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City manager: Pay up or I'll move on

Steven Stanton says he will resign if Largo city commissioners vote to take away or decrease a raise they just voted to give him.

By SHANNON TAN
Published August 25, 2005

LARGO - City Manager Steven Stanton said Wednesday he will resign if city commissioners vote to take away or reduce a raise they just gave him.

Commissioners voted 4-3 last week to give Stanton a 4 percent pay increase, the same raise other top city administrators received. But Commissioner Mary Gray Black, who voted against the raise, contended that the city charter requires a super majority vote to change his salary.

Mayor Bob Jackson asked Stanton Monday whether he planned to get a legal opinion on the issue from City Attorney Alan Zimmet. But Jackson and Black have accused Zimmet of being biased because he reports to Stanton. So Stanton suggested asking an outside attorney for an opinion.

Jackson chose John Hubbard, the city attorney for Dunedin and Tarpon Springs, who expects to issue an opinion by Wednesday.

If Hubbard agrees with Black that it takes at least a 5-2 vote of the commission to give Stanton a raise, then that could allow the commission to reconsider its vote on his raise.

Stanton's contract stipulates that if he gets a pay increase that is less than what other executive management employees at the city receive, he could consider the move "termination without cause."

"I would consider that a vote of no confidence, and I would submit my resignation at that point," said Stanton, who makes $124,000 annually. "You're not going to treat me any less fairly than anybody that works for the city organization."

While Stanton says he is not looking for a job elsewhere, he says two cities have already approached him. He would not say which ones.

Several commissioners are upset that it has come to this. They criticized the mayor, who has voted against Stanton's raise for two consecutive years.

"I think it's part of the mayor's campaign to either get rid of Steve Stanton or be a strong mayor of Largo," said Commissioner Pat Gerard.

"We would be fools to let him (Stanton) go," she said.

Mayor Jackson insists he's not trying to force Stanton out.

"I would prefer he learn to work with the majority of the commission and pay attention to some of my suggestions," Jackson said. "I've never been out to get his job."

If Hubbard - who would be paid about $1,000 for up to five hours of work - reads the city charter the same way Black does, commissioners could consider voting again.

But Stanton doesn't think Jackson, Black or Commissioner Jean Halvorsen would budge.

"I'm not speaking about it," said Halvorsen, who said she disagreed with the percentage of Stanton's pay increase. Black did not return a message left at her home Wednesday.

Jackson says his decision would depend on whether Stanton changes his attitude. Stanton should stay - even if he doesn't get his raise, Jackson said.

"If he was really committed to the city, he would bite the bullet and say, "I will do what the commission wants,' " Jackson said.

This is not the first time Stanton, who was hired as city manager in 1993, has struggled with commissioners.

In 2001, then-Commissioner Marty Shelby called for his resignation when Stanton interviewed for a position in Colorado. But Stanton kept his job.

More recently, Jackson has complained about his limited powers as mayor, saying Stanton does not follow his direction. But while the two have clashed on a number of issues ranging from the strategic plan to the city's budget, Jackson often lacks support from most of the commission.

"I believe the city is going in a good direction, and I believe it's Steve Stanton's leadership that got us there," said Commissioner Andrew Guyette.

Vice Mayor Gay Gentry said she's concerned that Stanton received an overall satisfactory evaluation but now could be on his way out.

"What disturbs me is what message that sends to the city manager and everyone down the line," she said. "I don't think that makes for a good working environment."

Stanton's raise is the latest in a series of controversies involving city officials and the city charter.

Three commissioners contributed to city candidates in the March 1 election, an apparent violation of the charter. The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office decided not to file charges, and the commission voted against pursuing the matter.

Shannon Tan can be reached at shtan@sptimes.com or 445-4174.

[Last modified August 25, 2005, 01:09:20]