STUART, Fla. (CBS12) — Starting Tuesday, Jan. 13, Stuart city commissioners will start its three-week search for a new manager, and they’re changing the rules for the role.

Stuart city commissioners are rewriting the playbook for the next city manager after they fired Mike Mortell without cause on October 27, 2025.

At their first meeting of the new year Monday, the board laid out a revised job description and what they expect from the person who will lead the city.

The new job requirements call for four to 10 years of senior leadership experience in local government, and the candidate no longer needs a master’s degree.

“There was some market, other comparable language that just looked better,” said one of the city leaders. “It was more polished, so that’s what I put in here.”

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Mortell was fired in a controversial 3-2 vote after accusations of abusing his authority and misleading the board, which he adamantly denied.

Now, some of the role changes include a new section emphasizing the “ability to create a team-oriented atmosphere, be self-motivated…and ability to build trust….”

The city manager position would have a base pay of $195k to $215k. By comparison, Mortell was making about $285,000 when his two-decade long career ended with the city.

Starting Tuesday, city commissioners will begin accepting applications for the job and keep it posted for three weeks.

“For the March 23 meeting, you could be shaking hands with the new city manager,” said a board member.

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Commissioners are hoping to have the new city manager in place by the end of March but that also depends on how many people apply.