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New Port Richey's Interim Manager To Keep The Job

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 6, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Pasco County's most populous city now has a permanent manager at the helm.

Tuesday night, the city council voted unanimously to appoint Tom O'Neill, the former public works director and interim city manager, to the job permanently.

Council members had planned to start interviewing candidates after elections April 11 but decided to offer O'Neill the position.

"We've got a very challenging time ahead of us, and we would be well-served to put the issue of a new city manager behind us," Councilman Rob Marlowe said. "So, we can concentrate on some of those issues that we're going to have to deal with."

O'Neill took over as acting manager Dec. 14, replacing Scott Miller, who took a job as city administrator in Leavenworth, Kan.

Miller's departure left Pasco County's largest city without a permanent manager at a time when officials were struggling to maintain services amid state-mandated tax reforms. He also left behind several unfinished downtown redevelopment projects.

O'Neill, 54, was hired in the public works department in 1974 and worked his way through the ranks to become assistant director then head of the department in 1989.

The city manager oversees a staff of about 250 people and an annual budget of roughly $50 million.

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (727) 815-1082 or cwade@tampatrib.com.

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