Is Manatee County administrator ‘overpaid?’ How his salary compares to others
With Manatee County Administrator Charlie Bishop’s contract expiring this summer, county commissioners are finalizing details for a new $255,000 contract.
At a Board of County Commissioners meeting on April 7, commissioners debated some terms of Bishop’s new contract, including emergency overtime compensation, leave time accrual and how to fire Bishop, if necessary. Bishop’s current contract, which started in 2023, expires in August.
During public comment at the meeting, which lasted nearly an hour, residents criticized Bishop’s request to have emergency overtime compensation on top of his salary. The overtime would be paid at Bishop’s hourly rate after working 120 hours in emergency situations like hurricanes.
Some residents also pointed to community displeasure in how Bishop and staff handled the recent Bishop Animal Shelter expansion, among other complaints about Bishop’s management.
Bishop’s salary was also among some residents’ concerns, with some pointing out salaries of other county administrators throughout Florida.
“We should not saddle the county with this overpaid administrator, especially in light of the recent Florida DOGE (audit),” said resident Charlene Kow, referring to the state’s investigation into Manatee County’s budget, which launched last July.
One resident pointed out that Bishop’s salary is higher than Gov. Ron DeSantis’ $141,400 salary. However, Commissioner Tal Siddique clarified at the meeting that DeSantis has a security detail, a mansion, private jet access and other benefits not included in the salary.
Among the highest salaries for Florida county administrators are Broward County, a $502,452 salary in 2025 for a population of 2,106,844 in 2024, and Palm Beach County, a $425,000 salary in 2025 for a 2024 population of 1,631,203.
Manatee County’s population was estimated at 455,356, according to the county’s latest budget documents. Based on data from GovSalaries.com and county budget documents, Bishop’s salary is lower than the average for counties of similar size in Florida.
Here’s how Bishop’s salary compares to eight similar-sized counties:
