Tavares, FL - July 7, 2011 - Ethics may slowly be improving in Lake County...
So there was this high level official in the State of New York who forced internal staff to issue a $100,000 grant to a firm that had hired his wife as a consultant. But, he got caught, and was fired after the IG started their investigation.
And, we have read about Orlando officials on a Board steering large service contracts to their own firms.
Gee, it reminds me of a local Lake County official who I was told funneled campaign funds to a firm that employed his wife. But, knowing Florida, maybe it is legal here?
Or, the rumors I hear about another elected official who got a house or land for much less than the owner paid for it? Perhaps for ruling on important issues? Of course, that could only be a rumor from political opponents...
Or, the elected official who works full time for another government agency, but still takes time off for election campaigning and elected duties. Taking time off from your own business is one thing, but doing it while an apparent full time government employee is another thing. We don't know if there are offsetting salary reductions to make up for the time off.
Or the elected official who got a $1000 campaign contribution from an industry association just before turning down a plea by local residents to fix a regulation that eliminated oversight of a Lake County business belonging to the association.
Or, the campaign flyer that supported three candidates for an office, and was mailed to many Lake County residents without specifying who paid for the flyer, a violation of election laws. One complaint has been filed, resulting in a fine for the direct mail provider.
Or, the election candidates who only file manual candidate reports that can't be looked up online, then the elections office tells visitors that no reports were filed until they were repeatedly asked to find file folders with the manual reports. Then we find that details supporting expenditures or donations were not attached to the reports.
Or another elected official who has hired several key individuals all from the same church and did not advertise their positions for competitive applications from possibly MORE qualified professionals from the public at large. Additionally a relative of a prior office holder was hired without disclosure or competitive interviews for a professional position. The proper process should have been an open advertising and objective hiring process to ensure the best candidate was hired, not from a favored organization (of any type, even a college alumni group).
Or, the government employee adminstering a grant program, and lots of relatives and government employees got the subsidies without the general public knowing much about the program in order to apply. And, favored vendors received service orders without going through the official procurement process for vendors.
Or the Lake County Commissioners that held all secret meetings to negotiate Fire Fighter union wage agreements without any public hearings, and then did not even furnish a clear executive summary of the wage or benefit changes during the final and only public meeting where the agreement was approved. In contrast, the School District DOES make union bargaining sessions public, but they obfuscate what is being discussed and don't clearly describe all the changes when approved by the Board. Gee, do you think the elected officials are trying to hide what they decided?
However, some things are improving.
The Lake County Commissioners just issued a new grant program, "GoGreen", funded with Federal funds. And, they said County employees are not eligible until the public gets informed and has a chance to apply first for the available $825,000. The idea is to ensure that County insiders don't lock up all the grant funds before the County residents have time to apply. So, check out the link above if you want to apply for a rebate on energy efficient appliances, but DO READ all the rules and make sure there are still funds left before you run out and buy the appliance. Notice: I buried this notice here to reward you guys who actually read our reports.
And, I heard this week about one person filing a complaint with the State ethics committee about an elected official secretly processing a contract JUST BEFORE the last elections without involving the other officials on an elected Board.
And, there are the hearings by Governor Rick Scott's Commission to Review Hospital Districts, and all the weaknesses in their operating methods.
And, after two years of suggestions, the Lake County School District did create an independent hotline to file complaints about internal problems, possible fraud, etc. The number is on the big sign in the front of the School District headquarters building.
And, occasionally, people come to me with this stuff, and I add it to my list of tasks...
But, unlike at least two other Florida Counties, we don't have an inspector General in Lake County to investigate these issues. Yet.
If you are a government employee, official or citizen with information on ethical issues like the above, let me know at FiscalRangers AT comcast DOT com .
vj