A steady city manager in an unsteady world

By C.T. BOWEN, Editor of Editorials
Published October 24, 2007

In many ways, Steve Spina could be a Maytag repairman. The product is so dependable, the guy charged with keeping it running gets lonely.

Except, in this case of municipal governing, loneliness is an attribute for another reason. This is becoming an exclusive job.

Spina of Zephyrhills is the dean of city managers within Pasco County. He is one of two without "interim" in front of his title and a line of applicants outside the door. It turns out, even though he announced his intentions to leave his position next year, Spina isn't the only one contemplating a future elsewhere. New Port Richey's Scott Miller recently applied for a vacancy in Ohio, which means all four of the Pasco cities with city manager forms of government could be in the market for new administrators. More on that later.

First, consider the circumstances of each. Dade City has significant attributes and a charming downtown, but its stagnate growth rate hinders much of what its city government wants to accomplish. Port Richey is spinning its wheels over a still-to-be-financed plan to dredge private canals while the council ordered spending cuts -and miscalculated the amount - without consulting the city manager's office. New Port Richey has invested substantially in its redevelopment and shows a spiffy downtown, riverfront park and new recreation center for its efforts. But there is no movement on the large-scale private sector portions of the equation: the partially built Main Street Landing and the proposed residential/commercial complex around Orange Lake.

All of these local governments will be challenged by a legislative mandate limiting future budget increases. No wonder the managers opted for the private sector, the Middle East or sent feelers to Ohio.

Zephyrhills also invested in its downtown, helped add popular amenities like the YMCA and a splash park, built new headquarters for its police and fire departments, and wants to expand its library.

Unlike its west side counterparts, it is not land-locked. Commercial growth on the city's north end followed the development and then expansion of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. Residences came to Eiland Boulevard (a road originally dubbed the Zephyrhills bypass to take through traffic out of downtown) and services followed. New industry is poised to join the city.

Zephyrhills and the county partnered in the effort to lure Sysco Food Services' 257 jobs and nearly 400,000-square-foot distribution center to 62 acres off Sixth Avenue and now Progress Energy, the city and the Pasco Economic Development Council are working on building a 40,000-square-foot, $2.2-million spec building at the city's industrial park at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. A boat manufacturer is lined up as the first tenant and another is anticipated by spring.

There are approximately 260 city managers among Florida's 410 cities, according to the Florida City and County Management Association. The average tenure of a manager in one Florida location is six years. Spina has nearly doubled that, assuming the role of city manager in early 1996 after a heart attack claimed his mentor and predecessor, Nick Nichols.

He has survived critical council members and ill-advised attempts to oust him. The union representing the city's firefighters used to recruit and support council candidates it hoped would oppose the city administration. Public comments aimed at Spina and others were ugly and antagonistic. Now, some union members want him to stay.

So, here's the promised more on that later. Spina is thinking of continuing his tenure longer than expected.

"The feeling was that I've done what I could do. There were no issues, no controversies, nothing driving the train. I just wanted to do something different," he said. "But the state budget stuff, the economic development stuff, maybe there are some things to keep going."

Looking at the bricks and mortar projects - the downtown improvements or the YMCA - gives Spina the appreciation of tangible additions to the city's quality of life. But building something else, relationships with people, is one of his most satisfying duties.

Maybe it's not such a lonely job after all.

[Last modified October 23, 2007, 20:58:44]