SUBJECT
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Approve Resolution 2026-15 Authorizing the Plan to Select an Executive Director (Action)
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DESCRIPTION
The current PRWC Executive Director, Eric DeHaven, announced at the July 29, 2026 Board of Director meeting that he will be retiring at the end of January 2027. Following Board discussion, the PRWC Chairman requested that staff return at the September meeting with a plan for replacing Mr. DeHaven. Mr. de la Parte and Mr. DeHaven have collaborated and developed that attached plan, which will be presented to the Board under Resolution 2026-15 to approve the plan outlining the selection process.
The plan dictates that the recruitment is run entirely in-house and relies on the Board, a three-member Selection Committee of Member Government City/County Managers, the PRWC General Counsel, with assistance provided by Polk County Human Resources. The position will be advertised broadly beginning October 1, 2026 through the Polk County HR portal, Member Governments, and relevant professional associations, with applications closing November 13, 2026. General Counsel performs a straightforward yes/no check of minimum qualifications, and every qualified application is forwarded to both the Selection Committee and the full Board. The Committee, with Mr. DeHaven serving only as a non-voting technical advisor, interviews candidates at a public meeting and, by January 8, 2027, recommends three finalists in ranked order without formal numeric scoring; the Committee itself does not have appointment authority.
The position is structured as a one-year contract engagement, within an advertised base-compensation range of $170,000–$210,000, converting to a full-time Cooperative employee role with salary, benefits, and Florida Retirement System participation at the start of year two — terms that are locked into the initial agreement so a candidate knows exactly what's being offered. Once the ranked list becomes public, General Counsel negotiates an agreement with th...
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