- December 13, 2025
Updated 6:16 p.m. Nov. 18 to correct the voting record: Charles Gambaro voted for McGlothlin.
The Palm Coast City Council has selected Michael McGlothlin as its new city manager.
In a 3-2 ballot vote on Nov. 18, the council selected McGlothlin as their new city manager over candidate David Fraser. Following the cast of the ballot, Vice Mayor Theresa Carli Pontieri motioned to appoint McGlothlin to the position, which was approved by the council unanimously. This ends the city's 20-month tenure without a city manager.
In a stark contrast to last April where the City Council failed to agree on a city manager candidate, the council was unanimously impressed with both candidates in-person interviews. Each member of the council said how lucky they were to have to choose between the two.
“Whoever does not get chosen by this board, it is not because you are not an exceptional candidate,” Councilman Ty Miller said before the vote was cast.
“I agree with you, Councilman Miller. I think we’re really lucky that we came across two very genuine, hard workers who are qualified to do this job, and that will do it well,” Pontieri said. “I think we’re very fortunate to have a hard decision for very good reasons.”
The council has been without a city manager since March 2024, when the then-council fired Denise Bevan. Lauren Johnston, Bevan’s assistant city manager, has been holding the position as acting city manager since then.
This is the end of a second city manager search Palm Coast has conducted. The first search, through a third-party hiring firm, ended in April with the council voting five times between two candidates. Each vote failed 3-2, and the candidates ultimately withdrew from the consideration.
During this second round, the city went through traditional job postings on its own, without the help of a third-party search firm, and the council made it a priority to only promote candidates to the next round of consideration if that candidate had a majority support from the council.
For the ballot votes, each councilperson submitted their choice with their own name also written on the ballot. The vote was 3-2 (Mayor Mike Norris, Councilwoman Pontieri and Councilman Charles Gambaro) for McGlothlin. Miller and Councilman Dave Sullivan voted for Fraser.
The ballot was then followed by a motion to appoint McGlothlin to the position, which the council approved unanimously.
McGlothlin’s employment contract still needs to be negotiated and approved by the City Council. Mayor Mike Norris was appointed as the council liaison to negotiate the contract alongside Attorney Marcus Duffy and Human Resources Manager Regina Fuller.
At a previous council meeting, the council directed Fuller to cap the salary negotiations at $250,000, according to Fuller. This does not include benefits.
WHO IS MCGLOTHLIN?
McGlothlin, of Largo, Florida, has almost 40 years of public service experience. He has a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Southern University. He served in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps and served as a Fayetteville, North Carolina, police officer for six years.
McGlothlin’s last position was as a city manager in Reddington Shores, Florida. He was terminated from the position in early 2025, after a new city board was elected.
Reddington Shores’ $14 million budget is the largest budget he has managed.
The council invited both Fraser and McGlothlin to tour Palm Coast on Nov. 12 and then conducted in-person interviews with both on Nov. 13. These interviews were open to the public, and are available to view on Palm Coast's YouTube channel.
During the in-person interviews with McGlothlin and Fraser, McGlothlin said he believes every challenge to be an opportunity.
“Some people will say there’s a definite difference between the two,” he said, “[but] I believe in every single challenge that there exist opportunities to succeed.”
McGlothlin advocated for transparency and communication with constituents and an “open door” policy.
He proposed “triaging” the city’s high priority concerns, like residential growth and commercial expansion.
The council members each asked McGlothlin two questions, ranging from home-rule, state appropriations, emergency management preparation and response, transparency and growth management.
When it came to addressing growth management, a deep concern for residents, McGlothlin said he would lead a multi-faceted strategy, leveraging existing planning initiatives and balancing economic development while prioritizing infrastructure investment to preserve the city’s natural resources.
McGlothlin pinpointed infrastructure as the most important concern for Palm Coast, and outlined how he would like to use “data-driven planning” and secure diverse funding sources to address areas of concern with the city’s infrastructure.
As a Florida resident, McGlothlin said he is fortunate enough to already have connections in Tallahassee and the state Legislature. Norris said in the meeting that he appreciated McGlothlin’s familiarity with the state Legislature.
Overall, McGlothlin said on Nov. 13 he appreciated the opportunity and that he believed he would be the right fit for Palm Coast.
“From what I’ve learned of this team in this community, I don’t think there’s anything that we cannot overcome,” he said. “It’ll take effort. It’ll take work. It’ll take dedication. But I feel that we have limitless chances for high rates of success while working together as a team.”
