Tarpon Springs Public Services Director Juan Cruz has retired after working for the city 43 years. ...more

October 21, 2009

Mark LeCouris could now be referred to as "chief-city manager." Tuesday night city commissioners unanimously voted to allow LeCouris, who has served as interim city manager since May, to assume the post on a permanent basis. ...more

February 18, 2009

PLANT CITY A leadership and management organization for local governments is honoring City Manager David Sollenberger for his many years of public service. ...more

September 17, 2008

Managers and employees at the Golden Aluminum Extrusion plant are pleased, for the most part, with the progress being made by the new owners of the processing and manufacturing facility off Sydney Road. ...more

July 2, 2008

We've all heard the phrase "no one is irreplaceable," and it's true. It's also true that some people carry so much institutional knowledge of an operation that while they may be replaceable, it's going to hurt. Sometimes the pain subsides quickly, and sometimes it lasts a long time, but either way, it hurts. When Sebring City Manager Bob Hoffman and Highlands County Administrator Carl Cool call it a career in a few weeks, we're losing important resources for one of our cities and county. The good news is that they are being replaced by extremely capable people, but the loss still is there. Hoffman and Cool have been on the job a long time around here. It's unusual for people in their professions to last so long in one place. Industry wide, city managers and county administrators often make enough enemies over the course of five years or so that they move on. The decisions they have to make ruffle feathers, no matter how well they do their jobs. It says a lot that they held their positions for so long. ...more

May 10, 2008

It's no surprise that South Florida Community College's President Norman Stephens received a positive evaluation. He's as good as they come in his position anywhere in the nation. The fact is, our area is filled with leaders who do a fine job. Stephens has continued a tradition of excellence at SFCC. If anyone's been critical of his leadership, we haven't heard it. That's amazing because rarely does anyone in a position of power maintain such high regard from so many people. Even many outstanding leaders, due to the tough decisions they have to make every day, generate a few enemies along the way. City managers, county administrators, school superintendents and a number of other key positions are tasked with difficult jobs that require decision making that upsets some people. Often those jobs have a high turnover. A lot of city administrators around the country last about five years and move on, due to their inability to be effective. ...more

February 1, 2008

Some people in Highlands County don't like hearing that to attract a top-level county administrator that the wages must be drastically higher than what's currently being paid. The truth, though, is that you get what you pay for. Highlands County and our cities have gotten off light on what they pay administrators. Elsewhere across the United States, these are well compensated positions and for good reason. City and county administrators must juggle so many constituents, and try to make the most people happy while looking out for the well being of whatever entity they serve. Sometimes making people happy and doing what's best are impossible to balance. ...more

January 16, 2008

AVON PARK — Two weeks after Sarah Adelt, who continues as the city clerk, took over as the interim city manager, it doesn't seem all that different in Avon Park City Hall despite the change in city managers. The double doors still open to Sarah Adelt's desk, and she's juggling the phone speaking to a city council member while plugging numbers into her computer's planner. Despite shuffling some tasks around "the transition's going very well," she emphasized. ...more

January 15, 2008

First of all, This Space wants to hear no fussing about the Legislature having better things to do than wrangle over naming a new state song. ...more

January 10, 2008

Port Richey has had a tough time with its city managers. While the city of about 3,200 only recently began hiring full-time professionals, its track record to date is abysmal - with only one of the past five administrators leaving of his own accord. ...more

January 6, 2008