GEOFFREY DOBSON nearly cost St. Johns County taxpayers $2 million for a no-bid luxury Bell Jet helicopter for mosquito control. The people won and DOBSON was furious. So was BARBARA BOSANKO, wife of the former County Attorney DANIEL BOSANKO, who voted in favor of the scheme in December 2006 (also attempting to obstruct questions asked by AMCD Commissioner John Sundeman of attorney candidates).
GEOFFREY DOBSON left the Mosquito Control Commission a mess. This is because rather than giving valid legal advice, he counted to three, giving whatever advice the majority wanted (even advice that purchasing a helicopter was sole source, which it was not).
Now GEOFFREY DOBSON tries to influence the City of St. Augustine Beach to hire ROBIN UPCHURCH, St. Augustine's Assistant City Attorney, as counsel for the City of St. Augustine Beach.
Perhaps GEOFFREY DOBSON wants the City of St. Augustine Beach to violate antitrust laws by inflicting a requirement that the next City Attorney must live within 50 miles.
This is not a bona fide occupational qualification and is a way of limiting competition. The stated basis (avoiding fees for travel) is not a reason to exclude competition. The new Mosquito Control Commission lawyer does not charge travel. St. Augustine Beach can write a retainer agreement that deals with the travel issue. Instead, GEOFFREY DOBSON wants the City of St. Augustine Beach to cabin its search for the next good-ole-boy.
If. St. Augustine Beach wants ethical legal advice, it need not limit its search to 50 miles or let GEOFFREY DOBSON engineer the hiring of his successor.
The City of St. Augustine Beach should post an ad in the Florida Bar Journal and seek lawyers from all over Florida. Otherwise, St. Augustine Beach will repeat its prior mistakes, which have cost taxpayers money -- including the ill-advised attack on beach rental housing.
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