About five months ago, the Hillsborough County Florida Commissioners fired their County Administrator after she gave herself and the County Attorney and others a 1% raise without notifying the Board.
It took them awhile, but the Board fired the Administrator, Pat Bean, who had worked there 32 years, after discovering the hidden raises.
So, local Lake County government managers, don't try to sneak through a staff raise without running it by the elected officials in a public meeting.
Read two articles below with the details.
vj
Here is an early 2009 St. Petersburg Times article explaining the events that led to the firing - apparently the Board was not happy with the Administrator's management skills, saying she was a "reactive" manager. What is interesting is that many of the complaints listed were similar to those about a recent Lake County Manager who was fired last year, and another, still employed, local manager in another agency. However, they did not violate any regulations like in Hillsborough County.
Below is an article when Pat Bean was fired around June, 2010. She was fired "with cause" indicating she violated terms of her agreement and not allowed to collect severance of over $220,000. That was a costly 1% raise.
From the Tampa Channel 10 TV WTSP website HERE
Tampa, Florida -- After months of indecision, the Hillsborough Commissioner finally fired Administrator Pat Bean on Wednesday. Commissioner Rose Ferlita wanted to give Bean an opportunity to resign and walk out of County Center as a hero, but Bean refused.
Instead, Bean leaves County Center as the first Administrator to ever be fired.
Ferlita says commissioners had the opportunity to protect the dignity of the citizens who were calling for Bean to be fired. Ferlita says she is delighted.
Commissioners had three choices: accept Bean's offer to be a consultant and stay on the payroll for 18 months at $190,000. They immediately rejected that. Commissioner Kevin White said it would be like another 18 month paid vacation at taxpayer expense.
They could have fired her "without cause" and pay a one year severance of $224,124.
Finally, they could have paid her no severance and fired her "with cause," because as we uncovered, Bean and County attorney Renee Lee gave themselves a 1 percent raise without telling commissioners.
Commissioner Mark Sharpe says when they gave themselves the raises, they violated the charter and their contract.
The consulting attorney the county hired warned that by firing Bean with cause, it opens open the possibility of a lawsuit where damages and legal fees could run to $700,000. But commissioners didn't seem to be concerned.
Sharpe says the county is right and if she takes the case to court, Bean will lose.
Now the county is done with Pat Bean unless she files suit, but she won't walk away empty handed. Bean gets $190,124 unused vacation and sick leave; $391,042 in a onetime Deferred Retirement Option Plan payment; $103,920 each year in pension benefits.
Commissioners voted to allow County Attorney Renee Lee to come back to work Monday. She had also been on paid suspension for three months, however the turmoil isn't over as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating both for possible criminal violations.
In addition, several commissioners says they no longer trust, nor do feel they can continue to work with Lee.
