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Editorial: The silver lining in St. Petersburg sewer saga

 
Published Dec. 12, 2016

An external auditor's conclusion that St. Petersburg sewer officials did not deliberately cover up an important consultant's report offers some reassurance that the city's sewer troubles are not exacerbated by corruption. But other findings, namely that communication in the Public Works Department is poor and lower-level employees do not feel heard, should inform the way forward. Mayor Rick Kriseman was right to request the audit, and now he should see that the lessons it offers are heeded.

This summer, an employee-turned-whistleblower in the Public Works Department brought to light a 2014 consultant's study that warned closing one of the city's wastewater treatment plants could lead to overflows. That's precisely what happened: The downtown Albert Whitted treatment plant was shuttered in spring 2015, and heavy rains that summer and this year led to massive sewage discharges. But the mayor and City Council never saw that critical report predicting the problem. Kriseman ordered an independent review into why it never reached his desk. That review, released Friday, found dysfunction but no evidence of a cover-up.

"We sensed a disconnect between upper management and lower management in the Public Works Department," auditor Laura Brock wrote. Some staff did not feel their comments and recommendations were being heard or considered and that managers had a "my way or the highway" attitude. Conversely, some employees thought "leadership was lacking and often times they had to make decisions on their own in order to move things along." Higher-level managers, however, thought "all was good." Those disparate impressions from people who work in the same department are a sign of an organization lacking, at least, constructive communication.

The auditor also noted that the average tenure of Public Works employees is 23 years, and many came across as committed and passionate about their work. With that wealth of institutional knowledge, Public Works administrator Claude Tankersley and his leadership team should ensure they are fostering a climate where ground-level employees who know best how the system functions are encouraged to offer their ideas and expertise. Regardless of whether Kriseman keeps two key employees who have been on paid leave or lets them go, something has to change.

The past two summers made it clear that St. Petersburg's sewer system cannot handle even a weak hurricane season. Kriseman is already in a trust deficit with the public over the 200 million gallons of waste that have been spilled and the millions of dollars in system repairs that are required. With those challenges, it's critical that the sewer department runs smoothly and professionally. An audit that found no evidence of corruption is reassuring, but there is still plenty of work to be done to change the culture.