St. Augustine needs a national search for a City Manager. Expressing the trite and ungrammatical view that St. Augustine is "very (sic) unique," and violating both grammatical rules and the reasonable expectations of probity, our rather unsophisticated St. Augustine City Commissioners dumped the decision of a national search into the laps of future City Commissioners at their October 12, 2026 meeting. Meanwhile, the Commissioners oddly renewed the horse and carriage franchise for the Cushion family, after cancelling their carriage licenses due to documented lawbreaking and horse abuse allegations.
The word "unique" never carries a modifier. It's unique or it's not.
But the third rate City Commissioners in sixth rate City of St. Augustine remain mired in schtick and horse manure, that stinky substance that one cleans out of horse barns, and which allows corruption to flourish.
That pervasive stinky corruption allowed a feculent former City Manager to dump a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir) and hornswoggle Commissioners that it was "clean. fill." A former City Attorney asked the former City Manager if he had a permit to dump the landfill in the lake, to which the crooked former City Manager replied, "I'm gonna git one." (He never did).
That mediocrity and municipal corruption led investigative reporter Lincoln Steffens to write a book called The Shame of the Cities. They City is run by hollow Organization Men, typified by the incumbent City Manager, who never had another employer other than the City of St. Augustine since he graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1997. He was recommended for an interview by a third generation City Mayor, also a third generation State Representative, a corporate lawyer, whose handwritten letter to then City Manager William Pomar noted that his uncle was a Flagler College Professor.
We need to hire more qualified people, not more clones and clones of clones of clones.
A national search is the standard of care. Anything less is more horseshit, willful wanton negligence, recklessness and neglect of duty.
A national search allows consideration of qualified candidates from everywhere, seeking the best and the brightest, complying with civil rights laws -- instead off considering only the mediocre yokels whose decades of mistakes keep getting repeated, decade after decade.
My late Irish-German grandmother would have called these superficial, slow-thinking St. Augustine Commissioners "hopelessly provincial."
No class. No courage. These are not reformers. These are Babbits practicing conformity to the expectations of the owners and controllers and Epstein Class.
As my Mother would say, "We are surrounded by mediocrities."
Tell Commissioners: It's time for a national search for St. Augustine City Manager, as I wrote in the St. Augustine Record in my April 26, 2010 Guest Column, here:
City of St. Augustine press release:
September 29, 2026
City Manager David Birchim announces retirement
Commission will select interim city manager
On Monday, September 28, City of St. Augustine City Manager David Birchim submitted his letter of retirement to City Commissioners, effective Wednesday, December 16, 2026. Birchim was selected from three candidates in May 2023 to serve as City Manager, following former City Manager John Regan upon his retirement in June of that year.
Upon retirement, Birchim will have 29 years of dedicated service to the City of St. Augustine, decades of experience in professional urban planning and public administration, including more than 23 years in supervisory and leadership positions. His extensive knowledge of City operations, commitment to public service, and leadership have helped guide the organization and advance important initiatives.
During his tenure as City Manager, Birchim worked closely with the City Commission, staff, residents, and community partners to manage City resources while addressing the challenges of a growing and evolving community. His leadership reflected a commitment to balancing St. Augustine’s future with the preservation of the history and character that make the city unique.
Birchim’s career closes with many successes to his credit, including the creation of the Community Services Department and development of the Dignity Pavilion, advancing the West King Street Parking Garage and new Anastasia Island fire station initiatives, and most recently, a complete revision to the City’s management and operations of Nights of Lights, the globally recognized, community holiday event.
“It has been an honor to serve the City of St. Augustine and to work alongside such a dedicated team,” said Birchim. “Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of being part of many projects and initiatives that will have a lasting impact on the city. I’m grateful to the City Commission, staff, community partners, and especially our residents for their trust and support. St. Augustine is an extraordinary and special place. I’m proud of what we have accomplished together and confident in the City’s continued success.”
Birchim holds a Master of Science Degree in Planning from the University of Tennessee. He is accredited by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and Florida Public Pension Trustee Association (FPPTA). He was promoted from Planning and Building Director to Assistant City Manager to specifically be responsible for overseeing special projects such as land development, affordable housing, legislative funding initiatives, and the resilient shoreline initiative.
The City Commission accepted Birchim’s letter, releasing him from his contract which is set to expire on June 2, 2028. At the next meeting when all commissioners are present, they will select an interim City Manager to allow the final decision to made by the newly seated board in 2027.
Media inquiries may be directed to Melissa Wissel, Communications Director, at 904.293.3307.
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Attachment: Retirement letter submitted by City Manager David Birchim, September 28, 2026
Melissa Wissel
Communications Director
City of St. Augustine | Communications Department
P.O. Box 210 | St. Augustine, FL 32085
Office: 904-825-1053
Mobile: 904-293-3307
Email: mwissel@citystaug.com
Fax: 904-825-1096
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