City Attorney Smith gets top marks in annual evaluation

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

Key West City Attorney Shawn Smith hit two milestones recently.

One was his 10-year anniversary working for the city. And the second was receiving an annual evaluation rating of “outstanding” from all six city commissioners and Mayor Craig Cates, the first time in his city career that Smith received the top mark from all seven officials.

“It’s nice, especially with the new commission members, to develop that rapport,” Smith said before the Dec. 6 meeting where he was awarded a 10-year commemorative service coin by Mayor Cates. “When you’ve got that many different personalities, it’s certainly gratifying to have pleased all of them.”

Comments on the annual evaluation included “excellent at spotting legal issues,” from Commissioner Sam Kaufman, who is himself an attorney; “well respected by staff and the public,” according to Commissioner Billy Wardlow; and “I don’t know how he goes about keeping all of the personalities of the Commissioners from driving him insane,” as Commissioner Jimmy Weekley succinctly put it.

Smith, who has lived in Key West since he was seven years old, became the city’s top legal eagle in 2006. He has earned the loyalty of many city officials, particularly in 2014, when a personality clash with then-City Manager Bob Vitas led Smith to threaten to quit. City commissioners quickly rallied around him, leading to a separation agreement with Vitas a year before his contract was up.

The dispute began when Smith told commissioners that under the terms of his contract, they needed to tell him by Aug. 23rd, 2014, whether they wanted to renew his contract, which expired in December. That prompted then-Commissioner Tony Yaniz to ask Smith point blank whether he wanted to stay on as city attorney. In a surprising response, Smith said he was “not all that inclined” to continue in the position.

“I’ve watched the city spiral downward and it’s troubling and it hurts me,” he told city commissioners, choking back tears. Smith did not go into detail but other commissioners spoke heatedly about the difficulty Smith and Vitas had in working together.

It was a different story on Dec. 6, when Cates presented Smith with his 10-year service coin.

“I’ve worked with Shawn for seven years. I’ve learned to respect his advice and recommendations,” Cates said, adding, “He always says that he tells you what you need to know, not necessarily what you want to hear.”

Commissioner Clayton Lopez also heaped praise on Smith.

“I can certainly vouch for his integrity and his love for the city,” he said.

And Commissioner Billy Wardlow, who has served Key West for 37 year in a variety of positions, including fire chief, agreed.

“I believe he’s the best city attorney I’ve ever worked with in 37 years,” Wardlow said.

Commissioner Richard Payne, a former judge, reminisced about the times Smith had come before him in the courtroom. And Smith said that he often went to Payne to ask his opinion on legal and professional matters.

“He did,” laughed Payne, “but he didn’t always take my advice.”

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