Troy City Manager John Szerlag Offered Position in Cape Coral, FL
Troy could lose its city manager if he accepts a contract offer from the southwest Florida city.
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A southwest Florida city council voted Monday afternoon to extend a contract offer to Troy City Manager John Szerlag for its open city manager position.
The Cape Coral, FL, council voted 7-1 for Szerlag at an hourlong special meeting after discussion about five candidates, including the Troy city manager.
"I think we have a stellar candidate in Mr. Szerlag," Cape Coral Councilman Chris Chulakes-Leetz said during the meeting. "We need a problem solver, we need a fiscally responsible person and I think Mr. Szerlag would provide that."
Szerlag interviewed in Cape Coral on Friday. The day consisted of both one-on-one interviews with council members and a session for public questioning, the Cape Coral Daily Breeze reported.
Council members noted several qualities they liked about Szerlag, including his vast knowledge of how the city departments operated and his grasp of the economic situation in Cape Coral.
Szerlag was first hired in Troy in 1989 as an assistant city manager. The city promoted him to city manager in 1999. In 2006, Szerlag left Troy for a city manager position in Florida but returned in 2009.
Szerlag was not immediately available for comment on Monday.
Mayor Janice Daniels said Monday afternoon she knew Szerlag had interviewed but was unaware of the Cape Coral council's decision.
"I want him to be happy wherever he is working," Daniels said. "I'm wishing him the very best here in Troy if he chooses to stay, or if he chooses to take another job I wish him the very best."
Keep checking the Troy Patch for updates on this story.
Tim McGee
5:13 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
It's a sad day if John accepts the offer in Florida. I didn't agree with him all of the time, but he handled the difficult job of City Manager with integrity and is a stellar example of managerial professionalism. If he leaves it will be due to the underlying pressure and mud smear campaign by the TCU, Mayor Daniels, Gosselin, Howrylak, DeBacker etal.
Mitt Romney
5:19 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
Could you blame him for leaving the City with an airhead, Tea Party,
religious nut-job mayor like Daniels? More power to him...
cookiepro2
5:38 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
Don't like the hypocrisy of Janice Daniels...after raking him over the coals in her position paper, she now sweetly "wants him to be happy" and "wishes him the very best"? A no comment would be preferable.
It is telling that Cape Coral recognized Mr. Szerlag's skill and talent over five other candidates. All I know is I've enjoyed my time living in Troy during Mr. Szerlag's extensive tenure, but now we seem to be heading into darker waters, courtesy of TCU and Mayor Daniels.
johnson
6:04 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
Mr. Szerlag has been a great manager for Troy and I do not want to see him leave at this time. We need his guidance, experience and expertise more than ever.
Linda
6:16 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
Hopefully, Cape Coral will be better to him than the last Florida city where he was City Manager.
cookiepro2
12:41 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Perhaps I did mis-use the term "hypocisy" when referring to Mayor Daniels latest public comment on Mr. Szerlag, after all I have no idea what is going on in her mind. In fact, most of her public behavior since taking office has flummoxed me. I will say that her two occasions of public comment on Mr. Szerlag have veered wildly in tone from one extreme to the other, maybe that is just her personality.
Anyway, best of luck to Mr. Szerlag! Cape Coral is getting a terrific manager, who is well up for the challenge, and I'm sure will be appreciated by the populace for his professionalism, steadfastness and integrity.
Cathy Fucinari
8:20 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
How about she is less than honest? She lied about him for years and made it clear she wanted him out, and now wishes him well? Please, is that not hypocrisy? It is at the very least self serving.
Chris P.
7:42 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Whatever the word, Daniels sure likes to parade out whatever persona she seems to think suits the moment. And she's adept at it because so many people are not paying attention. I finally am. This blog post has captured the Daniels reality, a woman who described herself as an Independent when she campaign for Mayor. Too bad Cape Coral won't take her. Please, Cape Coral. Please? We don't need a politician. We need a Mayor who represent the class and dignity that is the real Troy. http://www.keeptroystrong.com/p/real-janice-daniels.html
Chris P.
7:46 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
For those who have never seen the "real" Janice in action, please take a few minutes to watch this excerpt from her attack on Mr. Szerlag and city staff. (Keep in mind, his 12-page paper in response picks apart her tirade point by point. He handles himself with integrity and decorum. I wonder if he will be filing a lawsuit on his way out the door to Florida?) http://www.keeptroystrong.com/2012/02/video-what-janice-daniels-said-that.html
Ed Lambert
11:39 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Chris, agreed that the first few weeks were bad! The recall movement began as soon as the election was certified, before there was any "bad news." That is a point the recallers ignore when queried. They have to; their only hope is an emotional reaction from residents who had not been following everything that led up to the election. They will be informed this time 'round.
I don't see how a lawsuit is possible since he has not been fired. Remember, this is not the first time Szerlag has come and gone, as is his right.
Keep in mind, too, that fiscal conservatives don't much like the notion of double-dipping. That was part of the reason for the November results.
Mumford Chopp
10:06 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
So John will go to Florida, then a year from now he'll come to Troy as as a "Contract" at 250,000/yr. Nice gig!
cookiepro2
11:17 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
So you're saying that Mr. Szerlag is an irreplaceable gem and we're dumb to not be appreciating him now, and dumb for Janice Daniels to be giving him the prequel to firing speech (i.e., "I have no confidence in your ability to perform, yada, yada").
And what happened to Ed Lambert's opinion yesterday in which he criticized the use of the word hypocrisy? Perhaps he was afraid of mining that rich vein of examples which Janice Daniels amply provides.
Ed Lambert
11:46 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
cookie, no fear here of "mining that rich vein of examples" because none of it is pertinent to the present administration of the city nor is there any proven jeopardy to the city.
Hypocrisy refers to professing a principle while demonstrating some contrary action.
Back in December, one of the few businesses that the Troy CofC actually represents had its local administrator email HQ with advice not to do any expanding in the city. He was informed by his superiors that his advice was being ignored. You haven't heard the Troy CofC mention that smackdown, have you! It was in the papers.
cookiepro2
12:49 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Regarding the double-dipping :
"Mr. Szerlag is a contract employee and does not get any health care or retirement benefits paid by the city. In the Fall of 2009 when he announced the fiscal situation, he immediately cut his own contract salary by 5%; it was 10% as of July 1, 20011 (consistent with the across-the-board 10% cuts all city employees took). The cost to the City's general fund is some 38% less than the cost of his predecessor. It was what city watchers would describe as a "TCU" majority council that hired him and insisted that continue to collect his retirement benefits because that approach was cheaper for the City. (This followed a failed attempt to find a city manager after a costly search; Szerlag agreed to abandon plans to become a consultant and came back to serve the role.) Bottom line, any other city manager Troy hired would have cost far more than Szerlag costs. Also, he is not eligible for two pensions from Troy as is often claimed" (source TRUST)
I don't care what term you call it but it looks like it saved Troy money (38% less than his predecessor) to go with the route that the fiscally conservative dominated council at the time took. If Mayor Daniels has precipitated Mr. Szerlag's departure by attacking him publicly, and causing the city more money in replacing him, I would say she has done harm to Troy.
Ed Lambert
4:37 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
cookiepro2, agreed that hiring Szerlag saved the city money since it was already paying him retirement benefits from his previous position. Why was the city unable to replace Szerlag's predecessor at a reduced salary and benefits package in the first place? Perhaps it hired the wrong head-hunting firm. The city was already paying above-average for salary and benefits, as an independent auditor revealed last fall, much to the chagrin of all the "status quo" people in these parts. I attended that meeting, as did Ms Beltramini, who sat next to me.
We had a council turnover precisely because the city administration was viewed as being too loose with the taxpayers' money. Perhaps it was of the mindset that "We're the very best and want to attract the very best, and we'll dangle big bucks out there to prove how proud we are of our city." Perhaps the head-hunting firm was hunting on the wrong terrain in the first place--or, to use another metaphor, fishin' in the wrong pond.
By the way, do you remember the talk about our needing a new library? No mention, though, of the city providing over 50 computers for the general public in its largest room--in a city where virtually every household has at least one computer. No mention, either, of the space being taken up by the coffee bar when Starbucks is not far away. And CD's of questionable cultural value being purchased. And on and on.
This is why the election results were what they were..
Chris P.
4:35 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Ed ... "first few weeks?" You only think the first few weeks were bad? I saw four months of constant embarrassment. I can't imagine four more years. Her web site to defend herself is even an embarrassment. Mr. Szerlag will leave and take with him knowledge and professionalism. Candidates to replace him will face dealing with a political hack. What kind of talent will this reality draw? (Unless, by some miracle she comes to her senses, saves herself and Troy, and resigns.)
Ed Lambert
7:54 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Chris, you'll have to offer a bill of particulars regarding four months' worth of embarrassment. You'll also have to stick to the critical issue of what Daniels is proven to have done to undermine Troy: evidence of the business climate suffering, sudden increase of people leaving the city, etc. Bad hair days at Council don't count.
cookiepro2
6:58 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Ed,
Perhaps the pendulum has deservedly swung back in course correction as far as fiscal expenditures goes. I did not agree that it was necessary to build a new larger library back a few years ago when it was being proposed by certain city council members.
Going forward, I think it is important to not constantly hark back to what past administrations did or did not do, that's done with. What's happening now is Janice Daniels's questionable handling of herself since she has taken office. We're losing our city manager and very likely her public scolding of him had some factor in his decision. I know I'd be mad as hell. And I agree with Chris, she would be a detriment to attracting top city mangager candidates, It would have to be someone with a large reserve of patience and willing to take the risk of being reamed out in public if working relations with the mayor have hit a bump in the road. One might say our mayor is learning, but I would think certainly by the time one is over 50, one would have learned how to treat others, this is not a question of being a novice elected official.
Given the last four months, I see placing the recall decision on the November ballot as a safety measure for the city of Troy, in case things don't work out with Mayor Daniels. Let the council pick a new fiscal conservative who won't be an embarassment.
Ed Lambert
8:12 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
cookiepro2, you make good points. There's a flip side to the city manager hiring, however: a challenge that some might willingly take on, knowing it takes a council majority for a firing.
Daniels fired the first shot and Szerlag fired back. I suspect Szerlag has the backing of 4 on council, making him safe where he is. I don't know Szerlag's mind, but perhaps he's been looking for a new job--in places like we "of a certain age" seem to favor at that age. It could be that the tiff with Daniels and his job search simply are coincidental. We can be sure that if this is the case, the anti-Daniels crowd would do whatever possible to keep that information secret.
By November, a full year in office, Daniels will have demonstrated whether she has found her footing. While I do not support the recall effort at this time because it was begun much too early, if it reaches the ballot and the previous ten months have not been an improvement, I'll vote for removal. It is my judgment that there has been improvement since January.
In any event, Louise did not head up an administration bent on fiscal responsibility.
Oh, yes, the anti-Daniels crowd by and large supports the transit center--that's the center that Birmingham bowed out of but will use if built. Troy taxpayers will have to pay for all the other improvements made necessary by the center. B'ham gets a free ride, probably with more residents using it than Troy will have. We've been had.
Sharon MacDonell
8:01 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
http://www.keeptroystrong.com/2012/03/reason-3-to-recall-janice-daniels-troys.html
Sharon MacDonell
8:31 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Hey Ed, I thought she was doing better too, until she wrote a letter and took credit for decisions made before she took office. She can't stop herself. http://www.keeptroystrong.com/2012/03/mayor-daniels-letter-is-filled-with.html
Troy will now be better
10:53 pm on Saturday, March 31, 2012
Troy will be a better place without Szerlag. The city employees hated him along with most of the residents except - trust - aka troy residents ultimately sabotaging troy.