Fort Myers’ ongoing search for new city manager

Fort Myers is still looking for someone to replace its current city manager, Saeed Kazemi, who submitted his letter of retirement in November at the request of Mayor Kevin Anderson. But so far there is no replacement.

The city hired a firm that specializes in finding candidates for big positions like this one.
The city manager is one of the most important roles, because they are in charge of how your money is spent: they oversee how resources are allocated and develop the day-to-day work of the city government.

The firm interviewed all the council members and the mayor about what they want to see in the next city manager. The job posting went out a month ago. Once the firm narrows the list down to the top candidates, the city will seek public input. The current city manager’s last day is May 3, which doesn’t leave much time.

“If we don’t have someone selected by May 3, there are several options that could include asking Mr. Kazemi to extend,” Anderson said. “It could be a matter of bringing an interim city manager, somebody internally, to step in until we get someone selected, or there are people, city and county managers, who… they do that for a living—they fill in in between managers.”

Anderson told me he is looking for someone who has a clear vision of how to improve the corridors like Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Palm Beach Boulevard, Fowler Street, all the main roads into the city. He says he’s optimistic they’ll find the right fit soon. The Fort Myers City Council will get an update on that search during its meeting Monday night at 4:30 p.m.