SBG EXCLUSIVE! PATTON FIRED TODAY!
SBG EXCLUSIVE! PATTON FIRED TODAY!
BIG WIN FOR COUNTY WATCHDOGS!
Tom Patton was fired as Economic Development Director by the Charlotte Board of County Commissioners today. Taxpayers’ advocates, many of whom our readers have seen on this page, have been calling for Patton’s removal for several months.
“He’s the most thin-skinned bureaucrat I have ever seen”, said septuagenarian Bill Bigelow.
Susan Hutt from SOS commented, “The county should never have hired him since he left Polk County under questionable circumstances.”
“Name all the companies Mr. Patton has signed in his four years and tell us how many jobs were created”, Scott Andrichak challenged the commissioners during citizens input. The commissioners couldn’t or wouldn’t name any.
Questions still remain about Patton’s contract. It was revealed by Mr. Andrichak that County Administrator Ray Sandrock has the exact same “corrupt” clause. County Attorney Janette Knowlton has it to a lesser degree.
That clause, called “Termination Without Cause”, forces taxpayers to pay extortion rates if the any Board wishes to terminate Knowlton, Sandrock (and Patton), for anything other than four very narrow terms described in the contract. Shockingly, poor performance is not one of the reasons for termination. Sandrock’s contract calls for six months pay, plus half a year of medical insurance. Knowlton gets 25% of her current salary at termination, plus benefits. Patton walked away today with $80,000 cash and six months of taxpayer funded health insurance. Commissioner Ken Doherty commented that in his decades in the private sector, he had “never seen anything like it”, meaning the clause.
Mr. Andrichak also told the commissioners that he received the contracts for the same senior positions in both Collier and Lee Counties. None have this highly unusual clause. Mr. Andrichak also said that Commissioner Constance, County Attorney Knowlton and County Administrator Sandrock should pay Patton’s severance costs. “Why should taxpayers pay for your mistake?”, he demanded. Constance signed the contract as then-Chairman, Knowlton approved its “legality” and Sandrock negotiated and hired Patton in 2012. Joanne Mulvaney demanded the clause be dropped from both the Sandrock and Knowlton contracts.
SBG will report whether or not this is done, but for now, congratulations to all those who stepped forward and demanded change to improve county government. It works, not as fast as we’d like, but it works and you have our full support. We urge others to step up and get involved.
The Editors
