Florida city up in arms over lack of screening for city manager

Former DeFuniak Springs, Florida, city manager Mike Standley will likely be rehired by city council members without a background screening, consumer credit report analysis or reference check, WJHG-TV reports. Standley had served as city manager of DeFuniak Springs for 21 years until he abruptly resigned in 2005. Six years later, he will regain his role, but some residents question why he was able to coast through the hiring process without so much as an interview. "Everybody should be interviewed, everybody should be treated fairly," DeFuniak Springs resident Janie Griffith told the news source. "What's good for one person is good for all." The council agreed to hire Standley in September, but mayor Harold Carpenter has extended the process, refusing to sign Standley's contract. He didn't provide a reason for abstaining. According to city police chief Mark Weeks, Standley's background check is still pending, but he won't risk missing any key information by rushing through it prior to Standley's expected first day in office, the news source notes in a separate article. The council plans for Standley to begin his second term as city manager on Monday.