Village renews interviews for manager post

3 new candidates move forward for consideration.

TEQUESTA — The village is going back to the drawing board in its search for a new manager.

After narrowing its list of candidates to two Aug. 10, the council decided to move in a different direction, village spokesperson Lori McWilliams said.

Three new candidates will be interviewed Tuesday, she said. The two previous finalists — former Perth Amboy, New Jersey, business administrator Adam Cruz, and Fairmont, West Virginia, city manager Robin Gomez — no longer will be considered for the job.

“(The council) did not find exactly what they were looking for, and want to be sure they find the perfect fit for the position,” McWilliams said.

The new candidates are former St. Lucie County Commissioner Tod Mowery; former Orange City city manager Jamie Croteau; and former town of Palm Beach and Tequesta village manager Thomas Bradford.

Bradford, a Tequesta resident, served as village manager for 14 years. He left in 2000 and was succeeded by current manager Michael Couzzo, who plans to retire in December after 18 years.

Sixty-one candidates initially applied for the position as part of a national search that began in June.

The list was narrowed to 15 in mid-July, and then to six following a special council meeting July 25. One candidate dropped out soon after, and former Wellington and Delray Beach assistant city manager Francine Ramaglia and Timothy Day of Cape Coral dropped out Aug. 7.

Cruz, Gomez and West Liberty, Iowa, city manager Laurence McNaul were brought to the village earlier this month for interviews and meetings. Cruz and Gomez were selected from that group to move forward with background checks.

The village will begin that process again with a new group of candidates. Tuesday’s interviews will begin at 4 p.m. at the village’s Emergency Operations Center at 357 Tequesta Drive. They are open to the public.

The manager’s position will remain open until it is filled, McWilliams said.