Mike Herr is going home.
In a move that took Plant City by surprise, City Manager Mike Herr decided Tuesday, May 2, to accept an offer from the Winter Haven City Commission to become Winter Haven’s next City Manager with a scheduled start date of Monday, June 12.
“I have been offered a position with the City of Winter Haven as their next city manager,” Herr said. “The financial terms were quite attractive.”
Herr was offered a starting salary of $175,000 per year for his first six months of employment in Winter Haven. The salary, he said, would increase to $180,000 per year after six months.
Herr became Plant City’s city manager on Sept. 9, 2014, with a starting salary of $150,000 per year. Since then, his annual salary has increased to about $165,000.
Unbeknownst to Plant City commissioners, Winter Haven first began courting Herr in early April. He was contacted by Colin Baenziger, president of Colin Baenziger and Associates, a Daytona Beach Shores firm contracted by the Winter Haven City Commission to fill the city manager position left vacant when former City Manager Deric Feacher was fired in September 2016.
Baenzinger said he had been talking to Herr for about three weeks. Beanzinger said Herr was initially intrigued by the offer, but indicated he had no intention to leave Plant City. After some consideration and prayer, Herr said, he decided to accept the offer, notifying Beanzinger during the middle of last week. Baenzinger then informed the Winter Haven City Commission he found a name and a special meeting was held on Monday, May 1, to discuss Herr.
Winter Haven commissioners voted 4-0 to make Herr the offer.
“It’s really surprising to me,” Plant City Commissioner Mike Sparkman said. “I didn't know anything about it. I found it in the Ledger (of Lakeland).”
The Ledger first reported the Winter Haven offer the morning of Tuesday, May 2. Many commissioners and city officials said they first learned Herr might be leaving through the report. Later in the day, Herr confirmed he’d be accepting it.
“I was completely surprised,” City Attorney Ken Buchman said. “I didn’t know until I saw it in the paper.”
Prior to working in Plant City, Herr served more than two years as the city of Tampa’s public works and utility services administrator. Before that he worked briefly in the private sector, but spent most of his career in Polk County. In Polk, Herr was the town manager of Dundee from 1980 to 1985, Lakeland's director of public works from 1992 to 1998 and Polk County's director of transportation from 1998 to 2003 before serving as Polk County Manager from 2003 to 2010.
“I think he’s a wonderful guy and his resume is outstanding,” Winter Haven City Commissioner Brad Dantzler, who has known Herr for about 15 years, said. “I think he’s a good manager. He ran Polk County with a $1.5 billion budget and 2,000 employees, so he knows what he’s doing.”
During his time in Plant City, Herr had a strong focus on economic development. At a recent City Commission meeting, Commissioner Nate Kilton praised Herr’s efforts, saying he’s heard nothing but positive feedback from developers currently working in Plant City.
Herr’s loss, while not insurmountable, Kilton said, would be a big one.
“It’s going to be a challenge to replace him,” Kilton said. “It’s going to be a bump in the road for sure, but we’re going to be charging forward. We’ve set the stage for a lot of development. I think Plant City is a great place for the next city manager to come in.”
Despite major projects, like the midtown redevelopment, still being in the works, Herr said his inclusionary style of leadership allowed for the creation of a strong team that will be able to continue the work he began. Midtown, he said, can still be a reality in 2017.
“I think we served the city very well, had the opportunity to bring in a new leadership team, made a lot of improvements and got a lot of projects done," Herr said. "I think we’ve set the table now for future economic development to be a real opportunity.”
Herr’s departure is the latest in a string of city managers who’s time with the city came to early ends.
“In each of those instances, their (former city managers) departure was also at a time when they were dealing with some similar unfortunate relationships during the end of their tenures," Vice-Mayor Bill Dodson said. “There’s a history. Not a history of the commission, but a history of membership of the commission.”
While most have praised Herr’s work during his time in Plant City, there were moments of tension. At a Monday, March 27, City Commission meeting, Sparkman disagreed with Herr over Herr’s recommendation to purchase two pieces of transportation equipment for about $130,000.
“I didn’t appreciate the city manager not bringing me up and discussing this, because some of the details which he said are not true and are not factual,” Sparkman said at the meeting. “But, you know, maybe we can use this to be in the Christmas Parade, too, so it’ll benefit. But, I’ll be right. I’ll be right and I’ll be back.”
The commission voted that night to approve the purchase of the equipment.
“I didn’t appreciate it. I have my opinions and I’m not a rubber stamper,” Sparkman said of the comments. “But If I get outvoted, which I did, I’m a team player.”
Sparkman then requested a meeting with Herr to further discuss the issue. A meeting was held two days after the vote.
Herr would not discuss the contents of the meeting, but those with knowledge of the meeting said Herr was “raked over the coals” by Sparkman.
Sparkman said he was only trying to give Herr more information. His comments, and the subsequent meeting, he said, were not meant to intimidate.
“I don’t think it was a threat,” Sparkman said. “I think it’s me doing my job.”
Dodson said he was taken aback by Sparkman's comments at the meeting and described them a “derogatory” and “unnecessary.” Dodson said he was surprised by the timing of Herr's decision to leave Plant City, but felt it was coming eventually. Dodson said he sensed Herr was “under duress” and “that he had a significant level of discomfort in his working relationship with some.”
Herr did not say whether his interactions with Sparkman had any sway on his decision to leave Plant City.
The money from Winter Haven, he said, was right, and it was an opportunity to return to the county where he spent most of his career. It would also be a return to a city, he said, that has rich tourism, medical and economic development industries.
“I began to think that I my age, at 64, this state in my career, I may not get that opportunity again,” Herr said. “The opportunity to go back where I spent most of my career and work with a lot of people really pinged at my heart.”
Though surprised by Herr’s decision, City Commissioners offered supportive words.
“I didn’t blame him for taking it,” Sparkman said. “I always like seeing people improve their place and their stature. He’s bettering himself, and he’s going home.”
Per Herr’s contract, he is required to submit a letter to the City Commission giving 30-days notice of intent to resign. Once Winter Haven approves the contract, he said, he plans on notifying the city his last day will be June 2.
Herr currently resides in Lakeland.
A special meeting regarding the open City Manager position will be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 8, at City Hall, 302 W. Reynolds St.
Contact Daniel Figueroa IV at dfigueroa@plantcityobserver.com