Flagler County commissioners on Monday agreed to an unrestrictive job description for their next county administrator, and to a pay range of between $195,000 and $235,000 a year, benefits not included.
The minimum requirements: Ten years of leadership experience–management or directorship–and at least five in local government, preferably in Florida. Bachelor’s degree required, public administration and related fields preferred. Master’s degree in the same areas also preferred. Budgeting and economic development are priorities.
A line about smaller-county and coastal community experience was removed from the proposal.
The commissioners are searching for a permanent replacement for Heidi Petito, whose last day is Friday. (Her salary was $212,900 a year.) Growth Management Director Adam Mengel is the interim administrator until September, if necessary.
The commission is not conducting the search directly, the way Palm Coast recently did. It is using the services of the Florida Association of County Managers–namely, an association panel of three county administrators or managers–who will vet the applicants and reduce them to a shortlist for the commission to interview, in consultation with Flagler government’s Human Resources Director Charles Picano, who’s handling all the mechanics of the search.
Picano coached the commission at Monday’s workshop through the job description to be submitted for the search. The job posting will go from the principal requirements to a few specifics.
Commission Chair Leann Pennington did not want to exclude private sector candidates, while a majority of others–Andy Dance, Greg Hansen, Kim Carney–emphasize public sector experience.
“There might be a case where somebody came from the private sector,” Hansen said. “But it would have to be an exceptional case, very exceptional case, because it’s there’s nothing like being in the trenches and working in government.”
“Let’s say if you get a CEO or something, but he’s had extensive experience working with government,” Pennington said. “I guess that’s the question for me, because I don’t know if we’ll end up kicking out a bunch of people right off the get-go that could be private sector candidates that might be good for it.”
“We tried it in Flagler Beach,” Carney said, referring to the years when Bruce Campbell was the city manager. “We went with a CEO, CFO, we tried it. We went private.” It did not end on the highest note, with Campbell resigning at the end of his three-year contract, though the commission would likely have renewed it.
Dance is favoring Florida public sector experience, “with a bonus, if you come from a coastal community. That would be the optimal.” (The more they spoke, the more they sounded like they wanted to hire Petito.)
“I’m more leaning towards education,” particularly in public administration. “There’s going to be a learning curve here if you go with somebody that does not have public administration.”
The commissioners also filled in preferences for the skills and priorities of their next administrator. Budgeting and economic development aside, Commissioner Pam Richardson wants “improvements on intergovernmental relationships.” The candidate will be required to know consensus-building and transparency. Commissioners want the candidate to have the sort of skills that prevent any need for crisis-management.
“We don’t really want to end up with an administrator who is very secretive,” Pennington said.
“We had one of those,” Hansen said, apparently referring to Craig Coffey, who resigned in 2019.
Pennington is looking for an administrator who will be “the face of the board” and comfortable with the press. “It would be nice to have one person like give us a call the moment the issue breaks, and then says, this is how I’m going to handle it, and just handles it.”
In addition to the salary, the commission will set out “performance incentives” that could earn the next administrator additional pay.
But incentive pay is a double-edged sword most governments try to avoid. When officials make it available, it is usually a hidden way of guaranteeing an increased salary, because elected officials who hedge incentive pay on certain goals are loath to admit that the executive missed meeting or exceeding the goals. If that were to happen, it would imply that the executive is not meeting the expectations of the elected body. The next step would have to be probation or dismissal, as Petito could, at least until Friday, tell them.
Pay more get less says
Great Idea from the BOCC clown show ! Increase the salary and lower the requirements to attract a new ringmaster to this circus
long time resident says
Correct me if I’m wrong, but Heide Petito only had a high school diploma when she was pushed into the county administrator position . . . because she had connections. Her husband was the chief fire fighter at the time in Flagler County.
If she has a 2 year associates degree by now, or even a 4 year bachelors, it was probably done via the internet through a questionable educational institution.
So she was making $212,000 with a high school education and no experience when given the job as county administrator.
Who’s watching the hen house? (our taxpayer money)
Thomas LaValle says
WOW
Such irony! says
Imagine this irony…the guy who is speaking to the Commission about setting the requirement to “ten years of experience”…also had the same requirement for his HR Director position. But “somehow” we ended up with an HR Director, who is friends with Heidi, with 5 yrs of HR experience because he was in high school 10 years ago. Imagine the clown show we are running.
Land shark says
Weren’t the “rank and file” county employees denied a lousy cost of living increase ? Glad to see the county is giving out big time raises and payouts to all of Heidi’s friends and their kids like Picano.
B says
Oh no, we were given a generous 2% because of “ budget restrictions “ county made some layoffs and next thing you know more management and administration positions were created and filled.
The trade workers are the ones that are putting in the labor and have the skillset to fix, build, wire, maintain, mow, etc. we are the ones that provide the services and products to the citizens yet we are paid well below the median household income. The generous incomes that almost triple the median income are all kept up top where all the mistakes are made, all the corruption is, all the mismanagement and all the “good ol boys”are recycled from position to position. Too much focus on certificates and degrees, and no care for skillset, aptitude, accountability, and efficiency.
In a 40 hour work week these administrators and managers waste more time and tax revenue then any other position. The amount of money spent for such little product produced from them is sickening. Put that money into the pockets of the county employees that are actually producing and serving the residents.
Amazing how as a trades worker we hear “ we can’t match northern salaries” but if you are an administrator there seems to be no issue to match it.
To many full time employees that still have to work second job just to live in the same county we serve.
Can’t match northern salaries, but have no problem matching northern expenses and tax revenue. Shame on Flagler.
elroy says
they are completely insane in this county. They are giving salaries out like this is Fairfax County Virginia where I used to live. Where all federal government employees had nice big jobs in DC. This is Flagler County a country county but it’s all BS here like every place else you have a mayor who was a real estate person his wife was in real estate now he has a $800,000 plus house on old Kings Road it’s connections. Who are you know who you suck up to and who you laugh at their stupid jokes and comments, and thinking that they are going to push you ahead because you’re talking to them and laughing with them at their comments and agreeing with them even though you don’t agree this city sucks but where do you go?
Jay Tomm says
Someone needs to investigate the property appraiser for selling land to developers for the BJ’s complex & now the Walmart & home depot projects on 100! That seems like a major conflict of interest to me!
Sunset on Flagler says
It is imperative that a thorough and independent review be conducted into the county’s hiring practices since the beginning of Heidi Petito’s tenure.
There are serious concerns regarding potential nepotism, cronyism, and patronage influencing employment decisions. Specifically, questions remain about how many qualified applicants were overlooked, deemed not to meet so-called standards, or passed over entirely in favor of less qualified candidates with personal or political connections.
Public trust in county government depends on fairness, transparency, and merit-based hiring. If these principles are not being upheld, the consequences extend beyond poor governance—they expose the county to legal liability and erode confidence among both employees and residents.
The reality is that, if left unaddressed, these issues may surface through litigation, further damaging the county’s reputation and costing taxpayers significantly.
I urge the appropriate authorities to take these concerns seriously and initiate a comprehensive investigation to ensure accountability and restore public trust.
Laurel says
Good luck with that. We have a 34x felon who was voted in as President a second time. We have a Florida senator who committed Medicare fraud and was voted in again.
Sadly, enough people don’t care.