Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan recently expressed his displeasure with work by County Attorney Renee Lee's Office in a colorful, late-night e-mail.

Hagan was writing to aide Rich Reidy to express frustration with delays in an ordinance change that would let the Carrollwood Cultural Center serve alcoholic beverages during events such as weddings.

"Jump on this first thing," Hagan said in an e-mail sent to Reidy at 1:15 a.m., Friday, June 13, "the CCC should not be penalized for the sh---y work of the county attys office . . . see what you can do, and do what you have to . . ."

The necessary ordinance change was supposed to come before commissioners in June, and has been pushed back until July. Lee said her office was not to blame for the delay and said she did not think a broader assessment was meant by the e-mail.

"I think if it was, I'd hear it from the board or from him," Lee said. "The commissioner's not shy about sharing his feelings."

Reidy said his boss, who is also one of Lee's bosses, was simply expressing frustration with a project that is important to him.

-- Bill Varian, Times Staff Writer

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