FORMER NORTH PORT CITY MANAGER STEVE CROWELL HAS SURFACED IN ST. MARY’S GEORGIA. HE BEGAN AS THEIR CITY MANAGER ON MONDAY, NINE MONTHS AFTER LEAVING NORTH PORT, WHERE HE SPENT FIVE YEARS DURING THE CITY’S RISE TO THE TOP OF THE COUNTY’S POPULATION RANKS, BUT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE GROWING INCREASINGLY UPSET HEARING ABOUT CROWELL SHOPPING HIS SERVICES ELSEWHERE. IN THE LAST YEAR HERE, HE WAS A FINALIST FOR JOBS IN WEST DES MOINES AND IOWA CITY, IOWA AS WELL AS HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA. CROWELL WILL REPORTEDLY EARN $115,000 A YEAR IN ST. MARY’S, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE WATER JUST NORTH OF THE FLORIDA BORDER. CROWELL HAD EARNED $160,000 A YEAR IN NORTH PORT, AND HIS BUYOUT INCLUDED THE CITY FORGIVING A SECOND MORTGAGE ON HIS HOME IN BOBCAT TRAIL.
