City Attorney gets high marks in annual evaluation

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

Another year, another stellar report card for Key West City Attorney Shawn Smith.

While dropping a bit from the across-the-board “outstanding” rating given in 2016 by a unanimous city commission, Smith’s 2017 rating tally was five “outstanding” and one “exceeds job standards,” the category below outstanding. All told, Smith rated a 4.84 out of 5 points on the annual evaluation form.

Commissioner Jimmy Weekley was the lone tough love judge, awarding Smith 4’s in all categories without comment. Commissioner Clayton Lopez gave all 5’s except in two categories, where he rated Smith’s performance in judgement and fairness and impartiality as 4’s.

“It is no secret that Mr. Smith and I disagreed this past year on discharge of an employee. I still respect Mr. Smith, his opinions and hold him in high esteem,” Lopez wrote in his comments, referring to the departure in March of Thaddeus Cohen, who served two years as planning director. Lopez was instrumental in initially recruiting Cohen and attempted to pass a resolution urging City Manager Jim Scholl to reconsider his decision to terminated Cohen. The motion failed.

The other commissioners gave Smith across-the-board top marks for his performance in 2017. Commissioner Billy Wardlow said he couldn’t “say enough about Shawn’s work. He has been an asset to the city since he started.” And Commissioner Richard Payne, serving his first term, was specific when commenting on future goals and objectives for Smith and his legal office.

“Make sure that the city’s oldest commissioner doesn’t mess up and make a fool of himself,” he wrote on his evaluation form.

Speaking recently from his regular chair on the city commission dais, Smith was humble in his public statement.

“I’ll be starting my 12th year in January with the city of Key West. And I really do appreciate the opportunity to serve you and the citizens,” he said.

“Well, thank you for serving the citizens,” Mayor Cates responded. “It’s been great working with you and [to] continue working with you.”

Living in Key West since he was seven years old, Smith was hired in 2006 to head the city’s legal office. 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 Smith, leading to a separation agreement with Vitas a year before his contract was up.

Today, it seems like Smith is working well with commissioners, although he joked that the workload involved with juggling demands from the six commissioners and the Mayor can be daunting.

“You got another 12 years in you,” asked Commissioner Sam Kaufman?

“Twelve feels like 20,” was Smith’s response.

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