Since Mike Herr was hired as the new city manager in September 2014, he has approached his position with a fine-tooth comb, meticulously getting to know the city’s different departments and varied landscape. With a two-page outline of topics he wants to address, Herr has a more direct path with where he wants to take the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World and how he thinks he can contribute to growing its prestige on the map.
More than qualified
Herr has a long list of impressive resume accomplishments, from getting Polk County named as a 2007 All-American County as county manager, to his experience as transportation director and public works director for Polk County, uniting 17 cities.
From a 450-page binder with portfolios of 76 candidates throughout the country, Herr stood out to the commission during the top five candidate meeting Aug. 19, 2014.
“It took a lot of effort for him to unite it like that,” Mayor Rick Lott said during the meeting. “He’s created the plan, and he’s implemented it.”
The day after the commission’s selection, Interim City Manager David Sollenberger sent an email to city employees confirming the selection.
“I believe Mr. Herr will provide excellent administrative leadership (that) Plant City will need as it moves into the future,” Sollenberger wrote.
Herr’s passion for public service started when he was just a boy. He grew up in Indiana, and when he was 8, his father died. His mother, Mary Catharine Herr, raised him alone, with the help of his sister. Mary Catharine served as an appraiser for the family’s hometown of Vincennes, Indiana, from 1966 to 1983. Herr attributes his career path to her influence.
Herr graduated from Indiana State University and launched his career close to home. He served from 1978 to 1980, as town manager of Newburgh, Indiana. Because he had become so passionate about this type of work, when it was time for a change, he decided to move to a state that had similar opportunities. Florida was at the top of his list.
Herr moved to the Sunshine State in 1980, to serve as town manager of Dundee. Since then, he has held numerous positions in Hernando, Polk and Hillsborough counties.
The Lakeland resident has been dipping his toes in the Plant City pool, making plans and preparing for the next steps in major projects like the Midtown Redevelopment and expected growth in the Northeast quadrant of the city.
“What I have done so far is taking the opportunity to address all department employees,” Herr said. “I’ve been out everywhere. It’s been an opportunity as the leader of our team to introduce what’s important.”
And it’s not just in the city where he’s been visiting. Herr has also been hitting up civic groups on speaking engagements and many have seen him strolling around in Historic Downtown taking stock of the area.
“I’ve spent my time evaluating aspects of the community and what it has to offer,” Herr said. “Downtown has a lot of attractive storefronts; not a lot of blight. Plant City is a great place to live, raise a family, come back after school and start a business.”
Now, he’s ready to jump in head-first, and the big sports enthusiast is putting emphasis on teamwork.
Citing the flexibility of super utility player Ben Zobrist, of the Tampa Bay Rays, he wants the city focus on its employees. With a large group of employees aging out in the next decade there will be an employment gap. He hopes to create a strong backbone for strong succession.
“We’re looking for ways to increase value,” Herr said. “We want the employees to invest in themselves.”
He also believes the city departments need to work together as a united operating body.
“The sense of team is really what’s important,” Herr said. “Nobody works for me. We work for each other.”
Attracting big business
That type of attitude and dedication will lead Plant City in continuing economic growth.
Business recruitment is a huge focus for Herr. Some major industries he has identified include manufacturing, financial and professional services, life sciences, distribution and logistics, information technology and agribusiness.
“We want to focus on business recruitment strategies, expand businesses, add square footage and increase jobs,” Herr said.
As for existing businesses:
“We really want to understand what they do, why they came here and bring business here to compliment them and not compete with them,” Herr said.
To attract new businesses, Herr is creating an inventory of all vacant properties already zoned for office/industrial uses. In February, he is planning to initiate a roundtable meeting, inviting brokers and real estate agents to present the database.
In another seminar discussion, he will invite private sector leaders to give a rundown on the housing market, transportation and financials.
“We’ll create excitement for business,” Herr said.
Continuing to spruce up the three Interstate 4 exits into Plant City will also attract businesses, Herr said.
“We will lure people to come downtown,” Herr said.
That includes finding a solution to the once iconic, now-abandoned Red Rose Inn & Suites off Paul Buchman Highway.
“What would be great to go there is a meeting/conference center and restaurant that could complement the lodging — a nice gift shop to promote agriculture and the economy,” Herr said. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with trying to be imaginative. How best to assess the assets already here?”
Midtown
Another potential asset is the Midtown Redevelopment.
Midtown’s Village Green park has until the end of January to be completed, creating an attractive selling point for the space located just south of Historic Downtown. The next step will be to issue requests for developers, which would come in and create a mixed-use plaza of shops, cafes and condos. But first, Herr wants to take care of one unaddressed housekeeping issue: a marketing analysis.
The analysis will study the attractiveness and dynamics of Midtown within Plant City’s own culture. It will identify the project’s strengths and weakness and provide a better picture of what needs to be done and what developers can expect when taking on the project.
“It’s a tremendous and robust vision of Midtown, but we need to have reassurance that the marketplace can support that vision,” Herr said. “I really think we need it from a business standpoint.”
Herr is expecting the study to take 45 to 60 days and be complete by April.
During that time, Herr will proceed with continuing the cleanup of the site and look at some other property acquisitions, which will have to go through the Community Redevelopment Agency.
One property in limbo is the former Sweetbay Supermarket building to the west of the site. With the quality loft apartments and condos that are planned for Midtown, a supermarket chain would be needed, Herr said. But there are challenges posed to attracting another chain, and one that fits in with the neighborhood feel of Midtown.
“If one had already left that site, how can we get one back?” Herr said. “We’re going to have to have one, regardless.”
After the market study, the city will issue requests for proposal for developers to identify qualified businesses to partner with. Interviews will precede selection.
— Amber Jurgensen