A visit with Bruce St. Denis

What one thing should people know about Bruce?

PETER O’CONNOR
Guest Columnist
opinion@lbknews.com

We sat down in the cool conference room off the Town Commission Chambers in Town Hall on a mid-week afternoon. This was my chance to interview Bruce St. Denis, our long-time town manager. I noted less tension than in some of our infrequent earlier talks. My opening observation that I would rather be a city manager than a city councilman was met by Bruce’s quick reply, “So would I.” I was prompted by that great folk lyric, “I’d rather be a hammer than a nail.”

Bruce’s background
Our town’s top administrator hails from Rome, N.Y., where he attended local schools through the 11th grade. Then he moved with his family to Florida. He attended the University of Buffalo, earning an architectural degree, followed by graduate school at the University of South Florida for a Master’s in Management. I hear no mention of any professional certification. He counts as significant experience his time as a facilities management director for nearby Pinellas County. This assignment provided facilities support across many operational lines. In this job he supervised a staff of 250. He remembers with some enthusiasm his renovation of the 1917-era courthouse there, as well as construction of the modern version. This is all relevant experience for what is essentially a facilities management job here.

Bruce and his wife, Laurie, moved to Sarasota in 1996. Their daughter, Hannah, is now 14. Mother and daughter’s interest in horses prompted their current move further east in Sarasota County. Their two horses are boarded out in a local stable—no trailers. Bruce points to this equestrian commitment as limiting their time this summer at their home in North Carolina. He confirms my description of this house as a Floridian’s summer home. I asked if there ever was anything in the criticisms of his time away up there. He says no, and offers no explanation; I’d agree that none is required.

I like to ask the same question of all my interview subjects, “What one thing should people know about you?” Bruce passes but comes back later to say he honestly loves this island and its people, that he is passionate about making things better here. We move on to more specific topics.

On governance
I ask if ours is the correct form of government. Bruce doesn’t comment on past history but says that our current form (commission and town manager) is working. He notes that any form can work; citizens can change it if they want. He says that he hasn’t heard of any push for change. I don’t make much of the abortive move at the last charter review commission to do just that.

Can Longboat Key afford home rule?
“You have to look at priorities; if [the town] went away completely, the change in taxes would be more like 5 to 6 percent, not the 11 to 12 percent it costs for us,” he said.

He offers as an example our ability to cover the four square miles. He says we can cover four ALS (advanced life support) cases at once. He said because the town is so set up, it can do a better job, in say utilities at lowest rate (third from lowest in our area). He points to the fact that we have added a redundant water system. Bruce clearly thinks LBK is better off independent—no surprise.

On our local country/golf club, I ask if it is up to standard. Bruce passes.

On the just completed Longboat Key Club application, we agree that this was a typical large project-small town issue. Bruce thinks that because of the home rule, instead of let’s say a decision at the county level, more thought was given to the project. He says residents recognized the scale of our town and the scale of the project. He points to control, which he describes as decision-making by folks who would be impacted by decision. Bruce thinks people here want this level of control.

While on this broad subject, I ask if the staff folded (my word). Bruce replies that the town did, not the staff. What about the role of the town attorney? Bruce says that somebody had to manage the process. He said David Persson did, and that Persson gave all due process. I sensed a bit of defense here.

On the code changes that happened within this application process, I asked if he thought these were good. Bruce replied that the changes were those requested by the applicant and agreed to by the Town Commission. This is the classic city manager apolitical response. I asked if he saw any future effects of the code changes; he said maybe. To close this subject, I asked about the upcoming Amendment 4 to the State Constitution. Is the Longboat Key Club case a poster child for this movement? Bruce says the people must look at this closely—they will not get to vote on any and every project application. I asked if the Florida League of Cities, to which we belong, was against this amendment. Obviously, he replied.

Town finances
This subject receives maybe too much coverage, thus it was covered in a rather cursory way. Does the town manager fully support Finance Director Tom Kelley? Bruce said absolutely. We talked about the budget in preparation; I asked if it wasn’t pretty vanilla. He said yes. Are the commissioners on board? Bruce said he didn’t know yet, but would after they set the maximum millage rate. Bruce noted that Kelley and he are willing to educate the public; willing to talk to anyone on why they do what they do. On town reserves, St, Denis said that the $30 million-plus is extremely conservatively invested.

“We are in good shape,” St. Denis said.

Longboat Key beaches
Beach renourishment will be the subject of a bond issue referendum in March 2011, if St. Denis’ schedule is to be kept. He tells me, rather definitely, that this project will commence November 2011. He insists that the town’s beach program is going well. What about the role of our long-term coastal engineer? (He knows I share his support of this firm.) It is far to far into the process, he says, to change engineers now. It makes no sense to change firms now, he repeats. The Gulf oil spill situation was not discussed—I think that we both understand it could change all current plans.

Cell towers
The cellular telephone service and cell tower issue was almost a big issue during the last local election. Is this issue over at last? Bruce says ‘no.’ Has a cell tower application been submitted? Not one that Bruce is aware. He says he is trying to find a way to improve cell service; says we still have problems after finding and using all the rooftop sites. St. Denis is looking for alternatives. He says the town needs to look at improvements in the field (bandwidth) and needs to be postured for the future.

Reclaimed water
Bruce also spoke about an almost forgotten subject, namely reclaimed water. The town spent a lot of money chasing this elusive goal a few years ago. Some folks in town remember and are unhappy about this experience.

Bruce thinks the exercise was indeed worthwhile. Reclaimed water would have been available by 2010 or 2011, had all gone well, he notes. Had it been available several years ago, the costs for irrigation here would have been less than at present.

This plan was to be for large users, not enough for everyone, and distribution would have been by the individual or group users. Bruce said it was worthwhile to achieve higher quality, cheaper water for irrigation, particularly for the Harbourside Golf Course. Should there be further restrictions on users of potable irrigation, the reclaimed water would be better. Regionally all of Sarasota would have been better off because of Longboat Key’s efforts, Bruce says again. He is really engaged on this subject. He knows it didn’t work partially because of the actions of others. Who knows what might have been? This doesn’t strike as one of Bruce’s several successes.

I asked Bruce about a big issue, in my view, that of subcommittees looking at town operations. I ask if any city manager can let this happen. Bruce is careful here, says it depends on how committees are set up. He says he welcomes the opportunity, and notes that findings would be only in the form of recommendations to him. He thinks his administration will come out well in any look. (Good answers.)

We finish on a brief discussion of commission involvement in the future of any specific position or specific employee. Bruce takes the opportunity to restate his public position— he supports the Longboat Key Fire Department and its fire marshal. I note that it is tough to be against fire prevention as part of the entire prevention plus suppression effort. These two always go together.

Having been a player in this municipal government for many years, I still think we are on the right track. I suspect we have the correct form of government for us, which leads me to conclude that we are well served by our system and by our town manager. Based on his breadth of local knowledge, his experience in the job, his personality, St. Denis is the guy to lead LBK now. But I would be remiss if I didn’t say that we handsomely pay our town manager under terms of a most unusual contract, which cries out for review and revision.