HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-11-03 NP welcomes new village manager (Palm Beach Post)Pu.rn BEAeH Posr
i 1-3 _zoos!
North Palm
welcomes new
village manager
Mark Bates most recently
was city manager for
North Lauderdale.
By STEPHANIE SMITH
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
North Palm Beach's new village
manager came from another town
of about 5 square miles, but the
difference is that North Lauderdale
had a lot more people, 42,000, in-
stead of 12,000.
Mark Bates, who started the job
that pays $119,500 last week, said
he was struck by the village's open
neighborhoods, and its charm and
character. But most importantly,
that many of the residents and vil-
lage employees have been in the
village for decades, which is a rarity
in South Florida.
"It's a real tribute to the com-
munity. It's a look and feel and it's a
certain character and charm," said
Bates, who turned 48 on Sunday.
During his first week on the job,
Bates met with village department
heads and many of the council
members.
He wants to get a consensus
from the council on the direction
the people who elected them want
the village to go, Bates said.
Mayor Don Noel said Bates'
selection as village
manager was
unanimous.
Noel said he
particularly found
attractive Bates'
background as a
certified public ac-
countant and his
experience with
country clubs.
Prior to his
four years as North Lauderdale's
city manager, Bates was finance
director for that city as well as
Tamarac.
Before turning to the public
sector, Bates was an internal audi-
tor for private country clubs.
The village's country club is al-
ways a concern, Noel said.
"We want to make sure that it
Bates
Bates aware of job's stress level
10- BATES from 1
continues to support itself.
We don't want to have to
subsidize it. Each year, it
becomes more of a chal-
lenge. More courses open
up, there's more competi-
tion," Noel said.
Councilmernber David
Norris said he wanted
someone with ex1erience
in; South Florida local gov-
erment, someone who
wouldn't be shocked by it.
The council's last pick
for village manager, Dennis
Redmond, abruptly quit in
August after eight months
on the job.
Redmond, who had
spent 31 years managing
small town Maysville, Ky.,
found the village job so
stressful that he quit in the
middle of a favorable job
evaluation.
Redmond said the
stress of the job was hurt-
ing his health, including
temporary blindness in one
eye. "I have never spent a
worse three months in my
entire life than I have here,"
Redmond told the council.
Bates said : he knows
about the situation involv-
ing his predecessor.
"I'm very aware of the
stresses and nuances of
public service arid the roles
and temperaments of both
elected officials and man-
agers," Bates said.
Bates agreed to rest;
from North Lauderdale
ter negotiating six months
at full pay and health insur-
ance, which expires in
March.
North Lauderdale
Commissioner Michael
Zeitchik said the village is
lucky to have Bates.
Bates left North Lau-
derdale stronger financially
and helped the city in two
annexations that succeed-
ed by majority votes,
Zeitchik said.
Bates left North Lau-
derdale because that's the
nature of the city manager's
job, Zeitchik said. City
managers only have job se-
curity for about five years,
he said.
Newly elected officials
make new promises and
form new alliances, said
Zeitchik, who has been on
North Lauderdale's council
for 12 years.
"There was a couple of
commissioners motivated
to micromanage. They ap-
proached him to do certain
things and it was inappro-
priate. They gave him a
choice of leaving or being
fired," Zeitchik said.
Zeitchik said Bates' fi-
nancial background gave
him intimate knowledge of
the city's budget and he has
a no-nonsense manage-
ment style with other pro-
fessionals.
"They're lucky to get
Mark, they really are. He's
going to do a good job if
they'll listen to him,"
Zeitchik said.
p stephanie_smith@pbpost.com