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Municipal primer helps candidates learn about city
By BRYAN GILMER © St. Petersburg Times, published February 6, 2001 ST. PETERSBURG -- By 4 p.m. Monday, City Council candidate James Bennett had been hit with a lot of information -- and paper -- about the city government for which he hopes to set policy. "Do you have a small hand truck?" Bennett joked, gesturing at the Leisure Services Administration organizational chart, the Police Department staffing study and the pile of other brochures, memos and paperwork he was about to carry to his car. Bennett was one of a dozen or so candidates out of 27 running for the City Council or for mayor to take the city up on a day of school to learn what the city's thousands of employees do each day. City Administrator Tish Elston and the staff of the City Clerk's Office oversaw the series of presentations by the city's top executives. "This is a very big corporation that we have here," Elston told the candidates at the end of the day. "If you become one of our legislators or our chief executive officer, you will need even more detailed information." The candidates said they found the presentations informative. They also noticed that the city's top staffers put their best feet forward -- the executives who have led Mayor David Fischer's administration could each be replaced after he turns the office over to the new mayor elected in March. So, many of the administrators addressed hot topics that relate to the departments they operate. For instance, police Chief Goliath Davis III detailed his effort to attract enough new officers to keep the police department fully staffed in the face of retirements, which is a campaign issue. He told the candidates he takes daily walks through police headquarters to talk to his staffers to rebut the idea that department morale is low. A few high-profile complainers may give candidates that mistaken impression, Davis said. "If you follow what's going on in the newspaper with regard to the (law)suits, with one or two exceptions, those cases have been arbitrated, and we prevailed, and they sued because they didn't like that outcome," Davis said. Fiscal Services Administrator Andy Houston reminded participants that the city has not overspent its Penny for Pinellas money, something for which the county government has recently drawn fire. Leisure Services Administrator Lee Metzger emphasized the new libraries the city is building. Mayoral candidate Ronnie Beck was intrigued that such issues found their way into the executives' presentations. "Obviously, they've been paying attention to the campaign," he said. "Sure they're nervous. Several of us have said we have some changes in mind. It's good to see that so many people want to stay." Some candidates brought up their own agendas. Mayoral candidate Omali Yeshitela questioned Public Works Administrator George Webb about the city-owned Albert Whitted Airport, which Yeshitela views as serving a small, elite group of airplane owners. "Whitted is 120 acres of public land that would otherwise generate substantial tax revenue," Yeshitela said. Mayoral candidate Maria Scruggs-Weston raised her hand for a question but ended up giving a speech about Davis. "I want to go on the record to say this is the kind of management style we need to be ready for in this city," she said, winding up a minute-long pat on the back. The city has long held orientation days for news officials after the election, while candidates usually have met with top leaders individually before the election. This year's large field made one big seminar the best use of staff time, Elston said. While she was at it, she reminded City Council candidates of the council's proper role: appropriating money and setting policy. The mayor's administration handles the daily details of the city. "Not to be too bold, but if you want to come in and do our jobs, perhaps you should apply for our jobs rather than be a policymaker," she said.
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