Atlantic Beach commissioners debate chief-of-staff plan and executive restructuring

City Manager Kevin Hogancamp presented an organizational-restructuring proposal during the July 20 budget workshop that would eliminate two positions (an HR deputy director and a vacant building-maintenance role), reimagine the deputy city manager as a chief of staff and add a communications lead.

Hogancamp said the restructuring could be net cost-neutral or yield modest savings through attrition and consolidation. He described a proposed salary range for the chief-of-staff role of $135,000 to $155,000 and said the office would absorb duties Hogancamp has performed as deputy city manager and on communications.

Commissioners pushed back on the salary and timing. "I just don't think that a town of 13,000 needs a chief of staff on top of our city manager," Commissioner Ring said, and others warned about adding another high-salaried executive while personnel costs have risen. Several commissioners said they favored a communications director but were reluctant to add a separate chief-of-staff role at this time.

The commission asked Hogancamp to defer the hire and provide additional analysis, including a clear cost-benefit comparison, an organizational chart and alternatives (for example, dual-hatting communications duties or altering the pivot point for merit increases). Hogancamp agreed to postpone final action until the next budget meeting so the commission can review the numbers.

Next steps: staff will provide a detailed org chart, proposed job descriptions, salary-range analysis and the budgetary impact of the restructuring prior to the Aug. 19 workshop.