Daniel F. Biles has agreed to contract terms to become Pasco County’s next administrator.
The final step to hiring Biles is expected on March 28, when the Pasco County Commission will vote on Biles’ contract.
All five commissioners ranked Biles as their top choice on March 14, after a day of public and private interviews with the candidate.
Commissioners also authorized the board’s chairman, Mike Moore, to negotiate a contract with Biles.
Biles has signed off on the offer sheet, Moore said.
The new administrator will receive an annual salary of $220,000, under terms of the contract offer, Moore said.
Biles now works as deputy county manager in Jefferson County, Alabama, located in Birmingham.
Moore is delighted that Biles has accepted the offer.
“I’m definitely excited about it,” Moore said. “He’s going to bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our area, at a time when we are seeing a lot of great things happening in the county.”
Pasco is growing in both population and economic development, Moore noted.
The chairman also expects Biles to play an instrumental role when it comes to infrastructure and stormwater projects because of the knowledge that Biles has developed through his previous experiences.
Biles will replace County Administrator Michele Baker, who is retiring. She has been in the role since 2013, following a lengthy career with the county.
In addition to his work in Jefferson County, Biles served in the military and worked in private business.
Biles was among a list of 11 candidates recommended by the Chicago-based recruitment firm of GovHR USA. Commissioners decided to interview five of those candidates.
Both Moore and Commissioner Mike Wells said Biles stood out, among a pool of top-notch candidates.
Both were impressed by the combination of skills and experiences that Biles brings to the role.
Moore also appreciated the way Biles conducted himself throughout the interview process.
Biles appeared to be relaxed and engaged, Moore said.
“I watched how he interacted with folks, during the meet-and-greet period,” Moore said. “He just felt at home, to me, talking to people.
“Something else that stood out is that his spouse flew down with him, too. His spouse came to the meet-and-greet. She sat with him, while he was interacting with others. She also came and sat in the public interviews that we did, as a group, too,” Moore said.
“Obviously, you really take it serious if you make that decision to bring your spouse down,” Moore said.
That fact didn’t escape Wells’ notice, either, and it left a positive impression.
Wells said Biles obviously had done his homework and, he said, Biles clearly values the importance of customer service.
Moore also noted: “When I had my private interview with him, too, going one on one, he was very comfortable during that conversation. I never felt once that he was trying to oversell me.”
Besides being factual, “he (Biles) was bringing great ideas to the table,” Moore said.
After commissioners offered Biles the job, Moore said he was chatting with him, and Biles mentioned that today’s technology will enable him to be out and about in the county, while remaining accessible.
Moore thinks that’s important.
“When you’re a leader like that, your team needs to see you, and the community needs to see you,” Moore said.
Published March 22, 2017
