Rule may nix mixing business, pleasure

By BILL VARIAN

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 6, 2001

TAMPA -- To hear Commissioner Jim Norman tell it, the sex police are coming to Hillsborough County.

He was joined by several of his fellow county commissioners in saying a proposed anti-fraternization policy for county employees was an overreaction, at best, and possibly unenforceable.

"One person in city government (does something), and now we're going to have the sex police," Norman said.

Despite those concerns, a majority of commissioners on Wednesday asked the county attorney to craft a policy that would ban employees from having sexual relations with people they supervise. The policy will be written and brought back to commissioners for a later vote.

Norman and Commissioner Jan Platt were on the losing end of the 5-2 vote.

The proposal was initiated by Pat Frank in the wake of a scandal over allegations that city housing director Steve LaBrake brokered a cut-rate deal on a new home for his girlfriend, Lynne McCarter. LaBrake supervises McCarter, whose house is being constructed by a builder who has done work for the city.

Commissioner Ronda Storms led the spirited discussion, saying supervisors who have sexual relations with subordinates open themselves to the same criticisms as people who steer government business to friends and family.

"It's intolerable to work in an environment like that," Storms said. She said such relationships cause awkwardness for other employees, particularly if they think their co-worker is receiving favorable treatment because of a relationship with the boss.

"People should not have to sleep with their boss to get ahead," she said.

Both Commissioners Tom Scott and Stacey Easterling raised concerns about how the county should react if a relationship is discovered. Nevertheless, they agreed to consider a written policy.

Norman and Platt said concerns could be addressed through current policies, including those forbidding sexual harassment. Platt asked what would happen if a person is confronted about a relationship and denies it.

A component of the policy would require employees to disclose sexual relations with another employee.

"I think this proposal is going to cause more problems than it solves," Platt said.

- Bill Varian can be reached at (813) 226-3387 or at varian@sptimes.com.

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