Manager's job teeters in midst of new vision

By HOWARD TROXLER

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 20, 1999

Uneasy lies the head of the hired gun, brought in to run a local government in Florida.

The veteran survivors, such as Fred Marquis in Pinellas County or John Gallagher in Pasco, are exceptions. Dan Kleman has set an all-time record in Hillsborough: 41/2 years.

But for every Marquis or Gallagher, there is a Bonnie Dyga. Dyga got fed up and quit as Hernando County's administrator after a year and a half. The County Commission retorted by stripping her of her duties at once. When she showed up at work Wednesday, her computer password had been yanked.

This brings us to Mike Roberto.

Roberto, 44, is the city manager of Clearwater. He is now in his third year in that job. There is no question he is a dynamo of ideas.

Roberto has launched Clearwater on a plan titled "One City. One Future." It includes big changes on the beach, downtown, along Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard and in neighborhoods.

And yet, Roberto's honeymoon in Clearwater is over. The city is roiled. Critics are speaking out. Others are rallying to his defense. For the first time, city commissioners have spoken openly about the security of his job.

Roberto's first wave of difficulties -- "bumps," as he calls them -- came not from his plans, but from his methods of dealing with his bosses. City commissioners do not like surprises.

He dumped a controversial fire fee proposal in their laps and hit them on short notice with a tax rate increase. Commissioners were surprised to learn (after the fact) of generous perks given to top staffers.

One of Roberto's top aides was forced to resign after his contract was improperly altered -- twice. Some commissioners did not like the fact that Roberto spent more than $2-million on consultants, and $15,000 on a staff retreat. Some consulting contracts came in just below the $25,000 threshold for requiring the commission's approval.

Roberto enjoys the support of Clearwater's first-year mayor, Brian Aungst, and new commissioner Ed Hart. The better question is whether he will keep the votes of commissioners J.B. Johnson, Ed Hooper and Bob Clark. "Your job could have been in jeopardy today," Hooper warned Roberto at a meeting earlier this month.

Trouble begets trouble. Now some Clearwater residents who were silent during the honeymoon are speaking up. Most beach businesses like his plans, but some beach residents do not. There is a campaign button in circulation: "Time To Go Roberto."

For the first time, Roberto's vision is directly under attack: A group of former officeholders, including former Mayor Gabe Cazares and former Commissioner Fred Thomas, took out a full-page newspaper ad Thursday questioning Roberto's plans for downtown.

Some vocal support for Roberto is coming from members of the Church of Scientology, who are encouraged at the fact he has kept up a dialogue with the church about downtown development. His stance is reasonable, given that the church is expanding its already major presence. But neither Roberto nor the church need for him to be labeled as a Scientology apologist.

I met with Roberto on Thursday morning, and he was excited as ever. "I would match these accomplishments against any city, anywhere," he said. But he also agreed he needs to do things differently with the commission: "That is something I am readjusting to."

I hope he is sincere. One gets the feeling that another unpleasant surprise or two might be enough for the City Commission. That would be a shame, because Roberto's central message for Clearwater is exactly right: Doing nothing means slipping backward.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.