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New Port Richey Hires City Manager

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 7, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Pasco's biggest city now has a permanent boss 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 full-time.

The council originally had planned to begin the process of interviewing candidates for a new manager after the April 8 elections, but they decided to offer O'Neill the position.
Council members said the decision to give O'Neill the job was practical and lauded his years of experience with the city government and his connections in the community.

"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, 57, was hired in November 2004, replacing 16-year manager Gerald Seeber.

Miller's departure left Pasco County's largest city without a permanent manager at a time when officials are struggling to maintain services amid state-mandated tax cuts. 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 to become the assistant director and, eventually, director of the department in 1989.

The city manager oversees a staff of about 250 and a budget of about $50 million.

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

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