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BRADENTON -- Port tenants filled the commission chambers to voice concerns regarding the controversy over Commissioner Larry Bustle’s proposed Port Authority ”administrator.“ The new position was supposedly sought to help the committee prepare and deal with a RFQ process for Berth 12, but the tenants were distressed by the measure particularly because Bustle's letter mentioned the "whole port".
”Over the past couple of weeks, the sense of ”shared vision“ between tenant and port has been seriously under minded,“ Chris Sheils of Gearbulk Inc. read from a statement signed by six tenants, questioning the port’s intentions. ”We are concerned and confused with the very apparent rift that has developed between certain members of the Commission. These modifications have a potential to disrupt forward business strategy.“
Port director David McDonald warned of the implications of upsetting the venders. He reminded the Port Authority that all the growth associated with the port has come form current tenants.
”Your tenants are your port. Without them you have a deep hole in the water that would cost a lot of money. The loss of just one would be detrimental to the process,“ he said.
The ”rift“ came a couple weeks ago when Commissioner Larry Bustle sent a memo to the board lobbying to hire nautical businessman Paul Demariano for a position he called ”Interim Port Transition Administrator.“ Not only did the name ring bells because of questionable dealings for Port Everglades that were criticized by certain publications, but the Port had already hired someone for the job, Peter Keller. In fact they had planned to address the situation with a board of personnel. Three days after McDonald sent out his recomemdation, he recieved Bustle's memo.
After heeding the warnings of the port director, the Port Authority unanimously approved his original plan for the advisory board omitting County Commissioner Larry Bustle, but including County Administrator Ed Hunzeker, Peter Keller, Port Director David McDonald and County Clerk Chips Shore. Bustle will not be included in the new version of the personnel unit and a tenant-appointed member will. The meeting ended in a vote to include Demariano as an alternte in case someone is absent. The motion passed 5-2 with McClash and Brown opposing.
Manatee County Commissioner and port authority board member Joe McClash sent a letter to county Administrator Ed Huzeker complaining of a lack of transparency regarding what he found to be inappropriate actions aimed at appointing a favorable interim director. The position had the potential to become the next person in charge of the major sea port.
Commissioner Larry Bustle defended the action by saying that the purpose of the transition administrator was not to take the place of the port director, who is retiring in less than two years. The rationale was to have an experienced advisor for the job.
”My thinking is that we need someone to advise this body on decisions in the near future. A lot of very important decisions have to be made of the next year – time is of the essence. The Port Authority needs expert advice isolated from day to day operations. I was particularly interested in (Demariano’s) experience.“
In his letter, McClash said that he found inappropriate that Hunzeker, who was asked as county administrator to review an RFQ for a concession advisor, would share that information with Paul Demariano. He also questioned Huneker’s involvement because he is by Florida law required only to act on behalf of the port at the board's direction. The board had not directed him to seek outside counsel. He did so without notifying them, which created several conflicts of interest. McClash and other members of the board could have pointed these out.
”There was nothing sinister about our meetings," Bustle said. ”I have no problem with the county administrator being involved in these decisions. Manatee County owns the port and it is in the county’s best interest to see that there is a return.“
Commissioner Brown criticized Commissioner Bustle because he requested a specific individual instead of just proposing the position.
”You put Demariano in a very awkward position,“ said Commissioner Brown.
Demariano was forced to take the stand and defend his discussions with Bustle and allegations regarding prior port dealings with other harbors.
”Port Manatee is a good port with great potential. You asked me to be here – not the other way around,“ said Demariano. ”I don’t need this position -- I have plenty of dredging jobs available. I am willing to help by serving as transition administrator.“
In the end, it was the potential loss of the tenants that pointed the board in the right direction. They knew that to upset their customers would be to tread on thin ice. Tenants requested that the process be slowed down, the RFQ was scheduled to be Sept 15, but the unrealistic timetable seemed like a stretch, even to members of the port authority.
”I think that there has been a very obvious display of confusion amongst even the commissioners as to the intent of the letter,“ said Chris Sheils.”I personally don’t share the urgency over the next few weeks that something has to be done to ensure that Port Manatee will be prepared for the completion of the Panama Canal in 2014.“
”You are swallowing elephants and choking on gnats,“ said William R. Winter, 50-year resident of Manatee County. ”The port is a gift of God for this community. Bottom line is the Port Director has done a tremendous job on this port and all we need is a replacement for him. With all this nonsense you are scaring the vendors and scaring the taxpayers – and I’m one of them.“
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