Some cities' workers miss out on King holiday

Several smaller area municipalities say they can't afford to pay employees for an additional day off.

By ERIC STIRGUS

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 16, 2001

LARGO -- As his friends and family watched Martin Luther King Jr. Day parades in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Tony Jones sat at his desk Monday morning.

Jones wanted to observe one of the parades, but while those cities closed their offices in observance of the holiday, his office -- Largo City Hall -- was open.

"I'd rather be off to enjoy some of the Martin Luther King celebrations," said Jones, 36, supervisor of the city's three outreach centers.

While the three most populous cities in the Tampa Bay area were closed for the King holiday, Largo and six smaller Pinellas municipalities were open Monday. The others were Belleair Beach, Belleair Bluffs, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, North Redington Beach and Safety Harbor.

Although North Redington Beach's doors were open Monday, employees had the option of working or not, according to a town official.

In some of those cities, the idea of shutting down government offices in honor of the birth of the civil rights leader has not been discussed. In most instances, these smaller cities, with smaller budgets, have been reluctant to pay employees for another day off from work.

Officials in those cities stress that by not closing their doors for the holiday, they mean no disrespect to the slain African-American leader.

"It's a hard call," Largo Mayor Bob Jackson said. "I think that if you have a larger work force and a larger population, you tend to take the day off."

Most of the cities that were open gave employees the option of using a personal day or vacation time if they did not want to work Monday. The St. Petersburg Times gives a similar option to its employees.

Nationally, federal and state governments are closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In 1993, Arizona and New Hampshire became the last two states to close their government offices to observe the holiday.

Two years ago, some Indian Rocks Beach employees asked their bosses why they had to work on the King holiday. City officials responded by talking to employees about the policy, and some workers asked why they could not have a day off for other observances such as Rosh Hashanah or Ramadan, said City Manager Tom Brobeil. In the end, employees wound up losing Presidents Day in exchange for two personal option days they can use for any religious or civil holiday of their choice.

"I think it is working out fine," Brobeil said Monday. "I think most of the employees like the option."

Since he joined the city four years ago, Safety Harbor City Manager Steve Wylie said the idea of closing city offices has never been discussed by commissioners.

In addition to the usual staples like Christmas and Independence Day, commissioners designate a holiday in which city offices are closed each year. Wylie said the city would risk putting itself on shaky ground financially by paying its 160 employees for an additional day off.

Wylie pointed out that the city sponsored a celebration on Saturday to commemorate King.

James Harris would like to see the city of Largo participate in more such events, if it decides to remain open for the King holiday. Harris, communications and marketing specialist for the city's Recreation and Parks Department, said he would participate in creating a program to celebrate the accomplishments and aspirations of King.

"I think it is something they should consider," said Harris, 24. "Either give us the day off or some kind of recognition program."

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