Highest paid county administrator ever? Manatee reviews contract with industry lobbyist
Manatee County officials on Tuesday pumped the brakes on hiring a housing development industry lobbyist to lead the government workforce after his employment contract raised concerns.
The Board of County Commissioners voted last week to have the County Attorney’s Office begin negotiations with Jon Mast, CEO and chief lobbyist of the Manatee-Sarasota Building Industry Association.
On Tuesday, board members voted to tweak the contract, which would have paid Mast more than any previous administrator.
Former County Administrator Scott Hopes made a $215,000 salary before his sudden departure in February.
Commissioners said they had serious questions about the salary and other key terms of the agreement to hire Mast as acting county administrator, an interim position. The contract included a $225,000 salary, eligibility for an annual cost of living increase, and the right to become a deputy county administrator after the board chooses a permanent administrator.
Mast negotiated the contract with County Attorney Bill Clague, but the board did not choose to have a commissioner present for the discussion, leaving Clague to bring back Mast’s requests for the board to review during a public meeting.
“It’s very difficult for a lawyer to sit down without a client representative. If you want to go back and talk to Mr. Mast about what is acceptable, it would be a good idea to have somebody I can take with me to negotiate and discuss the business issues with,” Clague said.
Manatee to revisit Mast contract
Board members previously committed to conducting a national search for a new permanent administrator. Mast’s proposed contract could put the county on the hook for a more expensive executive hire, commissioners said.
“We’re almost setting up this contract to make sure our national search is unsuccessful,” Commissioner George Kruse said.
“I just don’t think it’s in the best interest of the taxpayers of Manatee County,” Commissioner Jason Bearden added.
Despite initial concerns, most commissioners said they support hiring Mast, who is expected to begin his role as acting county administrator May 22.
“It sounds like, to me, the majority of the issue is the salary, and I understand, but at the same time, we do have someone here who has experience — believe it or not, more so than our interim does right now,” said Commissioner Vanessa Baugh, touting Mast over Acting County Administrator Lee Washington.
While he was present at Tuesday’s public meeting, Mast did not make comments to the board. Mast did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday morning.
Residents criticize pro-developer choice
Speaking during public comment, several residents criticized the board’s decision to move quickly and hire Mast with little public notice. The decision to hire Mast was not included on last week’s meeting agenda before Commissioner Mike Rahn proposed the idea.
“There needs to be an opportunity for the public to weigh in on a huge opportunity like said,” said Stacy Jesse, a Parrish resident.
“You promised the citizens of Manatee County a national search,” Glen Gibellina, a Bradenton resident, told the board. “When you sidestep the process and say, ‘We’re just going to go off the reservation,’ you corrupt the system. You corrupt the process.”
Others said they were worried about the implications of hiring Mast, who has led the Manatee-Saraota BIA since 2015.
“To hire, even temporarily, a man who is currently president of one of the largest building developer advocacy groups in the region is like hiring a bank robber to run a bank,” said Martin Hyde, a Sarasota resident and former congressional candidate.
“Nobody will make the presumption that you all are beholden to developers. We don’t make that presumption, but we all know developers do have an inordinate influence over elections and over county government,” said Kevin Wright. “That’s the way things work, so we have a healthy disinterest and we take a very close look when we look at things that may serve their interest.”
In response, Rahn said he wanted to bring in Mast specifically for his experience with the building industry. Pointing to a population growth forecast that puts Manatee closer to 500,000 residents in 2030, he said the county needs a leader who can help them prepare.
“What I want in an administrator is a subject matter expert in position to help a new permanent administrator to help do some of the heavy lifting along with our great development services staff,” Rahn said.
The board voted unanimously to have Bearden assist Clague negotiate a modified contract that addresses some of the concerns, such as Mast’s proposed salary. A new contract is set to be reviewed during Thursday’s Land Use Meeting.
This story was originally published April 26, 2023 at 1:26 PM.
