Agenda 01/25/2022 Item #11D (County Manager Transition Guidance)01/25/2022
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recommendation to discuss, evaluate, and provide guidance on the desired transition
approach ahead of the County Manager’s planned retirement on July 1, 2022.
OBJECTIVE: Discuss and receive Board direction on the preferred transition approach ahead
of the planned County Manager retirement on July 1, 2022.
CONSIDERATIONS: County Manager Mark Isackson has been employed by Collier County
Government since March 4, 2004, and has held the position of County Manager since May 1,
2020. Mr. Isackson has announced his retirement from County service effective July 1, 2022.
With this announcement, it is necessary to discuss the preferred transition approach leading
toward filling the upcoming vacancy.
There are various internal and external transition options available to the Board leading toward
filling the position of County Manager, which include:
1. Conduct an external search utilizing the standard process to hire County Manager agency
staff, coordinated through the Human Resources Division, and advertising the vacancy to
interested candidates. This approach would require the Board of County Commissioners
to adopt a specific vetting process which may involve the Board, or an individual Board
member designated to lead the process.
2. Conduct an external search through retaining a qualified executive search firm to recruit
and vet candidates utilizing criteria adopted by the Board of County Commissioners.
3. Close the recruitment process to interested County senior leadership and other interested
high level Division Directors following the standard Human Resources process.
The most recent County Manager recruitment, which took place between December 2020 and
March 2021, involved the following:
1. External and internal search conducted through the Human Resources Division.
2. Release of a County Manager position announcement on the County’s web site,
Government Jobs.com, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and LinkedIn. The verbiage of this
announcement from December 2020 is included as an attachment.
3. Development of a position profile with input from each Board member (attached from
December 2020).
4. Establishment of a recruitment and selection schedule.
5. Compilation of all candidates’ documentation for Board consideration.
6. Board evaluation of candidates and creation of a finalist list for Board consideration and
ranking.
7. Public presentations by each candidate.
8. Selection of preferred County Manager candidate for contract negotiation and
appointment.
Mr. Isackson was hired by this Board to accomplish organizational changes, to streamline and
improve operations, to enhance services to our customers, to invest in our County workforce, and
to maintain current fiscally prudent financial and budgetary philosophy.
The County Manager intends to continue pursuit of these objectives during his remaining tenure
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with further structural changes to the organization and identification of talent at the middle
management levels for placement in positions of higher authority and responsibility. Further, it is
the County Manager’s recommendation to implement comprehensive changes to the
classification and compensation plan to not only reward the loyalty and dedication of current
members of the workforce but place the organization in a much better position to recruit outside
talent. Some of the pending organizational changes include:
• Splitting Growth Management into two distinct departments: planning and regulatory
operations to be led by Mr. Jamie French as Department Head, and transportation
system planning and related construction to be led by Ms. Trinity Scott as Department
Head;
• Continuation of the tandem Deputy County Manager structure from among the
talented senior leadership staff in the agency; and
• Realignment of certain agency functions to more appropriate departments.
Upon direction from the Board, the desired transition process for hiring the next County
Manager will be further delineated with timelines and related recruitment documentation.
Likewise, a separate Executive Summary outlining recommended additional organizational
changes and personnel assignments will be brought to the Board in February.
FISCAL IMPACT: If the Board chooses to conduct an external recruitment through the Human
Resources Division, costs will be incurred for position advertising through appropriate websites
and other professional publications in an amount less than $10,000. Hiring a search firm will
likely cost between $20,000 and $35,000, exclusive of travel costs for the search firm’s
representative who would assist the Board in the recruitment process. With an external
recruitment process, costs will be incurred for transportation, lodging, per diem, and other
expenses related to candidate travel. These costs could total up to $10,000. Sufficient budget is
available in the County Manager’s cost center for any recruitment related expenses.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: There is no growth management impact associated
with this Executive Summary.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item has been reviewed by the County Attorney, raises no
legal issues at this time and requires majority vote for Board action. -JAK
RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of County Commissioners discuss, evaluate, and
provide guidance for the upcoming 2022 County Manager vacancy and authorize initial steps in
the process.
Prepared by: Mark Isackson, County Manager
ATTACHMENT(S)
1. County Manager Job Posting/Description (PDF)
2. County Manager Profile Questionnaire (PDF)
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COLLIER COUNTY
Board of County Commissioners
Item Number: 11.D
Doc ID: 21111
Item Summary: Recommendation to discuss, evaluate, and provide guidance on the desired
transition approach ahead of the County Manager’s planned retirement on July 1, 2022. (Mark Isackson,
County Manager)
Meeting Date: 01/25/2022
Prepared by:
Title: Sr. Operations Analyst – County Manager's Office
Name: Geoffrey Willig
01/19/2022 12:08 PM
Submitted by:
Title: Division Director - Corp Fin & Mgmt Svc – County Manager's Office
Name: Mark Isackson
01/19/2022 12:08 PM
Approved By:
Review:
County Attorney's Office Jeffrey A. Klatzkow Level 3 County Attorney's Office Review Completed 01/19/2022 1:12 PM
County Manager's Office Mark Isackson Level 4 County Manager Review Completed 01/19/2022 1:57 PM
Board of County Commissioners Geoffrey Willig Meeting Pending 01/25/2022 9:00 AM
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11.D.aPacket Pg. 610Attachment: County Manager Job Posting/Description (21111 : County Manager Transition Plan)
11.D.aPacket Pg. 611Attachment: County Manager Job Posting/Description (21111 : County Manager Transition Plan)
11.D.aPacket Pg. 612Attachment: County Manager Job Posting/Description (21111 : County Manager Transition Plan)
11.D.aPacket Pg. 613Attachment: County Manager Job Posting/Description (21111 : County Manager Transition Plan)
11.D.bPacket Pg. 614Attachment: County Manager Profile Questionnaire (21111 : County Manager Transition Plan)
11.D.bPacket Pg. 615Attachment: County Manager Profile Questionnaire (21111 : County Manager Transition Plan)