Slow down, Broward, search far and wide for next chief executive

If you’ve ever watched the Broward County Commission in action, then you already know that commissioners can discuss just about any issue endlessly and then take forever to make a decision.

That’s why it’s so unsettling that several commissioners are in such a rush to hire a new county administrator to succeed Bertha Henry by handing the job to her chief assistant, Deputy County Administrator Monica Cepero. Henry, who is paid

$369,000 a year, will leave early next year. It’s time to slow things down. Commissioners owe it to county taxpayers to conduct a thorough nationwide search to seek the best talent available to manage a sprawling bureaucracy and a bustling seaport, airport and tourism enterprise. Anything less is a serious disservice to the people of Broward County.

With an annual budget of $5.4 billion and a 6,000-member workforce, Broward is the

17th largest county in the United States. Its ever-growing population of 2 million people makes it larger than 14 states, and it’s still booming.

Hiring the leader of this massive enterprise is the single most important decision commissioners will make. It has to be done right. That means it must be based on the best information available. Simply handing the job to the person in the nearest office shows an aversion to due diligence, and we know commissioners can do better.

It was troubling to watch some commissioners at an April 6 meeting declare that Cepero was their first, and in some cases their only, choice. Only two commissioners — Lamar Fisher and Tim Ryan — made the right call, asking for a national search for Broward’s next administrator. But unless things change, they will be on the short end of this rush to judgment.

Four others — Mark Bogen, Nan Rich, Barbara Sharief and Michael Udine — voiced support for Cepero in glowing terms.

“I think we have the talent here,” Bogen said. Udine described the promotion of Cepero as “neat, clean and easy” and said: “I’m ready to do it.”

Mayor Steve Geller was even-handed in directing the discussion, but the former legislator, an adept vote-counter, said at one point: “I would be a fifth vote for Monica.”

However, at least six votes on the nine-member commission are required to hire an administrator. The other two members, Beam Furr and Dale Holness, did not state a clear preference either for Cepero or for a search.

At that meeting, several commissioners voiced support for a national search with a catch: that Cepero is a designated finalist. That makes no sense and signals to other applicants that it’s wired for Cepero to get the job. In fact, would-be candidates reading this editorial might ask, why stick your neck out when the fix is in?

Equally disconcerting was the unwillingness of most commissioners to agree to a joint workshop and Q-and-A session with Cepero (at a public meeting with no votes taken). That sensible suggestion, made by Udine, fell flat, with Holness in particular criticizing the idea and saying he prefers to talk with staff members only in private.

Get this straight, commissioners: The county administrator holds Broward’s most powerful nonelected public office. Taxpayers, to say nothing of county workers, have a stake in this decision and should be able to watch it all unfold. But instead, this has all the earmarks of another of the inside jobs for which Broward is so well-known.

Cepero, 47, is clearly well-qualified. She has been Henry’s top assistant since October 2017 and for a decade before that was an assistant county administrator under Henry. As the county’s organizational chart shows, Cepero already oversees a vast array of county programs from environmental protection to animal control to libraries. She also has extensive experience in state government — a major asset.

From 2000 to 2007, Cepero served as one of seven policy coordinators in the governor’s office under Jeb Bush. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from Florida State University and is a member of the Florida Commission on Human Relations as an appointee of Gov. Ron DeSantis. She currently earns $283,000 a year.

At the helm since 2008, Henry has held the post longer than anyone since voters approved the county charter in 1984. (Lex Hester held the job twice, but for a total of seven years).

Henry long ago made it clear she plans to retire. She also has made it clear to commissioners that she wants Cepero to be her successor. Sheriff Gregory Tony also has been making calls to commissioners, expressing his support for Cepero, but much of the Broward business establishment has so far been quiet.

“Monica is a consummate professional who understands the needs of Broward County and its residents,” Tony said in a statement. “I have a high degree of confidence in her ability to serve as county administrator. Broward County will be best served with her strong leadership and competence at the helm.”

Commissioners should hear from the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, Broward Workshop, civic groups, mayors, homeowners’ associations and others. Keep in mind: Under Broward’s form of government, the administrator has broad day-to-day authority, as Henry has shown repeatedly during the pandemic. We’ve repeatedly made clear our preference for a different system, with a real mayor elected by and accountable to countywide voters, but the political support just isn’t there.

The question here is not whether Cepero can do the job. Rather, the question is whether Cepero should be the only applicant given consideration. This is a huge job. Only one person is truly in charge, and that person must be a superb communicator and motivator of people who’s able to get along with 31 cities and have enough patience to manage the egos on a commission known as a “nine-headed monster.”

Commissioners are scheduled to decide May 4 whether to offer Cepero the job or conduct a national search. The stakes are high and the responsibilities immense. The county did national searches for airport director Mark Gale and the new chief at Port Everglades, Jonathan Daniels. Why should this job be treated differently?

A “nationwide search for Monica Cepero” is a disservice to Broward residents. Besides, if Cepero is the best person for the job, she has nothing to fear from a robust search and will outshine her rivals. So slow down, Broward, take a good look around, and do it right.