By ELIZABETH SINCLAIR
DeFuniak Springs – On March 28, 2016 DeFuniak Springs City Manager Sarah Bowers resigned, effective immediately. The city council, in a special meeting, met the next day and unanimously approved Public Works Director Tilman Mears as interim city manager. Five months to the day, Aug. 29, again in a special meeting. Mears, the only applicant, needed a unanimous (5/0) vote to be the official city manager. He didn’t get it. The vote was 4/1 with Councilman Mac Carpenter voting no. Mears will remain interim manager. The council will determine advertising the position at its next regular meeting on Sept. 12.
In the days leading up to the Aug. 29 decision, council members and the mayor interviewed Mears individually. At the special meeting, in broad terms, the council expressed their opinion of Mears who was present at the proceedings. “I think he’s a good man.” “Appreciate him.” “He’s earned my respect.” “Steadfast.” The public was then given the opportunity to comment. James Hurley said, “If you cut him loose he’ll shine like a star.” Harley Henderson said Mears has done a great job in public works, but he would like to see the council hire someone from outside. J.B. Hillard asked why the city attorney wasn’t present. Hillard said he feels the interviewing process violated Sunshine Law, that the hiring process lacked transparency.
City Attorney Clayton Adkinson was contacted and, in the time prior to his getting there, city staff passed out copies of the council members’ interview sheets to the public. Adkinson responded to Hillard by noting that the interviews were all done individually, outside the presence of the other council members and the county has used this process for years. Hillard said again he felt the process lacked transparency.
The council voted, on a motion from Councilman Kermit Wright and a second from Ron Kelley, and it failed.
After the meeting Wright stated, “I don’t like the way it went down tonight. We should retain the interim (manager) until such time as the city selection.”
The city manager position had been on council’s agenda at the request of Councilman Carpenter since May. On June 27 in a motion made by Mayor Pro-Tem Harold Ennis, the job became advertised in-house among the city organization. The posting ended July 14 and the council approved conducting individual interviews and provide a recommendation at the Aug. 29 meeting.
Back in April the council approved giving Mears the same same hourly rate as the former city manager until someone could be hired permanently. According to the 2016 budget the amount is $40.826.