Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

Digest

Assistant city manager post filled by insider

By Times Staff Writer
Published September 20, 2007

LARGO

Mike Staffopoulos, the city's community development director, was appointed assistant city manager at Tuesday night's City Commission meeting. Staffopoulos, 39, will fill the position vacated by Norton "Mac" Craig, when he became city manager. Staffopoulos will oversee the city's Community Development, Environmental Services and Public Works departments. Henry Schubert, who also serves as assistant city manager, will still oversee other city departments. Staffopoulos, who joined Largo in 1999 as city engineer, has served as community development director since February 2003. His new annual salary will be $111,725, a 7 percent increase over his previous one. Staffopoulos lives in Valrico with his wife Caroline and 10-year-old daughter, Christina. Assistant Community Development Director Robert Klute will serve as acting director until the position is filled.

CLEARWATER

Tempers seem to have settled down

Don't expect Round 2 of Hibbard vs. Gibson at tonight's Clearwater City Council meeting. The two men said this week they have gotten over the differences that led them into a tense, finger-pointing exchange during a Sept. 6 council discussion about a Clearwater Beach boat slip project. In the waning few minutes of Monday's work session, Mayor Frank Hibbard said he wanted to clear the air, saying he wished the exchange never happened. Hibbard also said he wants to "work collaboratively" with council colleague Paul Gibson. Gibson - who at one point on Sept. 6 asked Hibbard: "You want to go at it over this?" - said the press blew the disagreement out of proportion. The mayor, he added, "is a nice guy."

Indigent are targeted in parks

Clearwater parks are going to have uniformed police officers patrolling following complaints about panhandlers and homeless people. One officer will be paid overtime four hours a day. The officer will work at different times each day and possibly at different parks. The pilot program will cost $28,000, and city officials will review it in six months to see whether it should continue.

[Last modified September 19, 2007, 23:10:11]