Tampabay: Stanton may make case against firing

LARGO - City Manager Steve Stanton says he wants to keep his job and is seriously considering challenging his pending termination.

"I love being the city manager," Stanton, 48, said Thursday. "It's a dream job, and I'm not looking at doing anything else right now."

Tuesday night, a week after Stanton acknowledged he planned to have gender-reassignment surgery and change his name to Susan, the City Commission adopted a preliminary resolution to remove him. It also placed him on paid leave until a final decision is made.

That vote started a process during which Stanton can ask for a hearing to make his case.

Stanton received a copy of the resolution Thursday and has five days to request the hearing.

If Stanton asks for a public hearing, commissioners are required to hold it no sooner than 15 days and no more than 30 days after his request.

If Stanton does not request the hearing, the City Commission can make his termination final within five days of the day he received a copy of the resolution. The commission meets Tuesday, but the issue is not on the agenda.

If Stanton, who makes $140,234, is fired, he would receive a 12-month severance package.

Stanton said he will request an appeal if he can prepare a presentation that thoroughly addresses various issues and concerns raised by commissioners and the community about transgender people.

Tuesday, nearly 500 people showed up for the meeting to discuss Stanton's employment. Extra officers were on duty and the staff set up a registration area and additional rooms to accommodate the crowd.

"If I can't put together a decent appeal, I'm not going to disrupt the city organization," Stanton said.

Stanton also said it was too soon to say whether he would file a lawsuit to regain his job if the dismissal goes through.

Share your thoughts on this story

Read our guidelines for comments

Comments on this article

by o.j.	03/25/07 04:27 PM
this shows that if they want to get rid of you they can come up with anthing, lousy city commission ,they should hang there heads in shame

by Amy	03/14/07 11:11 AM
This has nothing to do with sex. He is man not a women, no matter what his mind might believe. Cosmetic surgery will not change that. He is mentally instable and not suited to lead a city.

by Blanche	03/05/07 07:19 PM
Steve should keep his job. What difference does it make if he is a man or a woman? His mind will not be affected, he has done a fine job for 14 years. The city commissioners are narrow minded. Don't discriminate. Good Luck Steve. Fight for your job.

by Mila	03/03/07 12:44 AM
Stanton should get to keep his job. He is the same person inside he was when he started. How he chooses to present him/herself has nothing to do with how well he/she can do his/her job! Whatever happened to non-discrimination!

by Tonya	03/02/07 10:56 PM
This is sad. Not because of what Mr. Stanton is doing, but because of the way people are acting about it. So many people are throwing Jesus and his name around. How do you think Jesus likes us judging someone else and their life?

by Melinda	03/02/07 10:00 PM
We support you Susan. The Council pandered to the vocal minority and didn't even try to hide their discrimintory ways. Go Susan! Fight the Power!

by Karl	03/02/07 09:39 PM
A few days ago the N.Y. Post ran an article about a similar case which went to court. The city worker was reinstated and taxpayers will pay for the operation S.http://www.nypost.com/seven/02252007/news/regionalnews/free_to_be_he_she_regionalnews_jan

by Becki	03/02/07 06:47 PM
wake up Largo! Stanton has done a great job for 14 years! So if he changes from tee-shirts to a bra, that does not change the ability to do a job. And to terminate him just lives up to the nickname of Largetto.What has he done? except be honest?

by Jon	03/02/07 06:46 PM
Tom, how exactly should Stanton have gone about it? He told his supervisors and close employees privately. He hasn't had a surgery, he's still a man. There is no official policy because it doesn't matter what parts someone's pants cover.

by Paige	03/02/07 06:26 PM
I hope he sues the heck out of Largo. I would rather my tax dollars go to pay millions to him than to support the activity of the ignoramuses who are trying to oust him.

by John	03/02/07 04:33 PM
I'm glad to see he is at least considering a fight. He should fight. He should stand up for his rights as a human being and he should stand up to these so called "christians" who worked so hard to get him fired. They should be ashamed.

by Kim	03/02/07 03:45 PM
Tom and Annie, I choked on your words. Contract and Jesus came. Stanton you are a lone but fight for your job and your rights.

by Robin	03/02/07 03:32 PM
Mr. Stanton has not "posed as a man". He is a man, and will remain so until his gender reassignment surgery. Before you condemn this man, you should at least attempt to gain some knowledge and insight about the person you're obviously so afraid of.

by Mathias	03/02/07 03:26 PM
Tom and Annie - please show compassion rather than throwing religion at Stanton. Religion is about compassion - local church leaders should be ashamed for not showing any level of compassion but rather incredible discrimination. Stand tall Stanton!

by Sharon	03/02/07 02:41 PM
Go get 'em, Steve. They said you do a good job. They gave you a 9% increase, and that also says you do a good job. Whether you are male or female should not change that. Fight the "city of progress." Discrimination is wrong.

by Lisa	03/02/07 02:35 PM
He should fight it, this is a clear case of discrimination. Poor logic, Tom. He is still a man, he has not misrepresented himself. He was forthright with his intention to transition into a woman. I hope he sues and wins. Largo = backwards bigots

by Terry	03/02/07 02:34 PM
I am glad to see he is considering challenging. Nothing he is doing affects his job, or his brain.

by Juan	03/02/07 02:27 PM
Stanton didn't give bad publicity to the city. The decision of the Comission is what gives bad publicity to the city.

by TOM	03/02/07 11:12 AM
Seems like he violated his contract. He misrepresented himself. He posed as a man, now it turns out he is a woman.

by Annie	03/02/07 10:11 AM
My heart breaks when I look at Mr. Stanton and think of the pain he and his family must be going through. Please ask him to look up Sy Rogers on the Internet, who once was considering becoming a woman until Jesus came and changed his life.

by Dean	03/02/07 10:07 AM
I'm glad that Stanton is not going quietly into the night.