Turning The Page

Last Friday marked the final day of City Manager Michael McNees. It is unclear what McNee’s future holds, but we wish him well. The tenure of managers throughout the nation can range from six to eight years. In McNees’ case, he fell within that norm, which can be dictated by many factors. 

On Marco Island, the political environment is often less favorable than the weather and can significantly influence the success and longevity of a professional manager. Some leave earlier due to opportunities that avail themselves for career advancement as well as better financial opportunities, and in many cases, some are better at reading the “political tea leaves” at election time. 

A wonderful friend of mine always reminded me why men and women who choose such a profession pushed for the establishment of retirement funds within their contract.They understood the need to plan for their own futures and the uncertainty of it. 

Council has known since July, almost five months,  that they would be facing the grim task of replacing Mr. McNees, yet they have yet to have a discussion regarding the path they would take. The search process will often involve Council hiring a professional search firm, or in some cases, they may conduct an in-house search.  

I can only hope we don’t embarrass ourselves as we did when a councilor berated one search firm,which initially pushed back and refused to return to the process due to the councilor’s rude and unprofessional behavior. Under the threat of a lawsuit, that councilor apologized, and the city averted the embarrassment of a legal action. 

Council could look to returning to the Florida League of Cities,which handles tasks such as these searches. The unfortunate drawback to that is a candidate risks having their name exposed and their present employer discharging them when they learn of their intent to seek alternate employment.  

As the city searches for a new CEO for the community, I can only hope they do find a superstar with an excellent resume from municipal or county government within the State of Florida. A man or woman who has the experience navigating the intricacies of Florida’s unique governmental labyrinth of regulations, experience in coastal management, and a rolodex of great talent to build a great bench of potential management and employees for the future. 

Marco Island is a spectacular place, and it is the perfect opportunity for those who can bring forth the great potential of our community, its people, and our residents. The opportunity is here for council to come together, set differences aside, and move the community forward in a positive direction, showing us all what they are capable of.