NSBNEWS.net photo by Henry Frederick. Pam Brangaccio reported for duty Monday as the new city manager for New Smyrna Beach. She caught a breather for a few minutes outside the Administrative Office Building off the North Causeway in the early afternoon with Mayor Sally Mackay, having spent all morning meeting many of the city's 280-plus employees with stops at the main City Hall, fire stations, Public Works, Police Station and the Municipal Golf Course. Today, she gets down to business refining the new fiscal budget.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Pam Brangaccio had to leave her hometown Tampa Rays who are hosting the New York Yankees.
After all, she has to make a homestand of her own now -- in New Smyrna Beach, that is.
Brangaccio reported for work at 8:30 a.m. sharp for a day of introductions with many of the 250 city employees spread out throughout the city -- groundskeepers, firefighters, cops, highway crews, planners, inspectors, clerks, secretaries, you name it.
And of course, elected officials like Mayor Sally Mackay who had a 2 p.m. appointment with the person she's pinning her hopes and faith in to lead the administering of city business, especially in these tough economic times, in a growing, but quaint seaside community where people enjoy the sun, the surf and the quality of life.
"I'm happy to be here," Brangaccio said. "This is great. I looked at 10 places yesterday."
Brangaccio was chosen by the City Commission last month over four other finalists to replace John Hagood who was fired in February under a $289,000 payout in his contract that has him receiving $10,000 monthly through September.
Earlier this month, Brangaccio requested an annual salary of $132,500, but then the commission balked at that request, she came back with a counter offer less than 24 hours later through an emissary to serve as interim city manager for six months with a $10,000 monthly salary, plus $1,500 in housing paid for by the city as well as $100 weekly for car allowance. She said the city did not have to pay her health insurance under the interim status.This time, the commission said yes.
"We don't have anything to lose," City Commissioner James Hathaway said, echoing the sentiments of the other commissioners and the mayor. "
The commission agreed with Brangaccio that if both sides liked what she was doing, a new, longer-term contract could be negotiated. For the time-being either side can opt out of the agreement with 30 days' notice. Public Works Director Khalid Resheidat had been interim City Manager after Hagood's dismissal and while he was away on vacation last week, Personnel Officer Carol Hargy was acting interim City Manager.