Even if Tampa City Councilman Frank Reddick were otherwise known as the consummate informed, insightful, on-point embodiment of city council reason, this would have been out of bounds. But that is not his reputation. And this was definitely not his call: haranguing Mayor Bob Buckhorn for personnel moves the mayor made in shaking up the Clean City program.
“Managers who are employed in this city government should be worried, should not be able to sleep at night,” he recently harrumphed from his city council bull pulpit. “I would be filling out resumes right now trying to get the hell out of this government.”
So, how the hell do you really feel, Councilman? Ever get over that pool-renovation flap?
Buckhorn’s move to consolidate Clean City and Code Enforcement was in direct response to an internal audit that was downright damning of Clean City. In effect, it said, Clean City needed de-lousing. More euphemistically put, efficiency and accountability needed immediate addressing. Obviously names needed taking. Four Clean City officials were consequently let go, and the resultant hybrid division, Neighborhood Enhancement, will be run by well-regarded, retired TPD Maj. Sal Ruggiero.
The bottom line, pointed out Buckhorn, should be improved service and dollars saved, which should be priorities even Reddick could sign off on.
Such oversight responsibilities are well within Buckhorn’s purview–not Reddick’s. City Council doesn’t have jurisdiction over the day-to-day doings of City Hall. But its members do get to grandstand for constituents, some of whom might even perceive a trash-talking rant as standing up to the man.
Buckhorn was doing what major-city mayors do. They aggressively sell and market their cities. They envision ways to grow them. And they manage the basics, which includes reorganization where necessary. The buck–quite literally–stops with them. In a strong-mayor form of government, Buckhorn, it can be said, runs the city. The grandstanding Reddick runs his mouth.
Reddick needs to stay mindful that his district is home to a number of important planned projects. His job is to keep the momentum going, not pick needless fights with the person in charge. His constituents, many of them needy with much at stake, should hold him accountable.