Temp job turns permanent (HN) 5-4-07HOMETOWN NEWS
DATE: .s 4 -007
Temp..job turns
permanent
rune start for
former public
safety director
BY SA.RAH STOVER
Staff writer
NORTH PALM BEACH
The search is over, a
manager has been found.
North Palen Beach
councilors voted unani-
mously, with Mayor Ed
Eissey absent, to approve
a contract awarding the
position. of Village manag-
er to North Palen Beach
Police Chief Jimmy Knight
at its April 26 meeting.
"I'm one of the most
Y,%._n1'*ght
From page Al
blessed
h u m a n
beings. I'm
G
humbled °t
L °
by the fact
that the
elected offi-
cials askedr', a 1.
me (to sta
°
in the posi- tt
Lion)," said ...
C h i e f 1���y
Knight, who Knight
has been
serving as interim Village
manager since former Vil-
lage manager Mark Bates
resigned in January.
The council previously
asked headhunter Colin
Baenziger to conduct a
country -wide search for
managerial candidates,
but at the April 12 council
meeting Vice Mayor Bill
Manuel asked Chief Knight
to reconsider taking the
position permanently.
After all the council mem-
bers voiced support for the
motion, Chief Knight
agreed to meet with presi-
dent pro tem David Norris
and Village attorney Len
Rubin to negotiate a con-
Initially, he didn't intend
to become the Village
manager, but changed his
mind after four months of
serving as both public
safety director and interim
manager.
"Coming in as an interim
(Village manager), I real-
ized a lot of good was
being done in the Village,"
said Chief Knight.
And, he has contributed
to that collaborative spirit
by; bringing Village staff
together,. they said.
Community develop-
ment director and chief
building official Charles
Cangianelli spoke on
behalf of Village staff at the
April 26 council meeting
about Chief Knight's
efforts. The chief had got-
ten all the department
directors together to dis-
cuss the 2007-06 budget
and future goals on April
25.
"Everyone was encour-
aged (by the chief) to par-
ticipate in the process_ of
identifying possible chal-
lenges and brainstorming
solutions. We were very
much a team working
toward. a common goal,
(arid) we enthusiastically
look forward to his contin-
ued leadership and opti-
mistic spirit in years to
come," said Mr. Cangianel-
li, with all of the depart-
ment directors and the Vil-
lage manager's secretary,
Janet St. Clair, standing
behind him.
Chief Knight's "new" job
comes with an annual
salary of approximately
$135,000, an annual cost of
living adjustment and a
possible 5 percent raise
pending a successful
annual evaluation, accord-
ing to his contract.
r
ACCESSION # 7,�.��19�
Although he has enjoyed
his reign as police chief
over the past two and a
half years, Chief Knight
now has to select someone
to take his place according
to the Village charter, he
said.
However, he feels he has
an advantage that will
make the selection process
a little easier.
"I'm in a very unique
position. Having been in
(public) service for 30 plus
years, I know a tremen-
dous amount of great lead-
ers that I can tap on," said
Chief Knight. .
"I definitely want to
bring (in) someone who
shares the same passion I
had for that department,"
he said.
A selection should be
made within the next few
weeks, he said. Until then,
he will continue to fill both
roles. His contract calls for
Chief Knight to become
full-time Village manager
by June l .
Stover@hometownnew-
.5,01.com
tract.