SANFORD — Sanford City Manager Al Grieshaber Jr., submitted his resignation to the City Commission Monday night capping a week of negotiations and speculation about his future with the city.

Grieshaber's resignation takes effect 5 p.m. Friday, April 15 at which time he will turn over his city vehicle and other city owned or leased property.

City Attorney William Colbert told commissioner's that he has had a series of discussions with Grieshaber during the last week and that at 2 p.m. Monday, Grieshaber submitted his resignation with several conditional items.

 
Grieshaber requested that he continue to receive his salary and benefits until Nov. 30, 2005. After Nov. 30, he would then take his two weeks paid vacation. While on the city payroll, Grieshaber will be available for consultation on projects he has been involved with.

"They are 35 or so ongoing projects," Colbert said, that Grieshaber is currently involved with.

Colbert recommended that the City Commission accept Grieshaber's resignation letter with the conditions. He told them that how the city manager leaves will reflect on the commission and will impact the quality of applicants the City Commission receives.
"Be kind to him as he leaves," Colbert advised.

District 3 Commissioner Randy Jones, suggested to his fellow commissioners that it may behoove them to immediately have someone step in to take over the day-to-day operations of the city. He later retracted his statement after hearing Colbert's advice.
"I agree with that completely," Jones said.

Before the city accepted Grieshaber's resignation, District 1 Commissioner Art Woodruff requested a discussion on what to do in the interim.

Colbert advised the commission that they would need someone to step. The city attorney also suggested V. Eugene Miller, a retired city manager with 41 years experience, as a possible interim city manager.

Colbert's law firm, Stenstrom, McIntosh, Colbert, Whigham, Reischmann and Partlow, P.A., has had experience with Miller in the past in the city of Oviedo and prior to that in Orange City.

Miller served in Orange City as interim city manager for almost two years, Colbert said, because the city had problems getting a new city manager on board.

"My feeling, and only my feeling, which is based on 35 years experience is to take a little time, catch your collective breath, talk with each other, set goals and objectives, and decide what kind of manager you want," Colbert told the commission.

Colbert said the search for a new city manager would take at least six months, and maybe even closer to nine months, and Miller would be a good person to assist them in the process of finding the right city manager.

The commission also decided, on the suggestion from District 2 Commissioner Velma Williams, that Lonnie Groot act as temporary city manager dealing in the day-to-day operations, until a decision was made on an interim city manager.

"It's something that other cities have done," Williams said.

Colbert agreed that Groot could do that, but for only a few weeks, and not to exceed 30 days.

"If that's what the city wants," Colbert said.

Woodruff agreed that was a viable option but said, "I think it's unfortunate that we've come to this."

District 4 Commissioner Kevin Hipes told Grieshaber it had been a pleasure working with him. Hipes, along with Woodruff were the two votes against the motion to not renew Grieshaber's contract in January.

"There's been highs and lows," Hipes said. "I think even Al agrees this is the right thing to do."

The commission passed a motion unanimously to use Groot, from the city attorney's office, as acting city manager, not to exceed 30 days. Next, they agreed to meet with Colbert's recommended interim city manager, Miller, next Wednesday.

Ken Learned, of Mellonville Avenue spoke during the citizen participation portion of the commission meeting to express his appreciation for city manager, he said.

Learned said that Grieshaber has been in control of the day-to-day city affairs, and in the face of the construction projects, hurricanes and other city projects, he has put Sanford in a better situation than most other communities.

"It's unique," he said, "when a job has been done well, and yet he is dismissed."

Learned said he was disappointed with the commission for "killing the goose who laid the golden egg." Had politics not played a part in this, he said, Sanford would still have Grieshaber's services.

"I feel very disappointed that we have gone in the direction we have," Learned said.

In a statement released to The Herald, Grieshaber wrote, "I have made no plans other than to help move the city of Sanford."

After the City Commission meeting was over, the meeting was continued instead of adjourned, on the counsel of Colbert. The city attorney told the commission that if they continued the meeting they would be able to schedule the continued meeting in the next week or so, rather than have to wait until next month's commission meeting to hire an interim city manager.

The City Commission meeting was continued until April 18, at 7 p.m.