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Politics

Interim city manager favored for position

By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published June 20, 2007

By next week, Steve Cottrell could become the city's next permanent city manager.

City commissioners reviewed a proposed contract Tuesday and are expected to consider a final contract at their regular meeting Tuesday.

Cottrell, who formerly was city manager in Belleair, has been serving as the interim city manager in Indian Rocks Beach since April.

Last week, commissioners universally praised his performance, stressing his professionalism and his knowledge of local issues. City Attorney Andy Salzman was directed to negotiate a hiring contract with Cottrell.

In the process, the commission decided to ignore applications from 15 others who answered the advertisement for the city manager position.

Those applicants are: Wayne R. Bergman of Yardley, Pa.; Mitch Bobowski of Madeira Beach; David L. Denman of Boca Raton; Anthony John Dzielski of Indian Rocks Beach; James P. Gallagher of Winter Haven; James P. Gleason of Canton, Ga.; Cynthia L. Godbey of Tallahassee; E. Michael Latessa of Jefferson City, Mo.; Joseph S. Miranti of St. Cloud; Samuel R. Oppelaar Jr. of Panama City Beach; William H. Reynolds of Fairfax, Va.; John B. Schempf of Windsor, Vt.; Ronald W. Stock of Leesburg; Barry Tiffany of West Chester, Ohio; and James A. Woods of Southport. None has been interviewed.

"I have been extremely impressed with Steve, " said newly elected Commissioner Bert Valery. "I would like to see what we can do to hire him. If we can't, then we can move into the list."

Other commissioners agreed.

Said Commissioner Terry Hamilton-Wollin: "(Steve's) been an absolute pleasure to work with. He is patient, intelligent and gracious. I don't think we can do any better."

Commissioner R.B. Johnson said he saw no point in interviewing other candidates since the city appears "happy" with Cottrell's performance.

Mayor Bill Ockunzzi sounded the only note of caution. "I just remember the days of John Coffey when we had the same kind of comments from the commission, " he said.

If Cottrell is hired, he would follow two controversial former city managers - Coffey and Al Grieshaber Jr.

Coffey resigned last year amid a public outcry and formal investigation of his firing of a popular building official.

His successor, Grieshaber, also earned the ire of the commission over his billings to the city for allegedly unearned compensatory pay and improper moving expenses.

The commission recently agreed to hire an outside attorney to pursue a civil suit against Grieshaber seeking payment of more than $15, 000 the city says Grieshaber owes.

Preventing a recurrence of these issues is a primary focus of the contract negotiations with Cottrell.

Salzman stressed that Cottrell "understands our issues better" than the other city manager candidates. He said the new contract will include provisions to prevent a recurrence of what occurred with Grieshaber.

Cottrell previously served for nine years as city manager in Belleair and as assistant city manager of Plant City for seven years.

While in Belleair, Cottrell managed the daily operations of a municipality that provides police, fire, parks and streets, water, wastewater, sanitation, recreation, building inspection services and associated administrative services.

Cottrell was fired from his job in Belleair last August after growing criticism of his operation of the city - particularly in relation to his handling of a Police Department controversy that saw the resignation of its chief and several officers. At one point, Largo and then the Sheriff's Office took over management of the Police Department.

[Last modified June 20, 2007, 07:20:48]