CRESTVIEW — The Main Street Crestview Association/Community Redevelopment Agency director will be a contracted rather than city government position.
New City Councilmen Bill Cox and JB Whitten, sitting in their first Community Redevelopment Agency meeting April 13, cast votes in favor of lessening city bureaucracy.
Moving to make the $40,000-a-year position a contracted job, Cox said, "Micromanagement is not the way to go …. Don't show a lack of confidence in someone who hasn't even been hired."
Administrative Services Director Teresa Gaillard, presenting information about "one extraordinary applicant" for the Main Street/CRA director, said the applicant wishes to work under contract rather than as a city employee.
"The problem is that contract workers cannot be controlled as tightly as city workers," said Gaillard, to whom the position would report.
CRA board member Mickey Rytman agreed. "To me as a manager, I want to have some degree of control over my employee," he said.
City Clerk Betsy Roy said the CRA's "strict funding mechanisms" can be used to control a contract employee.
"I understand the management thing, but we can get our hands on too tight sometimes," reappointed CRA Board President Shannon Hayes said. "If there's something in the contract that we need to make sure we have better control (of the worker), we can get with our attorney and get that in there."
Public Works Director Wayne Steele said the city has had success with contract labor, which can save the city money because contracted workers do not receive city benefits.
"We have a lot of contract labor and it does work," Steele said.
The motion passed 3-2, with Rytman and board member Joe Blocker voting nay.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Community Redevelopment Agency director will be contract worker