Time's up! 13 apply to replace city manager

The list includes area residents and people from across the country. Dade City's mayor says talks about the candidates may begin March 31.

By CHASE SQUIRES, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 22, 2003

DADE CITY -- Friday's deadline for applications to replace City Manager Doug Drymon found 13 men from across the country lining up for the position -- down substantially from the 44 who competed when the job was last open in 1998.

It's also down from the 100 applicants who vied for the job in 1993.

Former Pasco County Sheriff's Office administrator Harold Sample -- who was one of those applicants, and a finalist, in 1993 -- has been a favorite of at least one commissioner, Bill Dennis, but the list also includes applicants from Texas, New York and California and the former manager of a city of 83,000.

But even with applications in, the process of hiring a replacement for Drymon probably won't begin at Tuesday's City Commission meeting, Mayor Scott Black said Friday. Black said he expects discussions to begin in earnest at a workshop meeting March 31.

Black said just because the hunt for a new city manager isn't on the agenda is no guarantee it won't be discussed. Each commissioner is alloted time during every meeting to talk about whatever he or she wants.

"You don't know what anyone is going to bring up during their time," Black said.

The mayor said commissioners likely would accept applications postmarked by Friday's cutoff, so the list could grow as the mail comes in Monday and Tuesday.

Drymon, 45, announced in January he would leave by July 31 to seek new challenges. He was a finalist for a similar job in Lake Alfred last week and said he is exploring other positions.

Local applicants are Sample, who retired from public service last year to join a real estate office in Dade City, and former county attorney Karla Owens, a Dade City lawyer who has offered to serve not only as city manager but also as city attorney.

Out-of-town applicants are: Roger Baltz, Lodi, Calif., former Putnam County administrator, former Crystal River city manager; Michael L. Brillhart, Vero Beach, former Paris, Ill., city administrator; Alton E. Brown, Dickson, Texas, former Dickson city administrator; and Rafael G. Casals, Princeton, former North Bay Village city manager.

Also, James David Drumm, Lake Alfred, former Lake Alfred city manager; William R. Foster, Port Charlotte, assistant Punta Gorda city manager; William S. Karbuck, Palm Coast, director of emergency services for St. Augustine and former Bunnell police chief; and Andrew J. Maniglia, Yonkers, N.Y., director with a development corporation and former Yonkers deputy mayor.

Also, Richard J. Reade, Auburndale, assistant city manager in Auburndale; Kenneth C. Sauer, North Baltimore, Ohio, North Baltimore village administrator and former solid waste administrator; and James L. Williams, Wesley Chapel, former city manager and former police chief in Decatur, Ill., a city of 83,000 in Illinois.

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