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Leaders would respect turf of each

Charter reviewers propose Zephyrhills council and city manager adhere to a noninterference clause.

By MOLLY MOORHEAD
Published August 25, 2005

ZEPHYRHILLS - The City Council legislates and the city manager operates.

That's the essence of a proposed charter amendment approved Wednesday by the citizens committee reviewing the document.

A proposed "noninterference clause" prohibits council members from overstepping their roles and directing work at City Hall. The elected officials can ask questions of city employees but not "micromanage."

"The issue, of course, is staff is under the direct supervision of the city manager," said Marilyn Crotty, a consultant who is directing the charter review.

She said if individual council members began managing employees, "it could create great havoc within the city."

Committee member Kent Compton suggested a parallel clause preventing the city manager from interfering with policymaking. "He should not participate in anything considered legislative (or) lobbying," Compton said.

The committee settled on a compromise, adding a section stating that council members and the manager will abide by their respective roles.

The seven-member committee is nearly finished reviewing the charter. Their proposed changes will then be forwarded to the council for its approval. The final changes will go before voters in next April's municipal election. The document has not been revised in more than a decade.

The noninterference issue has applications to the current climate at City Hall.

City Manager Steve Spina recently criticized council member Gina King for meeting directly with police officers without notifying him. On the flip side, King has chastised Spina for taking sides in last year's heated debate over the renaming of Sixth Avenue.

Crotty told committee members most council-manager governments include a noninterference clause.

Member Tom Vanater said it could be useful: "I think it goes to making things functional."

In other action, the committee added a one-line section establishing that the city will provide police and fire departments.

The addition means the council would not be able to decide to abolish either department, as Dade City did two years ago because of budget constraints. Dissolving either department would have to be decided by voters.

Chief Robert Hartwig and nine firefighters attended the meeting to show support for the addition.

Shawn Baptist, president of the firefighters union, said the issue came down to job security.

"It would secure our existence," Baptist said. "We don't want the same thing to happen here as happened in Dade City."

[Last modified August 25, 2005, 01:23:19]