- May 2, 2024
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This story was last updated at 1:14 p.m., March 19.
The City Council voted 3-2 to fire Denise Bevan as city manager, effective immediately, and without cause.
Mayor David Alfin made the motion to terminate Bevan’s position without cause at the March 19 City Council meeting, passing the gavel to Vice Mayor Ed Danko. Council members Theresa Carli Pontieri and Nick Klufas voted against terminating Bevan's contract.
Alfin said he felt the City Council, since the election of Pontieri and council member Cathy Heighter, has worked hard “in tackling the issues we have inherited,” and are able to debate issues without dysfunction.
Today, he said, the city must address the facts of the city’s impending growth and maintaining the city infrastructure. It requires balancing those pressures while balancing the community’s beliefs, he said.
His motion to terminate Bevan’s contract included using the Florida League of Cities to find an interim city manager “with proven experience.”
“Change sometimes is inevitable," he said. "But change sometimes is inevitable and necessary to provide new perspectives and successfully navigate new challenges.”
Change sometimes is inevitable and necessary to provide new perspectives and successfully navigate new challenges.”
— DAVID ALFIN, Palm Coast Mayor
Bevan served first as interim city manager in June 2021 and then accepted the city manager position in February 2022.
Neither Klufas nor Pontieri felt it was the time to change city manager leadership. Klufas said he felt that, with Bevan as city manager, the city has translated vision into reality.
“I think a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way,” Klufas said. “And I think that is what Denise has done.”
Klufas took issue with the fact that Bevan was fired without cause.
Pontieri said she did not agree with terminating Bevan with elections just months away. Both Klufas and Danko are running for election on the Flagler County Commission and would not be on the council next November, and Alfin is up for reelection as well.
“I find it to be inappropriate to remove our city manager at this time, knowing that you all will not be working with who we choose in the future,” she said. “...You all are basically going to be voting on behalf of an entire city that you may not be representing in eight months.”
Pontieri also said that if residents have felt unsatisfied and unheard, that is not the fault of the city manager or city staff, but of the council.
“That absolutely falls on the shoulders of us to elevate those comments,” she said. “I think that we are wrongfully resting them on Denise's shoulders and I find that to be incredibly obtuse and unfair.”
I think a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. And I think that is what Denise has done.”
— NICK KLUFAS, City Council member
Bevan began working with the city in 2007 as a senior environmental planner and rose through the administration to become administration coordinator and, in April 2021 chief of staff over infrastructure.
When then-City Manager Matt Morton resigned in May 2021 and Bevan was chosen to serve in the interim that June, with the vocal support of most of the council at the time and then-Fire Chief Jerry Forte.
Just under 100 people applied for the position, but Bevan was not initially one of them, even though she held the interim position. None of the applicants seemed to gain the council’s interest, and Bevan, when Bevan did apply, she received unanimous support from the council, including newly elected Mayor Alfin and Danko.
Mayoral candidate Alan Lowe spoke during public comment, saying that he felt Bevan had pressured into the city manager position by Alfin. He said he felt it was wrong that Bevan was continuingly asked to take the position after she said no.
“Everything that was positive and negative with the city manager’s position and her decisions, I think rests with you, Mr. Mayor,” Lowe said. “I think we should have listened to her when she said no, because now she’s in a position where she’s going to have to find something else to fill that gap.”
Heighter said that while she has enjoyed working with Bevan, and does believe Bevan has done a good job, she feels the city is moving into a different era.
“I do feel that this city needs strong management and someone who is going to manage the job and be a leader and the lead us into this new, growing city that we are becoming,” Heighter said.
Integrity doesn't make a resume.”
— THERESA CARLI PONTIERI, City Council member
Pontieri said she felt the leadership changes that are needed are more in the direction of directors, which is already happening under Bevan’s command. Bevan also took on the position when the city was undergoing unprecedented growth.
It isn’t Bevan’s fault that the council was approving large developments without the proper infrastructure in place, Pontieri said.
“That’s council’s fault,” she said. “I find it to be a little unfair to make this change right now.”
Pontieri said Bevan’s integrity is unmatched, and that is a quality that can’t be taught.
“We can go out to bid for anybody who's got the best resume under the sun,” she said. “But integrity doesn't make a resume.”
