Brevard County manager lands St. Lucie job

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Tipton was selected Thursday as St. Lucie County administrator during a special meeting of the St. Lucie County Commission. Tipton was in a meeting of his own in Viera when that vote was taken, and he didn’t know the outcome of his job interviews until he started getting congratulatory emails from people monitoring the St. Lucie County meeting online.

Tipton already was planning to retire from his Brevard County job. He announced in July 2013 that he would leave on Sept. 30, 2014, the end of this budget year. The Brevard County Commission last year designated current Deputy County Manager Stockton Whitten as Tipton’s successor.

But Tipton’s selection for the St. Lucie County job means he will be leaving Brevard earlier than expected.

Tipton said he is exciting about being selected from among four finalists.

“It happened very fast, but I am very humbled by the opportunity,” Tipton said.

Among his challenges in St. Lucie County, Tipton said, will be economic revitalization in an area hit hard by a housing slump.

Tipton noted, though, that St. Lucie County has a strong biotechnology sector and “really great assets,” including its airport and seaport.

St. Lucie County has about half the population of Brevard. Its largest city is Port St. Lucie.

Tipton plans to leave his Brevard County manager job within the next few months, then begin working in St. Lucie County six months after that. That employment gap will allow him to qualify for the Florida Retirement System benefits he has earned, even though he will have a full-time job in St. Lucie County.

Tipton said he “was very upfront” with St. Lucie County officials, informing them they would have to wait those six months before he could begin working there, and they accepted that condition.

His annual salary in St. Lucie County will be in the $145,000 to $185,000 range. He currently makes $187,000 as Brevard County manager. Tipton plans to negotiate contract terms with St. Lucie County officials during the next 10 days.

Tipton, 55, has been Brevard County manager since September 2009. The county administrator position in St. Lucie is the equivalent of Brevard’s county manager job.

Tipton previously was deputy county administrator in Orange County and chief administrative officer for the Orange County clerk of courts.

Whitten has worked in Brevard County government since 1994, including nine months as interim county manager, temporarily filling a vacancy before Tipton took office.

As part of the county manager succession plan, the Brevard County Commission in July approved a contract that sets Whitten’s salary at $180,000 after he becomes county manager.

Tipton did not initially apply for the St. Lucie County job, but was asked to apply, and agreed be a candidate. Final interviews were this week.

Current St. Lucie County Administrator Faye Outlaw is leaving that job on May 14 to spend more time with her family. She has been county administrator since January 2009.

A current St. Lucie County official likely will serve as interim county administrator until Tipton starts work there.

In addition to Tipton, finalists for the St. Lucie County administrator job were:

• Robert Bentkofsky, St. Lucie County deputy administrator.

• Mark Kutney, Loxahatchee Groves town manager.

• Terrance Stewart, former Fort Myers Beach town manager.

Contact Berman at 321-242-3649 or dberman@floridatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByDaveBerman

TIPTON EMAIL TO STAFF

Brevard County Manager Howard Tipton sent this email Thursday to Brevard County commissioners and county staff, informing them of his new job in St. Lucie County. The email also refers to his designated successor, Deputy Brevard County Manager Stockton Whitten:

As you know, with my impending departure from Brevard County planned for later this year, I had begun to look for what the next chapter in my career would be.

Well, I never anticipated that things would come together so fast, but in God’s good time, it appears this next chapter will occur as the county administrator for St. Lucie County, which is the county just south of Indian River County. Their County Commission approved my selection this morning, and the next step in the process will be to work out an acceptable employment contract.

Although I don’t know yet what date I will be leaving, it will be well in advance of my originally planned Sept. 30 date.

Please know that I will continue to work with Stockton and the entire administrative team to ensure a smooth transition, and that I have no doubts about the leadership I leave behind. Brevard County could not be in better hands.

Thank you for your support, and I am proud of the good things we’ve been able to do together for this community. Brevard is on a solid upward trajectory, thanks to your leadership and vision.
By Florida Today:  http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2014/04/11/brevard-county-manager-lands-st-lucie-job/7580469/