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City leaders vote to start new search for manager

The Dunedin position needs filling after acting City Manager Maureen Freaney, one of three finalists,takes a county position.

By ASHLEE CLARK
Published June 17, 2006

Start over.

With popular candidate and acting City Manager Maureen Freaney accepting a job with Pinellas County, and only two finalists and an alternate remaining, commissioners decided unanimously at Thursday's meeting to cancel this weekend's interviews and social events involving the finalists and restart the search.

Freaney announced Thursday she has accepted a position as human services director for the county. Freaney, formerly the assistant city manager, will remain with the city until July 21, Mayor Bob Hackworth said.

The commission is expected to discuss how it will administer a new search at a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 542 Main St. Commissioners were originally scheduled to vote for a new city manager at that meeting.

But after Freaney announced her departure Thursday, commissioners were hesitant to continue the current process with a small number of finalists.

"I just think that the continuous elevation by default of these candidates is a problem," Hackworth said.

Commissioner Deborah Kynes said she was willing to continue the search with the current finalists but later agreed to restart the search.

"We do have to pull together, and we do have to move forward." she said.

Kynes made a motion at a June 8 special meeting to hire Freaney but later withdrew it. Commissioner Julie Scales, who seconded that motion, said Thursday that Freaney was the strongest candidate in the pool.

The commission has spent six months and $10,000 on the search to replace longtime City Manager John Lawrence after he retired in January.

Four of nine finalists, including Freaney, have taken other jobs before they began the interview process in Dunedin, Hackworth said.

Freaney was supported by many members of the community, some of whom urged the commission to hire Freaney at the June 8 meeting.

One of those supporters, Dunedin resident Dave Pauley, expressed his frustration with losing Freaney at Thursday's meeting.

"Shame on you for letting this happen," he told the commission.

The remaining candidates in the original search were George Hunt, community manager of Barefoot Bay; Susan Boyer, former city manager of Crystal River; and alternate Charles Saddler, a Lakeland resident, who has taken a sabbatical from government since 2002 to raise twins.

Hackworth said on Friday that he hadn't heard anything from the candidates regarding their continued interest in the position. But the assumption is that they would reapply if they are still interested, he said.

Ashlee Clark can be reached at 445-4158 or aclark@sptimes.com.

[Last modified June 17, 2006, 07:34:05]