FLORIDA: The city of Gulf Breeze has created and filled a new $50,000 a year position without advertising the job or accepting applications, drawing criticism from Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Joe Henderson about transparency within city government.
City council approved the salary for the new position, Assistant to the City Manager (ACM) , at a special meeting Saturday following a budget workshop, with Henderson the lone dissenter in a 4-1 vote. In the past, city jobs have been filled through open application processes as well as promotions from within and some direct selections, Eddy said, depending on the situation.
There’s various ways of finding the best people, Eddy said. And in this case, the application process, I don’t think it’s necessary. But Henderson disagreed, saying even if Ford is great for the job, there could be other people living in Gulf Breeze who have similar qualifications. I just think it’s wrong when we spend government money that way, Henderson said.
