Lake Worth Beach’s next city manager could make at least $300,000
‘We need to pay for expertise,’ mayor says as city sets $285,000-$345,000 salary range in hopes of attracting top-tier candidates
Lake Worth Beach’s next city manager will likely make at least $300,000 — more than any previous job holder — as city commissioners pledge to offer top pay in hopes of attracting top candidates for the city administration’s top job.
Commissioners agreed last week to advertise a salary range of $285,000 to $345,000 for the full-time position, which has been held on an interim basis since January 2024 by Public Works Director Jamie Brown.
“The kind of city manager we are looking for, it’s not their first rodeo. We’re not hiring a newbie,’’ Commissioner Mimi May said at a commission meeting March 31.
“We are willing to pay for somebody with experience, with goals, with historic proof that they are able to take an idea from the beginning to end, that has the ability to be CEO of a multimillion-dollar budget city,’’ she said.
May had suggested a $300,000 to $350,000 range before agreeing with her colleagues on the slightly lower range, suggested by Vice Mayor Sarah Malega.
“I do think that there’s something about seeing that 300 number that will stand out,’’ May said. But even with a range starting at $285,000, she said, “we’ll come out somewhere in the 300s most likely, so I’m OK with that.’’
As of October 2025, Brown was making $233,928 a year. He replaced Carmen Davis, who was fired in December 2023. In June 2022, Davis’ $200,000 salary was the lowest among municipal managers, according to a Palm Beach Post survey.
“I think what I’m hearing from the commission is that (the city manager salary) needs to be higher, that we need to pay for expertise,’’ Mayor Betty Resch said March 31.
Sumter Local Government Consulting, the Atlanta-based search firm hired by Lake Worth Beach in January for $21,000 to find a city manager, recommended a tighter pay range than the $60,000 gap commissioners chose. Candidates will likely focus on the high end of the range, making negotiations more difficult, said Sumter founder Warren Hutmacher.
Commissioners weren’t concerned. They said many constituents have told the city to do what it takes to attract the best candidates.
“If we want a city that truly works, we need to approach this as an investment, not an expense. We should be targeting top-tier talent,’’ said J.D. McClintock of Lake Osborne Drive, whose comments were read into the record by the city clerk.
“If we are serious about getting the right person, then we need to be realistic about compensation,’’ said McClintock, a Realtor. “This is about the long-term future of Lake Worth Beach. If we get this hire right everything improves. If we don’t, everything becomes harder.’’
Lake Worth Beach has a population of about 45,000 and a $215.4 million overall budget, including a $51 million general fund. It also has had four city managers since Michael Bornstein resigned in 2021 after nine years.
Bornstein’s assistant, Juan Ruiz, served as interim manager for five months until the commission hired Davis, the city’s most recent full-time manager. Davis was fired two weeks before Christmas 2023 by a divided commission.
Brown had expressed interest in the full-time job and had support last year from three commissioners. But in October, he withdrew his contract proposal because he sensed he didn’t have unanimous support.
Commissioners are expected to discuss the city manager search again on Tuesday, April 7.
“I’ve heard this from the most frugal of residents: Pay them. Make it worth their while. Get the experience,’’ May said.
“We do need to move this city forward and I do believe a strong city manager will help us do that. I’m thinking somebody who has done it before and they need their swan song,’’ she said.
Palm Beach Gardens City Manager Ron Ferris makes $392,862, the highest salary of a municipal manager in Palm Beach County, according to a list in the backup material for the March 31 Lake Worth Beach commission meeting. At 25 years, Ferris is also the longest-serving city manager in the county.
Among other city manager salaries in municipalities with populations greater than Lake Worth Beach on the list:
Boca Raton, $300,000.
Boynton Beach, $289,174.
Delray Beach, $264,000.
Jupiter, $258,000.
The list included these city manager salaries in municipalities with populations smaller than Lake Worth Beach:
Royal Palm Beach, $257,000.
Riviera Beach, $255,200.
Palm Springs, $222,720.
Palm Beach County Administrator Joe Abruzzo makes $425,000.