Indian Rocks Beach Narrows Field for City ManagerBy Bill Lopez
LARGO - In a special commission session in Indian Rocks Beach Tuesday, a roster of nine candidates for the position of City Manager was paired down to four. The candidates will undergo background investigations and be interviewed by city commissioners on March 2 when a finalist will be selected to assume the post. The four candidates who are finalists for the position include Chuck Coward, Don Lusk, John J. Drago and Jeffrey I. Naftal. Indian Rocks Beach has been without an appointed city manager since December of 2007 when City Manager Steve Cottrell left that post. During the interim, Planning and Zoning Director Danny Taylor has been acting city manager. Indian Rocks Beach experienced a budget crisis last year when cumulative net losses for sewer operations jumped to $1.2 million and garbage operations showed a cumulative loss of $290,000. This led to the discharge of the city finance manager who was recently replaced by M. Earl "Sandy" Sanders as City Treasurer. The city manager salary for the new incoming manager has not been set. The former manager earned a base salary of $97,887.
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