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State to review Sunshine charge
By JENNIFER FARRELL SPRING HILL -- The State Attorney's Office is looking into an allegation by the former Spring Hill Fire Rescue chief that two district commissioners violated the state Government-in-the-Sunshine Law by discussing his retirement plans in private. Mark Simpson, head of the agency's public interest unit, said State Attorney Brad King ordered him to examine the matter. "A complaint was received by Brad King, and Mr. King has instructed me to look into it," Simpson confirmed Monday. Assistant State Attorney Bill Catto said Monday he alerted King last week after learning of the allegation by Mike Morgan, former Spring Hill Fire Rescue chief. Simpson declined to discuss details of the investigation. A day after district commissioners said they were unhappy with Morgan's performance and voted 4-0 to force him into early retirement, he told the Times two commissioners had violated the Sunshine Law. Morgan said he was surprised when commissioners decided he should leave the district immediately. He said one commissioner had assured him that a retirement proposal Morgan submitted, allowing him to remain on the payroll through March, had been accepted. Morgan said he got a phone call from one commissioner who told him another commissioner had agreed to the deal in a private conversation. He declined to identify the two commissioners, but said he understood the pair had talked over his retirement proposal and vowed to back it in public. Contacted about the alleged Government-in-the-Sunshine violation, all five commissioners have denied Morgan's charge. On Monday, Chairman Bob Kanner said he was unaware of the State Attorney's Office investigation. "I welcome the investigation," he said. "I still have no idea what he's talking about. I still call it sour grapes." Commissioner Jeff Hollander said it is galling that Morgan would allege a Sunshine Law violation. "He sent me an e-mail asking me to violate two laws," Hollander said. "And he's casting the stones?" In an e-mail to Hollander early this month, Morgan asked for advice on how to move forward with plans to retire. Morgan also suggested the correspondence remain private and asked if Hollander would "broker" the arrangement. Commissioners have argued the e-mail shows a clear attempt by Morgan to violate the Sunshine Law. Morgan has said he didn't intend to break the law and simply sought advice from a commissioner he trusted. Morgan could not be reached Monday. -- Staff writer Jennifer Farrell covers Spring Hill and can be reached at 848-1432. Send e-mail to farrell@sptimes.com.
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From today's Hernando Times |
