BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Starke’s leadership team now has new titles, with Drew Mullins serving as general manager and Jimmy Crosby as chief administrative officer.
City commissioners approved a contract with Crosby Sept. 3 following finalization of the ordinance splitting responsibilities between the new posts. According to city officials, this change reflects the way the city has been running since Crosby was city clerk and Mullins was hired. More recently, Crosby had been working for Mullins as operations director.
Now both managers — each assigned his own duties, but interdependent — answer to the city commission.
Mullins’ full title in the ordinance is general manager of public works, which includes preparing and sticking to a budget, carrying out short- and long-term plans related to the city’s utilities, advising the commission and department heads, communicating with the commission, staff and the public, human resources for the public works departments, etc.
The chief administrative officer will carry out many of the same duties on the general government side of the house, but Crosby will also oversee the finance department, just as he did as city clerk.
In addition to finance, the chief administrative officer will oversee matters of economic development, including private, public and partnership projects like City Walk downtown, as they work their way from concept to realization.
Each administrator will prepare a budget and bring them together for commission approval.
Both jobs share the qualifications of education and experience required for employment as well as required residency within the county. Both will serve at the pleasure of the commission, which will appoint, remove and decide compensation for these positions.
Crosby’s new contract has a starting salary of $90,000, and he is eligible for any increase in pay provided to other full-time employees, including cost of living adjustments. Positive evaluations can also increase compensation by as much as 10%. He is also eligible to participate in the city retirement plan for general employees and receive health, disability and life insurance benefits. The city will also provide him an insured automobile or a vehicle allowance with incidental personal use allowed within a 50-mile radius.
The duration is three years, with an automatic renewal of two years unless either party provides a 60 days’ notice to terminate the agreement. The city can, however, terminate the CAO at any time, or he could resign. Termination without cause requires a supermajority vote of the board, but termination with cause requires a simple majority. Cause includes being found guilty of a crime involving dishonesty or malfeasance in the performance of duties, misconduct as defined by Florida law or breach of contract.
Termination for cause cancels severance pay unless the commission wishes to negotiate. Otherwise, the CAO would be entitled to a maximum severance of 16 weeks’ salary.
