CROWELL OUT AS NORTH PORT CITY MANAGER

NORTH PORT CITY COMMISSIONERS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY MONDAY NIGHT TO END THE CONTRACT OF CITY MANAGER STEVE CROWELL IN WHAT WAS TERMED A MUTUALLY AGREED UPON DECISION.  CROWELL’S ATTORNEY AND THE CITY ATTORNEY HASHED OUT THE AGREEMENT BEFORE THE SPECIAL MEETING MONDAY NIGHT WHICH CALLS FOR CROWELL TO RECEIVE SIX MONTHS SEVERANCE AND BENEFITS.  HIS SALARY WAS REPORTEDLY $168,000 DOLLAR A YEAR.  CROWELL HAD JUST RETURNED LAST WEEK AFTER SEEKING A SECOND JOB IN 18 MONTHS AS CITY MANAGER OF IOWA CITY, IOWA, WHERE HE WAS ONE OF THREE FINALISTS, AND HE LEFT THE MEETING ABRUPTLY DURING A BREAK.  CITY COMMISSIONERS VOTED 4-1 TO NAME ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER DANIEL SCHULT THE INTERIM MANAGER, WITH VANESSA CARUSONE PREFERRING SHERRY BORGSDORF, THE CITY’S GENERAL SERVICES DIRECTOR OVERSEEING PARKS AND RECREATION, HUMAN RESOURCES, AND RISK MANAGEMENT.  SCHULT’S FIRST ASSIGNMENT IS TO HIRE A FIRM TO FIND CROWELL’S REPLACEMENT.