Column

Why are we losing so many administrators?

By JEFF WEBB, Edtior of Editorials
Published August 30, 2007

Here we go again.

Hernando County government finds itself in the all-too-familiar circumstance of needing to hire a county administrator. Counting the two department heads who served short times on an interim basis, that makes eight administrators in the past 10 years.

This time the top boss' chair will be left empty by Gary Kuhl, who confirmed Tuesday he is entertaining other employment offers. He said he plans to leave he hasn't officially resigned yet because he is "not sure I have the skills to resolve all the issues" Hernando County is struggling with right now. One of those issues is demands from some corners of the community to make drastic cuts in government spending without cutting services. Another is Kuhl's inability to overcome the misinformation and malice of an orchestrated campaign to portray him and the government he oversees as incompetent and/or venal.

Kuhl said Tuesday the county is in "turmoil" and that he does not envision "making progress" in this negative atmosphere.

Listening to his explanation brought a certain sense of deja vu about another guy named Gary.

Gary Adams, who was the administrator before Kuhl, expressed similar frustrations when he left Hernando. Adams, too, cited a losing battle with negativity, misinformation and distrust.

But Adams and Kuhl share more than a first name and aggravation about the perception of public servants in Hernando County. They also are both really nice guys. Some might argue they were too nice for their own good.

Both have been criticized for not being sufficiently zealous in defending good ideas, and for not being forceful enough when their bosses, the county commissioners, strayed from good public policy or meddled in the day-to-day operations of their staff.

Some of that criticism was valid. But there are not many who can honestly claim they have never kowtowed to the boss, even when the boss is obviously wrong. Like the rest of us, county administrators would prefer to remain employed. They don't want to take a job, invest long hours and make plans for the future, just so they can throw in the towel 18 months later, which, if Kuhl leaves in the next 60 days, will be the same tenure as Adams.

Kuhl says he will stay on board until the budget is set. Considering the consternation that has surrounded that process this year, and the guaranteed horde of unhappy taxpayers who will storm the commission at two public hearings in September, that is generous of Kuhl. Some might be tempted to leave the commissioners to fend for themselves.

But that's not Kuhl's way. He wouldn't do that to the commissioners, and he wouldn't do that to his staff. He'll be there to face residents, knowing their intent is to use him as a punching bag.

Reached at his city manager's job in Illinois Wednesday, Adams said he thought Kuhl was a good administrator and he is sorry to hear things didn't work out. But, Adams said, he also is "sorry for the county."

Adams said "I can relate to his decision. Hernando is a great community and a great place to live. But it is not a very good environment" for public servants, he said. The trade-off "is just not worth it."

Given the clear pattern of discontented CEOs, perhaps it is time to take stock of what Hernando County is trading.

Jeff Webb can be reached at webb@sptimes.com or (352) 754-6123.

[Last modified August 29, 2007, 20:51:40]