Not on the agenda.
Top job neither posted nor advertised.
No women or minorities considered.
No backup material on national search on County website or Commission notebook in vestibule.
Five white male Republican St. Johns County Commissioners showed their animus to equal employment laws one day after we celebrated the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martn Liuther King, Jr.
Commissioner Paul Waldron expressed the desire that no one from California be hired.
At least one canned speaker spoke of Conrad's religious beliefs.
These are not bona fide occupational qualifications (BFOQ) for the top job on a billion dollar government.
My grandmother would call these Commissioners "hopelessly provincial."
Are the objective personnel decisions based on facts, but the overt acts of a corrupt political machine headed by St. Johns County Sheriff DAVID SHOAR, a Tinpot Napoleon who legally changed his name from "HOAR" in 1994?
Commissioners must reconsider this action -- tell these unjust stewards what you think.
Come speak at February 3, 2020 St. Johns County Commission meeting.
My grandmother would tell these dull Republicans, "Drop the oyster and leave he3 wharf."
We moved to St. Johns County on November 5, 1999. We, the People have won dozens of public interest victories since 2005. But January 21, 2020 shows that sometimes the dragon wins.
Will this invidiously discriminatory "word-of-mouth recruiting" guarantee that maladministration will continue in St. Johns County?
You tell me.
Commissioners later agreed the the negotiation meeting between Chairman Jeb Smith and Mr. Conrad must be open to the public under the Sunshine law. That's small consolation for lawbreaking January 21, a date that will live in infamy.
From The St. Augustine Record:
St. Johns County commissioners hire Hunter Conrad as administrator, forgo search
Sheldon Gardner
Jan 21, 2020 at 11:35 AM
St. Johns County commissioners bypassed a search for other candidates and chose Hunter Conrad as the new permanent county administrator on Tuesday without public notice that he was being considered for the job.
Commissioners voted 5-0 to offer Conrad the job and hash out the details of his contract later.
Commission Chair Jeb Smith plans to negotiate the contract with Conrad for the permanent role and bring it back to a Commission meeting as soon as possible for discussion and approval.
The Commission hired Conrad, the former county clerk of court and comptroller, as interim county administrator after firing former County Administrator Michael Wanchick in November. Conrad’s salary under the current contract is $195,000.
Commissioners expressed strong support for Conrad and his work so far. He started about a month ago. But they also pointed to his local connections and reputation, his work at the clerk’s office and his family.
The item on the official meeting agenda was not to consider hiring Conrad as the permanent administrator. Rather, it was to figure out how they would search for a new administrator.
In fact, the extent of the background material for the item was the single sentence: "Presentation of options for County Administrator recruitment." There was no indication a vote on Conrad being named the permanent administrator was a possibility.
In response for a request for an explanation for the perceived discrepancy, the county communications issued a statement that said: "The agenda item was titled, posted, and noticed exactly as requested by the Board at a previous meeting. Once the agenda item opens, it is the Board’s prerogative as to how the discussion occurs and which votes are taken."
Conrad presented four options, including hiring a search firm and handling the process at the county. The options varied in cost from $10,000-$70,000.
Commissioner Paul Waldron said he has known Conrad’s family for more than 20 years and coached his sister in soccer, and he supported Conrad for the job.
"As far as hiring an outside firm to go nationwide and have somebody come in, I don’t want to sound like a homer, but I don’t want somebody coming from California telling me what we should be doing in my hometown," Waldron said.
Before commissioners discussed options for finding a new administrator, Commissioner Henry Dean suggested they hire Conrad, who confirmed he would take the job.
Dean said he spoke with Conrad days before the meeting about him taking on the permanent role.
Conrad told him that because he had other options, he would not be able to wait for a nationwide search to take place, Dean said.
"So we’re at sort of a fork in the road," Dean said.
Dean said he has been impressed by Conrad’s work as the interim administrator. He described him as smart and someone who "knows this county like the back of his hand."
He added that going through a national search doesn’t always lead to the right candidate.
"I’m very frankly grateful that we happen to be in a position where, in my opinion, as a Commission this sort of dropped in our lap," Dean said.
Dean also confirmed that Conrad doesn’t plan to leave the role anytime soon.
"As always, things do change, but I can tell you right now, I believe I’ve said this to everyone, I have zero interest in being a traveling county administrator," Conrad said. "St. Johns County is my home.
"I was appointed as clerk several years ago, was a prosecutor in Putnam County, but I’m raising my family here. My parents are here. My sister and her husband are here. The people that I go to and attend church with the last 20 years are here. That is my family, and I have no intent to go anywhere from here."
Commissioner Jeremiah Blocker said he reached out to other counties that have conducted a nationwide search, and he was told that it’s not productive. Aside from cost and time, it might send a message that commissioners don’t trust the talent they have, he said.
He also said he echoed many of Dean’s thoughts about Conrad.
"I do think that we have a great candidate in front of us here," Blocker said. "I do understand that his family concerns — you know, he’s raising four young kids. He has to make some career decisions as well.
"But I think it would be prudent for us as a board to evaluate this option before we go on and spend money, taxpayer dollars, that we could be using to put into repairing sidewalks and trust that you can lead us ... This is very serious. The public is watching. Our families are watching. Our children are watching. And we have to make the best decision."
The county ordinance on hiring a county administrator outlines minimum requirements.
Those include having at least a bachelor’s degree in public or business administration or a related field and at least five years of administrative experience, County Attorney Patrick McCormack said. The requirements also include experience in growth management, public utilities, economic development, finance and budgeting and management of staff.
McCormack said he believed Conrad met the county’s requirements.
In 2015, Conrad was working as attorney at Canan Law. He has also worked as an assistant state attorney in the 7th Judicial Circuit.
After Cheryl Strickland retired as St. Johns County clerk of court in September 2015, a judge appointed George Lareau to serve as clerk before the governor appointed someone. Lareau had been the deputy chief clerk for 19 years.
But Gov. Rick Scott chose Conrad as Strickland’s replacement in October, even though Lareau had applied and was recommended for the role by Strickland.
Conrad beat Lareau in the next election to retain the position. He resigned from the post to become interim county administrator.
Though the public wasn’t notified of what discussion would come on Tuesday, apparently some had been informed.
A few people spoke during public comment in favor of Conrad getting the job.
Cathy Roche, the chief operating officer for the county clerk of court office, worked before and during Conrad’s tenure at the clerk’s office.
"He took a little stagnant government office, and I don’t mean any ill will by that, and resuscitated it," she said.
But not everyone was on board with the decision.
Ed Slavin, a local resident, said it shouldn’t have been discussed without being listed on the agenda, and he urged commissioners to table the item.
"Take it off the agenda and give proper public notice because obviously some people did have notice. ... It’s absolutely wrong."
Commissioner Jimmy Johns asked whether legally the Commission should reschedule the decision and make it a formal agenda item with public comment.
McCormack said the county attorney’s office wanted time to review the contract before bringing it forward.
Commission Chair Jeb Smith said he thought the Commission should go ahead and give Conrad the job and bring the contract back later.
"I believe that Mr. Conrad is the right man for this time for the job," Smith said.
No comments:
Post a Comment