Manatee County Commissioners confirm Dr. Scott Hopes as official County Administrator

Manatee County Commissioners confirm Dr. Scott Hopes as official County Administrator
Posted on 05/26/2021

MANATEE COUNTY, FL (May 26, 2021) -- Manatee County Commissioners yesterday confirmed Dr. Scott Hopes as their official County Administrator, deciding to remove the "acting" designation he has held since he was originally hired on April 1.

On the same day Commissioners appointed Dr. Hopes as the Administrator in April, he returned to the Board late in the afternoon to ask for a local state of emergency regarding the Piney Point where process water was in danger of an uncontrolled release from the gypsum stacks. Commissioners have praised Hopes' decisive action during that crisis and voted 5-2 to give him the official title of County Administrator.

His contract calls for him to provide Commissioners with a self evaluation by Oct. 1 and for County Commissioners to respond with their own evaluation of him by Nov. 1. He will resign his seat on the Manatee County School Board by June 2.

Dr. Hopes is an experienced international chief executive officer, educator, and leader with government, education and healthcare experience. He has a demonstrated history of leadership working in healthcare, higher education, K-12 education, local, state, national and international governments and Fortune 500 companies.

“I'm eager to continue the job I was hired to do," Dr. Hopes said. "I enjoy it. I want to help make a great community even greater."