2018.05.21_TC_Minutes_Special TOWN OF HIGHLAND BEACH
TOWN COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING
Town Hall/Commission Chambers Date: May 21,2018
3614 South Ocean Boulevard Time: 10:00 AM
Highland Beach, Florida
CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Carl Feldman called the Special Meeting to order at 10:00 AM.
PRESENT UPON ROLL CALL:
Mayor Carl Feldman
Vice Mayor Alysen A. Nila
Commissioner Rhoda Zelniker
Commissioner Elyse Riesa
Commissioner Peggy Gossett-Seidman
Town Attorney Pamala Ryan
Interim Town Manager Lanelda Gaskins
Pledge of Allegiance:
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commission, followed by a moment of silence.
Civility Pledge:
Duty Town Clerk Cuebas recited the Civility Pledge.
1. PURPOSE OF SPECIAL MEETING: TOWN MANAGER AND TOWN ATTORNEY:
Town Attorney Ryan presented this item, explained the purpose of the meeting and introduced
each candidate. The following candidates were available for interview: Taylor T. Brown, Joanna
Cunningham, Barry Feldman, David T. Harden, William T. Thrasher, and Bogdan Vitas.
2. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND REQUESTS:
George Kelvin asked Town Attorney Ryan how the special meeting was called and if there were
any signed documents for having the special meeting. Town Attorney Ryan explained the
process for calling a special meeting.
Town Commission Special Minutes
Date: May 21,2018
Page 2 of 7
3. SELECTION OF AN INTERIM TOWN MANAGER:
A. INTERVIEWS WITH CANDIDATES (15 MINUTES EACH)
The Town Commission interviewed each candidate.
Taylor T. Brown gave an introduction of his background and professional work experiences.
Vice Mayor Nila asked Mr. Taylor about his technical skills, grant writing skills, philosophy on
advisory boards and their role, and his quality of communication between the elected officials
and administration.
Commissioner Zelniker asked about his professional connections with the Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT), Florida Power & Light (FP&L), and sea rising issues as well as the
wake zones.
Commissioner Riesa commended on the sense of urgency in the Town of Highland Beach. She
asked Mr. Taylor about his experience with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP)and labor contract negotiations.
Commissioner Gossett-Seidman asked what particular grants Mr. Taylor had procured and his
experience with developing long term strategic planning.
Mayor Feldman asked about the salary range and relocation.
Joanna Cunningham gave an introduction of her background and professional work
experiences.
Vice Mayor Nila asked about Ms. Cunningham about her management experience.
Commissioner Zelniker asked her why she would want an interim town manager's position.
Commissioner Riesa asked about her philosophy regarding managing staff.
Commissioner Gossett-Seidman asked how she would adapt to a town of smaller size. She also,
asked Ms. Cunningham what her duties entailed as a City Clerk.
Mayor Feldman asked about her availability.
Barry Feldman gave an introduction of his background and professional work experiences.
Commissioner Gossett-Seidman asked Mr. Feldman about his transition from government to a
university, and if he had any government experience in the state of Florida.
Town Commission Special Minutes
Date: May 21, 2018
Page 3 of 7
Commissioner Riesa asked if he had familiarized himself with Palm Beach County codes, state
statutes, and issues related to municipalities. She also asked about his management style.
Commissioner Zelniker commented about the size of Highland Beach in comparison to the larger
communities Mr. Feldman had worked in and also the issues in the Town.
Vice Mayor Nila asked about a publication he wrote regarding reinventing government.
Mayor Feldman commented on his work in West Hartford.
David T. Harden gave an introduction of his background and professional work experiences.
Commissioner Zelniker asked about any connections he had with the FDOT and FP&L.
Commissioner Gossett-Seidman asked him why he was coming out of retirement, and what goals
would he implement in Highland Beach.
Vice Mayor Nila asked about the duties in his last position as a Director of Public Services.
Mayor Feldman thanked him for his assistance with the contract between the Delray Beach Fire
Department and the Town of Highland Beach.
William Thrasher, Jr. gave an introduction of his background and professional work
experiences.
Commissioner Riesa questioned the amount of employees he managed in the Town of Gulf
Stream and the population of the Town and his leadership style regarding Town issues.
Commissioner Gossett-Seidman asked about his establishing efficiency in the Town of Gulf
Stream.
Vice Mayor Nila questioned his philosophy on advisory boards.
Commissioner Zelniker asked if he was familiar with grant writing and what areas of grants had
he worked on.
Bogdan Vitas gave an introduction of his background and professional work experiences.
Vice Mayor Nila asked about his town manager experience from his prior position regarding any
major accomplishments.
Commissioner Zelniker asked if he was familiar with grant writing.
Town Commission Special Minutes
Date: May 21,2018
Page 4 of 7
Commissioner Riesa asked whether he worked on labor contracts and negotiations; any
experience with request for proposals (RFP's) and request for qualifications (RFQ's) on different
town projects and his management style with employees and Commissioners.
Commissioner Gossett-Seidman had a question regarding the beaches in South Palm Beach and
the easements.
Mayor Feldman inquired about access to the beach in the Town of South Palm Beach and
funding for beach re-nourishment.
B. DISCUSSION BY TOWN COMMISSION AND SELECTION OF INTERIM
TOWN MANAGER
Discussion ensued regarding the selection process for an Interim Town Manager.
Ballots were distributed to each Commissioner.
The first round ballot votes were as follows:
William Thrasher 2 votes
David Harden 1 vote
Barry Feldman 1 vote
Taylor Brown 1 vote
The second round ballot votes were as follows:
David Harden 1 vote
William Thrasher 2 votes
Barry Feldman 2 votes
Upon completion of the ballots, Deputy Town Clerk Cuebas announced the votes as follows:
William Thrasher, Jr. 3 votes
Barry Feldman 2 votes
MOTION: Commissioner Riesa moved to appoint William Thrasher, Jr. as Interim Town
Manager with the understanding that we will be in search of a full-time manager. If it does not
work out, our secondary choice is Dr. Barry Feldman. The motion was seconded by
Commissioner Gossett-Seidman.
UPON ROLL CALL:
Commissioner Riesa - Yes
Commissioner Gossett-Seidman - Yes
Commissioner Zelniker - Yes
I
Town Commission Special Minutes
Date: May 21, 2018
Page 5 of 7
Vice Mayor Nila - Yes
Mayor Feldman - Yes
Motion passed on a 5 to 0 vote.
Mayor Feldman thanked each of the candidates for their time and presentations. Each candidate
was invited to apply for the full-time permanent position in the near future.
C. PARAMETERS OF EMPLOYMENT
Start Date:
Mr. Thrasher spoke and explained that he was available to start immediately, May 21, 2018.
Parameters of Employment:
Discussion ensued regarding salary, vacation, personal and sick days. Town Attorney Ryan
mentioned that she will prepare a contract.
MOTION: Commissioner Riesa moved to pay William Thrasher a salary of $139,000 plus a
prorated for the amount of time he is here for personal days, sick days and whatever the previous
Town Manager had. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Zelniker.
Mr. Thrashers start date is Monday, May 21, 2018.
UPON ROLL CALL:
Commissioner Riesa - Yes
Commissioner Zelniker - Yes
Commissioner Gossett-Seidman - Yes
Vice Mayor Nila - Yes
Mayor Feldman - Yes
Motion passed on a 5 to 0 vote.
Vice Mayor Nila requested an Executive Session to discuss employee benefits and labor
negotiations. Discussion ensued regarding scheduling a meeting. It was the consensus of the
Commission to schedule an Executive Session meeting on Thursday, May 21, 2019 at 2:00 PM.
Town Attorney Ryan asked for clarification regarding emails being read into the record. There
are too many letters to read at the next meeting and asked if they should be included in the
agenda packet instead.
Interim Town Manager Gaskins explained that letters are available in the Clerk's office for the
public to read.
Town Commission Special Minutes
Date: May 21, 2018
Page 6 of 7
Discussion ensued regarding reading emails from the public into the record at Commission
meetings or including the emails in the agenda packet. Since emails are public records and may
be available in the Clerk's Office, it was the consensus of the Commission not to emails from the
public at the Commission meetings, nor place the emails in the Commission agenda packets.
MOTION: Commissioner Gossett-Seidman moved to abate the current resolution with regard to
reading letters received from the public into the record and having them available to the public.
The motion was seconded by Commissioner Zelniker.
UPON ROLL CALL:
Commissioner Gossett-Seidman - Yes
Commissioner Zelniker - Yes
Commissioner Riesa - Yes
Vice Mayor Nila - Yes
Mayor Feldman - Yes
Motion passed on a 5 to 0 vote.
4. ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, Mayor Feldman called for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
MOTION: Commissioner Zelniker moved to adjourn the meeting at 12:42. The motion was
seconded by Commissioner Riesa.
APPROVED:
Carl Feldman, Mayor
Commissioner
i
Commissioner
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Town Commission Special Minutes
Date: May 21, 2018
Page 7 of 7
ATTEST:
Transcribed by: Rosalie DeMartino
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J
G eld Gaskins, MMC Date
Town Clerk