Lester Baird Looking For Key West Job

LABELLE, FL. -- Former Hendry County Administrator Lester Baird has an application in for the city manager job in Key West. Baird recently was passed over for the same position in Brooksville, Florida.

Key West is apparently a highly desirable place for city manager applicants. A selection committee of the United States' most southern city has pared down 123 applicants to seven. Baird is included in the latest list along with a retired commander of the Key West Naval Air Station, Jim Scholl. The nine-member committee gave Scholl a top rating in preliminary scoring of applicants.

A former Key West City Manager, Felix Cooper didn't make the smaller list. The city commission will now take over the final selection for what may be a $200,000 a year job. The previous city manager Julio Avael earned about $132,000 a year and the city commission is upping the ante to get a new person. Avael will reportedly stick around to help the new manager get up to speed.