The City of Titusville is at a critical juncture in its governance, tasked with selecting a new City Attorney to serve as the chief legal officer for the municipality. This position is far more than a mere legal advisor; the City Attorney acts as the legal counsel for the City Council, the City Manager, and all city departments, boards, and commissions on every matter related to their official duties.

From defending the city in lawsuits and prosecuting ordinance violations to drafting the contracts, resolutions, and development agreements that shape Titusville’s future, the role is central to the city’s operations and strategic direction. The search has drawn a field of four distinct candidates, each presenting the City Council with a different vision of legal leadership and a unique portfolio of experience: Andriene C. Treasure, Jennifer D. Cockcroft, Scott R. McHenry, and Michael A. Rodriguez.

The choice before the Council is not simply to fill a vacancy but to make a strategic appointment that will influence the city’s legal posture on critical local issues, including land use, economic development, public safety, and environmental protection.

The four finalists represent a compelling cross-section of legal expertise. The pool includes a board-certified specialist in local government law, a former city attorney battle-tested by public political conflict, a veteran attorney with an Ivy League education and national scope, and a versatile advocate with a non-traditional career path through social services and corporate compliance.

To guide its decision, the city has established clear benchmarks for the position. The advertised salary range is $200,012 to $250,016 annually, and the core requirements demand a Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school, admission to the Florida Bar, and at least ten years of legal experience, including administrative and local government law.

Critically, the posting specifies a preference for candidates with at least five of those years in Florida local government practice.This specific requirement creates a central tension in the selection process. While some candidates offer deep, focused careers almost exclusively within Florida municipalities, others bring broader, more diverse experience from the private sector, other states, or related fields of public service.

The Council’s ultimate decision will reveal which type of expertise it values most as Titusville navigates the complex challenges of growth and governance in the years ahead.

Jennifer D. Cockcroft, B.C.S.
Jennifer D. Cockcroft presents herself as the most specialized candidate, with a career meticulously built around the precise discipline Titusville seeks to hire. She is currently the sitting City Attorney for the City of Sebastian, a role she has held since July 2023, where she serves as the sole in-house counsel for the municipal government. Her application signals a desire for advancement and continued public service, positioning the Titusville role as a logical next step in a dedicated career.

The most significant distinction on Cockcroft’s resume is her status as a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist (B.C.S.) in City, County, and Local Government Law, a credential she has held since 2018 and recently had recertified to last until 2028. This “B.C.S.” designation is not merely an affiliation; it is a rigorous peer-reviewed process that identifies her as an expert with special knowledge, skills, and proficiency in her field. None of the other three candidates hold this certification, making it a powerful differentiator that aligns perfectly with the city’s need for an authoritative legal guide.

Her career trajectory demonstrates an unwavering commitment to Florida municipal law. Before her current role in Sebastian, she served as Deputy City Attorney for the City of Palm Bay from 2019 to 2022, acting as an assistant department head and representing the city council and various boards. Prior to that, she spent a decade as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Kissimmee (2004-2014), where she provided legal representation to nearly every city department, from Planning and Zoning to the Police and Fire departments. Even her stints in private practice were heavily focused on government work. At Stenstrom, McIntosh, Colbert & Whigham, P.A., she represented multiple cities, including Sanford, Oviedo, and Mount Dora, as their city attorney.

A compelling pattern emerges from her employment history. On two separate occasions, she has left private law firms to return to in-house government positions. In 2019, she left a firm with the stated reason of a “Desire to return to in house representation”. More recently, in 2023, she left another firm to take the City Attorney job in Sebastian, citing “Irregular collections affecting salary” and her preference for an in-house role. This history strongly suggests that her professional satisfaction and career goals are firmly rooted in public service, not the private sector. For a City Council seeking a candidate who views the position as a long-term commitment rather than a temporary post, this demonstrated preference for government work is a significant indicator of stability and fit.

In her application, Cockcroft requests an annual salary of $225,000, placing her firmly within the city’s advertised range. She also displays meticulous attention to the application’s details. Regarding the requirement for admission to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, she answered “Yes” but attached a supplemental document explaining her answer. She clarified that while not currently admitted, she is eligible and would become so within three months of hiring, as permitted by the job posting itself. This transparency contrasts with another candidate who simply answered “No” to the same question. Her request that the City of Sebastian not be contacted is a standard professional courtesy for a sitting public official applying for another position. Overall, Cockcroft’s candidacy represents the “specialist” choice, offering deep, certified expertise and a proven, unwavering commitment to the practice of Florida local government law.

Michael A. Rodriguez
Michael A. Rodriguez brings to the table the direct, recent experience of having served in the top legal job for a Florida city, complete with the political trials that often accompany the role. He is currently the Chief Deputy City Attorney for the City of Palm Bay, where he serves as second-in-command, but his most defining recent experience was his tenure as City Attorney for Apopka from May 2020 to June 2023.

His departure from Apopka was a high-profile event and serves as a case study in the complex dynamics between a city attorney and elected officials. In his application for the Titusville position, Rodriguez strategically frames his exit not as a termination but as a principled stand. He states he announced his resignation “in lieu of a protracted constitutional conflict between three members of the City Council and the Mayor regarding the legal authority to remove a Charter Officer”. He notes that the mayor refused to terminate him, but three council members “threatened” litigation.

Public news reports from that period corroborate this account, detailing a tumultuous series of meetings where the Apopka City Council voted to fire him, but Mayor Bryan Nelson blocked the move, arguing his own vote was required. At a public meeting in May 2023, Rodriguez announced his resignation, stating, “I ultimately fear that I can no longer ethically represent this council. I fear this council can be on the verge of conducting ultra vires action and I cannot remain as its city attorney”. The term ultra vires is a significant legal term meaning “beyond the powers,” indicating his belief that the council was attempting to act outside its legal authority. The conflict arose amidst widespread community discontent following the line-of-duty death of Apopka firefighter Austin Duran, which had placed intense scrutiny on all of the city’s leadership.

This experience, while contentious, can be interpreted as a real-world stress test of a city attorney’s most difficult function: delivering firm, and often unpopular, legal advice to an elected body. By framing his departure as an ethical choice made in the face of perceived legal overreach by the council, Rodriguez presents himself as a lawyer who will stand on principle against political pressure. For the Titusville Council, this history presents a clear question: do they see a candidate who attracts political conflict, or one who has proven he will uphold the law, even at the cost of his job?

Beyond the Apopka chapter, Rodriguez’s resume shows a career deeply rooted in Florida local government. He served as an Assistant County Attorney for the Volusia County Legal Department (2016-2020) and for the Martin County Board of County Commissioners at the start of his career (1997-2001). While at the private firm Greenspoon Marder, he also served as an assistant city attorney for the City of Opa-locka and the Town of Miami Lakes, primarily counseling their planning and zoning boards. His application notes fluency in Spanish and, in a humanizing detail, that he was a contestant on the game show Jeopardy! in 2001. With a requested salary of $195,000, the lowest of the three candidates who specified a figure above $175,000, Rodriguez’s candidacy represents the “battle-hardened” choice, offering leadership experience forged in the crucible of public political conflict.

Scott R. McHenry
Scott R. McHenry offers the profile of a highly seasoned veteran attorney, distinguished by an elite educational background and a career that has spanned high-level public service in Florida, major corporate work, and private practice in two states. His academic credentials are formidable, including an A.B. from Princeton University, a J.D. from Rutgers, an MBA in Finance also from Rutgers, and a specialized LL.M. in Taxation from Temple University. His peers have recognized his legal acumen with an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell for over two decades, a significant endorsement of his ethical standards and professional ability.

The cornerstone of his public service experience is a nine-year tenure as a senior Assistant County Attorney IV for Orange County Government, from 2015 to 2024. In this role, he handled major responsibilities, including serving as county legal counsel for the Sunrail commuter rail and Brightline intercity rail projects. His work involved complex litigation and transactional matters in eminent domain, real estate, land use, and contracts, and he regularly provided counsel to elected officials and supervised other employees. This experience in one of Florida’s largest and most complex counties gives him a unique perspective on large-scale infrastructure and development issues.

His career path has been more varied than some of the other candidates. After his long stint with Orange County, he relocated to Colorado in early 2024 to join a local government law firm as a Senior Associate. However, as he explains in his application, that firm unexpectedly closed after a key partner left to take an in-house position with a major municipal client, which was the firm’s primary source of revenue. This event, an external circumstance rather than a performance-related issue, prompted his application to Titusville. His stated objective is clear: to secure an “Assistant County Attorney position in Florida like I had at Orange County” and to “return to Florida where I spent the bulk of my career”. This narrative suggests a candidate who has explored other options and is now seeking to return to the stable, high-level government work where he found long-term success.

McHenry’s application presents a compelling case for a professional “homecoming.” The recent turbulence of his employment in Colorado, contrasted with the stability and success of his decade in Orange County, suggests he is motivated by a desire to return to a career path he knows and excels in. With a minimum salary request of $175,000—significantly below the city’s advertised range and the requests of the other candidates—he signals a strong desire to secure the position.

For Titusville, this could represent an opportunity to hire a highly educated, broadly experienced, and well-regarded attorney who is seeking not just a job, but a stable return to his professional roots in Florida public service.

Andriene C. Treasure
Andriene C. Treasure presents a unique and multifaceted profile, challenging the traditional mold of a municipal attorney. Her career is a rich tapestry woven from threads of local government law, state social services, non-profit advocacy, and corporate compliance. She is currently an Assistant City Attorney for the City of West Palm Beach, a position she has held since March 2023, where her duties include litigation, prosecuting ordinance violations, and advising various city departments and boards.

What sets Treasure apart is the sheer breadth of her experience outside of a traditional city hall. She has served as a Senior Attorney for the Florida Department of Children and Families, litigating a high-volume caseload of dependency and termination of parental rights trials. She was Legal Counsel for ChildNet Inc., a community-based care lead agency, where she advised on legal matters, risk management, and public records compliance. She also worked as an attorney for the YWCA, providing legal representation to survivors of domestic violence. This background gives her a deep, first-hand understanding of the complex human and social service issues that modern cities increasingly face.

This experience is complemented by a stint in the corporate world as the Director of Compliance, Government Relations, and Licensing for The Learning Experience Inc., where she managed the regulatory obligations for over 230 childcare centers. This role honed her skills in ensuring compliance with a web of federal, state, and local government regulations on a large scale. While she also has direct municipal experience from an earlier role as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Riviera Beach (2005-2008), her career is not defined by it in the way her competitors’ are.

This diverse background presents both a unique strength and a potential challenge when measured against Titusville’s specific requirements. In her application, she reports having “4 to 6 years” of Florida local government experience. This places her just at the cusp of the city’s stated five-year preference and is less than the extensive, decade-plus municipal careers of Cockcroft and Rodriguez. Furthermore, on the supplemental questionnaire, she directly and honestly answered “No” to the question of whether she is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. While the job posting allows for this to be rectified within three months of hiring, it is a point of contrast with other applicants.

Treasure’s candidacy asks the Titusville Council to consider a broader definition of what makes an effective City Attorney. While she may have less time logged in traditional municipal roles focused on land use and public works, her expertise in compliance, social services law, and inter-agency cooperation is highly transferable to the modern challenges cities face, from managing federal grants and public records to addressing homelessness and ensuring public safety. Her requested salary of $210,000 is well within the city’s range. Her profile represents the “modern generalist”—a candidate equipped not just for the traditional legal work of a city, but for the evolving, socially complex issues that define 21st-century municipal governance.

The Choice Before the Council: A Comparative Overview
The decision facing the Titusville City Council is not a simple matter of selecting the “most qualified” applicant from a list. It is a strategic choice between four highly competent but fundamentally different archetypes of legal counsel. Each candidate brings a distinct set of experiences, credentials, and professional narratives that offer the city a different path forward for its legal department. The selection will ultimately reflect the Council’s priorities and its vision for the city’s future.

The following table provides a concise, at-a-glance comparison of the four finalists on key metrics drawn from their application materials.

Candidate	Current/Most Recent Role	Key Credentials & Distinctions	Stated FL Local Govt. Experience	Requested Salary	Notable Career Factor
Jennifer D. Cockcroft	City Attorney, City of Sebastian	Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist (B.C.S.) in City, County & Local Government Law	More than 10 years	$225,000.00 per year	Deep specialization and a career path demonstrating a clear preference for in-house government work.
Michael A. Rodriguez	Chief Deputy City Attorney, City of Palm Bay	Former City Attorney, Apopka; Fluent in Spanish	More than 10 years	$195,000.00 per year	Navigated a high-profile political and legal conflict with the Apopka City Council, resigning on stated ethical grounds.
Scott R. McHenry	Senior Associate, Hayashi & Macsalka, LLC (firm closed)	Princeton A.B., Rutgers J.D./MBA, Temple LL.M. (Tax); AV-Preeminent Rated	More than 10 years	$175,000.00 per year	Seeking a stable return to the Florida public sector after a period in private practice and an unexpected firm closure in Colorado.
Andriene C. Treasure	Assistant City Attorney, City of West Palm Beach	Diverse background in social services (DCF, ChildNet), non-profit advocacy, and corporate compliance	4 to 6 years	$210,000.00 per year	A varied career path that offers a different, more holistic skill set than traditional municipal law candidates.

The data presents the Council with a series of compelling trade-offs.
Jennifer Cockcroft is the safe-harbor specialist. Her board certification is the gold standard in her field, offering an unparalleled level of proven expertise in the specific legal domain Titusville needs. Her career shows a consistent dedication to public service, suggesting stability and a deep understanding of the role. A vote for Cockcroft is a vote for specialized mastery and institutional knowledge.

Michael Rodriguez is the politically tested leader. He is the only candidate to have recently managed the intense public and political pressures of being the top legal officer for a city. His contentious departure from Apopka, which he frames as a defense of legal ethics against political overreach, demonstrates a willingness to hold a firm line. A vote for Rodriguez is a vote for experienced, battle-hardened leadership.

Scott McHenry is the returning veteran. His combination of an elite education, high-level experience in a major Florida county, and a significantly lower salary request makes him a candidate of exceptional potential value. His motivation appears to be a clear desire to return to a stable, long-term public service role in Florida, the environment where he has had the most sustained success. A vote for McHenry is a vote for broad experience and a strategic acquisition of top-tier talent.

Andriene Treasure is the modern generalist. Her unique background in human services, advocacy, and compliance law offers a skill set that aligns with the increasingly complex social and regulatory challenges facing cities today. While possessing less traditional municipal experience than her peers, her diverse expertise could provide a more holistic and forward-thinking approach to the City Attorney’s office. A vote for Treasure is a vote for versatility and a new perspective on municipal law.

Ultimately, the Titusville City Council’s selection will be a definitive statement about its priorities. Whether they choose the specialist, the leader, the veteran, or the generalist, their decision will install a key figure who will guide the city through its legal challenges and help shape its trajectory for years to come.

The Final Interviews: A Public Decision
The culmination of this extensive search process will take place in a public forum at a special meeting at City Hall on July 12th, where the City Council will conduct final interviews with the four candidates. The proceedings are set to begin at 1:00 p.m. with a brief review of procedures before the interviews commence.

The interview schedule is as follows:

• 1:05 p.m. to 1:35 p.m.: Andriene C. Treasure
• 1:35 p.m. to 2:05 p.m.: Michael A. Rodriguez
• 2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.: Scott R. McHenry
• 2:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.: Jennifer D. Cockcroft

A short break is scheduled from 2:05 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. While the interviews are scheduled consecutively, the Council has the flexibility to adjust the duration for each candidate as needed. Following the final interview, at approximately 3:15 p.m., the Council will begin post-interview discussions, which could lead to the selection of Titusville’s next City Attorney. This transparent, public process underscores the gravity of the decision and invites the community to witness the final step in choosing the city’s top legal officer.