Sansom job was not advertised

The college that hired House Speaker Ray Sansom into a $110,000 a year job never advertised the position and it was only offered to him.

"This is a part time appointment and it did not go through a public application process," Northwest Florida State College President Bob Richburg told the St. Petersburg Times today. "It is not required to do that for part-time jobs."

In July, when Sansom is expected to assume full-time duties, the job will shift to what Richburg called a "full-time temporary position." After 12 months, the college will have to advertise the opening or suspend its personnel practices and keep Sansom in place, he added.

Sansom, pictured, will earn about $25,000 more than the man who previously held the job, but his duties have been expanded, according to the college.

Richburg said he offered the job to Sansom only and that the deal was struck on the same day last month that the Destin Republican was sworn in as House Speaker. Richburg said brought the arrangement to the college board of trustees, which met that evening.

The job was not on the agenda but Richburg said it was fully discussed and then a news release was issued. He said he did not want to wait until the next board meeting, in part because Sansom will oversee the college Foundation.

Richburg called Sansom a "very effective legislator" who brought the college millions in funding but denied the job was payback. “His appointment to this college had nothing to do with securing these projects. These projects were in the pipeline."

Comments

Wrong. It was advertised. I saw this on Craiglist:

Wanted: Lazy moron to suck down taxpayers' hard-earned money while he/she simultaneously gives hyprocritical speeches on the need for small government and more humble public officials. Applicants must secure $20 million in bribe...I mean appropriations in order to be considered for this so-called job. Mouth-breathing considered a plus.

[Jim]

I don't think the job that Rep. Anitere Flores has at F.I.U was advertised either.

why won't some one review the "house rules" they are pretty clear that Samson violated them.. read them and then challenge the house members to ask for an investigation. But to do that yu would have to fine a member with both courage and character. That would be harder to find than $25,000,000 in a budget.

At least this should give House budget writers a good starting place when they have to make cuts . . . no wait . . . they only want to cut services for citizens not plum jobs for themselves . . . never mind.

[M. Ray Gundy]

Three fourths of this is inaccurate. It's fiction. And this article embarrasses me to be involved with politics. Tremendously.

Here's all that Speaker Sansom did. He goes to session. He's respectful to the media. He's respectful to the PUBLIC. He brings home the pork in a lean budget year. And he's a good Speaker, and he's not a professional politician, but rather, a college administrator, and he doesn't deserve to be kicked when he's down. Attacking a college administrator for doing everything right. And then you want to right articles about legislators that don't do things right, and downgrade those who don't bring home the pork. Are you kidding me? Where are we at in society? COME AFTER ME! I'M A MAN! I'M FORTY! I'M NOT A KID. WRITE SOMETHING ABOUT ME.

Don't write it about a Speaker that does everything right. That's a heart that is broken. That's all I got to say. Makes me wanna puke!

7% unemployment? Is that right?

What happened to government for the people by the people?

This is continued government by some people for some people. How in the world do these people stay in touch with the "average" voter when they're offered plush deals for being dumber than most?

How do we stop unethical businessmen from puppeteering politicians? What kind of reform do we need?

Buddy, he is a college administrator for a day, he was an electric company executive. Maybe he wasn't very good at his old job or he didn't steal enough state money to keep that job, although from what I hear he took plenty for them as well.

He didn't bring the pork home, he stole it... 8:43, Get your story straight.

The job was advertised. It was in the work papers all along. Look at Mike and Bob's scribbles for verification.

[Gettin Paid]

Those projects were "in the pipeline" so that's why we used our smoke and mirrors budget voodoo tactic otherwise known as "accelerated funding."

M. Ray Gundy/Forrest Gump - you wanna remind me again how long Mr. Sansom has been a college administrator?

I'll take an ethical jerk over a mild mannered, respectful hypocrite any day.

Taxpayer money? As I recall, he is being paid by the foundation. The foundation is funded by private contributions. If you don't like it, stop making contributions to the Univetsity's foundation.

come on TIMES, find some real news... this is not a big deal.

9:34, this state is suffering, projects are being cut left and right. Members are told there is no money for projects and Sansom gets this kind of appropriation by forcing House staff to lie to Speaker Rubio. Are you kidding me. THIS IS HUGE.

[George A. Minifer]

To my fellow bloggers, I posted this on another one of the Sansom blogs, but I re-post this to invite you to voice your displeasure directly to the horse's mouths, so to speak. Why not e-mail our fair Governor, Ray "Porkbelly" Sansom, and the rest of the den of thieves?

Governor Charlie Crist
ccristjr@tampabay.rr.com

Ray Sansom
ray.sansom@myfloridahouse.gov

Mike Hansen
karenmoul@aol.com

Dr. James Richburg
richburg@nwfstatecollege.edu

Janice Gilley
gilley.janice@myfloridahouse.gov

Karen Camechis
camechis.karen@myfloridahouse.gov

Natalie Simpson
simpson.natalie@myfloridahouse.gov

Samantha Sullivan
sullivan.samantha@myfloridahouse.gov

[the scapegoat]

M.Ray Gundy, Fair enough. Don't kick him while he's down.

["Northwest Florida State College was slated to get $1-million for a building project. Yet when lawmakers signed off on the budget in May, the school had snagged $25.5-million — the single largest project of any college." ]

["Sansom also got $750,000 added to the budget for "startup funds" for the college's leadership institute, according to records the House released Wednesday"]

Now tell me he is not buying a job and getting paid with our tax dollars.

They are also adding a third story to an existing building for the "leadership institute." Gee! What shall we call that floor? Let me think! Might we call it "Sammy's Grotto!" I guess the $750,000 "startup funds" is his pin money. Decor isn't cheap you know.

Who said he isn't being paid with tax dollars?? He's a crook!!

[Forrest]

Of course it wasn't advertised. The no-show "job" is a kick-back for the tens of millions the Speaker delivered to the College who has now "hired" him.

We have been sold.

Shame, shame! The College President and Samson need to resign.

[enough]

If they have any more of those jobs, I'd like to have one too. I actually know what a CV is and I have my own set of old fashioned glasses for the veranda.

I hear from inside sources that Sansom was running up his RPOF credit cards for family vacations, personal items, etc. in his last couple of months in charge of House Campaigns. This guy is a real class act.

With leadership like this...

So let me get this right, it was a newly created job that was ONLY offered to Ray Sansom on the DAY he became Speaker but it was not a quid pro quo scenario?

It's a "part time" job that pays more then almost all other jobs at that college but you're not required to advertise that position. What a coincidence!

Memo to staff around Sansom...you know who you are. You need to stop being yes men and do your job. He's paying most of you more than you deserve so at least earn it and give him some good advice. Save him from destroying himself and the House's credibility. This is turning into a Johnnie Byrd scenario and you know it. Stop being a bunch of scared sychophants and take a stand.

Come on folks Speaker Sansom is an honest lawmaker, anyone who has worked with him will attest to his integrity and character. I can tell you the freshmen class are behind this speaker 100%, you will see these new lawmakers support Speaker Sansom because he cares about Florida.

The Speaker worked hard to help public education and has committed himself to the sucess of our youth. I believe this unlikely Speaker will prove to be a bold leader and will make a statement with his committee assignments. The Speaker is an education speaker and perhaps we will see a renewed effort from republicans to invest in education.

11:47 and 11:50, you sound like the Soviet propaganda machine, it is pretty bad. Really. Address the issues raised by this story and quit trying to change the subject.

As for integrity and character, how could Sansom swipe money from the budget in such a brazen and shameless way? How could he then take an unadvertised, part time, hundred and ten thousand dollar job at the school that benefited from his scheme to enrich said school? How could anyone then claim that this wasn't a sweetheart deal funded with state money? To say this is how things are done is shameful. To behave in this fashion is pathetic.

[Gilbert]

Seems to be more questions than answers here...

Either, ethics took a vacation, or a severe lapse in judgement on the part of the College President and the Speaker.

Reminds me of Jim Smith.

Jim Smith would have taken alot more than $110K! This is one more lesson for the R's and they have to take it on the chin. The President of the school should be investigated. Ray, you need to pray on this and ask yourself if Jeff Atwater cut a deal like that with FAU and had a part time job starting the day he is sworn in as President you know Ray that that would make you wonder where Jeff's ethics were. Come on Ray. You have to be more aware of perseption now that you are in the lime light. Where was Marco Rubio when this line item got in the budget? Was Marco asleep at the wheel or what? Oh ya he was busy reading his one hundred ideas book and picking out a china pattern for his House members dining room.

The job was advertised on Craig's list under "politician for rent"

lets not forget the sweet Gig Haridopolos was given by UF. This isn't really a new thing.

Just so I'm clear, it's a "part time" job that pays about 35% more then the full time job paid, it was created just for Sansom, was offered only to Sansom, the sweetheart deal was agreed to on the day he became Speaker, it wasn't on the Board of Trustee's agenda, and when it becomes permanent in twelve months they will have the college will have to "suspend their personnel practices" to keep him in the job.

This all occured just months after Sansom secretly funneled 25 Million dollars to the college, but we're not to think the fix was in...why would we, right Ray? Nothing questionable looking here.

[POTUS]

Let's see if I have this right:
1. Speaker Sansom was hired the evening of the same day he was sworn in as speaker, which means both the college president and the speaker agreed to it in advance.
2. It was at a meeting of the trustees where the hiring was not on the agenda, which seems to be a violation of Florida's public meetings laws.
3. The college position is part-time and did not have to be advertised, yet he will be paid $25,000 more than the previous person in the position who worked full-time.
4. It will turn into a full-time position in July without further action on the part of the trustees, although, again, the position was never advertised.
5. It assumes that there is no one - no one - in the entire nation, or world for that matter, who would have more experience and do a better job.
6. The trustees will have 12 months to either advertise the position or suspend their personnel policies to keep the speaker in that position, which means the mere mention by the college president of the possibility of the latter shows that is in mind.
7. The millions for the college were slipped into the budget in a sub rosa manner by his chief of staff, who is a full time state employee, who was fully aware of and signed off on it in a memo was not made public until discovered through a public records search.
8. This was at a time when the speaker announced that turkeys in the next year's budget would not even be considered.
9. It was done at a time that all of Florida is in horrible financial need.
10. The amount funded is highly disproportional to all other funding for public higher education.

vs.

1. The speaker's apologists state that he is an ethical, hard-working representative who is a faith-filled Christian and family man - and nice guy - so there couldn't be any quid pro quo.

To his defenders, even the strongest of such: What do you expect us to believe?

AND, who among all of Florida's citizens will be strong enough, and take the trouble, to file before the Florida ethics commission?

Like THAT's a big surprise.

I'd wager that over half of all plum government jobs are not advertised. Or if they ARE advertised, it's done in such a way that nobody would be qualified for for the job except the exact person (friend, brother, girlfriend, buddy) they have in mind for the job.

[True Republican]

Too bad the fools in Florida keep voting Republican. You'll never learn will you? Stop your whining it's only tax payers money and there is plenty more where that comes from, just ask the commissioners in Pinellas county. Don't think the ethics committee will do anything, they are on our side. So if you don't like the way the Republicans run things then move out of the state. You're going to unemployed and homeless soon enough so why not go now.

[G__O____H__O__M__E____R__A__Y]

Has Sansom resigned yet? What!!! No??? Come on, this is a joke, right?

It was advertised people... burried deep in the budget... which is a public document... just hard to read for the average Floridian - or even anyone actually qualified...

[razor]

As a Republican, I am outraged by this brazen waste of taxpayer money, cynically carried out by the House Speaker while lecturing other Rs on fiscal responsibility. It seems the Republican Party will self-destruct. Why do the politicians do this? Because they think they can get away with it.

haridopolos is a professor! haridopolos is not speaker nor was he president when he took the job at UF and nope he didn't approve budget money for UF! mike is a great guy and lets see if you become a legislator where is it written that as a professor its no longer ethical to take a job at any college in Florida? Ray worked for an ELECTRIC company. Haridopolos worked at a college. No comparison. If we scare the bujesus out of folks in Florida like this then no good candidates will run ever again. They all need jobs like the rest of us. If we keep this up we will end up will all lawyers in public office! Be careful what you wish for.

Go Dean Cannon! Cannon for Speaker NOW! We need Dean! NOW!!!!! We need Cannonball! Cannon is going to be the best speaker in a decade anyhow. After that the Dems will probably take control. Oh wait no the Dems came out and voted in November and only cared about the presidential election so the interest level is zilch in Florida by the dems. Charlie Crist move over! You need to move back to the center and right because your people are tired of you taking care of the left! Get married and don't go left again! Oops did I say that? Stay straight!

[terminator]

gee, that makes things even better!
it's not $110K for a full time job that needed to be advertised but for a part time position that didn't need to be advertised?
this story keeps getting better and better.
are these guys stupid or what?
can anyone see the House GOP leadership slowly sinking in quicksand?
no one will ever accuse these guys of being smart.

[hypocrite spotter]

Regarding both Haridopoulis and Sansom: Why is it that these small government lovers who sing the praises of the free market seem to recoil from such.
Has Harri ever added value to a private sector product; has he ever made a dime in his professional life in the private sector? To try to defend his string of college sweetheart deals is foolish.
The fact is no college will ever risk the wrath of an elected legislator - the downside is just too great. and weak hacks like Harri and Sansom prey on this situation.
Sansom - there is NO defense for your actions, none! You have proven to be a pathetic hack.
No podium is high enough and no gavel weighty enough to remove the stench that will follow you the next two years. How truly sad.

[terminator]

10:00 Hari-lover:
you should have been a fertilizer salesman. You're full of more bs than a Texas longhorn after feeding.
wasn't it Hari who lied about working on his PHD?
and just exactly where was he a professor? Oh, some bogus CC on the space coast? DUH!
what was his book about?
great R leaders we've got in the Florida legislature!

[HAIR-idopolos]

Speaking of political hack, Hari should hack off that coif of his. Is he trying to go for a pompadour or what?

There are so many members doing the same thing (maybe not as much money, but you know). Somebody really needs to review this.

[GR]

...and we wonder why we, as Republicans have lost so much face to the Democrats and Independents!

Capitol Hill Page Scandal, Misguided War, The Nations Economy is in the tank, The Budget has risen 4 fold since we have come to power, we refuse to apply common since to transperancy, now this! If we do not get it together soon in our actions, the look in the mirror will be one of horror and dispair.

[Professor]

Matriculate This:

Hari taught remedial history classes at BCC. He has a degree in history.
-----------

Hari is to Krishna as:

a)History is to pre-law
b)Biology is to pre-med
c)All of the above
d)None of the above

"It's a Wonder to Learn!"

BFD What is the "Governor" doing to get us out of this budget mess?

GR at 12:01 - what about Siplin's wife at FAMU? What did Wasserman-Schultz do before going to DC?

It is not just a republican thing... but given the current state of the economy, people are paying attention more than ever.

Problem for the republicans in this state is that they still pretty much control everything, so they are the one's under the microscope now.

Whoever mis-steps next (and is exploited by the other party or media) loses...

If the republicans throughout the US that remain, act like Sansom, then the republicans will lose more...

If the democrats/Obama mis-step or fail to exploit where republicans have and continue to fail, then the democrats will lose next time around.

[Ph.D from Nova]

12:14 Wah???

"I didn't earn my degree, either!"

no part time employee is worth $110,000

[POTUS]

As I am sure all of you are aware, the Florida Ethics Commission CANNOT act on any newspaper articles, tips or other forms of reports of ethics violations. The Commission can only investigate and respond to a complaint filed by any Florida citizen. In other words, if you want this to be formally reviewed, at least, one must file a form with the Commission. You will find the explanation and link to the form at

>http://www.ethics.state.fl.us/ethics/faqs.html#file_complaint<

Looks like the real job he's headed for is the president's.....

Retiring OWC head hopes to return to post
Comments 0 | Recommend 0
September 1, 2007 - 4:26 PM
Rachel Kyler

Okaloosa-Walton College President Bob Richburg is scheduled to retire Sept. 30 after 30 years in the community college system.

But probably not for long.

Richburg, 62, appears certain to be rehired as the school’s president just weeks after his retirement.

“He’s made it very clear that he would like to be rehired,” said OWC’s Board of Trustees chairman Joseph Henderson. “I see no reason that we wouldn’t rehire him.”

Richburg is the highest paid public official in Okaloosa County, earning $215,000 a year. And compensation is at the heart of Richburg’s decision to retire, and his desire to be rehired again.

The state’s Deferred Retirement Option Program – known as DROP – will enable Richburg to collect more than a half-million dollars upon retirement.
If he is rehired, Richburg will receive his salary, and within a year of being rehired he will also begin receiving more than $8,000 a month in additional retirement compensation.

And, if he works for at least another year, Richburg will receive additional retirement compensation.

State retirement system and college officials say it’s not the norm for public employees in Florida to retire through the so-called DROP program and then be rehired into their current jobs. But Richburg’s situation isn’t that unusual, either.

“We certainly have a number of individuals who have come back after being retired,” said Doug Cherry, bureau chief of the Bureau of Retirement Calculations.

Richburg said any compensation he receives has been earned.

“I (will have) worked for the second pension. It’s work. It’s not a gift,” he said.

In Richburg’s case, he will receive a lump sum of $553,000 when he retires. And after a month, if he doesn’t return to OWC, he will also receive $8,546 monthly in additional retirement compensation.

Those who retire under DROP are eligible to be rehired again after 30 days.

If Richburg is rehired, OWC’s Board of Trustees would negotiate a new salary.

(They hired him back 30 days later, after the big payout.....now he can retire again in 2 years in time for Sansom to take over?)

[POTUS]

I know this can and does happen, but it still shocks me to the core. I wonder what the Speaker's professional staff, some of whom have served Florida well for several years, think of all this...a little shame-faced maybe?