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Cost of a driveway: two city positions

Some of the asphalt meant for a Pinellas Park project was privately used. One man quits, and another abruptly retires.

PINELLAS PARK - Two public works employees have quit after a city investigation found that one of them used his position to obtain asphalt at a reduced price.

Richard Leska, 36, resigned last month. Leska, who had worked for the city since 1993, was accused of violating several city rules, including lying to his supervisor, harming Pinellas Park's reputation, and using his position and friendship with a city contractor to obtain asphalt for his private driveway at a reduced price. Leska, a parks maintenance worker, was earning $31,367 a year when he resigned.

David Stiles, who was the project supervisor, was accused of violating two city rules: lying to the head of his department about the asphalt incident and failing to stop the deal between Leska and the asphalt company. Stiles, 39, had worked for Pinellas Park since 1985 and was earning $40,098 as a senior streets maintenance operator when he retired Tuesday.

Leska could not be reached for comment.

Stiles said Tuesday that he wanted to fight the allegations but did not because he wanted to preserve his $800-a-month pension. Had he lost his fight and been fired, city rules would have prevented his claiming his pension. Stiles said he could not risk that because he has a pregnant wife and two mortgage payments to make.

"In 20 years, I have not been reprimanded. I've never been in trouble," Stiles said.

The problem, Stiles said, is that he heard a discussion about work being done on the side but walked away rather than participate. Not only did he not participate, but Stiles said he received no money for his actions. The city, he said, could have suspended him but because a supervisor did not like him, officials chose to fire him.

"I chose not to be involved by walking away," Stiles said. "I've been treated very unfair."

According to the city, Leska's neighbors complained Sept. 7 that Leska may have taken asphalt that was part of a city project in order to pave his driveway.

At first, Leska told his department head, Tom Nicholls, that he had no knowledge of the situation. He said someone had knocked on the door offering to pave the driveway and his wife had accepted. But about five minutes later, Leska went back to Nicholls and offered to pay for the asphalt, according to Sgt. Tracey Schofield, the investigator.

When Nicholls questioned him further, Leska "admitted to lying and having some knowledge of the driveway and saying that his wife had solicited the company and paid $250 for the driveway," according to city records. That would be less than the cost of the asphalt and labor, city officials said.

Schofield said further investigation showed that Leska was on the city job site the day the driveway was paved late last summer. He was wearing his city uniform and driving a city vehicle, Schofield said. Leska had approached the contractor to ask if any "extra asphalt" from the city job could be used to pave his driveway, according to the investigation.

The contractor's crew later paved Leska's driveway using asphalt that was originally supposed to be used for the city job. "Due to a rainout, (the contractor) used it for Leska's driveway and sent the rest back to the plant," the city's report said.

Stiles confirmed in records that Leska had been on the city job site while on duty in a city vehicle talking to workers. Stiles said Leska jokingly said to him, "I'll take the leftovers."

"I don't want to know ... I don't know anything,' " Stiles said he told Leska, according to the report.

Schofield added, "Stiles acknowledged that he knew some type of side job was going to be done but said he did not know it was Leska's driveway. Stiles stated he heard that Leska's wife (Xantippi) actually paid for the driveway that day. Stiles also confirmed Leska had not pulled a city permit for the driveway."

Stiles conceded he was in charge of the project when the side job was discussed.

Leska later denied telling Stiles "I'll take the leftovers," but conceded he had joked about wishing he had a couple of loads of asphalt for his front yard.