Q & A with Interim Town Manager David Bullock

How did you wind up in Sarasota County?
In 1994, I was doing consulting for a lot of municipalities across the country that required a lot of travel. I was looking for something that wouldn’t require so much travel, so when a position with Sarasota County opened up, I applied.

What are your primary responsibilities as Sarasota County deputy administrator?
The deputy administrator helps the community administrator with everything from operational to strategic management to budget and the public works area … There probably isn’t a corner of anything that I haven’t had some involvement in.

What makes you the right person for the Longboat Key interim town manager position?
I think I understand the issues the Key faces. Redevelopment is also a big deal in the county, although there’s a unique aspect of it in the town. Longboat Key does beach renourishment, and we also do renourishment of our county beaches. We also face pension issues. Because of the consolidation of countywide fire departments, the county currently pays two-thirds of the city of Sarasota’s firefighter pension fund costs, so we have an interest in pension costs. I’ve also spent a lot of time learning how to deal with what has become normal in Florida municipalities, which is operating a budget that is based primarily on real-estate values, which are declining.

What was your proudest moment with the county?
I helped to get the site and get built the bus transfer station. It’s one of those things that are both important to the community and invisible. In the course of a year, 2 million people step on and off our transit. Before, the place where those people gathered was out on the street. Imagine, during one of our summertime storms, all those people out there waiting for the bus. It took four years of planning and talking.

Did your recent discussions with Longboat Key commissioners address recent controversies in Sarasota County, such as the Orioles deal and the recent purchasing scandal?
The Orioles issue went all the way to the Supreme Court, and it was resolved in the county’s favor. The purchasing thing was a wake-up call. After all the reports and studies and audits were finished, we found the control systems were not adequate. We had one employee who found a way to exploit the system, was arrested and charged with using it for personal benefit. But mostly, it was people trying to get their work done — steering work to vendors, and that sort of thing.

Is there anything you wish you had done differently when it comes to purchasing?
I wish I personally would have better understood the systems and asked more questions about levels of control.

You’ve spent 14 years in the No. 2 slot for Sarasota County. Have you ever sought the No. 1 spot in any municipality?
I was selected to be the county administrator of Monroe County about 2004, but we couldn’t reach an agreement during negotiations.

Why do you want to move from Sarasota County, which has a budget of $1 billion and more than 1,000 employees, to a smaller municipality such as Longboat Key?
One of the things I like about working with a larger organization is there’s always a challenge and opportunity. There’s a lot going on. One of the things I don’t like about it is it’s hard to touch what you’re doing. It’s rare that I would get to follow a project through from beginning to end. By being closer to the people you work with, you get to start a project out and see it through, and that appeals to me a lot.

What will your first order of business be with the town?
Learn. I plan on learning from everyone — commissioners, staff, citizens …

Do you want the Longboat Key town manager job on a permanent basis?
I’ve always treated every job as if it’s permanent. If I’m there six months or six years, it’s the same level of commitment. It’s the only level I know.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I’m happiest when I’m under water, scuba diving with a full tank of air. The full tank of air means I have 45 minutes to an hour left, and there’s no Blackberry and no computer.

BIO
David Bullock
Age: 60
Born: West Chester, Pa.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in education from West Chester State University in West Chester, Pa.
Resume: Bullock began his career operating for five years his own construction company that provided excavation services before becoming manager of the Potter County Solid Waste Authority in Pennsylvania, where he served from 1981 to 1987. From 1987 through 1994, Bullock worked as vice president of GBB Inc. Waste Management Consultants in Falls Church, Va., before he was hired as solid waste director for Sarasota County in 1994. He stayed in that position for three years before becoming a county deputy administrator in 1997.