Friday, March 21, 2014

St. Pete Loses Key Negotiator

In a move even more significant than the Rays' losing Stadium Czar Michael Kalt, the city of St. Pete will soon lose its top stadium expert, Senior Administrator Rick Mussett {link to Times' site}:
Mussett - the city's main contact with the Tampa Bay Rays - will retire March 31. He helped bring baseball to Tropicana Field and laid the foundation that transformed downtown from heaven's waiting room to a trendy, urban destination.

Mussett, 65, joined the city in May 1980.

"It's time for me to do something else in my own life right now," said Mussett, noting he is not being forced out or moving away. "Now I need to spend time with my family."

Mayor Rick Kriseman said he plans to tap Mussett's "invaluable institutional knowledge" in the future.
Mussett has been one of the constants as the city has battled the Rays over legal leverage, and the significance of his departure would only be topped by the departure of top city attorney John Wolfe.

Wolfe has been with the city since 1975 (!?!) and not only helped write the city's contract with the Rays - he also has been the lead force in protecting it.

There's good depth in St. Pete's legal office, but it takes experience to get elected leaders to buy into your strategies.  The city cannot afford to lose its top two negotiators in one year.

1 comment:

  1. Setting aside the ramifications to the city's relationship with the Rays, I'm just blown away how long these people stay in their jobs. Is there anywhere else outside of government where people can stay in jobs their entire career? Let alone still retire at 65. Most of the rest of us (again, outside the public sector) will be working 'til we drop.

    It shouldn't be this way. It didn't used to be.

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