Key West is under new management.
Brian Barroso’s tenure as city manager started Jan. 8, a day after the city commission unanimously approved his employment contract with little fanfare at their Jan. 7 meeting.
The two-year contract includes a starting salary of $215,000 that will increase to $230,000 after a six-month probationary period. The contract also states that salary and benefit discussions will be reopened after Barroso’s first year, provided that he “has made substantial progress in obtaining certification as a Florida Certified Public Manager by the Florida City and County Management Association, or has achieved ‘candidate status’ with the International City/County Management Association, or equivalent organization.”
The city will reimburse Barroso up to $10,000 for relocation expenses from Charlotte, North Carolina and will provide him with a monthly $500 car allowance.
The contract will automatically renew for an additional two years in 2027 unless one party wants to change or terminate it.
Barroso grew up in Key West and worked in banking and finance, most recently in North Carolina. Before moving to North Carolina, he had served on several local boards, including the governor-appointed board of the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority and as a past president of the Rotary Club of Key West. His twin brother, Jason Barroso, is the city’s fire marshal and a division chief at the fire department.
He replaces Al Childress, who was fired in June 2024 during a contentious meeting that ended with a 4-3 vote to terminate his contract. Todd Stoughton, who had been the assistant city manager under Childress, has worked as interim manager since last summer. Stoughton did not apply for the permanent position, and will work alongside Barroso during the transition.
“The office of the city manager is responsible for the complete administrative management and delivery of city services and programs,” states the city’s website. “The city manager, appointed by the city commission, reports to the mayor and commissioners. The city manager responds to the needs of the public by proactively seeking public feedback as the city’s chief executive officer and acts as a liaison among the various departments of the government, the citizens of Key West and the city commission. All department heads, including the police and fire chiefs, report directly to the city manager. The city manager’s department provides executive leadership in managing all departments and enterprises of the city.”
