ken hagan: hillsborough county is toxic, dysfunctional

In requesting resignations from three top administrators in Hillsborough County, HCBOCC Chair Ken Hagan wrote an open letter to the community. I couldn’t find a cut & paste of it, so if there are any typos, they might be mine (the incorrect date is his):

March 9, 2009
OPEN LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY

As Chair of the Board of County Commissioners, I’ve now had an opportunity to review the auditor’s recent report in depth and to review again those matters which have been raised over the last few months about our County’s overall administration and management. It is clear to me that each of the three senior administrators involved have all had made tremendous errors in decision-making, to say the least. Further, many of those poor decisions have been compounded by public and private disagreements, back-biting and in fighting, and posturing. In my view, each of them as been more focused on maintaining their own status rather than serving the public good. The culture they have created has become toxic and dysfunctional, and the leadership displayed by these three top managers has fallen woefully short of expectations.

Perhaps, if this latest information from the auditor’s report were an isolated issue, I would be less vehement; however, that is not the case. And therefore, today I am compelled to advocate both swift and immediate action to return the County to its proper course. It is my firm belief that these issues may only be effectively addressed by sweeping change in the staff leadership of Hillsborough County.

Although deeply saddened that such actions have become necessary, I have strongly suggested to each – the County Administrator, the County Attorney and the County Auditor – that they submit their resignations no later than Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at noon. Absent those resignations, I will ask and encourage the full Board of County Commissioners to immediately terminate their employment.

We are fortunate to have an experienced, committed and talented staff in Hillsborough County, many of whom work tirelessly in public service. It is these individuals who will be critical to ensuring that the County and the administration continue to function and that no services to our citizens are delayed or forgone. In that spirit, I will suggest that the Board choose one or more interims from that capable staff to oversee these areas, pending a national search for permanent heads of the Administrator, Attorney’s office and Auditor’s department.

Certainly this is a difficult decision to make, and it is not a position I’ve come easily to advocate. However, I am cognizant as never before that with commitment, integrity and focus we can effectively manage this very serious situation, and return quickly to the business of running this County.

Sincerely,

Ken Hagan, Chair
Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners

If he were a blogger, he might have simply wrote this:

Dear Residents of Hillsborough County,

Some in our administration have been acting like a couple of pre-schoolers, and basically wasting our time & money.

And this didn’t just start happening this month.

We need to put an end to this nonsense, and some way or another, as the Trib suggested, they need to go.

We’ll start looking for replacements, but in the meantime, I’m sure everything can run just fine without these people. It can’t be any worse.

I really wish I hadn’t had to do this, but some way or another, they need to go.

Thanks, Commissioner Hagan, for finally attempting to bring this fiasco to some sort of end.

Oh, and by the way, this will likely wake up the “There needs to be a County Mayor” folks, too.

PS: The Times wants ‘em gone, too.