As they were preparing to pick a new permanent city manager, Deltona’s mayor and commission are now dealing with the sudden exit of two of the five finalists and the inability of another to come for interviews for the top administrative post.

Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila said he had learned of the abrupt changes only within the past day. The number one favorite of the manager-search committee and the city’s executive-search firm, Bakersfield, California, City Manager C. Scott Andrews, dropped out “because of concerns about how the commission treats staff members,” Avila told The Beacon.

Another candidate, Putnam County (Florida) Administrator Terry Suggs, is ill and cannot attend. The third no-show for a Deltona weekend leading up to the selection of a new city manager is Christopher Miller, the former administrator of King George County, Virginia.

“He [Miller] took another job,” Avila said.

That leaves two finalists, Dale Dougherty, city manager of Garden City Michigan, and Carmen Davis, city manager of Lake Worth, Florida, who are still due in Deltona tomorrow. Deltona officials are planning a public meet-and-greet event at City Hall at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 12.

“They’ve already got plane tickets,” Vice Mayor Jody Lee Storozuk said.

The city is paying the expenses of the finalists to come for interviews, scheduled for Saturday at City Hall.

The City Commission had been scheduled to vote Monday evening on its choice for Deltona’s next permanent city manager, but that may change.

Because the short list for candidates for manager has become much shorter, Avila said he may ask the commission to extend the search and secure three more people from the field of applicants. Deltona received a total of 31 applications and resumes from those interested in the position. The city contracted with Colin Baenziger and Associates, a Daytona Beach search firm, to screen the prospects, rank the most promising ones and recommend the top finalists.

Until a new city manager is hired, Glenn Whitcomb is serving as interim manager. The Deltona City Commission pulled Whitcomb from his post as director of public works to take over as manager after former Interim City Manager James Chisholm suddenly left the job in August of last year.