RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Anger and distrust spilled into a Riviera Beach meeting Friday night as residents demanded more transparency after the abrupt firing of City Manager Jonathan Evans and the appointment of Bill Wilkins as interim city manager.

Residents packed the meeting and voiced frustration over how the leadership change was handled.

“It’s safe to say we’re tired, we’re tired,” one resident said.

Several residents questioned the process that led to Wilkins’ appointment, saying it appeared to happen without enough public involvement.

“At the meeting the other night, it was just you’re going to be interim manager, and you just happened to be here,” said another resident.

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Another resident said the events left them with little confidence in city leadership: “What I witnessed that night – as a citizen of the city, as a resident of this city, I did not feel like trusted anyone sitting up there.”

As the city looks ahead to selecting a permanent city manager, Mayor Douglas Lawson asked residents what they want in the next leader. An informal survey during the meeting highlighted key priorities: integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Lawson also asked residents how the search should be conducted — locally, nationally, or with a headhunter — prompting differing opinions from those who spoke.

“I think we need to use national as a template, but when we’re looking for someone to lead our city, I personally think that we should get somebody who is homegrown,” one man said.

Another resident expressed doubts about finding the right candidate, saying, “I very much doubt we will find somebody who has the qualifications to handle the type of budget the city has.”

Despite Lawson’s pledge to take the feedback back to the board and bring it to the City Council, some residents said they remain skeptical that their concerns will influence decisions.

“Is the board going to listen? Are they really going to involve us because it seems like they’re just doing what they want to do,” one resident said.

By the end of the meeting, many in the crowd said they plan to stay involved and hold leaders accountable.

Under the city charter, officials have a limited time to select a new city manager — within 120 days.