Stockton Whitten, the deputy county manager in Brevard County and Alachua County’s No. 2 pick for county manager, may be groomed to take Brevard County’s top job since its current county manager plans to retire from his government role next year.
Whitten recently entered negotiations with Alachua County for the county manager position after the commission’s top choice, James Bourey, withdrew from talks to pursue another position. Bourey was later selected to become the new city manager of Newport News, Va.
Whitten also dropped out of negotiations with Alachua County, explaining that he had decided to remain in Brevard County.
Brevard County Manager Howard Tipton has said he plans to retire in 15 months and wants Whitten to be named “county manager in waiting,” according to Florida Today. The County Commission is expected to consider his proposal next week.
Florida Today says: “It follows Deputy County Manager Stockton Whitten turning down an offer to become Alachua County manager, after Tipton told Whitten about his own plans to retire next year. In a memo to county commissioners, Tipton said he is trying to formulate a succession plan for when he retires as county manager on Sept. 30, 2014, and believes Whitten is the ideal successor.”
Whitten joined the local government in 1994 and served as interim county manager for several months before Tipton took the helm in September 2009.
As in Alachua County, Whitten was also a finalist for a city manager position in Melbourne last November, according to Florida Today. He dropped out of consideration for that job and was promoted to deputy county manager in Brevard with a 10-percent raise that bumped his annual salary up to $139,364. Tipton, as the current county manager, has a base salary of $184,500.
Alachua County’s initial offer to Whitten included a base salary of $160,000.
For more information, read the full Florida Today article.