Lynn Haven poised to select new manager

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Today=Tuesday throughout

Mug in People: kelley, walter cmyk

LYNN HAVEN — New laws and picking a new city manager are up for commission consideration at Tuesday's meeting.

City commissioners further slimmed the running for the city manager position during a Monday workshop. They tabulated scores on criteria ranging from knowledge of state laws to experience in city governments, management, finance and budgeting, economic development, community development and infrastructure construction, commissioners now have a top ranking to vote on Tuesday.

Commissioners then ranked each candidate — Christopher Brooks, Jacquelin Crum, Ted Lakey, Joel Schubert and William Whitson — on a scale of 1 through 5, with 1 being a poor ranking in experience or knowledge of the criteria and 5 considered excellent.

Lakey, the Jackson County administrator, received the highest ranking, with 139 points. Other scores were: Whitson, 135 points; Brooks, 131 points; Schubert, 130 points; and Crum, 108 points.

Commissioners will formally approve the list or have the opportunity to argue the outcome during Tuesday's meeting. Without objections, the city would begin contract negotiations with Lakey, the top-ranked candidate. If a contract cannot be reached, the commission would move on to the second-ranked candidate, and so on.

“We had a thorough interview from all candidates,” said Mayor Walter Kelley. “They were all good people and it would be nice if we could select more than one to go to work for the city but we’re only looking for one.”

Commissioners also will hear a proposed ordinance to restrict noises above the volume of a vacuum cleaner during certain times.

The ordinance would allow the city to prohibit “loud, unreasonable, unnatural or unusual” sounds in residential or mobile home parks, according to city documents. From 7 a.m. to 9:59 p.m., sounds louder than 60 decibels would be prohibited, and from 10 p.m. to 6:59 a.m., sounds louder than 55 decibels would be prohibited.

Conversations in a restaurant or an air-conditioning unit at 100 feet reach about 60 decibels, and the sound of a large electrical transformer from about 100 feet away registers about 50 decibels, according to Industrial Noise Control Inc. Bird calls are about 44 decibels, according to the group’s findings.

City documents indicate the law in to “ensure the health, comfort, safety and welfare of residents.”

“Our intent was to keep construction confined to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.,” said Al Wilson, the city’s building official, citing a surge of recent complaints as commercial construction increasingly abuts neighborhoods.

“It’s mainly meant for out-of-town construction crews,” Wilson said. “These guys want to work all night to finish work as fast as they can and move on to the next project.”

Wilson said the city’s ordinance mirrors the county’s ordinance and code enforcement would not be out proactively pursuing violators. The language of the law does allow for residents to complain about noisy car stereos or loud music during the outlined hours.

Commissioners Tuesday also are scheduled to consider three sewer projects totaling $243,750.

The commission will convene at 4 p.m. in City Hall, 825 Ohio Ave. (State 77).