Manatee set to part ways with Coryea. Separation agreement carries a big price tag
Two different attempts to terminate County Administrator Cheri Coryea’s contract are set to end with a mutual separation agreement.
The Manatee Board of County Commissioners will consider the proposed agreement at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. According to the proposed agreement, Coryea stands to receive a payout of $204,000 for her service to the county.
As the board moved forward with an effort to terminate Coryea’s contract without cause, she worked with her lawyer and County Attorney Bill Clague to negotiate a settlement agreement that will pay her 20 weeks of salary, for hundreds of hours of unused annual leave, sick time and compensatory time and other benefits.
On top of the severance package, the agreement also pays Coryea for making herself available to answer any questions that the interim county administrator may have between Wednesday and March 2.
In a joint statement released as part of the separation agreement, Manatee County praised Coryea’s “longstanding commitment and service” to county residents.
“It was Cheri’s passion for the mission of providing for the improvement of the health and welfare of all citizens and the collaboration to work closely with our business community to raise the economic position of Manatee County we are most thankful for,” the statement said.
“She has tirelessly given her time and resources for the benefit of Manatee County, its employees, and its citizens,” it continued. “She leaves us in good standing and we wish her well in future endeavors.”
Shortly after the election of new commissioners, the board, led by its conservative members, voted on Nov. 19 to move forward with terminating Coryea’s contract, arguing that the county’s government has remained bureaucratic and inefficient under her lead.
That attempt failed in December when Commissioner George Kruse reversed his previous support. At the time, he said he preferred giving Coryea an opportunity to institute some of the conservative policies that he and other commissioners were hoping for.
But in January, Kruse changed his mind again after an unusual public meeting between him and Commissioner Carol Whitmore. He accused Coryea of failing to give proper notice to the public and fellow commissioners in an attempt to tarnish his reputation.
On Tuesday, the board is expected to approve the agreement and part ways with Coryea. In an interview with the Bradenton Herald, Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, who first made the motion to terminate Coryea’s contract, said he was thankful for her service and thanked her for putting together a reasonable negotiation.
“As a 30-year employee, Cheri has accrued a significant amount of leave and compensatory time, which she is entitled to,” Van Ostenbridge said. “Cheri served the county well and I am very appreciative of her service. I wish Cheri much success in her future.”
Coryea has been with Manatee County for more than 30 years, spending most of that time in leadership positions. She served as deputy county administrator for twp years under ex-County Administrator Ed Hunzeker before she was chosen to fill the administrator role in 2019.
Reached for comment Monday afternoon, Commissioner Misty Servia spoke highly of Coryea’s tenure with the county, pointing to her communication skills and the relationship she built with the county’s 1,900-employee workforce.
“I think the separation agreement is fair and equitable, and I think Manatee County is losing the best county administrator we ever had and that is extremely sad.”
The Manatee County Commission will consider the separation agreement for approval on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. At 2:45 p.m., the board will consider appointing ex-Sarasota County commissioner Charles Hines to fill the county administrator position temporarily.
This story was originally published February 22, 2021 at 4:11 PM.
