Atlantic Beach, City Manager

Welcome to Atlantic Beach! With its vibrant culture, idyllic climate and active community, spend a few days here and you will see why it is an ideal place to live, work, play and raise a family.

Located in northeast Florida, just east of Jacksonville, the City has much to offer. It shimmers with history and is the site of what many experts believe was the first year-round Native American settlement in North America.

Nearby Hanna Park, a popular magnet for surfers, beachcombers, campers and bicyclists, boasts lush woods and pristine beaches that also keep a bit of Old Florida alive.

If you enjoy outdoor activities, Atlantic Beach is a great place to be. Two miles of white sandy beaches form the City’s eastern boundary, and surfing, boating, fishing and diving are all readily available. The lower western quarter of the City is comprised of conservation land that fronts on the Intracoastal Waterway. Take a kayak to the

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City Manager Position Available ! Apply by: May 30, 2014

27-acre Dutton Island Preserve and explore a myriad of waterways and marshes. If you prefer, the City offers miles of hiking trails within its boundaries. The City also has nine parks covering 65 acres, which include playing fields for various sports, a wildlife preserve, a dog park, a skate park, a cultural center and more.

For those less athletically inclined, the City offers Shakespeare in the Park, the Songwriter’s Concert, Arts in the Park, the North Beaches Art Walk, Acoustics Nights and the annual Dancin’ in the Street festival. The Adele Grage Cultural Center opened in 2002 and regularly houses community theater. Catch a show, or stop by the many fun beachside shops. If all this activity makes you hungry, you will find numerous opportunities for dining in town.

Just 20 minutes west lies downtown Jacksonville, the largest city in the State of Florida and the largest contiguous metropolis in the United States by area. There you will find professional football (the Jacksonville Jaguars of

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the National Football League) and numerous minor league sports teams such as baseball’s Jacksonville Suns; the Arena Football League’s Jacksonville Sharks; the Jacksonville Axemen (rugby); Jacksonville Giants (basketball); and Jacksonville Armada FC (soccer). Golf lovers will enjoy the annual Players Championship, as the PGA tour is headquartered in the greater Jacksonville area. Both Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida compete in most NCAA Division I athletics. For those who enjoy the arts, Jacksonville’s Time-Union Center is a popular destination for theater, the Jacksonville Symphony, and touring Broadway shows. Numerous community theaters are found in the area, and the Florida Theatre, which opened in 1927, is one of only four remaining high-style movie palaces built in Florida during that decade.

Atlantic Beach is sometimes referred to as a “cul-de-sac city”, meaning that it is a destination, not a pit stop. The residents like it that way, and the result is a tight-knit, stable community where people know their neighbors. Life in the City is peaceful, with low-to-average rates of both property crime and violent crime compared to state and national averages. The public schools are part of the Duval County School District and are very good. Housing prices are still reasonable, having recovered from the 2008 downturn, and run from $150,000 to the multiple millions.

With balmy temperatures that average 68ºF, Atlantic Beach is a beach lover’s version of paradise and a wonderful place to live and work while enjoying the area’s ample amenities. If you are someone who will build upon the City’s tradition of excellence and stability, we invite you to join the team as the City’s newest City Manager.

History

Atlantic Beach was just a small seaside community in the early 1900s when Henry Flagler, builder of the Florida East Coast Railway, installed the Mayport branch of the

Atlantic Beach, City Manager

Much of the development in the City has been residential, with single-family homes accounting for most of the developed land areas. The City is nearing build-out, with less than 10% of the incorporated land area being undeveloped.

As in many surrounding areas, the bursting of the housing bubble and accompanying recession hurt Atlantic Beach’s economy and it lost residents. However, recent trends predict positive growth in the foreseeable future.

Geography

The City is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. The total incorporated area is 13.0 square miles – roughly 3.5 of which is land and the rest (9.5 square miles) is water. The City lies approximately 10 feet above sea level.

Climate

Atlantic Beach’s climate is described as humid subtropical. Being in northern Florida, its average temperatures are somewhat lower than south Florida.

Atlantic Beach and the Jacksonville area in general are less susceptible to hurricanes than most of the East Coast. In fact, the area has only received one direct hit from a hurricane since 1871 – Hurricane Dora in 1964.

Commerce

Atlantic Beach is primarily a residential community and does not have significant commercial interests within its boundaries.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, Atlantic Beach’s population was 12,655 people, down approximately 700 from the 2000

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railway and erected a station just north of what is now the Adele Grage Cultural Center.

In 1913 the railroad sold most of the land to the Atlantic Beach Corporation, then headed by Ernest R. Beckett, which began paving streets, installing lights, and laying water and sewer lines. However, people were afraid to come to the coast during World War I, and the Atlantic Beach Corporation went into bankruptcy. While the population grew slowly, by 1940 it still had fewer than 500 residents. After the war, with the opening of the Mayport Naval Station in the 1940s and the construction of the Matthews Bridge in the mid-1950s, the area was ready for development and the population began to grow in earnest. The population of Atlantic Beach continued to grow steadily until 2000. The increase in the 1980s was due in part to the annexation of Seminole Beach in 1987. See Table I.

Table II: Climate Data for Atlantic Beach

Table I: Atlantic Beach Population Growth

Source: NOAA

Source: U.S. Census

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year

1930 164

1940

1950

468

1,604

1960 3,125

1970

1980

6,132

7,847

1990 11,636

2000

2010

13,368

12,655

---

185 %

243 %

95 %

96 %

28 %

48 %

15 %

-5 %

Month Population % +

Atlantic Beach, City Manager

to time, they are direct and honest with one another and work together fairly well. The current Commission holds the staff in very high regard.

Atlantic Beach is a full-service city, although fire service is provided by contract with Jacksonville Fire Rescue and electric is provided by the JEA (formerly, the Jacksonville Electric Authority). Advance Disposal Services collects refuse within the City’s boundaries. The City’s General Fund Budget is $17.0 million and the Total Budget is $37.3 million. The City is well managed financially and has ample reserves. The most recent audit management letter had no comments. The City has 149 budgeted employees. The breakdown is shown in Table III.

Recent City commissions have recognized the need to acquire land to be developed for recreational purposes while a few large tracts of land were still available. In 1994, the City acquired approximately eight acres on the Intracoastal Waterway. Through the use of grant funds, the City developed this area into Tideviews Preserve, a passive park with trails, a boardwalk for viewing wildlife, a canoe launch and picnic areas. In a joint venture with the City of Jacksonville in 1998, the City acquired a 27-acre island now known as Dutton Island Preserve. The island is experiencing on-going development as a nature park to include trails, a floating dock for launching kayaks and canoes, a fishing pier, camping sites and pavilions.

The challenges and Opportunities

Atlantic Beach is in good shape overall – nothing is “broken”. Still there is much to do. First and foremost, the new Manager will need to work with the City Commission to develop a vision for the City and then work diligently to implement it.

Secondly, the community is fiscally conservative and thus money needs to be carefully and wisely spent. Moreover, the community has high expectations that translate into a desire for high-quality services. After 16 years under the same management, a fresh set of eyes will be helpful. The staff members have many ideas for positive change. It is time to review processes and procedures to determine if improvements can be made and decision-making can be moved downward in the organization.

census. The population is distributed quite evenly in terms of age, with a slight skew towards those between the ages of 45 and 65. The median age in the City is significantly higher than the national median (43.9 years old versus the national figure of 37.2). 17.4% of the population is over 65. The racial composition of the City in 2010 was 82.5% Caucasian and 10.9% African American. Asians and those of two or more races make up the difference. Hispanics of all races make up 5.4% of the total population.

Approximately 66% of the homes are occupied by their owner. 93% of the City’s population over 25 years of age graduated from high school and 44% have a Bachelor’s degree or higher. The median household income is $64,776, which is 37% above the state average. 8.4% of the population fell below the poverty line.

The Government

The City has a commission-manager form of government with an appointed Manager who reports to a directly elected Mayor and the four Commissioners. The Commissioners serve staggered four-year terms and the Mayor serves a two-year term. Hence, three members of the Commission stand for election every two years. All are term-limited after eight years in office. Elections are held in November of odd-numbered years. The Mayor may reside anywhere within the City, but Commissioners must reside in and represent one of the four geographic districts. All are elected citywide. The elected officials have the best interests of the community at heart. Although they may disagree on some issues from time

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Table llI: Employee Breakdown by Department

Source: Atlantic Beach 2013-2014 Budget

Functional Area

700

450

412

400

250

184

# of Employees

Governing Body

Administration/General Govt.

Planning & Building

Public Safety

Parks & Recreation

230Public Works

Public Utilities

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Thirdly, many in the workforce are or will be in a position to retire in the next five years. For example, the Public Works Director will retire at the end of May and the Utility Director plans to retire in March 2015. Others throughout the organization can leave at any time. That provides a challenge in the sense that some important institutional knowledge will be leaving. It also presents an opportunity for the new manager to select key people that will work well with his / her management style.

Fourthly, Atlantic Beach is small compared to its neighbor, Jacksonville/Duval County consolidated government. The two need to work together for their mutual benefit. The relationship has not always been positive and work needs to be done to rebuild it.

Finally, being nearly built out, Atlantic Beach is a bit of a dichotomy. On one hand, it is experiencing redevelopment of its more attractive residential neighborhoods through tear down/rebuilds; on the other hand, it has neighborhoods wherein code enforcement is very important. Understanding that dichotomy and dealing with it in a way that moves all parts of the community forward can and will be a challenge.

The Ideal Candidate

The City Commission is seeking someone to work with it as a partner, a supporter and a trusted advisor. It wants someone who is intelligent, upbeat, friendly, outgoing, organized, positive and progressive - someone with a “can-do” attitude – a leader and a mentor, not a bureaucrat. The ideal candidate will realize that policy falls in the realm of the elected officials while the Manager runs the day-to-day operations. A sense of humor will also be important.

The next Manager will have excellent communications skills and use them to build consensus and keep the Commission well

Atlantic Beach, City Manager

informed. The individual will present clear information and viable options to the elected body along with his or her recommendations. The best candidate will assure the Commissioners that their views are being heard and that they are getting the complete and unvarnished truth.

Customer service will be important to the next Manager and, along with integrity, will consider it a core principle and way of life. He/she will be someone who works with the Commission, the community and the staff to find solutions to problems, as opposed to finding reasons to say no. The individual will be approachable, an active part of the community, always listening and looking for ways to make the government more responsive.

The ideal candidate will be someone who will lead and inspire others. The individual will recognize the importance of communication throughout the organization. He/she will be respectful of others, delegate and encourage an environment wherein staff members make decisions, grow and flourish. The individual will be able to recognize talent and mentor that talent. The Manager will then step back and let the staff do their jobs. The ideal candidate will give assignments and set broad performance parameters but will also expect results and hold employees accountable.

The next Manager will be open and approachable and believe in open government. He/she will be comfortable with the elected officials asking questions of staff. The elected officials, on the other hand, realize that they must not give directions directly to staff.

Other important characteristics are experience in managing a lean government and the ability to anticipate and resolve issues before they become problems. Good judgment and common sense are essential. Experience in a high-end community is a plus.

Finally, the Commission is looking for someone who will commit to the City for five

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to ten years. It does not want someone who views this position as a stepping stone to the next position, but rather someone who views the City Manager position in Atlantic Beach as a destination in and of itself.

Required Qualifications

The City Charter requires (a) a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration or a directly related field; and (b) no less than three years of administrative experience as a city/county government chief administrative/executive officer or as an assistant/deputy city manager.

A graduate degree may be substituted for one year of the required experience, and experience may be substituted for the Bachelor’s degree.

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The Process

Applicants will be screened between May 30th and July 15th. The City Commission will conduct interviews on July 25th and 26th, with a selection of the next Manager shortly thereafter.

Other Important Information

Atlantic Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages women and minorities to apply. Under the Florida Public Records Act, all applications are subject to disclosure upon receipt. Veteran’s preference will be awarded under applicable Florida law. Atlantic Beach is a tobacco free workplace and does not hire people who have smoked within the last year.

Residency

The Charter requires the selected candidate become a full-time resident of the community.

Compensation

The starting salary range for the City Manager is $100,000 to $140,000.

The Prior City Manager

The prior City Manager left the City after 14 years of service.

How to Apply

E-mail your resume to Recruit46@cb-asso.com by May 30th.  Faxed and mailed resumes will not be considered.  Questions should be directed to Colin Baenziger of Colin Baenziger & Associates at (561) 707-3537.  

City Manager | Atlantic Beach, Florida