Town Manager History
Melbourne Beach has faced a challenging history with its Town Managers, stemming from the town's interview and hiring processes as well as the strained dynamics between various Town Commissioners and the Town Manager. A notable instance of this turmoil occurred over a 4.5-year span from September 2014 to March 2019, during which the town experienced three different managers. The first manager resigned after just 13 months for a position closer to home; the second followed suit after 19 months, also leaving for a nearby opportunity; and the third, Bob Daniels, was terminated after 15 months due to performance issues. Ironically, he was interviewed by ICMA/FCCMA, a professional search firm hired by the Town of Melbourne Beach, but was not on their recommended hire list. Side note: it was during the wee hours of a Commission meeting when the motion was made just before midnight to nominate the person sitting in the front row, who happened to be Bob Daniels.
A key factor contributing to these brief tenures is the town's requirement that managers reside within 25 miles of Melbourne Beach. Although each manager promised to relocate within one year, none succeeded in doing so during their tenure from 2013 to 2017. Their families often lived over a hundred miles away, leading them to spend increasing amounts of time at their homes rather than in Melbourne Beach. The pull of being close to family outweighed their commitment to the town.
Over time, relations between the Town Commission and its managers became increasingly dysfunctional—a situation widely recognized outside of the Town of Melbourne Beach and documented in numerous newspaper articles. This troubled history led many qualified candidates (who appeared promising based on applications and references) to withdraw before interviews took place. The town inadvertently filtered out strong contenders who may have had potential while discouraging those with relevant experience due to stringent requirements.
In one search effort, when engaging with representatives from the Florida League of Cities for assistance, those representatives ultimately withdrew their support after researching the role and meeting with the Commission.
In an attempt to break this cycle in 2019, the Commission decided to broaden its candidate pool by considering individuals who had served as interim Town Managers or deputies—even if they hadn’t held "Town Manager" titles formally. This decision led them to promote Finance Manager Elizabeth Mascaro, who had successfully filled interim roles twice over six-month periods and was already a local resident. As a result, our current Town Manager Mascaro has now held her position for over five and a half years.