MANATEE COUNTY – While the Manatee County Commission continues its search for an acting county administrator, former County Administrator Cheri Coryea has had a few weeks to decompress and evaluate her next professional pursuit.
Coryea’s two-year tenure as Manatee County’s administrator ended on Feb. 23 when the county commission approved a $204,000 separation agreement.
Serving as neither termination nor resignation, the separation agreement ended the termination efforts previously pursued by Commissioners Kevin Van Ostenbridge, George Kruse, Vanessa Baugh and James Satcher. The agreement also ended Coryea’s 30-year career as a county employee.
“I’m doing well. It still just feels like I am on vacation since I hadn’t had any time off for the last several years. After committing 30-plus years of my life to public service and being on the ready 24/7, it just doesn’t go away in an instant. I have the most amazing family and they have always been so supportive of the work and the time I have spent working on behalf of the citizens of Manatee County. I am extremely thankful to be spending some quality time with them,” Coryea said.
“I miss not seeing the staff each day. I could not have worked for, worked with, or led a more dedicated group of individuals. I know the county is in great hands and will be successful because of them. The programs and services put into motion will continue to serve the health, safety and welfare of the citizens well into the future,” Coryea said.
As for what comes next for her, Coryea said, “I am taking time to reflect and explore both public and private sector opportunities. I have experience in both areas. Most people know my public sector experience, but I worked in my early career in the private sector and have spent a great deal of my county government years focused on elevating the local economic position in Manatee County.”
During her 30 years with the county, Coryea also formed professional relationships with several chambers of commerce and business organizations.
“I have an enormous amount of respect for the private sector commitment businesses make in the success of their community and I always felt that I had the ability to bridge the works of both the public and private sector in a successful and positive way,” Coryea said.
“The extent of my work has created a lot of collaborative opportunities within the region, the state of Florida and across the country. As much as I’d love to continue working in Manatee County, I have no boundaries on where my future takes me and I am eager to continue to consider all of the options that come forward,” she said.
Lena Road controversy
When first proposing Coryea’s termination on Nov. 19, Van Ostenbridge mentioned the recent Lena Road property purchase that Coryea brought to a close before he, Kruse and Satcher were sworn in as new commissioners on Nov. 17.
After expressing his opinion that the $32.5 million the county paid for 161 acres of land, an access road and some utilities infrastructure was excessive, Van Ostenbridge alleged the Lena Road property purchase was grounds to terminate Coryea.
Kruse, Baugh and Satcher supported Van Ostenbridge’s motion to put Coryea on notice that her termination would be discussed and determined in early December, but Kruse later changed his mind and successfully brought those initial termination efforts to an end.
When interviewed last week, Coryea shared her perspective on the Lena Road purchase.
“On Oct. 13, the board of county commissioners culminated a two-year process of reviewing over 23 potential sites for relocating and expanding multiple efficiency of public service projects that would be able to address the expanding growth of population in Manatee County. The Manatee Sheriff’s Office fleet services complex was one of the main projects. Currently located on a 1-acre parcel in the southern part of the county, the Sheriff’s Office has long since outgrown this location and needed 10-20 acres for a new fleet facility that would last 50-75 years,” Coryea said.
“Additionally, the public works department, the utilities department and emergency management need facilities located closer to the expanding growth in east Manatee County to reduce response times, wear and tear on equipment, mileage costs and access to thoroughfares.
“Finding up to 20 additional acres for the landfill transfer station alone is a $75 million savings and adds six additional years of life to the current landfill for a total of 22 years.
“After multiple briefings with commissioners throughout the two-year process, the Musgrave property became the best available site. The board approved the purchase of the 161-acre site for $187,000 per acre and just over $30 million. This cost, when compared to comparable sites recently sold within the vicinity of the location, was in line with the per-acre cost. Staff followed the directive of the board and brought this request forward for approval,” Coryea said.
Kruse-Whitmore meeting
During the commission’s Jan. 26 meeting, Kruse made a motion to again put Coryea on notice that her termination would be discussed and determined at a forthcoming meeting. Before making his motion, Kruse referenced a one-on-one meeting he had with Commissioner Carol Whitmore, which Coryea helped facilitate at Whitmore’s request. During that same discussion, Kruse also acknowledged his own extra-marital affair and mentioned a photograph of himself and another woman that was sent to Whitmore, whom he suggested might try to use the photograph to influence his votes. Whitmore later denied any such intentions. Without stating that Coryea also had access to that photograph, Kruse said the overall culture of the county administration was toxic and needed a change of leadership.
When asked about the Jan. 22 meeting of the county’s two at-large commissioners, Coryea said, “Requests from commissioners to assist with meeting scheduling is commonplace for the county administrator’s office. In this instance, one commissioner (Whitmore) asked for a meeting with another to discuss current topics of affordable housing and to share at-large commissioners’ observations. The other commissioner (Kruse) agreed. The scheduling, posting, recording and accessibility of the meeting all followed the existing guidelines, as confirmed by the county attorney’s office. For any citizen that may want to know what was discussed during that meeting, they can either read the minutes from the meeting or even listen to an audiotape of what the participants discussed,” Coryea said.
When asked if she ever saw the photograph of Kruse and another woman that was sent to Whitmore in late 2020, Coryea said, “No. I have not, nor have I had possession of the said photo or ever mentioned anything about it to Commissioner Kruse.”
Accomplishments
When asked, Coryea mentioned some of her proudest accomplishments during her time with the county.
“It was an honor to work with those dedicated heroes of Manatee County that have been on the front line fighting the global COVID-19 pandemic. I would have never thought 365 days later we would still be under a state of emergency. My full respect goes to our public safety and emergency management team, all of the medical providers, doctors, nurses, law enforcement and county department teams that have contributed to the current success of an ever-changing situation. Additionally, the community did a wonderful job in a difficult time,” Coryea said.
She also takes pride in being the first female appointed to serve as Manatee County’s county administrator.
She mentioned the completion of several community projects, including the Rubonia Community Center, breaking ground for the Lincoln Park pool, which has been promised for 40 years, completing the first phase of the Coquina Beach stormwater improvements and implementing the county’s new 311 system.
Regarding the challenges of serving as the county administrator, Coryea said, “It has of late seemed like there was never enough time to get everything you needed to accomplish done for the citizens. Making large-scale upgrades to a project, finding the funds, designing and constructing a project can take anywhere from three to 10 years. It is hard to explain that to a citizen or neighborhood that has been waiting for a long time. Many times the stakeholders that initiated the need for the project and won approval by the commission have come and gone by the time the project is finally completed.”
Coryea began working for Manatee County in 1989 as a contract manager in the Human Services Division. She then became the first children’s services coordinator when the ad valorem tax for children’s services was passed by a voter referendum in 1990. After seven years in that capacity, she became the Human Services Division manager.
In 2007, she was asked to develop a new department: Neighborhood Services. In 2017, she became a deputy county administrator and in 2019 the county commission appointed her to serve as the acting and then the permanent county administrator.
“My career at the county has spanned over 30 years and each new position had its challenges,” Coryea said, noting that she worked with 31 different county commissioners, seven different county administrators and responded to 23 different emergency activations.
Advice for successor
Coryea was asked if she had any advice for her yet-to-be-named successor.
“Each of your county commissioners is unique in their own right. Take time to get to know them and what is important to their constituents. Soak up as much government leadership, operations management and government financing training as possible. Rules, regulations and guidelines matter in government. You do not want to make decisions or use funds that have special uses only in categories that will require them to be paid back. Rely on the outstanding deputy county administrators and senior management – the department directors who are subject matter experts in their field and do all of the county operations’ heavy lifting. They know what they are doing,” she said.
“Get acquainted with the real people and businesses of Manatee County and you’ll learn quickly why this is a special place. Lastly, when it comes to county operations, your decision is usually the very last one. Use your very best judgment with the trusted sources listed above and you will succeed in making this community the best it can be,” she said.
