So far there are 82 applicants who’ve applied for the open Town Manager position on Fort Myers Beach. 27 of the 82 are qualified, according to Interim Town Managers Chris Holly and Keith Wilkins.
On April 3rd residents will get a chance to mingle with the five most qualified candidates before the Town Council decides who will lead Fort Myers Beach through its rebuild. Holly and Wilkins are on a 6-month consulting contract that began shortly after the election when former Town Manager Roger Hernstadt resigned shortly before he was about to be fired.
In addition to helping organize a complete community rebuild, Holly and Wilkins are tasked with finding the next Fort Myers beach Town Manager. The community has taken a liking to Holly and Wilkins and they have agreed to stay on passed their 6-month contract to mentor the next manager if that’s needed. Wilkins did say that would have to be a delicate balance. “You have to be careful they are not working in your shadow.” Ultimately the Town Council will decide if that’s necessary.
The Town Council will see a list of the final five at its March 20th council meeting.
If you want to meet the final five candidates and ask them questions, clear April 3rd at 8AM on your calendar. Following the one-hour community meet-and-greet the council will hold one-on-one interviews with the candidates which they will then rank.
The goal is to have a new Town Manager in place by the middle of May. The salary is between $160,000 and $210,000.
Why is the Salary so High? The exorbitant salary of Hernstadt, who reportedly earned over 368K with overtime, is cause for concern. This figure surpasses the earnings of US Senators and Congressmen, which is surprising considering the island is only 6 miles long. As a result, many are advocating for the town to be unincorporated and returned to Lee County. A staggering 80% of property taxes collected by the town are allegedly squandered on inflated salaries and administrative costs, with little to no benefit for citizens. In the past 35 years, the only noteworthy improvement was the Estero Blvd roadway, which was financed by Lee County. The majority of funds derived from property owners are funneled into Times Square, with no real evidence of any tangible benefits for the town. Since the town’s incorporation in 1996, there have been no honest town managers, and it is time to remove the corrupt and self-serving elected officials who prioritize their own interests over those of the town’s residents. Unincorporating the town is the only solution since it cannot sustain itself financially and is constantly raising taxes to fund unnecessary and environmentally destructive projects like berm systems and turtle lighting, which are based on junk science. It is imperative to vote out these council members who cater to big developers and their personal projects and replace them with honest, service-minded individuals. VOTE TO UNINCORPORATE FMB
As a 46 yr resident of FMB I could not agree more Those salaries are out of line and still, a major cause for concern. What the hell do they really do to demand such salaries and who decides what paid? I am so disgusted in the politics of FMB , but I am rebuilding as I love the community we have in some areas of the Beach..how do we hold these mornons accountable? Originally, I wanted to be incorporated as town FMB but things have changed so much.. now want to do whatever I can to vote of unincorporate…
What do we do?
I believe this is a great way to get to know the future candidates Face to Face and avoid some of the past issues. You can tell a lot by meeting a person face to face. You can tell what their goals are much better this way.
So, who picked the final 5?
love to know that answer
This is going to be another giant leap forward in progress! Great discernment in the selection process and no doubt will be welcomed with open arms by the Town’s people.