TARPON SPRINGS — Tarpon Springs commissioners thanked former City Manager Mark LeCouris on May 12 for agreeing to return to the post following Charles Rudd’s resignation, with several saying they are in no rush to begin a search for a permanent replacement.
City Attorney Andrew Saltzman, pressed by residents who said they had learned most of what they knew about Rudd’s departure from the Beacon, offered the city’s account of events at the close of the May 13 meeting.
Saltzman said the city has four charter officers who answer solely to the commission. Last week, he said, it became apparent that several employees and directors had attended a multi-day leadership training session, and some had complained to a charter officer that they did not think the program was appropriate.
That charter officer notified individual commissioners and the mayor, Saltzman said. He and the mayor then met with directors to hear their concerns.
“A discussion was had with the city manager as to what had occurred, and the appropriateness of that particular issue,” Saltzman said. “One commissioner stated that this issue needs to be addressed at the next commission meeting, let’s put it on the agenda. Once the city manager felt it was going on the agenda, he decided to resign.”
Saltzman said Rudd was told the substance of the complaints and at one point apologized for the class, acknowledging “it was an issue that wasn’t going to necessarily go away.”
In an earlier interview with the Beacon, Rudd said he was not given much opportunity to make his case and wished his staff had come to him rather than to another charter officer. He described the program as an employee training session run by a group that works with large corporations, and said employees were free to leave at any time. Some staff got something out of the sessions and did not speak up, he said, while weight was given to the vocal group that objected.
LeCouris retired in January 2025 after 47 years with the city, including 17 as city manager. He joined the Police Department as a patrol officer, served as a lieutenant from 1978 to 1993, was police chief from 1993 to 2009 and later was named assistant city manager.
Commissioner Lori Weaver, in her first weeks on the dais, said what struck her about the past week was solidarity among the commission.
“Without conferring with other commissioners, we all have the back of the staff here,” Weaver said. “Our city manager resigned and, in all respect, we accepted a resignation. We did not fire someone, we did not put pressure on someone to resign. We simply accepted a resignation.”
She said Rudd had lost the confidence of staff.
Commissioner David Banther said he was the commissioner who had planned to put the issue on the agenda and was glad it did not come to that.
“At all possible, we should avoid spectacles in here. This is not a talk show,” Banther said. He credited Mayor John Koulianos and Saltzman with stepping up and added: “I could not be happier that we have Mark LeCouris back to guide the ship.”
Commissioner Michael Eisner called it “a super trying week” and thanked staff and LeCouris, who he said had been enjoying retirement for a year and a half. “He’s coming back to work with us to save the city and make it a strong city again,” Eisner said.
Eisner agreed with Vice Mayor Panagiotis Koulias that the city should not rush a search.
“I’m looking forward to having Mr. LeCouris back,” Koulias said. “I’m looking forward to some good, proper direction, and we’re going to be in good shape. We’ve got the best staff.”
Koulianos said when he called LeCouris, he asked: “Mark, you think you are ready to come back and help us out?” LeCouris, the mayor recounted, replied that with the Lightning out of the playoffs, he had some time on his hands.
The mayor said the situation was unusual because commissioners reached the same conclusion individually without coordinating, which he credited to Saltzman’s handling.
“There were issues of appropriateness, there were issues in my opinion of funding and procurement concerns, and also possible conflicts of interest as well,” Koulianos said. “Our city staff needs education, they need training, but it needs to be specific to city government. It has to have direct relevance to city government. We’re not here to proselytize our staff.”
He said LeCouris will focus on city business, with the immediate priority getting the budget through without a tax increase.