NEW JUPITER MANAGER VOWS TO KEEP OPEN MIND
JUPITER — Coming to coastal, affluent Jupiter from a smallish town in inland Texas — where there are no zoning laws, lighthouses or turquoise inlets to the ocean — is a welcome challenge, said the town’s new manager Matt Benoit.
“I’m taking this job with no preconceived notions. I’m going to show up, keep an open mind and listen,” said Benoit, 43, who is moving his family from Huntsville, Texas. His first day is Feb. 21.
The annual salary for Benoit is $215,000.
Benoit is leaving his five-year position in Huntsville on good terms, said Mayor Andy Brauninger.
Benoit is “a detail guy with a strong personality,” said Brauninger.
Some Huntsville residents took that as a “bully attitude.” Brauninger did not.
“Matt’s not a backslapper. Sometimes, he pushes too hard. He
structure improvements. Benoit said his experiences
“(Benoit) has been city in other communities have manager in different com- prepared him to handle the munities with different rules. switch. might make a few enemies, He adapts very well,” said “I speak both languages,” but he will get the job done,” Smith. said Benoit. said Brauninger. Huntsville is an inland Florida’s Sunshine laws,
A native of Denver, Benoit’s southeast Texas city of about seen as among the most open first job as a city manager was 39,000. Jupiter has about in the nation, will not be an when he was 23 in 2,500-res- 64,000 residents. Hunts- issue, said Benoit. ident Herington, Kansas. He ville’s annual operating bud“Every e-mail, phone call has taken jobs since then in get is about $70 million. Jupi- and memo is open to the pubincreasingly larger commuter’s is about $90 million. lic here. I’m totally comfortnities. He describes his man- The average home value and able with it,” Benoit said. agement style as an interme- the median income in HuntsA nationwide search to diary between the council ville is about half as much replace former Jupiter Town and the staff. as Jupiter. Manager Andy Lukasik —
“I don’t get in the weeds. I Huntsville has about 280 whose annual salary was let people do their jobs. Both municipal employees, about about $180,000 — drew about the council and staff want to 100 less than Jupiter. 60 applicants from throughout do good for the community. Another big difference the nation, including Jupiter They sometimes see things between Jupiter and Hunts- Police Chief Frank Kitzerow. from different angles. My job ville is zoning laws. In addition to his salary, is to bring them together,” Huntsville, like most of Benoit’s contract calls for said Benoit. the rest of Texas, doesn’t annual 2.5 percent raises for
Long-range planning is have any. That means hotels, the first four years. He has Benoit’s top asset, said Carol houses, factories and playa monthly car allowance of Smith, the executive director grounds all must learn to $650, and a monthly cellof the 525-member Hunts- co-exist in the same neighphone allowance of $200. ville/Walker County Chamborhoods. While homeownThe town is paying moving ber of Commerce in Texas. ers associations have deed expenses up to $20,000. She said Benoit was a leader restrictions, Texas does not in the recent passage of a $128 regulate what and where million bond issue for infra- structures can be built.