One of the final acts of Chairman Jim Adkins and Commissioner Diane Rowden involved the extension of County Administrator Leonard Sossamon’s employment contract. As readers may recall, this is a sore subject for the BOCC.
Sossamon’s contract extension was on the agenda for the 08/09/16 BOCC meeting, but it was removed because of social media comments posted in August by absent Commissioner Jeff Holcomb. Chairman Jim Adkins, who is retiring this month, took offense that Holcomb called him a “lame duck.” Commissioners Diane Rowden and Nick Nicholson defended Sossamon and his accomplishments.
This week’s discussion of the contract extension was more heated than before, though it began quite calmly when Deputy County Attorney Jon Jouben presented a second attempt to extend Sossamon’s contract agreement by four years.
The original contract was signed 05/08/12, with Sossamon beginning employment from 05/21/12 – 05/21/17. As County Administrator, Sossamon’s contract guaranteed an annual (base) salary of $125,000.
The first amendment to Sossamon’s contract was signed 01/14/14, when Sossamon contracted to take on the job of Economic Development Director for six months, in addition to his position as County Administrator. For each of those six months, Sossamon was paid $3,333.33 on top of his regular salary.
A second amendment to the employment contract was signed 06/24/14 made the Economic Development job permanent. Sossamon was now both Economic Development Director and County Administrator, with a new base salary of $168,750.10 per year.
Sossamon’s salary will remain the same through the contract extension. Regardless of when the contract is terminated, he will receive 20 weeks of severance pay, per Florida Statute 215.425.
Public comments on this item were mainly opposed to the extension. A few supported the BOCC and the contract. Among those opposed were the incoming commissioners, John Allocco and Steve Champion. Both asked for the vote to be postponed until they had a chance to work with Sossamon.
Commissioner Wayne Dukes, who was chairman in 2012 and signed the original contract with Sossamon, stated he appreciated the comments from the public, but was clearly upset by the many requests to delay the contract approval. Dukes felt that many were speaking for themselves and not for “the people,” including the two newly-elected commissioners.
The current BOCC, with years of experience, could make a better decision than those who will have been on the BOCC for just a few months, he said, and was prepared to make a motion to approve the contract. “I’m not worried about anybody else,” Dukes said, “because I have my conscience to worry about, and it’s clear.”
Nicholson recalled one of his first encounters with Sossamon, when Nicholson proposed ideas to him. Sossamon’s advice was to “count to three.” Nicholson stated he was puzzled by this until Sossamon said that he needed to have two other commissioners agree with him to accomplish anything.
“This Board…sets the policy,” Nicholson said. “Mr. Sossamon implements that policy.” He listed several things Sossamon has done in conjunction with the BOCC to make the county government run more smoothly. “Are all those things wrong? I don’t think so.”
Nicholson stated that while the four BOCC members present were individuals, they all worked for the people of the county, and did not represent any special interests. He hoped the next BOCC would be the same. “We don’t need anyone pulling our strings and telling us how to vote and sending us text messages during a meeting because we messed up.”
The previous Economic Development Director, Nicholson said, was paid more than $100,000 annually, but produced an average of 20 jobs for the county. By comparison, working part-time as Economic Development Director, Sossamon averages 200 jobs per year to the county at a fraction of the salary. “Anyone that would want to do away with that, I’m not so sure they should be sitting up here,” Nicholson said. It would be a poor economic decision for the county.
Dukes entered a motion to approve the contract extension, and Rowden provided the second. The contract extension was approved with a 4-0 vote. This decision may set the tone for the next few years.
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Public Comment
Opposed to the extension:
Chuck Gordon stated he believes the contract extension is “excessively long.” It is important for the elected officials to set the policy, not the administrator, Gordon said. Otherwise, the servant becomes the master. Referring to County Attorney Garth Coller, Gordon stated that he understood that contracts were binding.
Pat Miketinac referred to his comments from the August meeting, where he recommended that the BOCC wait until after the election to determine if extending the contract was wise. Yet here they were, Miketinac said, just as he had predicted, creating a burden for the newly elected commissioners and binding them to a contract with Sossamon.
Shirley Miketinac echoed the sentiments of the previous speakers, saying the BOCC would be remembered for rushing a vote on their last day. It would be better for the new commissioners to help make the determination. Contracts are difficult to break and might involve litigation and other problems, she said.
Anthony Palmieri agreed that the new commissioners should be given the opportunity to discuss the contract and whether it should be extended. “For once, let’s do what the people want. Don’t do what you want to do all the time,” Palmieri said.
John Allocco, newly elected commissioner, stated he felt it was poor planning to have a meeting the week following the election. The contract extension should be left to the new BOCC to determine and not as part of a “lame duck session.” With Holcomb still absent, Allocco foresees an adversarial situation ahead, and asked Sossamon to withdraw the item to give the new commissioners time to work with him before deciding to extend the contract. Allocco also stated he and Steve Champion, the other new commissioner, would like to pursue the option of hiring a full-time Economic Development Director.
Steve Champion acknowledged the good relationship the four commissioners present have with Sossamon, but asked for the item to be postponed. He agreed that both he and Allocco needed time to get to know Sossamon.
Mary Mazzuco stated she appreciated the work the current BOCC has accomplished for the past four years, but asked them to consider potential impacts for the new BOCC to handle. Equating the situation to the presidential election, Mazzuco suggested it was similar to having the incoming president fill the vacant Supreme Court Justice seat.
Richard Matassa, disagreed with Greenwell’s comment, saying that Sossamon is not the glue holding the BOCC together, but rather works at the pleasure of the BOCC. Sossamon’s contract is still in effect, Matassa said, allowing time for the new BOCC to work with Sossamon before the contract expires. He also asked Sossamon to remove the item from discussion. “It would be a very intelligent business decision,” he said.
Richard Ross complimented Sossamon for the good work he has done, but agreed that postponing the contract extension would be best. Ideally, Ross thinks the full BOCC, including Holcomb, should make the decision.
Diane Greenwell stated she has good experiences with Sossamon over the past year. While his record shows he is effective, she said the incoming BOCC should have time to work with Sossamon before making a decision about extending the contract. They would also be able to experience the impact of social media.
In Favor of the Extension:
Charles Greenwell praised the outgoing commissioners for their work ethic, and described Sossamon as “the glue, the continuity, that holds the commission together during times of transition.” He urged citizens to support the contract extension since Sossamon has proven himself with growth in the county, stating four more years might not be enough. Greenwell expressed concern for the possibility that the next BOCC might choose a less qualified person as administrator when the current contract expires in 2017.
Jay Rowden, who has followed the BOCC for approximately 30 years, stated there have been many county administrators, but Sossamon is the best he has seen. Rowden clarified the 20-week severance package, which would occur whether the contract expired next year or was extended. He stated the outgoing BOCC, which has worked with Sossamon over the last four years, is the most qualified to determine if he is fit for the position. Delaying a vote is “irresponsible”, he said.