to apply for match funding from the state to help the city recover after the storm.

More: Bonita Springs expects about $16.8 million in Hurricane Irma costs

At the time of the review, Simmons made no recommendation on whether the city council should offer Schwing a contract extension. Simmons declined to comment for this story.

Despite the mayor's criticism of Schwing, a majority of councilors said at that same meeting that they were pleased with Schwing’s overall performance and indicated they planned to extend his contract.

“We praise (Schwing) when we he does these good things,” Councilor Greg DeWitt said. “But when he does one bad thing, he’s a bad guy instead of thinking about the 30 great things he’s done. I think some people on council may fixate on that one bad thing.”

Councilor Amy Quaremba said that discussing the issue in public at an open meetings hindered the council's ability to freely discuss Schwing’s contract.

“I was surprised at the discussion at some of the things council said and the manner in which they said it,” Queremba said. “It didn’t go in a way of a robust discussion. I wanted him to have a contract. I thought we could work with him, even if there were weaknesses that were implied.”

Schwing's announcement letter states that the City Council's split over his leadership contributed to his departure.

“Unfortunately, my continued employment has been a divisive topic, something I’ve never wanted,” Schwing's letter states. “It is my hope that with this distraction removed, the Council will be able to choose new administrative leadership in which it will have trust and confidence, allowing Council more time to focus on all the important opportunities that lie ahead.”

Councilor Peter O’Flinn, who was in charge of negotiating a contract with Schwing, said the city manager "served the city with a lot of dignity and grace over the years" but it might be the right time for a change.

"It's important to put a premium on harmony and everyone rowing the boat in the same direction," said O'Flinn. "As (Schwing) alluded to in his note, that became an issue.”

Schwing, 62, said in his letter that he and his wife had discussed his retirement for some time.

“I am proud and humbled to have worked with an extraordinary group of staff professionals dedicated to serving the citizens of Bonita Springs,” his letter states. “It is because of their talents and commitment that we have advanced to the point we are today. I wish the City well.”

Councilors will have little more than a month to decide who will run the city’s operations after Schwing leaves.