- October 27, 2024
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by: Matthew Morton
City Manager of Palm Coast
The city of Palm Coast, with a now estimated population of 94,000 is preparing its organization and future leadership to handle the dynamic, day to day, breadth and pace of work. To that end, after receiving a disappointing response to the ACM announcement – we took a pause and evaluated succession planning and organization success on a five-year horizon and beyond. To that end the city will reclass an existing director and use the vacant ACM position to create two chief of staff Positions:
Chief of Staff Infrastructure – Denise Bevan will oversee and bring together Public Works, Utilities and Storm water and community development, for the purpose of integrating day-to day operations, sharing of resources, alignment of short and long range capital plans all aimed at continuing high levels of service. The COS positions are meant to partner with our exemplary directors to uncover operational and functional issues, continue in the professionalization of staff and operations and unify infrastructure operations for capability and interoperability.
Chief of Staff Citizen Engagement – Lauren Johnston will provide similar unification, interoperability and oversight of Parks, Communication’s and City Clerk’s Office.
Together both COS positions will work with our director of citizen engagement Cynthia Schweers to continue to prioritize our citizen focused approach to city government. Salaries are within the director bandwidth set at $125,000 for this fiscal year (the standardization of compensation is a priority across gender and responsibility level). Also having two COS allows a deeper leadership pool from which to ultimately draw a new city manager.
You will notice (particularly) that Human Resources and Finance are outside the COS. I have a firm belief that both Finance and HR retain their autonomy and report to me, and ultimately Citizens of Palm Coast. Fire continues to operate as its specialized public safety operation.
Citizen engagement is the bridge as our mission continues to be to “make our citizens the purpose of our work."
