Candidates Chris Hammonds and Jim Denhardt have proposed serving together, Pinellas Park's city manager says.
By ANNE LINDBERG
Published March 21, 2004
PINELLAS PARK - Council members will hold a special meeting Tuesday to name a temporary replacement for city attorney Ed Foreman, who died last week.
Two contenders for the job are Chris Hammonds, the current assistant city attorney, and Jim Denhardt, who advises Pinellas Park's code enforcement board.
Hammonds, 29, is familiar with city issues and cases but cannot fill the job because he does not have the three years' experience required by the charter. Changing the charter would require a majority vote of residents during an election.
Denhardt, 57, has the requisite experience but has not handled much of Pinellas Park's legal business. Hammonds would have to bring him up to date.
Denhardt and Hammonds have talked about the possibility of serving together and came to him with the idea, City Manager Mike Gustafson said.
"It's definitely an option for the council," Gustafson said.
Gustafson said he also plans to float two other names by the council: John Hubbard, 63, who represents Tarpon Springs and Dunedin, and Alan Zimmet, who represents Largo.
As Largo attorney, Zimmet, 49, has in the past sued Pinellas Park. An associate, Andy Salzman, represents the Lealman Fire Commission.
The council meeting will begin immediately after a 7:30 p.m workshop. The workshop will be held upstairs in City Hall. The meeting will be in council chambers on the first floor of City Hall, 5141 78th Ave. N.
Although Foreman had been ill for several years with diabetes and other problems, his death caught city officials unprepared.
"Right now, I'm just asking the council what they would like me to do," Gustafson said. "We're just trying to figure out who would make a good interim."
The city attorney is one of three employees the council directly hires and supervises. With Foreman's death, the council has lost someone in each of those positions in little more than a year.
Last year, City Manager Jerry Mudd committed suicide and the council appointed Gustafson. Weeks ago, City Clerk Kathy Witherington Rogers announced her retirement. This weekend is her last in Pinellas Park.
But perhaps the most difficult loss is the partnership council members had with Foreman.
"I always looked at him as a guardian angel," Mayor Bill Mischler said. "I'm grateful that I had the pleasure of knowing the gentleman and that I had the pleasure of having him represent (us)."
Council member Patricia Bailey-Snook said, "He was a great man.... He was always the gentlest ... a total gentlemen. I loved him."
That affection was built over years of representation. He was hired in April 1975.
His predecessor earned about $19,000 a year. That included litigation, prosecution in municipal court, attending City Council meetings, advising officials on city legal matters, and drafting ordinances and resolutions.
When Foreman died Wednesday, the city's overall legal budget was $612,675, or about 1.5 percent of the $41-million operating budget.
The bulk of the legal budget - about $539,500 - went to Foreman and his associates. The remainder was divided among labor attorneys and code enforcement.
Gustafson said it is too early to know whether he will recommend that the council hire another firm on an hourly rate or try to hire a staff attorney as a way to try to reduce costs. He said he has not had a chance to poll other governmental bodies to see what they do.
Kenneth City and Gulfport have attorneys on retainer. Pinellas County has staff attorneys but also pays outside attorneys for some matters.
In Largo, the legal budget is about $270,000, according to Steve Ross, assistant to the city manager.
About $60,000 of that goes to Tammi Bach, a staff attorney. Another portion, Ross said, goes to pay a part-time secretary and other associated costs. Some goes to labor attorneys. Part goes to Zimmet's firm.
