For the next three months, the former public works director for Panama City Beach will manage city government.
City Council members voted unanimously (5-0) on Tuesday to appoint former utilities and public works director Al Shortt as interim city manager. Shortt worked for the city for 25 years before he retired last month.
Shortt has requested a monthly salary of $13,000 without benefits and will start immediately.
City Council members will meet again in about two weeks to move forward with their search for someone to permanently fill the city manager position, which became vacant after they fired former city manager Tony O'Rourke without cause last week.
O'Rourke stated at last Thursday night's meeting that his termination came one day after he sent a written complaint to each City Council member about "suspected acts of gross mismanagement, waste of public funds and neglect of duty."
City officials are holding off on releasing O'Rourke's letter to the public or commenting on its contents until an internal investigation into his complaint is complete.
