BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE — The search for a new county manager is on, and Bradford commissioners will be assisted in the headhunt by the Florida Association of Counties.
Experienced managers will work as a team to organize the process and help identify candidates based on the board’s expectations.
A year ago, Sexton was appointed county manager by Commissioners Dougherty, Thompson and Riddick over the objections of Commissioner Spooner and in the absence of Commissioner Andrews, both of whom wanted to advertise the position. Sexton’s and his assistant’s salaries were later adjusted to reflect the addition of those duties. It was said to be a cost savings for the county.
After coming to the board last month with legal reasons for the county to move forward with redistricting, Colson Douglas was back April 4 with questions about the county manager position, which the agenda listed as “vacant.”
Douglas said he was wondering if there had been a letter of resignation since the board had not met to remove Sexton as county manager. He went on to say that Sexton lives in Alachua County, although state law requires an administrator to live within the county they manage. County code gives an appointee six months to satisfy the residency requirement.
“We’re six months past that, and for the past six months the county manager position has been statutorily vacant,” Douglas said. “Power has been being exerted that is not legislatively endowed, and any action could be challenged on that ground.”
Sexton said he had been asked to begin the process of assisting the board select a candidate to fill the county manager post. He claimed the position has been vacant since Rachel Rhoden left it for the position of chief deputy clerk under Clerk Denny Thompson. The minutes from April 2021 reflect Sexton’s appointment in the dual role of county manager and county attorney, an action taken in lieu of advertising the job and hiring a new person.
Commissioner Carolyn Spooner said Sexton has done a good job given the enormity of the responsibility placed on him, calling it an “unfair burden.”
