April 14, 1998
Harriss named city manager
By TIFFANY MERLO
Staff Writer
St. Augustine city commissioners didn’t have to look far Monday night for their new city manager.
By a unanimous vote, Assistant City Manager Bill Harriss was appointed to the position during the commission’s regular meeting.
Harriss fills the shoes of Joe Pomar, who resigned as city manager March 31.
‘‘I very much appreciate the honor the City Commission has bestowed upon me, and hope I will be able to live up to their expectations,’’ Harriss said after the meeting.
During the meeting, commissioners expressed confidence in Harriss.
‘‘He’s got the skills. I’ve seen him in action. I’ve watched him work,’’ said Commissioner Mark Alexander.
Commissioner Bill Lennon agreed.
‘‘We all have had an opportunity to work with him. We all know he can do the job,’’ said Lennon.
Commissioner John Reardon wanted a wider search. He suggested that the city advertise the position in trade magazines. All responses would go to a citizens’ board that would select five to seven candidates and forward them to the commission, he said.
‘‘Why choose from one when you could choose from 100?’’ asked Reardon. ‘‘It’s by no means reflecting on anyone locally in a negative way at all.’’
Reardon added that no set requirements existed for the city manager’s position — something he thinks the commission should create. For example, he said a bachelor’s or master’s degree in public administration should be essential.
Even though he wanted the hiring process to be revised, Reardon said he would support Harriss for the job.
‘‘I’m not at odds with hiring Bill Harriss,’’ he said.
Commissioner Susan Burk said a search could not render someone as prepared for the job as Harriss. She also said hiring from within boosts morale among city staff.
‘‘We will never know anyone as well as we know Bill Harriss ... I don’t like going through an exercise just for the sake of going through an exercise,’’ she said.
Commissioners also decided to wait until their April 27 regular meeting to approve Harriss’ contract and set a salary. Because the city will wait two weeks to determine the salary, that pay will be retroactive.
Pomar left the city payroll while making about $93,000.
Reardon said he felt the position’s salary should be re-evaluated.
Harriss has been with the city for 13 years. Harriss began with the city as the director of finance and was later promoted to director of general services. In 1991, he held the dual title of director of general services and assistant city manager. Soon after, he took the sole title of assistant city manager.
‘‘I believe St. Augustine is the crown jewel in this country’s history, and we must constantly work to preserve historical resources that have been left to us,’’ said Harriss. ‘‘My intentions are to provide an atmosphere within city government that not only listens but accepts new or alternative ideas to accomplish these goals.’’
(c) St. Augustine Record
HARRISS broke that promise. Here's another interesting story:
May 23, 1998
Bill Harriss is finding his way as city manager
By TIFFANY MERLO
Staff Writer
It only takes one glance at Bill Harriss’ desk to know what he’s been doing during his first few weeks as St. Augustine city manager.
Almost every inch of his desk is covered with piles of paper. Each stack represents an ongoing project or issue that Harriss is in the process of solving.
Ask him to locate documents from past City Commission meetings and that will require help from his assistant.
‘‘It would be great if I could just focus on one thing at a time. I have at least five projects to handle at once,’’ he said.
Harriss was appointed city manager April 13, filling the position left by Joe Pomar who retired March 31.
Ask Harriss what his goals are as city manager and he’ll list three items: stabilize personnel issues, identify significant issues and then prioritize.
Personnel changes include Public Works Director Jack Cubbedge’s appointment as assistant city manager while waiting for the public works and utilities directors to assure their duties.
This means that Harriss and Cubbedge are working double duty.
Meantime, Harriss said he has confidence in the department heads to keep city business intact.
When Harriss took the position, he said Pomar gave him some advice.
‘‘He told me that there would come a time when I would feel comfortable and could say ‘I can handle it,’ ’’ he said.
Harriss said he got that feeling about two weeks ago.
‘‘It was just a matter of putting things in the right places and slots,’’ he said.
As far as identifying long-term goals, Harriss said that’s something he won’t do.
‘‘It’s my job to take the five commissioners’ wishes and philosophies and put that into a cohesive operating system,’’ he said. ‘‘I want to create an environment where the commission can bring those wishes up.’’
Harriss described himself as very conservative and as employee- and people-oriented.
‘‘I like people. I’m a problem solver. I eliminate bottlenecks and get things done,’’ he said.
That’s a description Mayor Len Weeks finds accurate.
Weeks said Harriss is making the city more user-friendly, eliminating any negative public perceptions about city government.
‘‘Bill will be very open ... I really do believe that he is qualified to do the job,’’ said Weeks.
Harriss began with the city as the director of finance and was later promoted to director of general services. In 1991, he held the dual title of director of general services and assistant city manager. Soon after, he took the sole title of assistant city manager.
Friendly? That's not the word for HARRISS, unless you're a speculator like ROBERT MICHAEL GRAUBARD. HARRISS and other city officials may have threatened and intimidated citizens for the last time. Their chickens are coming home to roost.
See below and above. In Churchill's words, we've entered an era of consequences. .
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