tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798568783457003128.post3529900558235875882..comments2024-01-13T03:17:01.627-05:00Comments on SWFWMD Matters: Fear and Loathing in Florida’s Water Management DistrictsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798568783457003128.post-28946756816129881882012-12-19T09:57:57.276-05:002012-12-19T09:57:57.276-05:00Well looks like the pain and suffering is beginnin...Well looks like the pain and suffering is beginning to let up for the hard working staff at SWFWMD. After 1 year of belt tightening and sacrifice the new executive Director is getting a raise! Now to hear Chairman Senth spin it, it is a non revenue impact decision. The Executive Director that took the job at the stated salary and benefits now feels it isn't enough. He, one of the faithfull Scott drones beat the drum of government excess since he's been there, but now wants more perks. The Board agreed to renew his contract with a $8,400 per year vehicle allowance and another week of paid vacation, another $3,200 per year value. Now the justification was he was putting all these miles on his personal vehical, for work purposes, because getting a pool vehical was inconvenient. Why is that? Mostly because he's never at the District headquarters, but instead glad handing around the state at non value events for the District such as professional group conferences in places like Orlando, southwest florida, and other areas of the State where Southwest WMD has no presence, nor should they. These are self promotion events that we the tax payers are paying for in his time and travel. The justification for the extra week, was the same. Time traveling to and from many of these meetings were outside of the "normal" 8 hours day. Well that is how it always was, the ED's are expected to work extra hours, not as a promotional speaker, but at public citizen meetings on issues associated with the actions directly related to the specific District, like the recent MFL meetings. There are plenty of those events and going to them is why the former ED's had the salaries and compensation that they had. That level of compensation was flet ecessive by the Scott adminsitration and reduced. Now the move to creep back to those levels is underway (compensation creep?. It will be interesting to see what the governor says to this, as once again there are no raises expected for the rank and file. If you want to get a clear reason behind the travel patterns just understand that this Executive Director does not live within the District. Yes he has a "room" in Tampa, but his home and family is in Palm Beach County and that is where you will find him most every weekend, and we the tax payers are funding the attendance at events that put him closer to home at the end of the week and at what time Monday morning does he check into the office. I'm sure he's working the phone on the way back over. Hey Governor Scott, where are you on this? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798568783457003128.post-41755651783597667392012-11-28T08:40:43.583-05:002012-11-28T08:40:43.583-05:00I just saw this post on Sonny's blog. I was to...I just saw this post on Sonny's blog. I was told at the end of September that my position was being eliminated. I find it amusing especially when an article appeared about 9/7/12 that the State was comfortable with the budgets of the water management districts and it stated there should be no more cuts. However, some staff were given choices to staying through the end of December or sometime into 2013. You learn to keep moving forward even though the economic climate is terrible. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798568783457003128.post-15916491158629087692012-10-25T11:12:58.167-04:002012-10-25T11:12:58.167-04:00Sonny thanks for keeping us informed. This is sic...Sonny thanks for keeping us informed. This is sickening and will only get worse if Romney is elected. He will destroy EPA. What can be done? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798568783457003128.post-29914695969936930272012-10-25T11:12:09.420-04:002012-10-25T11:12:09.420-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Sandspurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17526071481551000261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798568783457003128.post-10221224679017524392012-10-21T15:44:33.922-04:002012-10-21T15:44:33.922-04:00Goodbye, water quality. Hello, back to the old cor...Goodbye, water quality. Hello, back to the old corporate, real estate, potassium miners. As it used to be, $$ TALKS and everything else walks.morgansilkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08949842258100218923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798568783457003128.post-67812316084007179972012-10-19T13:35:06.109-04:002012-10-19T13:35:06.109-04:00For clarification, 617 is the current number of st...For clarification, 617 is the current number of staff after last year's massacre. So the additional firing of 30-plus will count down from there. You saw it in the fy12-13 budget because that is the fiscal year we just began. That budget is on the District website: business and finance/budget. There is likely an outline of the fy13-14 budget somewhere but it would be an early, internal draft. 30 is apparently the number of involuntary layoffs but once again a voluntary incentive package is being offered to all.<br /><br />Keep up the good work, Sonny. It is needed more than ever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798568783457003128.post-41976519630697337882012-10-19T11:06:55.646-04:002012-10-19T11:06:55.646-04:00The layoffs were confirmed by a report TBO.com. S...The layoffs were confirmed by a report TBO.com. See the article here:<br /><br />(http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-news/2012/oct/17/dep-to-lay-off-25-in-temple-terrace-office-ar-536745/?referer=None&shorturl=http://tbo.ly/S4FP06)Sandspurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17526071481551000261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798568783457003128.post-16867461581454056092012-10-18T21:13:12.390-04:002012-10-18T21:13:12.390-04:00This is terrific, as always. Hunter S. Thompson wa...This is terrific, as always. Hunter S. Thompson was somewhat of a hero in my younger days. Appreciate the reference.<br /><br />I got a call today that a "hit squad" came into the SW Florida DEP office and let go of 25 people, including some very experienced technical staff. Scott and Co. have been so successful at destroying the Districts, it looks like they are moving inside the DEP now with the same strategy: tow the line with Tallahassee or sayonara.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798568783457003128.post-13294509034878864812012-10-18T21:11:18.934-04:002012-10-18T21:11:18.934-04:00Other than, working hard to insure our current gov...Other than, working hard to insure our current governor is not re-elected to a second term...is there anything the ordinary citizen can do today to help stop this bleeding? It is insane that one person (Gov. Scott) wields this much influence and power over the future of our state! This reconfirms how important my one vote counts!!! Thanks, Sandspur, and keep up the irritation in the buttocks of the current administration! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798568783457003128.post-77770340763049217002012-10-18T20:42:31.535-04:002012-10-18T20:42:31.535-04:00One of the best things of my summer is being out o...One of the best things of my summer is being out of the sight of Scott and team. All the years by so many working to preserve Florida's environment and back to square one. Thanks for telling like you see it.<br /><br />I hope you are sending your messages to the members of the Tampa Bay Partnership!!<br /><br />Stay tough, <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com