NORTH PORT – Michael Fuino, a senior assistant city attorney for the city of Clearwater, will be North Port’s next city attorney, pending the outcome of negotiations with Mayor Phil Stokes.
City commissioners said Fuino rose above two other candidates who were interviewed Aug. 29 on the strength of his public presentation, as well as his litigation experience.
Regina Kardash, a former assistant county attorney for Sarasota County and former city attorney for Tarpon Springs, lauded as the likely second choice, and John Anastasio, a Stuart-based local government attorney in private practice, both interviewed for the job. The position has been vacant for about a year, following the resignation last September by Amber Slayton, who moved to Texas.
The protracted search included a pause when city voters voted against a proposal that the city attorney and city clerk – both of whom are charter officers – be allowed to live outside city limits.
Deputy City Attorney Michael Golen, who has been serving as interim city attorney, does not live in the city.
Why was Fuino the commission’s top choice?
Fuino, who has worked as an assistant city attorney in Clearwater since 2018, started as one of Clearwater’s land-use experts.
He considered growth management North Port’s top issue, followed by storm response – his Clearwater home was flooded last year following Hurricane Helene, affording him some perspective on that issue – and establishing a management structure of the city’s legal office.
He told the board he favored the office handling as much work as possible in-house, as well as consulting existing attorneys to ensure their caseload reflected their specific legal strengths.
Commissioner Demetrius Petrow and Vice Mayor Pete Emrich both said they liked Fuino’s consensus-based leadership style.
Emrich said that he liked the thought of staff attorneys being given growth opportunities.
“Some of our attorneys are sitting there doing mundane things and could be involved in more challenging aspects,” he said.
Commissioner Barbara Langon said she appreciated Fuino’s “scrappy” disposition.
“What I like about Michael is he’s a real street-fighter,” she said, then equated contract negotiation with litigation.
“I believe, based on my interaction with him, he would also be a very effective negotiator,” Langdon said. “When I think about P3s (public-private partnerships) and I think about negotiating with a developer, I think Michael has those skills.”
Stokes said after last week’s individual interviews, he had Anastasio as his top choice and Fuino third but flipped because Fuino’s presentation Aug. 29.
What’s next?
In addition to tapping Fuino as the top choice, with Kardash as next in the pecking order, the commission empowered Stokes to negotiate a three-year contract with him.
The prospective starting salary range would be $190,000 to $220,000 plus a mileage allowance.
Fuino would begin work 30 days after that contract is signed.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Clearwater assistant city attorney chosen for vacant North Port city attorney job
Reporting by Earle Kimel, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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