St. Augustine City Manager David Birchim was appointed in 2023. | City of St. Augustine
Published on September 29, 2026 at 1:40 pm
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St. Augustine City Manager David Birchim will retire at the end of the year.
His retirement will mark the end of a nearly 30-year career with the city that included a stint as planning director.
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The St. Augustine City Commission selected Birchim as city manager in 2023 when longtime City Manager John Regan retired. The city manager is St. Augustine’s top administrator, overseeing all city staff, including the police and the fire departments.
Birchim announced his retirement during Monday’s commission meeting.
“After 29 years of service,” he told the commissioners, “I think it is time for me to step aside and give the next generation of city leaders the opportunity to guide our community into the future with passion and an eagerness to serve.”
In a statement sent to Jacksonville Today, St. Augustine Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline congratulated Birchim on “a job well done.”
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“Mr. Birchim has been an integral part of the day-to-day operations and long-term planning of this city for nearly 30 years,” she said. “But I would also say these last few years in his role as city manager have proved to be his most impactful. His retirement is well deserved!”
Finding a new city manager
To fill Birchim’s shoes, city leaders said Monday night that St. Augustine will conduct a nationwide search. In the meantime, the city plans to select an interim city manager internally.
The city has two assistant city managers: Meredith Breidenstein and Reuben Franklin.
Birchim was set to serve as city manager until summer 2028. He will instead retire early, working his final day on Dec. 16, less than two weeks after a new mayor and two new city commissioners will be sworn into office.
