Mulberry’s City Manager Finalists Meet And Greet Tonight at Studio 37
Mulberry’s four city manager finalists meet residents tonight, Monday, Oct. 26, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Studio 37. City Clerk Jenn Denson-Garcia said the reception allows the community to engage with all the finalists. Residents are invited to meet the candidates, ask questions, and give feedback.
Beginning at 8 a.m. today, the finalists meet privately, one-on-one, with each commissioner, and staff will take applicants on a city tour.
The commission will interview the candidates publicly on Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the City Commission Chambers at 104 S. Church Ave. After the final interview, the commission will deliberate and select a manager that evening; if it needs more time, Denson-Garcia said a public meeting is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 28 at 8 a.m.
The committee selected five finalists and one alternate from 54 applications. Each summary below comes from the candidate’s own application materials.
Brenn Hines has been assistant city manager of Lake Alfred since January 2025. He also serves as the city’s interim public utilities director. Hines spent nearly a decade with Haines City Fire Rescue and rose to battalion chief there. He also worked as a captain in Polk County Fire Rescue administration and holds a master’s degree in public administration. He is the only finalist who currently lists Polk County as home.
Don A. King Jr. is a retired U.S. Army colonel. He most recently served as Port Richey city manager. Before that, he was town manager of Kenneth City, where he led the response to Hurricane Milton. In the Army, he served as garrison commander at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. There he oversaw a 1,500-person workforce and a $190 million operating budget.
Joseph “Joe” A. Gaa has spent 16 years as a city administrator or city manager, mostly in Iowa. His posts include Chariton, Iowa, from 2014 to 2018, and Dickinson, North Dakota, from 2018 to 2020. Dickinson has about 25,000 residents. Gaa, an ICMA-credentialed manager, wrote that he wants to finish his career in a Florida community.
Charles Harris Rudd was listed as an alternate, but was added to the interview list. He was city manager of Tarpon Springs from October 2024 to May 2026 and previously at Crescent City from 2021 to 2024.
Juana Ayala has served as interim manager of Mulberry since Rick Johnson retired, while also working as human resources director. Johnson led the city for 13 years. The new manager will oversee day-to-day operations in a city of roughly 4,000 people on Polk County’s western edge.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the finalists for Mulberry city manager?
The finalists are Brenn Hines, Don A. King Jr., and Joseph “Joe” A. Gaa. Charles Harris Rudd is the alternate. They were chosen from 54 applications.
When can residents meet Mulberry’s city manager finalists?
Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Studio 37. The city clerk described it as a reception for the community to engage with all of the finalists.
When are the Mulberry city manager interviews?
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, at 8 a.m. in the City Commission Chambers at 104 S. Church Ave. A second session is set for 8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, but the city clerk said it will be held only if the commission does not reach a determination Tuesday.
Can the public attend the Mulberry city manager interviews?
Yes, both interview sessions are open to the public. The city clerk said she did not know whether Tuesday’s session will be streamed on Facebook Live. If it is streamed, it will be posted the following day on the city’s YouTube channel. The private one-on-one meetings with commissioners on Oct. 26 are not public meetings.
Who is the interim city manager of Mulberry, Florida?
Juana Ayala, who also serves as the city’s human resources director.
Sources: “Mulberry Special Sessions Announced: City Manager Semifinalists and City Hall Complex Options Up for Commission Review,” The Citrus Tea News, thecitrustea.com, Sept. 28, 2026; “City Manager Finalist and Alternate Application Materials,” City of Mulberry, obtained through public records request PRR 26-151, “City Commission Regular Meeting,” City of Mulberry, Oct. 20, 2026; “City Commission Amended Agenda and Agenda Packet,” City of Mulberry, Oct. 6, 2026; “Draft Minutes, City Commission Special Meeting,” City of Mulberry, Sept. 8, 2026; “Public Reception Honoring City Manager Rick Johnson Retirement,” City of Mulberry, cityofmulberryfl.org, undated
