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Clerk Lets Down Residents, Tarnishes His Reputation

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 22, 2008

Pasco County Clerk of the Circuit Court Jed Pittman is ending a long, distinguished career on a very sour note over the most basic job responsibility: showing up for work.

Pittman, who has spent three decades in office, has acknowledged to reporters that he doesn't keep regular office hours, and he's even being vague when pressed on how many hours he works a week. This work habit is appalling, considering his office has enormous responsibilities that range from recording official records to jury management and investing county funds, to name just a few.

It's hard not to feel sympathy toward Pittman, who is retiring at the end of his term this year and has served the public extremely well during the county's enormous growth. The 66-year-old Navy veteran and former law enforcement officer clearly is in declining health and even needs a motorized scooter to help him move about.

But poor health and impending retirement are not valid reasons for failing to come into the office every day - and Pittman has six to choose from, including records' centers. He is letting down residents, his employees and the voters who re-elected him in 2004.

Just as bad is his lame excuse that state law doesn't require him to keep regular office hours. What? It's shocking that an official who has served as long as Pittman has to be reminded that voters elected him to a full-time job, one that pays $136,000 annually. It certainly doesn't need to be codified.

It's important to draw a parallel here between Pittman's duties and those of other elected officials. Pittman is a constitutional officer who heads a branch of county government with daily functions. The buck starts and ends with him.

County commissioners and school board members, on the other hand, set policies and make other decisions at public meetings, while also meeting with staff individually from time to time. Others who are not elected are responsible for the daily operations of county government and the school system, as well as supervising employees.

Commissioners and school board members can do their jobs without being in offices every day. That's not the case with Pittman, considering his duties and vast responsibilities. He is not clerk emeritus.

If Pittman can't come to work, into an office, every day - absent vacation time, bouts with the flu or another sickness, or for other personal reasons - then he should resign immediately. He owes that much to his employees, the public and, most of all, the office he holds.

Of course, voters owe him a bit of thanks. They now have another important question to ask candidates, especially those seeking constitutional offices: Will you keep regular office hours? It's sad but necessary.

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