Daytona Public Officials Conflict of Interest: Shiver and Taylor
During the June 4th Public Hearing, the Daytona Beach City Commission voted for a cost of living amendment to the police and fire pension plan (Ordinance No. 03-129). No county, municipal, or other local public officer shall vote in an official capacity upon any measure which would inure to his or her special private gain or loss; MISUSE OF PUBLIC POSITION.--No public officer, employee of an agency, or local government attorney shall corruptly use or attempt to use his or her official position or any property or resource which may be within his or her trust, or perform his or her official duties, to secure a special privilege, benefit, or exemption for himself, herself, or others. The measure, voted 6-1 by the City Commission (with McKay valiantly the sole dissenter) and approved by the city attorney, added a 2% cost of living increase to city and fire pensioners after six years of retirement.
Commissioners Rick Shiver and Dwayne Taylor both have a vested interest but failed to abstain from voting on the amendment. Both Taylor and Shiver are retired firemen employees of the city and will obtain personal benefit from the measure they voted on. This conduct seems to be in violation of ethics rules and state-mandated open government laws.
As elected public officials, Mr. Shiver and Mr. Taylor are sworn to uphold the interest of the city they serve above their own. They have a duty to publicly disclose any personal interest in any matter in front of them for voting consideration as well as abstaining from voting in such matters. There is extensive case history in common law, Florida ethics rules and just plain good morals and reasonable expectations of honesty that support that notion.VOTING CONFLICTS.--
Such public officer shall, prior to the vote being taken, publicly state to the assembly the nature of the officer's interest in the matter[ ...]
This action will cost Daytona Beach taxpayers an additional $1.25 million per year which will grow exponentially in the future. None of the Commissioners, Mr. Robert Gilliland, Ms. Shiela McKay, Ms Cassandra Reynolds, Ms. Pamela Woods and Mayor Glenn Richey, raised any questions about the propriety of having Taylor and Shiver participate in the discussion and voting.
The City attorney was present and also failed to raise any objections.
This increase is in addition to last year’s 8% across-the-board salary increase to city employees approved by the city commission. These rates are far above the rates of the private sector, where merit and job performance are the main driving considerations.
Mr. Taylor not only avoided abstaining from voting, he actively participated in the short discussion arguing the merits of the increase that will benefit him. Citizens outrage is well justified as Commissioner Taylor is not only benefiting personally from his vote as public official, but this conflict of interest is even more pronounced as he is also a Trustee of the Daytona Beach Police and Fire Pension Fund.
Commissioner Rick Shiver is the subject of several criminal complaints regarding the sale of his personal residence to the city for over twice its just value, a measure that his fellow commissioners approved. In a surprising and inexplicable move, city officials ordered the demolition of the home soon after the purchase. There were substantial questions about the methods used to appraise the property and other less than transparent procedural issues.
Commissioner Dwayne Taylor is running for election to the state legislature. The Florida state legislature is composed of highly educated and experienced individuals and is considered a giant step up in responsibility from city service. If elected, the position will present substantial challenges to Mr. Taylor.
His record is less than perfect and he has consistently voted for increased spending and taxes largely contributing to the current financial crisis Daytona is undergoing. This runaway spending is also named in several state criminal complaints for the use of city funds to finance personal indulgences in the arts of a wealthy campaign contributor. Last year, Taylor was surrounded by controversy when a widely popular radio show host addressed him as “inept” and "incompetent" like a "monkey".
11 comments:
Cheetah
While the poor live on the streets, hard working people are losing their jobs and their life-sustaining income, the Mayor and these scumbags actually had the audacity to add even more money to their firemen friends so they can retire at age 50!
What's next? raise taxes even more because the city is short of money and because Building stopped and they won't lay off any Building Inspectors!
They need more money because they can't lay off ANYBODY in their corrupt patronage system. Layoffs only happen to schmucks like working people in the private sector!
They need more money from us because gas prices have gone up, and so on...
Seems to me we will need to get a new City Commission - that's a given - but, most of all, we need a state prosecutor that has the gonads and go after this mafia.
Deliberate Negligence still IS a crime in Florida, even for those in ISC's pockets.
The Police and Firefighters should fund their own pension. Just like any person funding their own 401k. Why should the People pay a wage and salary? The People must pay for repairs and insurance on top of city wages. Part of the taxes collected should pay for replacement insurance in the event the Police and Firefighters can't save a burning home. In fact the citizens should serve as police protecting themselves and their own property. Police only show up after you've been robbed.
Time for new thinking People. Don't let the thief sue the home owner for breaking his leg while kicking in a door to rob, rape, and pillage.
Is Dwayne Taylor a Freemason? 75% of cops are, maybe firemen, too. "The Brotherhood" looks out for its own (padding each other's pockets in business; coverinr crimes of each other, etc.)
Let it be the first question you ask from now on when communicating with city/county/police/etc: "Sir, are you a Freemason by any chance?"
I have a link to the Volusia County Council Meeting that was held yesterday. One part of this meeting was directed at the results of a $150,000 independent study that was done last year to look at the hospitality industry in Volusia County and what cna be done to make it better. Doug Daniels that sits on the County Council Specifically requested a motion to go to the HAA Board to request more funds for the Ocean Center Marketing Department which his wife happens to be the director of. In addition, he wants to take 2 or 3 of the Sales Team Members from the HAA Board and transfer them to the Ocean Center. What this means for the City is that by doing this, would completly elliminate the Sales Team at the Convention and Visitors Bureau whose sole purpose is to drive business to the County. I am trying to raise awareness about this as I feel it is important fo rthe citizens of Volusia County to know where there money is going to.
http://www.volusia.org/government/county-council/county-council-meetings/previous-county-council-meetings.stml?portalProcess_dd_0_1_1_0=showPublicPosting&calendar_entry_id=3465
The commissioners totally ignored the citizen's comments and acted as if he did not exist. It certainly looked like the decision was made beforehand.
How can this be possible with sunshine laws and all?