City council reaches decision on city manager office

CRESTVIEW — In previous meetings, the Crestview city council discussed where the city manager's office would be located, but couldn't come to an agreement. At the Dec. 10 meeting, Council President J. B. Whitten presented an "alternative to the alternative to the alternative" that satisfied each council member.

With the help of Crestview's Fire Chief Anthony Holland, Whitten said the IT department's office could move from city hall into a conference room located in the Crestview Fire Department. The city manager's office would then replace the IT department in City Hall.

"Now you got the city manager, the city council, the mayor all in the same location," Whitten said.

Whitten said there would be no costs associated with this temporary plan.

Should the city manager want a different office location, the council would allow the relocation.

The original plan was to eliminate the offices of three councilmen, which Council Vice President Bill Cox opposed.

Cox then presented the following alternatives at the Dec. 10 meeting:

1. Transform the mayor's conference room into an office, and using the council chambers as a conference room.

2. Use office space located in the Crestview Community Center.

3. Move the mayor's office in to the conference room, and use the existing mayor's office for the city manager.

Councilman Shannon Hayes said he was opposed to all three, especially the community center plan because he felt the public should have better access to the city manager.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: City council reaches decision on city manager office