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Advice to leader: Let check spat go

Colleagues tell Commissioner Mary Gray Black a dispute with the city manager over a $75 check deserves no inquiry.

By LORRI HELFAND
Published September 22, 2005

LARGO - What City Commissioner Mary Gray Black wanted was an investigation into a run-in she had with the city manager over a $75 check.

What she got Tuesday night was advice from three fellow commissioners:

Work it out and move on.

Black told commissioners she was disturbed by a memo that City Manager Steve Stanton wrote about an incident on Sept. 14.

That day, she had tried to pay for a special event permit for Taste of Largo with a $75 personal check. Building department employees wouldn't take the check, and Black eventually asked Stanton to explain why.

In his memo about the incident, Stanton said Black pressured employees. The charter usually requires commissioners to deal with city employees through him, he said.

Black said she made a simple inquiry.

After Black read a two-page letter rehashing the incident at Tuesday night's commission meeting, Mayor Bob Jackson said he didn't think an investigation was necessary.

"What would it take to settle the issue, clear the air and move on?" he asked Black.

"Mr. Stanton made an allegation here. And either he feels he can substantiate it, or he can withdraw it," Black said.

"My concern is that if you interact with employees in a certain way, it becomes disruptive to the work environment and it is disruptive to the administration," Stanton told her.

Jackson defended Black's right to make an inquiry, but said commissioners need to be careful how they do so.

Commissioner Andy Guyette questioned Black's approach.

"Tones of voice and posture can change a question into a direction," he said.

Black, who has previously declined to meet one on one with Stanton, insisted she had the right to see Stanton.

"You know you can," Guyette said. "You have badge. You can walk right up there, rather than stay down there and create a scene."

Commissioner Gay Gentry had a suggestion.

"Maybe Commissioner Black could meet in Mr. Stanton's office and come to some mutual agreement how they can put this behind them," she said.

[Last modified September 22, 2005, 01:03:19]