Naples Council selects six finalists to interview for city manager job

The Naples Council took a step Wednesday toward hiring a new top administrator at City Hall, selecting six city manager finalists to interview next month.

The finalists, in order of the number of votes they received:

• Joyce Shanahan, city manager of Ormond Beach, Florida; seven votes;
• David L. Andrews, town manager of Carrboro, North Carolina; six votes;
• Charlie Chapman, county administrator for Hendry County, Florida; five votes;
• Mike McNees, city manager of Melbourne, Florida, and former assistant county manager for Collier County; five votes;
• Jim Dinneen, former county manager for Volusia County, Florida; four votes.
• Erdal Donmez, former city manager of Coral Springs, Florida; four votes.

The other semifinalists were Benjamin Newhouse, city manager of Hurricane, West Virginia; and Mark Rooney, interim town manager of Westerly, Rhode Island.

Colin Baenziger & Associates received more than 80 applications for the position.

Colin Baenziger, head of the executive search firm, said it was one of the most impressive pools of candidates he has seen.

"It's probably the best field I've ever had. They're all really strong candidates," he told council members Wednesday. "It just becomes a matter of fit."

Naples City Manager Bill Moss announced his retirement earlier this year after 10 years on the job. 

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How were finalists selected?

Baenziger gave each council member a straw ballot, on which they indicated their top four or five candidates. The council members were required to write their names on their ballots.

"The candidates will want to know who voted for them and who didn't just because they'll want to know who they have to convince," Baenziger said. "But it really doesn't matter because everything goes out the window pretty much once you start talking to them."

The council members seemed to be in general agreement about the six finalists, although they decided not to discuss why they chose them.

What type of manager does city want?

Councilwoman Ellen Seigel said she wants a city manager who is a team player and cares about the community.

"I’m looking for a new city manager who emphasizes customer service as No. 1, an individual who speaks in the plural rather than the singular, and uses metrics to measure performance," she said. "I’m also looking for someone with vision and is adept in communication."

Councilwoman Linda Penniman said she is looking for a city manager with a strong understanding of finances so he or she can help steer the city's budget in the right direction, including finding ways to reduce spending. She said the next city manager should have a proven dedication to community engagement, too.

"The public still doesn't feel like they have a voice, so I want a city manager who wants to help fix that," she said.

Penniman also said she was excited to see some diversity among the finalists, all of whom she believes are strong contenders for the position.

"I was delighted that there was a woman, and I have to say, I think she's a very, very strong candidate," Penniman said.

"And I was pleased generally with the qualities of the people that applied," she said. "I think there was a good, solid group to choose from.

"But Mr. Moss isn't going to be easy to replace. It's going to take some real digging to find someone who can step into his shoes."

Moss said he, too, is happy with the list of finalists.

"I believe (the City Council) has selected excellent candidates," Moss said. "My personal list matched their selection for the first five of six finalists. 

"With great backgrounds, the challenge is to select the individual who has the best chemistry with City Council and our community," he said.

In a Feb. 22 letter to the City Council, Moss said he intends for his last day at work to be Oct. 2, followed by three months of personal leave until his official retirement Jan. 2.

Moss and his wife, Faye, plan to stay in Naples. He said he will remain on call during the three months that he will be on leave, to help with the transition.

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The finalists' backgrounds?

Shanahan has been the city manager of Ormond Beach since 2009. Prior to that, she was the city manager of Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

Andrews has been the town manager of Carrboro, North Carolina, since 2012. Prior to that he was the assistant town manager of Paradise Valley, Arizona.

Chapman has been the county administrator for Hendry County since 2013. Prior to that, he was the public works director for Gadsden County, Florida.

McNees has been the city manager of Melbourne since 2013. He also was the assistant county manager, utilities administrator, and management and budget director of Collier County.

Dinneen was the county manager for Volusia County from 2006 until June, when he resigned. According to Dinneen's application materials, a former employee Dinneen had fired or forced to resign was later elected to the county council and launched a campaign to remove Dinneen from office. Dinneen previously had been the city manager of Dayton, Ohio.

Donmez was the city manager of Coral Springs from 2010 to 2017 when he retired from the position. Prior to that, he was the county's deputy city manager for 10 years.

What's next?

Baenziger said he will contact the six candidates to let them know they have been selected as finalists.

The finalists are scheduled to come to Naples for a tour and public reception Sept. 12, with formal interviews set for Sept. 13 and 14. The council is expected to make a decision Sept. 14.