Frank Babinec, the city manager of Coral Springs, will retire after thirty years of service

Coral Springs, Florida – After almost thirty years of service, Coral Springs Talk has learned that city manager Frank Babinec, who previously held the position of fire chief, is retiring. Babinec oversaw the city’s government throughout an extraordinary time of growth.

From February 2014 until December 2019, Babinec led the Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department. He was then appointed city manager. The longstanding employee informed the commission and city staff that he intended to retire in early January 2025, according to a city spokesperson Lynne Martzall on Tuesday.

Babinec oversaw a vast municipal government system that employed over 920 full-time staff to serve over 136,000 citizens. During his tenure, thousands of new residences, companies, and apartment buildings opened, contributing to the city’s rapid growth and tax base expansion.

During his administration, the city enhanced the capabilities of the fire and police departments, enhanced its parks, and increased the number of regional cultural events.

“I am confident that as I leave my role as city manager, the city of Coral Springs is in a better place than when I accepted the position,” Babinec wrote in a letter to staff members.

“I am really proud of this, and I think it speaks well of the leadership group and staff who work so hard to make Coral Springs the best place to work, live, and raise a family,” Babinec remarked. “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead and work with such a committed group of public service professionals as I look back on my career.”

According to his online biography, Babinec, a native Floridian who has lived in Coral Springs since 1991, volunteered for the city’s fire department in 1992 before being taken on full-time as the agency’s training officer in 2000. He held the position of deputy chief of operations for seven years and assistant chief for seven, during which time he also oversaw shifts.

In addition to holding an MBA in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership, Babinec worked for 12 years as a lead lecturer at the Coral Springs Regional Institute of Public Safety.

According to his biography, Babinec enhanced the department’s fleet and facilities in addition to improving its safety, health, and wellness initiatives while serving as fire chief. In 2017, the Florida Department of Health awarded the department the title of EMS Provider of the Year.

In 2017, Babinec received the Fire Chief of the Year Award from the Florida Fire Chiefs Association. The Southeastern Association of Fire Chiefs named him Fire Chief of the Year in 2018. Additionally, he was given the Broward Council of Professional Firefighters’ 2018 Community Leadership Award.

The Florida Fire Chiefs Association presented Babinec with the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award in Firefighter Safety and Health in October 2020; the award bears his name today.

Among his other leadership positions were chairing the Safety and Health Section of the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association and serving as president of the Fire Chiefs’ Association of Broward County.

“I never would have imagined that my application to become a volunteer firefighter in December 1992 would lead to my current position as your city manager,” Babinec wrote in an email to staff members of the city. “I can never express my gratitude to the city of Coral Springs for everything that they have done for my family and me. I could never make up for the sacrifices my family made for me to succeed in my public service career.

It will be up to the city commission to replace Babinec, according to officials.