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The dismissal of police Chief Bill Downs leaves a substantial void at Port Richey City Hall and the departure of a good-government advocate in a town that needs one desperately.
Downs, fired last week by City Manager Vince Lupo, often provided the only oversight in a city government run amok. His department's 2000 investigation of then-acting Mayor Bob Leggiere led to a grand jury report critical of Leggiere's day-to-day interference at the building department, saying it threatened federal flood insurance coverage for the city.
As part of that investigation, Downs recorded Leggiere acknowledging he disregarded the Government in the Sunshine Law and routinely talked to other council members outside of public meetings.
Downs also investigated then-council member Joe Menicola - resulting in a profane diatribe, recorded by Lupo, in which the council member threatened "a war" on the Police Department after Menicola's adult son was ticketed for speeding.
Neither Leggiere nor Menicola were charged criminally, but voters rejected both at the voting booth. Downs has been in the political crosshairs since, facing criticism and micromanagement from a council majority loyal to Leggiere.
Last week, Lupo fired Downs, saying the chief wasn't prepared to lead the department during a time of budget cuts, had provided erroneous budget information to the council, clashed with other department heads and rejected the city manager's disciplinary measures.
Downs certainly isn't perfect. He provided vague budget numbers at a council meeting in offering an alternative to disbanding the dispatch service, and the department's investigation of how grant money was spent building City Hall smacked of retaliation against Lupo's assistant, Lou Clini, who had recommended disbanding the Police Department.
But, if giving bad information to the council is a firing offense, Clini, Lupo and City Attorney Paul Marino should head to the unemployment line as well. Clini penned a memorandum last year and distributed it to the council absent Lupo's review that said the city's severe budget situation mandated immediate dissolution of the Police Department. Even Lupo said it was overblown.
Downs' downfall was the loyalty he displayed toward his charges in fighting a council majority that voted to cut his department and contract with the city of New Port Richey for dispatching services. His shaky future became apparent during the lengthy debate when Lupo ordered Downs to spend a quarter of his time patrolling instead of focusing exclusively on administration, and council member Phyllis Grae opined that Downs should take a corresponding pay cut.
Coinciding with Downs' dismissal was the Supervisor of Elections Office's authenticating the necessary signatures for a citizens group petition seeking a referendum on the dispatch issue. But after the chief's firing, those citizens now must wonder if their referendum is too narrow.
Consider the status of the city government. The building official and police chief jobs are vacant. The police dispatch service will be handled by the city of New Port Richey. The code enforcement officer now works part time on a contract basis. The city attorney is one vote away from being fired, and the city manager received poor performance evaluations from a council majority.
Instead of trying to save the dispatch service, voters should consider a more imperative question.
Is this city worth saving from itself?