[tabi] Fw: [fcb-l] Tampa Bay Times article on dbs

"Easy Talk" <Easytalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> · Thu, 20 Dec 2012 05:23:59 -0500

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From: Easy Talk 
To: fcb-l@xxxxxxx 
Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2012 5:23 AM
Subject: [fcb-l] Tampa Bay Times article on dbs


Four ousted in Blind Services after audit discloses sweetheart deal
By
Brittany Alana Davis
, Times/Herald Bureau
 In Print: Thursday, December 20, 2012
TALLAHASSEE
-Thousands of state workers haven't received pay raises in years, but Division 
of
Blind Services worker Caroline McManus was due for a $97,000 boost overnight.
The plan: To quit her $59,000 computer programming position and return the next 
day
as a $156,000 contractor.
All the managers approved it. Same job, same desk, more than double the pay.
While that sounds like a great deal for the employee, it also violates a rule 
that
bans workers from leaving state jobs and returning within two years for more 
money.
After learning about the ploy from an audit released this week, officials with 
the
Department of Education, which oversees the Division of Blind Services, halted 
it
and fired two employees, suspended two others without pay, and forced two more 
to
resign. One of those forced to resign was the division's director,
Joyce Hildreth, who had approved the pay raise for McManus.
This is only the latest sign of turmoil at the Division of Blind Services. Last 
month,
a
Times/Herald
 story revealed Hildreth, a former contractor, farmed out no-bid contracts to 
her
former coworkers that were so loosely worded the groups could charge $58 dollars
per hour for driving to a blind person's house or more than $2,000 for a brief 
phone
call.
This week's audit, by the Department of Education Office of the Inspector 
General,
said that several workers knew for months about the plan to rehire McManus. But 
investigators
said they didn't object because, in the words of one employee, "This kind of 
situation
happens all the time." A similar case with a second employee is under 
investigation.
"The department will continue to look into (the Division of Blind Services) to 
be
certain that there are no other issues and that the division is doing the best 
job
for the people they serve," Department of Education spokeswoman Cynthia Sucher 
wrote
in an email.
The Division of Blind Services operates a $52 million budget and hires private 
vendors
to help 11,000 blind Floridians manage their disability.
According to the audit, the Department of Education needs to better follow the 
rules
for contracts and bidding.
Case in point: Of the 12 supervisors and employees interviewed in the report, 
almost
everyone seemed unclear on whose responsibility it was to decide whether McManus
was eligible for a state contract.
Paul Harbin, who requested the contract for McManus, was one of those fired. He 
was
offered the opportunity to resign, but refused because he didn't believe he did 
anything
wrong.
Harbin
 argues that he's not responsible for knowing and interpreting state law. He 
thought
hiring McManus didn't sound right, but said he had heard of that happening 
before.
Still, he said he consulted with every manager and with Department of Education 
Attorney
Charles Pellegrini - who acknowledged to investigators he gave the wrong advice.
Pellegrini was suspended for five days without pay.
"My entire career is spotless, integrity is a large part of who I am," said
Harbin
, a 21-year state employee. "Anyone who has worked with me would tell you I 
would
never knowingly break a rule."
McManus told investigators she had no idea she was doing anything wrong when she
started her own consulting firm-McManus Business Consulting, Inc.-to cash in on 
a
Blind Services contract.
Her desk was mere yards from private contractors who do the same, or less work, 
for
more than double the salary, she told investigators. McManus did not return 
calls
to her home phone.
Mary Ellen Ottman, who quit Blind Services in September, said she's not 
surprised
by the report's findings.
"I have thought for a long time that contract dealings were not fair," she said.
"The problem goes deeper than this one incident. There really needs to be some 
changes."
The spokeswoman for Jeff Atwater, Florida's Chief Financial Officer, urged the 
department
to bolster its hiring procedures.
"The mismanagement of contracts and grant agreements in our state can 
potentially
cost
Florida
 taxpayers millions every year," said Anna Alexopoulos. "It is important to have
stronger contract and grant standards in place as well as better training so 
that
managers can spot red flags and correct potential issues before dollars are 
deployed."
Contact Brittany Alana Davis at
bdavis@xxxxxxxxxxxx
 or 850-323-0353.
[Last modified: Dec 19, 2012 07:33 PM]


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[tabi] Fw: [fcb-l] Tampa Bay Times article on dbs

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