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It is a political job, yet Pinellas County clerk of the Circuit Court has attracted little attention from candidates in the past. Karleen DeBlaker has been clerk for 24 years and was generally seen as unbeatable. Now that she is retiring, the opening has attracted three candidates, two of them high-caliber Republicans who will square off in the primary on Aug. 31, making it one of the more competitive local races.
Brian Aungst, in his second term as Clearwater mayor and considered politically ambitious, surprised some by choosing to run for this low-profile office. Aungst has spent the past 51/2 years in a leadership role, guiding the city through a swirl of redevelopment challenges. Now, he says, he wants to get back to what he does best - administration.
Ken Burke helped plenty of candidates run their campaigns over the years as an active member of the local Republican Party, but this is his first attempt at winning an election himself. A certified public accountant who works as administrator of a Seminole law firm, Burke has an extensive record of civic service and is currently chairman of the St. Petersburg College board of trustees. All of his experience, Burke says, has prepared him for the clerk's job.
In short, Republican voters in this contest find themselves in an enviable position, picking between two highly qualified candidates.
The clerk's office is a big operation, with 600 employees and a nearly $40-million budget. Some of the duties are as mundane as filing records and paying bills, yet the proficiency with which that is done helps determine how smoothly the courts and county government operate. The clerk also audits the county's books, an important function that should contribute to public trust in their government.
The campaign's main theme has been established. Aungst, 50, points to his managerial experience in the cable TV industry, currently as public affairs director for Bright House Networks. The clerk needs to operate as a CEO, he says.
Burke, 44, responds by highlighting his accounting degree and extensive interaction with the clerk's office through his job at the law firm and as a principal in a related title business. His training as a CPA would be particularly helpful in overseeing the expenditure of county money, he says.
Both candidates have a point. No doubt, as Aungst says, the clerk is foremost an administrator who must guide and oversee a diverse clerical and financial operation. Aungst has proved his leadership abilities as Clearwater mayor, showing vision and courage in the face of criticism. A thin skin and aloof demeanor, however, have not always served him well when trying to build consensus.
Despite his rough edges, Aungst would be the pick in this race had Burke not prepared himself so thoroughly for the challenge. Burke's knowledge of the inner workings of the clerk's office is so insightful, it is as though he had worked there for years. He understands where operations are efficient - management of court documents, for example - and where improvement is needed most, particularly in providing easier access to public records.
Burke also recognizes a trait of the current clerk that needs no adjustment. "Mrs. DeBlaker has run this office with incredible integrity," he said.
DeBlaker should be thanked for her long record of public service, but it is time for a fresh start in the clerk's office. Use of the latest technology and management practices has lagged, staff morale has slipped in an inflexible management structure and an unnecessarily antagonistic relationship has developed between the clerk and other county government officials. That rift was seen in the audit function, which DeBlaker's office carried out with vigor if not always clear intent.
To her credit, DeBlaker correctly resisted any effort to weaken the clerk's independence in auditing county expenditures, but too often the audits focused on small problems or were motivated by a "gotcha" element of surprise. Burke correctly notes that the clerk can be more effective through the pre-auditing process, noting deviation from accepted accounting procedures early and saving wasted revenue, and as a CPA he understands the arcane language of auditors. Burke has another good idea to promote trust in the process, saying he would have an outside audit done on the clerk's internal audit division if he is elected.
Burke's activity in Republican campaigns over the years could raise a question about his ability to carry out the clerk's duties in a nonpartisan manner. His answer is reassuring: "There are no favors that should be given in this job, nor would I give any." Also, through his many civic activities, he has built trust across the political spectrum.
While Burke has mostly run an issue-oriented campaign, he did make a troubling misstep at a recent Suncoast Tiger Bay Club forum. He launched an unfair attack on Aungst, citing two controversial road projects in Clearwater that were approved before Aungst was elected mayor and drawing an inappropriate conclusion that the mayor could not be trusted. Burke should understand that such political antics only erode public confidence. Aungst has played rough, too, recklessly raising questions about legal contributions to Burke's campaign. Some already believe that the clerk and other constitutional officers who perform ministerial functions should be appointed, to take politics out of the process, and a distasteful campaign gives further credence to that view.
It really is a shame that this race would be about anything other than the difficult, but important, choice Republican voters have to make in the primary between two men who have prepared themselves well. The winner will face Democrat Carrie Wadlinger, who has been impressive in early campaign appearances, in the Nov. 2 general election.
In a close call, the Times recommends Ken Burke in the Republican primary.