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Highlands Today

Shirey Heads Airport, Resigns As City Manager

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By Douglas  Carman | Highlands Today

Published: January 3, 2008

AVON PARK — C.B. Shirey stepped down as Avon Park's city manager to become the Avon Park Executive Airport's first dedicated airport manager.

According to the text of a resolution unanimously passed by the city council on Wednesday, Shirey will continue to "provide his service and expertise and allow a smooth transition to (the interim) city manager" for the next 60 days. City Clerk Sarah Adelt will assume Shirey's old duties until the city hires his replacement.

Even though three of the five council members criticized Shirey's performance as a city manager in his evaluation last month, the council agreed that Shirey should take on the smaller role.

Council members were a bit concerned at first about whether Adelt could run the city in the meantime.

"I don't want to put too much on her as we did C.B.," Councilwoman Brenda Gray said.

Councilman George Hall tried to allay her concerns by pointing out that the city manager's workload was already reduced "by a certain percentage" because they now have a separate airport manager. Until late last year, the city manager had to manage the airport, as well.

According to the job description on avonpark.cc, the city's Web site, the city manager administrates and oversees the daily activity of the city.

The New Jobs

The new airport manager will have a task ahead of him as he takes over, or rather, focuses exclusively on an airport that is still trying to draw enough business activity to make it economically self-sustaining. Last week, John Barben of theAirport Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board said that officials were planning a new terminal that would include office space for additional businesses. Calls to Barben were not returned Wednesday.

Shirey said he first plans to review the existing leases for the airport since many of the existing leases were "on a month-to-month" term. He also wanted to focus on getting businesses from southern Polk County and eastern Hardee County to consider using the airport.

"We're looking at marketing the airport. We want to cater to corporate entities," he said. But his first thought: "I'm gonna look for some office space."

During the next 60 days, Shirey will continue collecting his current pay rate, which amounts to a $74,000 annual salary, according to Shirey's application for his now-current position. He requested a $50,000 annual salary to run the airport.

Adelt, meanwhile, will collect a $1,750 stipend each month in addition to her regular city clerk salary.

Multiple Vacancies

With Shirey now limited to running the airport, the city will have to find a new city manager before it can find a new police chief. The Avon Park Police Department has operated for three months with Cmdr. Michael Rowan acting as chief after Shirey asked then-chief Frank Mercurio to resign.

Adelt said she was just focusing on making a smooth transition for Shirey while she fills in. She was not thinking about applying for the job herself Wednesday.

"It's really too early," she said. Coincidentally, Shirey applied for the city manager's position after his predecessor left while he was a city clerk in Adelt's current position.

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