Community Corner

Familiar Names On List of City Manager Applicants

Applicants from the Tampa Bay area include the former mayor of New Port Richey, the city's former fire chief and the former city manager of Sarasota

More than 40 people have applied to be New Port Richey’s next city manager.

The city's search for a manager has attracted attention from both locals and residents of other states. 

Several of the 43 applicants are from the Tampa Bay area. Applicants who call the Tampa Bay area home include the former mayor of New Port Richey, the city’s former fire chief, the former city manager of Sarasota and the assistant to the city manager for Dunedin.

New Port Richey’s last permanent city manager was John Schneiger, who departed this past October after saying he felt he lost the support of the majority of the council at that time.

Susan Dillinger has been serving as interim city manager since Schneiger’s departure. She also serves as the head of the New Port Richey Public Library. She has said she is not interested in keeping the city manager job permanently.

The application deadline for the post closed July 12.

Find out what's happening in New Port Richeywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Former Pasco County Administrator John Gallagher has offered to advise the city council on manager candidates, city councilman Jeff Starkey said. Gallagher is a former city manager for New Port Richey and a former city councilman.

Some of the notable applicants, along with their most recent or current jobs, are listed below.

Find out what's happening in New Port Richeywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

1.     Peter Altman. Former mayor of New Port Richey. Former Pasco County Commissioner. Most recent or current job held: Currently division president of District Management Services, which manages community development districts.

2.     Dan Azziriti. Former New Port Richey fire chief.  Most recent or current job held: Consultant and trainer at C3 Pathways.

3.     Matthew Campbell. Most recent or current job held: Currently assistant to city manager for Dunedin.

4.     Robert Bartlotta. Most recent or current job held: Former city manager for Sarasota.

5.     Matthew Blankenship. Most recent or current job held: Current installation manager at Lowe’s Home centers in New Port Richey. 

6.     Keith Bennett. Most recent or current job held: Housing program Administrator for Carson, Calif.

7.     D. Aaron Blair, Albany, Ga. Most recent or current job held: Currently  Downtown city manager and CEO of City of Albany & Albany-Dougherty Inner City Authority. Former Collier County executive director of Collier County CRA.

8.      George Simon.  Most recent or current job held: Wastewater treatment plant manager in Tampa.

9.  Lee Evett.  Most recent or current job held: Former city manager for Pueblo, Colo., Jupiter, Fla., Clayton, Miss. and Cape Coral, Fla.10. Danny George. Most recent or current job held: President and CEO of Oklahoma Group, Inc., a “government relations firm” that specializes in consulting and contract lobbying. Former city manager of Hollis, Okla. Former member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

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