City risk manager out after discord

By Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer
Published February 26, 2008

TAMPA - The city's risk manager resigned Sunday after several of his employees filed a formal complaint saying he made them fear for their lives.

Bill Cody earned $89,000 a year as head of the division that oversees the city's insurance programs and property and personal injury claims filed against the city. He was hired in July.

Human resources director Kimberly Crum, Cody's supervisor, said she first learned there might be problems with Cody's management style in January when she received an anonymous letter claiming that he talked often about smoking pot, made racist statements and threatened violence.

According to the letter, Cody slept during work hours, pointed at his rear and crotch and said "they can talk to this" if someone disagreed with him and referred to a senior manager as a "fat, lazy pig."

The letter also says Cody said he would "come back and blast you all" if he lost his job.

Crum said after she received the letter, she referred Cody to the city's Employee Assistance Program, and an evaluation concluded he could continue working even though at least some of the claims about Cody were true.

"We went by their determination," Crum said.

But Cody resigned Sunday after employees filed a formal grievance asking the city to "remove the source of the threat of physical violence from our workplace."

"He offered his resignation, and I have accepted it," Crum said.

Janet Zink can be reached at jzink@sptimes.com or 813 226-3401.

[Last modified February 26, 2008, 00:35:22]