Council selects top city auditor candidate in tie-breaker vote
Cape Coral City Council picked its next city auditor at a special meeting Wednesday after interviewing three finalist candidates in Council Chambers.
Actually, council members couldn’t make up their minds between two of the candidates, each one picking up four votes in the first round of the discussion. Several members weighed in a second time reinforcing their vote.
“For a long time I’ve thought that Council should be seven members, not eight, just for this reason,” said Councilmember Marilyn Stout. “All three candidates were great, very impressive.”
The two candidates drawing Council’s votes were T. Paul Tomoser and Andrea Butola. J. Bradley Simmons did not draw a No. 1 choice vote from any council member.
“I had a choice, but after talking with them I flipped my vote,” said Councilmember Rana Erbrick. “Since we have a tie I don’t think we should force a hasty decision right now. Perhaps we need a cooling off period to sit back and think things over and put it on Monday’s agenda.”
A couple of council members agreed with Erbrick, but then Councilmember John Carioscia got the floor.
“I had Andrea first because she has the most advanced degrees and she seems very approachable,” said Carioscia. “I had Tomoser a very close second, so I will concede and change my vote to Tomoser.”
A motion was made to begin compensation negotiations with Tomoser with a 7-1 approval. Mayor Marni Sawicki cast the dissenting vote.
“There is not a hair’s difference between those two,” said Carioscia. “They were a very close 1-2 in my ratings. I am very comfortable with both of them. There was no reason to stretch this out to Monday.”
Councilmember Jim Burch said, “Hands down Tomoser is the most experienced, by far. Andrea has experience at the state level, but no municipal experience. Auditing for the city is very different from the state. Besides Tomoser was recommended by the Audit Committee. It would be sad to flip their consideration upside down.”
Before Carioscia voted in favor of Tomoser, he pitched the idea of asking retiring City Auditor Margaret Krym which one she would pick to break the tie. Others on council were uncomfortable with the idea of putting Krym on the spot out of respect for what she has done for the city.
Krym did not want to go anywhere near making a recommendation.
“I am in a very neutral position,” said Krym. “I have to remain independent from the politics. I have my leanings. I know which one I would want to work with and half of you made the same choice.”
Councilmember Richard Leon, who voted for Tomoser, said, “He is very good, almost like a Krym 2.0.”
Krym is set to retire on Feb. 28.