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You’re Hired! F.L. Votes George Gretsas to be Their New City Manager

Posted on May 18, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. May 18, 2004, UPDATED 11:15 P.M. E.D.T.: The Fort Lauderdale (Florida) City Commission made it official tonight and voting on a consent agenda, approved White Plains own George Gretsas as their new City Manager, following up on their 5-0 vote of confidence in him early Tuesday afternoon.

In a statement to WPCNR issued this evening Mr. Gretsas said, “I would like to thank Mayor Naugle and the Fort Lauderdale City Commission for their support. I am absolutely thrilled and honored by
their decision and I look forward to the next step in the process.”

GEORGE GRETSAS, shown May 13 in Fort Lauderdale at a public reception at The Riverhouse Restaurant. WPCNR Photo by Joe Amon, Photojournalist

Reached by Miami Herald reporter, Sam Netzi, in his car, Mr. Gretsas told Mr. Netzi by cellphone, “I’m absolutely thrilled and honored by their decision.” Netzi told WPCNR, that Fort Lauderdale wanted Gretsas to begin as soon as possible, and confirmed that Mr. Gretsas told him he has not negotiated a contract with the city yet. Netzi said Gretsas did not know how soon he would start his work with his new town.

Netzi mentioned that he did not know exactly where Mr. Gretsas was taking the call from, assuming he was in White Plains. The Miami correspondent noted that the discussion among City Commissioners was brief, he felt, because the Commissioners had 1-on-1 interviews with the candidates over last weekend. Netzi said Gretsas was not present at the Fort Lauderdale City Hall for the official vote.

The White Plains Mayor’s Office had no comment when reach by WPCNR this afternoon. The Fort Lauderdale Public Information Office said in midafternoon, they had no statement at that time, only to say that no contract had been negotiated yet.

F. L. City Commission Gives Gretsas 5-0 Vote of Confidence for City Manager

Posted on May 18, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. May 18, 2004; UPDATED May 19, 2004 11:30 A.M. E.D.T.: The Fort Lauderdale City Commission voted 5-0 at approximately 2:06 PM Tuesday to support George Gretsas, White Plains Executive Officer, for their position of City Manager. The official vote hiring Mr. Gretsas was scheduled for Tuesday evening at 6 P.M, and officially confirmed the appointment. The vote was witnessed by WPCNR via live internet feed from Fort Lauderdale City Hall. Mr. Gretsas was strongly supported by Commissioners Cindi Hutchinson, Dean Trantalis, Mayor James Naugle and to a lesser degree, Christine Teel. Mayor James Naugle did not express his preference, but encouraged the Commission to make the decision unanimous to give Mr. Gretsas a strong sendoff.

LIVE FROM FORT LAUDERDALE: City Commission discussed George Gretsas and one other candidate for approximately 30 minutes from 1:35 PM to 2:06 P.M., and gave Mr. Gretsas, White Plains Executive Officer, a vote of confidence to be their new city commissioner. Photo from Internet by WPCNR News.

City Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson lead off the proceedings with an impassioned effusion of praise for Mr. Gretsas as having thoroughly researched the city, saying he had even taken out a construction permit for the deck of a Fort Lauderdale home to check out the city’s procedures. She said he had great understanding of the city’s finances, and said he was “a unique individual who will bring a breath of fresh air” to Fort Lauderdale. Mayor Naugle said, he, too, was most impressed by Mr. Gretsas, who was his first choice, and who could “bring change” to the city, and that Fort Lauderdale “should give him a chance.”

Carlton Moore was not as enthusiastic, and focused mainly on Mr. Gretsas’ low test scores on the personality and assessment tests given. However, Ms. Hutchinson and Mr. Trantalis pointed out that the four candidates to a man expressed a strong dislike for the assessment tests that “asked fictitious questions about a fictitious city.”

The Scores

In her story Wednesday morning in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, reporter Brittany Wallman discloses those test scores. Management & Personnel Systems, Inc. of Walnut Creek, California conducted the assessments ranking George Kolb of Augusta first with a 90%; Michael West, of Johnson City, Tennessee, “above average” with a 77.7%; Thomas Hoover, recently ousted City Manager of Worcester, Mass., “average” with a 59.3%, and Mr. Gretsas last with 33.5%.

Ms. Wallman’s article notes that in an assessment of leadership, oral communications and problem analysis/decision-making, Mr. Gretsas also scored last out of the four candidates.

Due to an intermittent feed, it was not possible to hear the comments of Ms. Teel clearly.

It was also reported at the meeting that Thomas Hoover, the candidate from Worcester, Massachussetts, pulled out of the running very late, (it was not said when), because as Carlton Moore quoted Hoover as saying “it seemed like the Commission was poking holes in a boat to let the water out.”

Fort Lauderdale City Commission Meets Today at 1:30 P.M. to Discuss City Manager

Posted on May 18, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. May 18, 2004: The Fort Lauderdale City Commission meets today in “The Venice of America,” and according to their agenda will discuss the City Manager position, for which White Plains’ Executive Officer, George Gretsas, is a finalist.

School Budget, Board Elections Today at noon to 9.

Posted on May 18, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. May 18, 2004: The 2004 School Budget and School Board Elections will take place today at six polling places around the city, in which residents will either approve or decline the proposed $143.9 Million School Budget, and choose between Stephen Taft, Rick Tompkins, and Michelle Tratoros to fill two seats on the White Plains Board of Education. Residents in District 1 vote at Battle Hill Station # 5; District 2 at Church Street School; District 3, Rochambeau School; District 4, Highlands Middle School; District 5, Mamaroneck Avenue School, and District 6, Ridgeway School.