NSB's top city manager semifinalist pick no longer in contention after video surfaces
The highest-ranking semifinalist for the New Smyrna Beach city manager position is no longer in contention after a video surfaced showing him making disparaging comments about the mayor of the city he managed, according to a report from KBZK-7.
Jeff Mihelich, who led the 13 semifinalists last month, served as city manager in Bozeman, Montana, from 2020-24.
He made the remarks about Bozeman Mayor Terry Cunningham in a virtual meeting with a colleague. In the video, Mihelich expressed frustration over Cunningham’s requests for information, referring to it as “annoying,” as well other comments.
The Bozeman City Commission agreed unanimously in March to a severance offer for Mihelich, according to KBZK-7.
When Doug Thomas, Strategic Government Resources, Inc.’s executive vice president, reintroduced Mihelich’s name during his presentation at Thursday night's City Commission meeting, Vice Mayor Valli Perrine raised her concern about the incident.
“When I heard the video, I was very disappointed,” she said, adding that his was in fact the strongest resume. “For transparency, I wouldn’t trust somebody like that to ever work with him. So I don’t want to waste his time, because I can’t get past the things he said.”
Mihelich has since apologized for his remarks in a statement to MTN News, which reads in part: “A video has been posted of me having a conversation with a colleague. We both thought that this was a private conversation and never imagined it would be posted anywhere publicly. More importantly, I made some careless comments in a moment of stress and frustration that I deeply regret.”
After watching the video, commissioner Jason McGuirk said he “can’t support” Mihelich.
“This guy was very interesting to me on paper,” McGuirk said. “This guy separates himself from everybody else in this list. If we hired him, and we end up getting the guy on the video, we don’t recover from that.”
Commissioner Lisa Martin said she was torn.
“I think we all deserve an opportunity to blow off steam,” she said. “It was certainly unfortunate the way he did it.”
But after looking further into his experience, Martin said she isn’t sure if Mihelich “should be dismissed out of hand.”
“Do we value his work? Or is our total concern about this hugely glaring error he made?” she said. “I’m on a seesaw.”
Commissioner Randy Hartman agreed, further praising his credentials.
“It’s an unfortunate event that’s still recent in everybody’s mind,” he said. “And whether or not we can get through that I think is going to be the question.”
Mayor Fred Cleveland spoke last, saying he could not agree to continue considering Mihelich for the position.
“I think it goes to motive and to 'how I am when nobody is watching,'” Cleveland said. “Therefore, that was the most telling, the most revealing … . It was too much for me to overcome.”
NSB narrows city manager search to five candidates
With Mihelich no longer leading the charge, the City Commission narrowed its list of candidates in its search to replace City Manager Khalid Resheidat, who will retire in August.
The City Commission chose five of the 11 semifinalists selected last month to move on in the process.
Thomas again led a presentation in a similar fashion to the one during last month’s semifinalists’ selection.
NSB's next city manager: NSB sets 4 workshop sessions to continue new city manager selection process
Two of the 13 who initially composed the list have dropped out (Michael Silverman and Stanley Hawthorne), so Thomas reintroduced the remaining 11 candidates’ credentials and backgrounds as commissioners took their time to further examine them one at a time.
Five names selected as finalists
Commissioners used the same system used during the semifinalists’ selection meeting in choosing the five finalists.
After Thomas reintroduced the candidates and commissioners deliberated, they evaluated each applicant using a scale from 1 to 3:
“1” for candidates whom commissioners are interested in advancing as a finalist.
“2” for candidates whom commissioners might be interested in advancing as a finalist.
“3” for candidates whom commissioners are not interested in advancing as a finalist.
The candidates were then placed in order based on their combined rankings:
Paul Brake.
Kevin Cowper.
James Slaton.
Robin Hayes.
Scott Moye.
Carmen Davis.
Jeff Mihelich.
Bilal Iftikhar.
Douglas (Doug) Maxeiner.
Patry (Pat) Oman.
Patrick Marsh.
The first five scored an average rating between 1.0 and 2.0.
Who are the five finalists vying to be NSB’s next city manager?
During his presentation, Thomas reviewed each candidate’s background and credential.
Paul Brake, who served as city manager in Royal Oak, Michigan, from 2020-23; in Morgantown, West Virginia, from 2017-20; and in Grand Blanc, Michigan, from 2011-15.
Kevin Cowper, who has served as city manager of Dothan, Alabama, since 2019. He previously served as assistant city manager in Auburn, Alabama, and as Pensacola’s community development director.
James Slaton, who has served as city manager of Lake Wales since 2022. He previously served the city in other roles, such as assistant city manager, public and support services director, and in the IT department.
Robin Hayes, who most recently served as city manager in Cocoa Beach from 2022-23. She had the same role in Mount Dora from 2016-21. She worked as finance director of Port Orange between 2021-22 and in the same role in Winter Garden from 2008-12.
Scott Moye, who has served as county manager in Ware County, Georgia, since 2016. He has worked as deputy city manager and interim city manager in Fernandina Beach between 2000-04. He was a city administrator in Blackshear, Georgia, from 2004-13.
Thomas then asked about — and commissioners agreed to — making the two next names on the list, Carmen Davis and Mihelich, alternative selections in case two candidates drop out. If one drops out, only the four remaining candidates will be considered.
The on-site interview process begins June 7, which will include face-to-face interviews with city commissioners, community tours, meetings with senior staff members and meetings with the public.
The following day, the City Commission will conduct public interviews with the finalists and narrow down the decision to “one or two candidates (the City Commission) is interested in making an offer to,” according to Thomas.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NSB's top candidate no longer in contention after video surfaces
