Portsmouth City Watch
 

In the Wind

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  All news sources are not created equal. Sometimes plausible information comes our way that the established media, for one reason or another, chooses not impart to the public. Although we prefer to operate within the boundaries of responsible journalistic practice, if we have reason to believe that a particular story is credible to some degree and, if substantiated, would be significant to the citizenry,  we will run it in this space. Should our readership be privy to information that confirms or refutes one of our rumors, we ask that you share what you know with an email to inthewind@portsmouthcitywatch.org.
April 27, 2005

Is Portsmouth Police Chief Job Hunting?

From sources close to City Hall, PortsmouthCityWatch has learned that our Chief of Police, Frank Kitzerow, may be "shopping his resume" elsewhere. An April 19 article at Sun-Sentinel.com indicates that Chief Kitzerow is a finalist in the competition for Chief of the Coral Springs, Florida, Police Department.
June 29, 2004 Informed sources say that the Chief Financial Officer of the city, Ms. Lee Dumbauld, has tendered her resignation. They have speculated that disappointment at being pass by in the recent interview process for interim city manager may have precipitated her action.. PCW has not been able, however, to confirm the rumor with Ms. Dumbauld herself.
June 14, 2004 As a matter of record, we know that on the morning of Thursday, June 3, 2004, Vice Mayor Griffin and Council Members Moody, Randall, and Whitehurst assembled at City Hall "to announce that closed meetings will be held at a disclosed or undisclosed location within fifteen days . . . for the purpose of interviewing candidates for the position of Portsmouth's Chief Administrative Officer," more commonly known as the "city manager." The City Clerk today confirmed that an announcement regarding the person selected for that position is scheduled for 5 P.M. Wednesday, June 16. To date, however, the city has not publicly solicited applications for this position, so only a handful of insiders would be in position to submit their credentials.

Relative to the candidate search, I have received from what I deem reliable sources the following information, which is not yet in the public record:

  1. during Harbor Fest weekend a committee of incumbent council members met at a Churchland business with former Norfolk City Manager James Oliver;
  2. this committee intended to interview no other candidates;
  3. concerns council members-elect expressed about the process led to the scheduling of a second round of interviews with in-house candidates; and
  4. Mayor Holley dismissed other concerns from the council members-elect about being saddled with a city manager who might not satisfy their requirements with the assertion that His Honor had the votes to make the selection and they would have to live with the outcome.

If this information is correct, it means that not only will the incoming members of city council have no say in selecting an interim replacement for Mr. McCoy, neither will the citizenry as a whole.

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Last updated April 29, 2005