Submitted by Steven Thompson

Marco Island's newest city manager, Steve Thompson, celebrates his daughter Darryl's graduation from James Madison University. Thompson's first day of work is Monday. From left to right are his wife, Chris, daughter Darryl, 21, Ryan, 18, and Steve Thompson, 53.

Submitted by Steven Thompson

Marco Island's newest city manager, Steve Thompson, celebrates his daughter Darryl's graduation from James Madison University. Thompson's first day of work is Monday. From left to right are his wife, Chris, daughter Darryl, 21, Ryan, 18, and Steve Thompson, 53.

Monday will be a hectic first day for Marco Island’s newest City Manager Steve Thompson.

Thompson, the city’s second ever city manager will begin with a budget workshop Monday morning, followed by meetings with the council, department heads and community. Then, he will cap the evening off with his first regular City Council meeting in Marco.

That doesn’t intimidate Thompson who will be arriving at his new island home this Saturday.

While discussing his plans as upcoming Marco Island city manager in a phone interview from his home in Virginia Beach, Thompson said he’s ready to dive right into the work and also into the community.

His top priorities he said are the budget and getting to know the council, city staff, citizens and county.

“The way to get to know the community is to be active and involved. Building the community is as important as building the city services,” Thompson said.

He said he is a long time Rotarian and the United Way and Chamber of Commerce are organizations he plans to join. He also plans to attend an Episcopalian Church, and if times afford it, he may participate in his favorite hobbies – tennis and fly-fishing.

It’s hard to say if leisure opportunities will arise quickly with budget workshops and his next line of business, conducting the national search for a police chief.

Thom Carr, who hopes to be considered for the position, is currently serving as interim chief.

“There’s no rush. Thom Carr is very competent ... First we’ll get the budget established, get to know the community and let the community know me,” he said.

Thompson shared his general outlook on the City of Marco Island as well as his role as manager.

“The community sets their priorities. If the priority is we’re staying with the spending cap, then we’re staying with the spending cap,” he said.

The cap limits the amount of money that the city can spend each year by three percent more than the spending of the previous year plus the cost of living adjustment. The cap does not apply to all expenditures such as utilities, emergencies, enterprise funds, debt payments and the spending of impact fees.

Thompson shared his management style, but limited commenting on specific ideas.

“(Interim City Manager Dana Souza) and I talk almost daily. It’s not my issue until I come in,” Thompson said.

The new city manager did share his hopes that council, city staff and citizens would communicate a vision that they would work toward with each decision made to reach specific goals along the way.

In terms of the budget, Thompson expressed some of the challenges.

“Marco Island has been very conservative on property taxes. Amendment 1 doesn’t hit Marco as hard as other cities. But with the decrease in property values, Marco will see an approximate $1.7 million loss. That’s bigger than Amendment 1,” he said of the city’s estimates.

As for the idea of the city running electricity instead of purchasing through the Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC), Thompson seemed to believe that type of project is feasible, but not his choice.

“That’s a policy issue for the council. If the city’s goals cannot be met, it would take a formal analysis and a lot of time, about a six to nine month study,” he said.

Thompson also explained that a few factors would need to come into play for such a project to be considered.

“First, you would ask if LCEC could net out the cost of replacing overhead lines and apply that toward underground lines,” he explained.

Thompson said he had many conversations with Souza and Moss in order to understand the community’s take on this and other issues before he officially starts the job. Souza plans to attend Mondays’ meetings and will assist in the transition particularly through the first week.

Former Marco Island City Manager Bill Moss and Thompson have known each other for about 23 years. They were both city managers within South Carolina in cities about 150 miles apart.

“I kept in contact with (Thompson) through the years at management conferences and educational seminars. We’d be considered friends, but we don’t socialize,” Moss said.

Moss and Thompson talked throughout the hiring process and since he was hired.

“I don’t remember any specifics about what we would have talked about. I cautioned him that there was discontent related to the Septic Tank Replacement Program ... Frankly, there were a lot of negative stories in the papers. He may think this is a community that is always fighting with itself,” Moss said.

Moss said with the STRP decisions largely behind them, Marco is settling down a bit.

“Not that people won’t always enjoy hearty debates. I think Marco Island always will. They have diverse opinions and aren’t embarrassed to express their opinions in public,” he added.

Moss and Souza both said Thompson’s experience and personality fit well for Marco Island.

“He’s extroverted and inquisitive. His personality gives not just me but other’s here (at City Hall) a feeling that he’ll be a great fit for the island,” Souza said

“His South Carolina-style allows him to interact well with people of various backgrounds. You’ll find him to be firm without being confrontational; discuss and disagree without being disagreeable. He sets high standards of ethics and that will be carried throughout the city,” Moss said.

Some of Thompson’s goals may stretch beyond the city.

“I was able to build partnerships while City Manager in Deltona (Fla.) with the county (Volusia). Local government really is all about building those partnerships, building projects that benefit the city and county,” Thompson said.

Naples Daily News
Naples Sun Times
The Banner

Collier Citizen
Vista Semanal
PrepZone

Coastalbeat
Set Anchor
SWFLMoms