The Brooksville City Council approved an 8% step-up pay for interim co‑city managers David Hanley and Richard Weeks and instructed human resources to conduct a city‑manager recruitment using in‑house resources while accepting external applications. Both measures passed 5-0.

Mayor Tanner opened a council discussion about interim duties and compensation after appointing Hanley and Weeks to cover city-manager responsibilities. Kyle Martin, human resources director, explained the city’s standard “step-up pay” policy is 8% and outlined recruitment options: in‑house posting channels used previously (ICMA, city website, Florida League of Cities, GovernmentJobs, Indeed, LinkedIn, FCCMA) and external recruitment firms (SGR, CV and Associates, Colin Basinger) that staff estimated would cost roughly $30,000.

Martin said a 2023 in‑house posting drew 29 applicants; staff recommended starting with an in‑house-managed recruitment to conserve budget and to give internal candidates an opportunity while also posting to public channels. Councilmembers expressed support for using in‑house recruitment first and for compensating interim staff for additional responsibilities. Councilmember Earhart moved to grant the 8% step-up pay to both interim managers; the motion passed 5-0.

Council also passed a motion, 5-0, directing HR to manage the recruitment process (internal posting and standard public channels) and asked for a presentation at the Feb. 3 meeting laying out the in‑house search plan and any out‑of‑house options with cost estimates. Staff noted the fiscal‑year budget currently includes a budgeted city-manager salary of $114,512.52, and any change to that budgeted amount would require further budget actions.

Council members said the interim arrangement is intended to be temporary while the recruitment proceeds. Staff confirmed that if one of the interim managers were later appointed to the permanent city-manager position, compensation would be addressed at that appointment; if not appointed, the step-up would revert per policy.