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Hernando Today

County Officials Deny Turf War

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: November 8, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - Circuit Court Clerk Karen Nicolai said an e-mail critical of the county administrator's information-gathering skills was designed to help him better understand her department and the proper way to communicate.

She said she supports Administrator David Hamilton's goal of reorganizing county government and will work with him.

Hamilton, who fired off an e-mail in response to Nicolai's criticism, denies there was any malicious intent in gathering information.

He said the whole issue comes down to transparency in government, which is what the public demands of its elected officials.
Nicolai and Hamilton deny there are any turf wars going on and have agreed to set time aside next week for a meeting that both hope will smooth any ruffled feathers and produce forward momentum for the reorganization plan the administrator said must occur if the county is to survive and thrive in a post-Amendment 1 world in which the budget is much leaner.

Hamilton said Nicolai is understandably concerned during this streamlining process. It's difficult to change a culture in government, especially when the department heads and constitutional officers have been rudderless for so long because of a lack of stability at the county administration position.

"Given that Hernando County has not gone through significant changes and challenges of this magnitude, it's natural there is some anxiety in the organization," Hamilton said Friday.

Hamilton said his reorganization plan - which is still a work in progress - is meant to facilitate the open flow of ideas and bring higher levels of scrutiny and transparency to all departments.

To save time, Hamilton had requested the budget department gather information and develop organization charts of constitutional officers' agencies. Nicolai and others, he said, need to stop "imagining sinister things that simply aren't there."

"It is very important that requests for information not be interpreted in some dark manner because we've been very clear what we want to do, and the public has been very clear what they expect us to do," he said.

"If we're going to have transparency, we need to work as a team," he added.

In a Nov. 5 e-mail to Hamilton, Nicolai said she was concerned about others gathering information about her office that hasn't been reviewed by her department for accuracy.

"In this climate of mistrust-misinformation, I would like to see you request this information directly from me and let me know your intent for its use," Nicolai wrote. "I realize that it is public information, but if we are truly creating a leadership team, communication and trust need to be the foundation."

In an answering e-mail, Hamilton said he hoped Nicolai had "calmed down" and disagreed he was creating a climate of mistrust.

"Rather, we are attempting to assemble information that we both agree is public in nature to foster a wider understanding of every facet of our county operation and its budget consequences," Hamilton wrote.

"My hope is that we can continue on this path, as we build trust, rather than erode it," he said.
Nicolai said Friday she sometimes doesn't understand what Hamilton is doing and fears "he doesn't understand our role," which is a checks and balances on county government and the repository for producing "good accurate financial information."

"It's not that he has to tell us everything," Nicolai said. "But we have to build up a relationship of trust and most of that comes from good communication."

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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