Deltona's deputy city manager suspended with pay; interim manager role reels in 15 applications

Katie Kustura, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·2 min read
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Deltona's deputy city manager was suspended with pay last week, officials said.

Stacey Kifolo's status was confirmed Friday afternoon by Rocco Anastasio, the city's spokesperson, but additional information wasn't immediately available.

Kifolo, who was hired in August 2021 with a starting salary of $135,000, didn't respond to requests for comment Friday afternoon.

Mayor Heidi Herzberg also confirmed the suspension Friday afternoon but said she didn't have additional information.

Kifolo's suspension comes less than a month after the City Commission voted 4-3 to accept a modified version of the proposed resignation put forth by John Peters III.

Stacey Kifolo
Stacey Kifolo

Peters, a licensed engineer, offered to stay on as acting city manager until Nov. 17.

Commissioner Anita Bradford made a motion to accept the resignation immediately during the Sept. 19 meeting, effectively putting Peters on paid leave until Nov. 17.

During Monday's commission meeting, Marsha Segal-George, from the city attorney's office, offered to stay in the role of interim manager while helping set up interviews for interim manager candidates.

Bradford said during a special meeting Sept. 26 that she'd received a call and email from Jim Chisholm, former longtime Daytona Beach city manager, regarding the role.

By Friday, the city received 15 applications for the role of interim city manager, Anastasio said. The names of the applicants were not immediately available.

A special commission meeting regarding the candidates has been scheduled for Wednesday at 2 p.m.

During the Sept. 19 meeting, commissioners Loren King and Dana McCool questioned the mayor's suggestion to appoint Segal-George in the interim when Kifolo works as the deputy city manager.

Herzberg said Kifolo is new to Florida, and Segal-George knows Florida law and Deltona's goings-on and has experience managing municipalities.

Prior to working for Deltona, Kifolo served as the manager of East Buffalo Township, a community of about 7,500, in Pennsylvania, just over 60 miles north of Harrisburg. According to July 2021 Census Bureau estimates, Deltona has a population of 95,782.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Deltona's deputy city manager suspended with pay