Editorial from May 10th, 2008 issue of the Key West Citizen
Hello, Monroe County! I’ve known and enjoyed you most of my life — and I’m extremely humbled and appreciative to have been asked to assist in maintaining your natural beauty, way of life and progress.
If the headline of this article caught your eye, then I have succeeded in my goal for it — to get your attention. Why “The Art of War” title? I first read Sun Tzu’s compilation while studying management and budgeting. Although initially unsettled by the title — as you might be — it quickly became apparent to me that the true message was “to win without fighting is best.” Written over 2,000 years ago during a period of prolonged Chinese civil war, Sun Tzu showed how ethical behavior is the foundation for success in competition.
Sun Tzu’s ethical approach is also extremely practical, which is part of why I have found its principles so relevant to government. He points out that direct conflict is always expensive and that victorious conflict is so inherently costly that it is never worthwhile. He said, “A general that fights a hundred battles and wins a hundred battles is not a great general. The great general is one who finds a way to win without fighting a single battle.”
As your new county administrator, I can’t promise you that we won’t have any battles in the days ahead. But we will be guided by a commitment to do what is most important for our community and to handle the conflicts that may arise in the most ethical manner possible. At the top of the list is the opportunity to create a lasting legacy — improved water quality for the only living coral reef in the continental U.S., and also for the residents who call the Keys their home.
My goal is to bring government authenticity to Monroe County, using the lessons learned from the two areas that have dominated my life so far: science and public service. You might find it useful to know that I earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and minored in chemistry and geography, and received an MBA from the University of Miami. The experience to manage the county comes from working in local government from the bottom up, having started as a pollution control inspector and then a series of promotions in administrative jobs that led to management and director positions, including 15 years with Miami-Dade County and five years with the South Florida Water Management District.
The Chinese strategist Sun Tzu taught that people could not be united to succeed in any endeavor unless they shared a common philosophy that gives their effort a greater meaning. For me, it’s clear that all of us in Monroe County want to live in a clean, safe and healthy community. We want to keep our unique environment intact and continue to enjoy living in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
While these shared goals are what will be driving our future work, no one is saying that meeting the environmental and other infrastructure challenges facing Monroe County will be simple — or without differences of opinion on how to get the job done. Nonetheless, when we put our ideas and energy together with the spirit of “can do,” I am confident we will create a more viable, positive and productive force for change and improvement.
The Board of County Commissioners and employees want to hear from you and ask your help in moving Monroe County forward. I welcome the opportunity to work with you to help create an even more wonderful Monroe County.
Roman Gastesi is Monroe County’s incoming county administrator.
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