Picks for top job down to three

The administrator candidates will meet with commissioners.

By BARBARA BEHRENDT, Times Correspondent
Published December 22, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - The county administrator selection committee on Friday talked to their top picks and chose three applicants for the County Commission to consider.

Chosen for interviews are David N. Hamilton, now the county administrator of Crow Wing, Minn.; Tom Marko, development coordinator for Miami-Dade County; and Kathy S. Rice, assistant city manager for Surprise, Ariz., according to Hernando County Human Resources director Barbara Dupre.

The three now will have private interviews Jan. 22 with each county commissioner as well as a public interview before the full board the same day. The following mor ning, commissioners will meet again to make their selection.

Commissioners hope the new administrator can be in place by early March.

The previous administrator, Gary Kuhl, left the job last month citing the negative atmosphere among many in the community toward local government. He is now public works director in Sumter County.

Hamilton has been in his current position since 2006 and previously worked as county administrator in Goodhue County, Minn. He has worked as a government and business consultant and worked for Thunder Bay, Ontario, from 1985 through 1997, serving the last six years as mayor.

In addition to his current position in Miami-Dade County, which Marko has held since 2005, he also worked as assistant to the county manager from 2002 through 2005 and as a senior budget analyst.

He also has worked as a Realtor, operations director for a Hollywood railway company and been a small-business owner.

In her current job since 2004, Rice has also served as Waco, Texas, city manager from 1998 through 2003; deputy city manager of Clearwater from 1989 through 1999; Gulfport city manager from 1986 through 1989; and city manager and chief executive officer of Lake Mary from 1983 through 1986.

Barbara Behrendt can be reached at behrendt@sptimes.com or 352 848-1434.

[Last modified December 21, 2007, 20:51:14]