NORTH PORT CITY MANAGER SEARCH NARROWS

A SEARCH FIRM FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY IS SCHEDULED TO MEET WITH NORTH PORT CITY COMMISSIONERS TODAY TO DISCUSS THE NINE REMAINING CANDIDATES FOR THE CITY MANAGER POSITION.  ACCORDING TO THE SUN, CITY COMMISSIONERS WILL MEET INDIVIDUALLY WITH COLIN BAENZIGER OF COLIN BAENZIGER AND ASSOCIATES, WHO WILL THEN MEET WITH THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE AT 1PM THIS AFTERNOON TO PARE THE LIST DOWN TO ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO FIVE CANDIDATES.  THOSE REMAINING WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR INTERVIEWS IN EARLY MARCH, AND A DECISION SHOULD FOLLOW A SHORT TIME AFTER.  THERE WERE 133 APPLICANTS FOR THE POSITION, WHICH PAYS BETWEEN $140 AND $190,000 ANNUALLY.  OF THE FINAL NINE CANDIDATES, THERE ARE EIGHT MEN AND ONE WOMAN.  FORMER POLICE CHIEF TERRY LEWIS HAS BEEN THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER SINCE EARLY OCTOBER WHEN THE CITY AND FORMER MANAGER STEVE CROWELL AGREED TO A MUTUAL PARTING OF THE WAYS.