Letter: Objects to raise or Wuellner

Letter: Objects to raise or Wuellner



Bruce and Marilyn Kendeigh (retired)
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 07/18/08

Editor: I read with interest in The Record on July 15 that the St. Johns County Airport Authority Board has approved a salary increase for the executive director. Any time that anyone responsible for tax fund expenditure gets a pay raise, especially with tax money as part of the increase, should be open to scrutiny and comment from the average taxpayer affected by the Airport Authority Board's largesse.

I'm assuming that the Record article was accurate: " Mr. (Ed) Wuellner currently makes just under $114,000 annually." Interesting. If our taxpayers would like to go to the minutes of the Airport Authority for Dec. 4, 2007, one would find that Wuellner had, at that time, an annual salary, approved by the Airport Authority Board, of $103,500 (not including the perks of an Authority-owned, two-story brick home, marsh view, a large SUV, provided by the Airport Authority for personal use). Free home, free SUV, no house payment / rent. the Authority discussed salary increases, per the Authority minutes, while Wuellner was in attendance, a situation approved by their attorney, Douglas Burnett.

Fast forward to today. St. Johns County Airport executive directory's salary, Dec. 4, 2007, $103,500 ( plus the freebies provided).

I guess my comment would be, since the Skybus fiasco (at, the executive director's quote, "We spent about $4.2 million for the facility, but FDOT reimbursed us for all but $ 500,000." As Board member Jack Gorman said, 'Ed, that's still tax money.'

What was the Airport Authority elected board thinking? A salary increase of 20 percent in salary for poor performance. Skybus failed. Why did St. Johns County residents/taxpayers pick up the tab for the lack of due diligence (for Skybus solvency) by Wuellner.

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