TAMPA - Dan Kleman survived twice as long as any of his predecessors as Hillsborough County's top administrator by always knowing who his friends and opponents were and adjusting accordingly.
So when it became clear Tuesday that a four-member majority on the County Commission was firmly set to fire him and a fifth who was on the fence, Kleman did what he had to do: He resigned, ending a nine-year reign. The resignation was conditioned on receiving the same, roughly $250,000 severance package he would have received if he had been fired. His exit is effective Nov. 30, after which Kleman will remain in a consulting role at full pay until Jan. 2.
Commissioners voted 4-3 to accept the resignation, amid some acrimony. Then they moved to install Kleman's top deputy, Pat Bean, as his successor, tendering her a two-year contract that must still be negotiated and approved.
"I offer this resignation to bring an end to this difficult conflict in the government and to provide a smooth and orderly transition to a new county administrator," Kleman read from a letter to the board. "It is time to begin a period of healing."
Commissioners Jan Platt and Ken Hagan voted against accepting the resignation because they were opposed to firing Kleman. Commissioner Pat Frank joined them, attempting to block his severance package. "Why would we be gratuitously granting severance pay on a resignation?" Frank said. " . . . We're talking about $260,000-plus here."
Kleman later put the figure at about $250,000, including roughly $175,000 in pay and the rest in the value of his benefits.
Commissioner Ronda Storms, who was one of the four who voted to fire Kleman last Wednesday, said the figure was moot. He would have received the severance if commissioners fired him anyway, and the process may have dragged out for weeks.
"The reason we should do this . . . is in the interest of avoiding being shriveled and mean-spirited and puny," Storms said.
"That's right," said Chairman Tom Scott, another vote against Kleman.
Earlier, Storms had offered her appreciation to Kleman for sparing the county and the commission a painful, drawn-out fight.
"I think it's a genuine act of grace on the part of Mr. Kleman to fall on his sword on this matter, and I appreciate it," Storms said. "It's not an easy thing to do, and I - I want you to know that despite our differences, I appreciate this larger gesture that you're demonstrating."
Commissioner Kathy Castor, a prior supporter of Kleman's who gave him a largely favorable evaluation last week, made the motion to accept the resignation and severance package "with regret." She had previously expressed reservations, given last Wednesday's no-confidence vote by a majority of the other board members, about allowing his termination to become a long-running disruption.
"You should be very proud of your service to Hillsborough County," Castor said, praising him for the county's healthy finances and customer service. "But I think it is important for government to keep on here."
Commissioners then moved on to the matter of Kleman's replacement, and whether to hire her full time. Citing a need for near-term stability, commissioners voted to offer Bean a two-year permanent contract. Something less, the prevailing commissioners argued, would offer Bean little ability to lure quality candidates for some of the top-level openings at the county, and complicate her job when three commission seats are up for election in 2004.
The two-year contract passed 6-1, with Platt opposed. She advocated a national search for Kleman's replacement.
Bean said it was bittersweet to be offered the same job she was passed over for nine years ago..
"I feel very blessed by the opportunities that have been given to me in my lifetime," Bean said. "I'm not naive enough to think it's going to be easy. I recognize it's going to be a challenge."
Kleman, 58, served 20 years as city manager in Tallahassee before taking the job in Hillsborough. Like here, he ultimately resigned under duress.
In both places, he is credited with boosting the financial health of the governments he supervised. Hillsborough lowered its tax rate each of the years he was administrator, and enjoyed repeated improvements to its bond rating.
County employees received marked improvements in pay and benefits under Kleman's watch. However, Kleman repeatedly faced criticism from commissioners in recent years of pandering to the board majority, or alternately of circumventing the majority's wishes, and failing to resolve workplace problems. He survived a similar ouster attempt by the commission two years ago.
Bean, 58, has spent 27 years in county government before a brief stint with the city of Tampa. She began working in human resources and worked her way up the administrative ladder.
She helped oversee the launch of the county's award-winning health program for the poor and has filled in for Kleman in his absence.
"The challenge now is to take the county to the next level," Bean said.
