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The City Manager is the Chief Executive Officer and head of the administrative branch of City government. He directs and supervises the administration of all departments, offices and agencies of the City and is responsible to the City Council for the proper administration of all affairs of the City.

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As part of the community, we shall excel as a service provider by demonstrating positive character, flexibility, and leadership.

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Strategic Issue 1. Foster a Positive Work Environment

• Areas of Emphasis 1. Provide employees with a competitive pay scale
• Areas of Emphasis 2. Improve employee morale

Strategic Issue 2. Position Our Community for Quality Growth Opportunities

• Areas of Emphasis 1. Plan for addressing aging and new infrastructure needs (water, sewer, roads, etc)
• Areas of Emphasis 2. Evaluate and recommend future water resources, partnerships
• Areas of Emphasis 3. Better utilization of resources (airports, marina, parks)

Strategic Issue 3. Sustain Financial Wellness

• Areas of Emphasis 1. Perform fiscal analysis prior to any program adoption or implementation
• Areas of Emphasis 2. Match citizen expectations with appropriate levels of service within fiscal constraints

Strategic Issue 4. Promote Our Community

• Areas of Emphasis 1. Increase presence of Titusville news and information in public media (radio, TV, newspaper, etc.)
• Areas of Emphasis 2. Develop coordinated Speakers Bureau to educate community groups -use of a two-way communication channel
• Areas of Emphasis 3. Explore the use of lobbyists to enhance Titusville's position at state and federal levels

Strategic Issue 5. Provide a Safe and Secure Environment

• Areas of Emphasis 1. Inform the Council and the public how an Incident Command System functions
• Areas of Emphasis 2. Develop a focused approach to emergency management situations - coordination and communication with citizens, other governments

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The purpose of the City Manager's Office is to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Administration of the City Government; to administer and execute City Council policy; develop and recommend appropriate policy alternatives, plan and implement programs to meet the City's current and future needs; and supervise total management operations and personnel, as provided by Section 30 of the Charter.

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Biography

Thomas A. Harmer, City Manager - Tom was appointed City Manager for the City of Titusville in September 1999 and Executive Director of Community Redevelopment Agency. He has a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Central Florida and a Bachelor of Fire and Safety Engineering degree from the University of Cincinnati (Summa Cum Laude).

In 1999, Tom received the Space Coast National Management Association’s award of Brevard County Manager of the Year and was also named Florida Fire Chief of Year. In 1998 he was appointed as Chairman of the Disaster Committee providing logistical and management support to the State of Florida in the event of a large-scale disaster. During his tenure he coordinated the statewide response to several large-scale disasters including the Central Florida tornadoes and the wildfires of 1998

Tom is a member of the Titusville Sunrise Rotary and the United Way Board of Directors; he currently serves as the President of the Brevard County Public Managers Association. Tom and his family are very active within the community and regularly volunteer personal time for community-oriented projects

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The City of Titusville operates under the Council/Manager form of local government which is one of four forms of city government in the United States. The present City charter was adopted June 3, 1963. The primary features of the Council/Manager form of government are: (1) reservation of legislative authority and responsibility in an elected Council and (2) centralization of administrative responsibility in a City Manager appointed by the elected City Council. This provides a system which combines democratic principles with efficiency of administration. The Council is the governing body of the City and the Manager is the Chief Executive Officer in carrying out the policies which Council defines.

The City Council

Titusville voters elect five Council members for four-year terms on a staggered-term basis. The Mayor is a member of the City Council and is elected in the same manner as other Council members. Council members run for office in non-partisan elections. Titusville has "at-large" elections; that is, all City voters have the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice to fill each vacancy and to represent the City as a whole.

The Council, as the legislative body, determines all municipal policies which are not set forth in the City Charter or by State legislation, adopts ordinances and resolutions, votes appropriations, approves the budget and determines the tax rate. The Council also appoints interested citizens to serve on various City advisory boards and commissions.

The City Manager

The City Manager is appointed by the City Council on the basis of merit, professional training, experience in city management and demonstrated ability. The Manager does not run for elective office and is not appointed for a fixed term. Rather, the Manager serves at the pleasure of the City Council.

The duties of the City Manager, broadly stated, include (1) to assure that all laws and ordinances are enforced; (2) to appoint and remove department heads and employees on the basis of merit; (3) to exercise control and supervision over all departments; (4) to keep the Council advised of the financial condition of the City government; (5) to prepare and submit to the Council such reports which may be deemed advisable or as may be required by the Council; and (6) to keep the public informed, through reports to Council, regarding operations of the City government.

Administrative Staff

Appointed by the City Manager to assist in the administration of the City is a staff of professionals with experience and expertise in the various functional areas of municipal operations. An organizational chart is shown to highlight the various administrative departments.

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This strategic plan is focused on the City's Leadership Team. The Leadership Team includes all supervisors and managers from the front line to the City Manager's Office. The City encourages a team approach and all employees are considered city team members. The plan provides a blueprint for the team to concentrate on as we provide services and position the City over the next five years. Located in East Central Florida, Titusville has an interesting history and has close ties to the space industry. This close alliance with space has been both positive and negative for the growth of our community. Over the past several years, there has been a concerted effort to diversify the economic base of the City. The City is in a good geographical location, positioned between Orlando to the west, Daytona Beach to the north, and Melbourne to the south.

To develop this strategic plan a focus group was convened with representation from various levels of the organization. This group met on two occasions to discuss internal and external influences affecting the City. The group was able to identify a number of trends and events as well as the organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges.

After the focus group completed their review, the Management Team met for a full day strategic planning retreat. The Team confirmed the information developed by the focus group and, using that information, completed the mission statement and guiding principles for which the Team is to operate. The mission statement that was created is stated below:

The City of Titusville's Leadership Team is dedicated to
meeting the needs of our diverse community
by providing essential services effectively and efficiently
through teamwork and leadership.

A vision statement was also developed indicating how the organization will be perceived after the strategic plan is implemented. Our vision statement is as follows:

As part of the community, we shall excel as a service provider
by demonstrating positive character, flexibility, and leadership.
Titusville - A City of Service

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*2002-2003 Citizen Survey (349 KB)

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