Palm Bay City Council voted 4–1 on Saturday to offer the job of city manager to Matthew Morton after a daylong series of interviews with six finalists. The council met in a special session devoted to the hiring process and heard public comment before taking its final vote.

The council convened a special meeting with a single agenda item: interviews of six finalists for the city manager post. The list of finalists had been winnowed from 14 initial applicants; the application period closed Feb. 28 and eight candidates were invited for interviews, two of whom later withdrew, leaving six finalists for the council to question in person.

Morton, who served previously as a city manager and consultant in several states, told the council he would prioritize building a long-term plan to address Palm Bay’s infrastructure and economic base. "We only get one reputation, and the good name is better than great riches," Morton said during his interview when asked about his leadership philosophy. Council members said they were persuaded by Morton’s preparation on Palm Bay’s specific issues and by the department heads’ recommendation after morning meetings with the finalists.

An earlier motion to hire former Palm Bay city manager Greg Link was introduced but failed on a 2–3 roll-call vote. After the failed motion, a second motion to offer the job to Morton carried 4–1 in a subsequent roll call (Johnson voting no). The council directed staff to bring the final contract for council approval at an upcoming regular meeting.

The interviews were structured so each council member could ask the finalists a set of standard questions about priorities, intergovernmental relations, ethics, and initial actions for the first 90 days. Candidates also met separately with groups of department managers, who reported back to the council; staff told the council that Morton “impressed the department head team the most, overwhelmingly.”

Public comment at the end of the session included supporters for multiple finalists and repeated calls for a manager who could immediately move projects forward, expand the commercial tax base and address the city’s infrastructure needs — including a voter-approved road bond the council has been planning to implement. Several speakers urged the council to avoid repeating past mistakes and to choose a candidate who could restore community trust.

Council members expressed differing priorities in their votes. Supporters of Morton cited his readiness to lead and his work building partnerships and plans in prior posts. Supporters of Link cited his familiarity with Palm Bay’s personnel and history and argued he could “hit the ground running.” In the end the council majority said Morton’s combination of preparation and department support made him the best fit for the next phase of the city’s work.

Details of the employment offer, including salary, start date and contract length, were not finalized at the meeting; the council instructed staff to return the proposed employment agreement for a future council vote. The council also passed a handful of procedural items during the session, including a temporary waiver allowing council members to eat on the dais during scheduled breaks so that all public business would remain in open session.

The council’s appointment completes the public portion of the selection process; the new manager’s contract and any conditions will be publicly posted when brought back to the council.