Carolyn DiPaolo2 council members opposed his compensation that could total more than $400,000.
Riviera Beach City Council members put aside a national search last week to install as city manager a 79-year-old retiree who has led the city twice before and been fired once.
A divided council approved a one-year contract with acting City Manager Bill Wilkins to guide them through key decisions in Riviera Beach’s massive redevelopment and what he described as a challenging budget year.
Council members installed Wilkins as interim manager on May 6, the same night they negotiated the departure of former City Manager Jonathan Evans, who just landed a job in Lauderdale Lakes.
Council Members Shirley Lanier and KaShamba Miller-Anderson voted against Wilkins’ appointment, saying the city is paying him too much.
Miller-Anderson told Stet News after the meeting that she calculated Wilkins’ total compensation at $429,682. Lanier put the amount at $454,682. The city did not provide the total in the agenda, its accompanying documents or during the meeting.
The city’s commitment includes:
- $265,668 annual salary.
- $86,000, the equivalent of what would be paid to the Florida Retirement System on Wilkins’ behalf, instead going directly to him.
- $22,145 as a stipend because he has health and dental insurance through Medicare.
- 30 vacation days and 20 sick days, which can be cashed out.
- The use of a city vehicle.
Twice as much experience
Lanier said the total is $90,000 more than the previous city manager’s compensation. “And I’ve never seen health insurance and dental insurance be given upfront because they didn’t need it.”
City Attorney Dawn Wynn confirmed that the city has never offered an insurance stipend.
Council Chair Bruce Guyton, who said he helped negotiate the contract, defended Wilkins’ value as someone who has been tried and tested. Wilkins has twice as much experience as former manager Evans, Guyton said.
“Mr. Wilkins doesn’t come with any division. He’s not dividing our community,” Guyton said. “That’s a big issue. Previously, our community was divided.
“Even the previous city manager, he got a very sweet deal,” Guyton said.
Evans departed with a payout of $86,196 in unused PTO and salary through the end of his contract and $100,000 to secure his assurance that he would not sue the city.
Miller-Anderson pointed out that Wilkins has been away from Riviera Beach government. “Let’s be clear that he hasn’t been in those positions in 18 years. A lot has changed since then.”
Under Evans, the city began spending $400 million to rebuild its water treatment system and selected developers for two massive projects on city property, one along Blue Heron Boulevard and the other at the city’s Marina Village. Contracts with those developers have not been completed.
The city also won voter approval to borrow $115 million to build a police station, fire station and parks complex.
‘You have two qualified people’
Ten members of the public weighed in on the decision.
Longtime observer Fane Lozman, a city property owner who often clashes with city government, urged the council to assign one of its two assistant city managers to lead the city instead of Wilkins while it searches for a longer-term manager.
“You have two qualified people that can do the job now,” he said, of assistant city managers Kevin Coppin and Deirdre Jacobs. “You don’t have to pay them $400,000.”
Riviera Beach resident Annette Dragon asked why the city’s website already had changed Wilkins’ title to city manager from interim city manager when his contract had not yet been approved. “Why are the residents being kept in the dark?” she said.
Contractor T.L. Wingate urged council members to stick with Wilkins. “He’s proven himself to be a man of integrity,” he said. “I’ve known him for over 30-plus years, and I’ve never ever seen him even raise his voice.”
A resident since 1974
Wilkins served as Riviera Beach city manager from 1979 until a newly elected City Council fired him in 1987, The Palm Beach Post reported. He departed with a $90,000 payout.
He worked as an assistant county manager for 10 years and returned as city manager in 1999. He resigned in 2008.
His severance package that year included a year’s salary of $160,688, a $500-a-month car allowance for one year, $6,000 in legal fees for his attorney, and $41,000 needed to make him vested in the state pension fund.
Wilkins confirmed Wednesday night that he collects a state pension and a city pension.
After the vote, Wilkins, who moved to Riviera Beach in 1974, told council members, “I really appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve.”
Wilkins’ one-year contract has an option to renew for a second year.
Mayor Doug Lawson said a nationwide search could take at least one year.
Wilkins’ interim contract would have expired on Sept. 4.
Council members agreed to discuss at a later date how they would search for a new city manager.
After the meeting, Wilkins complimented the quality of his new staff and said his priority is the city budget, which must be completed by Oct. 1. The first budget workshop is Tuesday.
