Miami-Dade Officials Institute "Management Watch"

The woman once hailed as the savior of Miami's airports is now reportedly considered a goat and has been put on what her boss calls "management watch."

Miami-Dade (FL) Aviation Director Angela Gittens (right), who used to run Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport, is under fire from County Manager George Burgess, who accuses her of overstepping her authority, micromanaging her department and its dealings with outside entities, bucking the policies of the Board of County Commissioners and being... well, surly.

"When labor leadership, in writing, states it cannot trust you and views your actions as unethical, we should be concerned," said Burgess in the memo. It was obtained by the Miami Herald.

But what appears to have really made Burgess (below) and commissioners mad at Gittens was her support for an aviation agency in Miami-Dade that would be independent of elected politicians. In 2002, Gittens suggested the commission was ruled by lobbyists. That remark got her a reprimand from the former county manager, but won her a following for what was described as her "gutsy candor."

Creating an independent aviation authority would take away from county commissioners the ability to award airport contracts. A petition drive demanding the issue of an independent aviation authority be placed on the November ballot appears in trouble. Nonetheless, Gittens signed that petition and is now hearing from Burgess about it.

"Your recent action of signing a petition in support of an aviation authority in a manner to draw attention [to the issue] showed a lack of sensitivity and disrespect to me and those we serve," wrote Burgess.

Gittens refused comment when a reporter from the Herald called her about the memo. But her stock looks pretty bleak, according to the Herald. Not only is she now under "management watch," a program of last resort where her every decision will be closely scrutinized, but the man who will supervise that program is an old nemesis. Assistant County Manager Bill Johnson was up for the airports director job before it was awarded to Gittens. He was harshly critical of her statement calling the county commission "lobby heaven." Now, he's the man in charge of evaluating Gittens' job performance.

FMI: http://miamidade.gov/wps/portal