Materials in our digital Oral History collections are the products of research projects by several individuals. USF Libraries assume no responsibility for the views expressed by interviewers or interviewees. Some interviews include material that may be viewed as offensive or objectionable. Parents of minors are encouraged to supervise use of USF Libraries Oral Histories and Digital Collections. Additional oral histories may be available in Special Collections for use in the reading room. See individual collection descriptions for more information.
This oral history is provided for research and education within the bounds of U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Copyright over Oral Histories hosted by the USF Libraries rests with the interviewee unless transferred to the interviewer in the course of the project. Interviewee views and information may also be protected by privacy and publicity laws. All patrons making use of it and other library content are individually accountable for their responsible and legal use of copyrighted material.
1
Sandy Freedman Oral History Project
University of South Florida
Interview with: Sarah Lang
Interviewed by: Robert Kerstein
Location: Sarah Langs office in City Hall (Tampa, FL)
Date: January 27, 2006
Transcribed by: Rebecca Willman
Edited by: Robert Kerstein (09/06)
Rebecca Willman (09/11/06)
Final Edit by: Nicole Cox (09/11/07)
[Tape 1, Side A]
RK: This is an interview with Ms. Sarah Lang, January 27, 2006 in her office in City
Hall. Thanks a lot for meeting with me, I appreciate it. Can I ask a couple of, kind of
background questions in terms of your own history?
SL: Of course.
RK: Were you born in Tampa?
SL: No I wasnt. Where I was born doesnt have anything to do with Tampa, I was an air
force brat. I did come by way of Tampa when my father retired from the military, and he
was stationed at MacDill Air Force Base. But shortly thereafter he decided to move the
family to Bradenton. So I grew up in Bradenton, Florida, and then came to Tampa after
graduate school, and that was 1977.
RK: And what was your degree in graduate school?
SL: I had a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Georgia.
RK: And when did you begin working for the City of Tampa?
SL: I actually was still working on my graduate degree, and I was hired in September of
1977. I was looking for an internship and I was hired with federal funds for a 90-day
period, which is what I also needed to fulfill my degree requirements of having a full
time internship with a public governmentany, any local state or national. So I was hired
for 90 days, and then another 90 days [laughs]. And then maybe, I think another year
extensionthis was the CETA Program, which had a tremendous influence on the city
back then. They hired a lot of employees for different programs. Eventually I got a
regular position, and Im still working with the City of Tampa today.
2
RK: And what is your position today?
SL: Today Im Employee Relations Manager.
RK: And what are you primary responsibilities?
SL: Well I handle all of t
