Alan Greenblatt is a GOVERNING correspondent.
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TMI or Not Enough?
Our parent company, the St. Petersburg Times, commissioned a survey of residents in Largo, Florida, and the surrounding county to find out what people thought about the city commission's decision to fire city manager Steve Stanton for undertaking sex-change procedures.
Surprisingly, the survey found that most people disapproved of the firing. A clear majority -- 51 percent -- disapproved, while only 25 percent said the commission had done the right thing. The rest said they didn't know.
Mayor Pat Gerard, whom Stanton had confided in and who supported him, told the paper she felt vindicated. City Commissioner Gigi Arntzen said the issue wasn't transsexuality, it was a loss of confidence.
"I'm extremely disappointed how he handled it and shared it with the mayor and did not share it with the other commissioners," Arntzen told the paper.
Which raises an interesting question. At what point does an employee's personal business affect his job and become something he must share with his employers?
Written and compiled by staff writers and editors, GOVERNING View is an on-the-ground, and sometimes behind-the-scenes, look at the topics we're covering in print and online. From notes on what's up in statehouses, county courthouses and city halls, to encounters with people, places and things, GOVERNING View is a window into the side of state and local government you don't always see.
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