As of Oct. 21, the Marathon City Council has not made a move to call a special meeting to discuss naming an interim city manager or discuss the hiring parameters for a permanent city manager.
Current City Manager Chuck Lindsey announced his decision to resign earlier this month with two possible quit dates: Nov. 12 or, if needed and agreed by the majority of council, a month longer to Dec. 10. The next regularly scheduled meeting is on Nov. 10 — which doesn’t give the council much time to act.
A special call meeting can only be called by the city manager, city lawyer, the mayor, vice mayor or a majority of the council.
Mayor Steve Cook said he hasn’t discussed naming the interim manager with other council members because that would be a violation of Florida’s Sunshine Law, which prohibits elected officials meeting or talking anywhere but in a public forum.
“We do have a deputy city manager in city attorney Steve Williams,” said Cook. Williams was hired mid-August to become the city’s attorney. The council hires the city manager and city attorney, but all other positions are decided by the city manager. Lindsey named Williams deputy city manager sometime between his hire and the Oct. 12 meeting when it was announced to the public.
“I think it makes sense to hire him as interim city manager because he’s already the deputy,” Mayor Cook said. “I’ve spoken to him and he has said his life’s goal isn’t to be city manager, so he can serve while we hunt for the new city manager.”
Lindsey did not return phone calls for comment and is out of the office on vacation.
Editor’s note: After this story went to press, Manager Chuck Lindsey emailed to say there would be a meeting scheduled to discuss an interim city manager, but did not specify when.
