Council to interview remaining candidates

This is Dade City's third attempt to fill the position of city manager.

By HELEN ANNE TRAVIS, Times Staff Writer
Published November 28, 2007

DADE CITY - To prevent any surprises, City Attorney Karla Owens ran an Internet search on Dade City's two candidates for city manager.

Some of the articles Owens found said the men had poor relationships with other city commissions and councils.

But those stories barely caused a stir on the dais Tuesday night.

"Anything that you hear, you always take with a grain of salt," said Commissioner Scott Black.

Commissioners will interview Bruce Behrens, former city manager of Minneola, and Robert Mearns, former city manager of Fernandina Beach, on Thursday afternoon.

Candidate Matthew Brock, no relation to Dade City Mayor Hutch Brock, withdrew his application last week. He said he felt he should stay longer at his current position as town manager of Grant-Valkaria on the east coast.

This is the city's third attempt to fill the position, which has been vacant since June.

But it's not the only opening. Dade City has been without a police chief since former Chief Phillip Thompson retired in August.

The city manager chooses the police chief, and Jim Class, interim city manager, formed a committee earlier this month to offer guidance in the selection process.

The committee includes the assistant chief of the New Port Richey police and the chief deputy of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. Edna Gonzalez, who is engaged in a lawsuit with Commissioner Camille Hernandez's husband, David, is also on the committee.

Commissioner Hernandez suggested the city allow the new city manager to choose the next chief. She said Class didn't have any experience hiring a police chief and that several other citizens had expressed interest in serving on the selection committee.

No one else wanted to postpone the selection or recompose the committee.

"I think this whole thing is trying to make the process political," said Commissioner Steven Van Gorden.

Others agreed.

"I don't want us to get involved politically in this selection," said Commissioner Black. "If there's anyone who's immune to politics in this city, it's Jim Class. I think he's gone out of his way to make sure this is a fair process."

Mayor Brock pointed out that commissioners wanted Class to be the permanent city manager at a past meeting and he was surprised that now anyone would doubt Class, or the committee he formed.

On Tuesday night, commissioners also decided not to include a provision in the city's charter to have the mayor elected by citizens. Currently the mayor is appointed by the commission.

Commissioner Camille Hernandez brought up the idea of a citizen-elected mayor at the last meeting. She was the idea's only proponent.

"I like our system of checks and balances the way it is now," said Black. Now the mayor has to answer to the commissioners, he said.

The committee chosen to rewrite the city's charter wanted the mayor chosen by the commissioners, said Commissioner Van Gorden.

"I'm inclined to follow the recommendations of the charter review commissions," he said.

Helen Anne Travis can be reached at 352 521-6518 or htravis@sptimes.com.

[Last modified November 27, 2007, 22:11:33]