South Miami Commissioners hired a temporary city manager Wednesday.

Steven Alexander, a the former town manager of Cutler Bay, thanked commissioners for hiring him. He was the first and only town manager of Cutler Bay since the community of just over 41,000 people incorporated in 2005.

He was fired from the town in June after Cutler Bay council members voted 3-2 to dismiss him without cause.

“I’m very impressed with him,” Vice Mayor Joshua Liebman said.

South Miami attorney Thomas Pepe is negotiating his contract. Alexander had made a headhunter’s short list for the Miami Beach city manager position earlier this year.

He now runs his own consulting firm, Alexander Global Communications.

Alexander received about $148,000 while working for Cutler Bay, plus benefits and a cell phone allowance as part of his severance pay. Cutler Bay attorney Mitchell Bierman told the Miami Herald in June that the agreement contained a mutual non-disparagement clause, asking that neither the town nor the manager speak negatively about each other.

Alexander was fired after some residents complained that he was too powerful and unresponsive to the community. Those who defended him said he had left the city running smoothly.

Commissioner Bob Welsh had one request for Alexander Wednesday.

“Please treat our employees kindly,” he said.