New commission, new style

Some say the commission is studious and cautious. Says one: "There's not a lot of money . . . so they can't afford to make a boo-boo.''

By CHRISTINA HEADRICK

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 5, 2001

CLEARWATER -- The City Commission began its workshop at 9 a.m. Tuesday and didn't stop until 2 p.m., not even for lunch.

Such lengthy, talkative meetings have been the norm since voters elected commissioners Whitney Gray, Bill Jonson and Hoyt Hamilton in March.

Ask the 2001 City Commission how they describe themselves, and you'll get upbeat answers like these: "Consensus building," Mayor Brian Aungst said. "Energetic," said Gray. "Effective," said Hamilton.

Other observers describe the current commission as studious and cautious, especially after being elected in the wake of controversies such as the accident-prone beach roundabout and the failure of the downtown plan vote last summer.

And although it's too early to say what the results will be, some observers see a different style and atmosphere at City Hall.

"They're trying to rectify a lot of problems that they inherited, such as the roundabout," said Jay Keyes, president of the Coalition of Clearwater Homeowners Associations. "There's not a lot of money left to do anything, so they can't afford to make a boo-boo."

City Manager Bill Horne said the commission has deeply studied issues such as modifications to the Clearwater Beach roundabout and the design of the new main downtown library. Neither issue is resolved.

"This commission does not want to make mistakes, and that speaks to the new ones as well as the old ones," Horne said.

Commissioners have heard presentations and discussed issues weeks before they schedule a vote. For instance, the commission is expected to vote on an ordinance to crack down on restaurants that dump grease into city sewer pipes Thursday after weeks of study.

In the past, such presentations would usually be made during a workshop the Monday before a Thursday vote.

"I think there is much more openness in the discussion phase now, before the final votes," Commissioner Ed Hart said.

Among those who find the commission discussions useful is Mike Meidel, president of the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce.

"They do participate quite a bit, which I think is a good thing," Meidel said. "It's important to hear from all five of them as much as possible. It may be because they're new, but they can be pretty bold about their personal views."

Commissioners have played different roles.

Hamilton cracks jokes for comic relief and thinks he brings a "small-businessman's perspective" to the debate. He often alludes to both sides of an issue in his speeches, which can make him seem both diplomatic and confusing.

"I'm not sure we need to go to that expense," Hamilton said recently in a debate on city legal fees. Then he added, "I'm not totally adverse to it."

Hamilton says he doesn't mean to sound wishy-washy. "I can see both sides of issues," he said.

Hart and Commissioner Bill Jonson delve into details.

Hart presented commissioners with a spreadsheet Monday describing how he would cut millions from next year's city budget. City administrators, surprised by the proposal, are scrambling to address Hart's concerns.

This summer, Jonson produced an article for his fellow commissioners to explain to them how the human eye works. He wanted to illustrate why he thought the huge roundabout fountain could be distracting.

Jonson takes pictures of broken curbs and illegal signs around town to use as examples at meetings or to send to various city departments. For a recent interview with a reporter, he prepared a two-page outline of issues he wanted to discuss.

As for Gray, she asks sometimes blunt, clarifying questions.

This summer, for instance, Gray stopped the city's public utilities director in mid-sentence as he chatted about inflow and infiltration in the city's sewer system. "Do you mean leaks?" Gray asked pointedly. Yes, he did.

"It's important to me to get honest, simple answers to questions," Gray said.

The mayor often sums up or tries to set a tone for a discussion, sometimes using what he calls "trial attorney mode." He asks city staff members questions, making sure that certain points are addressed for the viewing audience of the televised meetings. But what has the new commission accomplished?

Dr. Gilbert Jannelli -- a local eye doctor, City Hall watcher and downtown property owner -- says appointing Horne has been this commission's major decision so far.

Commissioners agree.

"They parallel the old commission so far," Jannelli said, keeping projects moving such as the construction of a new bridge to Clearwater Beach or a new stadium for the Philadelphia Phillies. (He disagrees with both.)

"I don't know if there's been any landmark new projects being voted on yet."

Horne says he's ready to get to work on a new agenda. The city will host a "summit" with neighborhood leaders and commissioners Oct. 10. In addition, Clearwater may poll residents to find out what they want the city to focus on. After that, Horne wants to hold "visioning" workshops with commissioners to discuss the city's priorities this fall.

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