Miami Beach needs a new CEO. Commissioners are not thrilled about the candidates.
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Miami Beach City Hall. Photo: Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images
Miami Beach commissioners are not entirely happy with the field of candidates applying to be city manager with two weeks to go before they're set to vote on the city's next CEO.
Why it matters: The manager will run the day-to-day operations of the government, from public safety to sanitation, and work closely with commissioners to execute their policies.
- Remarks from some commissioners this week questioning the qualifications of the eight finalists for the position could sour future working relationships before they even begin.
Catch up fast: Miami Beach's previous city manager, Alina Hudak, resigned in March, and the city hired a recruitment firm to conduct a national talent search.
The latest: Some commissioners on Tuesday voiced their displeasure with the field of candidates and debated whether to reopen the application process.
- Some questioned why none of the finalists were women.
- The City Commission ultimately voted against delaying the process and narrowed down the list to four finalists.
The intrigue: There is one internal candidate still in the running for the position: deputy city manager Eric Carpenter.
- This is his second time applying to be city manager. In April, commissioners decided against appointing him to the role and voted to conduct the national search instead.
- Carpenter, who has been with the city since 2013, advanced to the final round unanimously.
The three other finalists are Anthony Alicastro, a senior management adviser and consultant; Tarik Rahmani, president of finance for the League of California Cities; and Jerome Wilverding, the former San Joaquin County administrator in Stockton, California.
What they're saying: Commissioner Alex Fernandez said at the meeting some of the candidates are highly qualified, but the majority are "very inexperienced."
- "Some of these are quality talents but not quite yet city manager material," he said.
- Commissioner Tanya Bhatt said there was a "steep" dropoff between her top choices and the rest of the field, some of whom "clearly don't meet the qualifications."
- "I'm disappointed to put it mildly."
The other side: Commissioner David Suarez said it would be unfair to change the application process at the last minute.
- "They're putting their professional lives at risk. Their families are on hold. Their future is on hold. And for us as a body to say, 'Well, we don't really like you, we want to hopefully get someone else.' What kind of message are we going to be sending these people?"
What's next: Commissioners will conduct final interviews with the finalists before voting July 24 on the next city manager.