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Safety Harbor’s City Commission held a remarkable special meeting on the evening of Friday, Sept. 29. Not only was it held when everyone present should have been relaxing for the weekend, it drew a respectable crowd of 50 or more residents who actively and passionately participated in a discussion of whether the commission should withdraw its contract for Billy Beckett to become city manager. The final vote was 4-1 to stick with the offer, despite the surprise of a federal lawsuit accusing Beckett of racial discrimination while previously serving as city manager of Riverdale, GA, an Atlanta suburb.

The crowd was racially mixed and reflected a broad cross-section of city residents, including a number of city employees. The consensus was clearly in favor of Beckett, although few could have known more about him than what had been published in a local daily newspaper. Published information about the questionable background and apparent political motivation of his accuser, however, was enough to persuade most attendees that the commission should not be hasty to judge.

The most remarkable aspect of the meeting was not the decision, but the fact a public discussion was even held. It is hard to image any city commission of recent years being as willing to open its thinking and decision-making process to such public scrutiny. Commission meetings have sacrificed some efficiency for openness, but the atmosphere is refreshing.

Also of note, as little as a day before the meeting it appeared three of the five commissioners had made up their minds not to execute the contract. Commissioner Kara Bauer was very outspoken in her concern that the city was inviting trouble by hiring as city manager a man who was accused of discrimination at a time when the city was struggling with its own accusations of a similar nature. Interim Commissioner Claude Rigsby suggested the city consider appointing a staff member as an interim city manager and postpone a hiring decision until after March elections. Interim Mayor Andy Steingold suggested Beckett should have solved the problem for the commission by withdrawing his application as soon as he knew of the pending lawsuit.

Commissioners Kathleen Earle and James McCormick were not willing to allow a knee-jerk reaction and argued that Beckett was still the best candidate and the person they were ready to hire. With Bauer resigning to move to Texas, Rigsby truly holding his seat on an interim basis and Steingold facing election in March, the commission deferred to the two commissioners who are certain to have to live with the decision. Bauer, however, still cast a negative vote as she had publicly said she would do.

Beckett will begin work on Monday, Oct. 23 and the commission will have a third interim member the following week. Rarely are city governments in such a position of making a complete fresh start. The atmosphere established in what truly was a special meeting sets a tone that promises good decision-making.

Reader Scores ‘Flat Stanley’ Bush Autograph

To the Editor:

I want to share this letter we received from our grandson and our reply:

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

In my fourth grade class we just finished reading the book title flat Stanley. Stanley is the main character in the book. He is accidentally flatten when a bulletin board falls on him. He has many adventures as a flat boy. His parents folded him up and mailed him to California to visit a friend. I have enclosed a “Flat me.” Could you please take me somewhere with you or do something special with me? Would you then send me back to my school with a letter and some pictures or postcards?

My class will enjoy seeing anything that you send me back to me. It will help us learn about the world and all the interesting things in it.

Sincerely,

Cameron Weaver

Mentor, Ohio

‘Stanley’ Meets President

Dear Cameron,

We tried to think of an interesting place to take Stanley. When we were asked to volunteer at a fundraiser for Gus Bilirakis at which the President of the United States was to attend, I thought of taking Stanley along.

Yesterday, Wednesday, Sept. 21, we went to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, where the Buccaneers play football. I put your letter, together with the cutout of Stanley, in the pocket of my suit.

Your grandfather and I were fortunate enough to be in the front row of the crowd, across from the podium where the President gave his inspiring speech. Afterwards, he left the podium and walked around the front row of the visitors shaking hands and signing autographs. After, he warmly shook hands with both Grandpa and me, I thought of Stanley. I pulled the cutout of Stanley from my pocket and asked him if he would sign it for my grandson in Ohio. He said that he was familiar with the story of Stanley, signed it and gave me a little hug.

We hope that you will share Stanley’s adventure of meeting the President with your classmates and hope that it will inspire all of you to take an interest in politics and the future of the United States.

Sincerely,

Raymond & Eleanor Weaver

(Grandpa & Grandma)

Clearwater

Reader: Voters Can Make A Difference

To the Editor:

The voters in Congressional District 9 will have an opportunity to bring about change in the direction our country is going:

1. If you approve of the unnecessary war in Iraq to protect the oil interests;

2. If you approve of the men and women who have lost their lives fighting this unnecessary war;

3. If you approve of the debt our country is in — which probably won’t be paid off for years to come (we leave this debt to our grandchildren);

4. If you approve of offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico (which we were promised would never happen);

5. If you approve of the huge do-nut hole in your prescription D medication;

6. If you approve of the changes in the Medicare program;

7. If you approve of the way our veterans are being treated after they have served our country;

8. If you approve of the huge tax cuts given to the richest 1% of the population;

9. If you approve of the increases in our homeowners’ insurance which Congress promised to help;

10. If you approve of taking public money and giving it to private and parochial schools;

11. If you approve of the 11-12 million illegal immigrants in our country;

12. If you approve of the 20,000 men and women who are returning from the war in Iraq injured and dismembered…

If you approve of the way our country has been run for the last 6 years and want to continue to see it run downhill, then you will vote for Gus Bilirakis.

However, if you want to bring about a change in our country, and you want to see changes for the working class and poor people of our country, you will vote for Phyllis Busansky. This time, show everyone else that no one “inherits” a seat in Congress! Show everyone else that we, the people do matter!

Margaret Hyde

Clearwater