MOUNT DORA, Fla. — The City of Mount Dora may be one step closer with closing a deal on a new city manager. It comes after a months-long investigation leading to the ousting of the former city manager, Patrick Comiskey.

What You Need To Know

  • The Mount Dora City Council Tuesday voted unanimously to move forward with negotiations with the current acting city manager, Vince Sandersfeld

  • Some residents were hoping the city would open the position to the public, assuring they get the best candidate

  • Negotiations are happening now between Sandersfeld and the city attorney

  • Sandersfeld hasn’t commented whether or not he’ll take the position

The city council Tuesday voted unanimously to move forward with negotiations with the current acting city manager, Vince Sandersfeld.

It’s a vote Mayor Crissy Stile was on the fence about.

“I definitely see the argument with wanting to see what’s out there because it wouldn’t hurt anything. But it does kind of put everyone on pause and that’s the last thing we want,” she said. “It’s the smoothest transition we can ask for, but it’s also pretty exciting.”

Stile sees the city in a new era after a heavy year with internal investigations and scrutiny from the public.

“You can tell even just walking through city hall. You can feel the difference without all that tension with everything that’s gone on through the last year,” she said. “It’s just a more peaceful situation.”

But that scrutiny has not ended, as one resident sees the hiring as the city taking an easy way out.

“(Sandersfeld) is an excuse to our council that’s spent a whole lot of money to remove a city manager that they probably shouldn’t have,” said Mount Dora resident Josh Hemingway. “Now they are trying to justify it by not spending the money and hiring from within.”

Hemingway has been living in Mount Dora off and on since the 80s. He takes pride in always showing up at city council meetings and talking with other residents about the happenings around town.

He believes the council should have opened up the job to the public, making sure the city doesn’t go through yet another city manager.

“I hope Vince declines the position and stays on until we get another city manager,” said Hemingway. “I hope the next city manager that comes in here takes notes from our previous ones and does what’s necessary to put this town back into a functioning city.”

Negotiations are happening now between Sandersfeld and the city attorney. Sandersfeld hasn’t commented whether he’ll take the position.

The next city council meeting is scheduled for May 7.