City Manager Erdal Dönmez pictured with Deputy City Managers Jennifer Bramley and Susan Grant on Wednesday.
By: Sharon Aron Baron
After 17 years with the city, Coral Springs City Manager Erdal Dönmez announced his retirement to the commission at Wednesday morning’s meeting.
“I’m going to be 60 on May 1, and in today’s standards it’s not really a retirement age, however, it’s a goal, and I’m there,” he told the commission. “I know there’s no perfect time to retire, but this is probably as good as it gets.”
Dönmez was first appointed city manager in 2010 after serving as its deputy/assistant city manager for ten years. When he became city manager, it was in tough economic times. “With everyone’s help, we managed to make the city, and I’m underlining “we” in almost every area equal or better, and I’m very proud to say that.”
Mayor Skip Campbell said he is happy for him that he’s doing something that he wants to do and he’ll be able to spend more time with his dad and family, many who who do not live in this country, but he admits he was floored when he found out the news last Friday because he said he didn’t see it coming.
“There’s been actually a good working relationship between the entire commission, city manager and the city staff. He’s gotten us through some very tough times and done it in a professional manner and I thought he was a good city manager. I didn’t think he’d be retiring.”
“We’re in great shape right now,” said Dönmez. He told the commission about the low crime rates in the city and the highest accreditation ratings in the country year after year which is testimony to having their own 911 dispatch system.
Dönmez said that he has two successors: Deputy City Managers Jennifer Bramley and Susan Grant who are well-prepared for his departure. “They will not only just step in and pick up the ball and move on, but I think they are probably going to be much better than I am.”
On Saturday, the commission will be holding a workshop and Campbell will bring the issue of a nationwide search up. He believes there should be a nationwide search because there is talent out there. “We’ve got a great city in Coral Springs and I just don’t want to let what we’ve done fall by the wayside.”
He said he wants to make sure whoever they hire can work well with the leaders of the police and fire department as well as everyone else.
With his contract calling for 90 days notice, Dönmez will stay longer – until May 1. He said he wants to experience life without deadlines, but after that, he knows he may become bored and then go back to doing something else. It could even be going back to becoming a city manager, but he said it would be probably be something else. His in-laws just moved up from Miami and he will remain living in the City of Coral Springs where he said he loves his home.
Campbell wants the new city manager hired by the beginning of April so that they can work with Dönmez until his departure.
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- Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.
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8 comments
You were a Great Manager for the City. Your Professionalism and love for this city is what hepled this city to be what it is. Thank you and May God Bless you
I am very sad that we will be losing our magnificent City Manager! However, I do understand that we all know when it is time for a change and glad you paid attention to this prompt. I am hopeful that the new City Manager will be a Coral Springs resident, because I think it takes being a resident to understand how magnificent our City is and this provides the engagement, passion and drive to consistently provide us with good city management. I can’t imagine Deputy City Managers Jennifer Bramley and Susan Grant not working “well with the leaders of the police and fire department” because our police and fire department are fabulous to work with! Erdal Dönmez . . . we wish you health, harmony and happiness in your future! :D
Leaving at the right time sticking the residents with a huge budget and future tax increases to cover the building projects expenses and the upkeep of these projects. He has spent every dollar of the increased tax ‘revenues as well as the borrowing of money to pay for the ever increasing budget. No check and balance in city never an opposing view on his expenses.
You’ve got that right! This guy had the personality of a fence post. How he ever got this position is beyond me. He came to Coral Springs with a “shady” past from Miami. He had Department Directors running scared. No one ever opposed his views because of fears they’d be dismissed. And then to top it off, the Commissioners gave him free health coverage for part of the year after he retires. What a joke!!
This manager has done nothing but spend spend increase the budget and taxes while ignoring the condition of the city
City manager gives all city employees a raise twice the inflation rate at tax payers expense before he leaves. Easy to do when it’s not your money.
They went several years with no raises, because the city was trying to save money. That was a freeze for quite a long time. If they got bigger raises than usual, good for them, because they did without for a long time.
The time has come you will be remembered for the garbage contract that costs the residents more and they got less, the 9million dollar parking garage, the year after year tax increases and fee increases, a infrastructure that has streets not resurfaced in thirty years, an ever increasing budget oh and leaving two deputy managers not qualified enough to take over when you leave all fact no political talk.