VENICE OPTS TO SEARCH FOR NEW CITY MANAGER

THE VENICE CITY COUNCIL ON TUESDAY VOTED 4-3 TO HIRE A HEAD HUNTING SERVICE TO HIRE A NEW PERMANENT CITY MANAGER.  THAT MOVE WAS A SURPRISE TO MOST IN ATTENDANCE, MOST NOTABLY MAYOR JOHN HOLIC, WHO HAD COME TO THE MEETING INTENDING TO OFFER INTERIM CITY MANAGER NANCY WOODLEY THE JOB.  INSTEAD, COUNCILWOMAN JEANETTE GATES MADE A MOTION TO HIRE A FIRM TO LOOK FOR A REPLACEMENT FOR ISSAC TURNER, WHO RESIGNED IN FEBRUARY AFTER LESS THAN TWO YEARS ON THE JOB.  THE SAME FIRM THAT FOUND TURNER SAID THEY WOULD CONDUCT ANOTHER SEARCH FREE OF CHARGE SINCE TURNER DID NOT STAY ON FOR THE GUARANTEED TWO YEARS UNDER ITS CONTRACT WITH THE CITY.  HOWEVER, HOLIC WARNED IT WILL COST THE CITY MONEY IN THE LONG RUN BECAUSE A NEW HIRE WILL DEMAND MORE MONEY FOR THE POSITION, AND INTERIM CITY MANAGER NANCY WOODLEY WOULD RETURN TO HER ASSISTANT POSITION.  WOODLEY HAD SAID SHE WOULD NOT HIRE AN ASSISTANT IF SHE GOT THE JOB.