BCC Votes To Pay New TDC Director $125,000 per year

**WCTA** · 05-10-2010, 09:08 PM

In a 4-0 (Commissioner Cecilia Jones was not present) vote the BCC this afternoon voted to set the starting salary for the new TDC director at $125,000 per year making the new director the highest paid non elected employee in Walton County government.

The salary set by the BCC is $28,000 per year higher than the previous director's salary with two years on the job.

The agreement specifies that she opted out of the BCC funded medical insurance program. This saves the County approximately $6,024 over the life of the one year agreement.

The total cost of the package provided to the new director is approximately $160,000 per year including other benefits and perks.

Ms. Malaterno has no prior experience as a TDC Director, although she is reported to be a dynamic Chamber of Commerce professional. We are unaware of any other individuals being given the chance to apply for the position. Ten major TDC bedtax collectors that collected 35.7 % of the Total TDC bedtaxes in 2009 asked for a nationwide search for the best available candidate. The BCC chose to hire Ms. Malaterno despite those calls for a search for the best available candidate.

During the life of the agreement the BCC will also continue to pay the salary and benefits of the previous director for 6 months, and then will pay a lump sum payment to him on October 10th for the cost of another 6 months of medical coverage.

The salary of Ms. Malaterno was negotiated by Mr. Gary Mattison, Acting Assistant County Administrator. Mr Mattison also negotiated the package provided to Mr. Mares upon his retirement.

The WCTA has learned that the initial site work on the forensic audit of the TDC is complete and is expected to be presented to the BCC at the 1st BCC meeting in June.

The audit will detail the TDC director and TDC Board's performance in the oversight and governance role that state law specifies is the TDC board's responsibility to implement and monitor.

Although we were given some general results of the findings, we will wait for the official audit to be made available before detailing the results.

**Here4Good** · 05-11-2010, 08:37 AM

So many people let the BCC know how they felt, and it made absolutely no difference whatsoever. We begged for a nationwide search, to no avail.

This is borderline criminal, in my opinion.

Do they know that Okaloosa JUST went through a national search, and hired someone with 26 years of experience (and I am guessing, for less than $125K?)

Lazy, lazy, insider job.

**Murray Balkcom** · 05-11-2010, 04:29 PM

There weren't that many people at the BCC meeting last night.

**kurt** · 05-11-2010, 07:49 PM

Personally, I don't think I am going to be outraged about a salary for a position heading up an organization responsible for bringing in millions to this county, and taking care of our most precious resource - the beaches. I'd like to reserve judgment until I can measure performance down the road a bit.

Now that the contract is in place I am all for supporting our community and working together to make it the best we can. Maybe that is what you feel you are doing, but I ask the WCTA to be respectful. No matter how upset you may be, you certainly know how to spell her name.

This forum is not to attack or bully. As I have said before, we appreciate you keeping an eye on things, but a reporting of facts and opinions without vitriol will serve our community better, as well as elevate respect for your organization.

**WCTA** · 05-11-2010, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by kurt

Personally, I don't think I am going to be outraged about a salary for a position heading up an organization responsible for bringing in millions to this county, and taking care of our most precious resource - the beaches. I'd like to reserve judgment until I can measure performance down the road a bit.

Now that the contract is in place I am all for supporting our community and working together to make it the best we can. Maybe that is what you feel you are doing, but I ask the WCTA to be respectful. No matter how upset you may be, you certainly know how to spell her name.

This forum is not to attack or bully. As I have said before, we appreciate you keeping an eye on things, but a reporting of facts and opinions without vitriol will serve our community better, as well as elevate respect for your organization.

I apologize for misspelling Dawn's name. My mistake.

Our organization believes in transparency, fiscal responsibility and holds those in elected office accountable for their actions. Do we always agree with the actions of those elected officials - No - just as I'm sure that others disagree as well. Are we bitter about those disagreements - No.

We always try to be factual in our positions and let those who choose to read make a determination of their merits on their own.

We seek only efficient, effective, and responsible actions by those who determine in many ways the future of our County.

For 29 years this organization has served as the "Eyes and Ears for Walton County Taxpayers".

In the past year our membership has almost doubled in size and would seemingly show the respect our organization has earned.

We will continue to strive only for the best for this county and its citizens and taxpayers as long as our memebship supports our actions.

Thank you for your thoughts. We respect them.

I tried to edit our post and correct the spelling, but that action is not available. Sorry

**Here4Good** · 05-12-2010, 06:20 AM

I don't object to the candidate - I object to the process. I object to the fact that there was only one candidate. I object to the fact that that I was told by commissioners directly that this was going to be an interim appointment followed by a national search, which means they either misinformed me or were made to change their minds.

Who out there thinks this was a good way to fill one of the top positions in the county?

Look at what Okaloosa did - they had a national search, they narrowed it to three candidates, they chose one. They didn't just stick their head out the door and say, "Who do you think would be a good TDC Director?" "Why, there's a lady in the next building who I think would be good!" "Why, I know her, and I think she's good too! Okay, done!"

Of course, maybe that's why we have the revolving door.

**GoodWitch58** · 05-12-2010, 07:03 AM

I agree, Here4good. It is the process that is questionable IMO, not the person selected.

apparently there was concern about the handling of the finances within the TDC and that is why no one on staff was selected as Interim Director...that makes sense I guess...but this entire situation begs for clarification.

**Busta Hustle** · 05-12-2010, 07:21 AM

Just a quick question please. How can you measure how much $$$ the TDC brings into the county?

**Murray Balkcom** · 05-12-2010, 07:43 AM

I have yet to hear anyone say anything, even in casual conversation about Dawn's ability to fill the shoes. Everything I've heard has been regarding the process in which she was put into that position, along with the fact that Walton County is practically paying $240,000 for that position for 12 months ($160,000 including benefits + Sunny Mares salary for six months). Tie that into the thought of some very influential people at the Walton Area Chamber now having some strings attached to the TDC.

We can only hope that Dawn is excellent at her new job and isn't unduly influenced by some of those key players at the Chamber, in regards to her new role at the TDC.

**Here4Good** · 05-12-2010, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by Busta Hustle

Just a quick question please. How can you measure how much $$$ the TDC brings into the county?

We can't even measure how much they spend on advertising, since their budget is a black box.

I am really bothered by this part: there were people who represented something like a third of all bed taxes collected who objected to this process, and they were ignored. I doubt that they just showed up at the meeting to voice their concerns, I would imagine that they had also been calling the commissioners to discuss the matter. I had been, and I don't have any connection to the tourist industry, I just want this county to be successful.

So who did have influence, if not the people driving the tourist business?

What kind of government ignores a third of the tax base?

**30ashopper** · 05-12-2010, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by kurt

Personally, I don't think I am going to be outraged about a salary for a position heading up an organization responsible for bringing in millions to this county, and taking care of our most precious resource - the beaches. I'd like to reserve judgment until I can measure performance down the road a bit.

How do we know if the TDC has actually done that? I wonder sometimes. Has any independent group ever studied the promotional expenditures of the TDC in order to ascertain the success level of their programs at generating general revenue?

I get beach maintenance, beach access, and beach nourishment. These are all good things. But the TDC spends quite a bit in other areas. I wonder how effective a job they've done.

**John R** · 05-12-2010, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by murray

Tie that into the thought of some very influential people at the Walton Area Chamber now having some strings attached to the TDC.

...isn't unduly influenced by some of those key players at the Chamber, in regards to her new role at the TDC.

Dawn herself indicated that she would be at the TDC 80%, and WACC 20% of the time. Not sure how the separation will play out.

**scooterbug44** · 05-12-2010, 10:07 AM

So we are paying someone $28K more to do 80% of the job? WTF?

**GoodWitch58** · 05-12-2010, 10:37 AM

I thought in the latest version of this, she had resigned from the Chamber and was working full time with the TDC?

**Alicia Leonard** · 05-12-2010, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by goodwitch58

I thought in the latest version of this, she had resigned from the Chamber and was working full time with the TDC?

That is our information also.

**Joyce Owen** · 05-12-2010, 10:56 AM

From today's Daily News:

Moliterno said later that she has resigned as president and CEO of Walton County Chamber of Commerce, and will be in a 60-day transition from the chamber to the TDC.
She replaces Sonny Mares, who retired abruptly April 1. Questions have since been raised about some expenses he charged to the TDC.
Commissioners approved a one-year contract with Moliterno at their last meeting.
Moliterno said her last day with the chamber will be July 2. Until then, she will spend 80 percent of her time with the TDC and 20 percent with the chamber.
�I�m thrilled this whole process is behind us,� Moliterno said. �I�m ready to get back in the business of promoting this wonderful destination.�

**Busta Hustle** · 05-12-2010, 12:14 PM

Haas Center says Walco collected $10,583,218 in bed taxes in 2009.
7 of the 12 months 09 collections were a little less than in 2008 and the other 5 months 09 collections were a little up.

**30A Skunkape** · 05-12-2010, 12:15 PM

My two cents:

Dawn knows the area she is promoting, so there will be no need for a transititional learning period during this very crucial time for marketing the Beaches of South Walton, given the media drumbeat of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. $125k will be money well spent on an 'inside hire', if in retrospect she manages to keep occupancy up in a difficult public relations period. In fact, she may be a steal, and not in the sense implied above.

**Busta Hustle** · 05-13-2010, 11:36 AM

There is no way to measure and give credit to a TDC director for rental occupancy.

My vision of the future is for smaller government with less money. What makes anyone think that a government can do better marketing to attract tourist than the owners of the property for rent. In this age of technology and websites VRBO, every realtor web page, business ads, every rental agency ad, word of mouth, repeat customers for decades how can you give even 10% of the credit for rental occupancy to an annual marketing plan of the TDc?

Cut the bed tax in half save the end customer the $$ or collect it and give half of it back to the owner that paid it in the first place.

or just keep believing the hype and giving $16 million or so a year to a government taxing authority that knows what's best for you.

**Geo** · 05-13-2010, 01:25 PM

I'm with Skunky. You could easily pay tens of thousands of dollars to cover the cost of a national search, then reloaction expenses, then time getting someone ramped up. I would imagine she made this a selling point during the interview process and when negotiating her salary. I know I would have.

You can spin this any way you want. If you want to you can smell something that stinks. If you want to- you can have some faith that we were lucky enough to find a solid local candidate who folks in and around the TDC already know and can vouch for who is ready to get to work.

**scooterbug44** · 05-14-2010, 11:59 AM

Geo, I would agree with you if she was the new director instead of the interim director and if it didn't seem like there were backroom deals going on.

We didn't save anything, we are paying her $160K in salary and perks and still have to find someone for the position.

I don't have anything against Dawn and don't know that she is necessarily a bad choice, it's just that I do not like how this is all playing out.

Seriously, the person we hired without a search or any experience to be an interim director of something under investigation got a major salary bump that makes her the HIGHEST paid employee in the county - during a budget crisis and when many are still reeling from the recession.

**GoodWitch58** · 05-14-2010, 12:55 PM

yeah, the appearance of the lack of transparency here is what is bothersome to me. Something about this entire issue just doesn't feel appropriate. The BCC indicates that she is the only person locally who is qualified to fill the position--but how do they know that if they didn't look.....

**wrobert** · 05-14-2010, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by goodwitch58

yeah, the appearance of the lack of transparency here is what is bothersome to me. Something about this entire issue just doesn't feel appropriate. The BCC indicates that she is the only person locally who is qualified to fill the position--but how do they know that if they didn't look.....

Psychic friends network.

**wrobert** · 05-14-2010, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by Here4Good

We can't even measure how much they spend on advertising, since their budget is a black box.

I am really bothered by this part: there were people who represented something like a third of all bed taxes collected who objected to this process, and they were ignored. I doubt that they just showed up at the meeting to voice their concerns, I would imagine that they had also been calling the commissioners to discuss the matter. I had been, and I don't have any connection to the tourist industry, I just want this county to be successful.

So who did have influence, if not the people driving the tourist business?

What kind of government ignores a third of the tax base?

Pay close attention to anyone hired in the coming days. I imagine it will all become apparent, it usually does.

**John R** · 05-14-2010, 04:35 PM

Ms. Moliterno stood up for us big time by voicing her opposition the the size of the lettering on a sign in the new airport. Our tax dollars at work.

**WCTA** · 05-22-2010, 08:11 AM

**Andy A** · 05-22-2010, 08:16 AM

The Sun editorial staff hasn't nailed anything since Gwen Break left. There is more to this story than just the Commission, WTCA. WTCA, you do a great job overalll, but on this one, I have reservations and so should others.