Port Richey council presses City Manager Don King over communication and finances during 90‑day evaluation

Port Richey — The City Council spent the evening discussing City Manager Don King’s 90‑day evaluation, with council members and residents raising persistent concerns about King’s communication style and outstanding financial reconciliations even as King pointed to early progress on grant pursuits and infrastructure planning.

King opened the discussion by reviewing materials in the agenda packet, saying he had focused his first 90 days on building a grant‑seeking culture and preparing shovel‑ready projects to attract construction funds. “We don't have the infrastructure. We don't have the funds to go after everything we want. How do we get there? Let's look at grants,” King said, describing coordination with the grant manager and department directors to pursue state and federal opportunities.

The council pushed back in several areas. Vice Mayor (Council Member) criticized King’s responsiveness, saying he was “highly offended” by what he characterized as a directive telling staff not to take some council members’ calls and urging greater openness: “My job as a hired or an elected official here is to make sure I've got flashlights and magnifying…