by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
Sanibel City Council conducted the personnel performance evaluation of City Manager Dana Souza at its February 4, 2025, meeting. Souza received a near-perfect score of 4.88 out of a possible 5.0 in the categories Individual Characteristics, Professional Skills and Status, Relations with City Council Members, Policy Execution, Reporting, Citizen Relations, Staffing, Supervision, Fiscal Management, and Community.
Souza was hired November 15, 2021, and last year’s salary was $236,779 not including stipends for commuting and vehicle and cell phone allowance. The requirement that the City Manager must live in Sanibel was previously waived by Council, and Souza resides in Naples. Nevertheless, said Mayor Richard Johnson, “His commitment to our community is top notch. Although he doesn’t sleep here, he does live here,” noting the hours Souza puts into his job and the community.
Council voted this year to award Souza a 6 percent increase, which is in line with the 5 percent increase with 1 percent bonus given to other City employees. Councilmember Holly Smith pointed out that Souza has always expressed a strong desire not to earn greater increases than the rest of City staff.
Smith said Souza has had to conduct regular City business as well as post-storm recovery, and she doesn’t know anybody who could have done a better job. Likewise, Councilmember John Henshaw said Souza “is excellent and has done a superb job.” He said the positive aspects of the 2-1/2 year Ian recovery have been on his shoulders. “I don’t know what we would do without him, and I hope he stays with us as long as he possibly can,” Henshaw concluded.
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