Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/101651
Sarasota News Leader January 4, 2013 Page 28 to convey this message: We���re all part of the same team, and we all have our roles to play, and so I feel pretty good about that, and I sense we���re all working like a team now. [Editor���s note: Barfield is the legal chairman of the American Civil Liberties Union���s Sarasota chapter.] I just thought it was inaccurate and unfair, and as a new manager, I felt blindI���ve had a number of sit-downs with [City Au- sided by it. ditor and Clerk] Pam Nadalini, and I think we To have good working relationships, you need have a good working relationship. I get along to establish trust. I don���t want to change him. great with Bob [Fournier, city attorney] so all He can do his thing. He���s got his First Amendof that is good. ment rights and his perspective and that���s I think we���ve hit a home run on the selection what makes this country great. That���s what of the police chief. We���ve got some good talent veterans fought for. I would not deny anybody we���re looking at for the finance director and that. the utilities director. We hope we���ll get a good But on the first go-round, I would only ask match. [that] responsible people pick up the phone There���s a lot that���s happened in 90 days. And and give me a call, saying, ���I discovered somethe [City] Commission has advanced a lot of thing you should be aware of��� before you call projects we���re looking at ��� finalizing this a press conference and hypercharge it with Palm [Avenue] hotel project [for example]. I rhetoric. That has some implications to a lot don���t know if we���ll have a compromise with of people. The people don���t see our officers the Laurel Park neighborhood on the overlay arrange for a hotel for a night or two for some[district], but I think whatever comes out of body on the toughest of times. That happens. that is going to be a nice improvement in facil- They don���t see our officers referring a new itating the communication between the neigh- homeless person to the Salvation Army. They borhood and potential developers. don���t see our officer telling a guy, ���Go to the Trying to deal with the aftermath of the Chalk Resurrection House to do your laundry.��� Festival, we���ve had plenty of people in here to Maybe I felt too much of a propensity to detalk about that. And there���s the micro-tunnelfend [officers���] good work, but I was listening ing under Hudson Bayou for the lift station to the unflattering stuff and did follow up on replacement; that���s been a challenge. all of it. I might have got a bit defensive. But SNL: What was the worst mistake in your I think the public also needs to understand first 100 days? what���s happening in that arena. Barwin: I don���t know if it was a mistake or not, but you didn���t like it and [Sarasota Herald-Tribune columnist] Tom Lyons didn���t like it. But I just felt compelled to respond to Mr. [Michael] Barfield when he accused the city by inference of having a war on the homeless. SNL: Most enduring moment so far? Barwin: I have had a special moment almost every day. I tell people I get goose bumps at least daily from what people do and their commitment to doing them. There���s bunches of ���em.