The search for Tallahassee’s new city manger will be coming to a head next week.
After debating the pool of candidates and how this year’s election might have impacted the quality and quantity of applicants, the city commission voted 4-1 to continue the process and interview the top three candidates next week.
“I can say without a doubt, we have a good slate folks here,” Renée Narloch said.
Narloch, from the headhunting firm S. Renée Narloch & Associates that was hired to conduct the search, pitched three candidates as the frontrunners: Scott Andrews, from New Mexico, Valerie Washington, from Texas and Tallahassee’s Deputy City Manager Karen Jumonville.
She briefed commissioners on her interviews and conversations she had with each of the top three, explaining how Andrews is a “very personable guy,” how excellent Washington’s interview was and that she has zero hesitations about recommending Jumonville.
City Manager Reese Goad through the years
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Mark Mustian, left, and City Manager Reese Goad, right, chat with Gary Yordon moments before the City of Tallahassee votes on the sale of the TMH to FSU Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat)
After a community meet and greet, the commission is scheduled to have 1-on-1 interviews Sept. 1 with each of the top candidates. The following day, the commission will hold a public meeting to deliberate the candidates presented to them. Commissioners could vote to appoint one of the candidates during this meeting, the city said.
City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox asked Narloch if she had one or two other candidates who were on the fringe of entering the top three that they could also meet and consider, but Narloch said if there had been any others, she would’ve included them in her recommendations.
“I know it’s hard to see that on paper, but they have a huge amount of experience,” Narloch said of the frontrunners.
Election, internal candidate, personal factors impacted who applied
Since City Manager Reese Goad announced his retirement in April, commissioners, community members and candidates have debated whether the city was better off making this selection before or after the new commission is elected.
City Commissioner Jack Porter speaks to the media regarding the resignation of City Manager Reese Goad on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
Three seats on the dais are up for re-election this fall, and only one incumbent — Williams-Cox — is running for re-election. Mayor John Dailey is stepping down at the end of his term, and City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow is seeking Dailey’s chair.
Both Matlow and City Commissioner Jack Porter questioned how much impact the election had on the candidate pool.
“Obviously there are a number of factors that go into if someone chooses to apply, the professional reasons, the personal reasons, and all of that is outside of our control,” Porter said. “But there are some things that are within our control, and one of them is our timing in all of this.”
Narloch said the election was a factor and maybe decreased the number of applicants, but that wasn’t the only factor.
Many people who considered applying assumed a strong internal candidate would be in the running, and they didn’t want to compete against them, she said. Another common reason was just timing. For example, some candidates had projects at their current job they weren’t willing to walk away from at this time.
Regardless, a city manager needs to be flexible and able to work with whoever’s on the dais, Narloch said.
“If you’re not convinced you can go into the situation and whomever you are dealt to work with … you’re not prepared to do that, you’re not confident enough to do that, then you’re not our candidate no matter what,” she said.
Mayoral candidate Jeremy Matlow celebrates results on election night at Gaines Street Pies, 104 E. 6th Avenue in Tallahassee on Aug.18, 2026.
Matlow said he read all of the candidates resumes to make his own decision before reading Narloch’s recommendations and did find her work to be thorough, but he too feels Tallahassee might’ve had more great candidates if the search’s timeline didn’t overlap with the elections.
“I would respect and value the type of person who’d decide not to apply because of the uncertainty of being put in that position,” Matlow said. “I’m worried our candidate pool missed out on those types of individuals.”
Want to go to the meetings?Meeting 1
When: Sept. 1 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Parkview at Cascades, 414 E. Bloxham St.
What: Public meet and greet with finalists.
Meeting 2
When: Sept. 2 from 9 a.m. to noon
Where: City Commission chambers, Tallahassee City Hall, 300 S. Adams St.
What: Candidates will provide public presentation on their interest and qualifications for the job. Commissioners will deliberate on finalists after presentations.
Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Did Tallahassee election chase away top city manager candidates?