Row over raises at county commission

TAMPA - The emotions were intense as Hillsborough County Commissioners and County Administrator Pat Bean sparred over raises Bean gave to six of her top-level staff members.

At issue was the question of whether or not she failed to tell commissioners she was giving the staff members significant raises.

"It was an error in judgment. It was a bad move," said Commissioner Mark Sharpe.

Back in November, Bean told Commissioners she was restructuring her department. She planned to eliminate five positions at a savings of $700,000.

But in doing so, she asked other staff members to take on not only their job but an additional job. She gave two employees a raise, totaling $20,000.

Bean said she couldn't ask them to do that without giving them a raise.

Commissioners said they knew about the restructuring, but not about the raises, and that angered Commissioner Rose Ferlita.

"She can give them anything she wants, and balance the budget on the backs of the first line employees," Ferlita said.

Ferlita was so angry, saying in this time, raises should not be approved.

The county is looking at laying off 900 employees and cutting $140 million in programs.

They're also asking others to take furloughs and no raises. The county attorney said Bean actually has the right to give her employees raises, without approval by commissioners.

In the end, commissioners voted to not approve the restructuring plan. That in effect demotes the two employees back to only doing their current jobs. The raises are then voided.

Commissioners said they hope Pat Bean will come back at a later time and re-ask for the restructuring. They hope she'll also ask for a lower raise than what she originally gave the employees.

They asked if the employees could be asked to do the extra jobs without the extra money, and were told no by the county human resources manager.