Fort Myers Beach Council approves contract for new Town Manager William McKannay
The Town of Fort Myers Beach Council voted unanimously Monday to approve a two-year contract with new Town Manager William McKannay that will pay him $200,000 a year.
McKannay, who begins working for the town on May 19, will also receive up to $22,500 in moving expenses to relocate into the Town of Fort Myers Beach. As part of the agreement, McKannay is required to live on the island.
Once McKannay starts work, the town’s current Manager Andy Hyatt will move into a supporting role to help with the transition through the end of the month.
McKannay is a retired garrison Commander of the U.S. Army who will join the town after a 30-year career in the military and most recently as an emergency management consultant.
During a 30-year career in the military, he served in the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and traveled to Honduras and Haiti to assist in humanitarian efforts after natural disasters there.
A former battalion commander, McKannay oversaw the Fort Riley, Kansas Garrison. As Garrison Commander, McKannay said he essentially served as a city manager.
Fort Myers Beach Councilmember Karen Woodson worked with town staff on negotiating McKannay’s contract after the town council appointed her to work as the council’s liaison.
Woodson said that while McKannay had sought a salary than what the town had initially proposed, said the salary was “in the ballpark” of other salaries for similar positions in the region.
In the event of a resignation, McKannay would have to give the town four months notice.
Hyatt said town staff has begun providing information to McKannay to bring him up to speed with town business. Hyatt said there was a meeting last week in which staff updated him on some projects. Hyatt said McKannay would attend a Southwest Florida League of Cities meeting which “we are going to plug him into” and which Councilmember John King will also attend.