Apopka Mayor stands by hiring ‘Trooper Steve’ for $180K despite public criticism

Facing public scrutiny, Apopka Mayor Nick Nesta is defending hiring “Trooper Steve” Montiero for $180,000 a year to be the city’s new Public Information Director.

“I will not allow dedicated public servants to become political targets for accepting an opportunity to serve the community,” Nesta, Apopka’s newly elected Mayor, wrote in a lengthy message on the city’s social media account and website.

“Public service comes with scrutiny, and I accept that. If people disagree with my decisions, they should direct those concerns to me. I was elected to lead, and I will stand behind the people I ask to serve alongside me.”

Florida Politics was the first to report last week that Montiero, a TV journalist at WKMG News 6, will be among the highest-paid government spokespeople in the region when he starts in Apopka on Aug. 10.

Montiero will earn more than communications leaders in neighboring Orange County and the city of Orlando, both of which are considerably bigger than Apopka, a city of fewer than 70,000 residents. Montiero will be the third-highest-paid Apopka city employee, according to records released by the city. He will earn more than Nesta, whose salary is $133,350, as well as the Fire Chief and the Public Works Director.

“I love Trooper Steve, but $180,000?” one resident said at this week’s city meeting. “I should’ve applied for that job. … That’s a dream job. That’s what that is.”

Earlier this month, city leaders said they had reclassified a transportation coordinator position that was no longer needed in order to create the public information director job. The pay scale on the transportation coordinator was $73,959-$116,759. Meanwhile, the public information director position that Montiero was hired for came with a pay scale of $144,126-$227,531, according to information provided by the city.

“After interviews and evaluation, Mr. Montiero emerged as the best candidate,” Nesta wrote Thursday.

The pool of 53 other job candidates included TV journalists in the Orlando market, corporate communications leaders and others currently employed in government public relations in Florida and elsewhere in the United States, according to a Florida Politics review of the applications. The city provided the applications following a public records request.

In his application, Montiero listed himself as a Poinciana High School graduate. He attended Community College of the Air Force in Lakeland, Texas, but said he did not graduate. 

In 2010, he began working for the Florida Highway Patrol, where he responded to emergencies, investigated crimes and traffic crashes, and served on the Motorcycle Unit. He also worked as a public information officer for the force.

“My service was recognized through numerous commendations, including being named Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) for my commitment to impaired driving enforcement and traffic safety,” Montiero’s résumé said.

By 2017, Montiero was hired to work at WKMG News 6 and became known to Central Floridians as “Trooper Steve” reporting on live traffic, transportation issues and public safety. Sometimes he stepped in as a news anchor too.

His unique style of reporting won him an Edward R. Murrow Award for community engagement.

Montiero took pride in being called a traffic safety expert on air, saying he sought to teach viewers traffic education and “humanize law enforcement a little bit, according to a farewell piece published by his news station this week.

Montiero interviewed Apopka Police Chief Lovetta Quinn-Henry in February, a few months before he would get hired by the city. 

“Many people know Mr. Montiero from television, but what impressed me wasn’t his time on the air. It was his vision. Mr. Montiero wasn’t hired to simply write press releases or stand in front of a camera,” Nesta wrote Thursday.

“He was hired to build a modern communications office that brings together marketing, public information, community engagement, media relations, and strategic communications under one roof.”