Virginia Beach City Manager puts complaint in writing

EDITOR'S NOTE: This piece was published in the Beacon Jan. 8, 2012, as an installment of the "Making Waves" column by staff writer Aaron Applegate, who covers Virginia Beach government for The Pilot.

The English language is rife with colorful expressions to question the mental capacity of someone you disagree with.

You might say someone is “off his rocker.” Or, less quaintly, “out of his mind.” Or you might prefer the simple and dependable “crazy” or “nuts.”

Some people favor drug references, as in, “Is he on drugs?” Or, “Are you smoking weed?” Or the granddaddy of them all, “Are you on crack?”

Which brings us to a Princess Anne High School classroom last month where Councilman Bill DeSteph was addressing government students. The subject turned to City Manager Jim Spore and his $225,207 salary. It’s hard to know exactly what DeSteph said and in what context – I’m not aware of a video floating around.

But what got back to Spore unsettled him enough to write a letter to DeSteph, which he copied to the mayor and other council members.

In the letter, Spore accused DeSteph of saying he was overpaid and on “crack.”

“While you have made it very clear your opinion related to my salary and certainly have that right, I personally do not feel it is appropriate to have this type of conversation with high school students ... ,” Spore wrote. “As for the accusation of my drug use, I would suggest you refrain from ever even implying that is the case.”

So what happened?

As DeSteph recalls it, a teacher raised the subject of Spore’s pay. DeSteph said he voted against Spore’s latest contract renewal because his pay was too high. In an ensuing discussion with students, the fact that Spore makes more than the Secretary of Defense ($199,700) emerged. DeSteph then said whoever believes Spore has more responsibility than the Secretary of Defense is “smoking crack.”

“I did not say Mr. Spore smokes crack,” DeSteph said. “I was using the term ‘crack’ as a joke: ‘You think what? You’re on crack.’”

Ah, a joke. Humor – always in the eye of the beholder. Especially tricky in government.

Of course, DeSteph’s expression, if tired, was not literal.

Spore’s letter is earnestly indignant. But the last line signaled he means business.

“I am reducing this concern to writing since it is not the first time you have publicly made statements about me that are false and damaging to my personal professional reputation.”

DeSteph said he’s not fazed.

“Just another letter to file away.”