By John Pacenti
In a surprise, Ocean Ridge Interim Town Manager Michelle Heiser said she would be amenable to staying on in the position permanently.
Heiser’s comments at the end of the Town Commission’s June 2 meeting came after she attended a municipal managers conference in Tallahassee at the end of May. Earlier in the month, she helped outline for commissioners a detailed process to find a permanent replacement.
Heiser said at the June 2 meeting that she came back from the conference with a handful of potential candidates who would be interested in the job. She then added her name to the mix.
“I completely understand if that’s not a fit in your eyes. It’s nothing personal, but I do want you to know that I’ve enjoyed working with each of you,” she said.
Mayor Geoff Pugh suggested that Heiser discuss a potential offer with Town Attorney Christy Goddeau. Commissioners have been effusive in praising Heiser — especially when it came to financial matters. Lynne Ladner, who resigned in April, struggled with the budget to the commissioners’ frustration.
Pugh said the beginning of the fiscal year 2026 budget process with Heiser has been like “night and day. A breath of fresh air.”
“I’ve worked closely with Michelle and her team, and it’s quite a difference,” Commissioner Ainar Aijala Jr. said.
Heiser has recommended a salary range of $180,000 to $270,000 — a significant increase from the current $144,000 base salary. “It gives you an opportunity to consider where they’re at within their lifespan of their professional career,” she said.
If the commission decides to go in a different direction from Heiser, she helped outline a plan in choosing a permanent replacement, including round-robin interviews with elected leaders and a final public interview.
Commissioners emphasized the importance of finding a candidate with strong financial management skills. “We want somebody who understands how to budget and manage a budget process,” Aijala said.
The search comes with some constraints, including mandatory considerations for veterans’ preference in hiring even if there is one desired candidate the town wanted to recruit.
The commissioners stressed flexibility in their search, acknowledging that the perfect candidate might not meet every initial criterion.
“I don’t want to overweigh what we think is most important, so they self-select against coming,” Aijala said. “I might be willing to take somebody with less financial background if they were an incredible superstar.”
The town lost some candidates during its last search for a town manager because it didn’t pay enough for travel reimbursement.
“We should pay reasonable travel,” Aijala said.
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