Who says I don't go to BCC meetings? Do you?
As far as whether I would pay it back or not is irrelevant as I'm not a publicly elected official nor have I ever accepted public monies.
I also don't start sentences with prepositions, you do though.
Wcta ad - 7-22-09
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Who says I don't go to BCC meetings? Do you?
As far as whether I would pay it back or not is irrelevant as I'm not a publicly elected official nor have I ever accepted public monies.
I also don't start sentences with prepositions, you do though.
The tax watchdogs have the burners on high and the teapot seems to be at full boil.
Classic battle of wills in my opinion. The sun is now shinning on the Commission - guess it is their move.
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Classic battle of wills in my opinion. The sun is now shinning on the Commission - guess it is their move.
Posted via Mobile Device
Tempest In A Tea Pot ?
Letter from Walton commissioner: Stop my benefits
Sara Comander says in letter she did not want anyone questioning her honesty
July 21, 2009 - 8:51 PM
Kimberly White
Daily News
DeFUNIAK SPRINGS ? Walton County Commission Chairwoman Sara Comander now is having the cost of her family health coverage taken out of her paycheck rather than having taxpayers pick up the tab.
The written request to Human Resources Coordinator Lynda Robinson is dated June 10, just weeks after the Walton County Taxpayers Association discovered that public funds were being used to pay for both county commissioners and their family members? health insurance.
In the letter, Comander wrote that she was ?not part of the budget process in 2006? ? when the family benefit was discussed as part of the compensation package for county commissioners ? nor did she know ?the rules that govern this type of thing.?
?I assumed then, as I do now, that it was a human resources matter and that it was handled correctly,? she wrote. ?What I do know is that I prize my good name and integrity ? and cannot have anyone or group questioning my honesty. I believe I must hold myself to a higher standard (than) any employee or citizen. The people of Walton County have put their faith in me, and I will not betray that trust.
?Therefore, I am requesting that you stop all insurance payments involving my family,? the letter concludes.
Her assistant said Tuesday that Commander is on vacation and would not be available for comment.
The Taxpayers Association found out about the letter through a public-records request filed Monday and sent out a news release announcing the discovery.
When asked why she did not reveal her decision earlier, according to the release, Comander said that it was ?a personal decision and to have publicly disclosed my actions would not have been right. Other commissioners are entitled to make their own determination of the appropriateness of the benefit.?
Contacted Tuesday and asked whether he has written a similar letter, Commissioner Larry Jones said, ?I have not, and that?s the first I?ve heard of (Comander?s letter.)?
Commissioner Cecilia Jones, who was elected to the commission in 2008, said she learned of the benefit when she received a job-related packet and ?assumed it was standard practice.? She added that she also plans to request that the benefit be stopped.
Commissioner Kenneth Pridgen said Tuesday that he was unaware Comander had written the letter, but added that he asked County Administrator Ronnie Bell during a recent budget meeting to research the issue. Bell is expected to recommend at the commissioners? budget hearings in September whether the county should continue to pick up the tab for family coverage.
The family-coverage benefit does not apply to Commissioner Scott Brannon, who is single.
The Taxpayers Association discovered the benefit for county commissioners and three high-ranking county officials in May after members filed a routine public-records request.
Members wanted to find out when a meeting was held to discuss and vote on the issue, and eventually discovered that no meeting was held because it was an ?administrative decision? made through the human resources department.
Gary Mattison, the county?s human resources director, made an administrative decision in January 2007 to provide full-family coverage to the commissioners, according to Karen DeBeauchamp, the county?s benefits coordinator.
Bob Hudson, president of the association, has estimated that almost $51,000 in taxpayer money has been used to pay the benefit.
Comander?s move, he said, ?is an indication that at least one of the commissioners understands the issue, but our interest is in changing that policy so that it doesn?t happen in the future, and that?s hopefully where we?ll end up with is a change in policy ?
?It?s our position that stuff like this has to be done in the sunshine,? he added. ?If they?re going to change any of the (officials?) benefits, they should come before the commission and let the public comment on it.?
Mattison had decided three months earlier to provide the family coverage benefit to Bell, County Attorney David Hallman and Tourist Development Council Director Kriss Titus.
Hallman and Titus no longer work for the county. Bell announced last week that he would retire at the end of September.
DeBeauchamp said previously that those officials agreed to take the benefit ?in lieu of salary increases.?
But salary records from the county Clerk of Courts tell a different story.
According to figures provided by William Pennington, finance director of the clerk?s office, Bell?s salary in October 2005 was $98,255. One month later, he received a nearly $11,000 step increase, bringing his salary to $109,115, Pennington said.
In October 2006, his salary went up more than $4,000, to $113,480, then up again in 2007 nearly $7,000, to $120,391.
Bell?s current salary is $121,091, a difference of more than $7,500 since October 2006 ? but nearly $23,000 since October 2005.
Pennington calculated that Bell and other top officials did receive a 3 percent raise between 2006 and 2007, but added that percentage is much lower than the typical 7 percent to 10 percent yearly increase.
Letter from Walton commissioner: Stop my benefits
Sara Comander says in letter she did not want anyone questioning her honesty
July 21, 2009 - 8:51 PM
Kimberly White
Daily News
DeFUNIAK SPRINGS ? Walton County Commission Chairwoman Sara Comander now is having the cost of her family health coverage taken out of her paycheck rather than having taxpayers pick up the tab.
The written request to Human Resources Coordinator Lynda Robinson is dated June 10, just weeks after the Walton County Taxpayers Association discovered that public funds were being used to pay for both county commissioners and their family members? health insurance.
In the letter, Comander wrote that she was ?not part of the budget process in 2006? ? when the family benefit was discussed as part of the compensation package for county commissioners ? nor did she know ?the rules that govern this type of thing.?
?I assumed then, as I do now, that it was a human resources matter and that it was handled correctly,? she wrote. ?What I do know is that I prize my good name and integrity ? and cannot have anyone or group questioning my honesty. I believe I must hold myself to a higher standard (than) any employee or citizen. The people of Walton County have put their faith in me, and I will not betray that trust.
?Therefore, I am requesting that you stop all insurance payments involving my family,? the letter concludes.
Her assistant said Tuesday that Commander is on vacation and would not be available for comment.
The Taxpayers Association found out about the letter through a public-records request filed Monday and sent out a news release announcing the discovery.
When asked why she did not reveal her decision earlier, according to the release, Comander said that it was ?a personal decision and to have publicly disclosed my actions would not have been right. Other commissioners are entitled to make their own determination of the appropriateness of the benefit.?
Contacted Tuesday and asked whether he has written a similar letter, Commissioner Larry Jones said, ?I have not, and that?s the first I?ve heard of (Comander?s letter.)?
Commissioner Cecilia Jones, who was elected to the commission in 2008, said she learned of the benefit when she received a job-related packet and ?assumed it was standard practice.? She added that she also plans to request that the benefit be stopped.
Commissioner Kenneth Pridgen said Tuesday that he was unaware Comander had written the letter, but added that he asked County Administrator Ronnie Bell during a recent budget meeting to research the issue. Bell is expected to recommend at the commissioners? budget hearings in September whether the county should continue to pick up the tab for family coverage.
The family-coverage benefit does not apply to Commissioner Scott Brannon, who is single.
The Taxpayers Association discovered the benefit for county commissioners and three high-ranking county officials in May after members filed a routine public-records request.
Members wanted to find out when a meeting was held to discuss and vote on the issue, and eventually discovered that no meeting was held because it was an ?administrative decision? made through the human resources department.
Gary Mattison, the county?s human resources director, made an administrative decision in January 2007 to provide full-family coverage to the commissioners, according to Karen DeBeauchamp, the county?s benefits coordinator.
Bob Hudson, president of the association, has estimated that almost $51,000 in taxpayer money has been used to pay the benefit.
Comander?s move, he said, ?is an indication that at least one of the commissioners understands the issue, but our interest is in changing that policy so that it doesn?t happen in the future, and that?s hopefully where we?ll end up with is a change in policy ?
?It?s our position that stuff like this has to be done in the sunshine,? he added. ?If they?re going to change any of the (officials?) benefits, they should come before the commission and let the public comment on it.?
Mattison had decided three months earlier to provide the family coverage benefit to Bell, County Attorney David Hallman and Tourist Development Council Director Kriss Titus.
Hallman and Titus no longer work for the county. Bell announced last week that he would retire at the end of September.
DeBeauchamp said previously that those officials agreed to take the benefit ?in lieu of salary increases.?
But salary records from the county Clerk of Courts tell a different story.
According to figures provided by William Pennington, finance director of the clerk?s office, Bell?s salary in October 2005 was $98,255. One month later, he received a nearly $11,000 step increase, bringing his salary to $109,115, Pennington said.
In October 2006, his salary went up more than $4,000, to $113,480, then up again in 2007 nearly $7,000, to $120,391.
Bell?s current salary is $121,091, a difference of more than $7,500 since October 2006 ? but nearly $23,000 since October 2005.
Pennington calculated that Bell and other top officials did receive a 3 percent raise between 2006 and 2007, but added that percentage is much lower than the typical 7 percent to 10 percent yearly increase.
Typical 7 - 10 percent increase?
Okay, a show of hands here - anyone get a 7-10 percent increase lately, which did not involve a promotion or change of responsibility?
Still don't understand why the ad did not include all the Commissioners. It is a BOARD decision, which they have been ignoring. It takes one member to make a motion and another to second that motion. Discussion. Vote. While Scott may not be receiving the benefit, his inaction (and the others) has allowed the taxpayers to fund this extravagant perk and needs to be stopped. Lets encourage the Commissioners to address this issue publicly and end this extra perk retroactively to when each started receiving it.
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Now I get it, this increased health coverage is just part of their overall "Vision Plan"
for walco. Show me one public company who has a 500%++ increase in revenues over a couple of years and does not shower it's executives with lavish perks, bonuses, salary increases and retirement benefits. They had all this money laying around. What were they supposed to do with it?
for walco. Show me one public company who has a 500%++ increase in revenues over a couple of years and does not shower it's executives with lavish perks, bonuses, salary increases and retirement benefits. They had all this money laying around. What were they supposed to do with it?
You know, the increases have for the most part been every year. Other than this new observation about the health insurance these folks have been placed back in office. When Rees and Pauls were defeated and Cuchens and the lady Cecelia Jones replaced they all except Jones have been in office for a minimum of 2 years or longer. My point is that we as the voter continue to return folks to office.
1. I go if I need to go. This issue is not something that would drive me to give up my time to attend, but to each his own.
2. I asked if you were in their shoes would you pay it back, not whether you have been or are currently in a public position.
3. I was not aware that this was English class or that compositions are graded for gramatical accuracy. Knowing this, in the future I will strive to improve and do better.
The point is it was never brought to a vote.Sounds like someone has an ax to grind with Mr. Brannon.