Was it the result of a contested election, and a few yet unanswered Public Records Requests?
- Naked Conch - Posted by Matt Gardi - March 1, 2012
I have often written about the benefits of a contested election. Aside from giving the voters a choice, a true contest creates accountability and scrutinizes the manner in which an agency is being run, or the way an incumbent has conducted themselves.
In today's citizen we read about an investigation being launched by the State Attorney into the possibility that County IT equipment was being sold to County staff. Allegations suggest that former Information Services Director Lisa Druckemiller, who retired abruptly on Monday, may have sold iPads and iPhones to staff that included County Administrator Roman Gastesi, Technical Services staff member Hank Kokenzie, and possibly even County Commissioner David Rice.
Really? So aside from the fact that these individuals may have purchased deeply discounted equipment directly from the County Information Services Director without raising an eyebrow, why is it that this is just coming to light now, and who is responsible for the oversight of such equipment?
Oddly enough, just last week on February 22, being a Candidate for County Clerk, I filed a couple of Public Records Requests with County Clerk Danny Kolhage. Some of my interrogatories centered around staff, and salaries, but some were very specific about inventory reports, specifically surrounding the Health Department and the chain of command responsible for inventory. So what prompted Matt Gardi, Candidate for Clerk to ask such questions?
A few days before during lunch I happened upon a gentleman named Mitch Hedman, whom I knew to be involved in County inventory. I was surprised to learn he no longer worked for the Clerk's office, the reason for which was due to the fact he claimed he had been asked to resign after finding a shortfall in inventory of close to $250,000. He mentioned there were serious issues with a few select departments that he brought to the attention of superiors.
I found this shocking, as I always knew him to be extremely diligent, and that clearly the Clerk would respect his analysis. He stated that he also reported it to the Office of the State Attorney, and to the Florida Attorney General, however nothing ever went anywhere with either complaint. He told me he only offered me this information if it would be helpful in my campaign, whereby I might be able to contrast my concern for accountability against that of my opponents. There's that ol' contested election effect again.
I went directly to the Investigator at the State Attorney's Office whom I was told handled the complaint, and sure enough, Hedman had called the SAO in September of 2011. Investigator Chris Weber's notes indicated that Hedman was concerned about being asked to resign for highlighting $250K in missing computers at the Health Department. Weber said he provided Hedman with information about Whistle Blower protection and suggested to Hedman that he put more specific details in writing so that it could be reviewed for a potential investigation. Having never heard back, Weber considered the matter closed.
So, needless to say, both as a citizen, and a Candidate for Clerk I was concerned and wanted to find out more about inventory issues at the Clerk's Office. On February 22nd, I composed those previously mentioned Public Records Requests, and sent them directly to County Clerk Danny Kolhage via email. I also sent a similar request to Robert Eadie, Director of the Monroe County Health Department. To date, I have not been provided a response from either one of them. I have however, been provided information in response to a separate Public Records Request to County Clerk Danny Kolhage that had to do with staff and salaries, a request that I sent AFTER my initial request regarding issues with inventory.
So now, over a week later, with no response to my Public Records Request, according to the Citizen article, County Administrator Roman Gastesi suggests, County staff brought the matter to the attention of the State Attorney's Office on Monday.
What staff, and why now?
I shared my information with State Attorney Dennis Ward, and Chief Investigator Mark Wilson, and while they declined to share any information with me due to the fact it is now an open investigation, I encouraged them to broaden the scope of their investigation.
As the details emerge about the players involved we might gain a better understanding as to why certain things may have been overlooked at the Clerk's Office. Could it be that my Public Records Request hit a little too close to home and shook the tree enough to expose this latest escapade into questionable backroom behavior? While I can't prove that, it does certainly give one pause as I wait for the responses to my unanswered Public Records Requests about other substantial inventory issues.
Either way, this clearly illustrates the benefits of a contested election, the effects in this case having exposed a potential lack of accountability in an office that appears to have been run well for decades....by a revered public official who hasn't had to run in a contested election for years.
_________________________________________
Coming soon to Naked Conch, reasons why another election needs to be contested, the Office of the Public Defender. Any takers?
- Naked Conch - Posted by Matt Gardi - March 1, 2012
I have often written about the benefits of a contested election. Aside from giving the voters a choice, a true contest creates accountability and scrutinizes the manner in which an agency is being run, or the way an incumbent has conducted themselves.
In today's citizen we read about an investigation being launched by the State Attorney into the possibility that County IT equipment was being sold to County staff. Allegations suggest that former Information Services Director Lisa Druckemiller, who retired abruptly on Monday, may have sold iPads and iPhones to staff that included County Administrator Roman Gastesi, Technical Services staff member Hank Kokenzie, and possibly even County Commissioner David Rice.
Really? So aside from the fact that these individuals may have purchased deeply discounted equipment directly from the County Information Services Director without raising an eyebrow, why is it that this is just coming to light now, and who is responsible for the oversight of such equipment?
Oddly enough, just last week on February 22, being a Candidate for County Clerk, I filed a couple of Public Records Requests with County Clerk Danny Kolhage. Some of my interrogatories centered around staff, and salaries, but some were very specific about inventory reports, specifically surrounding the Health Department and the chain of command responsible for inventory. So what prompted Matt Gardi, Candidate for Clerk to ask such questions?
A few days before during lunch I happened upon a gentleman named Mitch Hedman, whom I knew to be involved in County inventory. I was surprised to learn he no longer worked for the Clerk's office, the reason for which was due to the fact he claimed he had been asked to resign after finding a shortfall in inventory of close to $250,000. He mentioned there were serious issues with a few select departments that he brought to the attention of superiors.
I found this shocking, as I always knew him to be extremely diligent, and that clearly the Clerk would respect his analysis. He stated that he also reported it to the Office of the State Attorney, and to the Florida Attorney General, however nothing ever went anywhere with either complaint. He told me he only offered me this information if it would be helpful in my campaign, whereby I might be able to contrast my concern for accountability against that of my opponents. There's that ol' contested election effect again.
I went directly to the Investigator at the State Attorney's Office whom I was told handled the complaint, and sure enough, Hedman had called the SAO in September of 2011. Investigator Chris Weber's notes indicated that Hedman was concerned about being asked to resign for highlighting $250K in missing computers at the Health Department. Weber said he provided Hedman with information about Whistle Blower protection and suggested to Hedman that he put more specific details in writing so that it could be reviewed for a potential investigation. Having never heard back, Weber considered the matter closed.
So, needless to say, both as a citizen, and a Candidate for Clerk I was concerned and wanted to find out more about inventory issues at the Clerk's Office. On February 22nd, I composed those previously mentioned Public Records Requests, and sent them directly to County Clerk Danny Kolhage via email. I also sent a similar request to Robert Eadie, Director of the Monroe County Health Department. To date, I have not been provided a response from either one of them. I have however, been provided information in response to a separate Public Records Request to County Clerk Danny Kolhage that had to do with staff and salaries, a request that I sent AFTER my initial request regarding issues with inventory.
So now, over a week later, with no response to my Public Records Request, according to the Citizen article, County Administrator Roman Gastesi suggests, County staff brought the matter to the attention of the State Attorney's Office on Monday.
What staff, and why now?
I shared my information with State Attorney Dennis Ward, and Chief Investigator Mark Wilson, and while they declined to share any information with me due to the fact it is now an open investigation, I encouraged them to broaden the scope of their investigation.
As the details emerge about the players involved we might gain a better understanding as to why certain things may have been overlooked at the Clerk's Office. Could it be that my Public Records Request hit a little too close to home and shook the tree enough to expose this latest escapade into questionable backroom behavior? While I can't prove that, it does certainly give one pause as I wait for the responses to my unanswered Public Records Requests about other substantial inventory issues.
Either way, this clearly illustrates the benefits of a contested election, the effects in this case having exposed a potential lack of accountability in an office that appears to have been run well for decades....by a revered public official who hasn't had to run in a contested election for years.
_________________________________________
Coming soon to Naked Conch, reasons why another election needs to be contested, the Office of the Public Defender. Any takers?
No comments:
Post a Comment