Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/203490
Sarasota News Leader November 1, 2013 Harmer was hired by Reid in July 2012 to serve as deputy county administrator. As he settles into his post as the county's top staffer, Harmer already has earned the accolades of at least two county commissioners. Page 39 Patterson continued. "Perhaps if he works well in the next few months we will feel comfortable with him as administrator. He has had both private sector and public sector experience and would probably cause as smooth a transition as we could possibly ask for." "I cannot adequately describe the change in employee morale," said County Commissioner It is notable that both Robinson — a Reid Christine Robinson. "It has been amazing." detractor towards the end of his tenure — The mood has been quite different this and Patterson — a Reid supporter — are both w e e k a t t h e C o u n t y A d m i n i s t r a t i o n happy with Harmer so far. Center in downtown Sarasota, Robinson They were among the more vocal commissionpointed out. ers during a prolonged period of criticism and "I had a constant stream of employees in my conflict involving Reid, emanating especially office [Oct. 28] updating me about various from the time the board members conducted projects, talking freely," Robinson said. "I their first public evaluation of Reid, on March have not experienced that since the days of 19. Robinson was one of the three commissioners who gave low marks to Reid during Terry Lewis." his most recent evaluation; Patterson supLewis was interim administrator for sev- ported Reid for overcoming big hurdles and eral months — from shortly after County was the sole vote against firing him. Administrator Jim Ley resigned in May 2011, in the midst of a Procurement Department THE 'DAY-TO-DAY' RESPONSIBILITIES scandal, until Reid came on board in early Harmer told the News Leader he will try not 2012. to focus on whether he could become the In an email response to local business exec- county's next full-time administrator. utive Phil Chmieleski, Commissioner Nora Patterson wrote last week that she prefers to "I made a conscious effort to say I don't bypass the typical national job search for a want to be distracted by that," Harmer said. "My motivation is to facilitate a transition as new administrator. smoothly as possible." She added her belief that Harmer should be He added, "I'm trying to focus on the day-togiven a chance to win the position. day — what do we do as a leadership team. "He is already working well with the business The board [of county commissioners] will and development community and is very well decide at some point how they want to fill the thought of by everyone I speak to," Patterson position." wrote on Oct. 24, the day after the commissioners appointed Harmer interim administrator. On Tuesday, the commissioners voted "He is our current deputy administrator and unanimously to hire Harmer as interim adminhas the respect of the county commission," istrator for half a year; they will evaluate his