Decision on new city manager expected soon Firm readies shortlist of potential candidates

Coral Springs officials are expected to make a decision on the city’s new city manager in March. ErdalDonmez, whohasbeen at the helm since 2010, will retire inMay.

The city has appointed a firm to help with the recruiting process. City commissioners will meet with representatives of the firm on March 16 to discuss the issue and prepare a shortlist of candidates. The regular city commission meeting will take place the same day.

On March 24, the city commission will get an opportunity tomeet the candidates on the list and ask questions. Following that, commissioners will also get a chance to meet with the candidates one-onone. According to the plan proposed by the recruiting firm, the city commission will convene again later todecideonDonmez’s successor.

Commissioner Larry Vignola said he does notwant the city commission to rush into a decision on the new manager.

“Iamnot in arushtomeetsomebody right there and make a decision on the spot,” Vignola said.“We should do our research and some background checking. We should take our time before we make a decision as big as this one.”

Mayor Skip Campbell, who would like the new city manager to spend time along with Donmez before he retires at the end of April, endorsedVignola’s view.

“We should have some input, be able to regurgitate it and send out feelers one way or the other,” he said. “I don’t thinkwe have tomake a decision onMarch 24.”

Donmez, who was deputy city manager in the city for a decade before he replaced Mike Levinson in November 2010, announced his decision to retire earlier this year. Before he joined the city, he served as director ofReal Estate and Economic Development for the city of Miami.

Thecity currently has two deputy city managers - Susan Grant and Jennifer Bramley. It remains to be seen if they will throwtheir hat into the ring.

Meanwhile, neighboring Parkland has also sought the help of a consultant to find a successor for Caryn Gardner-Young, who stepped down in December last year. The city has appointed Finance Director NancyMorando as Interim City Manager and is expected to have someone in place on a permanent basis beforeMay.

asivasankaran@ tronc.com