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Someone to be at the helm — Former Ponce Inlet City Manager Kassandra Blissett will serve as DeBary's interim city manager while City Council searches for a permanent city manager. With Assistant City Manager Anthony Gonzalez leaving Sept. 18, and without someone to step in the role to handle day-to-day administrative duties, council members decided to take on an interim city manager.
She starts Monday
By Pat Hatfield
posted Sep 9, 2009 - 4:58:03pm
UPDATE FRIDAY, SEPT. 11 — Kassandra Blissett, former Ponce Inlet city manager, will assist the City of DeBary through the next few months, as the search for a permanent city manager begins anew.
At a Sept. 11 special meeting, City Council members unanimously agreed to offer the job to Blissett. She is to start Monday, Sept. 14, working with outgoing Assistant City Manager Anthony Gonzalez. At 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, when Gonzalez's resignation is effective, Blissett will get the title "interim city manager." Gonzalez has been acting city manager since Maryann Courson's departure in April.
Blissett said she plans to "hit the ground running."
City Council members said they had received glowing reviews from Ponce Inlet officials and others who had worked with Blissett. She had good experience working with both stormwater and budget issues.
Blissett will compensated of a rate equal to $80,000 a year during an interim period not expected to exceed six months.
Working on the budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 will be Blissett's first priority, and it will be on the agenda at the 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 meeting at City Hall at 16 Colomba Road.
The city is supposed to submit its budget to the state by Sept. 30. That means that in addition to the Sept. 16 meeting, at least one more meeting will be called before the end of the month.
PREVIOUSLY REPORTED: DeBary City Council will come together for a special meeting at 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at City Hall, 16 Colomba Road, to iron out an interim city-manager employment agreement to offer Kassandra Blissett. The meeting was set originally for Thursday, Sept. 11, and changed to Friday because of a scheduling conflict.
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Bissett is former city manager of Ponce Inlet. Her name was on a list of potential interim candidates suggested by the Range Riders, retired administrators and city managers who offer their services to cities. Blissett also gained County Council Member Pat Northey's recommendation for the spot.
At a Sept. 2 meeting, DeBary City Council members decided to hire an interim after Kenneth Weaver passed on the post as city manager, amidst controversy. Assistant City Manager Anthony Gonzalez resigned and is leaving the city Sept. 18.
Blissett will be offered about the same pay Gonzalez was making as acting city manager, in the $80,000 a year range, but without benefits.
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As for the laws and statutes of Florida and the County, it's difficult to find where this is relevant given how they are not really followed to much if any degree. Comp Plans, Land Devlopment Codes, Audit reports on time, to name just a few. Just look at Miami Corp: we'll end up building where no schools were to be built.
Unlike Mr. Weaver, Ms. Blissett has first hand knowledge of hurricane and water problems and, more importantly, she has a deep familiarity with the laws and statutes of the State of Florida and the County of Volusia.
??-) is rushing to find sometone with
??-) a pulse for city mgr.
I'm not going to go far out on a limb here, but I would think that a pulse would be an important qualification for the job in most cities.
A lack of criminal background is good, too.
Let us all pat ourselves on the backs for setting the bar so high: (a) pulse (b) no crim.
Patience is a VIRTUE!
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