Town manager receives informal evaluation
Fort Myers Beach Town Manager Don Stilwell did not receive a letter grade by Council members during an evaluation of his job performance at a work session Monday afternoon.
According to Town paperwork, the five Council members were expected to fill out a provided evaluation form to grade the distinct elements of the manager position. The form was to be based on a 170-point scale and divided into four sections (relationship with town council; organization; public relations; inter-governmental relations) and tabulated with a 1-5 point scale and available comment areas below each. The job assessment also was to feature a four-option recommendation grade, general observations and a segment for town manager comments and, prior to the workshop, each Council member was to fill out the five-page form and sign and date it.
Instead, Council unanimously decided to not go through each packet’s specific holdings and rather hold an “interim informal evaluation” in place of basing Stilwell’s performance on a point system this short into his reign. The more formal evaluation will occur after both Council and Stilwell each bring forth five goals to the Council’s Oct. 20 workshop at 10 a.m.
” Let’s face it. There has been a tremendous changeover in staff for whatever reasons,” said Councilman Alan Mandel. “Let’s take the time to pick whatever format you want, but also meet to determine what are the top goals that Mr. Stilwell and his new staff should accomplish over a period of time.
“I think it is really incumbent on us to set those goals. That would be if he agrees on the basis of a review maybe six months from now or, if it takes us a month to develop that, six months from that point.”
Councilwoman Rexann Hosafros suggested the informal discussion to replace the form grading for the time being. She did reveal she gave the manager all ‘3s’ and ‘4s’ points on the 1-5 scale for each posed question, and that ‘5s’ were reserved for “completely extraordinary” accomplishments.
“I am not against giving goals to Mr. Stilwell at a future date. I think we need to do that,” she said. “However, I think the impression was given to the people of this town that we would do an evaluation of Mr. Stilwell after a short period of time. I would agree on a formal discussion-type evaluation.”
Hosafros commented that Stilwell’s transition from county manager to town manager has been an “adjustment” that needs to be continued and less delegation is necessary.
“I would like to see more hands-on,” she said. “On a positive note, I was extremely, extremely pleased with Mr. Stilwell’s handling of the Orlandini case. I think we are blessed to have him at this moment in this town’s history. He took extraordinary leadership actions. It took courage. Many people would have been uncomfortable delving into an area that is handled by attorneys. He was not intimidated by that.”
“I think he has done an excellent job of putting out a lot of fires,” added Councilman Dan Andre.
Councilwoman Summer Stockton was not as pleasant in her assessment.
“I am still not sure if he is the right fit for the town yet,” she said. “I wouldn’t mind a little more involvement and input at meetings.”
Mayor Anita Cereceda thought that hiring Stilwell was “bad news” when the selection was made at the beginning of the year.
“My impression of him has shifted. Anybody who knows me can say that I was not a fan of Don Stilwell, but I am a big fan of you now,” she told him. “I believe you have a very strong work ethic. You have a mentality and a craving to get things done like few people I have ever known. I think that can be your strength and your weakness.”
With Estero Boulevard Improvements Project in the near future, having a strong, experienced contact between town and county will come in handy. Stilwell is a former Lee County manager and the longest serving manager in Lee County history with 16 years of service.
“I think you have a set of skills that will help the town get through a potentially, tremendously difficult period,” said Cereceda. “The Estero Boulevard project will be difficult for us. I just feel that you are the guy to help us get through that so that we come out on the good end.”
Council chose Stilwell to take over the leading reins for Town operations on an interim basis in mid-January 2014. Then, on April 21, Stilwell shed his interim title to become official and the ninth Beach manager since the Town of Fort Myers Beach incorporated on Dec. 31, 1995.
Stilwell defended his minimal interaction in meetings.
“I consciously try not to take over the meetings,” he said. “(My staff) are the ones doing the work. I like them up here doing the talking and getting the acknowledgement so (that people know they are) good.”
When Cereceda first asked Stilwell why he wanted to be the Beach manager, he replied with one word -redemption. Stilwell was fired in 2009 for prior dissemination of sexually explicit emails from his work computer.
“You have given me an opportunity to redeem myself,” he said, “and I will.”