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Council Has Fired 3 City Managers

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 6, 2008

Port Richey has had a tough time with its city managers. While the city of about 3,200 only recently began hiring full-time professionals, its track record to date is abysmal - with only one of the past five administrators leaving of his own accord.

Here's a brief synopsis of who has been at the helm:

William V. Mount (1984-85)

The former Dunedin city manager was hired as Port Richey's first administrator long before the city had adopted a city manager style of government.

He resigned in October 1985, citing strained relations with then-Mayor Harold Loser.

William Beauvals (1985-86)

After working as a city manager in Illinois, Michigan and Missouri, he was hired in December 1985.

Shortly after he took the job, however, voters decided in a nonbinding referendum that they didn't want a professional to handle the city's affairs.

In May 1986, the council abruptly voted to terminate Beauvals' contract.

"I only wish things had been different," he said at the time. "But I'm not surprised."

Max Pope (1994-96)

Hired as Port Richey's first professional manager, Pope came with stellar credentials in running municipal governments and a bundle of enthusiasm.

The honeymoon didn't last long.

In June 1996, after a year and a half in the job, the council voted to terminate him.

Pope was accused of misdeeds including: increasing a city employee's salary without council approval; authorizing overtime pay for an employee who is exempt from it; keeping a consultant's study from council members; and using "poor judgment" in keeping a daily journal that included derogatory comments about council members.

He denied any wrongdoing and accused council members of meddling in his job.

"I'm just weary of all the marbles that have been thrown under my feet," Pope said.

At the time, some residents accused council members of firing him because they feared a loss of authority and didn't want a manager to run the city as required by the charter.

Vince Lupo (1996-2004)

Initially hired as Pope's interim replacement, he stayed in the job when the search for a permanent manager fell apart.
Lupo had worked for Hillsborough County's government, as an assistant administrator and community planner, for more than 20 years before taking the Port Richey position.

Serving for eight years, Lupo was fired shortly after the April 2004 elections when a majority of the newly elected council members said he no longer could run the city.

The resolution firing Lupo listed 11 reasons a majority of the council lost confidence in him, including his April 13 promotion of Bette Farmerie from interim building official to building official.

Lupo was forced to fire her because she did not have a state license.

He called the allegations against him "politically motivated."

Jerry Calhoun (2004-07)

The Austin, Texas, native was hired after an exhaustive nationwide search for Lupo's replacement. Calhoun had been running a small city in West Virginia.

"You won't be disappointed," he assured the council during his interview.

Less than a year after he was hired, the troubles began. A new council was elected and almost immediately Calhoun found himself caught between competing interests.

Calhoun resigned from Port Richey's top management job in April 2006 on the heels of a contentious election. Then, he said he wanted to stay.

In August, Calhoun resigned again to take a one-year job with a private firm in Iraq.

Tribune archivist Melanie Coon contributed to this report, which contains details and quotes from previous news articles.

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