James In Over His Head.
Posted by Sandy on November 7, 2019 · Leave a Comment
The city’s no bid contract just keeps on giving and giving. This has exploded into a story City Hall can’t contain and slowly but surely the facts are coming out thanks to reporters who carry big shovels and keep on digging. Here’s the latest which includes new stories. I have printed excerpts on different stories and hoping you will read the reporters entire piece. My comments will be in Italic. If you skip anything please don’t let it be the last 2 pieces, and please don’t skip ahead.
Former City Administrator Jeff Green was not one of my favorites drawing a city paycheck, but he doesn’t deserve to have his reputation destroyed either. So here we go.
Wanda Moore Chanel 5 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A $7.9 million security contract did not go out for bidding. Instead West Palm Beach officials gave the contract to security firm Professional Security Consultants.
After weeks of backlash, West Palm Beach Mayor James Keith suddenly reversed that decision, now allowing bids. He cited new information he had received from interim city administrator Faye Johnson as the reason for his change of heart.
Mayor James said he has asked Johnson, who replaced Green, for a full review.
“She did a full review of the process and of every step taken, including the decision by staff to cancel or reject all bids without my knowledge during my first week in office,”
Reporter: “And that information was not given to you by the previous city administrator?”
Mayor: “I did not have that information. No.”
The story below has Jeff Green taking the hit for the no bid contract, and James had no knowledge of it of it what so ever. LOL
CBS12 News is learning a graphic text photo could be at the center of City Administrator Jeff Green’s resignation last month. According to Mayor Keith James, Green was asked to resign last month after Green took part in some unacceptable behavior. “To say that I was extremely disappointed and downright appalled by the alleged conduct surrounding this matter is an understatement,” James said. James says a city employee revealed a “graphic text photo” that implicated Green. He isn’t saying what the photo shows, but says it was something the city cannot tolerate. “I absolutely, unequivocally condemn the alleged behavior at the center of this situation,” James said.
City Commissioner Richard Ryles says Green’s behavior involved sexual misconduct. “If any of the facts that I’ve heard are true, then — you know people do stupid stuff every day of the week. If it’s sexual misconduct, you see it all over the country, in every sector of life, it’s unfortunate. It happens,” he said. Ryles says the city has reached a legal settlement with a female city employee in this case, which he says the city commission was not consulted about. He’s asking for a special city commission meeting next week to discuss that.
People have known about this picture for weeks. We know what the picture shows, and we know the man involved. It is not a picture of Jeff Green and I was amazed how many people were led to believe it was due to the comments from City Hall. Apparently Commissioner Ryles was mis-informed also. If the commissioners had no knowledge of a settlement with the woman, who engineered the settlement? The commissioners control the city’s pocketbook and would have to approve a settlement. Read the story below.
25 WPBF Terry Parker Mayor Keith James stunned his fellow commissioners and the public Monday night when at the end of the commission meeting he announced the real reason city manager Jeff Green resigned last month is because of a graphic text sent to a city employee – that apparently only James and a few others knew about.
“An employee revealed a graphic text photo and implicated the former city administrator,” said James, adding he immediately asked Green to resign.
Wednesday morning. Green said by phone he was also flabbergasted at James’ new statement.
“I was surprised by Mr. James’ comment and i was a little taken aback and while I’m on a cruise right now I’ll be happy to address it when I get back in town,” Green said.
Asked if James’ allegation that Green was implicated in the graphic text were true, Green replied: “It was not me that sent any sort of text to any person.”
Green said the text photo was sent to the female employee by another person who copied him on it, and he immediately deleted it.
Mayor James’ spokeswoman said he declined to speak further publicly about the issue at this time.
This is my opinion. Obviously the commissioners were kept in the dark by James who originally said Green was fired over the no bid contract that was orchestrated behind his back his first week in office. Commissioners were surprised a settlement agreement was made with the women, appears they had no knowledge of it. He pointed his finger at Jeff Green hoping the true culprit wouldn’t be found out. It’s only a matter of time before the name is revealed, and James attempt of a cover-up is over. Read the story below.
PB Post Tony Doris For all its vaunted efficiencies in letting one company handle security citywide, the fact that it also was in the best interest of one of the mayor’s buddies raised eyebrows. How did the contract collapse, after James and City Administrator Jeff Green advocated forcefully for it and won a unanimous vote of the city commission?
Johnson, an assistant Palm Beach County administrator who previously served as St. Lucie County administrator, joined James’ team in West Palm Beach in August as an assistant city administrator.
“When the mayor talked to me about taking the interim position, I gave that some considerable thought before saying ‘yes.’ And one of the threshold decisions for me in accepting it was that there was not going to be an expectation that, as the interim, I would just carry the water as it had been done before,” Johnson explained to commissioners.
“As a professionally trained administrator, it was important to me that, in the context of (being) the interim, that I would not compromise my professional training. And when he committed that I could operate on that basis, I said I could take the interim assignment.”
In this case, though, there was no justification in city law for bypassing open competition, she said. “That gave me the first cause for a major pause,” she said.
And when she looked at other contracts the city had executed without bidding, this one was much bigger, she said.
“I had, probably, a more spirited discussion with him than I’m having here,” Johnson told the commissioners. “He agreed that, based on me taking him through my training, that our process does not line up with best practices when you talk about open competition for procurement. And so, I’m glad that the mayor valued the years of training and experience and that he agreed.”
When a city bypasses bidding, Johnson said, “that justification, in my experience and training, has to be above reproach. And I don’t think anyone here can confidently say it was above reproach because we have too many questions about it. And so that’s how I concluded that it was in our best interest that we do a redo on that particular contract.”
“I will put the commission on notice, as I have put the mayor,” she said. “The spending trends that we have in the city absolutely have to be changed if you’re going to then do a millage reduction…. One has to change in order to accomplish the other.”
Mayor James, for his part, said in a release that Johnson’s review convinced him of the need to put the security contract out to bid.
“The public’s trust and confidence in the contract selection process and in their city government is paramount,” James said. “I look forward to the process playing out, in the interest of full transparency and to ensure the contract is above reproach. I am genuinely grateful to Ms. Johnson for her review.”
Please take the time to read this most important story below to learn more about Faye Johnson the Interim City Administrator, most qualified for the job with honor and integrity. Even James says I am genuinely grateful to Ms. Johnson for her review.”
So why the hell is the ad below on the City Website? Two strong women in WPB namely Police Chief Sara Mooney and now Faye Johnson and James can’t work with either of them. He can shine his own shoes because these 2 women certainty wont. Commissioners speak up. The mayor hires and fires but you have opinions. Please express them., loudly and publically.
https://wpb.org/Departments/City-Administration/City-Administrator-Job-Opportunity