North Miami Beach: City NMB - City Commission Workshop 1/6/2026
Summary. The City of North Miami Beach held a City Manager Workshop on January 6, 2026 to interview three of four finalist candidates for the city manager position. The commission established structured interview procedures including candidate sequestration, 3-minute opening statements, 5-minute question rounds per commissioner, and 1-minute closing statements to ensure a fair process. A fourth candidate was out of town and will be interviewed the following day. The three candidates interviewed were Marlene Manisteiem (internal candidate currently serving as Chief of Staff and Interim Assistant City Manager), Darvin Williams (former city manager of Opelika with military and extensive educational background), and Rasha Kamo (former North Miami city manager with 20 years of public service experience). Each candidate was questioned extensively on their approach to fiscal responsibility, organizational management, economic development, and leadership challenges, with particular focus on addressing the city's $5.5 million structural deficit and potential state-mandated property tax elimination. Key discussion topics throughout the interviews included water utility management, departmental efficiency improvements, employee morale initiatives, technology implementations, and handling political pressures. The candidates demonstrated varying approaches to city management, with Manisteiem emphasizing institutional knowledge, Williams highlighting organizational restructuring experience, and Kamo focusing on systems optimization and customer service improvements. The commission will complete the interview process with the fourth candidate on January 7th, with final selection scheduled for January 20th.
Agenda Items
1. City Manager Candidate Interviews
Workshop to interview three of four finalist candidates for city manager position, with structured interview procedures
- Interview format and procedures established
- Candidate sequestration to ensure fairness
- Question rotation among commissioners
- Time limits of 5 minutes per commissioner per round
- Fourth candidate to be interviewed separately due to travel conflicts
2. Marlene Manisteeim Interview
Interview of internal candidate currently serving as Chief of Staff and Interim Assistant City Manager
- Four years experience with the city
- Master's in disaster management from FIU
- Budget amendment priorities and fiscal responsibility
- Organizational reassessment and staff optimization
- ARPA funds management and completion
3. Darvin Williams Interview
Interview of external candidate, former city manager of Opelika
- Educational background: JD, MPH, MBA
- Military background as intelligence officer
- Experience with organizational structure and department head recruitment
- Affordable housing initiatives and development partnerships
- Weekly reporting and communication protocols
4. Rasha Kamo Interview
Interview of external candidate with previous North Miami Beach and North Miami experience
- Twenty years in public service and nonprofit work
- Previous experience as North Miami city manager
- Systems and operational efficiency focus
- CRM implementation and project management
- Assessment-based approach to staffing and operations
- Approach to first 90 days including fact-finding and financial assessment
- Discussion of $5.5 million structural operating deficit
- Water utility management and regional customer relations
- Employee morale and engagement strategies
- Technology initiatives and customer service improvements
- Handling of political pressures and confidentiality
- Clarification of candidate's termination from North Miami
5. Discussion of City Manager Selection Process
Brief discussion about the voting process and agenda for final selection
- Voting methodology to be determined at January 20th meeting
- Agenda structure for selection meeting
- Legal requirements for transparent voting
Motions & Votes
Motion to adjourn
Moved by Unidentified Commissioner, seconded by Multiple Commissioners
Passed
Action Items
Contact fourth candidate to request not watching live stream or recording
Assigned to City Attorney
Hold additional workshop tomorrow at 6 PM for fourth candidate
Assigned to Commission · Due January 7, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Add agenda item for discussion of city manager selection voting process
Assigned to City Clerk · Due January 20th meeting
Conduct final city manager selection vote
Assigned to City Commission · Due January 20th meeting
Frequently Asked Questions
What was decided at this meeting?
The City of North Miami Beach held a City Manager Workshop on January 6, 2026 to interview three of four finalist candidates for the city manager position. The commission established structured interview procedures including candidate sequestration, 3-minute opening statements, 5-minute question rounds per commissioner, and 1-minute closing statements to ensure a fair process. A fourth candidate was out of town and will be interviewed the following day. The three candidates interviewed were Marlene Manisteiem (internal candidate currently serving as Chief of Staff and Interim Assistant City Manager), Darvin Williams (former city manager of Opelika with military and extensive educational background), and Rasha Kamo (former North Miami city manager with 20 years of public service experience). Each candidate was questioned extensively on their approach to fiscal responsibility, organizational management, economic development, and leadership challenges, with particular focus on addressing the city's $5.5 million structural deficit and potential state-mandated property tax elimination. Key discussion topics throughout the interviews included water utility management, departmental efficiency improvements, employee morale initiatives, technology implementations, and handling political pressures. The candidates demonstrated varying approaches to city management, with Manisteiem emphasizing institutional knowledge, Williams highlighting organizational restructuring experience, and Kamo focusing on systems optimization and customer service improvements. The commission will complete the interview process with the fourth candidate on January 7th, with final selection scheduled for January 20th.
What was on the agenda?
This meeting covered 5 agenda items: City Manager Candidate Interviews; Marlene Manisteeim Interview; Darvin Williams Interview; Rasha Kamo Interview; Discussion of City Manager Selection Process.
How many motions were voted on?
1 motion were voted on during this meeting. See the Motions & Votes section above for each motion and its result.
What action items came out of this meeting?
4 action items were identified. See the Action Items section above for details and who they were assigned to.
Who attended this meeting?
8 members were recorded as present: Mayor Michael Joseph, Commissioner Chernoff, Commissioner Jean, Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Hsu, Vice Mayor Fortuna Smuckler, Commissioner Florymont, City Attorney.
Where can I watch the full recording?
The full video recording is available on YouTube or embedded at the top of this page.
What county is North Miami Beach in?
North Miami Beach is located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Browse other Miami-Dade County meeting summaries to see what local governments across the county are working on.
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