The Deerfield Beach City Commission on Jan. 2, 2025 voted 4-1 to shortlist four finalists for city manager — Rodney Brimlow, Randy Cross, Jason Davis and Horace McHugh — and to conduct the interviews in public.

The vote followed a presentation from recruiter Jim Deneen of MGT Consulting, who told the commission the firm received 90 applications from 20 states, 58 of which were from Florida, and that his review narrowed the field to nine candidates and then to six he considered most qualified. "We ended up being out, actually, out advertising for 4 weeks, closed Dec. 9th, got a great response, got 90 applicants from 20 different states, 58 people were from Florida," Deneen said.

Why it matters: The city manager oversees municipal operations, procurement and public-safety departments; commissioners cited recent project delays and budget overruns when arguing for careful selection. The commission’s action directs staff and the recruiter to schedule public interviews of the four shortlisted candidates.

MGT Consulting’s summary and commissioners’ comments

Deneen outlined his vetting process, saying he conducted lengthy one-on-one interviews and preliminary background checks and verified education and references. He said he evaluated technical skills, communication, budgeting, utilities and procurement experience and looked for candidates who ‘‘want the job for the right reasons.'' He recommended six finalists to the commission and explained that the body must decide how many to bring in for in-person interviews.

Commissioners debated how many finalists to advance. Several members, including Commissioner Hudak and Commissioner Preston, said they preferred narrowing the list to four — typically the number they could reasonably interview in public sessions — and cited a need for a manager who provides a broader view of how projects affect the whole city. Vice Mayor Droshky emphasized fairness to internal applicants, saying he wanted Assistant City Manager Horace McHugh to "get a fair shake" in the process.

Public comment and timing disagreement

Public commenters were split. Some speakers urged hiring from within to preserve institutional knowledge and employee morale. Tom Plout, a Deerfield Beach resident, told commissioners that internal candidates already have "their heart and their soul in this city." Other residents urged an outside hire or a delay: Karen Shelley said the city should "look outside of our city for a city manager" and questioned the timing because a majority of the commission could change after the March election.

One speaker, who identified himself as a resident, urged postponing a selection until the newly elected commission is seated; Commissioner Parnas rejected that idea during discussion, saying, "The city runs now," and arguing the current commission has authority and responsibility through March. The commission did not delay.

Motion, amendment and vote

A motion to interview Rodney Brimlow, Randy Cross, Jason Davis and Horace McHugh was made and seconded; commissioners then amended the motion to require public interviews. The amended motion passed on a roll-call vote: Commissioner Hudak — yes; Commissioner Parnas — no; Commissioner Preston — yes; Vice Mayor Droshky — yes; Mayor Bill Gans — yes. The tally was 4 yes, 1 no; the motion was approved.

Procedure for interviews

Deneen recommended a public interview format and offered to provide questions in advance of the interview day; he said his practice is to sequester candidates and ask them a standard set of questions at the dais so that no candidate hears another’s answers. He described public interviews as more transparent and said private interviews have sometimes drawn public criticism in other cities. Commissioners agreed to schedule the interviews with the recruiter and indicated they prefer holding them publicly, with possible limited private follow-ups if needed.

Next steps

The commission directed staff and the recruiter to schedule the public interviews. No final hiring decision was made; the action on Jan. 2 was limited to shortlisting and setting interview procedures. The commission adjourned after confirming logistics with MGT Consulting.

Ending

The commission’s decision moves the city into the next phase of the recruitment process; scheduling and the public interview dates were left to staff and the recruiter to coordinate.