Becker County Administrator to begin new job as soon as January 22

By Robert Williams

Editor

The Fort Meade City Commission voted 4-0 in a special meeting on Thursday, Dec. 21, to approve a contract offer to Pat Oman, the current county administrator of Becker County, according to a report in The Ledger of Polk County, Florida.

Oman signed a contract earlier in the day to become the new city manager of Fort Meade and expects to join the city on Monday, Jan. 22.

Fort Meade offered Oman a salary of $125,000, that includes moving expenses of up to $5,000, a $400 monthly vehicle allowance and a contribution of 12 percent of Oman’s salary to a retirement investment.

“I think it’s an interesting opportunity,” Oman told Gary White of The Ledger. “In interviewing with the city commissioners, I really appreciated what they’re looking for in a city manager. They’re looking for a chief administrative officer that will run the city and implement strategic growth and economic development opportunities, and that’s something that’s really part of my background. And that’s an opportunity I’m not seeing in my current position.”

Oman’s decision to leave Becker County comes days after a tumultuous meeting of the County Commissioners that was supposed to be focused on an annual review of the county administrator. Oman elected to have his evaluation open to the public, rather than in a typically closed session and it quickly became a roundtable argument between Richard Vareberg and Board Chair Barry Nelson, along with commissioners David Meyer and Erica Jepson.