HOWK RECEIVES MEDALS Korean War vet honored by Rep. Tom Rooney PAGE 12 Arcadian 75¢ Editorial 4 Calendar 6 Family Album 7 Police Beat 8 Obituaries 9 Religion 10 Sports 14 Agriculture 19 A NEW HOME FOR HOMELESS SERVICES: DeSoto Cares will have space at Center for the Needy 3 4-H OPEN HOUSE: New members welcomed 3 GIVING CHALLENGE: Hit someone with a pie in the face for a good cause 11 INSIDE More than 5,100 followers! “Like” us on Facebook A section of the Sun Nine awards from Florida Press Club in 2014 for writing and photography including 3 first, 3 second, 3 third place 2015 Florida Press Assn. awards for Community Service, Feature Story and Outdoor Recreation, and 2014 General Excellence and Feature Story “Serving DeSoto County since 1887” ARCADIAN Thursday, August 27, 2015 - 24 pages / 75 cents Tailgate party opens Bulldogs sports season ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN DeSoto County High School cheerleaders brought their spirit to the Tailgate Party held Friday at the Tree of Knowledge Park. A little rain didn’t dampen the spirits of these girls! • Turn to page 13 for more photos. The DeSoto County School Board voted unanimously to request an independent investigation concerning several key district directors who have been put on administrative leave or who have resigned, alleging bullying and threats. It was clear from the outset that Tuesday’s School Board meeting would be contentious. Even before the meeting was to start, the boardroom was full and dozens of people had to be directed into the hallway. While district staff tried to lock the doors to keep more people from coming in, School Board Chair Karen Chancey objected, saying the public must be allowed in. Many in the audience were teachers or district staff. As the meeting opened, Chancey amended the agenda to add an action item to request an investigation. She said, “At this time there will be no discussion or comment; that will come later (in the meeting).” ‘An atmosphere of fear’ School Board to launch its own investigation By SUSAN E. HOFFMAN ARCADIAN EDITOR FEAR | 2 Heading into its first public hearing for eventual approval of the 2015-16 budget, the Board of County Commissioners turned heads Tuesday when it directed staff to find $1.2 million in cost savings to offset lowering the Law Enforcement Municipal Service Taxing Unit by nearly a full millage point. The previous MSTU proposal was set at 2.47 mills; but Tuesday’s proposal reduced it to 1.50. One mill equals $1 of tax on every $1,000 of taxable value. Both the ad valorem rate of 8.506 and the Emergency Medical Services MSTU of 0.9128 remained unchanged. The end result of the BOCC’s directive will mean significant impact on county services, potential staffing cuts and other areas. At one point in the meeting, Commissioner Buddy Mansfield asked County Administrator Mandy Hines what cuts she would make to achieve $1 million in savings; Hines said she had compiled a sample list that included a multitude of options. “Just to get to $888,000, we wouldn’t fill our vacant planner position, there would be no new ambulance, we’d halt the redevel- opment trust fund, we wouldn’t fill the open vacancies in the Road and Bridges Department, we’d eliminate fireworks, cut $300,000 from the Sheriff’s requested increase, and there’d be a serious reduction in level of service to county residents,” she said. When Mansfield asked her to elaborate on what the service level reductions would be, Hines Budget cuts dominate county workshop By STEVE BAUER ARCADIAN ASSISTANT EDITOR BUDGET | 24 adno=50480869
A NEW HOME FOR HOMELESS SERVICES: DeSoto Cares will have space at Center for the Needy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34-H OPEN HOUSE: New members welcomed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3GIVING CHALLENGE: Hit someone with a pie in the face for a good cause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
INSIDEMore than
5,100 followers!
“Like” us on Facebook
A section of the SunNine awards from Florida Press Club in 2014 for writing and photography including 3 first, 3 second, 3 third place
2015 Florida Press Assn. awards for Community Service,
Feature Story and Outdoor Recreation, and 2014 General Excellence and Feature Story
“Serving DeSoto County since 1887”“Serving DeSoto County since 1887”
ArcAdiAnThursday, August 27, 2015 - 24 pages / 75 cents
Tailgate party opens Bulldogs sports season
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN
DeSoto County High School cheerleaders brought their spirit to the Tailgate Party held Friday at the Tree of Knowledge Park. A little rain didn’t dampen the spirits of these girls! • Turn to page 13 for more photos.
The DeSoto County School Board voted unanimously to request an independent investigation concerning several key district directors who have been put on administrative leave or who have resigned, alleging bullying and threats.
It was clear from the outset that Tuesday’s School Board meeting would be contentious. Even before the meeting was to start, the boardroom was full and dozens of people had to be directed into the hallway. While district staff tried to lock the doors to keep more people from coming in, School Board Chair Karen Chancey objected, saying the public must be allowed in.
Many in the audience were teachers or district staff.
As the meeting opened, Chancey amended the agenda to add an action item to request an investigation. She said, “At this time there will be no discussion or comment; that will come later (in the meeting).”
‘An atmosphere of fear’School Board to launch its own investigation
By SUSAN E. HOFFMANArcAdiAn Editor
FEAR | 2
Heading into its first public hearing for eventual approval of the 2015-16 budget, the Board of County Commissioners turned heads Tuesday when it directed staff to find $1.2 million in cost savings to offset lowering the Law Enforcement Municipal Service Taxing Unit by nearly a full millage point. The previous MSTU proposal was set at 2.47 mills; but Tuesday’s proposal reduced it to 1.50. One mill equals $1 of tax on every $1,000 of taxable value. Both the ad valorem rate of 8.506 and the Emergency Medical Services MSTU of 0.9128 remained unchanged.
The end result of the BOCC’s directive will mean significant impact on county services, potential staffing cuts and other areas. At one point in the meeting, Commissioner Buddy Mansfield asked County Administrator Mandy Hines what cuts she would make to achieve $1 million in savings; Hines said she had compiled a sample list that included a multitude of options.
“Just to get to $888,000, we wouldn’t fill our vacant planner position, there would be no new ambulance, we’d halt the redevel-opment trust fund, we wouldn’t fill the open vacancies in the Road and Bridges Department, we’d eliminate fireworks, cut $300,000 from the Sheriff’s requested increase, and there’d be a serious reduction in level of service to county residents,” she said.
When Mansfield asked her to elaborate on what the service level reductions would be, Hines
Budget cuts dominate
county workshop
By STEVE BAUERArcAdiAn AssistAnt Editor
BUDGET | 24
adno=50480869
Arcadian | Page 2 www.sunnewspapers.net The Sun / Thursday, August 27, 2015
The Arcadia All Florida Championship Rodeo Association held its annual membership meeting August 20 conducting director elec-tions, electing new members and choosing officers for the coming year. Approximately 60 members attended the meeting held at the associa-tion’s Arcadia office.
Four current directors were re-elected to serve three-year terms: Judge Don Hall, Alfred Higginbotham, Ronald Neads and Bill Strickland. The mem-bership also voted to elect 13 new members into the associa-tion: Travis Bass, Celia Bateman, Allyson Christ, David Carlton, Anne-Marie Driggers, Josh Driggers, Tom Hollingsworth, Randa Kellogg, Carl McKettrick Jr., Carl Sharp, Kevin Shelfer, Billy Vasek and Marty Vasek.
Upon completion of the
annual meeting, the board of directors met and elected their executive committee members and officers. Judge Hall was elected to serve another term as President. His team of officers will be Judge James
Parker as First Vice President, County Commissioner Buddy Mansfield Second Vice President, Jimmy Fussell Secretary, and Robert Staton Sr. as the association Treasurer. These five individuals will
comprise the association’s executive committee.
The Association continues to move forward with plans to build the new arena, to be lo-cated next to the Turner Center on land the Rodeo Association
owns. The board heard updates on several key committees, including the progress of the building committee as they finalize the building design. The board also approved a new ticketing system that will allow ticket sales online and provide a host of features including the ability to offer varying levels of spectator seating, specialized tracking reports, on ticket advertising, integration with the association web site and many more features to improve the ability of the association to serve the public’s needs and prepare them for the move to the larger, more spectator-friendly arena.
The association’s next event is the Fall Pro Rodeo Oct. 17-18. Tickets are $15. Children 10 and under get in free. More information can be found at www.arcadiarodeo.com including upcoming events, ticketing, and more about the new Mosaic Arena and how you can donate to the effort.
Rodeo elects directors, committeesBy KATIE WILLIS
ArcAdiA rodeo Assn.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY KATIE WILLIS
The Arcadia Rodeo Association elected new board members and appointed committees during its recent meeting. The members are reviewing building plans for the new rodeo arena, planned for rodeo property adjacent to the Turner Center.
School Superintendent Karyn Gary then asked labor attorney Shaina Thorpe to discuss an internal investiga-tion the district is conducting concern-ing several district employees.
Thorpe, of the Tampa law firm Thorpe & Thorpe, said she was called by Gary to help the district conduct its own investigation, and she had confi-dence in their investigation techniques.
But the School Board decided to have its own investigation conducted by an outside independent party. School Board member Ronny Allen said he did not want to limit the investigation; he wanted it done in timely fashion but also wanted it to go wherever the investigators were led, “even if they need to go back to Charlotte County” (the school district where Gary and Facilities Director Steven Cummings worked before coming to DeSoto), “and make sure we clear anybody that needs clearing.
“This needs to be thorough and timely, and Mr. (Bucky) Waldron (the Board’s attorney) needs to engage a competent agency.”
School Board member Deborah Snyder added she would also like an investigation into the financial cost to the district of placing several em-ployees on administrative leave with pay. (Employees who were placed on administrative leave with pay under Gary’s tenure include former high school Principal Shannon Fusco,
former Finance Director Marcia Saulo, and Human Resources Director Philip Nedley. Some of those employees were on leave for several months, receiving pay although not allowed to perform their work for the district.)
The Board voted unanimously to direct Waldron to have such an investi-gation done. On Wednesday, Gary told The Arcadian, “While I am confident in our administrative staff’s ability to con-duct a thorough and unbiased investi-gation into the conduct of the employ-ees involved, I certainly respect and support the Board’s decision to engage a third-party investigator as to these issues. However, I am hopeful that this outside investigation will not come at too great of a cost to the DeSoto County taxpayers. The Superintendent’s office has nothing to hide.”
Following the board’s vote, Snyder expressed “serious concerns about ... district operations.
“There is no more valuable asset to this district than our employees,” Snyder said. “My biggest concern of all is the treatment of our employees. I have received many calls these past two weeks from employees — many in tears
FEARFROM PAGE 1
— who feel they are being harassed, bullied or threatened with loss of their job or (teaching) certificate if they talk to a board member or their peers about their concerns. If true, this constitutes hostility in the workplace and cannot be condoned.”
She continued, “When there are multiple complaints and grievances against one employee and the only action taken is against those filing the complaint, something is very wrong. There is an atmosphere of fear among our employees — and it has to stop.”
$600K insurance rebateGary informed the Board that the
district received a rebate of roughly $600,000 in May from Blue Cross/Blue Shield, because many district employ-ees had maintained healthy lifestyles, significantly lowering their health care costs.
Allen asked why this information had not been shared earlier with the Board. “My personal opinion is that something that major, that our employees did, the Board should have been notified. Obviously it’s a big deal.”
Snyder said the Board was told when the program first started. “Without us as a Board being notified that we received that money, we don’t have the opportunity to thank Albritton Insurance” and the employees who helped to get that money.
Gary became defensive, threatening that if the Board wanted to publicize all financial decisions, “then maybe we need to go back and advertise decisions the Board made that were upsetting to the budget ... like when you waived $750,000 to the County Commission” (referring to a settlement the Board reached with the County Commissioners over sharing mon-ey from the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority).
Clashes over jobsChancey wanted to discuss personnel
matters in the agenda, specifically that Human Resources Director Phillip
Nedley had been placed on administra-tive leave with pay. Snyder added two more to discuss: that two new positions — Assistant Directors of Instructional Technology — had been created without Board approval and that James Backer and Jeffrey Wood were named for those jobs.
Snyder said the Board had not autho-rized two additional IT assistants, nor did she understand why we need “four assistant directors in a nine-person department.” She also noted it was up to the Board, not the Superintendent, to create or dissolve positions.
Gary said after former IT Director Keith Markey retired, they chose to fill his vacancy with two people at less cost. But the Board voted unanimously not to approve those two new assistant director positions.
Chancey then asked for a recommen-dation not to approve placing Nedley on leave with pay, for good cause.
Gary challenged, “What is your good cause?”
Allen said, “Because it is under investigation.”
Gary contended that did not consti-tute good cause.
Snyder cited the nature of the com-plaints Board members had received that need to be investigated.
Gary said, “We are conducting an investigation.”
But Snyder answered, “We believe due to the complaints we have gotten, and after discussion with the board attorney, I believe due to the nature of the complaints we believe it will take an outside person and that’s what we’re requesting.”
The Board unanimously voted not to approve placing Nedley on leave with pay. Nedley was instead told to report to work Wednesday as usual, and sources confirmed that he did go to work that morning.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Allen said, “I’m proud of this Board. And I appreciate everyone coming here tonight. Be assured, every rock will be turned over, every door will be opened, and the investigation will see the light of day.”
“There is an atmosphere of fear among our
employees — and it has to stop.”
— School Board Member Deborah Snyder
“I am hopeful that this outside investigation will not come at too great of a cost to the DeSoto
County taxpayers.”— School Superintendent Karyn Gary
