Clearwater mayor looks at his term, city's future
By Times staff writer
St. Petersburg Times
February 3, 2002
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/02/03/NorthPinellas/Clearwater_mayor_look.shtml What is Clearwater -- a quiet suburb or an emerging player in Tampa Bay?

And how should it react to the Church of Scientology?

Mayor Brian Aungst, the first mayor in a half-century to be returned to office without opposition, answered those questions and many more last week in an interview with Times reporter Christina Headrick.

* * * Q: Why do you think you coasted into a second term without opposition?

A: I think the citizens are fairly pleased with the direction the city is going, with the leadership I, as mayor, provide. When I ran the last time three years ago, I talked about providing strong, visible, effective leadership. For the most part, people will tell you I've accomplished that. I think this (the lack of opposition) is a validation of that. I'm certainly humbled by it.

* * * Q: You've got a business background that includes public relations and marketing experience. We'd like to know what you think Clearwater's image is. Tell us whether you would agree or disagree with these words as a good way to describe Clearwater:

Pretty. I would agree with that overall, yeah.

Rundown. You know, (he laughs) some areas, and some areas not. That's hard for me. I try to look at the glass as being half full and not half empty.

So I would say no.

Underachiever. Used to be.

Alive. Yes. Definitely.

Mismanaged. Not anymore.

Tacky. No.

Recovering. Yes.

Overdeveloped. No.

Fun. Yeah, what the heck. Sure.

* * * Q: What other words describe Clearwater?

A: In the process of revitalizing. Refocused. A new outlook. A fresh beginning. I think there is a growing, more vocal majority out there that likes what we're doing and is positive about the outlook. I think you could also say great potential.

* * * Q: Are you satisfied with the city's image? And if not, what do you see as the city's greatest needs for change?

A: This city for years has been looked at as kind of a sleepy bedroom community, and I think the majority of the citizens now realize that is not what we are or what we need to be. In the recent census we slipped from the 10th to the 12th largest city in Florida. But we are in a built-out urban county, and we will never be back to the sleepy town it was in the 1950s. We can't manage or govern that way anymore. And we have a lot of people who realize that. We have to overcome that image somewhat, but I think we are doing that. We have seen progress with some of the things going on at the beach and in downtown. We also have seen a lot of construction that is in-fill redevelopment. That's a positive. So I think our image now is of a city on the move. A city trying to make itself better and be proactive for the next 20 or 30 years.

* * * Q: What role do you feel the city should be playing in the greater Tampa Bay region?

A: We need to be a key player, with especially St. Petersburg, Pinellas County and Tampa. We also are talking about being part of the super-region, with Lakeland, Orlando and those areas. I spent time with the mayor of Orlando at the Conference of Mayors last week. We talked about the importance of working together on a lot of the major issues, such as transportation. The super-region is a very powerful voice in Tallahassee and Washington. We can't be parochial anymore. We can't say:

These are our boundaries, and I'm not going to leave the city of Clearwater, as people have done in the past. We have to look at the big picture.

* * * Q: The Church of Scientology has clearly gained greater acceptance in recent years, and, as mayor, you have participated in that process. Just recently, for instance, a lot of this city's bigwigs, including yourself, attended the gala at the Fort Harrison. And from what I understand, you gave a speech there that night. From your viewpoint as mayor, how widespread is acceptance of the church today in Clearwater?

A: That's hard to measure. I'm not really sure. I think the church is making strides. They're working hard themselves in the community to change their previous image. They certainly had some obstacles to overcome. I think everyone is working together in the community right now to effectuate positive change to make this a better city. And I think that's necessary. When I was first elected, I said I'm going to be mayor of all the people. And I think I have been.

One positive thing that came out of the open communication I have with church leaders was helping Lee Arnold close his deal on their property.

They actually sold him a prime piece of property allowing him to develop a hotel and condo and 20,000 square feet of retail and restaurants. I think without being able to pick up the phone, which I may do once or twice a year, and just say, "Hey, you know, we need your help on this," that may not have happened. I'm proud I have an open dialogue with everyone in this community. And I think that speaks volumes as to why everyone needs to try to work together, because we're all living here together.

* * * Q: How would you characterize the influence of the Church of Scientology in the city now?

A: I don't think the church has any more influence than anyone else. I think they're just like every other citizen.

* * * Q: What parts of the community -- geographic or demographic -- remain suspicious or unaccepting of the church?

A: I certainly think some of the people who have been here for a long time probably are. Some of the younger people are willing to have an open mind about things. But that's not a blanket statement. Some in all demographic groups have an open mind. I'm not real sure, but I think it (suspicion about the church) maybe trends to people who have been here a little longer, who were part of some of the things that happened initially that were not good.

* * * Q: Do you think Clearwater could benefit from a strong-mayor form of government?

A: Without certainly sounding as though I want it to be self-serving, I think it's time for the citizens to look at that. We are a large city. I feel it's important for the top person in the government to be directly accountable to the voters. St. Pete did it. Tampa's done it. More and more cities are looking at it. We have a great city manager now, but if you had a strong mayor you'd need somebody like that as a chief of staff. If the citizens don't want it, that's fine. But I think that debate needs to begin.

* * * Q: What was your single most important contribution to the city in your first term, the one thing that might not have happened if you weren't mayor?

A: When I walked into office, I walked into a hornet's nest. A lot of things had happened before my time. And a lot of things came out, especially in the media, the first year -- things that occurred before my time. We had a city manager who was a visionary, but because of what I feel what was a lack of leadership in the mayor's office, (the city manager) was serving a role as basically city manager and mayor. At times he got out in front of the commission. And even though I respected his efforts, the public definitely had lost confidence and trust in City Hall.

I think the tough decision to talk to Mr. (Mike) Roberto, and to say the time had come for him and the city to part ways -- it's not easy to do with someone you respect, to call someone in and eyeball them and say it's time. Now we have Bill Horne (as city manager). He has proven to be the right person to work with this commission, with our staff and with our citizens. And I know we have turned around a lot of the mistrust out there. I think that's the single most important decision I made.

* * * Q: What would you say is your biggest regret of the last three years?

A: I think the biggest regret on a lot of our minds is probably the failure of the downtown referendum and maybe the overall way it was handled. I was fairly new at the time. And I was asked, because the public didn't trust the administration, to kind of take a back seat. I wish I would have taken a more vocal role, explaining to the public the realities. There was the largest misinformation campaign in the history of the city of Clearwater against this project. A lot of people believed those misstatements. I just wish I had taken a more positive role at promoting the project's positive aspects.

But things happen for a reason, and we're going to rebound from it, and move forward.

* * * Q: You've been described by some of your critics as seeming condescending or too abrupt with people at meetings. So how do you feel your personality is perceived and are you happy with how you feel you are perceived?

A: It's funny, because I think early in my tenure, and as I said, I walked into a hornet's nest, I was probably a little bit more on edge than I am now. And I think sometimes then I was a little bit aggressive. I think lately I've been a lot better.

I think it's point of view and perspective. A certain percentage of the population is never going to like anything -- about 15 to 20 percent. They want to go back to the '50s and be a sleepy bedroom community, and we're trying our best to build a consensus to move the city forward. But this group offers nothing except opposition to everything. They just try to find a way to drag everything and everyone down. And if sometimes I seem like I'm a little testy with them, I try not to be. I think most people think I keep things on a fairly even keel.

* * * Q: Obviously, people have gotten to know you better over the past three years since you went from political newcomer to mayor. But is there anything about you that you think most people would be surprised to know, and if so, what is it?

A: (Laughing) I'm just a sweetheart, really. (More laughter.) These people who think I'm just a bully or whatever are way off base. I enjoy getting out and talking to people, even with people who don't agree with me, if they're reasonable. We can just have a philosophical disagreement.

It's the ones who are name-callers, and the people who are vicious, who I don't have a whole lot of time for.

But I like getting out, and meeting people, and I like trying to work with groups of people to effectuate positive change. I enjoy that. I care about what's going on here, and I want to live here the rest of my life, hopefully. I guess that may be what some people don't see sometimes.

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