Staff Writer

Mark Durbin announced his retirement Tuesday as Kissimmee city manager, effective Aug. 31, exactly 23 years after his first day on the job.

His announcement came at the end of the City Commission meeting.

“I love my job. I just feel like I've been here a long time and I want to do something else,” he told commissioners.

Despite well-circulated rumors that the longest-tenured city manger would retire soon, Durbin himself has remained quiet on the matter until now.

After the meeting, Durbin said he never anticipated managing the city for more than two decades as he has. Since starting in the position in 1987, Kissimmee has grown from a small town to a city with 60,000-plus residents.

“Mark, it's sad to see you go, but 23 years is a great run with the city, and you've done a tremendous job,” Commissioner Cheryl Grieb said.

After jokingly denying Durbin's “request” to retire, commissioners decided to discuss the process of hiring his replacement during their June 15 meeting.

Durbin told the News-Gazette that he would like to secure another management job, ideally in a church or a parachurch organization, explaining that he enjoys teaching and working within a ministry.

“I'd like to feel like I'm doing something worthwhile,” Durbin said.

Not that working for the people of Kissimmee hasn't been worthwhile, he added.

“I think Kissimmee is a great city. I've enjoyed making this a service organization,” he said. “We've understood that we work for the residents. We do whatever we can to make their lives easier and take care of any problems that come up.”

Overall, he said he's enjoyed working with residents as well as his own staff.

“We've got a great team that genuinely likes each other and works well together. That's probably been, I think, the best part about working here,” he said. “I think we've done a good job.”

Durbin wasn't sure if he would move or stay in Kissimmee, but said he doesn't have a preference one way or another.

“I feel like a native now, being here that many years. I've lived here longer than I've lived anywhere else,” he said.

Several former commissioners and longtime residents thanked Durbin after the meeting for his service to the community.

Deputy City Manager Mike Steigerwald, who started working for the city more than 16 years ago as a planner, said Tuesday he would “definitely” apply to be the city's next city manager.