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Around 8pm Sunday Night, Satellite Beach City Manager Courtney Barker sent an email to the City Council announcing her resignation. In the email she stated she would provide a signed copy the following day but, “wanted to get this out this evening.”

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In the attached resignation letter addressed to Mayor Osmer, she stated, “I am writing to you today to formally submit my resignation as City Manager to the City of Satellite Beach, effective August 2, 2024. I have very much enjoyed my service as City Manager for the last eleven years. However, I have been presented with an opportunity to return to the private sector that I cannot turn down.”

According to reports, her salary for the modest 11,300 resident size city was $154,313 annually or about $13,56 per resident, plus benefits. In comparison, the City of Palm Bay’s City Manager makes $251,452 or $1.79 per resident, being the largest city in Brevard County by both population and land mass. Palm Bay has approximately 141,000 citizens.

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Courtney did not specify what her new position in the private sector is that drew her away from the job she’s held for the last 11 years and 4 months. She did say however, that she is not moving, and remaining a resident of the city. According to our own sources, she’s taking a job with a developer handing entitlements.

Barker came under criticism recently over the controversial city parking “boot” program that has caused confusion and anger from citizens. At one point, her own husband was booted, even though residents of the city are eligible for free parking at the beaches.

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In 2019, Courtney proposed, then withdrew an ‘aggressive media’ policy stating that city officials reserve the right to decline interviews with “aggressive media.” Critics called it a solution looking for a problem as there is no law or policy that requires city officials to speak to the media. When asked why she proposed the policy she stated, “Some of them had aggressive behavior. Outright belligerent, rude. One reporter even hung up on the mayor because, I guess, he didn’t give him the answer he was looking for.”

Her letter goes on to say, “I am incredibly excited to start my new position, but it is bittersweet. I will absolutely miss my team and the Council very much. I will also miss the leadership and advocacy of many of our residents.

At the same time, I am looking forward to tackling a new challenge in the private sector. I strongly believe that I am leaving the City in “absolutely amazing hands” with our Assistant City Manager, Brittany Retherford. I hope that you all understand that I would never leave the City unless I knew that she was completely capable of taking the helm and even exceeding your expectations that you have of me. I will be announcing my resignation at the next City Council meeting on July 17, 2024, and I will be asking you to appoint her as Interim City Manager, per Charter section 301(3).

It is impossible to work with a Council member for more than a year without becoming friends. I count all of you as friends. Thank you for supporting the staff in funding their projects, salaries, and benefits. In the public sector, we cherish longevity. We cherish talent and hope they stay with us even with the private sector constantly competing with us. Your efforts to ensure they know they are important have made us one of the most stable local governments in the State. I implore you to stay the course in this regard. Great employees make a great City. We have this now…please keep it!

I will not be moving and will continue to live in the City. I will always be ready and willing to volunteer to help when my new position allows.”

According to her LinkedIn, Courtney worked as the Planning and Growth Management Director for the city of Titusville for 9 years.

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