07/11/1975 (2), ' • 4 . ���
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C�TY AT�'ORNEY IN�'ERV�EWS
Ju1y 11, �.975
Th� City Cammissa.nn of the Ca.ty o� C�earwa�er m�� �o
in-��rview applicant� far the pogition of Ca�y Attoz�ney a�
�he Ci'�y tIa1Z, F'riday, Ju1y �.Z, 1975, with the Pol�.owing
members presen�: "
Ga�rie3. Cazares f�ayor�Commi�sxoner
Ka.r�.��n �'. DeBlaker CormnissionQr
John F. Rankin Gomm�.ssa.oner
Karen Martin Cammissiflner
Cammissione� Carwa.se aame z.n �a�er.
� THOl�SAS G. WRTGHT JR.
The first in�ervyew was a . a,m. wi.�h xhomas G.
Wright, Jr., Assistant Ca.�y At�orney, S�. Petersburg;� ��a�
I3e star�ed as a prasecu�or �.n �h� S�, Pe�ersbur� Municipal.
Cour�C and a�.so worked in thc Legal I]e�ar�men�. To ab�a�.n
experienee he volun�eered for dif�e�ertt px+ajec�s zn the de-
partm�ent. His par�a.eu�ar �ieZds were zoning and I�bar re�
�ations doing hi� own research. He p�opased a consalidation
of our Le�;a1 Department and �o take aver -�he J.aMor reZa�ians
work. fie considers himsc�.f a middl� of the road bet�►aeen a
conserva�ive and a Ziberal and �hou�;h�t the proppr ward would
be innavata.ve. HP inda.cated he approved con�ralled grawth
and he was praud o� ha.s �a.rs� �.abc�� re�a�ions arbi.�ration.
H� wouZd move �o Clearwater immedia�eZy by ren�a,ng an apart�
meat ��mporara.�y un�il he cou].d se31 his S�. Peter�bur�
hause and pur�hase one wi�hin the City l�mi�s of Cleax+water.
He did na� be].ieve �hat th�xe was any e'�hics prab].er�i as
�eap�e know he wouid na� d.avia�e over the lzne. Mr. ��fright
sta�ed he wau7.d ex�eat �a work more than �c4 hours in the
beginn�.n� to fama.l.i.a�+ize himse�.f wi�h the City o� Clearwater's
operation. He apparen�ly doQs nat be].ong �o the 5t. Pe�ers-
hur� Sar or the Americar� Bar ll�saaiatian but he wqu�.d joa.il
the G�.earwater Bar Associatian :i.f he mov�d here. A�: this
t�.mey he wou].d maka �he City A�torney posi�ian of C�.earwater
his liie-�t9.me career as �on� as �Che Commission wi�hed him �a
stay. He though-� �hat there should be a ma.n�.ntum base sa�ary
wi-�h considera�a.on b�ing �iven fnr �xperience, educa�tion, etc.
The posita.on here shou�.d pay between $25,OOG to $35,000. He
a.s now earnin� a�18, 000. In cone].usian, he s�ated h� wou7.d
we].came the C].earwater group contacting the St. Pe��rsbur�
Commission, or other5 in �he City a� St. Petersburg.
TdUGENT M. WALSH
A��:er a vex�y brief recess Mr. N�gent M. WaZsh was ushered
in for interviewin�. He sai.d -�hat he had ].ived 25 ycars in
C1.ear��ater and had been � years �tith the �ounty Le�al Depar�-
men�. He ��at�d he had not appiied ori�;inally because i�C was
no� c�.ear whether� the pos�tian wi�h �he Citiy was full or par�
time and whan a.� was dec3.ded �hat �he posa.�ian wauld be fu7.1
�ime he 6ubmi�tecl hi.s app3.a.cafiion and res�,une. �3e thou�ht it
i�au�.d be a challen�;e. ��o set up a new comp].e�e le�a�. deparfi-
ment far �he Ci�y and spUke brief�.y of �Che organa.zation he
ma.gh� suggest, and �ha� was �:o have maybe �wo Iaw alerks as
used in the County and passibly a pax�t �zme ratir�d a�ttorney.
He �hought that his experienec with the Caunty wautd be in-
valuable as the Coun�y probZems are �nmew�ia� sim�.lar �o that
of �he City exc�pt with a broader base and a�arger opera�ion.
He d�.d no� �h3.nk there wou�.d be any conflict of interest as
he had nat warked on most of ttze projects be�tween •the Coun�y
and Cxty. He �hough� �hat he wou�.d xike �o emplay outsa.de
counsel in unusual cases such as labor., P_CO�.Og�l� etc.
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i�e stateci hQ woulci in�orm c�.�iy�ng �ha�, as an at�orney for
' the Ci�y� he woulci be unab].e to render le�al opinions to
�hem un�es�s 3.nvo].vin� City ].aws. He would supp�.y le�al
adviae to the Com�nission but would .nat enter a.n�o �he
po�.icy angle, which wauld be �he Commissa.onta prsrQga�ive. , .
Comm�.ssioner Carwise arrived at this time. �
He has an account�.n�; de�ree but he said he did no� pasg the
� ' CPA exam and did not �o�.].ow a.� up because he was more a.n- .
. �eres�ed in �e��ing inta law. He thou�ht that both the '
S�:a�e Disclosure and 5unsha.ne 1.�aw were basicaZly �ood but
thay dan't seem �a work too well as th�y are �oo enmplicated
and cr�ata many probl.ems. The C�.ty M�nager concurred. He
ou�lined the various County F3oards and Departments he has
represen�ed. Mr. Wa1.sh stat�d he waB now receiving a salary
of $24,000 p].us �'ringe benefi�s and expressed �he opinion
•the Citv A�tornev�s �osi�ion ehould t�av abou� $35.000. 9
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