RIVIERA BEACH HAS A NEW COUNCIL, but the city still needs a new manager. The new council has to hit the ground running. The current interim city manager is retiring on April 18. — Riviera Beach has a new council, but the city still needs a new manager. The new council has to hit the ground running. The current interim city manager is retiring on April 18.
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“We’re in a desperate situation,” Councilwoman Julia Botel said. “Ten days from now we will be without a city manager.”
It all started in September 2017, when three council members suddenly voted to fire the popular city manager, Jonathan Evans.
Then Karen Hoskins become interim city manager, initially only for 90 days but to this day she’s still in the position.
In the past, the council members who had voted to fire Evans voted against trying to bring him back. The new council might try to bring him back.
“Our hope is to look at his contract and see what we could do with that and pursue negotiations with him,” Councilwoman Shirley Lanier said.
In a recent conversation with Contact 5, Evans said he would be open to returning to Riviera Beach as city manager, but said it would depend on what that offer would look like.
Councilwoman KaShamba Miller-Anderson said she still hears Evans’ name brought up to her by members of the community.
“Every single day I have different residents, employees, asking us to bring him back,” Miller-Anderson said.
The newly-elected council members wanted to make one thing clear during Monday’s special council meeting, transparency in the process is key.
“Our focus is to do it the right way,” Councilman Douglas Lawson said.
On Saturday council will interview candidates for the interim city manager position.
On Wednesday there will be another special council meeting, this time to discuss if Evans can be brought back.