Miami Beach appoints interim city manager, launches national search
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Rickelle Williams. Photo: Courtesy of City of Miami Beach
After heated debate, Miami Beach commissioners voted Wednesday to launch a national search for a new city manager following the resignation of its top administrator last week.
Why it matters: The city manager is the government's CEO, overseeing day-to-day operations and its public workforce.
- The resignation of city manager Alina Hudak, who was praised for leading Miami Beach's spring break crackdown last month, is one of several high-level city hall departures this year.
- There are currently seven department head vacancies in the city, though interim directors have filled some of those roles, a city spokesperson tells Axios.
The latest: Assistant City Manager Rickelle Williams was named interim city manager, effective Thursday.
- Commissioners gave the city six months to hire a search firm and find qualified candidates.
- Hudak will remain with the city in an advisory role during a transitional period.
Friction point: Mayor Steven Meiner — who voted against the national search — argued for the internal promotion of Deputy City Manager Eric Carpenter as the permanent manager.
- He said delaying the hiring of a permanent replacement could "destabilize" the city as it attempts to hire new department heads.
- "I think the world of Rickelle, but I feel that this is a joke," Meiner said at the meeting.
Yes, but: Three years ago, Meiner voted for a national search that ended in Hudak's hiring as an internal candidate.
- "What happened to the process? Just throw it out the window," Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez said in a jab at Meiner.
- Rosen Gonzalez, who was the swing vote in favor of launching a national search, said she wanted the next manager to meet with residents and ideally live in the city.