Santa Rosa County Administrator Tony Gomillion created a firestorm of criticism when he created a new assistant county administrator position for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. Before the job opening closed Dec. 2, 53 applications were submitted for the position, which will pay up to $115,000 per year.
Gomillion was hired in January 4, 2016 at an annual salary of $135,720 plus a $500 per month in-county travel allowance. He replaced Hunter Walker, who was making $132,000 a year before retiring in December 2015 after two decades serving as the county’s top bureaucrat.
Walker did not have an assistant county administrator position during his two-decade tenure.
Previously Gomillion was the county’s Public Services Director and made around $98,000 per year. Instead of hiring a replacement for himself, Gomillion decided to convert that position to Assistant County Administrator.
Job requirements included a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university supplemented by a minimum of seven years in progressively responsible local government management, including five in a supervisory capacity. The salary range for the position is $95,000-115,000 per year based on qualifications and experience. And the job posting described an “excellent” benefits package which includes participation in the Florida Retirement System, vacation, sick leave, group life insurance, monthly travel, professional dues and conference expenses.
Noteworthy applicants for new position include current Santa Rosa County Grants Director Sheila Fitzegerald, Keith Morris, former chief administrative officer for Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, and several experienced county and city administrators, including former Jackson County Administrator Ted Lakey, who was one of three finalist for the position Gomillion currently holds.
According to Santa Rosa County Commissioner Lane Lynchard, the Board of County Commissioners will have final approval of the contract for the new position, and that matter is expected to come before the board at an upcoming meeting.
Following is a list of the applicants for the new position:
Aimee Bean, contract operations manager for SURVICE Engineering Company
Alex Morales, interim management consultant, Bergen County Board of Social Services
Amy Hymel, training and development manager, Cornerstone Chemical Company
B.J. Cottrell, inspections chief, Air Force Global Strike Command
Carol Ettelson, executive director, Watermark of Gulf Breeze
Charles Jacien, former town manager, Castleton, Vermont
Christopher Himes, department manager, US Navy
Chris Phillips, project engineer, Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners
Charles Angle, client solutions executive, AT&T
Clay Goodman, county administrator, Craig County, Virginia
Charles Goldsborough, operations manager, City of New Orleans
Curtis Keyser, former branch manager, Tyndall Federal Credit Union
Dan Schebler, retired deputy program director, Office of Economic Adjustment
David Strohl, village administrator, Forsyth, Illinois
David Walker, regional safety supervisor, Randstad USA
Donald Warn, finance director, Town of Parker, Colorado
Donnie Perry, police chief, Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles Code Enforcement Division
Edward Dean, senior strategist, Edward Walker Dean & Associates
Edward Dorsey, executive director, Dothan-Houston County Mental Retardation Board
Edwin Beauchamp, vice-president of operations, Georgia Gwinnett College
Elizabeth Schrey, senior planner, City of Pensacola
Eric Garretty, chief administrative officer, City of Fort Worth, Texas
Fredrick (Ted) Young, assistant warden – finance/administration, Blackwater River Correctional Facility
Gia Scruggs, administrative services director, City of St. Joseph, Missouri
Greg Wood, county manager, Harris County, Georgia
Gregg Blaize, assistant executive director, Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center
Jansen Tidmore, executive director, Dothan Downtown Redevelopment Authority
Jason Peters, administrative intern, City of Maple Grove, Minnesota
Jennifer James-Mesloh, assistant professor/MPA program coordinator, Northern Michigan University
John McCue, director of governmental affairs, New Millennium Companies
John Shepherd, township manager, North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
Johnny Clayton, college instructor, Tennessee College of Applied Technology
Keith Morris, director of investigations, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
Kevin Opple, city manager, Naval Station Everett, Washington
Kwasi Obeng, chief performance analyst, Office of the Inspector General, City of Chicago
Larry Collins, fire chief, Ann Arbor Fire Department
Larry Mau, assistant county engineer, Sarasota County, Florida
Laura Camcioglu, associate consultant, Municipal Solutions
Mark Kutney, former town manager, Loxahatchee Groves, Florida
Mike Berger, service office manager, Bureau of Workers Compensation, State of Ohio
Nathan Coyle, city manager, City of McCall, Idaho
Nathan See, street superintendent, City of Pea Ridge, Arkansas
Pilar Williams, owner of 2B Postal and former administrative assistant at ITT Technical Institute
Redmond James, city manager, City of Groveland, Florida
Robert Hughes, senior financial analyst, Baptist Healthcare
Robert Humphrey, human resources director, U.S. Army, New Orleans, Louisiana
Sammy Ragsdale, assistant county administrator, Ford County, Kansas
Shawn Henessee, county administrator, Marinette, County, Wisconsin
Sheila Fitzgerald, director of grants and special programs, Santa Rosa County, Florida
Ted Lakey, former county administrator, Jackson County, Florida
Terri Lea Hugie, ICMA senior management fellow, City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Tim Ridder, management consultant, TJR consulting
Yesenia Helms, office automation assistant, NETSAFA, NAS Pensacola
