The Holmes Beach code enforcement officer is off to greener pastures.
David Forbes submitted a letter of resignation to Mayor Bob Johnson May 27 after nearly 11 years of service to the city.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve had here. I’ve gotten a lot of experience and I think I’ve been helpful to many in the city,” Forbes said.
He was hired into the public works department in October 2004. He spent six years there before training to become the code enforcement officer.
Forbes said he expressed interest in the position after helping then-code enforcement officer Nancy Hall with her tasks. The transition was quick, he said.
Forbes took the first level of training offered through the Florida Association of Code Enforcement and was offered the job when the results of the test came back to the city.
He spent four years as the city’s code enforcement officer and earned a Level 4 Certification from the Florida Association of Code Enforcement. His final day with Holmes Beach will be July 17.
“It allowed me to become something more of what I always knew I was capable of other than cutting grass and painting stuff,” he said.
Johnson said Forbes’ advance notice gives the city plenty of time to find a replacement.
He added that Forbes has done a great job in his position, taking the time to understand residents’ complaints and avoiding confrontations.
Forbes said he has been wanting to leave Florida for some time and, within the past month, plans for a move have started to come together.
He has his sights set on Greenville, South Carolina, and its surrounding suburbs. The Carolinas is an area he has been through many times on his way between Florida and his former hometown in Ohio.
He said he is looking for a quiet small town away from the flurry of vacationers.
Forbes would like to work for another local government or municipality with more advancement opportunities than Holmes Beach offered.
He grew up in Shadyside, Ohio, and moved to Florida in 1990 at age 19. His family vacationed in Florida for many years.
“This new venture is exciting and scary — leaving a stable position and all its benefits. But it’s time to see something else,” he said.