Michael Cernech
By: Sharon Aron Baron
Out of three qualified finalists, Tamarac’s city manager was chosen for the top job leading Delray Beach, and, what should have been a smooth transition, stopped short at the negotiation table.
The Delray Beach position, which pays $275,000 annually should have been a raise for Michael Cernech, who earns $256,520 in Tamarac — an increase of $18,480 annually. But both the city of Delray Beach and Cernech stepped away from the contract negotiations on Friday after being unable to come to an agreement.
In a statement, Delray Beach Mayor Shelly Petrolia said from the start, it was important that they come to terms that were acceptable to both parties. Unfortunately, in this case, they simply could not get there.
“We were excited at the possibility of having Mr. Cernech lead our team, and regret that it is no longer possible,” said Petrolia.
So it’s now back to the drawing table for Delray Beach, who will now discuss how to move forward with the recruitment process for a permanent city manager at their next meeting and Cernech will continue running the city of Tamarac once more.