Scholl signs on for another year; now city manager

 

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

 

Talk about a ringing endorsement.

Less than four months after being hired as interim city manager for a one year period, Jim Scholl has been given another year on his contract. He will also lose the “interim” part of his job title.

Key West city commissioners voted unanimously to extend Scholl’s contract at their Oct. 21 meeting. Even the audience apparently approved, applauding after the vote.

The quick extension of the $180,000 annual contract did raise some concerns, however, from Commissioner Teri Johnston. She pointed out that the commission had appointed a search committee to begin looking for a permanent city manager and that the search would be done publically and include casting a net for potential candidates throughout Florida. Adding another year to Scholl’s contract came as a surprise to city residents.

“We promised a transparent process to the city of Key West, which was a search selection committee and a state of Florida search. Jim [Scholl] may very well be the most qualified candidate to come out of that, but I think the citizens of Key West deserve a transparent process,” Johnston said.

Mayor Craig Cates agreed that a transparent, public hiring process is desirable. However, he said he believes that extending Scholl’s contract fit that bill, even though word of it had not leaked out before the City Commission meeting agenda was posted on the city’s website.

“We want transparency. I believe there is. So many citizens came up to me after Jim was back and asked, ‘could you get him to stay,’” Cates said.

Scholl said his request for a one-year contract extension was the result of both his sense of loyalty and obligation to Key West, as well as numerous requests that he stay on longer. He said he didn’t know if he would want to remain as city manager beyond his two-year contract. But staying on at least one more year will allow him to complete several important tasks, he said, including finishing the city election schedule change from odd years to even, and getting his new assistant city managers, Sarah Spurlock and Greg Veliz, settled into their positions.

“I want to make sure they get seasoned enough to make good decisions and be as positive as we can and not make errors,” Scholl said.

As for the city manager search committee, which has not met yet, both Cates and Commissioner Billy Wardlow said the committee should be disbanded for at least one year.

“If Jim wants to stay, maybe we can extend his contract in two years or a year and extend it longer. I love having him on board. He’s doing a great job,” Wardlow said.

Each of the city commissioners had appointed one person to the search committee. Commissioner Mark Rossi appointed former City Commissioner Barry Gibson. Commissioners Clayton Lopez and Jimmy Weekly also appointed former commissioners, Harry Bethel and Bill Verge, respectively. Commissioner Wardlow appointed Kurt Lewin, executive vice president at First State Bank of the Florida Keys. Mayor Cates appointed Sam Holland, a Key West Planning Board member and owner of the Conch House inn. Commissioner Johnston appointed Mary “Bunny” Smith, a former federal budget analyst. And Commissioner Tony Yaniz appointed George Galvan, a general manager at the Spottswoods Companies’ hotels in Key West.

Scholl, who was Key West’s city manager from 2007 to 2012, was hired July 1 to take over for Bob Vitas, who agreed to leave one year before his contract expired after a dispute between him and City Attorney Shawn Smith spilled over into an emotional public airing at a City Commission meeting in June.

 

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