Veliz, Castro fill top city management positions

 

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

Interim City Manager Jim Scholl has filled two high-ranking holes in his staff.

Scholl recently named Community Services Director Greg Veliz as the new assistant city manager in charge of operations. Scholl also named John Paul Castro, currently deputy director of marine services, as the new utilities director, replacing Jay Gewin, who resigned in July.

Veliz, a nine-year city employee, joins Assistant City Manager of Administrative Services Sarah Spurlock in the city manager’s office to make up the top triad overseeing city government. Veliz has been community services director since August 2008 and replaces David Fernandez, who retired in July after stepping down to take a consulting position with the city created by former City Manager Bob Vitas.

That move ended up creating a controversy that led to Vitas, by mutual consent with the city commission, resigning with a year left on his contract. Commissioners then rescinded the $113,835 consulting offer made to Fernandez but would not let him back out of his retirement in order to keep his assistant city manager job.

Scholl said in a letter to city commissioners that he had worked successfully with Veliz during his previous tenure as city manager from 2007 to 2012.

“Greg has a demonstrated record of performance with the city that has earned him this promotion,” Scholl wrote to commissioners

Veliz’s promotion comes with a 30 percent pay increase, from $91,980 to $120,000.

Castro’s salary will be $85,000 as the new utilities director. Gewin was making $61,000 when he resigned, but his title was utilities manager. Scholl bumped up the title to director after consulting with other senior management.

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