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City manager to retire in January

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By GEORGE WILKENS gwilkens@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 1, 2009

PLANT CITY - David Sollenberger, lured from retirement by an interim gig that led to seven years as Plant City's top administrator, announced June 22 that he is retiring for good.

Sollenberger, 72, made the surprise announcement a half-hour into the Plant City Commission budget workshop, indicating he will stay on as city manager until the end of January to facilitate a smooth transition.

Indications are that under the succession plan, Assistant City Manager Greg Horwedel would assume the position, and the city would do without the assistant post, at least until the economic climate improves.

Sollenberger slipped his announcement in unceremoniously during discussion of a handful of city jobs to be eliminated before the new fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.

"I have it on good authority the city manager plans to retire, effective Jan. 30, 2010," Sollenberger said.

Sollenberger served as city manager in Sarasota for nearly 15 years before retiring in 2001. In September 2002, he was hired in an interim capacity to help keep Plant City running smoothly while the commission conducted a nationwide search for a permanent manager.

The vacancy resulted when Phil Waldron retired abruptly on July 16, 2002, citing health reasons, shortly after a former police officer testified in federal court that Waldron and Police Chief Bill McDaniel turned a blind eye to illegal activities in the police department.

Neither was ever charged in connection with the U.S. attorney's corruption probe.

Originally, Sollenberger planned to hold the interim post for only a few months. But he accepted the full-time position, saying the residents and the city staff persuaded him to take the job. He called Plant City "the friendliest darn town I've come across."

In March 2006, Sollenberger selected Horwedel, a former colleague from his days in Sarasota. At the time, Horwedel was a senior management adviser at Management Partners Inc., a Cincinnati consulting firm that works with governments across the country.

From 1997 to 2001, Horwedel was director of development services for the city of Sarasota.

Responding to the announcement, commissioners commended Sollenberger for his service and said the city has been well served by his experience and wisdom.

"I think he's going out as a hero," said Commissioner Mike Sparkman, who was mayor when Sollenberger accepted the job.

On July 28, the commissioners adopted a resolution honoring Sollenberger for the 45-year service award he received from a premier local government leadership and management organization. The honor was presented at the 94th annual conference of the International City/County Management Association.

Sollenberger also served as city manager in two California cities and one in Minnesota.

Sollenberger said his wife, Alise, was still employed when he retired the first time, "and it got a little lonely."

Now both will be free at the same time. "So we can do things together, like visit our grandchildren, who live on opposite ends of the country," in Seattle and New Hampshire, he said.

Asked about remaining in Plant City, he said, "Right now we don't have any definite plans on what we're going to do. We'll do some traveling for now," he said.

"We both want to go back and visit a lot of the communities we lived in."

Indicating his retirement will not be idle after he completes his travels, Sollenberger said, "I'll look at some consulting" work, possibly through the Florida City and County Management Association's Range Riders Program, a group of retired managers that help local government find administrators.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 627-4769.

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