S.Stanton Top of City's List

"Sex change official moves up on city list
By CAROL E. LEE
carol.lee@heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA -- One of the front-runners for Sarasota's city manager position is the former Largo city manager who was fired after commissioners there learned of his plans to have a sex change.Steven Stanton, who applied as Susan Stanton while noting that the name change is not yet official, was one of three applicants that all five Sarasota city commissioners chose Wednesday among their top candidates.

The commissioners had intended to whittle down the pool of 18 semifinalists to eight, but by the end of a two-hour meeting had settled on 11.A consultant will narrow the 11 down to four to six finalists after conducting background checks and checking references. The commissioners will interview them May 29.The three candidates who won unanimous support from the commission have all served as city managers in Florida.Stanton was Largo city manager for 14 years before he was ousted in March. Patrick Salerno has been the city manager of Sunrise since 1990. Robert Bartolotta was city manager of Jupiter until resigning in 2004 to care for his ailing wife, who has since passed away."I'm interested in getting back into Florida management," Bartolotta said in a telephone interview from Savannah, Ga., on Wednesday. "Service is in my blood."Stanton plans to interview as a woman if he makes the final cut."It would be a dream job," said Stanton, who has visited Sarasota many times during the past few years, as Steven and as Susan."Being part of the community would be such an outstanding ending to what started out as a very unpleasant journey 40-some days ago," Stanton said. Sarasota commissioners' choice "contrasts how one community dealt with diversity and how another is planning to," he said."The fact that the commission has enough faith to look at someone for their credentials speaks miles of the inclusive nature of Sarasota."Salerno could not be reached for comment on Wednesday, but the city's consultant, Tom Freijo of The Mercer Group Inc., told the commissioners that Salerno had expressed interest in the Sarasota job before The Mercer Group started advertising for it.Each commissioner selected his or her top eight candidates from a stack of 18 resumes, while Freijo tallied up their nominations on a 2-foot-by-2-foot Post-It.Another three of the 11 contenders now up for review got the support of four commissioners:Daniel Fitzpatrick has been the city manager of Peekskill, N.Y., for the past four years.Marsha Segal-George has been deputy chief administrative officer of Orlando since June 2006.Michael Wright is assistant city manager for development and transportation in Tallahassee."I would certainly be paying a great deal of attention to them," Freijo said of the candidates with four or five commissioners' support.Five other applicants, who made it on two commissioners' lists, would serve more as backups, he said. They are:James Baker, director of administration for St. Louis County in Missouri.Matt Carlson, city administrator of Delafield, Wis.Dennis Kelly, deputy city manager of North Miami.James Palenick, city manager of Rio Rancho, N.M.Terry Zerkle, president of Local Government Network Inc., a consulting business in Cave Creek, Ariz.Commissioners will make a final selection May 30.
Last modified: May 03. 2007 4:31AM
SARASOTA -- One of the front-runners for Sarasota's city manager position is the former Largo city manager who was fired after commissioners there learned of his plans to have a sex change."

S. Stanton applies for city manager job in Sarasota

"April 18. 2007 3:27PM
Ex-Largo city manager applies for same job in Sarasota
By CAROL E. LEE
carol.lee@heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA — The Largo city manager who was fired last month after his plans to undergo a sex change became public has applied for the city manager position in Sarasota.Steven Stanton submitted his resume this week.“I really had not anticipated applying for a city manager job so quickly,” Stanton said in a telephone interview Wednesday. “But the opportunity has availed itself, and so we’ll see.”

On May 2, city commissioners will review 12 to 18 semi-finalists for the city manager job, which has been filled by an interim city manager since Michael McNees resigned in January.The following week commissioners will narrow the pool down to eight candidates, who will be interviewed on May 29.If Stanton is among the group, he could interview as Susan Ashley Stanton.He began the legal process last week to permanently change his name to Susan, the name his late mother had picked out for him if were he born a girl, and has publicly said that he will begin appearing as her by the end of May.Stanton acknowledged that the national attention surrounding his departure from Largo could follow him to Sarasota.“That’s going to be something that we’ll have to talk about,” he said. “I’ve become a very public figure in a very short period of time. There might be some concern in that area.”Commissioner Ken Shelin said it would not impact his decision, were Stanton to make it to the final round in the process.“If he turns out to be the best qualified for the job I wouldn’t have a problem voting for him,” Shelin said.“What I’m looking for is somebody who’s a change agent, somebody who’s adaptable, somebody who can handle criticism.

The city’s search for a new manager is being conducted by Winter Haven-based The Mercer Group, Inc. Senior Vice President, Tom Freijo, whom Stanton said he submitted his resume to, was unable to be reached for comment. Sarasota’s director of Human Resources, Kurt Hoverter, said he did not know how many people have applied for the job so far.Stanton served as Largo city manager for 17 years.Less than a week after The St. Petersburg Times reported in February that Stanton had begun hormone therapy in order to prepare for surgery to become a woman, the Largo City Commission placed Stanton on paid leave and initiated a process to dismiss him.On March 23, Largo commissioners voted 5-2 to fire him.

Stanton, who has said he thought of becoming a woman since he was a child, is in the process of separating from his wife, with whom he has a teenage son.If selected for the Sarasota job, Stanton said it would be a fresh start and an opportunity to educate others about what it means to be a transgender. "

Source:

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070418/BREAKING/70418025

Florida Legislative update on voting bills

Budget conferences are now happening in the Florida House and Senate on bills for the Governor’s paper ballot initiative.

The message to legislators now is PASS and FUND the bills.

Wednesday the 25th email your legislators and the Governor.

www.safevote.org

Members of the House Policy and Budget Council: ray.sansom@myfloridahouse.gov ; jack.seiler@myfloridahouse.gov ; kevin.ambler@myfloridahouse.gov ; loranne.ausley@myfloridahouse.gov ; aaron.bean@myfloridahouse.gov ; dorothy.bendross-mindingall@myfloridahouse.gov ; ellyn.bogdanoff@myfloridahouse.gov ; marty.bowen@myfloridahouse.gov ; mary.brandenburg@myfloridahouse.gov ; don.brown@myfloridahouse.gov ; dean.cannon@myfloridahouse.gov ; joyce.cusack@myfloridahouse.gov ; charles.dean@myfloridahouse.gov ; bill.galvano@myfloridahouse.gov ; andy.gardiner@myfloridahouse.gov ; Michael Grant ; adam..hasner@myfloridahouse.gov ; will.kendrick@myfloridahouse.gov ; dick.kravitz@myfloridahouse.gov ; matt.meadows@myfloridahouse.gov ; joe.pickens@myfloridahouse.gov ; priscilla.taylor@myfloridahouse.gov ; trey.traviesa@myfloridahouse.gov ; baxter.troutman@myfloridahouse.gov ; shelley.vana@myfloridahouse.gov ; juan.zapata@myfloridahouse.gov

Members of the House Economic Expansion and Infrastructure Council: dean.cannon@myfloridahouse.gov ; dick.kravitz@myfloridahouse.gov ; joyce.cusack@myfloridahouse.gov ; gary.aubuchon@myfloridahouse.gov ; susan.bucher@myfloridahouse.gov ; edward.bullard@myfloridahouse.gov ; larry.cretul@myfloridahouse.gov ; don.davis@myfloridahouse.gov ; mike.davis@myfloridahouse.gov ; Keith Fitzgerald ; rich.glorioso@myfloridahouse.gov ; doug.holder@myfloridahouse.gov ; peter.nehr@myfloridahouse.gov ; pat.patterson@myfloridahouse.gov ; betty.reed@myfloridahouse.gov

Foley Back From Rehab

Is he cured from seeking out under-age interns?

"Foley Back From Rehab; Florida Considering Charges
March 28, 2007 5:00 AM

Brian Ross and Vic Walter Report:

Florida law enforcement officials are building a possible criminal case against disgraced former Congressman Mark Foley, R-Fla., based on sexually explicit instant messages that were sent from Pensacola, Fla., to an underage high school student, thereby falling under the state's tough law on Internet sexual predators, ABC News has learned.

"It's a broad statute, and it encompasses a lot of activity," said Maureen Horkan, the director of the Child Predator CyberCrime Unit in the Florida Attorney General's office.

Foley has begun to re-emerge publicly in Palm Beach, Fla., after spending weeks at an Arizona rehabilitation center for what his lawyer described as issues involving substance and his own alleged sexual abuse as a minor.

He was seen last week bicycling along South Ocean Boulevard wearing a helmet and bike racing outfit.

Unlike federal law, the Florida statute makes it a crime simply to use lewd or explicit language "that is harmful to minors."

Rep. Vern Buchanan on Iraq

I recently expressed my desire to end the War in Iraq to Florida District 13 Rep. Vern Buchanan. Below is his response.

March 19, 2007


"Dear Mr. Brooks,

Thank you for contacting me in opposition to President Bush's plan to send more U.S. troops to Iraq . I have serious concerns over whether this increase will lead to a successful outcome.

The President's plan includes $5.6 billion for the troop increase and more than $1 billion in new economic aid for Iraq . It also calls for better performance by the Iraqi government to control its own security.

There is no question that Iraq needs to take responsibility for the protection of its own people. And that's not happening. At this moment, there are 27 trained and equipped Iraqi battalions sitting outside of Baghdad in peaceful areas of the country. These Iraqi forces need to be moved immediately into the fight in Baghdad .

In the meantime, I will carefully weigh the President's plan to determine whether it will lead to a stable Iraq and the swift and safe return of our troops. There are legitimate questions as to whether an infusion of American troops will help stabilize Iraq . I want to know if our military commanders and veterans think an increase in troops will help Iraq resolve its internal conflict.

Thanks again for contacting me. Your opinions help me to better serve you and all the people of southwest Florida . Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office.



Sincerely,

Vern Buchanan

Member of Congress"