Even now, the city is struggling with ways to pay for several costly projects, including a new City Hall<\/a>, promised improvements to city parks<\/a> and widespread upgrades to Fort Lauderdale\u2019s infrastructure<\/a>.<\/p>\n The South Florida Sun Sentinel obtained a detailed list of the salary changes and sent Williams a list of questions. One asked why the changes were needed.<\/p>\n Her response: \u201cThe City Commission and residents raised legitimate concerns about delayed projects, leadership instability and a lack of visible progress. Today, those same projects and initiatives are advancing.\u201d<\/p>\n Williams restructured City Hall staffing, going from 10 departments to 16.<\/p>\n She also created several new positions. Now, there is:<\/p>\n \u2014 Another assistant city manager: Quentin Pough, salary of $247,500. Williams also approved the hiring of Brad Kaine, whom she worked with in Miami Beach, to serve as public works director. Kaine is making an annual salary of $235,555. His predecessor made $222,105.<\/p>\n Several top managers are now making more after being promoted.<\/p>\n Chris Cooper\u2019s salary jumped to $272,065 from $247,330 when he was promoted to deputy city manager. Yvette Matthews\u2019 salary increased to $247,330 from $183,555 when she was promoted to assistant city manager. And Todd Hiteshew\u2019s salary increased to $190,835 from $156,860 when he was promoted to deputy director of public works.<\/p>\n The changes were not made in a vacuum, city officials say.<\/p>\n Williams discussed them with the commission as well as members of the city\u2019s Budget Advisory Board, saying they were necessary to make day-to-day operations run more efficiently.<\/p>\n No harm, no foul \u2014 as long as the commission bosses back the changes, Zelden said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe city hires a city manager because they have expertise,\u201d he said. \u201cThe commissioners need that city manager to do the job. And that gives a lot of autonomous power to the city managers as long as they keep the board happy.\u201d<\/p>\n Williams, a rising star in local government circles, walked into a leading role as the top boss at Fort Lauderdale City Hall after honing her skills working for the likes of Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County and Dania Beach.<\/p>\n Williams is the fifth person in seven years to hold one of Fort Lauderdale\u2019s most high-pressure jobs. Before even starting the job, Williams said she planned a long stay.<\/p>\n Her five commission bosses were expected to give Williams her first annual job evaluation during Tuesday night\u2019s City Hall meeting. But due to a packed agenda, the evaluation has been set for May, city sources say.<\/p>\n Williams is the highest-paid city manager in Fort Lauderdale\u2019s history, with an annual salary of $350,000.<\/p>\n As top boss, she oversees a $1.2 billion budget and more than 3,000 employees, including the police and fire chiefs.<\/p>\n In Miami Beach, Williams was an economic development director before being named assistant city manager in November 2022. She also served briefly as interim city manager in 2024. Before that, she worked as executive director of the Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and was an economic development manager for Miami-Dade County.<\/p>\n The Fort Lauderdale job comes with a history of high turnover.<\/p>\n Former top boss Lee Feldman held the reins for seven years. His ouster came in late 2018 when he was fired in a 3-2 commission vote.<\/p>\n Next up was Chris Lagerbloom. He lasted three years, shepherding the city through the throes of the pandemic and a series of headline-making sewage spills. He resigned in mid-2022 to take another job in Georgia.<\/p>\n Then came Greg Chavarria, whose tenure was just shy of two years. Chavarria resigned in June 2024 amid allegations from the county\u2019s Inspector General saying he violated a charter rule requiring city managers to live in town. Chavarria disputed the report, saying it was full of inaccuracies.<\/p>\n Susan Grant followed, serving nearly one year as acting city manager while the city conducted a national search to replace Chavarria.<\/p>\n Backing the manager<\/p>\n In the past year, Vice Mayor Ben Sorensen has emerged as one of Williams\u2019 biggest supporters.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Rickelle is doing a great job in managing a highly complex city with a lot of financial challenges at the moment,\u201d he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.<\/p>\n Yet he acknowledged that her no-nonsense style has ruffled feathers both inside and outside City Hall, from union leaders trying to negotiate new contracts to lobbyists working on public-private projects with the city.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the city manager can be a very tough negotiator, especially when negotiating on behalf of the city and the residents to make sure the city gets the best deal,\u201d Sorensen said. \u201cAnd that might be frustrating for people on the side of the table.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014 A director of utility services: Albert Carbon, salary of $235,555.
\u2014 A director of capital projects: Colette Satchell, salary of $215,000.
\u2014 A director of strategic communications: Kevin Pulido, salary of $210,000.
\u2014 A director of administration and strategic initiatives\/chief of staff: Tiffany Bain, salary of $165,000.
\u2014 Another executive assistant to the city manager: Nikhan Cotterell, salary of $89,000.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/tfl-l-las-olas-trees-final-vote-03.jpg\")
The Fort Lauderdale commission is expecting to make tough budget decisions if voters across the state approve property tax reform in November. Commissioner Ben Sorensen, from left, Mayor Dean Trantalis and Commissioner Steve Glassman are shown on Feb. 3. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n