Former Escambia County Administrator George Touart was called best of 70 candidates for the Orange Beach city manager job, but Mayor Pete Blalock says decision will be left to city leaders elected in August.
The Mobile Press Register reports several City Council members and Blalock said Monday that Touart, of Pensacola, was the most qualified of nearly 70 candidates to replace Jeff Moon, who left the position in April. Blalock said he and the city’s attorney were negotiating the details of a contract with Touart that would have been brought back to the council for a vote.
Instead Blalock chose to suspend the process until the August city elections.
It’s a shame for Touart. He would make a fine city manager for Orange Beach. He and I didn’t always agree, but I can’t begrudge him finding employment elsewhere.