Shelby's actions puzzle colleagues

Largo Commissioner Marty Shelby's failed bid for a referendum on the proposed library and veiled talk about recalls frustrate other commissioners.

By MICHAEL SANDLER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published June 20, 2002

LARGO -- Commissioner Marty Shelby says he is finished, but his colleagues on the Largo City Commission aren't convinced.

Five commissioners said Wednesday they are bewildered by Shelby's recent behavior and see a man alienating himself from the rest of the commission.

They still wonder what prompted him to rally a crowd Tuesday night at City Hall and lead them in an unsuccessful effort to halt the $22-million library he voted for in April. But in June Shelby suddenly decided the city needed a referendum.

"I have no idea what he has up his sleeve," Commissioner Pat Gerard said. "Nothing he does at this point will surprise me."

Shelby said Wednesday he was satisfied with the turnout the night before and has no immediate plans to press the issue. He said he decided to put the project before residents after being concerned about growing costs.

"I have brought the issue before the people of Largo," Shelby said. "What they do with it from here is up to them."

But two commissioners say he has inquired about a unique recall process that could remove sitting commissioners from office.

When asked about the recall, Shelby declined to comment. He also would not say whether he now intends to support the 93,000-square-foot library.

"We are all elected by the people," he said. "We are all there at the will of the people."

For two weeks, commissioners have watched as Shelby made his way through the community as if he were running against all six of them.

He wrote letters to the editor, paid for ads in local newspapers, visited community groups and spoke out in a Bay News 9 interview that was broadcast repeatedly the day of the meeting. He accused them of being arrogant, wasteful and uninterested in the taxpayer's money and referred to the library project as a "Stealth bomber."

His mission failed. On Tuesday, the other six commissioners met his demands with silence, and forged ahead with a vote to pay for contracts needed to get the library under way.

Gerard said she was embarrassed by Shelby's accusations.

"We all know he voted for that library over and over again," Gerard said. "All of the sudden, you are on the other side of the fence and we are irresponsible? He makes himself sound like he was the only one ever against this thing and we have all gone blindly forward."

During the meeting that drew more than 200 people, Gerard said she would make good on her promise to donate money to the library and handed Mayor Bob Jackson a check.

Shelby asked what percentage of the $22-million the check would cover.

"He had no right," said Commissioner Harriet Crozier, who wondered about the crowd's motivation. "Unfortunately, the group that came out last night was as a result of one commissioner going after these people. I find it funny. How many of them ever picked up the phone to talk to him?"

Harper told the City Hall audience they represented about a quarter of one percent of the city's 73,000 population. On Wednesday, he said Shelby became frustrated the commission was not convinced the movement warranted stopping a project under discussion since 1998.

"I think he was making comments at that point in desperation," Harper said. "He was pretty much into that. He saw it fading away. The commission was not going to change."

Pat Burke said Shelby put them all in an awkward position.

"It was beginning to sound like only he knew what he was talking about," Burke said. "The rest of us were selling the city down the pike. That just wasn't so."

Some wondered if Shelby was still unhappy with Jackson, who infuriated commissioners in May by testifying in court contrary to the city's position on the Bay Area Renaissance Festival.

Jackson said Shelby might just want to be in charge.

"I think he is a man who wants to have a cause, and he found there is an awful lot of publicity to have a cause," Jackson said.

"I guess, there might be a wanting-to-be-in-charge kind of thing," Jackson said. "He was in charge (Tuesday). He took charge. He was a man on a mission. That may be a need he has."

The next move is a mystery, but Crozier and Harper said Shelby has made it known that the community has the power to oust few members from the commission.

They know Gigi Arntzen -- who has conducted campaigns for Shelby, Harper, Burke and Crozier. Arntzen said she talked with Shelby last week, and he raised the issue.

"He told me there were people out there ready to initiate a recall," Arntzen said. "He gave me no name. I believe Marty is the only one talking about it."

Largo City Manager Steven Stanton said Shelby inquired last week about the city's policy on recalling elected officials. It would require a petition signed by at least 25 percent of registered voters who participated in the last election, along with a statement of the grounds for which removal was sought. An election would follow.

Stanton said Shelby told him he was inquiring on behalf of people who told him there was interest in the community.

"He indicated that was his perception, that there was a lot of anger in the community toward myself and the commissioners," said Stanton.

Gerard said Shelby would only be alienating himself.

"He's painted himself in a corner," Gerard said. "He may be on a path of no return. If he is talking about recall, he's out of control. He's just so incensed, he's lost."

-- Michael Sandler can be reached at 445-4174 or sandler@sptimes.com.

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