 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
More than 600 sign petition to keep city manager
By ALEX LEARY © St. Petersburg Times, published January 10, 2001 CRYSTAL RIVER -- They fell short of their goal, but backers of David Sallee on Monday presented the City Council with signatures of more than 600 people who want to retain the city manager. The council voted 3-2 in late November not to renew Sallee's contract when it expires in June. The move provoked an unprecedented effort in which activists took to the streets and urged their neighbors to sign a petition. Reacting to the sense of urgency invoked by the petition, council member Joe Chrietzberg said it could be detrimental to the negotiation process because Sallee would have a decided advantage. Chrietzberg said the call for hasty action may cause him to rethink proposals to make city manager contracts last five years and to require a supermajority to oust the top employee. The so-called Citizens For Sallee had hoped to append 1,000 names to the statement, which asserts the council acted "in furtherance of political aims" that do not reflect Sallee's "excellent record of achievement at city hall." One of the organizers, Bud Kramer, said 679 people were approached and only 20 chose not to sign. "We've met people who have been here one year, 50 years and anywhere in between," Kramer said. "And they are really concerned about what's happening with the City Council and its (retention) of the city managers over the years. David Sallee is intelligent, organized and he is very dedicated to the city. It would be difficult to replace him." Sallee said he was flattered by the effort. "What they did was extraordinary," he said Tuesday. "It really is not solely a reflection on David Sallee; it is a reflection on satisfaction with staff and a dissatisfaction with past practices." In a carefully worded rebuttal, Chrietzberg, who made the motion on Nov. 27 to not extend the contract, said the petition came on too strong. Singling out the words "demand," "immediately" and "rescind," Chrietzberg, in a two-page single-spaced statement, questioned whether the council's hands are now tied from making a careful and considerate solution to the situation. "With a petition in hand with many names, Mr. Sallee has gained an advantage in contract renewals to the disadvantage of the City Council. I say this complimentary to Mr. Sallee, not as negative from his standpoint," Chrietzberg said. The petition "gives the opinion that Mr. Sallee must be hired back at any cost, no matter what the cost to the city of Crystal River in any contract renewals." He said he was considering making a motion for five-year city manager contracts with an option for renewal up to five additional years. Sallee has a two-year contract. A supermajority -- that is, four of five council members -- would be required to terminate the contract, under a separate proposal Chrietzberg made public Monday. Both of these measures, if enacted, would provide the stability Kramer and others are seeking. The council could still fire a manager before five years, but unless there was obvious malfeasance, the city would have to pay the remaining years. "That makes it very, very important who you select in the beginning," Chrietzberg said. Chrietzberg went on to suggest that an open hiring process would be held for the city manager job but Sallee would be able to resubmit his name. Sallee, however, said he would not take part in an open pool. "I have the contract," he said Tuesday, reiterating what he told the council the night before. "You can extend it or not extend it." In other council action: Firms were selected to plan and design a project to replace more than 500 septic tanks. The work is being paid for by a $4.3-million state grant. The two firms, Berryman & Henigar of Ocala and Crystal River and Parsons Engineering Science of Tampa, will be paid a total of about $400,000, according to Sallee. A plan to revamp the Sanitation Department hit a snag when the council said it wanted staff to revisit commercial service. An "enhanced residential" proposal presented Monday called for the city to give up commercial accounts but keep residential. Doing so would require a 25 percent rate increase over two years but has been backed by many residents. Keeping the commercial accounts, city officials warned, would require new equipment, increasing taxpayers' burden. The department has been running a deficit because of underbilling, high salaries and a rising cost of business. The deficit was nearly $73,000 in fiscal year 2000. The council indicated interest in exploring the refinance of water and sewer bonds issued in 1992. The city could save more than $400,000 by refinancing, according to Sallee. The investment bank Hanifen, Imhoff of Winter Park is negotiating the deal. The council gave the police department approval to seek accreditation with Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation Inc. The status, which is awarded to departments that meet high standards, would raise the stature of the Crystal River Police Department. Police Chief James Farley said it fits in with his goal of making the department the best of its size in Florida by 2006.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
Citrus Times |
