Commissioner Ann Taylor is right. Coercion of employees is wrong. Could be antitrust violation. Commissioner Sarah Arnold is overbearing and has a conflict of interest. Could be antitrust violation. What do you reckon?
St. Johns County commissioner demands an end to campaign between Fire Rescue and United Way
St. Johns County commissioner demands an end to campaign between Fire Rescue and United Way
During the Oct. 21 St. Johns County Commission meeting, Commissioner Ann Taylor requested the immediate termination of the St. Johns County Fire Rescue’s giving campaign with the United Way.
Stating pressure on Fire Rescue personnel to “donate a very substantial amount of money to the United Way” and “reduce their much-needed downtime” while under contract negotiations with the county, Taylor also said Commissioner Sarah Arnold and County Administrator Joy Andrews’ positions with the United Way as board members was “intimidating, unethical and inappropriate.”
“Hands off Fire and Rescue personnel,” she said. “United Way should not have special access to them, nor should they be applying undue pressure during shifts or at any other time. And the county should not be assisting any nonprofit in fundraising solicitations. I didn't vote for this, I didn't approve it and I object to it.”
United Way's volunteer campaign with Fire Rescue allows Fire Rescue personnel assigned to 24-hour shifts to donate the money value of up to 24-hours of unused — and eventually lost — vacation time to their chosen local, nonprofit organization through United Way of St. Johns County. Credited as an annual financial contribution toward retirement benefits, money is not withdrawn from a paycheck.
Andrews told the St. Augustine Record that Fire Rescue personnel assigned to 24-hour shifts may accrue a maximum of 360 vacation hours.
"The charitable vacation donation program allows employees contribute up to 24-hours of accrued vacation, with some choosing to do so when their balance exceeds the 36-hour annual carry-forward limit," she told the St. Augustine Record. "This program provides employees an opportunity to avoid forfeiting available vacation hours."
Andrews, who stated during the meeting that she’s no longer a United Way board member, released a statement as “clarification and background on the development, authorization, and intent of the program.”
Describing the county’s partnership with United Way as “long-standing, trusted and transparent,” Andrews said the initiative operated within the framework of the board-approved Administrative Code, Section 404.20 – Charitable Contributions,* followed all applicable administrative procedures and was authorized by Human Resources prior to the distribution of materials between United Way and Fire Rescue personnel.
“United Way representatives met with Fire Rescue personnel and communications were vetted through standard county channels,” Andrews wrote. “No employee has been directed, pressured or incentivized to contribute.”
Fire union speaks out in favor of the program
The St. Johns County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Associationalso released a statement Oct. 28 expressing their support for the United Way campaign.
“The dedicated firefighters who serve this community with distinction often find themselves unable to use all their earned time off,” they wrote. “By donating these hours to an organization as impactful as the United Way, firefighters can continue to make a meaningful difference, not only in the lives they directly serve, but in the broader community as well.”
The union said that the campaign reflected a spirit of volunteerism and community service that’s deeply engrained in the union’s values.
“We believe this initiative will extend that spirit,” they wrote. “The funds and time donated to the United Way will provide essential support for those facing hardships while demonstrating the strength and union of our members. We are proud to stand behind this initiative and encourage all involved to consider the profound impact this gesture will have."
Taylor criticizes 'pressure from the county'
The St. Augustine Record reached out to Taylor on Oct. 28 for a response. Taylor sent a long, emailed response lambasting a letter and flyer sent by Fire Rescue Section Chief Stephanie Canton-Whaley to department personnel.
Taylor took issue with a statement in the letter that the County Commission had approved the program, reiterating that the current commission wasn't the one that approved it. She also lamented what she called "pressure from the county" to donate vacation time.
"We did NOT make any such approval, and I believe that sentence constitutes an endorsement of that policy by the five commissioners," Taylor wrote. "I would not have given that endorsement because I know that downtime is so critical for Fire-Rescue personnel in order to prepare for their next shift. That's why they have requested even MORE downtime than they are currently receiving. I would never endorse taking time away from them, nor calling their vacation time a potential "waste" as the flyer does. I still object to the policy, the letter, and the flyer. They are free to donate to the United Way, but with no pressure from the county or implied endorsement from the BOCC.
"I would like to see a correction made to both the letter and the flyer that were sent to Fire-Rescue personnel, eliminating the misstatement that was made, and also eliminating the county logo from the flyer so there is no county pressure on Fire-Rescue to make a donation to the United Way or to anyone for that matter," Taylor said.
Arnold: No vacation hours are being taken away
In a conversation with The Record, Arnold, who was appointed to the United Way of Florida's Board of Governors in September, took issue with Taylor's statements from the meeting.
“Sadly, commissioner Taylor doesn’t understand the partnership between St. Johns County Fire Rescue and the United Way,” Arnold said. “The idea of taking vacation hours away from Fire Rescue personnel is ludicrous. The campaign donates unused hours that would be lost regardless to a nonprofit of their choice while boosting their retirement savings.
“Ann Taylor is correct in that she didn’t vote to approve or disapprove Charitable Contributions because she wasn’t in office when the county codified the concept into the administrative code years ago,” Arnold said. "As I said in the meeting, what Ann Taylor said is factually inaccurate."\
The United Way of Florida appointed St. Johns County Commissioner Sarah Arnold as a member of its Board of Governors.
Andrews underscored the values of “compassion, collaboration, and community service,” between the county, its Fire Rescue personnel and the United Way.
“By providing an avenue for our employees to support United Way, we have the opportunity to make a collective impact that extends far beyond any single organization, strengthening the very fabric of the community we all serve,” she said.
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Johns commissioner questions United Way campaign with Fire Rescue
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