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Dade City Finishes Manager Interviews

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By TODD LESKANIC, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 14, 2008

DADE CITY - Gary Word has been through the wars of municipal government. Billy Poe is looking to get onto the battlefield.
City commissioners spent about 45 minutes interviewing Word and Poe on Wednesday as they continued the search for a city manager to replace Harold Sample, who retired in July.

Word, 57, a native of Minnesota, would bring 30 years of experience with him. He spent 15 years leading Northville, Mich., a city about the same size as Dade City. Word and his wife moved to Florida in 2005, and he was hired to manage Islamorada in January 2006.

Word resigned from that job and worked his final day Feb. 1. He told the commissioners the parting was amicable.

Word said he makes decisions after taking input from everyone involved and that he respects opinions that he doesn't necessarily share. Once a decision is made, though, he said he expects his employees to abide by it.

Creativity isn't his strong suit, he acknowledged.

"If you're looking for me to be creative or a visionary, I ain't it," he said. "Sorry."

Poe, 31, is looking to land his first job as a city manager. He has spent the past eight years as an assistant planner for Zephyrhills. His lack of experience may be partially offset by his hometown roots. He has lived in Zephyrhills his entire life, and he and his wife are building a home there.
Poe said his position as assistant planner has exposed him to many areas of government, including economic development. He called himself a good listener and said his current job has allowed him to make a number of useful contacts.

"Although I've never had the opportunity to manage people, I have the vision and skill and determination to take Dade City to the next level," Poe said.

The commissioners will meet Wednesday to discuss Word, Poe and the two candidates they interviewed Monday, Lyndon Bonner and Gregg Williams.

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (352) 521-3156 or tleskanic@tampatrib.com.

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