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Apopka spends $15,000 on report to evaluate mayor's relationship with employees

APOPKA, Fla. — An expensive report that cost the city of Apopka $15,000 found that the mayor and chief administrative officer need to make improvements to how they communicate.

One of the conclusions in the Organizational Development Analysis was that a change in longtime leadership has caused fear, some resistance and division, and there should be more communication between new Mayor Joe Kilsheimer and everyone else at City Hall.

“It’s not just me saying it. It’s somebody with a background in organizational management, especially as it relates to cities,” Kilsheimer said.

The study recommended an intense evaluation for longtime Chief Administrative Officer Richard Anderson.

It also said that the division of power between him and the mayor should be spelled out, and if they can’t work together, there needs to be a change.

“I don’t know what to call it. There’s some things that I wish we had moved more quickly on,” Kilsheimer said.

That includes improvement to the city’s website.

Longtime commissioner Billie Dean said he hoped the study was not aimed to find fault with Anderson.

“The mayor needs Richard more than Richard needs the mayor,” Dean said.

Dean faults the $15,000 study for not addressing the lack of diversity in city management.

Apopka paid former Holly Hill city manager Oel Wingo to do the study after Holly Hill fired her over accusations she destroyed public records to avoid a pay cut.

Kilsheimer said Dean’s concerns about diversity are valid and said improving communication at City Hall is first on his action plan as a result of the study.