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Highlands Today

County's Housing Director Quits After 3 Months

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By Jim  Konkoly | Highlands Today

Published: May 20, 2008

SEBRING – Just three months ago, Highlands County's gain of Mandy Hines as the new director of the housing department was Desoto County government's loss.

This week, though, DeSoto County turned the tables on Highlands and hired Hines back.
On Monday, Hines told her boss, Jim Polatty, director of development services, that she will be leaving to accept a job with DeSoto County.

Hines, who has not yet submitted a letter of resignation, is leaving her job here to return home and accept a higher-level, higher-paying job, Polatty said.

On Tuesday, Hines could not be reached, as she was working out of the office on county housing business. On Wednesday she was scheduled to be in Tallahassee, meeting with state officials about housing programs.

Polatty said Hines told him she was happy with her job and colleagues in Highlands County but is leaving to accept a great opportunity.

"She told me she's going back to her home, to her old stomping grounds, and with a bit of an upgrade (in her job duties and pay)," Polatty said. "Her children are still in school in DeSoto County. I wish her well."

Hines was the unanimous choice from among 12 applicants to replace Penny Phillipi, who was county housing director for five years. Phillipi left late last year to accept a community redevelopment job in Immokalee with Collier County.

Polatty said he's already launched the search to replace Hines. Director of the housing department is a key job in the county, he said.

Polatty said he was not clear about Hines's new job with Desoto County, but it will include not only county housing work but also other top-level management duties.

"Mandy is capable of being an assistant county administrator or a county administrator," Polatty said. "She's a very capable young lady, and she'll do well in whatever she decides to do in life."
Hines earned a bachelor's degree in management from International College in Naples. She was the county coordinator/housing director in DeSoto County when she came here in mid February as housing director.

She was hired here at a salary of $68,500. Shortly after that offer was made, DeSoto County offered her a $10,000 raise, which would have lifted her pay up to $69,000, but she declined the offer.

Her contract in Highlands County called for a guaranteed 5 percent pay raise if she successfully completed her first six months on the job.

John Minor, county human resources director, said people with knowledge and experience in housing programs in Florida are in relatively short supply.

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