Stepongzi Is County's New Fleet Manager

BROOKSVILLE - John Stepongzi is the county's new fleet manager, according to Human resources Director Barbara Dupre.

Stepongzi was fleet operations manager for Pinellas County from 2004-07. He also worked at Tampa Electric Co. for more than 20 years, mainly as fleet services supervisor.

The county received more than 30 applications for the position.

Stepongzi will make about $60,000 annually, Dupre said.

Terry Yeager, the county's current fleet director, will step down Dec. 31.

Hoping to streamline operations, county commissioners recently shifted oversight of the fleet department from public works to Purchasing Director James Gantt's department.

The managerial shuffle comes on the heels of a report issued Nov. 8 by the clerk of the circuit court's office.

That report, a follow up to a 2004 audit, identified several areas of fleet management that still need improvement, especially with reporting fuel consumption.

Stepongzi was chosen by a committee that included Dupre, Gantt, Interim Utilities Director Jesse Goodwin and Assistant Public Works Director Steve Whitaker.

In other news:

David Horne, the county's assistant utilities director, has submitted his resignation effective around Jan. 10, Dupre said.

Horne is resigning for family reasons, she said.

Scott Harper, the department's projects manager, will likely be the interim assistant utilities director, Dupre said.