The city of Oviedo, Fl., has a new boss – Kathryn Breazeale, recently appointed city manager. Councilwoman Cindy Drago describes Breazeale’s qualities, performance benchmarks, other candidates for the job, the search and recruiting process, the involvement of the public in the process, and what she believes Breazeale brings to the position. We also speak to other sources about the process by which Breazeale was promoted, asking if best practices were followed to assure whether city residents and city staff got the best available candidate from the recruiting actions taken by their elected officials. Length – 34:39

Below, we have posted helpful links to documents relevant to this feature… as well as still photos in our on-line slide show of each person interviewed.

The extended interview with each speaker is also posted below. You’ll hear each person offer further comments not heard in this podcast.

Additional Feature Information

• Kathryn Breazeale’s bio
• Kathryn Breazeale’s employment contract (11 pages)
• City Manager Job Description
• Administrative policy on recruiting
• Relocation expenses from former city manager

CMF Public Media podcasts featuring issues related to the city of Oviedo

• Oviedo Elections – No Contest (9/9/11)
• Oviedo Budget – 2012 (8/11/11)
• Bouquets & Brickbats – A Survey of Oviedo Residents (7/8/11)
• The Nitty Gritty – Behind the Oviedo Survey (7/8/11)
• Oviedo On The Park (3/10/11)
• Historic Downtown Oviedo (3/10/11)
• Oviedo/Winter Springs Joint Economic Development Task Force (3/10/11)
• Oviedo’s Hospital Future? (2/14/11)
• Oviedo Marketplace: A Gem in the Weeds? (2/14/11)
• 2010 State of the Cities: Oviedo & Winter Springs (2/2/11)
• Economic Development – Twin Cities Update (11/11/10)
• Schenck on Andrews (9/30/10)
• Schenck: Housekeeping or Substance? (9/30/10)
• Mayor Persampiere, part-2 (9/30/10)
• Andrews: Revenge or Justice? (9/9/10)
• Mayor Persampiere (9/9/10)
• Commentary - A Memorial to an Oviedo Pioneer (9/9/10)
• Commentary. Charter Review (City of Oviedo) (4/15/10)
• Annual State of the Cities Luncheon (1/27/1)

Pictures

After you launch the slideshow below, click “Next” and “Previous” to rotate through the photos.

Extended Interviews

Cindy Drago with Stephen McKenney Steck Councilwoman, city of Oviedo Length 38:52

Hear councilwoman Cindy Drago tell about questions Kathryn Breazeale asked her during their interviews, and she offers information about Breazeale’s employment contract, her annual salary, perks, benefits and Breazeale’s severance. Councilwoman Cindy Drago also responds to questions about expenses associated with the external search and relocation for the former city manager, plus whether Breazeale’s previous city government jobs provided the additional experience necessary to be a city manager

Dr. Michael Hoover with Stephen McKenney Steck Professor, political science, Seminole State College Length 15:46

Hear Seminole State College political science professor, Dr. Michael Hoover, describe his academic credentials leading to his points of view and responds to my questions about media bias in reporting on candidate searches. Additionally, Hoover talks about the necessary “fit” between a manager and a governing council. He also addresses aspects of public involvement in the candidate interview process, and the “damned if you do – damned if you don’t” quandary of internal versus external searches, whether one search can be said to be more important than the other, and how a council should step up to take responsibility for its search practice choices.

Lynn Tipton with Stephen McKenney Steck Executive director, Florida City & County Management Association Length 34:29

Hear Lynn Tipton, executive director of the Florida City & County Management Association, expand on the importance of matching candidate experience with the scope of services offered by a city. She addresses the expense factors involved in searches as well as the current economic vagaries impacting searches. Tipton also speaks about an institution’s administrative code describing how or if searches will be conducted and responds to my questions about media bias in the search process

Dr. Michael Abels with Stephen McKenney Steck Instructor, School of Public Administration, University of Central Florida (and former 25 year city manager) Length 36:54

Hear Dr. Michael Abels, a former long serving city manager and now instructor at UCF’s school of public administration, describe his municipal leadership experience. He notes whether current economic challenges in municipal government leads to the availability of more or less recruitable candidates. And, like Hoover, he speaks to the “damned if you do – damned if you don’t” search quandary and the issue of how media treats candidate searches.