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Council Nixes Gomez’s Attempt To Circumvent Charter And Hire Interim Century Town Manager
September 7, 2023
The Century Town Council has put the brakes on newly appointed interim Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. and his immediate efforts to hire an interim town manager while apparently circumventing the requirements of the town’s charter. Last week, Gomez admitted that he was in over his head, and presented the council with his choice to help lead the town.
Tuesday night, the town council approved a two-page scope of work for an interim town manager or consultant to assist the town. The motion specified that the scope would be used in future requests for proposals for the position.
Gomez then immediately asked the council to allow him to enter into negotiations with Robert Thompson to serve in the position for three months. His request noted that $25,000 was available for consulting services in the town budget through September and over $40,000 was budgeted for consultants in the next fiscal year beginning October 1.
“I know that I am in over my head, but I don’t want the town of Century to suffer due to my lack of experience in this position,” Gomez told his town council a few minutes after he was sworn in on August 28. At that meeting, he asked the town council to consider contracting with consultant Thompson of DeFuniak Springs, who he said was recommended by the Florida League of Cities.
“A vote for this guy is a vote for Century,” Gomez said this week.
Council member Alicia Johnson questioned if the town needed to request proposals or accept applications.
Gomez said he was told by the Florida League of Cities and Johnson that a request for proposals or bids from other potentially interested persons was not needed.
“We just trying to get somebody in place interim, you skip all that,” Gomez said.
“No matter what Florida League of Cities says, no matter what Mr Johnson says, Century still has to abide by the charter. If we are required to get three bids, we must get three bids if he is to be interim,” council vice president Shelisa McCall said. “To then forgo our established charter and ignore it, it’s just not fair to everybody else. It’s like we wanted to hold these people to those standards, but now we want to skip them, and I don’t think that’s right.”
McCall said the town’s former interim town manager, Vernon Prather, was hired through an application process and vote, and she remembered reading the applications on NorthEscambia.com.
Then Gomez tried to rationalize that the town’s former interim town manager, Vernon Prather, was hired without a council vote.
“No, the council didn’t vote, council didn’t vote” Gomez interjected. “The order came from downtown Pensacola to the interim city manager that was in place, and they brought their guy and they scrapped five applications. If it’s a lie, then the blog told me. There was five applications that were scrapped. I can show you the article right now on the phone.”
While Gomez said the council did not vote to hire Prather, Gomez voted yes when Prather was hired in December 2019. In fact, Gomez actually made the motion to hire Prather, according to the town’s official meeting minutes (pictured left, click to enlarge).
And NorthEscambia.com never reported anything about any order from downtown Pensacola or that five applications were scrapped to hire Prather (there were only five applications including Prather). We did report that then Century interim city manager Buz Eddy recommended to scrap applications and hire Prather on an interim basis.
“The League (Florida League of Cities) is what we establish most of our rules by,” Gomez said. “I could care less what I look like in anybody’s paper…I’m doing this for Century.”
The Florida League of Cities (FLC) is an advocacy group serving over 400 municipalities in the state, according to their website. The FLC is not a government agency and has no governmental authority. Century’s rules are governed by a charter which established the town.
“If we want this guy, we can get him,” Gomez said. “And we’re not breaking anybody’s law, or stepping on anybody’s toes, or doing anything illegal.”
“If we do it this way, we are going against our charter, plain and simple” McCall interjected.
Town Clerk Leslie Howington clarified that the charter states anything costing over $500 must be bid. She called town attorney Matt Dannheisser and placed him on speakerphone.
“Ms. Howington, I need to talk to you tomorrow about that,” Gomez told her, motioning toward the phone with Dannheisser on the line.
“Five hundred dollars or more, the council is required to request and receive bids,” the attorney said.
The council voted 3-0 to advertise for an interim town manager or consultant through noon on September 19 with the Florida League of Cities, Florida League of Mayors and League of City Managers. The motion did not include advertising locally. The council plans to consider their choice seven hours after the deadline during a regular council meeting.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
22 Responses to “Council Nixes Gomez’s Attempt To Circumvent Charter And Hire Interim Century Town Manager”
Cut the man some slack!
He admitted he was “in over my head”.
Let him go away!! no no Make him go away!!
Good job Ms.McCall
NOT AGAIN you summed it up.
It’s not just the mayor who is in over his head.
Century has no vision for any brighter future. Poverty. Education. Finance. Infrastructure. Business. Crime and addiction. Incarceration. Low quality housing. Abandoned buildings and properties. No tourism. No industry. Could not have a school with greater than an “F” score. No population growth. Little tax base growth other than from inflation. Poor leadership. Distrust. Inability to compete. Near total reliance on welfare in the form of grants and special appropriations.
And there is no reasonable expectation of a turnaround in the short or long term outlook. It’s like a baby tooth hanging in the mouth by a thin piece of the gum. A community totally immersed way in the past and in far over its head in a rapidly changing world.
Why not simply terminate this hopeless municipality by dissolving it and let Escambia County be its sole local governing authority?
As Granddaddy used to say, “He’s an empty suit”.
Took awhile for a young kid to get the meaning but figured out he meant someone in an important position whe wears (kinda) nice clothes but there’s nothing of substance inside.
Keep having a feeling that Something is UP that smells like old fish and Limburger cheese.
Like many others, have to ask, How does the State allow this circus to continue?
Let me get this straight. He tried to us an article on NorthEscambia to get what he wanted. But he was wrong about what the article said.Didn’t think he liked “the blog”. But I guess the words are too big.
So he says the council did not vote to hire Prather, but they did. And he made the motion and then voted on it? What the hell? He does not know what he’s doing. But I bet he blames it on “the blog” again. (Great move posting the actual council minutes that show he does not know what he’s talking about!).
How long is it going to take for this clown to be voted out? He is the leader behind this town looking like it does. Thank goodness William doesn’t cut him any slack, no telling what he would try to pull then!
REGARDING:
“She called town attorney Matt Dannheisser and placed him on speakerphone.
“Ms. Howington, I need to talk to you tomorrow about that,” Gomez told her, motioning toward the phone with Dannheisser on the line.”
I assume when he spoke to her that it was to praise her for making certain that he did nothing illegal. Sometimes when people are in WAY over their head, even otherwise good people say stupid things. We would not want that to happen.
David for appreciation of good people
I thought the city of Prichard was in trouble but Century has got them beat.
I am a citizen of Century .I have lived here all my life. I love this town. I have been around this town government every since the town was annexed.There has never been a mayor elected that was qualified but all the rest was willing to come in and work learn there has been good mayors who got alot done for ctury there been not so good mayors but this clown is a idiot and should be removed by the counsil.This is all wrong for century please counsil I am asking you to remove him.
@CJ Lewis … well written …
“… in his own words, Gomez is not qualified to serve as Mayor in any capacity. The Town Council that appointed him should remove him and appoint someone who can do the job.”
This was not a unanimous vote, at least one of them knew he was not the best choice for Century.
Last week I sent a letter to Council President Lewis describing what I had been able to learn about Robert Thompson. He has almost no experience in local government. His short tenure at Dona Ana County in New Mexico is a mystery. He seems to have had a difficult time in DeFuniak Springs, so bad in fact that the town council would not agree to extend his contract by another 18-month term. He says he “declined” to extend the contract. In truth, no 18-month extension was offered. The town offered Thompson a six-month extension described in one media report as an additional “probation” period. Thompson came up with new demands. The town was not willing to meet his new demands. The media reported, “He and the commissioners [councilmembers] could not agree on terms for an extension.” A few days prior, Thompson said that he was leaving and his last day was December 1, 2022. No one seems to know what he has been doing with himself since then. By the way, when Thompson walked out on DeFuniak Springs his reported compensation package was $126,000 a year plus $40,000 in benefits. Obviously, in his own words, Gomez is not qualified to serve as Mayor in any capacity. The Town Council that appointed him should remove him and appoint someone who can do the job.
He brought the man that he wanted to do his job to swearing in. You cant make this stuff up.
I am doing this for century.
I Am Doing This For Century.
I AM DOING THIS FOR CENTURY.
No one believed that the first time he said it.
What amazed me when he was sworn in was not that he admitted he was in over his head but that he had already selected the person he wanted to recommend to hire to help. Seem suspicious? Yes it does.
Having followed this council and Mr. Gomez’s actions and comments over the past few weeks I have to wonder how he got elected and who voted for him. Every time he opens his mouth his competence takes a nose dive. There is one action he could take that is allowed in the charter, he can resign. His empty seat will better serve Century than by his continued occupancy of it.
Wonder how they are “Connected”???
Gotta be something there for sure.
All hale Heir Gomez, Century’ dictator in chief.
Didn’t know the Circus was in town…………… And the Main attraction be careful is a S N A K E!
There’s a term for someone who has been elevated beyond their level of competency….
The town charter should be revoked by the state, or the town should be disbanded at the next election. It is a failed entity.
give me Century or give me death!
Well look here Gomez doesn’t have much qualifications as the town thought.How do we vote this guy out CENTURY STAND UP next council meeting everyone. Let’s get these seats filled with people who really want something for this forgotten town other than being
Complete and total scam job. Gomez should be prosecuted for malfeasance.