Heath Davis and the Power of Politics

The immediate answer to the question of Davis' loss in the voting booth is that the power groups got him. This is true, but not in the way we usually view political machine politics. The voters in Cedar Key are savvier than that. All the talk and threats in the world cannot really affect the pencil mark in the voting booth. Some other factors do.

Before launching into this discussion, I must admit that I am impressed with Heath Davis. I think he is a bright young man with both a strong set of values and a view of the future that he is able to translate into action. But vision and values are not enough in the rough and tumble of our politics. And, a part-time mayor does not have sufficient time to guide the city.

The mayor, like any manager of a complex situation, must exert his influence in four different directions. He doesn't have to make all the decisions or take all the actions, but he has a pivotal role to play in all four arenas.

He must comply with County, State and Federal regulations that require certain actions and prohibits others. Cedar Key cannot operate in a vacuum. He must motivate within the matrix of Cedar Key, which includes the members of the City Commission, the employees of Cedar Key and even the venders who provide us with services, such as Water and Sewer or the company that delivers beer to Dock Street. He must communicate with the community, fully informing the citizenry of the City's agenda. Finally, he must manage the city's projects themselves. They must be kept on track and constantly tweaked for changing conditions.

I believe that Davis performed well in two areas and not so well in the others. I will admit that some of the reasons for his failures were far beyond his control.

He did very well with the intricacies of State and Federal Law. The skill of the City Attorney was also apparent here. He also did well in managing the continuing progress of his programs. He did not do well with some members of the City Commission, although there were obvious obstacles to doing this. Davis' temper flares and impatience with controversy contributed to these circumstances. "Politics is the art of the possible," said Otto von Bismarck

His critical shortcoming was not keeping the citizens informed of the details of his agenda. The whole of our citizenry does not appear in the audience at City Commission meetings. Davis depended on the translation of his agenda through others, assuming that they would get it right or even care. Nothing can replace frequent public appearances where diverse citizen groups can be informed about the direction that the city is taking. An example is Bill McBride, who appeared before an audience of twenty people to make his gubernatorial campaign pitch. The successful politician seizes every public moment to deliver his message.

"So what?" you say. Heath Davis is no longer on the City Commission and that is a fact. So why have this critique—why is this whole discussion so important? It is important because future City politicians might learn from it and begin to communicate with the voters, venders and each other, remembering that communication is a two way street. There is one other idea to be considered. Cedar Key needs a full time person to manage city affairs. Either the Mayor must be made a full time position or a professional administrator must be hired to oversee the operation of the city. Increasingly, there is too much at stake.

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