Sarasota County Administrator Tom Harmer on Wednesday informed county officials he intends to leave his position in December to become Longboat Key’s next town manager. “It has been an honor to serve you for the past five years,” Harmer said.

Harmer will succeed Town Manager Dave Bullock, who intends to retire in January. The overlap in the men’s tenure will allow for a smoother transition there, Harmer says. As for his time in Sarasota County’s top staff post, Harmer listed a high level of customer service as his greatest achievement in improving the culture within the county government.

County Commissioners greeted the news with dark humor, with Commissioner Nancy Detert promising to conceive of “good punishments” for the island municipality for recruiting talent away. Commissioner Al Maio noted the irony there: “If we come up with diabolical schemes to punish Longboat Key, he (Harmer) will have to figure a way out for them.”

Harmer succeeded County Administrator Randall Reid after that administrator received poor performance reviews from sitting commissioners five years ago; Harmer ironically had been recruited to Sarasota County by Reid and worked as deputy county administrator at the time.

No plans have been announced yet for finding Harmer’s replacement.