Dade City Commission to interview six for city manager job

DADE CITY — The Dade City Commission has selected six candidates to interview for its open city manager position.

During a meeting Tuesday night, the commission selected six finalists from Florida, including two local applicants, who will be interviewed Jan. 18.

Dade City is searching for a city manager following the resignation last year of Billy Poe, who will leaving Feb. 7. Poe has accepted an assistant city manager position with the City of Zephyrhills, with plans to succeed City Manager Steve Spina, who recently announced he will retire in the coming months.

One of the finalists is well known to commissioners — Dade City finance director Leslie Porter. She has held that position since 2014, and previously served as town treasurer for Chesapeake Beach, Maryland.

Another local candidate, Melanie Romagnoli, is in her eighth year as a program administrator for the Pasco County Office of Economic Growth. Her duties include implementing the Penny for Pasco Fund and managing the county's brownfield program, which designates environmentally contaminated areas with the goal of cleaning them up for redevelopment.

The commission will be interviewing four more candidates from outside Pasco County:

Vince Akhimie, Lakeland: Consultant with the City of Avon Park, serving as director of public works; former utilities director of Daytona Beach.

Timothy Day, Cape Coral: Former town manager of Melbourne Beach and Greenville, Florida former police officer.

Christopher Edwards, Tallahassee: Real estate associate; former City of Tallahassee deputy director.

Jeffrey Oris, Coconut Creek: Planning and design consultant; former City of Miami Beach economic development division director.