The verdict is in: Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe is doing a pretty bang-up job.
That’s the general consensus of the Zephyrhills City Council in its performance review of Poe, shared during the council’s July 12 meeting.
Poe earned a combined 4.21 on a rating scale of 1 to 5, with 1 meaning needs improvement and 5 meaning exceeds expectations.
Here’s how the scores for Poe broke down:
Council President Alan Knight: 4.84
Councilman Ken Burgess: 4.68
Councilman Charlie Proctor: 4.27
Councilman Lance Smith: 3.82
Council Vice President Jodi Wilkeson: 3.43
The 12-page evaluation covered a period from June 2020 to June 2021.
The review consisted of 10 key performance measures — personal, professional skills and status, relations with elected members, policy execution, reporting, citizen relations, staffing, supervision, community, and fiscal management.
The evaluation also gave council members an opportunity to respond to specific questions and include comments pertinent to the rating period. Those specifics could include the city manager’s strengths, performance areas needing improvement and constructive suggestions.
The results were submitted to Lori Hillman, the city clerk; Sandra Amerson, human resources director; and, Pasco County.
After the results were shared, several council members offered remarks about the city’s operations under Poe’s management.
Smith and Burgess each simply stated the city manager is “doing a good job.”
Burgess added: “I think everything is running along pretty good right now.”
Knight was more effusive in his praise. He said Poe is “doing a great job.”
Knight elaborated: “Things that are being done for this city and the growth and all, I’m just real proud of everything. Once again, Mr. Poe, we’re very proud. I know I’m very proud of the job you do.”
Poe’s evaluation period coincides with several noteworthy changes for the municipality. Those include consolidation of the city’s longstanding fire department into Pasco County; the opening of the multimillion-dollar Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center; progress on the U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road signalized intersection project; the launch of the city’s first social media accounts; and, the hiring of its first public information officer.
Poe became Zephyrhills’ city manager during a period of massive residential growth in the city — with over 2,400 homes under construction, not including the numerous developments currently in the negotiation stage. As a result of the growth, an estimated 6,000 people could move into the city within the next two years to five years.
He previously served as city manager in Dade City in 2008, a position he held for over a decade.
He left Dade City to become the assistant city manager in Zephyrhills, in November 2018, then stepped up to replace retiring city manager Steve Spina in July 2019.
Published July 28, 2021
