WorkNet contract handling criticized

The agency's top board members call for policies to be revised after a controversial contract was awarded to a church some thought had an inside track.

By LISA GREENE, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published November 7, 2002

Top WorkNet Pinellas board members condemned the agency's handling of a controversial contract Wednesday, saying the agency's policies need to be revised so that potential bidders don't receive an unfair advantage in the future.

The heated meeting began with some agency leaders defending the contract. But after County Commissioner Ken Welch, who also is vice chairman of the WorkNet board, denounced the bidding process, other board members followed suit.

"When you work with one partner, it taints the ... process," Welch said. "We have been hurt by this."

The contract was awarded to a St. Petersburg church to oversee a network of church volunteers who would mentor welfare clients from WorkNet, the county's welfare and job placement agency. The first $103,000 contract was awarded in March after a competitive bid, and the church's proposal was rated the highest.

But a former county manager, Rick Dodge, has attended the church. Dodge, who was then supervising WorkNet, introduced church leaders to WorkNet staff members last fall. Church officials met repeatedly with WorkNet staff more than two months before the bids became public, helped shape the mentoring proposal and the church was named in WorkNet's original grant application to the state, the St. Petersburg Times reported last month.

Darryl Rouson, president of the St. Petersburg NAACP, came to Wednesday's meeting and praised board members for speaking out.

"I commend you for an open and frank discussion," Rouson told board members. "Clearly, there was something that smelled wrong ...

"You took all the steam out" of what he planned to say, Rouson said.

But the long-anticipated meeting didn't start out that way. Welch sent an angry memo a month ago, asking WorkNet's executive director, Bonnie Moore, pointed questions about the bid process. Moore, who has repeatedly defended the process, gave Welch a response Wednesday.

Leroy Sullivan, chairman of the WorkNet board, began the meeting by reminding the group that it must focus on helping people who need jobs.

"We need to stay focused on our mission," Sullivan said. "A lot of these things are more sidebars than anything else."

Moore and Sullivan began discussion of the grant by questioning a state work force manager, intending to show that the grant followed state bid policies.

As that discussion went on, Rouson began writing notes to himself. He planned to tell board members not to "excuse, justify or rationalize" what happened.

"Initially, I thought this was going to be another whitewash of backroom deals," Rouson said after the meeting. "But I think they've taken a great step toward repairing all the damage."

During the meeting, Welch cut short the state policy questions.

"I don't think we should hide behind the state procurement guidelines," he said. "That's not the issue here."

Welch went on to say the process wasn't fair. Other members of the board's executive committee agreed.

"What happened may have been legal, but it doesn't sound real clean," board member Guy Cooley said.

Sullivan said he still thought the church had no advantage but agreed that the process gave a "perception of not being fair."

Board members agreed to have a board committee meet with top county managers to review proposals they already have drafted to improve WorkNet's bid procedures.

The department's bid procedures became an issue later Wednesday, when board members were asked to approve a handful of contracts that, for various reasons, were not competitively bid.

WorkNet leaders have said that it's hard to ask for bids on many contracts because they have little time between when grants are made available and when the money must be spent.

But Steve Spratt, county administrator, said that good planning is the key.

"We find ourselves in a position here ... we got ourselves up against the wall," he said. "I have to say, the challenge is on the (WorkNet) staff."

Cooley said he would support approving the contracts -- this time.

"I don't want to continue to do business in this manner," he said.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright