Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/101651
Sarasota News Leader January 4, 2013 Page 25 to people chosen to lead and set policy in our cense, and my library card. License plates are next. democracy. I don���t know if it���s my personality or their personality, but we���ve had a terrifically productive relationship in my first 100 days. Maybe it���s because there has been such turmoil and uncertainty in a tough year that the folks here were really ready for some calm and stability and direction and, on occasion, a little bit of leadership. SNL: How many people report to you? Barwin: I���m accountable for most of the whole organization. We peaked at 770 [city employees] in 2006, 2007. We���re down to 555 now. But as I sit at our staff meetings, it���s about 10 or 12 [who report directly to me]. SNL: After your first 100 days, what is your ambition here? Barwin: My impression is that there are a lot of comparables between here and Oak Park with citizen participation and appreciation of architecture, concern for the environment. Similarly, this community doesn���t want to rest on its laurels. Two things strike me. I hear the term ���world class��� a lot ��� that whatever people are associated with by their choice, by their inclination, whatever their passion is, they generally want to push the envelope. They want to take it to the next level of improvement. The interesting part about it ��� is for the people who are living here to continue with a high-quality-of-life, interesting, plenty-of-things-to-do place that is safe and rewarding to be in. I���ve met with my fellow managers in the county and with Randy Reid, the county administrator, and all those folks are fairly new. I don���t know what that tells us. The recession has been tough on these public-sector posi- When you look at the art that continues to tions across the country. Florida seems to be grow, the landscaping investments and beautification initiatives under way, folks like me a little more volatile than other states. who come into these jobs have to maintain But I���m happy to report that we all have a pretty good sense of energy and be able to seemed to hit it off. I���m very optimistic and synthesize a lot of what we see and hear and very hopeful that we in Sarasota County and make the connections and try to keep things the city are in a period of good, and perhaps moving in the right direction. even magical, achievement and progress. SNL: And things are headed in the right SNL: Have you landed where you want to direction? be? Barwin: In lots of way, yes. Big time. The Barwin: We were in a temporary [home] for economy���s beginning to perk up, which is 90 days in Laurel Park. It was supposed to be good, very good. Overall, a whole lot is mov60 days. Then we found a place to lease for a ing in the right direction. year. Our moving van delivered our furniture two days ago. We���re here in downtown [in a I���ve established a terrific relationship with the condominium]. I have my [Florida] driver���s li- city commissioners. I value everything they