If the city's choice does not accept the job of filling Vince Lupo's shoes, the council is prepared with another pick.
By ALEX LEARY
Published September 10, 2004
PORT RICHEY - The City Council chose a Pennsylvania man Thursday evening to be the next city manager, capping a three-month search to succeed Vince Lupo.
But there was no guarantee Sam Monticello will take the job given the $70,000 salary offered, which is considerably less than he earns as city administrator in Hazleton, Pa.
Monticello, 48, also has strong personal ties to Hazleton, having grown up there, and is a second-tier candidate for the New Port Richey city manager job.
Reached by the Pasco Times on Thrsday evening and told of the council's decision, Monticello said, "That's great." He was in a meeting, however, and could not talk further.
On Wednesday, he said he had several questions about the job he would want answered before he would be willing to accept, but he did not elaborate on what the questions were.
The council is prepared if Monticello does not take the job: It voted to name as backup Russell Benford, 35, village administrator of Hawthorn Woods, Ill., outside Chicago.
Not making the cut was Mark Bates, recently resigned manager of North Lauderdale. Council member Fred Miller said he favored Bates, 47, because of his background in finance and knowledge of Florida law.
"Mr. Bates," Miller said, "is by far the best choice."
The four other council members backed Monticello, praising his success in obtaining grants, his candor during recent interviews and "hands-on" philosophy toward managing a city.
"He seems to be very detail oriented and has his pulse on what's going on," Mayor Eloise Taylor said. "That's exactly what this city needs."
"He's a small city man with a big city brain," council member Phyllis Grae remarked, adding she felt most comfortable with Monticello.
The city of Hazleton has about 24,000 residents, 115 municipal employees and a $12-million annual budget. Port Richey has 3,000 residents, less than half as many employees and a roughly $3-million budget.
Monticello, who has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Villanova University, first worked for Hazleton in 1980 as director of community and economic development. It is there where he honed his apparent skill in obtaining grants.
Except for a brief stint as administrator for neighboring West Hazleton, he has remained with the city ever since.
In 2001, according to his resume, his city was given the Governor's Award for Local Government Excellence.
The tie to his hometown, he acknowledged in recent interviews, could be difficult to break.
Salary could be a key factor in whether Monticello takes the job. His current base salary is $87,000 but he said other compensation puts his annual take at $96,000.
Port Richey has offered $70,000.
"It's more of an issue with my wife than it is me," Monticello said during an interview with the City Council last week.
He said he wants to relocate to Florida's west coast, having been impressed during recent trips with his family. He and his wife, Susan, have an 11-year-old son, Sammy.
Whoever takes the job will be expected to undertake a close review of city operations, City Council members have said. In the months leading up to Lupo's dismissal in May, critics said he did not adequately supervise employees or projects.
The council advertised the job in a trade publication and newspapers, generating 83 applicants.
- Alex Leary can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6247, or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6247. His e-mail address is leary@sptimes.com
