Council settles tiff over meetings

New Port Richey City Council member Tom Finn suggests having workshops in an attempt to get his views to the water board, upsetting Mayor Wendy Brenner.

By BETH GLENN

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 27, 2000

NEW PORT RICHEY -- Still smarting from what he sees as the council's failure to appoint him to the Tampa Bay Water board last week, council member Tom Finn tried a different tack to get his ideas before the board this week.

Finn suggested Tuesday night that the council meet monthly to provide direction for council members serving on auxiliary boards, a suggestion that Mayor Wendy Brenner described as a "personal attack." Council members elected Brenner to represent the city on the board for the region's largest water utility last week.

"I think it's important that all of us discuss things we take outside," Finn said as council members proposed procedural changes to their working rules. "We need to have consensus going into these things. I'd like to see as part of our work sessions what we expect in the upcoming agendas for those places.

"I just would feel more comfortable if we discussed some of those issues."

Brenner was quick to nix the idea.

"I don't agree with coming here and discussing every single item, then going to our respective committees," she told Finn. "I've been elected to represent this body on Tampa Bay Water, and I know you were opposed to that and I'm sorry. I truly am. However, it's my responsibility to do that, and I'm not going to come before council every time I get an agenda and discuss that.

"If we don't trust those people sitting up here, then we're not team players," she said.

Brenner went on to suggest that anyone who wanted to place an item on the regular council agenda, or that of a work session, could do so through the city manager.

"Personally, I think that's an attack on the individuals up here because you don't trust them to go and represent you, because you want to have an input on everything that's done, and I don't agree with that."

Finn responded:

"I definitely didn't wish to personally attack you,' Finn told Brenner. "But I feel I have a perspective that I'm very interested in seeing presented for the benefit of everyone.

"I'm just asking to be incorporated and that you hear some of my concerns."

Finn raised similar questions last week, saying Brenner lacked the time to give the water board adequate attention. She addressed those accusations Tuesday.

"It's not going to work, and no matter what you say about it not being a personal attack, the veiled references and everything were uncalled for," Brenner said. "I don't appreciate it and I want it to be over."

Finn said he got the idea of a monthly meeting from the county, which has two representatives on Tampa Bay Water. Each month, they sit down with the county staff to review their agenda, and other commissioners are invited to chime in.

Although Finn had hoped to be the water board nominee, Brenner won the right to represent the city in a 4-1 vote. Finn was the only dissenter. His proposal applied to other boards where the city is represented, such as regional transportation and planning committees. In hopes of shortening meetings and addressing his concerns, council member Ginny Miller and Brenner suggested a compromise: a monthly segment when council members could report on any auxiliary board activities they thought relevant to the city.

"I think we can all judge what our council wants to hear about," Brenner said.

By Wednesday, it appeared much of the tempest had blown over.

Brenner said she was over the incident.

"I just think that when the council makes a decision and the decision is made and you're on the losing end of it, you need to get over it," Brenner said.

Finn was conciliatory:

"She was the nominee, she was confirmed by the rest of the council, and I stand behind her and don't want do anything to undermine her position there," he said. "I don't want anyone to think there's a lack of rapport between us."

-- Beth Glenn covers business in Pasco County. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6229 or (800) 333-7505, ext. 6229. Her e-mail address is glenn@sptimes.com.

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